Life has suddenly got a bit busier, as i'm back doing musical things regularly, but i'm still making sure I have time to read. The commute to work a couple of times a week continues to be a good time to focus on audiobooks - I'm truly surprised by how well I'm getting on with them nowadays when in the last I've always struggled to keep paying enough attention instead of tuning them out to just a pleasant background noise.
This months reads start with an old favourite, but all the others were new or new-to-me.
Nation by Terry Pratchett [audiobook]
This is my favourite Pratchett book by a country mile - I don't know how many times I've read it, but I reread it regularly. This was my first time listening to the audiobook, and it's wonderful - the narration is lively and brings out the characters extremely well.
It's the story of not a boy, not a man, Mau, whose south pacific island and community are destroyed by a huge wave. He diacovers that he isn't alone on the island as Daphne, a girl from the other side of the world has been shipwrecked there. Somehow, despite their entirely different languages and cultures they learn to communicate and face the challenges of this new treacherous world. As more people find their way to the island, Mau has to work out how to rebuild his nation and protect it.
I love the way this looks at Britain's imperial and colonial past, not shying away from it, but absolutely not glamorising or endorsing it. In a time when global politics seem to be increasingly us-v-them, this is a book about coming together.
The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt
Bob Comet has been a librarian for many years, but despite the apparent bland conformity of his life, there is more to him than meets the eye. He stumbles into helping at a local centre for the elderly, and discovers a connection with his past.
This was a good read, although the second part felt jarringly different to the first - although Bob's character remains constant, it somehow didn't sit well together for me. And the end felt bizzarely abrupt. I'd probably say 7.5/10 if I was assigning scores.
Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang [audiobook]
I've looked at this in bookshops a few times, so was very pleased that it's my bookclub read for February. When June Hayward, an author of limited published success, is the only witness to the accidental death of her friend Athena Liu, a much more successful novellist, she succumbs to the temptation to steal the manuscript of Athena's latest novel before leaving her flat. Her reworking of the manuscript is published to critical acclaim, under the name of Juniper Song - her full first and middle names - but then rumours start about the true author of the work. June finds herself in the middle of controversy about racial identity, cultural appropriation, and plagiarism. She stands to lose everything she's just gained and more if the truth comes out - so how far will she go to keep her secret?
Written as a satirical commentary on racial diversity in the publishing industry, and of the power of social media to both celebrate and demonise, this was definitely thought-provoking. While I didn't like the central character (I don't think you're meant to, fortunately), for once that wasn't off-putting, and I was always eager to get back to the story at the next opportunity. I'm really looking forward to our discussion about this one!
Letty and the Mystery of the Golden Thread by Penny Boxall
This was an impulse purchase, when I'd popped
into the bookshop to find a card. i'd already picked up a bookmark too, and had absolutely no self-restraint when it came to the appealing pile of these books by the till! This is aimed at roughly 10-12 year olds, but was great fun.
The year is 1774. Letty, the adopted daughter of Sir Josiah Breech has grown up surrounded by his collection of historical items. When he is accused of forging the famous Breech Athena statue and thrown into prison, Letty has to use her wits, her education, and the clues hidden in her Pa's diary from his Grand Tour some 50 years earlier, to gather the evidence she needs to prove his innocence. She sets off, accompanied only by her pet magpie, Diderot, on a life-changing adventure, and meets a wonderful cast of characters along the way. Not all are who they appear to be, and she has to decide who she can trust to help her.
Beautifully written with a light-touch and a generous dash of humour, I wanted to keep reading it to find out how Letty would save her Pa. strongly recommended for fans of Robin Stevens and Alex T Smith.
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome [audiobook]
Somehow, despite being an avid reader as a child, and my family having this set, I never read them - probably because my sister did! I decided that the time has come to correct this omission, and I'm ever so glad. I've absolutely loved meeting Captains John and Nancy, and following on their adventures with the group. I have no idea what I expected from this book, but this absolutely wasn't it, and it far exceeded my expectations. I can absolutely see why it's enchanted so many generations of children, and already have the second one from the library!
I'm slightly concerned that these may now be too far removed from the electronics-based, indoorsy life that most children now seem to lead, but hope they continue to find piratical allies in each new generation.
Purchases
The Company of Owls
188 Words for Rain
Letty and the Mystery of the Golden Thread
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