And so, we meet again. Welcome, friends, to the third edition of the Quarantine Book Club. I suppose that I knew when I started this series that I would be in it for the long haul, but part of me is struggling to fathom how we’ve all spent more than three months of the year mostly indoors. I genuinely didn’t realise just how long twenty-four hours is until I got all the time I spent walking places (and then spending time at them) abruptly given back to me. Now that I know… I read. More than ever before, which is no small feat.
The best part of spending so much time social distancing still remains is how many books I’ve checked off my reading list. I haven’t loved them all – but what I don’t love, someone else might. (With the notable exception of Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding – see below.) That’s part of the fun of a book club. If you’ve read any of the six books below, I’d love to hear your thoughts about them in the Comments!
(And if you’re curious about what else I’ve read, you can look back on Quarantine Book Club | Edition I and Quarantine Book Club | Edition II. You can also see my whole list on Good Reads.)
The Lover – Marguerite Duras
Much of this book made me feel uncomfortable. But I tend to think that’s the sign of a truly good book: that it provokes a strong reaction, even if it isn’t a positive one. Marguerite Duras wrote in a semi-autobiographical style and she never shied away from the unvarnished truth, even if it wasn’t pretty. And much of it wasn’t, in this book. The Lover>/i> is quick read, just long enough to fill a rainy afternoon. A true classic of French literature, it probably isn’t for everyone. But, like many classics, is worth picking up so you can understand why so many readers love it.
The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley – Hannah Tinti
A good book, but not a memorable one. That is, perhaps, not high praise. But as I write this, I find myself struggling to recall the plot of Hannah Tinti’s second novel in any great detail. I enjoyed the book. It moved quickly, and the characters were likeable. But because it is loosely based on The Twelve Labours of Hercules, I find myself remembering the classic tales more than the adaptation which, while inventive, doesn’t truly live up to the original.
Good Omens – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Over the years, I’ve read a number of books by Neil Gaiman. I’ve found that most have a similarly creative but not particularly descriptive quality, almost as if they weren’t quite finished yet. But when adapted, they can become incredible movies or TV series. Stardust, based on the eponymous graphic novel, remains a cinematic favourite for me. And I admit, without shame, that I’ve watched the full series of Lucifer, more than once. (The title character, the devil himself, is based on the version of him that Gaiman wrote in the comic series The Sandman.)
Good Omens is a cult classic. I came upon it recently in a reprinted version released after Amazon and BBC made it into a TV series. The book is enjoyable. But much like Stardust, it seems to me it is one of those (very) rare books that becomes a better movie. That said, if you’re a true bibliophile, you’ll still want to pick up the novel before diving into the series.
Joseph Andrews – Henry Fielding
I don’t think I’ve ever actually put a book down without finishing it. But in the case of Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews, I came close many times. The story parodies the plot of a popular novel released in the same era – Pamela by Samuel Richardson. I understand both were wildly popular at the time. What the story does now, however, is prove that humour often cannot transcend ages. What was hilarious in 1742 is, at best, dull in 2020. At worst, I found it incomprehensible and a bit stupid. Do yourself a favour and give it a miss.
Abigail – Magda Szabo
I confess: this is one of those books that long predates my existence, but that only caught my eye when I saw it on Instagram. It is a World War II story, but set in Hungary, a country whose story of that era is not retold nearly as often as the stories of Germany and France. But the war is in the background, really. It influences events without being the event itself. At it’s heart, Abigail is actually a coming of age story. The young protagonist, Gina, is the new girl at boarding school, and she makes a less than ideal first impression on her classmates.
I could relate to all of Gina’s experiences, even if she didn’t always act the way I would have in her place. The fact that the war was on, of course, made her stakes much higher than mine ever were. And that’s exactly what makes the story of Abigail so poignant.
The Golden Son – Shilpi Somaya Gowda
This was another quick read. And while enjoyable, the story was the kind that ends exactly the way you know it should… which is also more or less the most disappointing and unsatisfying way it could. In many ways, it felt like a true book club book; worthy of discussion without being something anyone would love. I don’t regret the time I spent with it, but I wouldn’t read it again, either.
Happy reading!
Ah yes, The Lover!! It’s been awhile, I can’t even remember my reaction to it, though I do recall feeling uncomfortable as well. And if there’s some silver lining to quarantine life it’s that I’ve rediscovered my love of reading. In fact, already counting down to my pre-bedtime ritual!! xo
My Curated Wardrobe
Out of all of these, the only one I’ve read is Good Omens. I probably loved it more than you did, though that’s partially to do with circumstances, I’m sure, because I first read it as a teenager and then, when Neil Gaiman was inexplicably doing a signing in my tiny Norwegian home town, went and queued up with my copy. He was really sweet in person, and wrote – “Dear Gwen – Have a NICE Doomsday!” A few years later I’d moved to London for college, Terry Pratchett was signing his new hardback and I lined up outside the bookstore in torrential rain for at least two hours. He was a lot less charming, though he did seem to enjoy that my copy had already been signed by Neil, and wrote “I’ll see you on the beach!” on the same page. I didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant by that – maybe it was one of those in-jokes between authors – before I was hustled away and the next dripping person in line was brought forth. Anyway – there was something in that book that my teenage self absolutely fell in love with, and rereading it just gives me that same giddy feeling. (AND the show was incredible, of course.) I’m curious now, since you mention Lucifer – have you read the Sandman? And which other books of Neil’s, besides Stardust? Maybe you’d prefer his short story collections, especially Smoke and Mirrors, where each story is like a perfectly crafted little gem?