June Reading Recap
Spoiler-Free Reviews
June Book Club Pick:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
The first book for every monthly reading recap will always be from the Men Read Fiction Too! Book Club. We started voting for on our book picks and this was the clear favorite early on.
The novel was recently listed in NYT Top 100 Novels of the 21st Century and while I feel confident in it being on the list (I haven’t read THAT many books from this century admittedly), I wasn’t personally in love with it, but it’s still well worth anyones time.
Heart-wrenching in its emotions and expertly written with it’s pacing - it unravels every little mystery thrown at us so tactfully. I feel almost spoiled that this is my first novel by Ishiguro. It’s a story that feels like only one who has written for as long as he has can write, which makes me only the more excited to read his other novels. This was genuinely a very quick and breezy book to get through and it was enjoyable I read and breezed through the passages. Everything we needed to know is told and while there is such a larger world that I and many would’ve liked to see explored more, I applaud Ishiguro’s restraint to keep the focus on our cast of characters.
Speaking of which, after I finished I kind of realize the characters are rather bland. There isn’t anything that makes them special as characters (aside from the reveal), but yet, I care so much for their strife and longing to make sense of themselves in this world. It’s deeply relatable and is the main plight for our characters. I can’t recall reading a book that I believed perfectly encapsulated the psychology/thought process of kids and teenagers. How they observe and learn to react to their environment. It’s especially prevalent in the first third of` the book.
While this is considered a sci-fi novel, it is rather light on the genre. Without getting too much into spoilers, the main crux of the book is sci-fi, but it feels more like a literary fiction. From the very beginning of the book, there is so much for us to dissect and probe, which is why it’s important to be engaged in our monthly discussions to get into all the great themes and philosophize over it. Overall, I’m glad this was our first book we voted on. I wouldn’t call it my favorite despite my enjoyment of the story and themes, but it absolutely makes me want to read more from Ishiguro
Personal Reads:
The Secret History by Donna Tart
Glowing reviews on book-ish platforms and people I know have forced me to finally read Donna Tart’s first novel. I was curious as to what all the hype and excitement around this book was, so I’m happy to say I understand the adoration.
Far and away the best thing about this novel is the prose itself - incredibly imaginative and descriptive, it really puts you at this university and headspace of our narrator Richard. The story (a murder mystery) flowed incredibly well, with the majority of the cast of characters being quite memorable. I wish I got more out of a certain character who was too much on the peripheral. Along those lines, I believe the book was settled too quickly and matter-of-factly for the amount of time we spent on the whole ordeal, but at the same time, I can’t imagine any other way to end it (I also believe that was Tartt’s intention).
Upon first finishing I was enamored with it, but after time had passed I find my excitement subdued quite a bit. While the book is polished in writing, pacing, and characters, I just can’t find myself to have cared all that much about the the themes it tries to convey. And this is is coming from someone who genuinely wants to be more engaged in topics of philosophy. A part of me probably would’ve loved it if I was back in my early 20’s, but I’m not that person. I will say, I really enjoyed being Richard (the narrator) the entire time - feeling what he does and having the same realizations he has at the same time made the mystery and experience consistently engaging.
Overall: Tartt awed me by her words, the characters both enticed and repulsed me, and I was fully engaged from beginning to end. Genuinely great book.
The Violins of Saint-Jacques by Patrick Leigh Fermor
I had recently discovered the publisher NYRB and was hooked on all their covers. The one that caught my eye the most was The Violins of Saint-Jacques by Patrick Leigh Fermor because I just adore the cover. This short novella of 130 pages was a quick pool read for myself and I enjoyed it so much, I visited it again a day after finishing.
I read and reread the book at the start of June and it has stayed fresh in my mind since. With luscious, detailed imagery that truly transports you to this fictional, island of paradise that seemingly has a mystical quality to both the reader and our narrator. With a narrative that goes by quickly, but never rushes, this has easily become one of my favorite books of the year thus far.
The story itself is simple: it’s mardi gras in a french, Caribbean island that’s about to be destroyed by an active volcano and the residents have no idea. We the reader know of the inevitable destruction and fate of our characters, yet I remember and stay cozy in the bliss and excitement of the party and all the minor drama from the lives of its bougie inhabitants. The novels final act is a thrilling, poignant, and a beautiful conclusion that reinforces the idea that somethings never disappear. Whether in our hearts or through legends.
I was surprised to learn that this is the authors only fictional novel which is a shame cause I’d love to read more - but Saint-Jacques moved me so much, I find myself excited to read his non-fiction work. A true testament to his skills as a writer. Filled with French words and phrases that I didn’t understand, it never once took me out of it. In fact, it might be the first time I’ve ever considered taking up French just so I can appreciate it even more!
NON-FICTION READS
You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe
Washington’s End by Jonathan Horn
When my country is in great turmoil, I tend to go back to history to learn what this nation once was and how we got to where we are now. For some reason, I was also in a George Washington kick and forced myself to read up on the man.
Starting with You Never Forget Your First by Alexis Coe offers a more modern and contemporary view on Washington which aims to bust some of what's been mythologized (such as wooden teeth, never tell a lie, and relationship with slavery). What I liked best about this book was how great of a recap it is on Washington if you've already read up on him. I suddenly found myself remembering small details about his life, particularly early in his career. It also has great graphs and sheets that tell you quick snippets of fun facts and what people thought of him before and after his presidency.
It doesn't really offer anything new in terms of biography. The topic of slavery is already kind of well known if you've read up on Washington. Regardless, I think this is a great bio for someone who wants to read up on the historical figure with a pretty neutral writer.
The final book, Washington's End by Jonathan Horn, was my least favorite. It followed Washington's final 3 years after he stepped down from his 2nd term as president. I think the book gets good towards the end, right when he was considering about reentering a life of public service, but was tragically taken away due to illness. The problem with this book is that in order to talk about the end of his life, the author mostly fills the pages with context and history that led to that specific moment and as someone who had already read a few books on the subject, I was quite easily bored.
Like the other biography, if you’ve already read up on Washington’s life, you won’t be learning anything new. Sadly the writing itself wasn’t as engaging to make this a compelling read.
That’s everything I read in June. Did you read any of these books? What did you read during June? Best way to remember what we read is by talking about it!