What books have gotten us out of a reading slump?
Lets face it. We have all been there. When there’s that one book you’ve been wanting to read for ages, and it sits on your bedside table collecting dust the more you stare it down. But the more you do you still can’t seem to pick it up and just read it! Our editors have been discussing their own experiences with post-exam reading slumps and times when they have lacked in motivation to read and have found those books that may have just saved the day. Here we have compiled a list of reviews of the books that have got us back into reading when we needed it most. We hope that you can find some recommendations to get you out of your own slump, or even just to add to your long list on your TBR. Happy reading!
Editor – Rosie
Book – ‘Yellowface’ by R.F. Kuang
Genre – Literary fiction/ Satire.
Page count – 336
Favourite Quote – “Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic. Writing is creating something out of nothing, is opening doors to other lands. Writing gives you power to shape your own world when the real one hurts too much.”
Rating – 4/5
Writers June Hayward and Athena Liu entered the literary world together, but while Athena rises to immense success, June falls ever further behind. When Athena suddenly dies in a freak accident, June does what any friend would, and snatches Athena’s recently finished manuscript to disguise as her own. The manuscript is based on a story of Chinese labourers in the First World War, and June Hayward soon becomes Juniper Song, stepping into a role of cultural and identity appropriation. Her lies snowball as her success grows but will this tenuous and ill-gotten success last?
Yellowface is a story full of satire and suspense, with an almost comically unlikable and ignorant protagonist. It explores the complexities of the author image and how this persona reflects or rather does not reflect reality. The novel contends with intense jealousy and the myth of success, with a protagonist who will go to extreme lengths to achieve the latter. The taboo of plagiarism is only furthered by the almost unspeakable cultural appropriation that June commits, even to the point of changing her name to one that may be assumed to be Asian. The suspense of the novel grows along with the reader’s frustration at June’s bad decisions, as the stakes become higher and the lies bigger. The novel is gripping and fast-paced, ‘unputdownable’, making it a great choice to escape a reading slump!
Editor – Becca
Book – ‘Dear Dolly’ by Dolly Alderton
Genre – Self-help/ Non-fiction.
Page count – 224
Favourite Quote – “There is no better investment than the time put into a friendship that will see you through your entire life.”
Rating – 5/5
I’ve been told by multiple people (for a while now) how good of an author Dolly Alderton is. Did I do anything about it? No. Do I regret it. Absolutely. As my first Dolly read, this book feels like the answer to all my prayers and I cannot even fathom how I went this long without reading her work. Not only has she brought me out of my post-assignment reading slump, but her witty humour and valuable advice on relationships, family and friendships has been a genuine guiding light for issues in my own life. Just when I was losing hope on how to deal with difficult friends, here comes Dolly with all the right answers at just the right time. If you want to know how to deal with a breakup or reconcile a relationship, then this book has seen it all and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to take from the guidance she offers to others in similar positions and learn from it. I particularly loved her passage on supporting single friends whilst being in a relationship. As someone who can relate to this particular individual writing in to Dolly’s agony aunt column in Sunday Times I was able to feel a deep connection with her advice on how to be simply human.
She writes so effortlessly about the trials and tribulations we all experience in our daily lives and offers relatable perspectives on what it means to be a woman navigating her way through all stages of adulthood. Her writing style is so easy to follow and so casually addictive that you’ll find yourself either never putting the book down or longing for a time you’ll be able to pick it back up again. She has a considerate soul which comes across strongly in her writing and allows her to see issues through the perspectives of all people involved rather than just the person writing in, therefore her advice is gentle at the same time as being assertive. This book feels like the best friend you never had, there to laugh at your jokes, console your mistakes and listen to your heart, and I couldn’t recommend it enough.
Editor – Brigitta
Book – ‘A Game of Thrones’ by George R.R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Page count: 864
Favourite Quote: “We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.”
Rating: 4/5
A Game of Thrones is the first novel in George R.R. Martin’s series A Song of Ice and Fire. Set mostly in the fictional continent of Westeros (based on medieval Britain), it follows a web of political conflicts and manoeuvrings as various nobles vie for the royal throne, and threats of old magic loom from outside its borders.
As someone who almost never reads fantasy, or books over 500 pages, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed A Game of Thrones. I began reading it alongside various other books, but when university work piled up and I began writing my essays, it was the only one I found myself reading consistently. Martin’s worldbuilding is highly immersive, and his slow, skilful unveiling of Westeros’ magical history and mysterious bordering lands would hold any reader’s interest and attention. The book is arranged into point-of-view chapters for nine different characters, each with their own distinct voice and plotline. While the large amount of point-of-views becomes frustrating at times, as each plotline is frequently interrupted, every character is well-written enough to make you quickly forget this frustration and become immersed in the new point-of-view.
If you have watched HBO’s Game of Thrones (I watched the first season before reading), you might find the first book slightly lacklustre. The pacing is slightly slow as Martin sets up his world, and many fan favourite characters do not have point-of-view chapters until later in the series. The child and teenaged characters are also much younger in the books, making for a sometimes uncomfortable and discordant reading experience. However, the heightened detail and closeness afforded by the book’s point-of-view structure, and Martin’s elegant, easy-to-read prose make it worth the read, even if you have already seen the show. Ultimately, A Game of Thrones is an enjoyable first book in a long series which is worth the set up, and I would absolutely recommend it.
Editor – Anna
Book – ‘The World According to Colour: A Cultural History’ by James Fox
Genre – Art History/ non-fiction
Page count – 320
Favourite Quote – “Colour is a pigment of our imaginations that we paint all over the world. Larger than any city, more intricate than any machine, more beautiful than any painting, it might in fact be the greatest human creation of them all.”
Rating – 5/5
This non-fiction read is so electric and insightful. James Fox takes the reader on a journey through the history and cultural significance of seven colours: black, red, blue, white, yellow, purple, and green.
Though written in an academically concise style, Fox’s words and passion for his research is both hypnotising, contagious, and amusing. He discusses the origins of colour; the discovery of dyes and pigments; and the impact of colour in art, film, and society. At many times it made me feel emotional, for we are so lucky to see colour and marvel at its beauty, the absence of it does not bear thinking about. Throughout reading the book I felt inspired and in awe of the world around me, and I began to conjure creative ideas. The World According to Colour is not at all just a book for people interested in colour theory or art—it is a book for anyone who wishes to unlock and dissect the part of their brain that allows us to witness the vibrancy of life. After reading it I felt enriched and in awe.
Editor – Luciana
Book – ‘Tierra’ by Eloy Moreno
Genre – Contemporary Fiction
Page count – 541 (including epilogue and acknowledgements)
Favourite Quote – “Pero si había algo aún peor que la rutina era, sin duda, la ausencia de posibilidades.” Translation – “But if there was something worse than routine it was, without a doubt, the absence of possibilities.” There are plenty of amazing quotes in the book, that’s why my copy is full of sticky tabs.
Rating – 5/5
Synopsis : Inside a cabin hidden in the forest, a man makes a promise to his two children: Think about what you would like to have most in life. If you finish this game, I promise you that you will have it… But that game never ended. Thirty years later, one of the children has managed to fulfil his wish, but his sister has not. It is now that she receives a strange gift, an object that will allow her to continue the game. Eight people have decided, voluntarily, to enrol in a contest that consists of isolating themselves from the world forever. The audience thinks they know everything about them, but they don’t even suspect the reasons why they have made that decision. That same girl, now a journalist, must find out the connection between the gift and those eight contestants in order to fulfil her wish, if she still wants to do so. The answer is in Iceland. (Goodreads, translated from Spanish)
Review: I first read this book in 2020, and for the second time in 2021. Four years later and through a third read, I can still confidently say that “Tierra” is my favourite book. The book follows two timelines with different characters that are connected, and the stakes are always so high that it’s impossible to put the book down. The author uses a very simple yet powerful language to shout out a social criticism about worldwide problems that are becoming more and more real every day, such as the danger of climate change and the thirst of power from those who already have loads, and at the same time he makes them fiction. The characters are all very different and well-thought, and it’s really interesting to see them change and progress throughout the story. The idea is original and all is explained in the end. It’s really hard to review this book without giving anything away, and that adds to the magic of its content. I will accept no criticism towards this book, and I really hope that someday the author translates it to English so more people can enjoy it!
Editor – Rachel
Book – ‘Reprobation’ by Catherine Fearns
Genre: Supernatural Crime
Page count: 221
Favourite Quote: “No shepherds or kings to visit this miracle baby, but a large black coach, speeding up the M6, and filled not with gifts of frankincense and myrrh but with vodka, marijuana and groupies.”
“Across grey waters, where the river Mersey meets the Irish Sea, wind turbines puncture the dawn horizon like spinning crucifixes.”
Rating: 4/5 (mostly in anticipation of the rest of the series settling into this niche idea)
I found this book when I was looking on Northodox Press’s website. I first noticed it because of the cover design, but then was pulled in by the blurb. Essentially, the book is about a Calvinist Nun teaming up with a Scandinavian metal rockstar to solve crime in Liverpool – which is a fantastic and engaging summary which made me need to read it.
The book begins with the discovery of a body on a beach in Liverpool, crucified with the words “Hath not the potter power over the clay?” With Detective Inspector Darren Swift on his first case, he seeks the expertise of university professor and Calvinist Nun, Dr Helen Hope. Each following their own instincts, they run parallel investigations. Swift turns up links to disgraced geneticist Andrew Shepherd and Hope to death metal band Total Depravity’s guitarist, Mikko Kristensen. Simultaneously, both Swift and Hope are also going on their own journeys of faith and what they believe about themselves.
The premise made in intriguing to read and Fearns’ writing style made it easy to read. It made me excited to read the next chapter each time I finished one and helped me drag myself out of a reading ditch. While I would recommend it, I would also give potential readers warnings for topics mentioned in the book such as Infant death, body mutilation, spiking, emotional manipulation, and abuse in faith settings.