As a Busy Student™ I have little time to read and loads and loads of books on my to-read list (don’t we all). And, being very real, most of the books on that list I don’t even really want to read anymore. These are some books that I’ve read/heard about recently and am really excited to read.
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
I’ve seen the movie of this twice and absolutely love it. (I’ve seen T2 Trainspotting too but didn’t like it as much (it was still good, just not as impressive as the first film) The dialogue, the soundtrack, and really just the overall atmosphere have gripped me. I don’t know what it is exactly that I love so much about it, but I’m really curious to see if the book will do the same for me. And maybe after reading the book I can express my thoughts more clearly.
I also have Skagboys, the prequel, on my ereader and I thought I would read that first, but most people seem to think that Trainspotting is the best one to start with (and some say don’t bother with Skagboys at all).
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
And now for something completely different: a children’s book. This, I believe, is about four children who pass a test and get admitted to a sort of magic school. This sounds lovely and magical, vaguely Harry Potter-ish and perhaps a bit like Diana Wynne Jones’s Chrestomanci series? That’s really what I’m hoping it will be like, the Chrestomanci series. When I was a child I absolutely loved those books. I hope that as an adult I can still lose myself in an immersive world of magic, quests and the like. And I hope that’s what this book will be. I’ve heard good things about it!
Crooked Kingdom (#2 in the Six of Crows Series) by Leigh Bardugo
I read the first book in february I believe, and absolutely loved it. I wanted to continue with book two right away, but as I didn’t have time to really sit down with a book and really immerse myself in the story, I’ve been putting it off. I’m going on holiday in less than two weeks and I’m thinking that’s when I’ll finally start it.
Six of Crows, the first book, is about a band of thieves and rebels who go on an enourmously important and practically impossible quest, because someone needs to do it, and they are the only ones desperate enough to risk their lives for the reward. The six main characters all have an interesting backstory, are very well-crafted, and read as solid, real individuals. Their interactions are to me what makes the book as good as it is. There is suspense all throughout the book, and not one dull moment. I loved it. (and I’m not really that much of a YA-fan to be very honest).
How Not to Be a Boy by Robert Webb
This is Robert Webb’s autobiography, with an emphasis on how in his life he has experienced societal norms of masculinity. I know him of course from his work as a comedy actor; from Peep Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Bruiser and other shows. But what interests me in particular about this book is the emphasis on masculinity; what it means according to society to be a boy and a man, and how people who don’t fit neatly into the boxes of required characteristics have to struggle with these expectations. I’ve never really read an (auto)biography that deals with that. I’m also doing a gender studies minor at the moment, which does tend to take only a female perspective towards feminism, gender norms, et cetera. I think this book will be an excellent supplement to that. And it’s probably just a great read too.
So, that’s it for now. Four books in four different genres, apparently I’m very indecisive at the moment… All but the last of these books are already on my ereader, waiting to be read, I just have to find the right moment for them.
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