So many books to read, so little time!
And yet I have a massive craving to reread:
I am Dina by Herbjørg Wassmo. 1800s Norway, a female lead to fear and poetic language. It’s been too long since I read this book.
I am Dina who sees the sleigh with the person on it rush headlong down the steep slope.
At first I think I am the one lying there tied to the sleigh. Because I feel pain more terrible than any I have ever known.
Through crystal-clear reality, but beyond time and space, I am in touch with the face on the sleigh. Moments later, the sleigh crashes against an ice-covered rock.
The horse actually loosed the carriage shafts and escaped being dragged down the slope! Amazing, how easily that happened!
It must be late in the fall. Late for what?
I do not have a horse.
The Valhalla Saga by Johanne Hildebrandt. A Viking saga told from a female perspective, imagining the switch from matriarchy to patriarchy. Kind of like as if Mists of Avalon was set in Scandinavia. Sort of. The fact that this world and the world portrayed in Vikings don’t agree is an endless source of disappointment for me. Any retelling of Vikings that doesn’t obey the rules in the world Hildebrandt’s has created is just wrong.
The Circle trilogy by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren. Six girls find out they’re witches, overcome their differences and go on to save the world from an invisible evil. Very much like Buffy. The obvious Buffy similarities are a bonus, regardless of whether they’re intentional or not.
The Autobiography of my mother by Jamaica Kincaid. How can I convince you you need to read this book too? Will a quote do?
I married a man I did not love. I did not do so on a whim, I did not do so after making a calculation, but this marriage had its usefulness. It allowed me to make a romance of my life, it allowed me to think of all my deeds and of myself with kindness in the deep dark of night, when sometimes it was necessary for me to do so. Romance is the refuge of the defeated; the defeated need songs to soothe themselves, for their whole being is a wound; they need a soft bed to sleep on, for when they are awake it is a nightmare, the dream of sleep is their reality. I married a man I did not love, but that word, “love,” that idea, love – what could it mean to me, what should it mean to me?
The language, the ideas discussed; I am forever grateful someone had the presence of mind to put this on the course reading list.
The Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty. About how Jessica Darling is simply meant to be with Marcus. As someone who hates decisions, I like any story that enhances the idea of you really don’t have a choice, and thusly won’t have to make a choice. Free will, it’s all smoke and mirrors.
The Harry Potter series. Which I find kind of embarrassing. Can’t I just outgrow this series already, please?
Anything and everything by Nina Hemmingsson. Should be on my reading list permanently. Just a couple of pages a day? As good for you as brushing your teeth I’m sure.
“And you should know that I haven’t got anything against people, actually, some of my best friends are people! It’s quite OK, really!”
Before I Die by Jenny Downham. I have a weird obsession with this book. (Or maybe not so weird if you believe what Guardian writes here.) I’ve also managed to watch the movie a number of times already. It’s probably not a very good movie, but I love it, even it doesn’t quite live up to the book.
Songs they never play on the radio by James Young. The last years of Nico’s life as told by her keyboard player. I mentioned it a while back. There are so many books I remember liking but only vaguely remember what they’re about. I know there are parts describing her recording with John Cale and I seem to recall touring? See? I need to reread asap.
It seems to read like an actual story though, unlike the Kim Gordon bio, just look at this:
Cannot wait!
PS. Goodreads has finally made it so that you can track your rereads!
…
Best not as much as glance in the general direction of my book shelves, I’ll just find more books to reread. Which isn’t a bad thing in itself, but what about all the new books??
…I really should make an effort to sort out some books though. It would make no sense to move books from here to my new apartment that I don’t plan on rereading. Another time…
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