I seem to remember predicting that October would be a bad reading month for me – well I got that spot on. Much less read than usual – and I can’t see it improving much during November. It has been good getting back to work properly, but the pay off is utter exhaustion, and I tend to slump listlessly in front of the TV when I get home and never manage to read for as long as I want to in the evenings.
The little pile of books pictured, doesn’t quite tell the full story, as there was another book – a rare DNF that I read more than half of on my kindle – but just had to set aside, and I have now just started what will be my first book of November. Despite that DNF which was so frustrating – more of that later – the books I did manage to read were actually really good. A very on brand pile for me – a BL women writers book, a vintage, a Handheld press book and Dean Street Press and a darkly comic, quirky novel in translation.
Due to having a couple of my September reads to review during October – I have only managed to review three of my October books. I was away for a few days until Friday evening, and as I was also ill while I was away I just didn’t manage to get my blog done, despite having dutifully taken the laptop with me. What this space – reviews are coming.
I began the month reading Bear by Marian Engel (1976) for the 1976 club. A novel which has more going for it than just that one thing everyone talks about. It has a gorgeous sense of place, and I enjoyed the writing style.
Sally on the Rocks by Winifred Boggs (1915) is one of the gorgeous new publications from the British Library – their women writers series is producing an excellent list. In this novel Winifred Boggs highlights beautifully the inequalities between men and women in the early years of the twentieth century. Sally is a fabulous heroine too.
My third Margaret Kennedy novel of the year Red Sky at Morning (1927) was a good read, though a little baggy in places. Again Kennedy presents us with a complex family dynamic and excellent characterisation.
Next came my DNF – which I wasted four days on. The Healing by Gayl Jones (1998) on kindle and I really don’t know what went wrong. I began really enjoying the book, which I read slowly but happily for two days before getting really bogged down. It is written in a stream of consciousness – but I don’t think that was the problem. I just suddenly didn’t like it anymore and didn’t want to bother – but because I had begun by liking it – I battled with it half-heartedly for two more days before admitting defeat. Wasted days really. I won’t be writing about this one – although I read over half of it.
Then I picked up a review copy (which will remain nameless) which after 20 pages I decided was absolutely terrible and cast that aside too. Deep sigh!
A book I bought not too long ago and had been looking forward to There is no Story There by Inez Holden (1944) is re-issued by Handheld press was fascinating. Like the earlier Night Shift and It was Different at the Time – it presents a view of WW2 that is not often found in literature. This time a group of conscripted workers at a large rural munitions factory.
Somewhere in England by Carola Oman (1943) is the sequel to Nothing to Report that I read in September. We meet again several of the characters from that novel as well as getting to know a few new ones. The war is in full swing, and the main setting for this novel is the hospital that has been set up in the country home of Mary Morrison. A gentle, comfort read for half term was just what I needed.
Daughters by Lucy Fricke translated from German by Sinéad Crowe (2020) was passed on to me by a friend – was also a perfect half term read. The story of two women on a road trip across Europe who are both dealing with difficult fathers. Both funny and moving it’s a thoroughly compelling read. November is German lit month so I can review this one for that – look at me being all organised.
So, on to November and I am hoping to squeeze one or two more books into the month by reading some little books for Novellas in November – though I’m not sure what books I will be reading – very much going with my mood at the moment. Though I am hoping to get to my next Maya Angelou – as I am currently behind my reading buddies – due to my appalling reading month. I am also eyeing up Muriel Spark, some novellas in translation and a little Margaret Atwood for MARM. I had intended to (and still might) re-read Lady Oracle for MARM – but my reading is so fickle at the moment I am not making any promises. My book group are reading Hag-Seed – which I read a couple of years ago – so I will at least enjoy talking about that with them. What I actually manage – remains to be seen – my target is eight books – that might be more of a challenge than it sounds. I have gathered together some possible reads, but we’ll see.
So, what brilliant things did you read in October? What are your plans for November? reading challenges galore at least. German lit month, Novellas in November, Non-fiction November and Margaret Atwood Reading Month – are you joining in? I’m always delighted if I can hit two or three challenges with one book.