Happy Sunday, readers!
This past week my school officially moved to online learning, which means establishing new rhythms and routines to my days. This makes me feel a little guilty, but there are some things I love about my new stay-at-home life. I’m enjoying slow mornings where I sleep in and then get to actually sit down to eat my breakfast. It’s also pretty wonderful to get to take walks with Bingley and, of course, read in the middle of the day.
Other elements of my new reality are more challenging. I’m still figuring out what online teaching looks like for me and how to best serve my students while honoring the fact that they too are stressed and anxious. It’s tough, but I’m trying to encourage them to merely find and read books they love…because isn’t that what we all need right now?
This week I read…
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel. As mentioned last week, this is a difficult book to describe in terms of plot. But as I got further into the book, I realized that the plot isn’t really what this book is all about. Neither are the characters for that matter. Rather than being driven by plot or character, The Glass Hotel is driven by its original, puzzle-like structure and the reader’s trust that Mandel will bring everything together in the end. She, of course, does that quite beautifully and it’s a true pleasure to see her pull it off. Her writing is also lovely and compelling, however, she keeps the characters an arms-length from her readers, which prevented me from falling head over heels for this book. I did very much enjoy reading this, but it didn’t sweep me away like her previous book Station Eleven. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez. This book is so freaking good and incredibly important. It takes a premise that every woman knows—that the world is built for men—and provides all of the horrifying data to back it up. Criado Perez includes everything from medical research, to iPhone sizes, to political support, to car design, to (currently super topical) PPE, to the lack of pockets in women’s clothing. Every point this book brings up made me furious, but I’m so glad I have this knowledge now. I’ll absolutely be rereading this and will probably assign a few short excerpts to my Women in Literature students. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare. Chelsey recommended this as a Pride and Prejudice pairing on the Comforting Classics episode of Novel Pairings so I had to pick it up. This romance novel is steamy and so much fun. I’m new to the romance genre, but I think Regency romance might be my cup of tea. This particular novel has a marriage of convenience plot with very complex and interesting characters. Emma and Ash are both endearing on their own, but together they’re perfect. This one is very open door so keep that in mind if you’re debating whether or not to pick it up. ⭐⭐⭐
We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan. I listened to this on audio in a single day (at 1.5 speed) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Told through the collective perspective of students in an MFA program, We Wish You Luck has a pervasive sense of doom that hangs over the novel. At the same time, you really root for and grow to love the characters Zancan creates. Her real skill as a writer is her ability to describe the minutiae that make even the most minor of characters feel real and fully knowable. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Now I’m reading…
How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang. I received an early copy of this and am trying to read it before its April 7th release date. It’s a story of two orphans on the run during the California gold rush. So far it’s dark and unsettling, and almost has a sort of feverish quality to it. It hasn’t totally hooked me yet, but I’m planning to keep going.
The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley. I’m finding that I can still focus on dark or challenging books during the day, but I enjoy lighter reading in the evening so last night I picked up The Clergyman’s Wife. This book is inspired by Pride and Prejudice and follows Charlotte Lucas after her marriage to Mr. Collins. I’m 60 pages in and finding it very sweet and comforting.
5 Magical Reads
I think everyone could use a little magic in their lives right now. Here are 5 magical reads for every type of reader.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. For a magic world you’ll want to escape into and a timeless romance.
The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson. For an atmospheric adventure, a beautiful depiction of friendship, and a rich mythological background.
The Lost Queen by Signe Pike. For a female-focused Arthurian tale with a lovable heroine and in-depth world building.
Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey. For a darkly funny murder mystery set in a Hogwarts-esque magic school.
The Seas by Samantha Hunt. For a gorgeous, otherworldly, and under-the-radar bit of surrealism.
Bookish Reading
I’m loving this list of feel good books penned by my friend @readwithkat.
This New York Times article provides a good overview of how the pandemic is impacting authors and the publishing industry overall.
BookRiot shared some really unique ideas for how to connect with other readers while social distancing. Trust me, some of these are going to surprise you!
Feeling lonely and what to lean into it? Here’s a list of wonderful books with lonely protagonists.
McNally Jackson shared their list of books to read during the pandemic. Independent book sellers are always great sources for book recs and this list is excellent.
If you can’t focus on reading but still want to feel readerly, check out this list of 20 movies with writer protagonists all available to stream now.
The Hard Sell: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
I read this book last year during a trip to Mexico City and it is pure magic. While Like Water for Chocolate is a classic and I’d heard the title frequently, I had no idea what this book was about or that it is a work of magical realism. The book takes place in Mexico at the turn of the century and follows Tita, the second daughter of the De La Garza family. Because Tita is the second—and unfavored—daughter, she’s not allowed to marry the man she loves, Pedro, and must prepare to spend the rest of her life caring for her volatile and ungrateful mother. When Pedro marries Tita’s sister so that he can remain near her, it sets up an intricate story about desire, secrets, and sacrifice.
The magic in this book comes from the kitchen. Tita is an exceptional cook who can also make people feel what she feels through her food. It’s a beautifully executed metaphor throughout the book, but it also gives Esquivel opportunities to soulfully describe the meals that Tita makes. If the book makes you hungry (and it will), you’re in luck because it also comes with recipes for Tita’s most special dishes.
This is a book about food and romance and luck and magic. And I can’t think of a better time to pick it up than right now.
I hope you’re all staying safe and healthy, and finding a new rhythm to your days.
All the best and happy reading,
Sara
Some of the above links are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through these links, I earn a small commission and you get to support independent bookstores.