September & October: What Did I Read?

Ever since I finally relented and realised that the same advice my mother has been giving me for literal years (you know, very obvious stuff- turn your phone off and read before bed so that you sleep better), I've been reading a lot more. Which will be more evident in my November post, because I only read four books in these two combined months, but I was busy! All four of these books were ones I picked up off the library shelf at random, but I thoroughly enjoyed all four. So, here are my thoughts:

Number one: Magpie by Sophie Draper. Magpie is a solid psychological thriller with a big twist, the narrative of which darts between past and present- as our main character both hides from her slightly sinister husband, and recounts the events that lead her to do so. It is mainly told from Claire- the protagonist's- perspective, but we also see the lives of her husband and son unfold, as everything slowly leads up towards the surprise ending.

It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. Now, maybe I'm just a sucker for the entrapment trope (reading Dracula for three months solid means that the Gothic is really starting to tint my vision), but there's nothing better in a thriller than a character stuck in isolation, looking back on the events that lead them there. Or maybe I was just a little bit in shock from heading back into the real world and starting my A-Levels after practically months of doing essentially nothing. Magpie also managed to pull some sadness out of me and whilst it isn't hard for books and films to make me upset, credit where credit is due for evoking emotion. Because is that not the main role of literature? The twist, which I personally did not see coming although I'm not the greatest of investigators, was incredible and the plot was cleverly structured to allow it to fully hit you. Which for me, it definitely did.

However, it did fall flat in some places. Whilst it was easy to feel for Claire, because we see the entire story through her eyes, I felt that there wasn't enough development on the son or the husband for me to care all that much about their subplots- which is a shame, as these both link in to the main plot. Additionally, although maybe I've read so many crime novels and watched too many crime dramas that I'm now hardwired to automatically distrust a slightly shady husband, I felt that Claire's husband was villainised far too much for me to sympathise with him when I was obviously meant to.

Aside from this, Magpie over all was a good read. It was a clever psychological thriller; a crime novel with no explicit crime; and an eerie atmosphere very reminiscent of those Gothic romances designed to make women with husbands they mistrust feel better about themselves. And there I go talking about the gothic again! On goodreads, I believe I rated this novel a 4/5, although I might also say 3.5/5 depending on how generous I feel, but I would absolutely recommend it to people who enjoy quite an easy read, and love to creep themselves out- just like I do!

The other novel I read in September was All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. These two had a similar sort of vibe (if you can forgive my use of that word, as it is very useful!) when I picked them up in the library, although they are different in almost every possible way. All We Ever Wanted would probably fall under the YA category, whereas Magpie was probably more aimed at NA readers or older, and has a much less eerie atmosphere, although it equally deals with men being the main plot aggravator.

An inappropriate picture is taken of a young girl when she attends a party and passes out in one of the rooms. Due to her mixed heritage, this photo (allegedly taken by one of her male classmates) is also equipped with a racist caption. Although the plot does revolve around unwilling model and the photographer of this image, it is told mostly from the perspective of their respective father and mother. It deals with the consequences of this action through the way it affects families: how it can both bring them together and tear them apart. The novel also explores the social dynamics: for example, Lyla is mixed race and the boy who takes the photo is white; she is less well-off and he's probably a member of the 1%.

This was incredibly realistic and although the ending irritated me beyond belief, I can see the message that the author was portraying. Unfortunately, I think it's most likely very true to life. The narrative, which was admittedly slow in some parts, was aided along by the point of views of very likeable characters (Tom and Nina), both of whom are affected by the actions of their children in very different ways.

Overall, I'd say that All We Ever Wanted was a maybe slightly shallow probe into rape culture, although it's lack of depth and therefore lack of graphic detail did make it a much more comfortable read, but I would still overall recommend as whilst it might not be ground-breaking, it is an interesting exploration of a few social issues. Again, I would give this one between 3.5/5 and 4/5 stars.

So, October. What did I read in the creepiest month of the year? I have to say, I would've done well to read these four in opposite order, as my October reads were a little more comedic than the two I've just described.

The first book I read in October, and probably my favourite out of all four, was Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink. I was intrigued by the blurb of this one, as well as the fun (in my opinion) bright orange front cover. Government conspiracy, or allegedly so, always makes for a good story- so I just knew I had to read this. The story follows Keisha as Keisha follows signs of her 'dead' wife around the USA. Along the way she discovers truths, new friendships, deep-rooted conspiracies, and an unspeakable evil.

I loved this book. I wasn't sure at first, as it was a little strange to start off with, but I devoured it. I'm not sure I've ever felt as affectionate for a protagonist as I have for Keisha. She was just so wonderful: loyal, determined, and quite funny. Her adventures around America were also a major part of my enjoyment, as I was kept on the edge of my seat for the majority of this. The structure and the writing style of this, which I adored, obviously helped it along greatly as well. I definitely recall crying at this one although, as I said, it doesn't take much, but it really managed to evoke emotion in me, despite it's slightly whimsical, comedic tone. 

However, my major, and practically only, problem with this book was its titular character. I just did not like Alice. Personally, I would not have risked my life chasing her around the country. Especially as the enemy behind it all was so vile. Their descriptions actually made me feel a little ill. Which says something about the writing skills of Joseph Fink. 

Alice Isn't Dead is something I think everyone deserves to read. I wouldn't say needs to, because although this book is absolutely 5/5 stars it probably isn't 'life-changing', but everyone should get to experience the incredible blend of fun and fear within this. It's a proper head-scratching puzzle, and LGBT representation is always something nice to see. Especially within main characters.

Music Love Drugs War by Geraldine Quigley is the last book I read in October, and the last book I'll be talking about in this post. It centres around a friend group in 1980s Derry, Ireland, and tells a coming of age story with a backdrop of the troubles. In that sense, it's very Derry Girls (which is great for me, because I absolutely love that show). In another sense, it's got similar aspects to La Haine, in that many of the events are sparked by the unfair attack on a friend. There's a bit of something for everyone. Especially those with good taste.

It's a wonderful debut novel, written in a sparkling writing style. Although perhaps I'm biased due to my soft spot for Irish authors. It has likeable characters, very universal teen experiences even in a very unique setting, it's fun whilst still making you think, it's perhaps the only one on this list with an ending that went the way I wanted it to, and it's a very interesting look at the IRA. 

However, I will admit that it entirely baffled me with it's number of characters (which is something I really struggle with- Toni Morrison's Paradise I am looking at you) as I could never quite remember who was doing what. Especially in scenes when everyone was together. 

I gave this book a solid 4 stars. If I were to advertise this novel on TikTok, I would describe it as having 'Skins vibes', and I would certainly recommend it to those who enjoy Sally Rooney's work (and no, I am not just saying that because they're both Irish). Although, I reckon everyone who likes coming-of-age stories (which I have to confess, is not usually me. Mid90s and Lady Bird both incredibly annoyed me yet also bored me numb at the same time) would really enjoy this.

All in all, these were a pretty good two months for reading. There was not one novel where I thought oh god, I wish I'd never picked this up. And they were all solid reads, which I would recommend to most people looking for something to get through quite easily. Unless you're like me and are incapable of keeping up with more than 3 characters. In which case, unless you're willing to just be constantly slightly confused like I was, I probably would advise you to steer clear of Music Love Drugs War. Enjoy!