2020, quite obviously, has been a right awful year for everyone on the entire planet. It’s not often things go so spectacularly wrong in the world that virtually everyone is affected. As such, the arts have rarely been more important than right now. So as I sat down to write my First Ever Blog PostTM, it occurred to me that everyone needs a good escape right now, whether that be via song, film, or a good ol’ book. Consequentially, I decided to kick off my debut into blogging with a series of short posts on some truly excellent pieces of art to help you escape the chaos of 2020 for a little while at a time, starting with books. Hopefully these recommendations will create a spot of light for you in a world gone dim. Happy reading!
BOOKS FOR WHEN YOU NEED A GOOD LAUGH:
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (Goldman)
“Life isn't fair, it's just fairer than death, that's all.”
A satire often overlooked in favor of the admittedly excellent film adaption, THE PRINCESS BRIDE is a deliciously witty and comical classic that is guaranteed to make you giggle. Every bit as good as the movie, the novel is given a new wash of depth by the forwards (yes, there are three of them, depending on what version you get) and occasional commentary William Goldman himself, who abridged the novel (originally written by S. Morgenstern) and made it more accessible to the general public in 1973. The book is richer than the movie, the characters deeper, the plot all the more detailed, the prose surprisingly flippant. Don’t be intimidated by the length nor Goldman’s intrusions in the narrative—both will endear themselves to you within a few pages. With the heart-warming characters, laughable lines, and crisp dialogue, don’t be surprised if you find yourself as attached to this gorgeous, entertaining, and wholly unique satirical classic as Goldman himself.
CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY (Cushman)
“I am near fourteen and have never yet seen a hanging. My life is barren.”
CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY is a shockingly underrated and largely unheard of medieval fantasy novel written by Karen Cushman. Ignore the atrocious cover art and dive into the hilarious, irreverent, brutally honest account of a young girl set in the year of 1290. The novel is written in insanely-immersive journal format and follows protagonist Catherine on her quest to rid herself of every suitor her father sends her way. The prose is rich, velvet when it needs to be and blunt as a hammer everywhere else, the characters bright and alive on the page, the plot quick and hilarious. The novel is also scattered with subtle gems of period-appropriate detail I have yet to encounter in any other book. Short enough to read in a quiet afternoon, CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY if the perfect book to curl up with on a gloomy day and escape into. You’ll walk back into the world feeling lighter and equipped with an insight into the time period history books could never provide.
THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA (Lynch)
“To us — richer and cleverer than everyone else!”
Not for the faint of heart, THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA is a rollicking adult fantasy following the elaborate escapades of a group of elite criminals called the Gentleman Bastards. Filled with delightful and insanely complex schemes, a lively cast of characters, and spots of hard-hitting intensity, the novel has some of the best world building and dialogue I have ever read. Each character’s dialogue is alive on the page, so good you can almost hear each character’s unique voice in your head as you read. And by the time you close the cover, you will know the city of Camorr and its many complexities as well as your own hometown. The description is also a thing to behold—rich, original, vivid, bursting with movement, sound, and color in your mind. Simply put, THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA is an extraordinarily profane, hilariously irreverent romp that will leave you utterly dazzled.
BOOKS FOR WHEN YOU NEED A GOOD CRY:
THE KITERUNNER (Hosseini)
“And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.”
THE KITE RUNNER, crafted by Khaled Hosseini, is a deep, moving portrait of life, guilt, and forgiveness set in modern Afghanistan. Words fail me when it comes to this book— Hosseini takes every aspect of what makes a book great and redefines them. The prose, pacing, scope, and sheer heart put into the novel is mind-boggling. The story follows the life of Amir, the young narrator, as he battles guilt and chases redemption through his very imperfect and heart-renderingly human life with Afghanistan's political turmoil boiling in the background. A novel that will etch itself onto your heart and teach you how to heal, THE KITERUNNER will touch you in ways books seldom ever do.
SALT TO THE SEA (Sepetys)
“I wept because i had no shoes,
until i met a man who had no feet.”
A YA historical fiction novel, SALT TO THE SEA is Ruta Sepety’s heartbreaking and hopeful historical fiction novel that quietly follows a diverse cast of characters from all walks of life, each just trying to survive the winter of 1945. The four main characters, all teenagers, carry their own secrets and a uniting desire to get abroad the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship promising safety that is actually headed for one of the greatest maritime tragedies in history. Written with spacious, introspective prose and told by crystalline characters, SALT TO THE SEA holds a sense of mystery and suspense to the very last page. It will leave you teary-eyed and with a deeper appreciation for both the life you live and the hardships humanity weathered in 1945.
A MONSTER CALLS (Ness, Dowd)
“The Monster showed up after midnight. As they do.”
A MONSTER CALLS, written by Patrick Ness and inspired by the late Siobhan Dowd, follows young protagonist Conor O’Malley and his interactions with a mysterious, story-telling monster who appears at midnight, bent after Conor’s mysterious truth. I own the illustrated version, which in my opinion is the only one that should exist. Populated by insanely beautiful black-and-white drawings, A MONSTER CALLS will bring you to tears and teach you how to let go. Read it, weep, and heal. I promise it’s worth it.