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@thesuffolkreader

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Book lover 📚
Based in Suffolk, UK
Juggling 2 small children and corporate life
“We read to know we are not alone” - C.S. Lewis

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The Things We Never Say by @lizstroutauthor

This is shortlisted for the Booker prize this year and I full understand why. A beautiful yet heartbreaking book. I loved it and was deeply moved by it at the same time.

@thebookerprizes

#bookerprize #bookreview #readmorebooks #readmore #bookstagram by @thesuffolkreader

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a day ago

Autumn by Ali Smith

This was the first Ali Smith book I’ve read. I can completely see why it made the shortlist for the 2017 Booker prize. The relationship between Elisabeth and Mr Gluck is a very different type of relationship to those “normally” written about and something you follow through the book, it appears extremely special but with some mystery left. I thought there were perhaps too many unanswered questions at the end and stories/relationships that could have been explored but the book would probably have had to have been twice as long to accommodate this.

I did find some of the dream like sequences a bit hard to follow and I think I didn’t perhaps “get” some of the book but it was an easy and quick read and nice to read in autumn, the time of year it’s set.

I might dabble in some other Ali Smith works as and when they cross my reading pile.

#autumnreads #alismith #bookreview #buddyread #bookstagram by @thesuffolkreader

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2 days ago

Ukrainian Lessons: Art in a time of war by @charlotteelizabethhiggins

I’ve read a lot about Ukraine and the war with Russia but this is a different take on it - it focussed very much on the culture and those desperate to protect Ukrainian art, writing, music and the Ukrainian language. It is so important.

One of the most profound parts of the book was the question of whether we should shun Russian culture… should we stop reading Dostoevsky? Or stop listening to Tchaikovsky? There are those who have strong opinions both ways, but you should form your own once armed with the facts.

Any book about the conflict should be read and reflected on, the atrocities and horrors that we see in the news everyday are as real as the real people in this book, and the bravery of those people trying to save Ukraine in more ways than one is unquestionably admirable. Read more, learn more, always.

#ukrainianlessons #ukrainianculture #readmorebooks📚 #bookreview #readmorehistory by @thesuffolkreader

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7 days ago

House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk (translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones) published by @fitzcarraldoeditions

Another weird yet wonderful book by Olga Tokarczuk beautifully translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones. For a work of translation this is a poetic masterpiece.

Multiple weird and wonderful tales observing the lives of the ordinary and less ordinary in a Polish village. Despite it being utterly bizarre at points, there is always a sense of normalcy and something relatable about a lot of the novel.

(Apologies for the damaged book, it succumbed to a leaky water bottle in a bag).

#bookreview #bookstagram #olgatokarczuk #womenintranslation #fitzcarraldoeditions by @thesuffolkreader

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16 days ago

The Distance Between Us by Maggie O’Farrell

I thought I’d try something different by Maggie O’Farrell and this was on a cheap kindle deal. It was very readable and a “quick” read if you’re looking for something not too taxing. I got a bit lost at the beginning with the jumping around of narratives and time periods but that settled down. Would recommend if anyone wants an easy summer read.

#bookreview #thedistancebetweenus #maggieofarrellbooks #bookstagram #readmorebooks📚 by @thesuffolkreader

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2 months ago

Helen of Nowhere by @makenna_good

This was classic @fitzcarraldoeditions publications weirdness and a wonderful short novel. I can completely see why it’s on the Booker long list and it makes you think but also wonder, who exactly is Helen?

I read this within 2 days so definitely good for anyone who needs a quicker read or lacks time to read.

#helenofnowhere #bookerlonglist #bookreview #fitzcarraldoeditions #readmore by @thesuffolkreader

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2 months ago

Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi, translated by Lin King

I’ll admit it took me until the very last page to figure out why on earth this would have even been long listed for an International Booker (let alone win it), but I can kind of understand it now.

This is not my thing, and I didn’t hugely enjoy it but did persevere and finish it. There was far too much food writing for me, and too many footnotes in a work of fiction (although I do understand why some were there), however I can see why it stands out as a novel.

I know far too little about Asian culture and history to truly appreciate it, and it shows just how little we learn about this part of the world.

As a work of translation, however, it is impressive. I cannot imagine it was easy to translate and still maintain the flow of the writing so I admire this.

#taiwantravelogue #femaletranslators #womentranslators #bookreview #internationalbookerprize by @thesuffolkreader

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2 months ago

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

I haven’t read any Julian Barnes before so I have no idea if this is the right place to start but I read this very quickly and enjoyed it. I like the fact it left unknowns and questions marks and didn’t tie up every loose end nicely.

I loved the intertwining of narrative about history and lessons of history, showing how memories can be unreliable and we cannot always rely on our own recollections. It is something that we don’t remember enough.

“That’s one of the central problems of history,
isn’t it, sir? The question of subjective versus objective interpretation, the fact that we need to know the history of the historian in order to understand the version that is being put in front of us?”

It’s not wrong.

Thoroughly recommend - further suggestions of Julian Barnes novels to read welcome.

#bookreview #thesenseofanending #julianbarnes #bookstagram #readmorebooks by @thesuffolkreader

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2 months ago

Audition by Katie Kitamura

Honestly I thought this book was bizarre and didn’t particularly “get” it. I found the characters far too self centred and the whole premise a bit ridiculous. I clearly missed something as I don’t quite understand why this has had as much admiration as it has.

This is the second thing I’ve read of hers and in my view Intimacies is far far better.

It’s an easy summer read, but not for me.

#audition #katiekitamura #bookreview #bookstagram #summerreads by @thesuffolkreader

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2 months ago

Whereabouts by Jhumpra Lahiri (translated by the author)

I loved this and thought it was beautifully written. I imagine it’s even more beautiful in the original Italian but sadly that is out of my reach.

It is so “normal” and relatable - observations on life that everyone can relate to and see parallels in their own lives.

It is a diary of life in a city but you never know which city, it is not named once but that is beautiful in that it doesn’t matter.

It’s a short book and therefore an easy read for those who are time poor. I would highly recommend this.

#bookreview #whereabouts #jhumpralahiri #readmore #bookstagram by @thesuffolkreader

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3 months ago

Summer holidays with kids mean Summer Reading Challenges. @suffolk_community_libraries are running “Curious Creatures” and my two little ones were quick to sign up.

Looking forward to library trips, new books, lots of reading and finding these curious creatures.

First books picked were Shark in the Park and an early reader version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Thank you @suffolk_community_libraries for making reading accessible to all. Let’s get more children reading 💪🏻

#summerreadingchallenge #suffoklibraries #getchildrenreading #readmorebooks📚❤️📚 #lovebooks by @thesuffolkreader

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3 months ago

Hamnet by @maggieofarrellofficial

This is so far from what I would normally read (historical fiction is really not my thing) but I thought I’d give it a go to see what all the hype is about. It was good, easy to read and something I managed to read quite quickly given the small amount of reading time I have. It was beautifully written throughout, heartbreaking, profound and sad.

I can see why it has had the reviews it has, and why a film was made (not that I have any interest in actually watching the film now). The historian in me would be interested to know how true it is, and the short section at the end of the book only briefly touched upon this.

I would recommend it as a summer read, albeit it hasn’t persuaded me to read more historical fiction. I will look to see what else Maggie O’Farrell has written.

#hamnet #maggieofarrell #hamnetbookreview #bookreview #readmorebooks📚❤️📚 by @thesuffolkreader

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3 months ago