The September Stack
Can you believe it’s already October?
As another month passes in this seemingly odd year, we tick September off the list and welcome Libra season - hello, October!
I've had the pleasure of delving into four fantastic books last month—all of which I have given high ratings, a mix of 4 and 5 stars.
Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Quick thoughts:
Sophie's World is the second book that I've read by Jostein Gaarder. I thoroughly enjoyed the Solitaire Mystery, so of course, the bar was set high. Luckily, Sophie's World did not disappoint. I love Gaarder's playful way of writing, telling fun and exciting stories within a story. The characters I can't help but fall in love with, their curious minds, adventurous nature and philosophical ways. Sophie's World delivered a Philosophy course throughout its 400-and-something pages and, I loved it! It was a slow burner reading which took me a little longer than usual, mostly due to the abundance of information which takes a lot of sinking in. Nonetheless, what a delight.
Red, White & Royal Blue is the debut novel by author Casey McQuiston and my gosh I hope there is more to come from this author. Such a hoot, this book had me giggling on several occasions. I loved the far-fetched plot, a total stark contrast to the real-life current events. I mean, a democratic President of the United States, who is a woman, who has a fabulous bisexual son? Yes please, sign me up for that life! This book is an excellent addition to the LGBTQ bookshelf and is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is a rich piece of historical fiction as it follows a Korean family during the early 1900s. We follow four generations spanning across 80 years, from the devastation of Japan's annexation of Korea to their fleeing to Japan in the hopes of a better life. Overall themes are about love and loss, heritage and identity and struggles with discrimination during war times. It's one of the most beautiful books that I have read, so bittersweet with such memorable characters who all share such a special bond. I loved it.
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is the debut novel by poet Ocean Vuong. This short book was a mere 256 pages, albeit bursting at the seams with incredibly beautiful poetic musings. It's written as a letter from a son to his mother who cannot read. He muses about his life, stemming back to his childhood and passing through his teenage and adult years. You can feel so much pain from his work. He truly encapsulates the life of a boy during times of love, loss and everything else in between. Gorgeous prose was so rich with authenticity.
I've on a remarkable streak with the quality of books I'm reading lately, enjoying every one of them. October begins with The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, which I am just about to finish. So far, this book is living up to the hype. Let's see how it ends!
Stay tuned for reviews and more.