First, Second, and Third Summer Reads, 2019: Donoghue, Westover, Rooney

Here marks the first three books of my summer reads 2019. The reviews seem to get longer and longer the further into the summer I go (maybe my brain starts to be more productive after being zapped of any energy with the busy GCSE preparations).

So, firstly, a parent of an influential, talented pupil suggested the following novel to me last year during Parents' Evening. The following week, I gave the book to her daughter as a present and I've finally got the time to read it. This young lady in particular is an amazing writer and I hope she continues to read, write, and love the cathartic sense of writing.

1. Room by Emma Donoghue

A few days in to summer holidays and the first read was already finished. I clearly wanted to indulge into a non set text novel. I whizzed through in a few days whilst I recovered from a busy summer term. I was impressed with the narrative voice and the storyline is shocking. At the beginning, it was brilliantly written from a young boy whose vocabulary clearly improves throughout the novel. This little boy is still living with me; he’s echoing around my mind in an uncomfortable way. Memorable, hard-hitting, a great novel to start my summer reads with.

The order of book reading is important. With my next book, it had been in the back of my mind for aaaages, due to the teachers and librarians at school raving about it. Even the lady at WHSmith who was putting all the 3for2 stickers on the books told me to read this. 

2. Educated by Tara Westover

This memoir has opened ideas about belonging; how history affects the future; the fragility of family connections and obligation; but most of all, about how the unbalancing impact education can have on a human soul and how to find inner peace amongst chaos. This is an important book - I was amazed at the year it was written; it felt like it was set in a world long ago due to the archaic beliefs but my naivety was tested as I realised that there are families that exist like this in little pockets of the world. Moreover, there are girls like Tara tll over the world, trying to escape their surroundings; to find a way of life where they belong. 

The following book was suggested from my book club at school. During the May half term holidays, I chose a novel called The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry...which turned out not to be the best book to read whilst pregnant but interesting to see how medicine has progressed (a relief). I chose it because we were visiting Edinburgh and I thought reading a book set in the place I was visiting would be cool. It was - it brought the city to life - but it made me squirm at the medicinal parts. Anyway, another teacher at book club spoke about Rooney's novel. In fact, a lot of people have been talking about it. So I read it.

3. Normal People by Sally Rooney

This novel, to me, seems like a result of what happens when feelings are left unsaid. It coincides with modern society: the embarrassment of youth and the inability to communicate effectively. Importantly, the narrative structure changes: as the mental state of the protagonist decreases, analepsis ensues and dramatic irony causes a desperation in the reader for a soothing answer.

Not sure about a re-read yet. Disconcerting ideas about female submission in reaction to abuse as well as male depression, I thought. Pretty accurate, though. The protagonists are ironically more normal than they think! I would recommend this novel for sixth formers any day of the week - it's important for them to understand that being weird is ok.