OCTOBER READING RECAP || 7 Reads to Ranging From the Fantastical to Feminine Rage
Once the temperature starts to dip, you can find me nestled under a thick blanket and wrapped in my reading cape (yes, it exists), enjoying hours upon hours of uninterrupted reading.
My autumn reading started off strong, with 7 reads that I enjoyed. I hope you have a chance to pick up some of these this season, too.
VAIM by Jon Fosse
The first in a loosely tied-together triptych, the main character is a middle-aged man who goes on a trip to a nearby, posh village to buy some thread. By the end of the trip, he’s bumped into the love of his youth, and somehow she comes aboard his boat. This story is the outcome of the worst-case scenario if you’re one of those people who find it too troublesome to voice your opinion or push back against ridiculous demands. It reads like an extended monologue or rant inside each character's head, but I enjoyed this style, since I also have conversations inside my own head.
Hollow Inside by Asako Otani
This story centers on two women in their mid-thirties who live together out of convenience to save a bit more spending money. In Japanese culture, such a move is frowned upon, because by this age, women should be married with children; living with another unmarried woman would be shameful. While the women say they aren’t interested in dating or marriage, they each continue to dip their toes in the water to test the temperature, wondering if they should fold to society’s pressure and get back on track with ‘the norm’. From a Western perspective, I might question why they don’t do more or speak their minds, but after a year studying and living in Japan, I can confirm this is how they communicate—they don’t. Few words are exchanged, and you have to really read between the lines or really understand the cultural nuances. Although it may appear that the characters are doing little to change their situation, this is already what would be considered a big step in Japan.
Crazy Genie by Inès Cagnati
After finishing the last sentence of this book, I closed it, stared up at my ceiling, and said, to no one in particular, “There are horrible people in the world.”
The story follows Crazy Genie, a woman born into the best family in the village, only to be cast out because she had a child out of wedlock. The father? Unknown. She wouldn’t say a word about it. In fact, after having her child, she speaks little. Genie moves into a derelict cabin at the fringe of her family’s estate, drifting from one farm or household to another to pull together a meagre living to feed herself and her child.
Of course, everything that could go wrong does. From physical hunger and mental turmoil to familial tensions and outright violations, the pair go through it all. While it’s almost unbelievable that all these events would befall our duo, it’s also not hard to imagine them happening in their situation.
I ran out of gasps at one point. If you need a depressing, sad read for a rainy day, this is it.
The Slantwise Histories: Collected Stories by Alix E. Harrow
I will read anything Alix E. Harrow writes. From my first encounter with the author through The Hundred Doors of January to The Everlasting, no author has captured my heart with their depiction of yearning, loss, and hope, with such intricate plots, twists and turns.
This collection of stories does not disappoint. Two of my favourites are The Knight and the Butcherbird and The Six Deaths of the Saint. The first questions how far we would go, and for how long we would endure pain and misery for the ones we love. The second makes you reflect on loyalty, and how and when it can cross into hatred and resentment when you realize where unquestioned loyalty has gotten you.
She Who Remains by Rene Karabash
Where do I even begin? I highlighted many quotes in this book. “Home is where they clip your wings.” The expectations of family, cultural rules and laws have a chokehold on our protagonist, so much so that after an unthinkable event happens to her on the eve of her wedding, she takes the vow of lifelong chastity to become a “sworn virgin.” Under this vow, she gains a man's rights in her community and transforms her appearance to become one. She had only ever wanted her father to be proud of her, but he had eyes only for his son because he was a boy and she was a girl.
Her decision to become a sworn virgin sets off a chain of tragic events that unfolds throughout the next two decades of her life. This will make you think about the consequences of your actions and the deep impact it can have on those around you.
The Unknown by Riley Sager
October seemed to be the month to read a few thrillers. I saw this on the shelves at every bookstore, so I finally borrowed it through my local library and gave it a go. I gave this 3.25 stars because the premise seemed interesting, but as the story went on, it became more of a social commentary than a thriller. Not that there’s anything wrong with a book that focuses on the inequalities society defines between men and women; it’s just that two-thirds of the way in, when I realized there wasn’t anything to be scared of, I kind of lost interest.
Lady X by Molly Fader
I did not expect to be this invested when I picked up this book. By the end, I may have been fist-pumping in the air to cheer for the collective strength of the trio of badass women in this story. The year is 1977, and our main character Ginger finds herself in New York, trying to build a new, exciting life. It’s exciting alright. While looking for a roommate to split the rent, she picks up two roommates who become her rock for all the disturbing events to follow. She also ends up working at the most glamorous nightclub in the city and introduces her mysterious roommate, who refuses to share her backstory, to work there as well.
They’re having the best time of their lives until one of Ginger’s roommates is assaulted. Although they take their case to a cop, he not only does nothing, but they find out he’s a monster of a similar breed. Our heroines take matters into their own hands, and Lady X is born.
Ginger’s daughter uncovers her mother’s story in a dual timeline in 2024 and can’t believe her quiet mother managed to hide such a troubling past from the family.
If you believe revenge is best served cold and enjoy a heavy dose of feminine rage now and then, it’s time to pick up Lady X.
