SUMMER READING RECAP || Five Reads that Will Stay With Me for A Long Time
Spending time in nature and zoning out while staring at the water over two long weekends gave me plenty of time to read and reflect on what I read. Here are a few books I read over the summer months that are still on my mind.
Switzy | Emma Cline
Switzy by Emma Cline is a solid 4 ⭐️ The book lives up to its description as darkly humorous, and I also found it a good meditation for those wondering about the latter half of their lives and contemplating their values.
There were places where I got teary-eyed. Not that I felt sorry for this businessman flying on a private jet to his final destination, but more so an appreciation of the clarity he has finally reached with all the silly things we mistake as being important in our lives: the vanities we value, the accumulation of wealth, and the earning acceptance from our peers in our youth. It only took impending death to lift the veil over his eyes.
“Stupid, here, to smile at a stranger. It was not stupid, though, to wear a fine dress shirt with a cashmere half-zip and a fine-grained suede vest on top. Absurd, this relentless layering of wealth, particular to the moneyed Europeans. The merchant bankers. If some of the people he’d known in his life could’ve just won price tags, that would’ve been preferable. Cut out the middleman.”
Like any high-powered, Valuable Person (in David’s words), he didn’t think it could happen to him, but when it does, and even though he has already decided on his exit, we still feel the pain of opportunities we didn’t take.
“David had already gotten his last sunny day and it had happened without him knowing it.
Tears sprang to his eyes.
So couldn’t he have another chance? Now that he knew to look out for it?”
The regrets that really matter aren't about work or wealth; they're about the people in our lives. As David makes his final journey, all his efforts seem too little, too late.
Even at the very end, as his mind unravels, he tries to justify his regrets and attempts to repent without regard for whether an apology is desired or accepted. An unlikable character, but a realistic reflection on what matters in life, and whether one should leave the party before we overstay our welcome.
NetGalley and Random House provided us with the eArc in exchange for an honest review.
Tokyo Express | Seicho Matsumoto
I’ve been on a binge with murder mysteries and thrillers for Summerween, and I loved every bit of it. I listened to this short novel by Seicho Matsumoto while I was on my trip, staring out at the soaring trees and sparkling water from my Airbnb balcony. This is what I was looking at while I was listening to this murder mystery (diabolical, I know, but it all balances out).
I enjoyed this murder mystery immensely because it felt like I was solving it alongside the detective. There were moments when I spotted clues, which made the story more thrilling as it went on. The clever use of timetables and the culprit’s attention to detail also made the mystery more immersive. The detailed letters between the detectives as they pieced together the case were another highlight. It’s interesting that the story doesn’t really involve much testimony from any of the suspects or supporting characters; instead, we live inside the detective’s head as he chases the trail of clues the entire time.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 5 - 8
I went on an Emma M. Lion audiobook binge this past month, and I do not regret it. I saw a post on social media that categorized this series under books to read if you want to be delighted, and I wholeheartedly agree. I enjoyed every moment of having Emma’s trials and tribulations in my ear as I cleaned my apartment, commuted to work, and went for my post-dinner stroll. I’m happy the story will continue, but sad that I now have to wait for the next book. I can’t wait to reunite with these lovely characters!
Don’t Let the Forest In | C. G. Drews
I enjoyed this novel way more than I expected. A forest teeming with monsters that are supposedly created by the drawings of a young boy? I’m in.
Haunting. Beautiful. Unputdownable. I spent hours of my precious, short vacation devouring this book. The illustrations were eerie and delightful. I’m definitely on a streak reading gothic horror stories. The delicate, budding relationships and friendships between the characters enhanced the reading experience. Sexuality is part of the story, but not just for the sake of it—it enlivens the plot and draws you in through the characters’ vulnerabilities.
For me this was a 4.5⭐️ I felt melancholic while I was reading this; maybe I got a bit too attached to the main character. I felt like I had to protect the boy. I enjoyed the read so much I went to buy my own copy after finishing the library book.
This book is labelled as the first in a series, so I eagerly await the next installment.
Hunger | Choi Jin-Young
I read The Lamb recently, then moved on to Hunger, and I have to start questioning why I’m suddenly on a spin reading books about cannibalism. Are you okay, Florence? Jokes aside, I really enjoyed this story that pulls back the curtain on how our capitalist society ruins people mentally and physically.
This book had so many relevant observations about being human and the trappings of living in a capitalist society. Many lines made me pause and reflect. I didn’t want the story to end because I wanted to continue conversing with the author through her writing.
“Are those who fire the guns and take the bullets ever those who start the war?”
“Children humanize objects. Adults objectify humans.”
The story is heartbreaking: people come together and separate because of circumstance, not because they love or don’t love each other. The waiting, the assumptions, the commitment, the endurance…the author illustrates the helplessness of the characters in a way that even made me, someone who subscribes to the power of hard work and doesn’t believe in being imprisoned by our circumstances, feel the despair of the male character. This read definitely packs a punch.
There are many fall book releases that I’ve added to my TBR. Looking forward to sharing my fall reading recap with you all in the coming months!
