Books of June 2018 📚

I'm really sorry for not posting for so long but I was studying for my finals. But now that my exams ended, be ready for the posts that are coming up! 

I thought that it would be better to start my posting spree on the recently added category in this blog, which is -as you have probably guessed- the books of the month. So, with no further due let's see what books I read the period I was gone. 

1. The Professor by Charlotte Brontë

To be honest, that was a difficult book to finish. That is because the plot is moving slowly and some events happen due to complete luck.

What I loved the most about the story is the love relationship between the two protagonists and the idea of power and of equality inside a relationship. Not that a twentieth-century reader will agree with all the behaviours presented but it provides a lot of food for thought.

Another issue much discussed about this novel is the narrator. Brontë adopted a male perspective. Was that convincing? Personally, I think it was, after taking into consideration the mild, timid and not at all macho personality of the male protagonist, William Crimsworth.

2. Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy 

This is a story about a young girl who is confused and tries to figure out who she really is. 

What distinguishes this coming-of-age novel from others is the theme of race and consequently of racism. Although the protagonist, Faith, is born and raised according to white, western value system and lifestyle, her blackness and the racist incidents that she encounters leave her wondering in which of the two -the white or the black- cultures she belongs. Her journey to find out her place in the world and her own identity is what will hook you up and you'll keep reading until you reach the end.

3. One Out of Many by V.S. Naipaul

This is a short story included in the book In a Free State among two other short stories. 

What makes this story so interesting is the attempt of an Indian servant, Santosh, who moved to America with his master, to figure out his own identity. Despite of this literal and metaphorical journey, it is important to check the way that Santosh feels towards other minorities. Unfortunately, his feelings towards them are not positive but the attitudes presented are realistic and provide slices of life, which prove how prejudiced all people can be and how this can lead them to misery. 

4. My Son The Fanatic by Hanif Kureishi

The generation gap, Islam and religion in general and violence is just a few of the major themes of this short story. The one thing that I believe that made this story so successful is the message that listening and trying to understand each other -genuine communication in other words- is the sole solution to prevent misunderstandings, emotional detachment between people and violence. 

The end left me and I guess everyone that has read this story gaping and a bit confused. The message above explains a lot of things but the violent ending will make you reconsider the way you see things and the sides you pick to support and to identify with.