March 2021 📚 Wrap Up

Curious to learn what books I read last month? If yes, keep reading.

Normal People by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, 2018)

Connell is popular but shy. Marianne is a loner but opinionated. Connell belongs to the working class while Marianne to upper class. After a private conversation, a connection is sparked. As we follow their lives from attending high school in a small village in Ireland to getting into college in Dublin, we realise that their mutual desire to be normal has been an obstacle to a healthy relationship between these two. Nevertheless, they seem incapable of staying apart.

I wanted to read this book ever since it was published. My desire rekindled when I heard about the TV series. And finally, I did it. First and foremost, there are trigger warnings about sexual abuse and depression. Although I wasn't aware that the book dealt with such serious issues, I enjoyed the main protagonists' struggle to discover who they are and who they want to become. Every time I finished a chapter, I would either have to keep reading in order to find out what happens next or I would be frustrated with and angry at a character —probably at Connell— for something they did or said. The writing style provokes readers into emotional distress as it is hard to remain calm when both Marianne and Connell behave in a very detached manner whatever the severity of the incident. Another writing choice that impressed me was the time indicators at the beginning of every chapter. The relentless passing of time and the constant back and forth between past and present events emulates the way life works. Now I can't wait to watch the TV series. 

The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley (John Murray, 2016) 

A family has been visiting the same shrine, located in a grim coastal town called Loney, for years in the hope that their mute child, Hanny, will be cured. During their last trip to Loney, Hanny gets accidentally involved in the business of some dangerous people. His younger brother will be there to rescue him as always. Or, at least, he will try. 

This book belongs to the gothic and folk horror genre. There are a lot of descriptions of the setting, but they all contribute to the creation of a spooky and dark atmosphere. Although I'm not a fan of long, detailed descriptions, I never got bored while reading about the landscape because Loney is transformed into a mysterious character. Additionally, nature and religion are major themes throughout the book. All the characters with their differences in age and beliefs challenge fixed conventions and rules. Finally, I should note that the limited perspective of the narrator compels readers to pay attention to everything in order to be able to get an idea of what happens at the end. 

Black Hole by Charles Burns (Pantheon Books, 2005)

In the mid-1970s there is a virus which is transmitted by sexual contact. It manifests itself in deformities to the body, which vary from hideous to subtle. We follow the journey of three teenagers from Chicago, and we see how infected and healthy people coexist. 

This is the first graphic novel I have ever read. I am excited to say that I will definitely delve deeper into this amazing genre. The illustrations of the Black Hole were black and white, and there is something eerie in the way that most faces are drawn; both of these traits make readers feel uncomfortable just as they would feel if they were living in a sick world. I also enjoyed the experimentation with the size and the position of the boxes on the page. In addition to that, there are some instances where sentences extend to neighbouring boxes. I felt that that choice physically presents the characters' longing to escape from their current situation. As for the story itself, I believe that Charles Burns did an amazing job with capturing the urgency many people experience during adolescence. However, I wish that more depth and attention had been given to characters who shared some extremely traumatic experiences. It is a good time to mention that trigger warnings about drug abuse, sexual assault, and suicide apply while there is also nudity and crude language. Lastly, I think that there is a contradiction in the way that the virus is transmitted. Although at the beginning it is said that someone contracts the virus by having sex with an infected person, later on there is a scene where the virus is transmitted through saliva, and not intercourse. 

NW by Zadie Smith (Penguin Books, 2013) 

We follow the life of four, working class Londoners. 

This is the first book by Zadie Smith that I've read, but it definitely won't be the last. I know that my summary did not make justice to the book as we don't just follow these four characters, but we meet them at a critical point in their lives although they are not aware of it. What is great about this book is the fact that the form complements the characters' personalities, and this unique approach to the presentation of the story makes it stand out. I believe that all writers, and especially novelists, should read this book because besides the structure experimentation, they can also study the creation of dense and well-edited sentences that Zadie Smith has mastered in this novel. The sole problem is that I —and I'm guessing the majority of readers— am not used to reading experimental writing, and this is why it was hard for me to follow the pace of the book.

And you reached the end of this wrap up. What was the best book you read in March?