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"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
I didn't read this book for the longest time, because the title gave me the impression that it would be boring. I was very wrong. One of my favorite American authors is Carl Hiaasen, and he praised GGM highly. I thought to myself that Hiaasen is one of the few authors who are actually funny through text, which is exceedingly rare, so his recommendation is noteworthy. Within 10 minutes of starting the book in question I felt shame. I had deprived myself of one of the quintessential actual artists. I was blown away.
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Now Watch Me Read. “Performative reading” has gained a curious notoriety online. Is it a new way of calling people pretentious, or does it reflect a deprioritization of the written word? [Article]
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/performative-reading
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Simple Questions: December 02, 2025
Welcome readers,
Have you ever wanted to ask something but you didn't feel like it deserved its own post but it isn't covered by one of our other scheduled posts? Allow us to introduce you to our new Simple Questions thread! Twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, a new Simple Questions thread will be posted for you to ask anything you'd like. And please look for other questions in this thread that you could also answer! A reminder that this is not the thread to ask for book recommendations. All book recommendations should be asked in /r/suggestmeabook or our Weekly Recommendation Thread.
Thank you and enjoy!
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@r_books
Books about real-life people, living and dead
I was discussing this with someone recently, and thought it would be interesting to bring it here.
When it comes to writing about real people, the general rule is that if they're alive, you should avoid writing about them negatively, unless you can prove it's true. If they're deceased, the dead cannot sue for libel, and neither can their descendants, but they can, if they really want to, claim reputational damage by association.
But how do you reconcile this with the fact that there is a whole genre of fictional biography, some reality based and some that takes significant liberties?
The unrealistic, of course, includes things like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (outlandish), and a couple of books about Hemingway being involved in espionage (not impossible, but unlikely, since he might have tried to hunt U-boats and spoken to Soviet agents, but is not known to have done anything impactful).
More than that, some fictional books are well known to be inspired by real people. For instance, Blonde does name Marilyn Monroe as the protagonist, but there are a lot of negative things that happen in the book/film that are not known to have happened in real life. Additionally, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is well-known to be inspired by Elizabeth Taylor, and Daisy Jones and the Six is known to be inspired by Fleetwood Mac, some of whose members are still alive. With regard to the latter two books, there is the standard disclaimer in the beginning "this is a work of fiction," but Taylor Jenkins Reid actually named the celebrities who served as inspiration in interviews.
There is no way someone, somewhere didn't take offense at something written in one of the aforementioned books. I mean, the real-life Fleetwood Mac drama alone might lead to the band members questioning if they were fairly portrayed.
Afaik, there's only been one case where the fiction author got sued was when Charles Higham portrayed Errol Flynn as a Nazi collaborator. And Flynn's descendants lost.
But whenever you try to read about this issue anywhere online, it's always "don't do it, you don't want to piss off the wrong people." But if that is true, how do Taylor Jenkins Reid and Joyce Carol Oates sleep at night?
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The true love of Max de Winter in Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Just finished reading the novel and looked through some essays on it, as well as posts and comments here.
I know it's often compared to Jane Eyre, but I actually see another parallel — with Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. In both novels, a place is one of the characters — perhaps the main character, even.Though the title character of the du Maurier's novel is Rebecca, and she tries to steal as much reader's attention as she can, the real main character is, undoubtedly, Manderley. It is the reason for the failure of both Max's marriages. Because, whatever are his feelings for either of Mrs. de Winters, his true love always was, and always will be, his estate.
Rebecca is able to manipulate him by promising to take care of the estate. And her violation of it's sacred status is what drives Max over the edge. He wouldn't mind her even being pregnant with another man's child, I am sure — but it's the thought of that child inheriting the estate that's unbearable to him.
And even after the murder, after flying from bitter memories associated with Manderley, he's still in love in it. He describes it's beauties to the heroine. He brings her there, in such a hurry that they don't even stop in London to buy her some suitable clothes. On their first morning in Manderley, he leaves her so he can attend to the various businesses of the estate. And after Manderley is no more, he is a broken man, a shadow of a person, a true widower.
I think it's a pity that this angle wasn't explored a little more in the novel. Perhaps, that would truly elevate it over the degrading label of "just a romance" — because, though haunting and beautiful, it's still a bit two-dimensional. The relationship of a man with his inheritance, the struggles of obligation, duty, habit, the reason for this all-consuming obsession which tempted him to sacrifice his own happiness in his first marriage and the happiness of his wife in the second — that's what will give it additional depth. I don't see anything really interesting in Rebecca's personality — she is a selfish person with abilities and means to be selfish in a lavish, attractive style. There's no merit in her being beautiful or strong, and her ability to run a great house would be useless if she didn't marry a man owning one. But I'd like to know more of Max's past, his childhood, the reason why he loves Manderley so much. It's not for its beauty, for we know that it's Rebecca who made it so beautiful. There should be something deeper, something that explains why Max identifies himself with his estate so much.
I don't think Max is a bad person. I think he is a deeply troubled person — and not because of his first wife or even her murder. And I do think Mrs. Van Hooper is right when she says the heroine makes a big mistake. Not because she could never compete with Rebecca — but because she could never compete with Manderley.
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Weekly Calendar - December 01, 2025
Hello readers!
Every Monday, we will post a calendar with the date and topic of that week's threads and we will update it to include links as those threads go live. All times are Eastern US.
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Day|Date|Time(ET)|Topic|
-|-|-|-
^Monday|^(December 01)||^(What are you Reading?)
^Tuesday|^(December 02)||^(New Releases)
^Wednesday|^(December 03)||^(Literature of Laos)
^Thursday|^(December 04)||^(Favorite Books about Disability Activism and Rights)
^Friday|^(December 05)||^(Weekly Recommendation Thread)
^Sunday|^(December 07)||^(Weekly FAQ: How can I get into reading? How can I read more?)
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What Books did You Start or Finish Reading this Week?: December 01, 2025
Hi everyone!
What are you reading? What have you recently finished reading? What do you think of it? We want to know!
We're displaying the books found in this thread in the book strip at the top of the page. If you want the books you're reading included, use the formatting below.
Formatting your book info
Post your book info in this format:
the title, by the author
For example:
The Bogus Title, by Stephen King
This formatting is voluntary but will help us include your selections in the book strip banner.
Entering your book data in this format will make it easy to collect the data, and the bold text will make the books titles stand out and might be a little easier to read.
Enter as many books per post as you like but only the parent comments will be included. Replies to parent comments will be ignored for data collection.
To help prevent errors in data collection, please double check your spelling of the title and author.
NEW: Would you like to ask the author you are reading (or just finished reading) a question? Type !invite in your comment and we will reach out to them to request they join us for a community Ask Me Anything event!
-Your Friendly /r/books Moderator Team
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The Women
I've heard a lot of stories about Vietnam. My dad was stationed there from 1967-1969, the same timeframe as this book. I am also a registered nurse, so I was both hesitant and intrigued to read this story.
Overall, I felt the author did a great job of portraying the era and the brutality of the Vietnam war. So many injustices were highlighted such as Agent Orange, how soldiers were treated when they came home, the lack of proper mental health care, addiction, PSTD, the horrible conditions, and of course, the lack of acknowledgement for the women who served.
This is a work of fiction, so there were a few things that I felt took away from the realism of the story. However, I think this book has the potential to shine a light on what that time was like and hopefully give a voice to those who lost it during this war.
This war and its repercussions defined my life in many ways. I lost 2 brothers to the effects of Agent Orange, my dad was addicted to heroin, an addiction that began in Vietnam for soldiers who couldn't sleep or cope, and subsequently died of a related cancer. I sit here now thinking of him and wishing I could hug that young soldier who grew into my dad, and tell him that I see him and his pain. Miss him so much.
I'm curious if there are any Vietnam vets still around or family members who wpuld like to share insight. What do you think of her portrayal of the war and its effects?
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Why do people hate Great Expectations?
I understand that Charles Dickens is not for everyone and his books can get boring at points. Though I like his books because I feel he was one of the first authors to have his books focused on the lower classes. When most authors before him only wrote about the super wealthy. Out of all his books I see people often hate on Great Expectations in which I feel is a story on assimilation on trying to fit into a society that will tolerate you but will never truly accept you. I related a lot to Pip’s struggles as a first generation American. Though I’d like to hear why people don’t like it, cause I feel I’m the only one who does like the book.
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I didn’t understand people who skipped paragraphs in books, until I read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne
I really liked the book but my god there were so many big paragraphs spent talking describing fish or the boat or anything else sea related. I kept skipping over all of these paragraphs again and again. All in 10 line lists. If I wanted to read about fish I would’ve looked for a non fiction book about fish.
But I really appreciate the anti colonial themes. Nemo has an interesting dynamic with his three prisoners. Arronax, who bonds with Nemo . Ned, who disliked Nemo and his time there and yet was willing to save Nemo’s life and Conseil, who… Now that I think about it I think he just went along with what Arronax did.
We later learn in a succeeding book that Nemo is Indian and the ships he attacked were British, though he felt sad when an Anglo-Saxon crewman died so I guess he didn’t hate all Englishman. I think the Anglo-Saxon was English anyway. But it adds to the complexity of Nemo’s character.
And there is a prequel about Nemo called Nautilus.
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A short break with Larry Niven's "All The Myriad Ways".
So had a short break from horror for a few days with some more Larry Niven with another of his many collections "All The Myriad Ways". And this is also another stand alone and his very first one.
This one's (like the much larger "Playgrounds of the Mind") a mix of short stories and some articles, but on a much smaller scale of about 181 pages.
There's a couple of known space stories I've read before (and I was pretty much expecting some overlap), plus some I haven't read before, and that includes the first story of his magic series featuring the warlock and a novella. There's even two unfinished stories in it two, with one only being just a sentence long!
Then there are the three articles. I always find his articles not only as interesting, but also funny as well! Out of the three articles, the one that I found extremely amusing is one called "Man of steel, woman of Kleenex". It basically just about how Superman cannot get a girl.
A pretty good and relatively short collection. This would probably be a good book to recommend someone who might be interested in Niven's work, or anyone who might want to get into SF and fantasy. While not one of his better collections It's still pretty decent anyway!
https://redd.it/1paazcz
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What books did you read bc you watched a movie it was based on only to find out the movie was a bad adaption?
Hello all I just had a funny question that came to me in the shower bc of my experience with Lotr. So I am viewing the movies for the first time now having finished reading the books. And I am getting quite annoyed at everything PJ changed from the source material (I made posts on the two I’ve seen so far if you are interested) which got me thinking.
What if I had seen the Lotr movies first, then read the books. What would my opinion on the movies be after reading the books now knowing how much was changed?
Then I remembered this actually happened to me twice. With both Percy Jackson and The Maze Runner I saw the movie first and liked them so I decided to read the book. While reading the books I was intrigued by how different the two were where events I expected to happen bc of what I had seen in the film just didn’t happen at all in the story or where changed.
After reading at some point I watched the movie again and really soured on the movie that I liked so much initially bc of how different it was from the source material that it encouraged me to read.
Has this ever happened to you guys and so what was the book?
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Bas Lag Series - reading order?
Hello! I’ve been into heady/weird/dark scifi and fantasy lately (currently reading through Book of the New Sun) and came into possession of The Scar today. My first China Mieville book was Embassytown a few months ago, which I enjoyed and thought was super interesting.
I haven’t read Perdido Street Station yet — am I going to be lost or spoil things if I start the series with The Scar? Or do they need to be read in order?
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I've Lost That Loving Feeling
Hi everyone,
Lately I’ve been really craving a book that pulls me in, lifts me up, and reminds me why I fell in love with reading in the first place. I want a story I can escape into — something that feels warm, engaging, or magical in a way that stays with you.
A few things I’m hoping to avoid:
No sad or heavy endings — I’m not in a place for heartbreak
No biographies, memoirs, or historical biographies
I’m open to almost any fiction genre as long as the story has heart and leaves me feeling good when I close the book. Fantasy, sci-fi, romance, thrillers, magical realism — I’m happy to explore anything that brings back that spark.
If you have a book that made you fall in love with reading (or fall in love with it all over again), I’d be grateful if you shared it. Thank you. 📚✨
https://redd.it/1p9zzib
@r_books
Your top 3 reads of 2025
I’m building up my TBR for 2026.
So what are your top 3 reads of 2025 for both fiction and non fiction? They don’t have to be published in 2025 but that you read in 2025.
Mine are I Who Have Never Know Men, The Elegance of the Hedgehog (both are fiction) and One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This (non fiction).
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Olivia Nuzzi’s New Book Gets Absolutely Pummeled by The New York Times and Other Critics: ‘Aggressively Awful’
https://www.mediaite.com/media/olivia-nuzzis-new-book-gets-absolutely-pummeled-by-the-new-york-times-and-other-critics-aggressively-awful/
https://redd.it/1pcjkd4
@r_books
The moment a story changed how you see someone in your real life.
Some books do not just change how you see the characters. They change how you see someone you know in real life. A parent. A friend. A partner. Even yourself. A line or a scene hits you in a quiet way, and suddenly you understand a person a little better.
This happened to me while reading A Man Called Ove. The book showed how some people hide their whole heart behind habits, silence, and small routines. It made me think of someone in my own family who acts the same way. I never understood him clearly until the book showed what loneliness can feel like under a calm face. It changed how I look at him now.
I felt this again with The Kite Runner. There is a moment where the story talks about guilt that stays with you even when life moves forward. It made me think about someone I know who carries quiet guilt from years ago. I never linked it to that part of his life until the book made me see it clearly. It helped me understand him more.
Books do this sometimes. They open a door inside your mind. They show you how another person sees the world. They explain a feeling that someone in your real life never found the words for. And once you see it, you cannot unsee it.
I want to hear other moments like this. The book. The scene. The way it changed how you understood a real person. Not in a dramatic way. Just in a quiet human way.
Thank you.
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Let kids read without interruption.
If you see a kid reading in public you do not need to ask what they are reading. You don’t need to ask if they like the book. We had a woman grab my kids arm today to ask these questions.
I know people are excited about seeing a kid with a physical book and not an iPad but if you start acting all weird about it it’s not going to help them see reading as enjoyable. It’s scary to have a stranger grab you while engaged in a book.
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The moment you felt a writer understood a memory you never told anyone.
Some books hit a place inside you that you never talk about. Not a big trauma. Not a sad story. Just a small memory you keep quiet. A moment from childhood. A fear. A thought. A feeling you never said out loud.
I felt this while reading Norwegian Wood. A simple line about how some memories stay warm even when life gets cold. It felt like the writer knew a part of me that I never shared.
I felt it again in The Book Thief, when a small moment showed how a single kind act can stay in your mind for years. It felt real to my own life.
Books do this sometimes. They pull up a memory you did not expect. They understand something you never explained.
Share the book and the moment that made you feel seen in a quiet way.
Thank you.
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Inherent Vice feels like the perfect way to dip your toes into Thomas Pynchon (No spoilers)
Thomas Pynchon is one of those names in the literary world that carries a whole lot of weight. Whether readers like that weight is of course up to each person's reading preferences, but his name is weighty nonetheless. If you know his name at all but haven't read any of his books, you're probably aware of Gravity's Rainbow due to its reputation for being both profoundly convoluted/difficult for many, but profoundly exceptional for many others (while perhaps still being convoluted/difficult even for those who enjoy it).
If you're the kind of person who sees that hefty reputation and raises your eyebrow with intrigue, but are hesitant to pull the trigger for any reason, I would highly suggest reading Inherent Vice as your first Thomas Pynchon novel. Many longtime fans of the author will tell you that The Crying of Lot 49 or Vineland are the best places to start, and in terms of stylistic preparation for Gravity's Rainbow those might still be the right places to start.
But if you've never read Pynchon (or really any author) before, I firmly believe in starting off with something that you're most likely to enjoy rather than starting off with something that will give you the best preparation for others in their oeuvre for potential difficulty or stylistic reasons.
Inherent Vice is a hilarious psychedelic noir story that does a phenomenal job of instilling the sensations of 60s/70s hippie counterculture around Los Angeles. A weed-fueled fever dream that is unapologetically genuine and undeniably southern Californian. It gives hints towards Pynchon's verbose and meticulous style while remaining lighthearted and engaging. It does still require a certain amount of attention to keep track of some of the longer sentences and fairly high character count, but with Inherent Vice it feels less like an absurdly intelligent author flexing his writing skills and far more like a stoner's meandering stream of consciousness.
In my opinion, subjective of course, I'm inclined to say that if you've never read Pynchon before, try Inherent Vice. Because I think if you don't like it, you're not that likely to enjoy anything else in his body of works. Comparatively, I think it's not unreasonable to say that if you've tried something else of his, say Lot 49 or even Gravity's Rainbow, and didn't vibe with it, you could 100% still pick up and enjoy Inherent Vice.
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Anyone read the Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence ?
They were a huge part of my primary school life and yet barely anyone talks about them online.
They are basically about a bunch of pre-teen detectives in Ancient Rome as they solve mysteries and bear witness to various historical events such as Mount Vesuvius erupting in Pompeii.
And for kids books they’re ere surprisingly dark. For example they focus quite a bit on slavery and one of the pre teen characters ended up becoming a gladiator.
I also remember some questionable age gaps that would illegal today in the books. I’m actually surprised they were included in the books. Yes, it’s accurate to Ancient Rome, but still.
And there was quite a bit of violence.
And there was a CBBC show that aged up the characters and toned down some of the more unsavoury aspects.
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New Releases: December 2025
Hello readers and welcome! Every month this thread will be posted for you to discuss new and upcoming releases! Our only rules are:
1. The books being discussed must have been published within the last three months OR are being published this month.
2. No direct sales links.
3. And you are allowed to promote your own writing as long as you follow the first two rules.
That's it! Please discuss and have fun!
https://redd.it/1pb8xof
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The debate over AI content in books made me reflect on what I expect from media in general
I appreciate it when things are authentic. Books, as well as TV shows, movies, etc, often contain interesting tidbits of information or perspectives that aren't necessarily part of the plot or obvious. Fiction can be instructive, a window to the world, or a window into the creator's thoughts.
None of this mutually exclusive with media that's also entertaining. Books don't have to be snobby literature to have these things. Pop culture "trash" can still be interesting in a "meta" sort of way. Maybe a book from another country or culture, for example. Or a bygone era. Or a lot of people like it and you want to feel that too.
Finally there's something about having a parasocial connection to a human by reading/viewing their stuff.
The thing about AI is no matter how good it gets, it doesn't live in the real world. It parrots and rearranges existing information. So it's not going to be a primary source for an idea or observation that a person would make. AI can, or will eventually be able to, generate a work of art, and can mimic profound ideas or trivia present in whatever media it trained on, but lot of it is just going to be boring and meaningless.
I like to be entertained too obviously. And you might be thinking, a lot of entertaining media is just 100% pure fiction. Something that doesn't contain meaning, or unique ideas. Some hugely popular fantasy novels that people on Reddit love IMO are notoriously formulaic and shallow and basically "human-created slop". Not that this makes them bad per se, everyone loves what they love.
But then on the other hand, if we are being super honest, I don't have an enormous appetite for that in book form, or any form. Even when I want to turn my brain off, other things come into play. A looming side effect of AI slop "dumping" is that it creates excess choice. Often I'd prefer something that's a 8/10 on my preference scale but massively popular that I could talk to a friend about, over something that's my 10/10 ideal but comes at the cost of decision paralysis and which I'll never connect with or over.
All of this to say, as a consumer if I have to wade through low effort AI on your platform or website then I'm out. And I do think that as readers and consumers we deserve labels that say if a piece of media was created "substantially" with AI. As for enforceability or practicality, here's the deal: there's a difference between a well-meaning human using AI as a tool for fixing their amateurish rough draft, versus a scammer who enters a brief prompt and then publishes dozens of 80k word novels they'll never actually read on Amazon, and no I don't think it's impossible to draw a line somewhere on that. Even if it's just a promise or attestation from the author, it doesn't matter, because the mere act of taking ownership of your work is a big deal that incentives authenticity.
....
I realize there's edge cases that challenge my logic here. Whatever, don't care. For instance a human writer of historical fiction or creative nonfiction that contains "interesting ideas" would also be a secondary perspective holder operating purely off other sources, so hypothetically AI could be given access to the same source material and produce something of equivalent merit per my reasoning. But then the human could add value by injecting commentary about the present into the story or empathize in a way a robot can't with the subjects involved...
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Most novelists believe AI will replace their work. Sadly, I think they’re right
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/authors-books-novels-fiction-ai-copyright-generative-content-machines-original-work-b2874430.html
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Weekly FAQ Thread November 30, 2025: How many books do you read at a time?
Hello readers and welcome to our Weekly FAQ thread! Our topic this week is: How many books do you read at a time? Please use this thread to discuss whether you prefer to read one book or multiple books at once.
You can view previous FAQ threads here in our wiki.
Thank you and enjoy!
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Murder at Holly House by Denzil Meyrick
I would have probably never read this book, however it was this months $5 book choice at Barnes & Noble. An Inspector moves to a small farm town in post WW2 England to investigate a farm thief but finds himself trying to solve two murders and infiltration from the Crown. Some questions and comments I have for discussion:
1. Did we ever find out who was stealing from the farms? The original reason why Frank was moved to this post. If it was disclosed I feel like it was blown over and dismissed.
2. I liked the story up until it took the Communist turn and became a national security plot. Felt like too much was happening and couldn't keep up with all the twists and turns and who knew what, etc. Even the reveal of who died at Holly House and by whom was quickly glossed over. And it was the title of the book!
3. Loved the dry British humor and Frank's relationship with his dad. Also how the author made Deedee a badass female spy agent, props.
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All the Colours of the Dark - just completely underwhelmed
I want to preface by saying that I understand that many people love this book and that is completely fine. Different people enjoy different books, and if it brought you joy, you got more out of the book than I get out of writing this post.
This book, by Chris Whitaker, is the sort that would appeal to me. The prose, the hook, the characters, everything. But prepare for a rant (and spoilers):
Firstly, the prose. Look, I love detailed prose. Words that paint pictures in your head. But this book does it non stop. It does it far too often and at times when it just comes across as pretentious. It loses the effect very early on and just becomes overly wordy. We get it. Colours. I never, ever scan when I'm reading, but I found myself scanning. However many editors went over this, it needed more.
I think the overall problem behind this, and the problem with the book in general, is that the author was attempting to write a thriller that doubled as literary fiction and succeeded at neither.
The cliches and unrealistic character decisions. Why on earth is Patch robbing banks and sending the money to charities? We get it, he's a criminal with an heart of gold. When he's low on cash it makes sense. But there are times when he doesn't keep a penny. He's says to Saint that without the money, the charities will never find Grace. But the homeless people aren't looking for her. And sure, he grew up poor, but there is no mention of him giving any of the money he earns from his paintings to charity. So why? Just why?
The book reads like literary fiction, but character development is sacrificed for plot like it's a thriller. So really, the book has the flowery prose of literary fiction without any depth, and the thriller aspect is slowed down by the prose. The two can be combined, but not like this.
Saint. The better of the two protagonists in my opinion. Joins the police instead of going to Dartmouth in another cliche. But she spends the entire book doing everything for Patch and she is never once his priority. She never seems to have any happiness. Ever. At least Patch had some passion with Misty. Saint marries a guy she doesn't like, is abused, and spends the rest of her life harking after a guy who doesn't like her. Why can't she have a life? She's an intelligent, capable woman. At some point, she should let Patch go, or at least go after something she wants (that isn't him).
Oh, and other unrealistic points include a famous, distinctive looking, one eyed criminal escaping from prison(!), staying on the run in America and never getting caught. Oh and a lowly police officer managed to stop an execution going ahead in an afternoon. Oh, and a doctor was found guilty for murder and sentenced to death, when in reality he was helping pregnant girls get abortions but never mentions it and saves his own life, because he has to keep their secret even after they are dead. For reasons. Also, the reveal about Saint's abortion. Why include that? What does it add? And she still didn't tell her Grandmother what happened?
Which leads to the ending. What a let down. Grace was real, and Eli's child. But we barely meet her. Barely spend any times with her. Patch spends the entire book searching for her, and by rescuing her he's at peace, but the lack of exploring her and their new relationship was just underwhelming. A book this long needs an ending that hits. But everything is tied up so quickly it can't explore any of the ramifications. Couldn't he have exchanged some of the tree descriptions for an ending that worked?
It would have been so much better if Patch and Saint ended up together. Either Grace wasn't real, which would have added some substance, and he realises Saint is all he needed, or she was real, and after he rescues her he can finally let her go and get together with Saint, who has been by his side for 30 years.
What did you guys think? Am I being overly harsh? What are your thoughts on this book?
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Just finished, Deeplight
Sooo somehow I have three different book series going on right now. So while I’m slowly working on finishing those, I needed some stand alone books. So I read Deeplight on a whim. And honestly? I’m glad I did. I went in expecting something mid to hold me over until I get back to my main reads, but this thing hooked me way harder than expected.
Deeplight felt different. It has this strange, heavy atmosphere where the ocean feels alive in more ways than one, almost like a character that’s been watching you the whole time. The entire setting has this eerie, sunken-god energy that reminded me of the video game Dredge, and I mean that as a compliment. That same vibe of “the sea is hiding something ancient and hungry” is all over this book. Not full horror, but definitely unsettling in a way that kept me turning pages at 2AM.
The characters were surprisingly solid too. Hark isn’t the usual loud, heroic YA lead. he’s scrappy, flawed, and way too good at lying for someone you end up rooting for. The whole friendship dynamic driving the story actually felt real, messy, and human. Plus, Frances Hardinge has this way of making everything feel textured and weird in the best way. Half the time I was reading like “okay what the hell is that thing and why do I want to know more?”
Overall, very enjoyable book. Not a masterpiece, not life-changing, but genuinely fresh and memorable. If you like mysterious island settings, creepy ocean lore, and that slow-burn dread that never fully explains itself… yeah, Deeplight is worth the time.
Btw, I’m open to suggestions on standalone books. Preferably ones with strange vibes, mystery, or a touch of horror. But I’m open to new things too. Hit me with your best reads.
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Xennial Parents, have you saved books from your tween years for your kids today?
Oddly specific, but I was home visiting over Thanksgiving, my whole family has something of a book hoarding problem. My parents had saved books from my teen years that I didn’t have “room for” when I moved out. I’m now 45 (male) and found a trove of books from my “Tween years” (9-13 or so) and wonder if they’d hold up for my now 12 year old son.
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
Tracker by Gary Paulson
My Side of the Mountain & The Other Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Donn Fendler
The Dark Is Rising (series) by Susan Cooper
I wonder if these would hold up for my son, or if they’re way too old-timey, but not yet “Classics” (I will and do encourage him to read Jack London, you can glean my youthful interests by what was kept.)
Parents my age with similarly-aged kids, have you had success in turning your kids on to books that you enjoyed at their age? (Time-tongue-twister…😆)
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Why buying books is a bargain
I just read the following comment on author Garrett M. Graff’s yearly book list. This was the only place I knew I could share it and have people understand that I was nodding so vigorously as I read I sprained my neck:
“I thought several times this year while reading a particularly good book about what amazing bargains books still are — for $20 or $30 bucks, and often even just $5 or $10 used — you can dive into an entire world created by someone else over years of work, research, and creativity. You can have decades, centuries, and even millennia of knowledge, information, discoveries, and history summarized and explained for you by some of the smartest people in the world for the price of a couple cups of coffee. You can spend an entire weekend (or a few nights or even a couple weeks) soaking and subsuming yourself into worlds that you couldn’t have imagined before you picked up the book, getting to know characters and human experiences more intimately than you will ever know most of the people you interact with in real life. You can sit on your couch, or in your favorite chair, or an airplane or bus seat, and be transported vividly to some of the most dramatic moments and turning points of humanity. And then, afterward, you’ll never be the same person you were before reading. What better bargain of self-improvement, happiness, and knowledge is there in the world?”
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