Reading the World discussion

What are your favorite recent reads? If they also fit the world challenge, please share the country they represent.)

I have had a wonderful weekend of reading! I was hitting a slump and feeling I "had" to read certain books, when I spotted two new downloads on Libby -- my library Overdrive requests were here. First I read Daisy Jones & The Six and then The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo both by the same author and both wonderful!

Conclave Holy See

The Hollow Bones written by an Australian author, Nazi Germany and trip to Tibet

The End of Loneliness Germany

The Devil's Pool France

Kelly wrote: "I have had a wonderful weekend of reading! I was hitting a slump and feeling I "had" to read certain books, when I spotted two new downloads on Libby -- my library Overdrive requests were here. Fir..."
Wow Kelly. I will reading Hugo in June. Will compare notes then!!
The Slump is Over (sung to the melody for The Strife is Over!!)

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

So far this year, the ones read that have left a huge impression are:

Everyone is reading so much to inspire me!

A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding has a dual timeline & is set in Nagasaki, Japan post-pikadon (a word I learned from reading this book) and in the present-day US.

The Power is an intriguing work of speculative fiction that imagines (view spoiler)[the toppling of the patriarchy via a biological mutation that is present only in women. (hide spoiler)]

That first one sounds wonderful.

I just finished My Sister, the Serial Killer. The country the author is from and also where the story takes place is Nigeria. It is in some ways a noir book with a witty tone, but like most noir the fundamental themes are very dark and sobering. If you have a sister you will appreciate the ties that bind and the co-dependency that forms in abusive families. It is a first novel by the female author Oyinkan Braithwaite and I thought for a first outing it was quite strong. The ending is not as accomplished as the rest of the book but it is an interesting short read if you are looking for a book from Nigeria.

Just a shout out for a book I just finished written by an award winning Estonian-Finnish female author that takes place in Estonia. Purge is a story is of two sisters and how they survive and betray others during a time of constant betrayal. Russia takes over Estonia and Estonian nationalists are persecuted. They welcome in the Germans to drive the Russians out and then suddenly the Russians are persecuted. Then the Russians return as Soviets and the Germans and those that welcomed them are persecuted and that lasts for 40 odd years. The book also addresses the betrayals of the West as represented by the Russian mafia and their white slavery, and of science with a nod to Chernobyl. It isn't an easy read but it is also not deeply depressing because of the resilient nature of the two main characters. So, if you are looking for a book to check off Estonia, I recommend this one.

Gail wrote: "Just a shout out for a book I just finished written by an award winning Estonian-Finnish female author that takes place in Estonia. Purge is a story is of two sisters and how they su..."

Thanks Gail! I will try to locate it!

I just finished Night Boat to Tangier which is a very brilliantly written book although I can't say any of the characters are likable. The funny thing is I read it to get Morocco checked off and as it turns out, the boat never arrived so the whole story takes place in Spain. And Barry is an Irish author. So there you go, I still don't have Morocco checked off.

Gail wrote: "I just finished Night Boat to Tangier which is a very brilliantly written book although I can't say any of the characters are likable. The funny thing is I read it to get Morocco ch..."

I agree Gail. I really wanted a book set in Morocco. Not this one.