This or That Reading Challenge discussion

This: A literary fiction novel
Or
That: A novel that was published independently or by a small publisher

For this month I chose That: A novel that was published independently or by a small publisher, and read Skin Elegies by Lance Olsen, published by Dzanc Books- an American independent non-profit publisher. I will tell you right now that this book is probably not for most people. This is not a standard work with a clear structure. It jumps around a lot - literally just fragments of text, and you have no idea where it's going or even what it's about until the very end. But I like these kind of books, and although a challenging read I enjoyed it very much, particularly its creativity and originality. 4 1/2 stars.

I chose This, a literary fiction novel.

I’m ambivalent about The Virgin Suicides. I didn’t particularly enjoy reading it, stylistically or subject matter. But I’m glad I read it.

I overachieved this month and also did the This: A literary fiction novel. I read Sanctuary by William Faulkner. The book, which primarily describes brutal murders and a rape and their aftermath in rural 1930s Mississippi, was understandably very dark. I appreciated Faulkner's capturing of the voice of people living in the area at the time, and for the hopeless mood that pervades throughout the novel.

However I did get put off by some of Faulkner's choices for general storytelling and pacing. The story sometimes drifts far afield to seemingly unrelated matters, and in some cases the continuously detailed descriptions for me took away and pulled me out from the narrative. I believe a more stripped down version more judiciously edited could have been more powerful. Overall some pluses and minuses: I gave it 3 stars. Still glad I read it :)

I read The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent for "This". As someone who is a Pagan, this touched home deeply for me. I've studied the Salem Witch trials extensively over the years and it definitely touched on the harrowing ordeal that all of those people went through. I definitely was crying by the end of the novel for spiritual ancestors who were victims of fear mongering.

I have been working on many challenges and just entering them into my Journal. I worked my way through either this or that for every month, I then found myself working through this AND that for every month.

July: Old Man & the Sea That: Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun (Onyeka, #1)