This year, for obvious reasons, I’ve had more time on my hands than ever before. While I’ve dabbled in banana bread and picked up my paint brushes again, one thing I’ve really fallen back in love with is reading. Having the time to read widely and intentionally has made all the difference to my reading habits, where I’d normally be reaching for my phone first thing in the morning I find myself picking up my latest read instead. So, here are my five favourite books I’ve read this year.
Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo
This book is on everyone’s radar for a reason. I can’t believe I haven’t already mentioned it in my earlier reading round-ups, but I devoured it in a few days over the summer. The story is set in London and follows twelve different women, with very different lives and experiences, yet they are all intertwined. Each character is fully fleshed and real, so although you find yourself bouncing through characters of different ages, races, affluence levels and genders, each story is a complete history. I was mentored by Evaristo during my undergraduate degree and can’t think of a more deserving Booker Prize winner.
Dominicana – Angie Cruz
I found this one through Ghenet’s book club and loved it. Following fifteen-year-old Ana as she marries Juan, who is twice her age, to help her family move from rural Dominican Republic to New York city. Full of flawed characters and difficult choices, the story is one of struggle and hope as Ana adapts to a life in city where she is completely alone, a life no teenage girl should face. Cruz’s lyrical writing really lifts the prose off the page and you’ll find yourself completely immersed in the story.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous – Ocean Vuong
Poet Vuong’s debut novel draws on his own experiences growing up in America and takes the form of a son, Little Dog, writing a letter to his mother. The story unfolds as a series of images and is beautifully written, and at times devastating, for the subject matter here is not light – touching on complex family relationships, history, identity and sexuality. Through the fragmented prose we learn the past of his mother, Rose, and grandmother, Lan, and their life in Vietnam, alongside Little Dog’s present-day struggle for acceptance, belonging and love.
Autumn – Ali Smith
I know I’m late to the party with this one but given it’s backdrop is the historic 2016 Brexit vote, perhaps it’s more relevant now than ever? (On a related note, this article by Moya Lothian McLean was one of my favourite reads on gal-dem this year). Daniel is 100 years old, and nearing the end of his life, Elisabeth has been his friend since she was a child and sits at his bedside. The country is in divide, one life is ending while another hangs in limbo, the seasons roll on.
Before The Coffee Gets Cold – Toshikazu Kawaguchi
After hearing this book discussed on the Prose Before Hoes podcast (a must-listen for anyone after casual book chat), I had to pick it up. Set in a café where visitors can go back in time, as long as they follow the rules, the story tackles the age old question – if you could turn back time, what would you do? Broken into chapters which almost work as four separate short stories about each character, this is a book about relationships, regret and reclaiming missed opportunities. It’s light-hearted and funny as well as a poignant read.
Other honourable mentions go to Jay Bernard’s Surge, a poetry book with pace and drive that is both haunting and unforgettable, and Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata which is so unlike any other book I’ve read in it’s deadpan portrayal of an oddball shop worker.
I’d love to know what you’ve been reading in the comments!
