A Promised Land by Barack Obama
When I was a little girl Barack Obama came to Dublin and my mum took me and my little brother to hear him speak. Even then, it was impossible not to realise that you were listening to a master of storytelling, though he had only used his skills to win elections at that point. In A Promised Land he instead uses his talents to tell one of the biggest stories that you can imagine: What it means to run for and win the presidency of the United States of America and what happens when you try to bring to fruition the promises and ideals of your campaign. Obama touches on huge, global issues like the 2008 financial crash and the Arab Spring as well as American domestic issues like healthcare reform. While any of these topics might seem dry or overly wonky in the hands of a less skilled storyteller, Obama brings each issue to life by displaying his clear passion and belief in the power of good policy making. There’s plenty of behind-the-scenes political wheeling and dealing for those who are looking for drama but for me I was really gripped by machine of policy development and legislative strategy that Obama deftly brings to life (though I acknowledge that I am weird and this is definitely a case of me bringing work home with me). Equally impactful though are the little humane stories scattered throughout the book of individuals working hard and doing their best to make it in America and Obama does a beautiful job of honouring their stories and bringing them to life. His clear love for his family also shines through every word he writes about them and I will go to my grave swearing that Barack and Michelle Obama are relationship goals. Ultimately this is a book about the huge difference that small actions can make, whether they are for good or for ill, and as cynical as I can be about politics I am forced to admit that this book actually made me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside. An engrossing and optimistic tonic for what promises to be quite the election cycle across the pond.
A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
I love it when historical fiction teaches me about something I previously had no clue about and until recently the Joseon Dynasty very much came under that category. A Crane Among Wolves tells the story of a bloody chapter in the history of Korea in which the tyrannical King Yeonsan had a nasty penchant for commandeering huge tracts of land as his personal hunting grounds, burning books and banning literacy and stealing thousands of women from their families to become his personal courtesans. Iseul is the sister of one such unfortunate woman and she is determined to rescue her sister at all costs. Although she has lived a sheltered and privileged life, Iseul has nothing left to lose and is ready to stand on her own to feet to fight for what remains of her family. Along the way she receives help from a series of unusual characters including a gregarious innkeeper, a mysterious private investigator and the seemingly cruel and callous Prince Daehyun, half-brother to King Yeonsan. But there is more to Daehyun than meets the eye and when Iseul learns that he has been secretly plotting to overthrow his tyrannical brother, she throws her lot in with his and leverages what’s left of her family connections to move the heavens and bring the king down. But with so much at stake and with so much mutual trauma, can Daehyun and Iseul come together over more than just their mutual desire for revenge? And is it even possible to build a better world than the one they’re living in? A propulsive novel that will have your heart-pounding and your hands flipping pages while still teaching you about a lesser known part of history along the way. If you’re a historical romance fan, this one is for you!
I was lucky enough to get to spend a significant chunk of the last month in Thailand, so naturally this is reflected in my reading! One of my favourite ways to learn more about a place that I’m visiting is to pick out some iconic literature from that country in advance and load up my kindle so I’ve got plenty of local stories to keep me entertained on holiday. Four Reigns was the first of my Thai reads and this sweeping historical epic was a perfect companion as I spent my days wandering through Bangkok’s royal palace and strolling along the Chao Phraya river. It tells the story of a woman named Phloi, beginning with her entering into service in the palace’s Inner Court in the 1890s and concluding with her death in the 1940s after witnessing a total transformation of her homeland. The Inner Court is a world apart, made up of the wives and daughter of King Chulalongkorn as well as the women who serve them and through Phloi’s eyes the reader is granted a glimpse of this unique world. When I heard this was the ‘national novel’ of Thailand, I was intrigued but honestly braced for it to be a little dry. Imagine my delight when Four Reigns turned out to be a warm, funny and intimate account of one woman’s life and loves and by the end of the novel Phloi and her family feel like dear old friends. Much more Austen than Tolstoy if you get my drift. The view we are granted of the royal family and the Thai aristocracy is somewhat rose-tinted but this is only to be expected given this was serialised in a national newspaper and the author went on to become Prime Minister of Thailand! But it is an absolute pleasure to read and I highly recommend it for anyone who’s looking to add even more colour to a trip to Thailand (or a grey London weekend at home!).
Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad
Continuing on my streak of Thai literature, Bangkok Wakes to Rain is a series of short stories that coalesce into a poignant love letter to Thailand’s capital. Spanning centuries and continents, these stories use a range of characters to introduce us to the Bangkok of the past, the present and perhaps even the future. We encounter everyone from an American missionary trying to spread Christianity through 1800s Siam, a woman who loses her lover during a crackdown on anti-government protests in the 1970s, a photographer dealing with his complex relationships with both parents and young men of the future who guide tourists on longtail boats through a flooded and unrecognisable Bangkok. As you advance further into the book the stories gradually begin to intertwine, first subtly and often surprisingly. What emerges is a moving portrait of a city which is all about reinvention and rebirth. A truly gorgeous read and a perfect one to take with you if you plan to visit Bangkok!
The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth by Veeraporn Nitiprapha
The last of the books I read during my Thai adventure and, as you may be able to guess from the title, also the most experimental! The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth is a stunning novel that reads like pure poetry though apparently it was written with the rhythms of Thai soap opera in mind. While I’m not familiar with the genre, I was totally swept away by this sumptuous and melodramatic tale three orphans bound together and torn apart by fate. The way the main character, Chareeya, views the world is so magical and makes this a truly dream-like and special reading experience. By the time I was reading this novel, I was staying in Khao Sok National Park and so the vivid descriptions of Thailand’s gorgeous flora and fauna hit me even harder because once I managed to get my nose out of my book I could see them all around me. This is a gorgeous book to get lost in wherever you happen to be but if you are lucky enough to get to read it in the middle of a Thai rainforest, all the better!
Nothing says ‘holiday is over, now get back to normal’ like picking up some speculative fiction about three billionaires who can’t wait for the world to end so that they can remake it in their image. Modern technology has convinced most of us that the world can be controlled and everything can be predicted, but when their algorithms indicate that the end of days might finally be upon us, our three subjects quickly discover that even the most sophisticated plans can quickly go astray. To share anything more about the plot risks spoilers and this is a book which is rich in plot twists so I shan’t ruin them for you. But suffice to say that this book is immensely readable, fast-paced and propulsive while also being thought-provoking and intelligent. If you can’t decide if your next read should be fiction or non-fiction, this might be a fun middle ground.
Katheryn Howard: The Scandalous Queen by Alison Weir
I have spent the last week absolutely coughing my lungs out and, in addition to a potent cocktail of codeine and penicillin, comfort reading is precisely what the doctor ordered. For me, historical fiction about the Tudors is as comforting as it gets because it strikes the perfect balance of high drama, compelling characters and absolutely no surprises – I always know how it’s going to end! Cracking open this novel about Katheryn Howard, Henry VIIIs fifth wife, that foresight made her tale all the more tragic. One of the ‘beheadeds’ in the infamous rhyme, Katheryn lost her life for the dastardly crime of having sex with men who weren’t Henry VIII both prior to and after her marriage to him. But rather than painting a picture of a wanton seductress which is common in historical depictions of this much maligned monarch, Weir leans into the tragedy and mundanity of her upbringing. Benignly neglected by distant, wealthy relatives after the death of her mother, Katheryn spends most of her life with nobody looking out for his best interests. Left to her own devices in the bustling household of her wealthy step-grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, it’s no particular surprise that a lovely young woman with no one sensible to give her good advice might find herself being swept up into one or two romances with fellows who don’t deserve her. Who among us wasn’t making the same mistakes at sixteen? But all of this changes when her ambitious uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, realises what a gem he has lurking right under his nose and sees a shot at launching one of his own onto the the throne (and pulling the rest of the family up behind her). Suddenly Katheryn’s virtue matters a lot more than anyone ever had any right to think it would and her past lovers are a lot harder to brush under the carpet than she thought. Ultimately this is a tragic insight into the misogyny of the time through the eyes of a woman whose sins feel petty but whose downfall still feels heartbreakingly inevitable.
My other go-to author when I’m not feeling well? Good old Terry Pratchett. Something about wandering back into the familiar and ridiculous world of Discworld always injects a little bit of life into my veins, which is ironic considering this is a book about death. Not just death the concept but Death the character, the being who ushers denizens of the Discworld into the next life with a firm, bony hand and a dry sense of humour. The tricky thing is Death has been feeling somewhat unfulfilled by his job recently and so to free up a bit of time to pursue his other hobbies and pleasures, he decides to take on an apprentice. Mort, the apprentice in question, is an awkward but good-hearted young lad and honestly that’s part of the problem. One night while out reaping souls while Death takes a well-deserved night off, Mort lets his conscience get the better of him and one rash decision may just rend the entire fabric of reality asunder. Full of Pratchett’s classic quirky sense of humour and mind-bendingly creative storytelling, although this isn’t my favourite Discworld novel it’s a great entry point for those who want to get into Pratchett and aren’t sure where best to begin.
Thank you to 4th Estate and NetGalley for sending me and ARC of this book. I hadn’t read any of Coco Mellors’ work before but Blue Sisters has made me a committed fan. It’s a gorgeous read that provides a realistic and emotionally resonant insight into the three Blue sisters who are all falling apart in various ways after the death of their fourth sister, Nicky. But while the book doesn’t shy away from the dark and messy sides of addiction, infidelity, trauma and grief it’s also bursting with love, joy and a real sense of humour. This is a book with real heart and although it is much more focused on characters, their inner lives and their relationships rather than having a super tight and twisty plot, I still found it difficult to put down and found myself rushing home after work so that I could read it again. This is definitely going to be one of the books you’re going to see everywhere this summer and the hype will be richly deserved.
Kindled Spirits 