What I've Been Reading: Part 2
Have you been waiting patiently for my next 5 book reviews?
‘Are you becoming regular, Eliza?’ This phrase of happy disbelief came from my ashtanga yoga teacher when I made it to class two days in a row, but it could be equally applicable to this newsletter. I may have only been to ashtanga once since then, but let’s see if I can keep this one up, shall we?
This week, I bring you the second half of my ‘what I’ve been reading’ round-up, five books I read in the Spring which I think you might enjoy. Like the first five, these titles make up a fairly eclectic selection: I was going to say they’re a bit lighter than the first five, but there’s a memoir from Gaza and a novel about deradicalisation in Iraq, so it’s not all rom coms over here. Let’s dive in!
The novel with the kooky protagonist
Jenny Mustard’s debut, Okay Days was about a young Swedish girl who moves to London and struggles to fit in. The author continues to explore this theme of belonging in her second novel, What a Time to be Alive, although this time her outsider protagonist is from rural Sweden.
Sickan doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere. After being bullied throughout her childhood, she moves to Stockholm for university, determined to make some friends and finally be considered normal. As Sickan gets into an intense friendship, explores her sexuality and finds a boyfriend, she begins to hide more and more of herself, afraid of what might happen if people see the real her.
This is a novel about identity, loneliness, love and friendship. Mustard captures the awkwardness of growing up, pretending you know what everyone is talking about and worrying that you’ll be caught out. The story is completely relatable, yet distinctly original. If you don’t follow Mustard on Instagram or Youtube, she seems somehow both effortlessly cool and studiedly self-conscious, and this unique perspective translates well into her fiction. The writing is fresh and stylish, with a clear understanding of contemporary literature and a subtle defiance of the norm.
While I didn’t love it quite as much as Okay Days, I would still recommend What a Time to Be Alive for anyone who loves unusual protagonists or coming-of-age narratives with bite. I’m wary of using Sally Rooney as a comp, but this novel has the unforgiving setting, psychological complexity and social awkwardness of Normal People, but with a Scandinavian edge.
The gut-wrenching memoir
If you don’t follow Plestia Alaqad on Instagram, you absolutely must. Having recently graduated from university, Plestia was back home with her family in Gaza when war broke out in October 2023. Rather than hiding for safety, the brave twenty-one-year-old began to work on the ground as a journalist, appearing in interviews for broadcasters around the world and gaining international recognition for her daily social media updates.
The Eyes of Gaza is a raw and vulnerable collection of Plestia’s journal entries from the beginning of the conflict until the ceasefire was announced in January, interwoven with tender pieces of poetry. Subtitled ‘A Diary of Resilience’, it’s a harrowing but somehow hopeful chronicle of a nation’s bravery in the face of unthinkable suffering.
I read this memoir shortly after finishing Mornings in Jenin, and it was powerful to compare these two very different books (one fiction, the other non fiction; one set at the start of the conflict in 1947, the other describing recent events). It’s horrifying to read such brutal stories of suffering and loss, but we cannot ignore what’s happening right now. Acting as the ‘eyes of Gaza’, Plestia shows the world the truth. It’s a short little book, but I would call it a must-read.
The sharp short story collection
Curtis Sittenfeld knows how to capture the complexities of human relationships with humour and empathy. I loved Romantic Comedy, her novel about a comedy writer who falls for a famous actor, and think Show Don’t Tell might be one of my favourite short story collections of all time.
As in a lot of Sittenfeld’s recent fiction, the stories mostly centre middle-aged, middle-class American women. They capture the raw realities of motherhood, marriage difficulties and adult friendships with honesty and wit, rendering each of the characters endearing, despite their obvious flaws. Several of the stories are set in the world of academia, and Sittenfeld even brings back the protagonist of Prep, her debut novel, in a story about a school reunion. I haven’t read this bestselling 2005 novel, but I can only imagine how delighted long-time fans must be to get their hands on this follow-up story, set thirty years later.
I’d actually go so far as to say that I’d recommend Show Don’t Tell to all of my readers. If you don’t consider yourself a short story fan, I challenge you to read just one of these; you’ll see how immersive a taut, well-written story can be. If you’re struggling with your attention span, this would be the perfect book to get you back into fiction — I actually read it on my flight home from Australia, and I loved dipping into the stories as and when I fancied. Or if you fancy trying before you buy, several of the stories have been previously published elsewhere: you can read ‘Show Don’t Tell’ and 'A for Alone’ in the New Yorker (but you’ll need a subscription, ‘Creative Differences’ in The Cut and this brilliant story about a racist micro-aggression, called ‘White Women LOL’ was originally published in Oprah Magazine.
The novel that braids the lighthearted with the serious and political
Fundamentally has been published really well. The striking cover feels similar in style to global bestseller, Really Good, Actually, and dozens of passionate author blurbs suggest it’s a hilarious satire which boldly explores its original premise.
This punchy debut tells the story of an academic who is sent to Iraq to deradicalise ISIS brides. Running away from a break-up, protagonist Dr Nadia Amin naively accepts a UN job to lead a rehabilitation program for young women who have joined ISIS. She forms an immediate attachment to Sara, an outspoken British Muslim teenager, who reminds Nadia of her younger self and is similarly in over her head.
The novel tackles UN bureaucracy, politics, radicalism and racism, as well as family, faith and sexuality. A world expert on contemporary Iraq with ten years of experience in academia and peacebuilding, Youbis is perfectly placed to explore these topics, and I admire how she’s chosen to inject humour into topics usually reserved for non fiction. However, a lot of the dark humour failed to land for me and I found the dialogue especially grating, full of inauthentic, over-sexualised language which jarred with the UN setting. I also thought the narrative lacked the emotional pull required to make this serious subject matter not only accessible, but also authentic. It’s a plot-heavy page-turner, but I’d been expecting more depth and subtlety. Despite this, I still wanted to mention it here, in case it piques your interest — it was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and has been highly praised, so perhaps I’m just being harsh!
The layered rom com
I’ve written about Emily Henry on here before. Her books are perfect for both holidays and down days, those times when you’re looking for some comfort. She’s a bit of a publishing marvel, whipping out a new book every year, and so I didn’t have the highest hopes for her latest release (surely they can’t all be bangers?) It’s my fault for doubting her, because I actually think this might be my favourite ‘Em Hen’ yet.
Great Big Beautiful Life is about two writers who are competing to win a job. Previously at the heart of one of the most famous families in America, Margaret Ives has been hiding from the limelight for decades. Now, Alice and Hayden find themselves on Little Crescent Island, where they have one month to convince Margaret that they should be the one to tell her story. It’s the enemies-to-lovers narrative that we’ve come to expect from Henry, but it’s also a story of fame and misfortune, family tragedy and secrets.
This novel feels like a departure for Henry, whose plots are usually straightforward and linear. I always love a dual narrative, and admire how the historical fiction is braided into the love story here so the reader discovers the truth about Margaret’s past at the same time as the characters. While still giving us what we want — we’re team Alice and Hayden from the outset —, Henry teases the reader, giving us one version of a story and then revealing that truth to be slippery, subjective and biased. It feels like Henry’s writing is maturing, and I can’t wait to see where she goes next.
5 Books on my TBR
Rather than recommending 5 Substacks this week (did anyone like that part of my last post, or shall I stick to book reviews?), I thought I’d mention five books that have been on my reading pile since 2024. I’m hoping that this might remind me to read the books I already have, rather than lusting after new ones, but let’s see how that goes…
I’ll attempt to describe them with similar one-liners, and compare them later on when I finally write my reviews:
An exploration of art and loneliness - Beloved non fiction writer Olivia Laing blends memoir, philosophy and art criticism in The Lonely City, first published in 2016.
A family inheritance drama - Albion promises tense, Succession-like infighting, from the author of Expectation and The White Rock, two novels I loved.
An email complaint to a landlord - Somewhere between a novel, a memoir and an epic poem, Goodlord tackles the housing crisis with humour and insight.
A collection of short stories inspired by the work of Kafka - A gift from a friend over a year ago, A Cage Went in Search of a Bird features stories from some of my favourite writers, including Ali Smith, Leone Ross and Yiyun Li.
A sprawling novel about time, memory and identity - Murakami’s latest novel reworks a short story he first wrote in the 1980s; largely considered a disappointment, I still hope to read The City and its Uncertain Walls one day.
Which should I read first? Let me know which sounds most intriguing to you.
That’s all for now, folks. I’m moving house in a few weeks and am about to start sorting through my books, so there’ll be plenty of opportunities for interesting round-ups and series. Let me know if you’re looking for recommendations for anything in particular and I’ll try to write a slightly different kind of post next time!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻