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Reads of 2018
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Looking back on and reviewing my reads of 2018
Thursday 3rd January 2019
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As I mentioned in a past blog "Rekindled Readership" I have slowly but surely been reintroducing myself to my love of reading for leisure. My list of reads for the past year, therefore, is a little personal victory for me. I'm already looking forward to getting started with my reading list of 2019!
Below are my reads of 2018, with a mini-review for each one (SPOILER ALERT):
Origin, Dan Brown (2017)
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I was mainly drawn to this latest instalment of the Langdon series because I've always enjoyed the films, but the title also sparked my curiosity. Despite knowing it to be fiction, I still wanted to hear Brown's theory on, as Edmond Kirsch puts it at the beginning, "Where did we come from?" and "Where are we going?". I expected religion to feature heavily in the novel (as it often does in Brown's work when we see what the Church has done this time) but was pleasantly rewarded with a constant juxtaposition of religion and science as the story progressed. The importance of this becomes clear by the two gradually fusing as the plot finally draws towards a hauntingly scary prediction of what the future holds for us, a similar feeling to when the conclusion of Battlestar Galactica makes you want to destroy every machine in sight so we don't all become cylons. Overall I did really enjoy this book, especially the mysterious Winston and the last hundred or so pages when Brown slowly blows your mind. What detracted from it for me were the frequent histories of each location and secondary characters who did not add much to the plot, simply stretching it out to delay the revelation as long as possible. That, or I have discovered that I have little patience when it comes to reading thrillers.
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle (Omnibus 1 & 2, Vols 1-6), CLAMP (2003-2009)
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Yes, manga does count as reading. Hush.
Long ago I started to watch the anime of Tsubasa in my teens, but for some reason never got round to finishing it (probably distracted by all the other anime I was feverishly consuming at that age). This year I got the urge to finally get round to knowing the full story, most likely inspired by the new revamped Cardcaptor Sakura anime that had been announced, and bought the first omnibus. Omnibuses are so handy for collecting older manga, as it's economical financially but also spacially for my poor bookcase! I'm usually drawn towards more shounen manga, but every now and then a girl needs a bit of shoujo princess magic. So far I've read the first two omnibuses (vols. 1-6) and am enjoying the relationship between Syaoran and Sakura and the gorgeously detailed art for which CLAMP is revered. What I also love about CLAMP is how they recycle their characters across their franchises. It's always fun (and sometimes a bit confusing) to see familiar faces pop up. However, I think the story is definitely more suited to be read how it was originally released serially by Kodansha Comics, because it does seem to be falling into a repetitive pattern of 1. Visit strange world, 2. Encounter danger in strange world, 3. Find feather, 4. Go to new world. I'm looking forward to things spicing up as we're introduced to the antagonists and the clone plot, turning from upbeat shoujo to dark, twisty and emotional as only manga knows how.
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Spirit Walker, Michelle Paver (2005)
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This is the second book of six in Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. I read the first one, Wolf Brother, years back. I remember it appealed to me because its stone-age setting had a sense of Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke about it, especially Torak's relationship with his wolf, the way animals are possessed by demons, and the clans' culture of respecting animals and spirits. I decided, therefore, to pick up the series again. I have finished book 2 this year and am keen to read the rest. In this book the plot starts to become more intriguing as a little more about the history of the villanous "Soul Eaters" and their connection to Torak is revealed; Torak's bond with Wolf becomes deeper in a special way as his new mysterious powers of inhabiting others starts to develop; and a familial revelation at the end has left me hungry to learn more about Torak's fate. These books are quick reads as they're aimed at a generally younger readership but I would still definitely recommend them.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, The Original Screenplay, J.K. Rowling (2018)
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I don't usually go for screenplay books (to be honest I only noticed this was becoming a thing since J.K. Rowling started to release them), but I received this as a Christmas present this year and was actually quite grateful, having come out of seeing the film at the cinema muttering to myself and theorising for hours about who I thought was actually whom. The book is a super quick read as it's only dialogue, directions and illustrations, but was very useful to have for the more precise details, names, and to see what things appeared when (am obsessed with where Credence's/Aurelius' phoenix came from). I'm currently in a state of denial about Credence and don't believe a word Grindelwald says and have my own theories about Tycho Dodonus' prophecy, but who knows, it could all be a double bluff? I enjoyed reading the more awkward Tina/Newt scenes and found it ironic that the most dramatic scenes in the film were the shortest in the book as CGI usually takes over in those moments. Would recommend if you need clarity for your sanity.
Blood of Elves, Andrzej Sapkowski (Eng. trans. Danusia Stok) (1994)
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The Witcher series was recommended to me by a friend, and I was even more curious to read it when I heard that they were making a film of it after the success of the award-winning The Witcher video game series. I'm currently in the middle of the first book of the main trilogy and am so far really into it. It is not just the usual fantasy aspects which make it satisfying. Throughout is dry, hilarious humour and dialogue which just livens up the whole novel. I love the sass of Triss, and the funny moments amongst the Witchers as young Ciri becomes a woman and the men don't know what to say or do. I'm looking forward to finishing this and finding out more about the prophecy surrounding Ciri and Geralt. I think this will be a series that I will read to the end.
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