Reading What I Own 2023 | Update I

With just over one quarter of the year finished I haven’t made as much progress as I would have liked on any of my reading goals. I always set a goal of 50 books for the year. Of the 50 books I’m attempting to read this year, 26 are physical books I’ve collected over the past 3 years. I’ve only managed to read 3 of those 26 four months into the year as quite a few of the books I’ve read for the year are not from this list. The first book I read was actually the Bookclub pick for March, The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson. Then I read The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi and The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill.

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

Get it here: Amazon | Libro.fm

After reading The Yellow Wife I knew I’d pick up anything Sadeqa Johnson wrote. She has a way of infusing history into her characters in a way that makes you feel like you’re there living it with them. While I appreciated the story she was telling, I wasn’t as invested in Ruby and Elenor the way I had been with Pheoby (the main character in The Yellow Wife). Early on, I correctly predicted the route the book would take, so in that sense, I was slightly underwhelmed. With that said, I was very impressed with what she did with the subject matter, it was well done. Johnson masterfully weaved themes of infertility, the challenges and circumstances around unwed mothers, race and class into The House of Eve. Through the diverse cast of characters, each theme was explored with depth and nuance. I appreciated how the challenges, pain and grief were spread throughout the characters because it made for an easier reading experience.

Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi

Get is here: Amazon | Libro.fm

Getting to the last book in a series can leave a reader to be both excited and sad to read the final part of the story. The Perfumist of Paris is a beautiful finale to Alka Joshi’s Jaipur Trilogy. This novel, tells Radha’s story. The strong willed teenager readers met in The Henna Artist (book 1) has grown into a tenacious woman. She’s balancing being a wife, mother and her career as a lab assistant at the House of Yves. Joshi explores the concept of a woman’s place in society comparing how this ideology differs based on geography, race and class.

Readers are reacquainted with characters from the first novel and left satiated as the loose ends are tied up and there are no questions left unanswered. Turning the last page of this book will have readers wanting to return to The Henna Artist to restart their journey with these captivating characters.

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

Get it here: Amazon | Libro.fm

I found my copy of this book at a thrift store 2 summers ago. When I picked it up to read last month, I started with the synopsis and while I was drawn to the story, I was also a little apprehensive. Some novels set during the enslavement time period can be challenging to read because of the graphic descriptions of physical cruelty/abuse. I need not have worried. Although abuse occurs and there are some graphic scenes, they were balanced with both the physical and emotional pain. I enjoy historical fiction that is both inspired by and based on true events. In the ‘A word about history’ section at the end of the book, Hill explains that while the novel is pure fiction it does highlight a very real piece of history and even includes real events, excerpts. With that said, he also outlines which parts he bent to fit the narrative he created. I also appreciated the ‘Further reading’ section which includes some of the readings he used in his research for The Book of Negroes. The personification of history through the protagonist Aminata Diallo doesn’t just highlight dates, and places it also restores agency and adds dimension to those who were objectified and minimized during this part of history.

The fourth book that I’m reading from that pile is Love In the Time of Cholera. A lady from work told me she read the original version (in Spanish) and that it was one of her favourites. Like the bookworm I am, I added to my forever growing to-be-read (TBR) list. Needless to say, when I happened upon this copy in a box marked “free” when I was out for a walk last year, I picked it up. I’m about 20 percent into it and the writing is so beautiful, I can only imagine how much more lyrical and poetic it must be in Spanish. My aim is to try and finish another 6 books from this pile before my next update in July.