After a rough 2019, I was ready for a good January and the stack of books by my bed that I really wanted to read. I ended up reading four books; one short story, a play and two 2020-release novels. The old seasonal depression caught me at the end of the month but I can actually say I enjoyed everything I read in January!
The Embassy of Cambodia by Zadie Smith
I always like to start the year with a short book that I think I can learn from so I can go in with a new perspective. The Embassy of Cambodia was perfect for that. It’s focus was on modern-day slavery which isn’t something I’ve ever read a book about.
It’s a short story, which I normally shy away from because I find they can feel quite unbalanced, but it felt complete and easy to read even while dealing with a serious topic. The characters were quickly formed and felt real, which makes the plot all the more affecting.
This was also my first Zadie Smith and I’m definitely going to read more.
Waterstones | Amazon
The Playboy of the Western World by J. M. Synge
This is required reading for my current university module and it was a bit of a weird one because reading plays is such a different experience to other fiction. I think I’d enjoy it if I saw it performed. It’s a fun study for sure as it had a massive backlash from audiences at the time! I’m currently writing an essay on it so we’ll see if I still like it in 1500 words…
Waterstones | Amazon | Book Depository
A Messy Affair by Elizabeth Mundy*
You can read my full book review here!
Waterstones | Amazon | Book Depository
Six Tudor Queens: Katheryn Howard, The Tainted Queen by Alison Weir*
I’ve got a full review of this coming sooner the release date!
Waterstones | Amazon | Book Depository
Imogen's Typewriter. 