Goose Posted May 20, 2021 Posted May 20, 2021 (edited) Welcome to my book blog... I am fairly new to reading, I have always enjoyed it but have never really dedicated much time to it. Until last year the only books I had properly read were the Harry Potter series (multiple times), Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak, The Hunger Games and The Hobbit, all when I was a teenager (although I am a self professed Potter-head so HP will always be a regular read for me!). I branched out last year and bought a load of books and now that I have found my genre I cant stop! I love books that take normal every day life and give it a twist, i.e. set in the future, on an alien planet, or the wizarding world! I am particularly drawn to dystopian novels, set in the near future that give commentary on current society and the potential impact of how we live (although I do not limit myself just to this genre, I will read anything that takes my fancy!). I also really enjoy magical fantasy books in which I can be transported to another world! I have never written any kind of blog or reviews before and mostly just want to use this as a way to document my thoughts on the books I read I would also love any book recommendations, dystopian or not, to add to my reading list! Goose Reviewed Books: --Page 1-- 2021 Ready Player One - Ernest Cline The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken The Giver - Lois Lowry A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess The Constant Rabbit - Jasper Fforde In Watermelon Sugar - Richard Brautigan The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams Brave New World - Aldous Huxley Anxious People - Fredrik Backman The Stepford Wives - Ira Levin --Page 2-- My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell Bones of Faerie - Jannie Lee Simner Bunny - Mona Awad You're Welcome, Universe - Whitney Gardner 1984 - George Orwell Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones Arc of a Scythe Trilogy (#1 Scythe, #2 Thunderhead & #3 The Toll) - Neal Shusterman Punk 57 - Penelope Douglas Escaping Exodus (Escaping Exodus Duology #1) - Nicky Drayden The Choice - Claire Wade The Unit - Ninni Holmqvist Divided Kingdom - Rupert Thomson The Sad Ghost Club - Lize Meddings --Page 3-- Ecotopia - Ernest Callenbach You Have Arrived at Your Destination (Forward Collection) – Amor Towles Tender is the Flesh – Agustina Bazterrica The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (The Wayfarers Series #1) – Becky Chambers Emergency Skin (Forward Collection) – N. K. Jemisin Roxy – Neal Shusterman 2022 Rabbits – Terry Miles The Wicker King – K. Ancrum Coraline – Neil Gaiman Summer Frost (Forward Collection) – Blake Crouch A Closed and Common Orbit (The Wayfarers Series #2) – Becky Chambers Symbiosis (Escaping Exodus Duology #2) – Nicky Drayden The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly – Sun-Mi Hwang Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman Eliza and her Monsters – Francesca Zappia The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky --Page 4-- Shades of Grey – Jasper Fforde Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson Heartless – Marissa Meyer A Court of Thorns and Roses Series (#1 A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2 A Court of Mist and Fury & #3 A Court of Wings and Ruin) – Sarah J. Maas The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold Keeping It Real – Justina Robson The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett Record of a Spaceborn Few (The Wayfarers Series #3) – Becky Chambers The Year of the Witching – Alexis Henderson Spinning Silver – Naomi Novik To Kill a Kingdom – Alexandra Christo The Final Girl Support Group – Grady Hendrix The Cruel Prince Series (#1 The Cruel Prince, #2 The Wicked King & #3 The Queen of Nothing) – Holly Black Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine The Midnight Library – Matt Haig The Innkeeper Chronicles (#1 Clean Sweep, #2 Sweep in Peace, #3 One Fell Sweep, #4 Sweep of the Blade, #5 Sweep with Me & #6 Sweep of the Heart) – Ilona Andrews To Be Taught if Fortunate – Becky Chambers Wings – Aprilynne Pike The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune --Page 5-- Animal Farm – George Orwell I’m Thinking of Ending Things – Ian Reid Magpie – Elizabeth Day Room – Emma Donoghue Six of Crows Duology (#1 Six of Crows & #2 Crooked Kingdom) – Leigh Bardugo Perfectly Preventable Deaths Duology (#1 Perfectly Preventable Deaths & #2 Precious Catastrophe) – Deirdre Sullivan The Maze Runner - James Dashner 2023 Good Omens – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller The School for Good and Evil – Soman Chainani The Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard Flawed – Cecelia Ahern Dorothy Must Die – Danielle Paige How to Buy a Planet – D. A. Holdsworth Wyrd Sisters – Terry Pratchett Payback’s a Witch – Lana Harper One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey --Page 6-- The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman Old Man’s War – John Scalzi You’d Be Home Now – Kathleen Glasgow --Page 7-- Legends & Lattes – Travis Baldree The Luna Chronicles (#1 Cinder, #2 Scarlett, #3 Cress, #4 Winter & #4.5 Stars Above) - Marissa Meyer Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - Heather Fawcett The Luminaries - Susan Dennard The Tea Dragon Society - Kay O'Neill The Time Machine - H. G. Wells Faeries of the Faultlines - Iris Compiet Piranesi - Susanna Clarke Silver in the Wood (The Greenhollow Duology #1) – Emily Tesh A Deadly Education (The Scholomance Series #1) – Naomi Novik Sea Witch – Sarah Henning The Moss Series (#1 By Ash, Oak and Thorn & #2 By Rowan and Yew) - Melissa Harrison The Android’s Dream – John Scalzi --Page 8-- The Last Graduate (The Scholomance Series #2) – Naomi Novik A Marvellous Light – Freya Marske The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology #1) – Holly Black Nettle & Bone – T. Kingfisher The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance Series #3) – Naomi Novik The Midwich Cuckoos – John Wyndham Five Minds – Guy Morpuss The Faerie Hounds of York – Arden Powell The Invisible Library – Genevieve Cogman Wild Beauty – Anna-Marie McLemore The One – John Marrs The Library of the Dead – T. L. Huchu The Surface Breaks – Louise O’Neill Edited March 17, 2024 by Goose 1 Quote
Goose Posted May 20, 2021 Author Posted May 20, 2021 (edited) Ready Player One – Ernest Cline (dystopian, sci-fi, adventure) 5/5 I love this book! I have read it twice since Sep 2020 and I wouldn’t say no to reading it again before 2021 is out. For me it is the perfect level of dystopia, a world not so advanced that it is difficult to relate to but different enough that it feels futuristic. In the year 2044 video game technology has advanced so much that most of the world’s population spends the majority of their lives logged into an insanely realistic virtual reality called the OASIS. Within this virtual world a contest begins for complete control over the OASIS, a contest that also has very real-world implications. I fell in love with Cline’s writing style, he dedicates a lot of time to explaining and describing the world that the characters live in which for me is a must in story telling, for example two pages are spent describing and explaining the gadget set up the main character uses to access the OASIS. The attention to detail Cline uses to explain how the OASIS is made to feel so realistic to its users really helps the reader to understand and appreciate the important role the OASIS plays in the lives of the characters. An obvious undertone of the book is that of how the over farming of earth’s resources has led to the decline of a properly functioning society. However, another theme of the story that I really enjoyed was that although the world presented describes one where people have ever decreasing interactions with other actual human beings the story really is about friendship and the importance of forming real human connections. The book is jam packed with 80’s pop culture references and although I am a bit too young to really appreciate them, I still very much enjoyed the references which helped with making the setting of 2044 much more relatable. The book was made into a film in 2018 and although I really enjoyed the movie the book is so SO much better! Opening line: Everyone my age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the contest. Format: print 374 pages Published in 2011 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted May 20, 2021 Author Posted May 20, 2021 (edited) The Handmaids Tale – Margaret Atwood (dystopian, feminist, powerful) 2.5/5 I have mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the premise and liked the idea of the society that the story is set in, I love the commentary on themes such as gender in-equality, social structures, and organised religion. However, I struggled a bit with how the book was written and found myself not really relating to Offred, the main character much. This is probably because we are given limited information about her and her background, I do believe this is done intentionally however as the person she currently is is not the same as the person she used to be and therefore she is no longer her true self. We share in her feeling of not knowing who she is anymore. I do appreciate how this reflects the characters within the story and their situation however I personally prefer to be given more detail and information so I can build up rich picture in my head. There is also not much dialog between characters which although again I understand as to why (Offred and her fellow handmaids are not really allowed to talk) I do prefer reading lots of dialog. The narrative often switches between tenses quite a lot in order to start to give us some small insight of who Offred used to be and the world that she used to inhabit. I enjoyed these ‘flashbacks’ although I often found they came fairly randomly and sometimes with no obvious connection to what had been happening in the current timeline. I do however think that the ‘randomness’ of them helped to create an understanding of Offred and how she was trying to hold on to her past life, grappling at any memory that surfaced. I think over-all I understand why it is written the way it is and that this style really helps form the over-all feeling of the environment they live in, however I just think the style is not for me. I like to be given lots of information regarding the world that the character lives in in order to form a picture whereas Atwood relies more on the development of a feeling. Like I said, I really really like the premise of the book, it is cleverly and well written book, its just not for me. I am glad I read it but I probably won’t be reading it again. Opening line: We slept in what had once been the gymnasium. Format: print 314 pages Published in 1985 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted May 20, 2021 Author Posted May 20, 2021 (edited) The Giver – Lois Lowry (YA, dystopian, thought-provoking) 3.75/5 Over-all I enjoyed this book. I really like dystopian books that play with the concept of living in a ‘perfect and safe society’ but which overall removes the inhabitant’s freedom of choice and seeing the characters eventually develop an understanding of this. I appreciate the amount of time Lowry gives to developing the readers understanding of the setting of the story and she really evokes a sense of peace and prosperity in this world. The characters live in what is called the ‘community’ in which decisions such as their job, who they are partnered with and even who their children are, are made for them. The main character, Jonas is a seemingly ordinary twelve-year-old boy and the story follows him as he learns to truth about the past that has been kept hidden from them. The story is fairly predictable however I don’t think that this spoils it over all. It is definitely aimed at a younger age group but as an adult reading it encourages you to analyse our own societies and ways of life. The giver is the first of a series of four books and although I enjoyed it, it didn’t inspire me enough to continue the series. Not to say that I wont one day read the rest but I had other books queued up that enticed me more. Opening line: It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened. Format: print 208 pages Published in 1993 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted May 20, 2021 Author Posted May 20, 2021 (edited) The Darkest Minds – Alexandra Bracken (YA, dystopian, magical realism) 3.5/5 Although my genre of choice is dystopian, I do struggle a bit with stories where the characters mostly reside in and navigate a ‘wasteland’, I prefer to read about the ways in which an author has imagined our societies will develop in the future. Darkest Minds is kind of in between these two things, it is set in a world with a fully functioning society however children are outcast due to powers that they begin to develop around the age of ten. The story follows Ruby on a dangerous journey to stay alive and find hope. A portion of the story line has the characters on the road and on the lookout for a safe haven but this narrative is changed up before it becomes repetitive. They discover a camp for kids like them and we learn of the society they have built for themselves to live in. This book is definitely aimed at teens and YA, particularly as one of the main themes of the story is that of ‘children vs adults’, however it doesn’t feel too over the top and childish so it is not off putting for an adult to read! There are four books in this series and although I really enjoyed Darkest Minds while I was reading it, once I had finished, I didn’t feel desperate to read the rest. If I had had the next three books to hand, I may well have continued but I didn’t feel I needed to read another three books to feel satisfied with the story. Opening line: When the white noise went off, we were in the garden, pulling weeds. Format: print 488 pages Published in 2012 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Raven Posted May 20, 2021 Posted May 20, 2021 Hi Goose, and welcome to the forum! If you are looking for another series with wizarding overtones, then I can recommend Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series! Feel free to get stuck in and if you have any questions just ask! Quote
Hayley Posted May 20, 2021 Posted May 20, 2021 Hi, welcome to the forum . I’ve looked at Ready Player One before and wondered if I’d like it. It sounds quite different to anything I’ve read before but your review makes me think I would! I also second Raven’s recommendation of the Rivers of London books! I started reading the Septimus Heap books by Angie Sage recently too and they’ve been great so far. I’ve noticed it’s compared to Harry Potter a lot in reviews, so that might be worth a look too . Quote
Madeleine Posted May 21, 2021 Posted May 21, 2021 Hi Goose, another rec for the Rivers of London series, also Jasper Fforde gives an alternative view of the universe too, not quite dystopian but definitely skewed, but with a literary angle too. Quote
Marie H Posted May 21, 2021 Posted May 21, 2021 Hi Goose, and to the forum I’ll by another member here to plug for Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London. They are brilliant books. Quote
lunababymoonchild Posted May 21, 2021 Posted May 21, 2021 I like dystopian novels too. Have you tried We by Yevgeny Zamyatin ? A wee snippet from Amazon " .........A foundational work of dystopian fiction, inspiration for both Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxley's Brave New World, WE is a book of radical imaginings ........." I am also enjoying The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry and will embark on the third part this year. Welcome Quote
Goose Posted May 21, 2021 Author Posted May 21, 2021 Thanks for the recommendation Raven, Hayley, Madeleine and Marie! It's clearly a very popular series, Ive added it to my reading list! 😊 Quote
Goose Posted May 21, 2021 Author Posted May 21, 2021 5 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said: I like dystopian novels too. Have you tried We by Yevgeny Zamyatin ? A wee snippet from Amazon " .........A foundational work of dystopian fiction, inspiration for both Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxley's Brave New World, WE is a book of radical imaginings ........." I am also enjoying The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry and will embark on the third part this year. Welcome Ive just looked up We and it looks to be right up my street! I've added it to my reading list, thanks for the recommendation 😊 Quote
lunababymoonchild Posted May 21, 2021 Posted May 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Goose said: Ive just looked up We and it looks to be right up my street! I've added it to my reading list, thanks for the recommendation 😊 You are welcome Quote
Hayley Posted May 22, 2021 Posted May 22, 2021 22 hours ago, lunababymoonchild said: Have you tried We by Yevgeny Zamyatin ? I added this to my reading list ages ago and kind of forgot about it, so I’d also like to thank you for bringing it up! If you haven’t read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury already I also recommend that. I read it last year and thought it was brilliant! Quote
Chrissy Posted May 23, 2021 Posted May 23, 2021 We is a brilliant book! Well recommended here. I have also read and immensely enjoyed The Rivers of London series, and Fahrenheit 451. Another one I would recommend is Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker. From amazon; Quote 'O what we ben! And what we come to...' Wandering a desolate post-apocalyptic landscape, speaking a broken-down English lost after the end of civilization, Riddley Walker sets out to find out what brought humanity here. This is his story. Quote
Goose Posted May 23, 2021 Author Posted May 23, 2021 (edited) A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess (dystopian, disturbing, thought-provoking) 3/5 An obvious comment regarding this book is that it is partially written in a fictional language that Burgess created himself. The language is called Nadsat, a type of slang language used by teens, it is derived from both Russian and English. The use of this language does make the book a little difficult to read particularly at first, but once you tune into it, it does become easier. There is little to not translation of words and therefore it is left up to the reader to decipher what the words mean. I think the use of this fictional language adds to the authenticity of the story line. One of the main themes that the book touches on is that of good vs bad and the element of free will. Alex, the main character is part of a violent youth gang who the government tries to force to become reformed by using some questionable psychological treatment. This raises the question of the importance of free will. Is it okay to remove someone’s free will if it means they are no longer able to commit crimes? For the greater good perhaps? And also, whether a kind act can truly be considered as good if the person performing it has no choice in the matter? There is not really any description as to the background and setting of the story, I usually prefer to have lots of description however I liked the way in which the story is told by Alex as it allows us to really get a feeling for who he is and the society he lives in. Burgess presents the topic of free will in a very creative and interesting way and it is definitely a book that makes you sit back and think. The story line is fairly dark and some parts describe violence in detail, I really enjoyed it however I think my next read will need to be slightly more light-hearted! Opening line: 'What's it going to be then, eh?' Format: ebook 240 pages Published in 1962 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted May 29, 2021 Author Posted May 29, 2021 (edited) The Constant Rabbit – Jasper Fforde (humorous, magical realism, creative) 4.5/5 What a wonderfully unique book this is! When describing this book to friends and family I would often get an odd look, on the surface it sounds like a children’s book, but it is definitely not. It is set in the UK in an alternate world where there are 1.2 million human-sized rabbits living as part of society. The book regularly references the ‘Event’ which is when the anthropomorphising of rabbits took place and no-one really knows how it happened. Fforde creates a detailed and believable setting and takes a lot of time explaining how the world has changed and integrated since anthropomorphised rabbits came into existence, things like rabbit focussed political groups, rabbit targeted TV shows and new rabbit cuisine. There were times at which I felt the book was going on a little too long and eventually when it got to outcome that the book is building up to, it is over fairly quickly. However, I did like the time Fforde spent on sub-plots of the book as it helped to flesh out the overall development of the characters and their relationships with one another. There are also little informative paragraphs at the start of each chapter as well as numerous footnotes throughout the book that help in solidifying the readers understanding of the landscape of the story. Although the concept of the book is a fairly comical one, underneath the human-sized rabbit narrative, the book is really about a specific group being treated with hate and prejudice and the systemic discrimination we can observe in our own society. There is also commentary from the main character, Peter, about being a bystander and not doing enough to help create a positive change. I was also amused by how much it reminded me of Brexit in the UK and a lot of the arguments that surfaced during the debates. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes stories that take normal life and give it an interesting twist. Opening line: Somebody once said that the library is actually the dominant life form on the planet. Format: ebook 307 pages Published in 2020 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted May 29, 2021 Author Posted May 29, 2021 (edited) In Watermelon Sugar – Richard Brautigan (thought-provoking, dystopian, creative) 3.5/5 When reading the first chapter I had reservations as to whether I would enjoy this book or not, the writing style is very minimalist and the sentences can often feel more like statements. However, as I progressed through the novel, I was pleasantly surprised and found that I couldn’t put it down. It felt very sweet and delicate and the wonderfully bizarre landscape is presented in a matter-of-fact way that just forces you to accept its unusualness. The setting is that of a post-apocalyptic world where civilisation is centred around a communal-living house called iDEATH and everything is made from watermelon sugar. The sun rises a different colour each day and this determines what colour the watermelons grow. There isn’t an obvious meaning to the story, I would say that each reader may interpret it differently. To me I got a sense of a distancing from emotion and feeling, when confronted with the subject of death most of the characters seemed to have little to no reaction. There is reference to ‘The Forgotten World’ and this to me indicates that the civilisation within the story has become distant from their past and what it may have previously meant to be human. It is a short book, one that can be finished in just a few hours and I would definitely recommend it to those who like a touch of the weird and wonderful. Opening line: In watermelon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar. Format: print 144 pages Published in 1968 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted June 9, 2021 Author Posted June 9, 2021 (edited) The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams (humorous, adventure, sci-fi) 3.75/5 Growing up we used to watch the film adaptation of this book all the time and have very fond memories of it so I decided to give it a read. It was a very pleasant and humorous read and over all I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like Adams’ writing style; the reader is given lots of little insights and observations regarding events within the story that make it feel as if you are receiving a first-hand account of what happened. I like the descriptions of the different planets and the weird and unusual species and civilisations Adams’ has created. There are only a few characters throughout the book which allowed for richer character development of the few that are in it and therefore I found that I developed much more of a connection with the characters than I sometimes do with other books. There are more books in the series which I would quite like to read at some point, although I think I have figured out that I prefer stand alone books as I am always keen to move onto something different whenever I finish a book. However, I do think I will read the rest eventually. Opening line: The house stood on a slight rise just on the edge of the village. Format: ebook 180 pages Published in 1979 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Raven Posted June 9, 2021 Posted June 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Goose said: The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams Growing up we used to watch the film adaptation of this book all the time and have very fond memories of it so I decided to give it a read. It was a very pleasant and humorous read and over all I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like Adams’ writing style; the reader is given lots of little insights and observations regarding events within the story that make it feel as if you are receiving a first-hand account of what happened. I like the descriptions of the different planets and the weird and unusual species and civilisations Adams’ has created. There are only a few characters throughout the book which allowed for richer character development of the few that are in it and therefore I found that I developed much more of a connection with the characters than I sometimes do with other books. There are more books in the series which I would quite like to read at some point, although I think I have figured out that I prefer stand alone books as I am always keen to move onto something different whenever I finish a book. However, I do think I will read the rest eventually. The original radio series is still the best version of Hitch-Hikers, I would recommend tracking down a copy of it if you can! Quote
Athena Posted June 12, 2021 Posted June 12, 2021 I enjoyed The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy too when I read it years ago . I'm glad you liked it! I should re-read it some time, as well as the other books (I have an omnibus with 5 books). Quote
Goose Posted June 23, 2021 Author Posted June 23, 2021 (edited) Brave New World – Aldous Huxley (dystopian, thought-provoking, sci-fi) 2.5/5 I enjoyed the premise of this book and the fact that it makes you think about the way that society is, people’s freedom of choice and to develop as an individual is removed and instead who they are is decided for them by the government. The story is set in a time where people are born in laboratory conditions and they are altered to have different, behavioural, physical and intellectual abilities. They are also heavily conditioned from birth to believe certain things and behave in certain ways. Overall, I did find that I was reading more so just to finish the book rather than because I was enjoying reading it however it did make me think a lot. I liked the parts that were describing the ways in which life and civilisation has changed however I found other parts a bit of a drag. Opening line: A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys. Format: ebook 268 pages Published in 1932 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted June 23, 2021 Author Posted June 23, 2021 (edited) Anxious People – Fredrik Backman (character study, mental health, mystery) 2.75/5 This is definitely a book that gives you a lump in your throat. The story is of a bank robber who accidently ends up holding a group of people hostage and we gradually discover that this group of people all have their own issues. The majority of the book is set on one day, the day of the hostage drama and so although not really a lot actually happens it doesn’t get boring as it goes into so much detail about the characters and who thy are as people. The characters are so well developed that you really feel like you know and understand them. The main themes of the book are of anxiety and depression and the different ways people deal with them. I really appreciated the real and honest way in which the characters are portrayed, they are inherently flawed but that only makes you like them more. I love the way Backman will give the reader bits of obscure information and only later do the connections and links get revealed, gradually as the story progresses. If you like fast paced action then this book probably won’t be for you, however I would definitely recommend it to those who like touching stories that focus mostly on the characters and their lives. Opening line: A bank robbery. Format: ebook 336 pages Published in 2019 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
Goose Posted July 1, 2021 Author Posted July 1, 2021 (edited) The Stepford Wives – Ira Levin (mystery, thriller, feminism) 3.5/5 This book it a satirical look on women’s liberation and the stereotypical gender roles within a family unit. The story follows Joanna after her and her family move to Stepford, a seemly pleasant place to live, however it doesn’t take long before Joanna realises there is something unusual going on. All the wives of Stepford seem to have little about them, staying home entertaining themselves with housework and looking after the children. The book then follows Joanna as she discovers the truth. I really like the main character, Joanna; she feels well developed and although the book is short, I still feel like we are able to get a good understanding of the person that Joanna is and her relationships with others. I also like how once we as the reader realise what is going on it makes us reflect back to previous scenes within the book and view them differently, in light of the new information we are given. I did find the book was a little bland, not an awful lot really happens to progress the plot until the end, and even then, there isn’t a clear resolution. Although I do enjoy ambiguous endings, in this book however, all the factors point in one direction and therefore there aren’t really any other interpretations that could easily be made other than the one that we are led to and therefore it feels a little disappointing when there is no reveal. Overall though I did really enjoy the commentary of the book as it is a topic which I am interested in reading and therefore I would recommend it to others with a similar interest. Opening line: The Welcome Wagon Lady, sixty if she was a day but working at youth and vivacity (ginger hair, red lips, a sunshine-yellow dress), twinkled her eyes and teeth at Joanna and said, 'You're really going to like it here!' Format: ebook 144 pages Published in 1972 Edited September 2, 2023 by Goose Quote
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