#29 Station Eleven

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

I love me some Canadian authors. This wasn't half bad. The story begins with the death of our protagonist Arthur Leander. He dies whilst on stage performing King Lear. Jeevan a trainee paramedic who happened to be in the audience rushes to Arthurs aid but sadly could not save him. On Jeevans way home from the theater a flu breaks out that has the potential to kill many people. The Georgian Flu as it is later known killed many people and the story focuses on those before, during and after this time period.

The story is presented in multiple perspectives and doesn't get told chronologically which can be confusing but by a large it makes sense in the end, it spans decades that covers before and after the pandemic. The perspectives are from people that knew Arthur or had influenced him in some kind of way. The story follows the people that knew him and isn't really about Arthur at all but he is still undeniably the protagonist.

The book is post apocalyptic but there is not too much focus on the world itself but more the people and how they are coping with the new world. What is mentioned about the world and setting is that there are no cities or infrastructure after the great collapse but there are settlements in which people live. The story is woven together so intricately that as the reader you dont even notice until it becomes apparent and you can see the spider web for yourself, a good indication of well planned and clever writing.

The atmosphere of this book was similar to what you would expect from a contemporary romance novel, it was light and easy to get through but the story did not disappoint and the characters were so well thought out that it was impossible to get bored.  The symbolism used throughout this novel was very interesting, the significance of the tattoos as a theme was very interesting (i wont say too much in order to keep this spoiler free)

This is the type of book that would make a superb movie if done correctly that is. I was pleased that it was a stand alone and that it was wrapped up in 300 odd pages. What is wholly apparent is how hollow Arthurs life was, this is clear to the reader through the stories of how others saw him not just his son and ex wife. This was such an interesting and unique twist to the typical dystopian novels.

The negatives for me were the length and the pacing. At times the pacing was all wrong and it went through a few dryer chapters and the length was a little too long and could have been wrapped up much faster than it was. There were a few chapters dedicated to irrelevant characters that seemed unnecessary to the overall plot.

Overall, the writing was beautiful but it felt somewhat incomplete and certain things went unexplained. Still well worth a read.



'Because survival is insufficient' 

#28 Armada

Armada By Ernest Cline (God, basically)

Everyone who knows me well, knows that Ready Player One is my life. I have put it on a pedestal above all other literature. To me, it is untouchable in so many ways, a work of art almost. When i heard that Cline was working on a second novel i was filled with a mixture of dread and excitement. I knew that it would be a triumph or an epic fail.

Armada follows the story of 18 year old Zack Lightman. He is a talented gamer ranked 6th in the world at the war fighting flight simulation game Armada. When he learns that the game was released in order to fight off a real life attack from alien invasion he has to make a decision to stand back whilst millions die or to take action and join the Earth Defence Alliance. The game he has been engaging in for so long was created as a combat training simulation and from the 9 million users the EDA hand picks only the best of the best to sign up. Zack chooses to sign up and help try to win the war. 

For the first 16% it felt like i was reading a few Wikipedia articles about old video games and pop culture references from the 80's, it felt disjointed and nonsensical. At about 20% the story truly kick started and the genius that is Cline finally shown through.

The war against the alien race comes in 3 waves that are separated by 2 hour intervals, the new recruits must prepare themselves to save not only themselves but civilization. There was a few plot twists that i didnt see coming throughout and the ending was not predictable at all! 

This is a very fast paced and action packed plot that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The characters are believable and realistic. If you love video games and/or sci fi then you will love this. It is so imaginative and immersive. Cline is easily becoming one of my favourite writers and i hope he continues to write on top form. 

#27 You Against Me

You Against Me By Jenny Downham

I picked this book up having read Before I Die by the same author, i thought it would be a lighthearted YA romance. Imagine my shock at the darker YA themes i encountered. 

You Against Me follows the story of Karyn McKenzie and Tom Parker. When  Karyn claims that Tom sexually assaulted her the plot begins after the aftermath and the sought after truth. When Karyns brother Mikey meets Ellie who is Toms sister and they begin to get closer their conflicts of interest become apparent. With Ellie trying to defend her brother and Mikey seeking justice for his sister will we ever discover the truth of what happened?

The story is dark and is not for the younger YA reader, the themes are mature and it was much closer to a NA read for me and it had sexual content, violence and strong language. The book handled the issue of rape very well it delved in head first into how its one persons story against another which was abundantly clear from the title of the book. Karyn struggles to leave the house after the alleged attack and isolates herself from her family, her mother doesnt deal well with the trauma and turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism leaving Mikey solely responsible for the care of the younger 8 year old sister and ensuring that Karyn is ok. Ellie on the other hand is her brothers sole witness as she was present in the house the night of the alleged attack. She feels an enormous amount of pressure from her parents to defend her brothers honor and to say what she needs to to ensure that he will not go to prison for a crime she is convinced he did not commit. 

As Mikey and Ellie grow closer she realizes that she needs to do the right thing and tell the truth regardless of the consequences. 

This is a heartwarming story about love and family. I really enjoyed how believable the characters were and that it wasnt glorifying or unrealistic. I think the YA genre needs more books like this to make teens more aware of the risks of under age drinking and sexual assault, it also touches on the issue of consent. 

A few things i didnt like was there was no resolution in the end, i would of much preferred to hear the outcome for Tom following the court case. The ending was a little premature and felt all of a sudden. It doesnt leave the reader with a sense of closure especially after 400 pages! 

All in all, this is a 4 star book for me.

#26 Into the Wild

Into the Wild By Jon Krakauer

Everyone has those books that they prefer to most humans, Into the Wild is one of those books for me. Every year i go through the same torturous routine of incessantly reading for about 9-10 months and then.... nothing. The winter months cause me to hibernate with netflix and not much reading gets done. I decided to try and tactically re-read an old favorite to try and get more over this slump and im pretty sure it has worked!

Into the Wild is the true story of Chris McCandless (or Alex Supertramp as he was more commonly known) who in the Spring of 1992 abandons everything he knows, sells his car, gives away his money, creates a new identity and leaves his family behind to embark on a journey into the wilderness. When his decomposed body is found in a sleeping bag four months later on August 19th by six Alaskan moose hunters who discovered the abandoned bus in which he had taken up residence. After his death was announced to his family and those whom he met along the way there was an outcry to find out who he was and why he left his privileged life only to starve alone in the cold Alaskan wilderness. There was also a lot of controversy surrounding his death and what caused it, the most significant of which is 'did he take his own life?'. This book is written entirely from the journals that Chris kept during his time in the wild, the testimonies from the people he met along the way and how his family saw him. 

Immediately upon graduating university Chris left town without telling his family and friends and abandoned his car in order to hitchhike across America in his mission to reach Alaska. Chris spent two years in the west living on minimal, working for people and then moving on. The book is split into chapters that discuss each part of his two year and four month journey and each chapter begins with a segment from Chris'journal or a passage from a book that he highlighted that were found among is few possessions. The main story follows Chris' soul searching excursion told through interviews from those who knew him. 

The only thing that i didnt like in this book is that it isnt written in chronological order, it starts from his death and then goes from the beginning whilst simultaneously jumping back and forth. At points is does not read very fluidly. I love the maps that are included as it offers a visual aid to the chapter and allows you to see where Chris was ultimately allowing you to feel closer to him as a character. 

This is a beautiful story of how one man decided to be done with society and rules and live a solitary yet happy life. It can be summed up in my favorite quote used in this book:

'I have always be unsatisfied with life as most people live it, always i want to live more intensly and richly' -Everett Ruess

#YOU

You by Caroline Kepnes

I have waited long and hard to own this book, alas thank you Amazon for your 3 for £10 paperback sale! 

You is the story of Joe Goldberg a sales assistant in an old quirky book shop. Although his age is never disclosed my guess would be mid to late twenties. Joe appears to be your average guy (at first) he lives alone and seems t be dedicated to his job, the first real that something is off is that there is no mention of friends really and his family arent discussed much.

When Guinevere Beck enters the book shop one day the story takes off. Joe become obsessed with her due t one relatively meaningless conversation they had over the transaction of a book they had both read and enjoyed.Joe becomes completely and utterly obsessed with Guinevere or Beck as shes usually known. He hacks into her email, steals her phone, memorizes her posts on social media and stalks her every move.

Beck who by and large is just as messed up with her self proclaimed daddy issues among a plethora of other issues to boot, plays Joe hot and cold throughout and seems to really enjoy having someone obsess over her in order for her to then in turn toy with them.

This would make a great movie as it is so utterly believable. Unfortunately it does not get a full 5 stars from me as i felt that some parts were dry and others dragged on a bit.

Things that were done well: The characters was probably the stand out feature for me, both leading man and lady were clearly defined and were realistic.Some parts were full of action and kept me up reading way past my bedtime. I brought this book everywhere with me whilst i was reading it even places such as work where i would never get the chance to read it, i just wanted to have it with me at all times, which is testament to how much i enjoyed it.

Things that werent done that well:Background characters and sub-plots, did i care about any other character that was not Joe or Beck? No, no i did not. Peach was so overly melodramatic and pretentious that i found myself skimming all the parts with her in it. The same goes for Ethan and Blythe, Chana and Lynn, i really couldnt have cared less. Also the ending felt a little rushed and ever so slightly predictable.


Overall: I have never read a book about a stalker from the stalkers point of view, so brownie points for originality. I cant help but compare this to other psychological thrillers that i have read such as the work of Gillian Flynn and The Girl on the Train that i read earlier this year. This can proudly take a place with these great works of fiction as it is just as powerfully written and compelling. I would highly recommend this book but it is not for the faint hearted, its a tough read in parts and has many many many sex scenes.

4 out of 5 stars. I shall patiently await the sequel.

#24 Aristotle and Dante

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

This is a story of two Mexican teenage boys. Ari and Dante. The main protagonist is Ari and his personal struggles, in a way he is a philosopher just like his name sake, he is a loner who avoids his parents and sits in the desert staring at the stars and contemplating life. Dante is a poet who is open with his parents and his feelings. They are polar opposites but are also best friends.

This book has a lot of themes, LGBT, coming of age and finding yourself. The book doesn't really follow a plot per se its more a story of their friendship day to day and how they develop from boys into men. If you dont enjoy YA with LGBT themes this this book really wont be for you. The story was beautiful and the character development was wonderful. I really enjoyed the family aspect of this book, both boys have complex family lives in their own different ways. The best thing for me was getting a glimsp into Ari's head and his frame of mind surrounding certain situation.

Some parts of this book are difficult to read. The characters are real and the writing style is believable. Both boys parents played such a massive part of this story and i found that fascinating as it isnt  very prominent in YA novels.Each parent had their own personality and i enjoyed all their characters and the relationships to their son. I enjoyed Ari's family as it reminded me of my own, it often feels like we live our lives without talking much. I enjoyed how Ari's parents had flaws and struggles and how they were human too but also how their flaws and struggles affected their son. Dante's parents were so cute and what an amazing family unit they were. This was all about the family for me and not so much about the romance.

Dante is openly gay, this aspect becomes apparent when Dante and his family move to Chicago for a year and the boys have to communicate via letters. Dante falls for Ari and never hides his feelings, the boys struggle to remain friends as Ari does not feel the same way and struggles knowing that his best friend is in love with him.Dante is true to himself, open and an overall positive character.

Ari was my favourite character as i related to him and his outlook on live. He is someone who is quite negative but is so much more realistic as a teenager. I dont want to give too much away so i will leave it there but i highly urge you to read this.

4 out of 5 stars from me, really wish this was a duology!

#23

Simon Vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Ive heard so many good things about this book since it came out in April of this year. Also the cover is really cool. Ok so the story centers on Simon and is told in alternate chapters, one chapter being Simon's every day life consisting of school, drama rehearsals, his friends and of course his family and the other is emails shared between Simon and Blue. Blue is a guy that Simon met online on Tumblr that goes to the same school but he has no idea of his real identity. When they begin to fall for each other via email things get more complicated and chaos ensues.

When Simon uses the school library to email Blue he forgets to log out (as you do) and a classmate then logs in to his emails and finds the correspondence between Simon and Blue. He then blackmails Simon in order to get closer to Abby who happens to be one of Simon's closest friends and if he doesnt help he will out him to the entire school.

Without spoiling too much the final third of this book was like an episode of Catfish in which you are guessing every single male character may or may not be Blue and to be honest most of my guesses were WAY off. I was really pleased when his identity was revealed and the way the author went about it. also loved the ending.

This was a cute and fun read. A great stand out YA novel that discusses LGBT issue. This was such a feel good story that i managed to devour in 2 sittings. It completely deerves all the hype surrounding it, This makes me wait and hope for more books by Becky Albertalli as this book really impressed me.

Solid 4.25 out of 5 stars.