This week I have recommendations ranging from Jinn and a Prince wandering the desert and searching for adventure to a romance writer becoming an accidental assassin for hire, and a Covid homebound millennial discovers the gentleman in the building across from her is a possible serial killer. Add in a newly discovered webtoon and there is a little bit of something for everyone. Come join me as I share all my favorite reads of the week!
I’ve been on a reading frenzy, and since I always write about what I am doing, you are going to all be getting a few more book reviews in your future. So if you are looking for the perfect summer read, or just need something to distract you from life’s stresses, then this review is for you.
I just finished reading the 1994 novel The Memory Police by Yoko Ogowa, and I feel things. Not sure if they are positive or negative feels, but they are there nonetheless. Come find out my thoughts and whether you should try this classic dystopian novel.
Synopsis (Amazon)
On an unnamed island, objects are disappearing: first hats, then ribbons, birds, roses. . . . Most of the inhabitants are oblivious to these changes, while those few able to recall the lost objects live in fear of the draconian Memory Police, who are committed to ensuring that what has disappeared remains forgotten. When a young writer discovers that her editor is in danger, she concocts a plan to hide him beneath her floorboards, and together they cling to her writing as the last way of preserving the past.
A warning about Marxist governments? A commentary on aging and our eventual death? The change of our world as new ways make old traditions and objects obsolete? What is this book about, and does it have to really mean anything specific, or can it be whatever the reader takes from it?
Without going into specifics, I will say that all of these thoughts crossed my mind as I read the novel. I know that this is not specifically what it was referring to since a lot of the more modern changes came after it was written, but consider the phone booth. It is something that no longer exists except in the memory of adults. When we die, it will be nothing but a distant item in old photographs or films. No actual phone booths will exist, and eventually, even the idea of a phone booth will be gone from the collective memory.
A more in-your-face theme of the novel is that of being forced into a state where the government controls the people’s minds and memories. Think of Russia and China, which outlawed certain aspects of their history, rewriting history in the ideals that they value and deleting those that don’t follow their political doctrine. The destruction of free speech and religion. The Memory Police is more or less a better and more in-depth description of what occurred in George Orwell’s 1984.
One of the things I liked most about this novel was how many different meanings you can find. It was fun to ponder the book’s events and how my thoughts changed as the events unfolded.
I would recommend this novel if you are looking for something deep. It isn’t going to leave you feeling perky at the end. But if you want something that might challenge your thoughts about life, then this is a good choice. You can find it on Amazon HERE (purchase it using this link to support the blog)!
Some of the Fangirls recently discovered a fabulous book series by Annette Marie, and we were delighted to find that she’d written a different series rooted in Japanese mythology. Come see what we thought of Red Winter!
I’ve heard of Julie Kagawa for years, but I never got around to reading her books. Why? No idea. But now that she has a book about a ninja and a fox shape-shifter, all of a sudden I’m in. Come see if Shadow of the Fox held my attention!
Long before I was a K-drama junkie, I was (and still am) a lover of books. As of the last few weeks, my viewing schedule has been light on dramas, so I decided this was the perfect time to dig into a good book— one that I’ve been wanting to read for some time! Read on to see what I thought about Marie Lu’s book Warcross.
You know what’s awesome? Not one, but TWO fantastic Korean Crush books by our very own DramaRookie. She’s continued the story of Letty from her first book, Flower Boy Tour Guide, and WOW. This Maknae was surprised and delighted. Come join me, Clkytta, and Kmuse as we discuss Reality Show Romance.
Kmuse & Karie the Maknae continue their Asian book review series with the novel When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon. Come find out if this is a romantic comedy worth reading! Continue reading →