Let’s take a look back on what I read in November 2021 . . .
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Louise Penny has brought us back to Three Pines and it feels like coming home. I truly enjoyed the plot, the characters are like old friends, and the setting is idyllic and makes me long to sip hot chocolate by a roaring fire while it snows outside. Highly recommend for fans of the series.
Bewilderment by Richard Powers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a touching and heartbreaking story of a grieving father and his autistic son. I connected with the parts that focused on the relationship between Theo and Robin, Theo’s commitment to dealing with Robin’s challenges without medication, and the backstory of Theo and Aly. I struggled with the imaginary trips to planets and some of the more science-y sections but overall I found it to be a lovely, if heartbreaking, book.
The Attic on Queen Street by Karen White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, I enjoyed this series but I’m not sad this is the last installment. The plot felt repetitive and hearing the same characters say the same things and seeing them make the same mistakes is just not very exciting. Nonetheless, the ending is satisfying, everything is wrapped up nicely, and I am satisfied picturing life on Tradd Street continuing in a pleasant fashion.
The Weekend by Charlotte Wood
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
While I appreciated this story about the friendship of 3 aging women, I did not actually connect with any of them and that made the book feel rather lifeless to me. Some of the backstory was interesting but I did not feel like any of it really explained how these women became (and stayed) friends for such a long time when they are all vastly different. Truthfully, I found it sad and bleak and I had to push myself to finish it.
We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book explores what happens when best friends are forced to deal with racism. While it generally felt very authentic to me, in a truly ripped-from-the-headlines sort of way, I think the authors could have dug a little deeper and had the main characters have more conversations about the issues they were dealing with and the differences in their lives. The ending was a little too convenient for me but overall I enjoyed the book and I recommend it.
I’ve read 73 books so far this year, only 2 to go to meet my goal of 75.
What have you read lately?
So much very good reading! I really struggled with Bewilderment (and did not finish) but your review makes me think I might need to revisit it!
I grabbed The Weekend when I saw you were reading it but was sad to see two stars – so I may not bother. The premise did sound good. I’m reading All Creatures Great and Small and starting Matrix today perhaps. So many great books out there!
I liked Weekend better than you did . . . but it’s definitely not an uplifting read. 😉 And I still haven’t taken the plunge with Bewilderment . . . Right now, I’m reading The Island of Missing Trees (which I’m really enjoying) and Radiant Fugitives (which I’m meh about). 🙂
I struggled with Bewilderment, and liked the relationship between Theo and Robin, but the rest lost me. I don’t think I’ll be reading The Weekend! I am reading Wish You Were Here and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.
I have not read a book that seems worth recommending in a while. I did love The Madness of Crowds but I am a devoted Penney fan. I did recently enjoy 2 books of Peter Heller’s, The Guide and The Orchard, but I am a Heller fan as well. I am starting Cloud Cuckoo Land today, and I hope I enjoy it as much as I am looking forward to it. Thanks, again, Carole, for a book post!
I heard Jo and Christine talk about their book on Modern Mrs. Darcy (I think?) and it sounds good – I’m glad you recommend it! I’m taking Louise Penny’s latest with me into 2022 along with a few other new releases that kept getting set aside for library holds. I can’t wait to get back to Three Pines, even in a pandemic!