Every year around the New Year I tell myself my only resolution is to read more. I love reading, but every year I fail to make my goal no matter how much I try. This year, I thought that if I wrote a review for every book I read and then publicly shared it, maybe I would be more motivated to make sure I’m reading every day and hitting my goals. I want to read a minimum of two books a month, and I have a stretch goal of four books a month.
Wow, did I fail this month. I only read one book in February, whoops! I am going to blame large amounts of schoolwork and the fact that February is shorter than all other months. I am very excited to start spring break and to catch up on my reading list. It seems to be piling up more and more!
The Heather Blazing by Colm Tóibín
Read from January 31-February 24, 2016
As Eamon Redmond packs up to go summer on the sea, he takes a step back to examine his life. Eamon Redmond is a judge in the Irish High Court who lives a simple and quiet life with his wife, and he has for the greater part of his adulthood devoted himself to his job. Now that is older, he starts to reflect on his relationships and life. As his years progress, he looks back on his somewhat painful past and gives the reader an inside look on why he is the man he is today. The chapters alternate between memories of Eamon’s boyhood and Eamon’s life today. This novel is divided up into three parts, each a year apart and each starting just as Eamon starts to pack up to go summer on the sea.
I was attracted to this The Heather Blazing because I recently read and saw the movie Brooklyn, which was also written by Colm Tóibín, and I loved it. Although, I do not think I loved The Heather Blazing as much as I adored Brooklyn, I still found it to be a very good read. I love Tóibín’s brilliant prose and how he writes in a cyclical manner, which he also did in Brooklyn. The Heather Blazing does take place in Ireland (as opposed to Brooklyn, which was set in America and Ireland) and does require knowledge of Irish politics, history, and at some points Gaelic. Unfortunately I do not have the largest knowledge of Irish politics or history, and Tóibín definitely did expect for the majority of his readers to be Irish and not need any explanation of the history or politics. Despite this, the reading is not hard and a beautiful story. I would recommend reading Brooklyn before The Heather Blazing, but if you loved Brooklyn and are looking for more by Tóibín I would say pick up The Heather Blazing. I give it 4 stars.
These are how many books I feel that I need to read during spring break to be able to catch up on my list.
If you have any good reading suggestions that you’d think I’d like or have an opinion on any of the books I’ve read, please comment! And if you haven’t read January’s edition, here you go! Happy reading, everyone!
Image credits: Flickr.com, Amazon.com