Another school year is coming to an end, which means one thing and one thing only…TIME TO READ! My overflowing bookshelf is finally going to see the light of day. I know I am not the only one who buys books at an alarmingly higher rate than actually reading them. For someone who proudly says reading is my favorite hobby, I do not know why I have not been able to read for pleasure since school started. Between juggling classes, work, and the dreadful quarter system, I feel like I barely have time to exist. I am sure I am not the only one who can relate to this. However, the month of June is approaching, presenting a much-needed break from school. The weather is starting to warm up, and summer is right around the corner. I am definitely planning on finishing my current read, Klara and The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, while I lay in my bed, with no worry about any pending assignments. For anyone planning on doing the same, here are some book suggestions. I read these books over the school year (mostly during winter and spring break), so below is a quick summary of each and how I felt about them.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017)
I stumbled upon this book while scrolling through Reese’s book club, which I am sure many of you are familiar with. The book is set in the affluent town of Shaker Heights, Ohio, where the Richardson couple resides with their four children Lexie, Trip, Moody and Izzy. The story begins with a house fire, and then shifts to about eleven months earlier when Mia Warren, an artist, moves to Shaker Heights along with her daughter Pearl. The book primarily focuses on the relationship between the Warrens and each member of the Richardson family. However, there are also various other subplots within the book. For example, the novel also follows the story of a transracial adoption of a Chinese American baby by another family who resides in Shaker Heights.
The novel deals with the issue of social class, manipulation, parent-child relationships, heritage, and assimilation in a very complex manner. It was interesting to learn that Shaker Heights is a real town in Ohio, and was one of the very first planned communities in the United States. Another aspect I took into consideration was how there is no obvious antagonist or villain in the story, and Ng shows how “perfect” characters can be flawed. Each character in this story has their own perspective, and as a reader, it allowed me to reflect on these characters from a third-person point of view. Overall, I enjoyed the plot, and found that it was an easy and fast read. If you are in a reading slump, this would be a great book to pick as the secrecy of each chapter makes you feel engrossed in the story.
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (2000)
I feel like I belong to the tiny percent of students whose high school did not make them read this as part of the curriculum, and I am forever salty about it. This book is an absolute treasure and has become one of my absolute favorites. As the title goes, “an old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lesson.” The story follows Mitch, a young guy trying to navigate adulthood and his very lovable college professor, Morrie. After Mitch finds that Morrie has ALS and is getting sicker, he visits him and begins a beautiful journey of learning and unlearning life lessons. Without giving too much away, I can happily say that this book will really teach you how to do more than just exist. The book is a super quick read, but every page has something that will comfort you and leave you with a filled heart. This book is a great example of how sometimes the simplest of stories can go on to have the biggest impact in our lives. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from this book, “Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone.”
If you have the time, please give this book a shot! I highly recommend it.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini (2007)
After reading The Kite Runner, Hosseini’s first novel, I immediately ran to get myself a copy of his next book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and I am so grateful that I did. The story is set against the backdrop of Afghanistan and follows the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, as they navigate their tumultuous lives while living in a war-torn country. Both women go through many hardships before their life intersects when a tragedy forces Laila to marry Mariam’s husband, Rasheed.
It is a story about womanhood, female friendships, love, redemption, and sacrifices. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. The sadness in this book does not just hit you out of nowhere. It creeps in page by page, chapter by chapter. Regardless, don’t forget to have a box of tissues ready. Also, I did want to note that the book deals with topics such as sexual abuse and domestic violence and can be disturbing to some readers.
I would also like to give some honorable mentions to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017), The Song of Achilles (2012), and The Midnight Library (2020), which are books that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend to anyone who has not read them already.
If anyone does pick up any one of these books, please feel free to share with me how you felt about them. My email is saleenad@uci.edu.
In case you’re interested, the next three books on my TBR list are:
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019)
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013)
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (2021)