Welcome to Friday 56! Hosted by Freda’s Voice, you turn to page 56 or 56% in any book or reading device and pick a sentence that grabs you.
“Now I was alone. It was a sobering moment; I felt like a castaway who finds himself standing on the shore of an unknown island. This was where my new life began.
Worms by James R. Montague, page 57
First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday! Hosted by Socrates Book Reviews this is where you share the first paragraph of one of the books that you are currently reading.
“When I used to tell people that I lived on the north Norfolk coast they would always say ‘How nice’ and begin to quote those qualities for which the area is most justly praised: the sea and the sailing , the bracing air, the perfection of light, the magnificent skyscapes, the wild birds and the sturdy, independent character of the local people. There was a time when I would have agreed with them wholeheartedly.”
Worms by James R. Montague
Welcome to Friday 56! Hosted by Freda’s Voice, you turn to page 56 or 56% in any book or reading device and pick a sentence that grabs you.
“Shouts from outside drew Gaul to the window. ‘They’re here,’ he said, removing his bathrobe. ‘You must go.'”
Cthulhu Comes to the Vampire Kingdom, page 56
Title: Cleopatra and Frankenstein
Author: Coco Mellors
Book Length: 384 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, (Romance)
Read Start Date: May 8, 2023
Read Finish Date: May 28, 2023
Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.
Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.
As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, entertaining as it is deeply moving, Cleopatra and Frankenstein marks the entry of a brilliant and bold new talent.
My Review: When I first read the title, I thought this book was a clever reimagining/love story between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the Egyptian Queen. I picked it off the shelf at the bookstore on my birthday, wondering whether this would be the book I gifted myself. The synopsis quickly dissuaded me from the notion that this would be a parody horror love story set in ancient Egypt. Although, that sounds like an awesome book. Just saying.
I won’t get into the book too much, as the synopsis lays out the plot nicely. “Cleopatra” and “Frankenstein” are the pet names that Cleo and Frank give each other. I thought, ok, eh, and left without buying the book.
When I saw it on the shelf at the library, however, I decided to give it a go and was pleasantly surprised (almost enough to regret my decision not to buy it).
Having read mostly commercial fiction of late, the literary style of Mellors writing was a welcome change.
Written in the third person (mostly), Mellors not only gives us the POV of the main characters Frank and Cleo, but also their closest friends. The ensemble of characters is highly intriguing, but some of their interactions exhibit toxic dynamics. The only chapters which were in the first person was for the POV of a woman named Eleanor, and to be honest, I am not a fan of alternating from third to first. I know it is a legitimate style of writing, but its just not my thing.
Trigger warning for animal death, drugs and alcohol abuse.
What Others Have Said that Resonated With Me: Sophie’s Edit: “Anyway, the bit I really wanted to write about was the fact this novel is a letter to New York. And although this may be to contrary opinion, I actually think it is quite a clever one. It highlights that some people thrive in the city and some people are destroyed by it. Mellors, in conjunction with the theme of growing up, shows how addiction and success are in the veins of such a place, which is why Cleo struggles so much to find herself. The younger characters spend the novel ‘finding’ themselves in a city which has too much of a personality for you to find yourself with any ounce of integrity. Whereas the older generation are in a state of success but also unhappiness and discontent with the decisions they’ve made – Franco turns to alcohol and Santiago is enamoured by his weight loss journey and how he appears to others. It makes you wonder if any of them can be truly happy in the world they live in. New York breeds unhappiness and problems, and in that sense, it makes you fit into a mould that truly, only some people are made for.”
Stats: At the time of writing this review (July 6, 2023), this book has an average rating of 3.85 stars on Goodreads. My rating of 4 stars, therefore, falls a little higher than the average, but is still within range of the general audience.
Recommended? Yes!
First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday! Hosted by Socrates Book Reviews this is where you share the first paragraph of one of the books that you are currently reading.
“Wake up, the baby is dead.”
Cthulhu Comes to the Vampire Kingdom
Title: The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times
Author: Michelle Obama
Audiobook Length: 9 hours and 59 minutes
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Self-Help, Autobiography, Politics
Read Start Date: May 11, 2023
Read Finish Date: May 23, 2023
Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?
Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles–the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.
“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.
My Review: I read Michelle Obama’s other book last year (you can see the review of Becoming by clicking on the link here). While I liked this book, I thought that it paled in comparison to the author’s first book (which is why I only gave it 4 stars). Don’t get me wrong, I think that says more about her first book than her second i.e., that her first book was so good, it is a hard act to follow.
The Light We Carry is less of a political memoir and more of a self-help book. The title encompasses the over arching theme of her book. “I believe that each of us carries a bit of inner brightness, something entirely unique and individual. A flame that’s worth protecting. When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it. When we learn to foster what’s unique in the people around us, we become better able to build compassionate communities and make meaningful change.”
and: “One light feeds another. One strong family lends strength to more. One engaged community can ignite those around it. This is the power of the light we carry.”
Giving practical advice on overcoming adversity, Michelle Obama lets readers take a look into her “toolbox” for getting through the world we live in today. From parenting to anxiety, the author uses stories from her life and childhood to illustrate her points.
I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Michelle Obama herself. I always love it when the author can narrate their own novel. It’s like hearing it from them personally.
Stats: At the time of writing this review (July 4, 2023), this book had an average rating of 4.29 on Goodreads, so my review seems to be right on par with the general populace.
Recommended? Yes!
The Legal Alien 