Came in just under the wire for my four books of June. Finished the last book late last night when little baby man didn’t let me sleep, haha. Probably not the best idea, because now I’m incredibly tired, but I couldn’t put the book down. Aside from reaching my monthly goal, I was also able to mark another book off my overall reading list. I’ve been getting that list done faster than I originally thought I would. Might even have to add a few more.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
First I would like to say that this book has been on my bookshelf for quite some time. Can’t remember exactly when I picked it up, but I’ve been meaning to read it for way too long. However, this book is massive. Not just because of how many pages it is, but because it’s a large freakin’ book. This makes it a little difficult to cart it back and forth to work, so I’ve put it off. Being on maternity leave, though, I figured it was the perfect time to read the books that are bigger than my head 🙂
Anyway. Wow. This book had me going. Kvothe really couldn’t catch a break. Tragedy, hardship, and egotistical rich boys did their very best to bring him down. Somehow though, he pulled through every time and made the best of his situation. This book tugged at my heartstrings from page one.
The world building was superb. The reader is totally immersed right away and you can picture it so clearly in your mind. There wasn’t any info dumping sections to slow down the plot; you were told the information a little at a time as you needed it and it was perfect. From the geography to the language, it was just beautiful.
Along with the world, the characters were amazing. Their mannerisms and attitude leapt off the page. Kvothe of course was great, but I loved his school friends just as much. They had unique personality traits that made them so realistic. No one fell flat. They also grew and changed over time. Kvothe especially started to learn when he needed to keep his mouth shut.
I really enjoyed the story telling point of view. Kvothe would put in his two cents about what was going to happen here and there and it did a nice job of keeping me hooked. Every time a chapter would end with something like “or so I thought,” I just couldn’t resist turning the page to continue.
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
I ordered the sequel the day I knew I would finish TNotW. And I paid for same day shipping because I couldn’t wait, haha.
My thoughts on the first book largely carry over into this one. The world and characters continued to blow me away. While Kvothe was away from the University, I found myself missing Sim and Fela. And similarly, when he returned, I wanted to know what Tempi was up to.
There is considerably more action in this book and we really get to see the kind of warrior/wizard that Kvothe was going to become. We find out why he became such a legend and why it’s so exciting for Chronicler to get his full story down on paper.
Unfortunately, the final book in the trilogy hasn’t been released yet. But I can guarantee I’ll be getting my copy as soon as I can.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
*I have not watched the show yet*
This book made me feel a lot of different emotions. Anger at what society had become. Fear and pity for the young women. Sadness for Offred any time she thought back on her husband and daughter. And also confusion about a lot of the plot. Quite a bit goes unanswered – obviously because Offred didn’t know everything, so she couldn’t tell us – so I’m pleased a sequel is coming out this fall that’s supposed to answer some of these questions.
The way the book is written took a little bit of getting used to – the flashing back and forth and knowing where all the dialogue was when she wasn’t quoting – but after about fifty pages I’d gotten the hang of it.
I enjoyed the colorful characters. (No that isn’t a joke about their clothing, haha.) Despite the fact that the handmaids are supposed to act one way and be subservient, the ones we meet have very distinguishable personalities. The anger of the wife is palpable. The behavior of the commander tells us what kind of man he was before he ended up in a position of power. The Marthas, the Aunts; they all invoke powerful responses from me throughout the entire novel.
The world in which they live is terrifying. And I can see how people are drawing parallels with the present day. Really makes you open your eyes and pay attention to what’s happening; both what we’re being told and what’s being scraped under the rug. But it also makes me feel a little helpless when it comes to the big picture of things.
Outlining Your Novel Workbook by K.M. Weiland
My craft book for the month was a great choice. I was plotting out my next novel and this book was full of great advice and prompts. I dove deeper into this project than I ever have. I feel confident in my plot points and in the characters I’ve built. All with the help of this book.
I didn’t use everything in this book and was able to get my book started without any problem. Who knows how I’d feel about my project if I’d answered every single question this book suggested? The novel would probably write itself. Highly recommend it to anyone trying to plot out their next work.
What have you been reading? Any recommendations for me?