White Ivy - Susie Yang (Simon & Schuster, 2020) The blurb for this novel tells us that Ivy Lin is a thief and liar. And while these are certainly true of the main character of White Ivy, it doesn't tell the whole story. Ivy Lin is someone who wants more. At a young age, while… Continue reading Book Review: White Ivy by Susie Yang
Klara and the Sun - Kazuo Ishiguro (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2021) Kazuo Ishiguro is one of my favourite living authors and so as soon as I heard he had a new book coming out in 2021 I immediately pre-ordered Klara and the Sun. Last week, I had the chance to tune into a live,… Continue reading Book Review: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Tom Jones - Henry Fielding (Barnes & Noble Classics, 2004) This novel was first published in 1749; my copy from the library clocked in at 801 pages (before the notes). It follows the life and adventures of Tom Jones from the moment he is found in the bed of Squire Allworthy. Allworthy is as shocked… Continue reading Book Review: Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
Wuhan Diary - Fang Fang (HarperVia, 2020) On January 25, 2020, the city of Wuhan went into lockdown. This was the epicentre of what would become a global pandemic. While much of the world would soon follow suit, while Wuhan was at the height of its fight against coronavirus, the rest of the world was… Continue reading Book Review: Wuhan Diary by Fang Fang
Butter Honey Pig Bread - Francesca Ekwuyasi (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020) Kambirinachi is living a life that she should not have. She is, or believes she is, an Ogbanje, a spirit that torments its human mother by being born and dying over and over again. Except that Kambirinachi has, against the advice and desires of… Continue reading Book Review: Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
Salt Houses - Hala Alyan (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017) Salt Houses is a book with a tight, compact feel, despite its many characters, locales, and timelines. It follows the lives of one family, through four generations, along with a snapshot of Middle Eastern history from 1963 to 2014. The story begins with the wedding of… Continue reading Book Review: Salt Houses by Hala Alyan
How to Pronounce Knife - Souvankham Thammavongsa (McClelland & Stewart, 2020)On Reading Well - Karen Swallow Prior (Brazos Press, 2018)Land-Water-Sky/Ndè-Tı-Yat’a by Katłıà (Roseway Publishing, 2020)Eggshells - Caitriona Lally (Melville House, 2017)Indians on Vacation - Thomas King (Harper Collins Publishers, 2020)Salt Houses - Hala Alyan (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017) Currently Reading: Tom Jones - Henry Fielding A… Continue reading What I Read – February 2021
Indians on Vacation - Thomas King (Harper Collins Publisher, 2020) Blackbird Mavrias, better known as Bird, and his wife Mimi Bull Shield are on vacation. Residents of Guelph (it's in Ontario, Canada), they have spent recent years travelling through Europe, sightseeing and exploring as tourists. They are ostensibly tracing the path of Mimi's Uncle, who… Continue reading Book Review: Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
Eggshells - Caitriona Lally (Melville House Publishing, 2018) Vivian lives alone in the city of Dublin, inhabiting her great-aunt's house after said great-aunt's death. The house is fusty, crowded, and has too many chairs. But it suits Vivian who is what we might call "an odd duck". Very soon after the book opens we watch… Continue reading Book Review: Eggshells by Caitriona Lally
On Reading Well - Karen Swallow Prior (Brazos Press, 2018) In On Reading Well, Karen Swallow Prior examines the idea of virtue by examining twelve works of fiction, one for each virtue. The book is divided into three sections: The Cardinal Virtues (Prudence, Temperance, Justice, and Courage); The Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, and Love); and… Continue reading Book Review: On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior (+ a new reading challenge)
Karissa Reads Books 