Thanks to These Books, My Emotions Are at an Edge and We’re Only Three Months In 2023
Monday, March 27, 2023
We're only in the first quarter this year and my emotions are already quite bruised thanks to these four books. I've only read thirteen books so far which is not very much for normal bookworms but...I have other things you know, I have animals in my virtual farm that needs petting and I do get hooked on it for hours on end.
Anyway, out of the thirteen so far, there are four books that had such strong impact that everytime I remember them, their emotional effect still felt like yesterday.
If you're looking for books that will surely tug your heart or disturb you in subtle but memorable ways, you might want to read on...
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Snow Child is set faraway in Alaska where Mabel and Jack moved to start a new life. Their marriage has lost its magic since they lost their child and Mabel wanted to get away from the pressure of their their hometown. She no longer wanted to answer the same questions that break her heart each time. So, when the government offered lower price for lands due to a railroad project, they packed their bags and jumped into the opportunity. One night, they made a little girl out of snow and the next morning, it was destroyed but they also found a little girl lurking. Eventually, the little girl warmed up to them and slowly brought warmth into their otherwise empty home.
The tone of the entire book is consistent with how Alaskan winters must feel like. Each character in this story is well thought out of and will constantly put you up on a debate with yourself on whether you like them or not. You will constantly hope that things will get better, but at the same time you'll also have the feeling that it won't and nothing could prepare you for the weird turn of events.
If you're looking to level up your reading palette or you're just seeking for an emotional ride, this book might be for you. Read it slow, if you must.
The Light Through The Leaves by Glendy Vanderah
I already made a detailed review on this, but let me just run through it one more time.
The Light Through the Leaves is a story of a mother and a lost child. When Ellis accidentally left her baby daughter in a parking lot one time, it seemed like she left everything with her. Her marriage fell apart, her other children got very distant from her, she became addicted and nothing was right anymore. She left her family to avoid inflicting more damage to her children and went on the road. Meanwhile, a little girl named Raven was being raised in isolation of a "Mother" who was just so unconventional in many disturbing ways. Raven grew up not questioning the kind of life that they had but that all changed when she met and became friends with young boys who wandered around their property. This is a story of how two lives that are worlds apart are brought together by chance and destiny.
The plot of this book is not very common and will be a little disturbing in the beginning only because of how unconventional it is. Just give yourself time to warm up and when the plot thickens, it will hit different. I was personally uneased with the Mother's lifestyle and I kept on thinking that if only Raven knew of the world outside of what she grew up in, she would think differently. I don't mean to sht on any belief, but I'm also only speaking to my limited knowledge of it. Anyway, it took a little bit of patience to really ride this through with Raven. However, I just knew I had to. If the author rushed into changing Raven, it wouldn't feel so real as it did.
This book is a coming of age story that may not be the same as the usual story of that sort, but it is also very beautiful... beautiful in unexpected ways and will really hold on to your heart until the very end.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
You know how there are books that will make you think, "How the hell have I not read this before?!"
Well, this is one of the books for me. I've known about The Picture of Dorian Gray since college. I know its plot and have wanted to read it for so long but between life and all the other literature I needed to get through in order to pass my course, this just slipped through the cracks.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is about this vain, young man named Dorian who had his portrait painted. When it was finished, he was so much in awe that he cried out and wished if the painting could just age and not him. This reminds me of that one Friends scene with Joey's birthday...
Moving on...Dorian's wish somehow got granted and he unknowingly sold his soul to the devil. This slowly took over Dorian and though his looks throughout the years did not change, but his soul got so corrupted and the painting getting more hideous each passing day. It was only time before his vanity catches up with him.
I knew that I loved Oscar Wilde's writing when I realised how much I hate a lot of characters in this book. My hate was so strong that I had to pause multiple times and curse at them. It was so surreal how strong of emotions it brought out from me. Even with all that, I think this is a good book if you want to let your inner rage come through. Dorian is a character who deserves all the hate in the world...and Mr. Wilde, you did a great job at that.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Now, let's end this list on a lighter note.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is well...about the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and more. Evelyn is a world famous movie star who rose from rags to riches. This story may be told in terms of who Evelyn's husband was at that moment, but this also shows us how much more there was to her as a woman. This is a story of how the impressionable young girl with a dream rose to fame and did whatever she could to keep her spot at the top.
The way TJR wrote this felt so real that I had to pinch and remind myself that this is not a memoir of a real person. This is a beautiful, light read that I think would be great even for occasional or newbie readers.
So, what books did grab on to your emotions strongly so far? Share your favourites in the comments below!
