My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite – review

 

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This is a novel that holds humour within its pages, but not much hope. Here, superficiality and violence rule.

Sisters Korede and Ayoola are quite different. The elder sister, Korede, is a nurse, organised and ambitious, and hoping to find love with Tade, a doctor at the hospital where she works. Ayoola is young and beautiful, a clothing designer with an impressive Instagram following, but no discernibly profound feelings. Not much beyond meeting her own needs and desires. Oh, and her boyfriends keep meeting violent ends.

Ayoola insists that the deaths her romantic partners suffer are the results of self defence and misfortune. But when the number of fatalities connected to her sister continues to grow it becomes more difficult for Korede to believe this. And then, there is Ayoola's lack of emotions . . .

With a character like Ayoola at its core, a character concerned mostly with violence and surface stuff, the novel can easily take on themes of abuse that happens between men and women – in both directions – and the social-media-material-world of today. And, appropriately, these themes are explored with a knife sharp wit.

Through Korede's eyes, we see the aftermath of her younger sister's bloody violence, and then we watch Ayoola coolly exploit her victims' deaths for likes on Instagram. A naughty little comment on performative compassion, and the gap that exists between people behind screens and what they display in their feed.

For a long time, women in crime novels and thrillers have too often been little more than the pretty victim. Throughout fiction, female characters haven't moved much beyond the role of 'damsel in distress' – frankly, it speaks to quite a lack of imagination in some writers!

So, a novel with two women at the centre, two sisters, with the men as supporting characters, is refreshing. It's something new and exciting. 

There are no damsels in distress here, but there are no heroes either. Yes, it's a novel without much hope, but it is a wickedly witty and fun read.

You can purchase a copy of My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite here.

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5 ways to write a protest novel

 Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org, and Waterstones. If you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I may earn a small commission from one of these sellers. However, this does not affect the cost to the consumer, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

1. Native Son by Richard Wright

This novel is the reason I decided to make protest novels the subject of this blog piece. 

This novel was written as a protest, and was first published in 1940. It made its author, Richard Wright, the first Black best-selling author in America.

In Native Son, we follow the protagonist, Bigger Thomas, a young Black man who is trapped in poverty and the slums of Chicago. This is a novel that shocked readers at the time, and still has the power to do so today.

You can purchase Native Son by Richard Wright here.

2. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

A classic. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award.

Set in the deep American South between the wars, this epistolary tale brings us into the world of Celie, a young Black girl born into poverty and segregation. She meets Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker - a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. 

You can purchase The Color Purple by Alice Walker here.

3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Another classic, and one that still has the power to provoke thought and shock the reader.

World Controllers have created the ideal society. But Bernard Marx feels alone, harbouring a vague desire to break free. 

It is hard to read this book and not draw parallels between what lies within and our own world . . .

You can purchase Brave New World by Aldous Huxley here.

4. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

If you've read this novel, you know its power.

This book was published sixty-eight years ago, in 1954.

A group of schoolboys are deserted, stranded, on an island after a plane crash, and they await rescue. This tale is a warning of what comes when order fades, of how, when rules of society are abandoned, something cruel and savage can take their place.

You can purchase Lord of the Flies by William Golding here.

5. Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Callum is a nought. 

Sephy is a Cross.

In their world, noughts and Crosses do not mix. But Callum and Sephy are determined to be together.

This is a novel that will absorb you.

You can purchase Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman here.

Thank you for reading. I am passionate about books and hope that my pieces reflect that. That passion is why I share this content with you. If you can, please consider supporting me with a coffee on ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me reading, reviewing, and writing! Thank you to every supporter and reader!

The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-eun, translated from Korean into English by Lizzie Buehler - analysis and review

 

Disclaimer: Monsta Reader is affiliated with bookshop.org and Waterstones and, if you should make a purchase through any of the links in this blog, I may earn a commission from the sellers, but this does not affect the cost to the consumer, and it does not influence the content of this blog.

The Disaster Tourist is something different. It is a thriller that takes in themes such as environmental activism, capitalism, dark tourism, being a woman in the world today, and the human reaction to disaster and tragedy.

Yona works for Jungle, a Seoul-based company that specialises in tours to disaster zones. It is Yona's job to take people's fascination and intrigue with disaster and turn it into something that can be sold back to them. Something quantifiable.

The whole novel is an exploration of how human beings manage and manipulate pain and tragedy, especially in the interests of making money. The company for which our protagonist works is itself sinister. Corruption and toxic elements of the company are mostly quietly accepted or ignored. And when Yona suffers sexual harassment at the hands of her boss, the matter is not explored and investigated, but manipulated to protect the interests of the company and the status quo. Yona herself manipulates the situation in her own mind, tries to convince herself that the event isn't what it was.

'I'm sorry, there's been a misunderstanding,' Yona replied nervously. 'Something unsavoury did happen to me, but I don't know if I'd call it sexual harassment. I think I misunderstood Mr Kim's intentions.'

- Chapter 1, Jungle, The Disaster Tourist, Yun Ko-eun

I think that this is a novel about how people manage their fears. Fears of death, pain, tragedy, and failure. Sometimes the characters in this book seek to manage their own fears and tragedies, in the interests of self preservation. Sometimes they seek to manage the fears and tragedies of others, so that they can exploit those disasters for themselves or to make money. But the managing and manipulating of these pains, rather than real attempts to heal, only lead to further pains.

This is a novel about many of the problems our world is facing today, and how we face them. Or not.

You can purchase The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-eun here.

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Maya Angelou, US quarters, and making history!

 

Maya Angelou (image from New York Times website; nytimes.com)

There is a glut of authors that I have not yet read, writers who have been on my personal reading list for a while. And I am ashamed to say that I have yet to open the covers of a book authored by Maya Angelou. However, I recently purchased Letter to My Daughter, and I am now just awaiting its arrival. I can't tell you why that that is my first purchase of Angelou's writing, just that it came to my attention and it appealed to my interest. That's all.

And, just as I begin my discovery of Angelou's work, she has become the first Black woman to appear on a US quarter (theguardian.com/books/). 

Though I haven't yet read any of Maya Angelou's work, I am aware, of course, of the weight of her writing on the literary landscape, having brought Angelou respect and recognition as a spokesperson for Black people and women. 

I am sure that I will be back to tell you all about my discovery of Angelou's work at a later date.

Thank you for reading. I hope to be back soon, writing about Maya Angelou and her work, and perhaps other small celebrations recognising icons from the world of books and literature.

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The Fear-Fighter Manual: Lessons From a Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones - an analysis and review

 

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The central theme of this book is a fairly simple one, and at the same time a fairly difficult one; how to overcome fear so that we might reach greater levels of success in our lives. 

Luvvie Ajayi Jones does not suggest that we should be fearless, for fear can be useful and informative. It can keep us safe and prevent us from making poor decisions. However, some of the things that we fear have been bred in us not for our own good, but so that we might keep our voices small and quiet. So that we won't rock the boat and point out the absurdities of our world. Some of that fear is there because others felt uncomfortable with our differences of opinion, thought, feeling, appearance, circumstances . . .

Those fears, the author suggests, are fears that we ought to address and overcome because they serve no one, and only make us small where we could be grand.

These themes of overcoming fear, wanting for something more grand, "living our best lives" are obviously not going anywhere any time soon. Self help books are doing good business. They probably always will; there's always been troubles and inequality in the world and - sorry, just call me Mr. Pessimistic - I expect there always will be.

Drawing on research, personal experiences, and her grandmother's life, Luvvie Ajayi Jones has written a book that sets out to lift the reader out of their fears, and consider what they might be.

Luvvie Ajayi Jones began blogging in the early 2000's, and has been writing ever since. She is also a highly sought after public speaker. And, as someone who blogs (and has nowhere near the audience that Luvvie has) and who also cannot stand before a group of more than about eight people without wanting to disappear into the floor, I can tell you that that sort of work takes perseverance and guts. So, the author seems to be qualified to cover the topics of tackling fears and realising goals for this, her second book.

I like how the book is written in three parts (Be, Say, Do), covering the different ways in which we can address our fears and learn to overcome them, and that the author writes in her own warm and honest voice. In it's best moments, this book reads like the words of an honest and caring friend. I don't know that this book is for everyone, but there are some interesting and worthy ideas between the pages. If you're looking for a read that might just point you towards a bolder and brighter you, whilst also drawing a smile or two, you might love The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones.

You can buy The Fear-Fighter Manual: Lessons From a Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones here

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Travelling to Infinity by Jane Hawking - a review and analysis

 

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In this candid memoir, Jane Hawking, the first wife of Stephen Hawking, tells the story of their marriage. It is a love story. But this love story is a true story, not a fairytale. It includes all the tests and trials of a marriage as well as the beauty and joy. 

As Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist and cosmologist, and his wife were coming to grips with the fame his work regarding black holes had drawn, they were also navigating the motor-neurone disease that was gradually and progressively paralysing his body. And, in Travelling to Infinity, Jane Hawking writes with honesty about the challenges they faced, navigating the worlds of fame and degenerative illness, all whilst trying to care for and support a growing family.

In the postlude section of the book, Jane Hawking writes that her initial hesitancy to write about her life with Stephen gave way because "my life was public property anyway as a result of Stephen's fame, and it would only be a matter of time before biographers started to investigate the personal story behind his genius and his survival: that would inevitably include me." And the author writes with honesty but with care and respect for her former husband. This is no 'warts and all' biography for the base celebrity gossip crowd; this is a considered and thoughtful book on the love shared in a family, and in a marriage.

As well as exploring family life and marital love, this book is also a consideration of what it takes to live with a degenerative illness, and the strength it takes to be a carer. This is a book that is worth the reading, even if you've no interest in physics or cosmology, because this is a book about neither of those things. This is a book about being human.

You can buy a copy of Travelling to Infinity by Jane Hawking here, from bookshop.org, who support independent bookshops!

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Foxes Unearthed: A Story of Love and Loathing in Modern Britain by Lucy Jones - a book review

 

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If I can't be found nose deep in a book, it might be because my attention has been drawn by something wild.

I love to go walking in the countryside. And, when I am out there, trying to ignore the fact I am more out of breath than I would like, catching the sight or sound of something wild still has the power to make me stop and gasp. And, after that gasp, the trying as hard as possible to remain still, for fear that any move or sound I make might disturb the wonder I have stumbled upon.

The fox is an animal I have only caught glimpses of really, and I am incredibly envious of those who are able to report having had a "moment" with this feline-like canine; a moment in which the teller comes face to face with Vulpes vulpes and they look into each other's eyes for what seems an age. For me, alas, the fox is usually, when I have been fortunate enough to see one, a flash of red and white fur disappearing into green. 

But, in this book, Lucy Jones brings the fox into sharper focus. In Foxes Unearthed she explores Britain's relationship with one of the largest predators it has left, and as she does so she walks with those who love the fox, as well as those who see the animal as vermin. And, in this the author writes without proselytising, instead allowing the truth of the subject to speak for itself.

Lucy Jones does bring the fox into sharper focus, and she does so by shining a light on the falsehoods and absurdities with which we have adorned the animal over centuries. And, we get to meet the fox face to face, and we come away knowing the red fox better for having read this book.

One hopes that this book has found its way into the hands of someone that really needs to know this animal better. Posts on social media tend to suggest their are still plenty out there ready to believe in the bad press.

Lucy Jones writes beautifully and honestly on the subject, and now that I have finished this book I really need to get my hands on Losing Eden, the author's latest offering!

If you would like a copy of Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones, you can purchase the book here.

You can purchase Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild by Lucy Jones here.

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This Rather Bookish Blogger Needs More Women Authors on His Bookshelves!

 

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I loved Agatha Christie's novels when I was younger. Still do, as a matter of fact. And, I've read Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre much more than once, finding much within those pages. And, Sylvia Plath's (pictured above) writing is violent, and beautiful, and sad, and hopeful, and so much more. And, Patricia Highsmith has written some of the best crime/suspense fiction that was ever written . . . There are many talented women writers out there!

And, I thought I was doing pretty well in the diverse-bookshelves stakes. But, as I peruse those shelves, I can't help but notice any given shelf is mostly populated by books written by male authors. How come?

Perhaps it has something to do with a desire to see a little of myself reflected in the books I read, other male voices. I suppose that's a valid reason to enjoy and find meaning in a pastime and a passion; seeing something of myself in the words on the page can feel reassuring. And, I know that I am not the only one that enjoys a book because it offers a little comfort, acceptance, and validation. Being male is a part of my experience. My relationship with my gender isn't totally straightforward . . . but I might save that for another time. Another place. Or not.

There are no shelves without any female voices on them. But the male voices do outnumber them by a little way. And, as I say, it isn't because I am put off by women authors. So, here's my question, which books, written by women authors would you recommend to me? To anyone really? 

A few books written by women I wholly recommend!

The Five by Hallie Rubenhold - Non-fiction; a look at the lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. And, a book that asks, why have we made famous this monster? More famous than any of the women who met their ends at his hands in 1888?

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Mary Shelley was only nineteen years old when she wrote this chilling and classic tale! We've all heard of this story, a young scientist's desire to create life!

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - (I wrote about this one here) We meet Nella Oortman, eighteen years old, newly married in the Amsterdam of 1686. What follows is a story of secrets slowly revealed and the dangers that can unravel along with them.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë - I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will. Meet Jane Eyre, a young orphan determined to not be defined by her unfortunate circumstances.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - The famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. And, with a killer onboard and a passenger lying murdered in his compartment, we might be thankful that Hercule Poirot is there to exercise his little grey cells! Mon Dieu!

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank - this book has been read by tens of millions of people. It is humanity in the inhuman. It is hope where there was hopelessness. It's life where there was death. A must read.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - Meet Eleanor Oliphant. She is fine. But not really.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - Harold Fry leaves the house to post a letter, his wife is upstairs, but then he reaches the post box and he keeps going. He just feels a need to keep walking.

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