Book Club: October 2019

Welcome to the first ever edition of the Her Campus Exeter Book Club! We’ve got some amazing recommendations for you this month! From time-travelling adventures, to Greek nymphs, to anxiety-busting tips and tricks, you’re definitely going to want to get reading.

Fiction book of the month: The Psychology of Time Travel, Kate Mascarenhas 

This was my favourite book of the summer! Mascarenhas combines time travel, murder mystery, and psychology in an intriguing and addictive fashion, packing her novel with twists that you don’t expect, but still make sense. The story doesn’t take itself too seriously, and yet still manages to sophisticatedly explore the mature themes of mental health, family, and mortality.  

But what I love most about this novel is its abundance of strong female characters! The story opens with four female scientists in the 1960s who have just invented time-travel. Unfortunately, Barbara, one of the female scientists, is seemingly driven insane by her time-travel experience. Then the novel jumps forward in time to 2018, where cleaner Odette finds a dead body at work, and becomes obsessed with discovering who this woman was and why she was killed. We also get to meet Ruby in 2017, who is the granddaughter of Barbara. Ruby receives a message from the future warning of an elderly woman’s violent death, forcing her to investigate her grandmother’s troubling past. All of these characters are strong, independent females, with their own unique flaws and battles. I only realised the all-female cast of the book after I read it, too! It’s not obvious whilst you’re reading because the four time-travelling pioneers aren’t female scientists; they’re just scientists. 

Kate Mascarenhas has a PhD in literary studies and psychology, and this unique background certainly comes through in her writing, which blends the wonders of fiction with the intrigue of real-world questions. Put simply, this book is a cross-genre masterpiece! I’m definitely excited to see what Mascarenhas will write next.

Non-fiction book of the month: First, We Make the Beast Beautiful, Sarah Wilson 

Wilson describes her book as ‘a new conversation about anxiety’; and that it most certainly is. As a book about anxiety it’s incredibly insightful but still manages to be conversational, and at times, even funny. Wilson’s bold honesty makes a refreshing change from the ashamed whispers that usually dominate discussions around mental health. Whilst never undermining the struggle of living with GAD and similar conditions, this book taught me to laugh about my anxiety. 

Wilson discusses anxiety in a sincere and candid fashion, drawing on conversations she’s had, like the time she met with the Dali Lama, and books she’s read. But what she draws on most is her own experience of living with high-achieving anxiety. She talks openly about her struggles, and what she has done to manage and overcome them. It’s not a traditional self-help book that promises you can prevent panic attacks by meditating twice a day or changing your diet. Wilson isn’t trying to promote a new lifestyle that could help people living with anxiety; instead, she’s offering up her story in consolidation with them. She invites the reader to learn from her experiences and change their assumptions around anxiety disorders as a result. 

Whether you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, struggle with stress (spoiler alert- most of us do!) or are simply looking to learn more about this particular group of mental health problems, I cannot recommend this book enough!

What are our writers reading this month? 

Anna, 2nd year Politics & IR: “I’m reading To Kill the Truth by Sam Bourne, an explosive thriller about the murder of holocaust survivors and historians as political terrorists attempt to delete history. It’s eerily similar to current events and so far has had me fully gripped!” 

Ceilidh, 4th year Physics: “I’m currently reading Circe by Madeline Miller! It’s a story about the Greek Nymph and Sorceress who is banished to the island of Aiaia after discovering her forbidden powers. It’s a cosy autumn read with a cuppa, especially if it’s rainy outside! It’s also a great book for learning some more about Greek Mythology but not out of a textbook.”  

Laura, 4th year Law: “At the moment I’m reading Love, a 1971 novel by Angela Carter which chronicles the disastrous love triangle between Annabel, her husband Lee, and his brother Buzz. I’m completely hooked – it has a really twisted narrative that you wouldn’t expect from a story titled as it is. It’s the first novel I’ve read from Angela Carter and I can see why so many love her intense and evocative writing style. I’d recommend it for those who want a short and snappy break from prescribed course reading!” 

Christy, 4th year French & Italian: “I recently read Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult and loved it. It’s a courtroom drama told through 3 perspectives: Ruth Jefferson, an African American nurse who helps a baby when it enters cardiac arrest; the parents, a White Supremacist couple, who later take her to court over this after they told the hospital they didn’t want Ruth caring for their child; and Ruth’s defense attorney, who is trying to do all in her power for Ruth’s case and advising her professionally, whilst questioning the inherent flaws that still exist in the legal system when it comes to cases surrounding race. It is a heavy read, but I thought it tackled a sensitive and complex issue that unfortunately still exists in our society incredibly eloquently. The characters jump off the page, and it was a massive page-turner!” 

That’s all for October! We’ll be back next month with some new recommendations, until then, get reading!

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• nonfiction
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