This summer, I took advantage of my free time and read as many books as I could. As an English major, I read so much during the school year and find it hard to read for pleasure or pick the books I want to study. I naturally take more time with the books I read for fun so I can enjoy them, fully consume the content and have time to observe the writing styles and thematic intricacies. While I “only” read seven books in about four months, that’s a personal record of mine in recent years. I’m finding a new joy in books that I feel I lost around High School and I owe it to some of my reads from this summer. None of these books were “bad” by any means, but some have become all-time favorites.
- The Guest by Emma Cline
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“The Guest” by Emma Cline follows a woman during Labor Day weekend as she attempts to find places to stay without any money and a broken phone. There’s a lot more to the story, like showcasing the struggles of fitting in wealthy spaces as an outsider. Earlier in the Summer, I read Cline’s first book “The Girls”, which I’ll talk about more later, but needless to say, I absolutely adored her style and voice and knew I needed to read “The Guest”. I even went so far as to buy this book new at Barnes & Noble because it was such a recent release and wasn’t available anywhere secondhand yet. I hate to say I was disappointed with this book, especially compared to “The Girls”. I struggled to connect to the main character and did not find the plot very compelling. The word “boring” seems too negative, but it’s how I might describe this book at times. The setup was there for a mundane thriller, and I could see how others may have latched on to the suspense, but it fell flat for me. The writing itself was good and the themes were strong, but it just wasn’t a hit for me.
- The Lightness by Emily Temple
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“The Lightness” by Emily Temple was recommended to me by a friend and when I spotted it at my local library, I decided I would read it. This story has a slightly more layered plot, and one I found to be unique. From the point-of-view of Olivia, a teenage girl who has just arrived at a Buddhist retreat’s Summer camp for girls, the reader sees as she joins an interesting clique and attempts to learn the art of levitation. This whole time, Olivia is also searching for her father who attended the same retreat a year prior and never returned. I will say this book was super interesting as it taught me a lot about Buddhism as a culture and religion, which I normally don’t find in the literary fiction I’ve read. This was Temple’s first novel, and I think it is definitely strong as a debut. I was not in love with the narrative voice and had a hard time differentiating the characters as they tended to have similar dialogue and purposes in the story. I look forward to what Emily Temple does next though as I will certainly read another book by her.
- Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman
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I finally got around to reading “Call Me By Your Name”, and no, I hadn’t seen the movie either. This book is from the point-of-view of a 17-year-old Elio and documents his Summer obsession and eventually toxic relationship with his family’s new house guest, 25-year-old Oliver. Being set in Italy, I knew I had to read it over the summer to truly consume it. The writing and story were beautiful, and nothing like I had expected based on the reception of the film. I assumed this was another book romanticizing toxic relationships when it only feels that way because of Eilo’s stream-of-consciousness narration and how he obviously does not see anything wrong with Oliver. The reader can see right through it and it makes it all the more painful to watch Elio process everything. It is definitely the type of book people will think about for a long time because the prose itself is breathtaking.
- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
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I find “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath so interesting because of how differently it can be perceived from person to person. I found it beautiful and almost inspiring, while I’ve seen others on social media call it “the most disturbing book ever written.” I can certainly see why one would find it disturbing, especially if they were unfamiliar with the treatment of mental illness in the 20th century. This book is semi-autobiographical and deals with a woman in the 1950s going through depression and suicidal ideations while also touching on gender roles and the stigma of mental health within the healthcare system. Whether you find it beautiful or deeply disturbing, it’s known as a modern classic for a reason. Of course, the subject matter is not for everyone, but if you’re able to read it I recommend it, especially for women entering adulthood.
- Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
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Gillian Flynn once again proved that she never misses. “Dark Places” is her second and least popular novel, for which I blame its horrendous film adaptation. Both “Gone Girl” and “Sharp Objects” have unforgettable adaptations with high accolades, so it makes sense that “Dark Places” as a book is hidden in the shadows a bit. This book is about a woman who was the only survivor of her family’s murder when she was a child. She gets approached by a group of true crime fanatics who believe her older brother, the one found guilty of the murders, is innocent and as the only witness she can help overturn his wrongful conviction. “Dark Places” explores a lot of ideas such as girlhood, the satanic panic and of course like all Gillian Flynn novels, the lasting ramifications of an economic crisis. The mystery within it was compelling and kept me engaged, along with the interesting characters Flynn excels in writing. I just wish the adaptation had done it justice given all the potential.
- The Girls by Emma Cline
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This is a book I devoured in two days, because I literally could not put it down. “The Girls” follows a young teenage girl as she slips into a cult, inspired by the Manson Family, and her reflecting on the events as an older woman, having survived the cult. The more I love a book the harder it becomes to explain why so this is one you have to read for yourselves. It is a quick, compelling and beautifully written story. As far as debut novels go, Cline knocked it out of the park with “The Girls”. The theme of “girlhood” is becoming more popular in media, or at least is something more people have been interested in and this book is a perfect portrayal of it.
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
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Reading this book healed something in me I didn’t even know was broken. My love and adoration for not just reading but also writing was a dull, dim light I carried with me, hoping to be bright again someday. “The Secret History” restored that light and reminded me why I fell in love with words in the first place as far back as my childhood when I began reading. This story follows Richard, a college student at a private school in Vermont, who decides to study the classics under a charismatic professor alongside five other students. These other students, Richard learns, are almost cultlike with their strange obsessions with mortality and even stranger dynamics with each other. I know I just said above how phenomenal “The Girls” is as a debut novel, but Donna Tartt creates a standard with “The Secret History” that I don’t think any first-time author will ever compare to. I think I’m going to spend the rest of my life searching for another book like this and I cannot wait to reread it in a few months.