Summer has arrived! It’s been lovely to have long daylight hours again and be able to go out for long walks after work. I have missed this so much. Does it mean less time for reading? Not really, now that it’s again possible to sit by the beach with a book. Posting about them on the other hand is a very different matter…

The Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller

I’ve been meaning to read this classic for a long, long time. I am glad that I have read it. However, I did not enjoy reading this book.

I get it. The absurdity of Yossarian’s situation comes across well in this book. The insanity of war comes across well in this book, too.

But… I really hated every minute I spent reading reading past the first 100 pages. The repetition of patterns of conversation and thoughts grated on me. So did the characters themselves.

1.5*

The House at Sea’s End (2011) by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway # 3

What can I say? I’ve been hooked by this series.

I had to read on.

As with many series, there is a downside to reading books in a quick succession – you tend to notice repetitions more and you get to notice a few things that make little sense, such as:

Will Ruth ever not be a damsel in distress? Will any of the main characters ever call 999 rather than phone DCI on his mobile? How many nutters are there in Norfolk?

Still, I again really enjoyed this. Griffith’s stories are both gripping and entertaining, and I really like the characters, especially Cathbad.

A Room Full of Bones (2011) by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway # 4

Another thrilling story in the series. But not only that, Cathbad, the druid, plays a bigger role in this than the previous books because he is the story’s only real link to the piece of mysticism that Griffiths introduced to this plot.

I had an inkling of what the real solution to Nelson’s mysterious illness might have been, and I was delighted to have been proved right. But then, any Christie fan may have suspicions when the plot involves a curse.

I loved, however, that with Nelson out of the way, so to speak, the other members of the police team got a bit more exposure.

4*

A Dying Fall (2012) by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway # 5

Just when I thought the series begins to go stale, Griffiths pulls another twist out of the bag – thankfully, my fears that a favourite character may be killed off did not come true. I think it may have been the end of the road for me with the series as I have realised the following with the series:

Ruth’s and Nelson’s struggles with their complicated relationship has lost its novelty. I really could not care less anymore about Nelson’s struggles with his religious beliefs. Both characters need some development after 5 books of the same old story.

However, I loved the mystery in this. And I absolutely adored Cathbad’s role and how we get to learn more about him.

*3.5

Partners in Crime (1929) by Agatha Christie.

I had high hopes for this. I love a good Christie short story and I adore early Tommy and Tuppence, so full of life and enthusiasm.

However, reading this collection was a bit of a struggle for me. I only managed to read one story a day without the plots merging in my mind.

And even now, I only remember a few stories or elements of them and have no doubt that I have forgotten most of even those in another couple of weeks.

Not one of my favourites.

3*

The Book of Form and Emptiness (2021) by Ruth Ozeki

Even tough I really looked forward to finally getting to read the latest book by one of my favourite contemporary authors, I struggled to get into this one. This is a strange book. The title gives nothing away of the story.

The story is about 14-year-old Benny, who starts hearing voices shortly after his musician father dies. The voices increase and no one seems to understand when Benny tries to explain what is going on in his head. His school send him psychiatric assessment, his mother struggles to cope with her own grief and does not know how to deal with her son (she still sees him as a small child), the psychiatrist seems to be working on an agenda of her own.

Amidst this, the voices in Benny’s head get louder and louder, until he meets some other outcasts and find refuge in a library where reading books keep the voices quiet.

I have read another reviewer describing this book as YA, but I disagree. Just because the protagonist of the story is a teenager, it doesn’t mean that this is YA. The fact that the book is written in fairly simple language, I felt was more down to the authors style and search for simplicity and clarity – much like Benny is looking for a way out of the confusion of voices in his head. I really liked this.

I also liked that many paragraphs seemed to have a rhythm to them that reminded me of jazz music, which is just apt seeing that jazz music plays an important role in the story.

I loved, of course, that the library is shown as a place of refuge and healing – not just for Benny, but also for his mom. I loved the interaction between Benny and the Bottle Man and that at least one of the side characters – a lady typing non-stop at the library – seemed to be a version of the author.

I also loved that Ozeki tried something different with the POV in this book – there is a back-and-forth between different characters, including Benny’s very own book inside him.

I really liked this book a lot even if it took me ages to get into it. What I did not like was the length. It really dragged quite a bit. Still, it a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things.

3.5*

Other reviews posted this week:

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Currently reading:
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works – William Shakespeare (see The Will’s World Project)

Alligator Playground – Alan Sillitoe

The White Bird Passes – Jessie Kesson