Books: 2020

Did anyone else not have a great reading year? I really lost my ability to concentrate and the volume of books consumed decreased due to the fact that I only commuted 3 times since mid-March (a number of my reads and actually listens)!

This is my update since April:

Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

Continuing with my quest for reading all the Thomas Hardy in publication date order. This was a re-read for me - I do love Thomas Hardy. The 2015 film version with Carey Mulligan is also really good.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

I was a little disappointed in this book that had a lot of hype but didn't really seem to deliver. The story centres around a Chinese American family where the favoured daughter drowns in a lake, and how the family reacts. 

The Muse by Jessie Burton

I loved this story of an inherited painting and the mystery surrounding the true artist.

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver

I am a big fan of Barbara Kingsolver, and this was one of the novels that I listened to but regretted not actually reading - I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I had read it. I like the complexity of family life that Barbara portrays and the historic interweaving between the house that Willa lives in and is desperately trying to save falling down with the resident in the house in the 1880s.

29 Seconds by T M Logan

This was a gift and not a genre that I would usually choose, however this book gripped me and I read it in about 3 days. It's got a fab twist too.

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

This is a long saga centring on Cyril Avery who was adopted, and his links with his birth mother (unbeknownst to him for much of the novel) and his childhood friend, Julian Woodbead. It was one of my favourite reads of the year.

The Prison Doctor by Amanda Brown

A non-fiction account of being a prison doctor that actually really surprised me. The author isn't the best writer but the stories are all very interesting. It really opened my eyes as to why so many of these women turn to drugs to cope.

Levels of Life by Julian Barnes

An odd choice - this is essentially a tiny little book about grief in three parts:  hot air ballooning, photography and Julian's own bereavement for his partner Pat. 

Bookworm by Lucy Mangan

If you grew up reading children's books in the 1970s and 80s, then this is the book for you. Lucy Mangan recounts all her favourites. It was a fond reminiscence for me. 

The Cyclist Who Went Out in the Cold by Tim Moore

I have read at least one (French Revolutions) of Tim's books before and enjoyed it. I rescued this book from a decluttering cull. Tim cycles the 6.000 length of the Iron Curtain on a newly mapped trail. It was good but not as engaging as French Revolutions.

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober by Catherine Gray

Whilst I thought this was a good book, and definitely a helpful piece of armoury in the giving up wine quest, I found the audible version really quite irritating. Unfortunately, the narrator was the author herself.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Another book that was raved about, but I didn't really start enjoying it until I had nearly finished it, but I can't really put my finger on why. It is more a collection of interlinked stories that revolve around the town that Olive lives in. 

The Soul of Discretion by Susan Hill

This is one of the later Simon Serailler novels by Susan Hill. Probably not the best idea to not begin at the beginning of the series. Simon (a detective) goes undercover to befriend a paedophile in prison to see if he can uncover the secrets of the wider ring. An uncomfortable read.

Pine by Francine Toon

Seduced by the promise of a spooky tale set in a Scottish forest. It wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be but did deliver exactly the right tone of dark eerie tale that I was looking for on a cold winter night.

All That Man Is by David Szalay

Nine stories about nine men in increasing age trying to make the most of life.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

This was the joint winner of the Man Booker in 2019 (alongside The Testaments) and I really loved it. There are a lot of characters ranging in age from teen to 90s, but they all interlink in some way. A great read.

Love Mrs Jones x