My 2024 Quarter Three Reading Wrap-Up

A Blend Of Classics And Contemporary

Hello!!!

This is Joyie and welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet where I talk all things books!

I'm still reading Anna Karenina, I've finished book two and started book three today. Have you been reading anything this week?

So, it’s October. I’m finding it very difficult to process that. But putting that aside, with September, the third quarter of 2024 is also over and since I did a Q1 reading wrap-up and a Q2 reading wrap-up post, it means I have to do a Q3 reading wrap-up post as well. And also because I really enjoy doing these wrap-ups. 

Anyway, in these three months I’ve finished four books. Two classics and two contemporary.

The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky

The first book I finished in Q3. I initially struggled with this one, finding it a bit difficult to follow. But since then, I’ve felt myself growing to like it more. The story depicts how the corrupt society ridicules a purely good man, labelling him as an ‘idiot’ and ultimately driving him crazy. But my favourite part of the story is its heroine Nastasya Fillipovna, who has been failed and wronged and then labelled as a mad woman by the same society. It’s a tragedy and broke my heart but in a way I liked.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

I read this book in one day, when I was visiting my sister. I liked it, but the way I read it wasn’t ideal. It’s on the surface a light-hearted book about a failed bank robbery that turns into a confusing hostage situation. However, I loved how it very effortlessly and meaningfully touched on so many serious issues– mental health, parenting and relationships being the main ones. I really wish I had taken my time with this book, I’ll definitely re-read it one day.

Cleopatra And Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

The title is clever is the only good thing I can say about this book. It’s built around a dysfunctional relationship which generally makes for interesting stories, but the writing here focuses more on aesthetics (Tumblr sad girl aesthetic, to be precise) than story-presentation. It addresses serious issues like depression, substance abuse, eating disorders etc. but not in a meaningful way. Rather, it almost uses these as quirky-points to look dark and edgy which doesn’t work for me.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I didn’t plan to read Sylvia Plath anytime soon, but I found a beautiful copy at the store so I bought it, and since I bought it, I read it. 

This semi-autobiographical novel follows an ambitious, but emotionally drained young student’s descent into mental illness as she navigates a world where her options are limited, especially being a woman. I expected to like it, even before I started, but was still taken aback by just how much I enjoyed it. The way Plath writes mental breakdown, the lack of drama and almost bizarre mundaneness of it, it was just too on point.

Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami

This one is a manga (Japanese graphic novel) which was serialised from 2018 and ended in September.

It’s a story about the world of jujutsu sorcerers, battling curses to protect humanity. One of its central themes is death, its inevitability and the role it plays in defining life, how to find meaning in life while confronting mortality– all of which happen to be my favourite topics. Although I wasn’t initially too happy with the conclusion of my favourite character, I’m slowly coming to see how it works in the context of the story and I’m glad to have invested the time I did into it.

What about you? Did you read any books in the third quarter of 2024? I'd love to hear about it!!!

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That’s it for today, I'll be back in your inbox next week.

Until then,

Joyie 🌻