Tag: reader

Exciting Times – Book Thoughts

Naoise Dolan is an Irish writer who I had never heard of before, probably because the book I just finished reading was her very first novel. This award winning publication about a woman teaching English in Hong Kong was a very readable book but the thing that attracted me to it originally was its cover. Simple but colourful.Read on for my ‘Exciting Times’ book review.

Hong Kong makes for a brilliant backdrop.

It turns out she wrote this book whilst living in Hong Kong herself so clearly she felt very inspired whilst there. The story followed Ava who had moved to experience a different culture and have some breathing space away from her expectant family. Working as a teacher, she struggled to afford much and had a flat share before befriending a British banker (Julian) who eventually invited her to stay at his.

The book is readable but there are moments when the author analyses grammar and these can detract from the storytelling a bit. As a teacher, I enjoyed this but I can see how it may get a little irritating. In a way it served the purpose of discussing what she was teaching and how her students got to grips with the past progressive tense and other such linguistic concepts. All I can say is, like it or not, the rest of the story is interesting and unique.

Without giving too much away, Ava became ‘friends with benefits’ with her new landlord friend and explored a different passion with a local character during a period when her buddy was away for business. Julian seemed quite a distant person and was not rattled too much publicly by Ava’s fascination with a confident woman (Edith). With an LGBT angle to this story, the author had a masterful way of outlining challenges that can come from exploring relationships.

Thoughts

So, in a nutshell, this book is a clever read set in Hong Kong, with a bit of intellectual natter thrown in. If you strip it right back, it is about self-discovery, a need to impress and flying away from the family nest. Naoise was recognised for her debut and aligned with Sally Rooney. I am pleased with the book but I did pick it up and put it down a lot over the past two years. Although it is compelling, it was not a story that grabbed me in the same way as The Girl in the Blue Coat which I reviewed last.

Thanks for reading my review of this colourful book. If you enjoyed this, perhaps consider following my little blog for similar future content.

Warm weather in winter – Poem

Spring comes early,

Snowdrops bloom.

Sunlight shines,

Inside your room.

Frosts no longer,

Snow no more.

Turn the heat down,

Warm weather in store.

Just remember,

This is not the norm,

Climate change

Is kicking up a storm.

While it feels good

It’s damaging deep.

Pollution is the problem,

The side effects creep…

Through ecosystems

And every nation,

So this odd, mild winter

Doesn’t garner celebration.

These are my brief thoughts about our particularly warm winter here in England. I do worry that people enjoy the lack of cold temperatures. I hope that this doesn’t make everyone less likely to push for change regarding climate change. For another poem about the climate, click here.

Why Is Reading Important?

Some people look at me as if I am bonkers for spending my free time reading. Whether they think I have nothing better to do or am just a geeky bookworm (which I am) they put forward the case that reading is quite demanding, almost like doing actual work. This article discusses the reasons why I believe that reading is very important.

Reading Matters

Any kind of reading is useful. Reading doesn’t just have to be working through a thousand page nineteenth century novel. It can be anything from researching holiday destinations to reading a celebrity biography. Reading comics, adverts, instructions, recipes, leaflets, blogs, journals and so many other types of text is all beneficial for your brain.

Practising the art of reading is good for your brain as it keeps your language awareness fresh and focuses your mind. Learning and reading go hand in hand, from taking on board a new DIY skill to getting enough vocabulary to be able to have a conversation while on holiday.

Fiction Is Satisfying

Although I just outlined a lot of non-fiction texts that you may enjoy, I cannot shout loudly enough about how wonderful fiction can be. I went through a period of not reading much in my teenage years and while at Uni but as soon as I started to reintroduce reading for pleasure back into my life I realised just how much I had missed it. Now I have a massive TBR pile of stories that I cannot wait to become invested in.

We all remember being read to by our parents or when we were at school. Most of my friends agree that being immersed collectively in a good story is a magical thing. Teachers are brilliant at putting on character voices and discussing the issues in a story as turning points come up. My love of stories definitely stems from being read to as a child.

Reading fiction opens up other worlds and builds your imagination. Creative people get a lot of inspiration from reading widely. It also helps to develop your own literacy and increase your vocabulary which comes in handy when writing reports, letters, persuasive texts and in everyday life. Reading becomes satisfying when you discover great writing talents and allow yourself to get lost in literacy.

Today I just wanted to start a conversation about how important reading is. Please comment your own thoughts on this below. Here is a previous feature that I wrote about reading. If you enjoyed this post, perhaps consider following my blog for similar content.