In no particular order, here are some of the books I have read and enjoyed this past year. There are many more I haven’t included, such as a few cheesy romance books I binge-read in early spring.
1. The Bookseller of Inverness, S.G. MacLean.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this foray into a period of history usually a touch too late for me. A fascinating book that is like a love song to Highland culture as it began to fade after Culloden. A solid mystery and compelling, with very vivid, real characters.
2. Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood.
Very different from A Handmaid’s Tale and yet similar in the way it explores the darker sides of humanity and civilization. It starts a touch slowly but quickly picks up pace with a mixture of mystery – what has happened to the world we know and how has this man survived? – and fascination as the horror of what humankind is capable of is revealed.
3. The Last Days of Dogtown, Anita Diamant.
The Red Tent is one of my favourite books, and my second foray into Diamant’s writing was not a disappointment. Part of the draw was its setting, not far from where I grew up in New England. Rather than a dramatic tale, this book is a series of poignant vignettes of lives that slowly weave together. Diamant’s writing is a pleasure to read and it is impossible not to care about her characters as they come together on the page.
4. The Lost Apothecary, Sarah Penner.
This book was recommended to me by a friend who said they thought of me immediately upon reading; indeed I found Penner’s debut novel to be worthy of its awards. I love a good mystery and one that takes place in parallel time periods is even better!
5. Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret, Judy Blume.
My inspiration for re-reading this book came both from the knowledge that a film was being made about it – and one of the actresses went to my high school – and from physically finding the book when cleaning out my mum’s basement. It was a fast read but reminded me why it remains so compelling – even in a very different time period, the characters, situations and emotions remain relevant and moving.
6. A Single Man, Christopher Isherwood.
This book was selected by my work book club and I read it relatively quickly, trying to recall if I had seen the movie that came out several years ago. I was not sure what to expect but I found it to be moving and stunningly written – one of the most poignant and real depictions of grief and love that I have ever read.
7. Strongbow, Morgan Llywelyn.
There was a time in my early teens when I did my best to read as many of Llywelyn’s books as I could, at least those based in the Middle Ages and earlier. As a medievalist, I found this easy read to be very enjoyable. It starkly lays out the shocking differences between the Normans and those they often conquered, and how that clash and mesh of societies could be challenging in many ways.
8. Avalon, Anya Seton.
When I first became interested in the Middle Ages, it was recommended by a family friend that I read Anya Seton and I quickly became a fan. She has an effortless way of combining a powerful story and characters with historical accuracy or at least authenticity. Avalon is not, as one might think, an Arthurian story but instead takes place in 10th century England and follows two main characters: Rumon, a young French nobleman who joins the royal court and begins an affair with the Queen; and Merewyn, a Cornish girl who is captured by Vikings and taken first to Iceland and eventually to Greenland. It is a fascinating take on the many changes in society at the time, and the varying cultures of Anglo-Saxon Britain vs. the still-pagan Scandinavian Vikings. I enjoyed it much more than I expected upon a re-read.
9. House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas.
I am very much not a fantasy person; this may sound odd coming from a medievalist, but I have always preferred stories in a more ‘real’ world, and with less of a fantasy element. This book is the exception – there are angels, demons, faeries, werewolves and more, yet they are less key to the story than the relationships and political dramas. Furthermore, the story takes place in a more or less modern world, and the main character is far from flawless (except perhaps in her sex appeal). Rather she is inherently flawed – stubborn, impulsive, at at the start of the story, frivolous. As the book goes on you learn more and more of her backstory and I became fully invested in her character as well as the agony and mystery of what happened to her best friend. And of course the slow burn of the main romantic relationship. I also read the sequel, House of Sky and Breath, and while I certainly enjoyed it, I felt it very much had a ‘middle book of a trilogy’ vibe in that so many things go wrong for the characters. Still, the continued unfolding of both mystery and love story make me excited for the third book, out in 2024.
10. The Sun is Also a Star, Nicola Yoon.
I devoured this book in three days at the start of the year before going back to work. It was a lovely sweet romantic story but not sappy in the way a more trashy adult romance might be. Instead the two teenage main characters are believable, dry and witty, and both the author and characters are warring with the ideas of romantic fate vs. scientific practicality. In the end, fate wins out but in a very practical way. Highly recommended, just a good story. And also now a film, though I have not managed to see it yet.
My Amazon wish-list was well attended to by family for Christmas this year, so I have a high pile of new books to read, and I am also excited to retrieve from my mother’s house and read more Anya Seton, who I re-discovered this year. I am sure a post reviewing more of her works is due in the near future – her epic romance Katherine in particular. Airport travel necessitated picking up Ken Follett’s recent thriller, Never, which so far I am finding an easy, pleasant read, with enough mystery and intrigue to keep one pushing through the massive tome of 800+ pages.
Happy reading all!
The Wandering Medievalist 