The Bibliophile's Compass

Title : Reluctant Immortals Author : Gwendolyn Kiste Publication Year : 2022 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Fantasy, Vampire, Gothic, Retelling Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : It’s almost sundown in Los Angeles, and Dracula’s ashes won’t shut up. I have mixed feelings about this book, primarily due to my personal preferences when it comes to style and genre. You might wonder why I picked it up, especially since horror, fantasy, and modern vampire stories aren’t typically my favorites. However, this book offers a fresh retelling of two classic tales from the perspectives of unvoiced or silences female characters—Lucy and Bertha—from Bram Stoker's “Dracula” and Charlotte Brontë's “Jane Eyre.” It's hard to resist reading something that gives a voice to often overlooked women in literature! My ambivalence comes from a couple of reasons. First, I personally shy away from fantasy and horror, and I prefer to watch them on the screen, of course those that a...

Title : Small Things like These Author : Claire Keegan Publication Year : 2015 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction Source : Book (thrifted in the UK for 2 pounds) Opening Sentence : In October there were yellow trees. Then the clocks went back the hour and the long November winds came in and blew, and stripped the trees bare. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan tells the story of Bill Furlong, a decent coal worker, husband, and father of five daughters. The narrative focuses on Bill’s dilemma about whether to act when he witnesses injustice and trauma inflicted on poor women by those who are supposed to represent God. This experience prompts him to question who he is and what he should do—if anything at all. Despite being a kind and decent man, he grapples with the warnings from those around him and ultimately chooses to act according to his moral principles. The book is short, easy to read, and based on historical events, prompting readers to co...

Title : Grief Is the Thing with Feathers Author : Max Porter Publication Year : 2015 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary Fiction, Poetic Prose, Postmodern Source : Book Opening Sentence : There’s a feather on my pillow.  Pillows are made of feathers, go to sleep. Max Porter is a unique author known for his distinctive style and structure, which he showcases in his debut novel, Grief Is the Thing with Feathers. This short novel, written in poetic form and narrated like a drama, explores the process of grief and loss through the eyes of a father—a scholar of Ted Hughes—and his two sons, along with a crow. The narrative is deeply poetic and symbolic, which may initially leave you feeling confused about its meaning. The crow's parts may seem elusive, as if its language is beyond your understanding. However, each mythical monologue, dream, and dialogue resonates profoundly, subtly touching your heart without you even realizing it. While this is not an easy read, it is undeniably beautiful. U...

Title : The Summer Book Author : Tove Jansson Publication Yea r: 1972 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary Fiction Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : IT WAS AN EARLY, VERY WARM MORNING IN JULY, and it had rained during the night. "The Summer Book" by Tove Jansson is an absolutely delightful and heartwarming read. It has a charming quality reminiscent of a children's book, beautifully capturing the essence of summer through the adventures of Sophia and her grandmother. The bond they share is wonderfully complex—Sophia can be quite the handful, making their interactions both humorous and endearing. After finishing Harvey's "All Is Song," where two brothers engaged in endless philosophical discussions, I found myself feeling a bit overwhelmed and confused by the heavy nature of those talks. In contrast, "The Summer Book" explores some of those themes, but with a lightness and joy that makes the profound feel accessible and engaging. ...

Title : All Is Song Author : Samantha Harvey Publication Year : January 4, 2012 Pages : 320 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary fiction, Philosophical Fiction Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening sentence : THEY’VE COME, THEY’VE come, he was thinking, and there they were all around him spinning through the darkness, and lighting the darkness. It was all just an illusion, they said. You weren’t ever alone. There is no surprise that Samantha Harvey, a graduate in philosophy, naturally writes philosophical fiction: “All Is Song.” I noticed it received mixed reviews, which made me apprehensive about potentially being disappointed; no one enjoys a lackluster read. However, I’m pleased to report that, at least in the beginning, the book exceeded my expectations. The first 70 to 80 pages were quite engaging, as the story centers on two brothers, William and Leonard. Leonard comes back to London after their father's death and the end of a romantic relationship, embarking on a quest to better ...

   Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh ℹ️  Played out against the snowy landscape of coastal New England in the days leading up to Christmas, young Eileen’s story is told from the gimlet-eyed perspective of the now much older narrator. Creepy, mesmerizing, and sublimely funny, in the tradition of Shirley Jackson and early Vladimir Nabokov, this powerful debut novel enthralls and shocks, and introduces one of the most original new voices in contemporary literature. (Goodreads) 🏆 Awards 2015 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize (longlisted) 2015 National Book Critics Circle Awards (finalist) 2015 Shirley Jackson Award (finalist) 2016 Man Booker Prize (shortlisted) 2016 Crime Writers' Association Awards (shortlisted) 2016 Gordon Burn Prize (shortlisted) 2016 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel (won) 2017 Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize (longlisted) The Green Road by Anne Enright ℹ️ The novel concerns the lives of the Madigan family - four children and their moth...

Title : Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls Author : David Sedaris Publication Year : 2013 Pages : 275 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Essay, Humor Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : One thing that puzzled me during the American health-care debate was all the talk about socialized medicine and how ineffective it’s supposed to be. After reading "Me Talk Pretty One Day," I found myself approaching this book with high expectations, and it didn’t quite resonate with me in the same way. I read that Sedaris was inspired by a fan’s suggestion to explore his inner feelings, and while I appreciate the intention, I felt that some of the content leaned more towards a rage-talk rather than comedy. The essays certainly convey a strong sense of emotional depth, revealing his experiences and perspectives, especially regarding his family dynamics. At times, I felt uncomfortable with how he was treated as a son or how narrated some stories. Sedaris does manage to highlight othe...

Title : The Wilderness Author : Samantha Harvey Publication Year : 5 February 2009 Pages : 372 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary fiction Source : eBook Awards : AMI Literature Award (won), Betty Trask Prize (won), Guardian First Book Award (shortlisted), Man Booker Prize (longlisted), Orange Prize for Fiction (shortlisted) Opening sentence : In amongst a sea of events and names that have been forgotten, there are a number of episodes that float with striking buoyancy to the surface. There is no sensible order to them, nor connection between them. I believe Samantha Harvey captures the essence of the entire book and the experience of Alzheimer's disease within the very first sentence. I must warn you that “The Wilderness” is not an easy read, but if you persevere, it opens up—and in some ways closes—many perspectives on Alzheimer’s disease, both for those who suffer from it and for the caregivers of these patients. To summarize, “The Wilderness” tells the story of Jake, who ...