The Bibliophile's Compass

Title : The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye Author : A.S. Byatt Publication Year : 1994 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 288 Source : ebook Genre : fairy tale, mythology, retelling A.S. Byatt’s The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye is a collection of fairy-tale retellings, many of which were originally published as parts of her other works. If I were rating the book based only on the first four stories, I would have gently placed it in the 2–3 star zone, closed the book, and gone off to stare dramatically out a window. I don’t just like retellings of fables, myths, and fairy tales — I love them. But I love them most when they are not dragged into the room by force, handed a microphone, and told, “Now give voice to the voiceless, immediately.” I especially love them when they parody the originals, because parody lets authors roast the past, the present, and possibly the future. As long as I am not the roastee, I am game. The first four stories, however, were… fine. Simple. Quiet. A littl...

Title : The Story of Antigone Author : Ali Smith Publication Year : 2011 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 100 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : retelling, Greek Mythology, Historical fiction, YA, Children Who better than Ali Smith to give Greek mythology a cheeky twist, turning it on its head by letting a crow do the talking and a dog sit quietly, presumably thinking about snacks? In this wild retelling, we, the readers, are mere spectators in a feathery soap opera where a mama crow narrates the story of Antigone to the dog (not us). It’s such an unconventional choice that you might forget you are navigating a tragedy—until you find yourself laughing at the crow's perspective on humans. They seem so dramatic and tragic, yet the crow can't help but wonder how delicious they would be if only they weren’t so busy wallowing in their own misery! After reading a few of Ali Smith’s books, I thought I had a grasp on her quirky style and themes. But just when I felt like I was in the...

Title : The Deal of a Lifetime Author : Fredrik Backman Publication Year : 2017 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 65 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : literary fiction, novella I’ll keep this short, just like the book itself. I listened to the audiobook while trying to stay awake amidst the turbulence of my exhaustion—and I might’ve dozed off about 13 times. When I finally came to, I realized I had accidentally finished it. Oops! From what I can piece together—like a jigsaw puzzle missing half its pieces—it was an emotional saga about a guy who was seriously considering sacrificing his existence to save a random kid. I mean, talk about overthinking things! It's all very touching, but honestly, it felt flatter than my plane seat after a long flight. So, that’s about it!