The Bibliophile's Compass

Title : The Great Carbuncle Author : Nathaniel Hawthorne Publication Year : 1837 Pages : 15 Rating : ⭐ Genre : — Source : Ebook @everand_us Before checking this tale, I assumed it would revolve around a fabulous character, like Gatsby or any literary giant. Spoiler alert: Carbuncle is anything but a character! It is literally carbuncle stone! This story follows a few people chasing the elusive “great carbuncle,” but let’s be real—nothing too riveting unfolds. Instead, we’re treated to a morality tale about how greed and selfishness are bad, and that hard work and determination might just be great for the soul—but don’t always come with a side of success. That’s all!

Title : William Wilson Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1839 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Gothic Source : Book Why did I DNFed this short story years ago? Talk about a colossal misstep. I believe that some books require a certain level of maturity or readiness to fully appreciate them. In this case, we see Edgar Allan Poe mastering the art of the unreliable first-person narrator, who has a 99% chance of being insane, as he tells us how he ended up where he is now. "William Wilson," which translates to "son of will," is the pseudonym of our narrator. He describes his encounters with his double, which is a particularly uncanny experience since this double mirrors him in name, looks, birthdate, and even wardrobe—exactly the kind of roommate you don't want! The double suddenly appears at William's school and does not leave his side. Their relationship is a complicated mix of hatred and love, and it's notable that William is the only one wh...

Title : Second Class Citizen Author : Buchi Emecheta Publication Year : 1974 Pages : 175 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary fiction, Postcolonial literature, Source : Book Have you ever read a novel whose characters invoke feelings of rage and fury so intense that the word "anger" feels inadequate? This is one of those novels that has provoked such emotions in me every time I’ve read it (three times so far). I know that if I read it again, I will feel the same fury, or even more! However, that doesn't mean it deserves anything less than five stars. The ability to evoke such strong feelings in readers earns this novel all the accolades! "Second Class Citizen" by Buchi Emecheta, a Nigerian author, tells the story of Adah, the main character, who faces numerous struggles. Adah has always dreamed of obtaining an education and moving to the UK for a better life, eventually returning to Nigeria. Motivated by her father's views on the UK, Adah defines a singul...

Title : The Man That Was Used Up Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1839 Pages : 10 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Satire Source : Ebook @everand_us What on earth did I just read? And what in the world did the narrator just witness? You think you’ve unraveled Poe’s twisted humor and can roll with the absurdity, only for him to throw you a curveball! This tale follows a narrator who’s determined to crack the enigma surrounding his beloved war hero. He details the Brigadier-General’s anatomy in excruciatingly vivid detail to the point where it feels more like a medical file than a story. But trust me, that’s just the warm-up act! Armed with a veritable catalog of every limb and feature, our narrator still can’t unearth the city-wide mystery that everyone else seems to know. He interviews each citizen, but they all respond like malfunctioning robots, recycling the same nonsensical lines without spilling a single clue. It’s enough to drive anyone mad! You’d think they were all cast...

Title : The Bullet Swallower: A Novel Author : Elizabeth Gonzalez James Publication Year : 2024 Pages : 272 pages Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Historical fiction, Magic realism, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Western Source : Audiobook @everand_us I read “The Bullet Swallower” last year, and I still vividly remember the narrator’s voice! I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, as it adds different layers to the story of Antonio Sonoro and his family, both before and after him. The narrative spans generations, beginning with the biblical figures Abel and Cain and continuing through to Jaime Sonoro in 1964, who is the grandson of the legendary Antonio Sonoro, known as the bandido El Tragabalas. Antonio Sonoro crosses the river separating Mexico and the United States to commit a crime in an effort to save his family from poverty. However, he ends up on a long journey seeking revenge for the death of his companion. Along this journey, we are introduced to the harsh realities of life f...