Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
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I read this book at the same time as some friends of mine read it with a book club, and it certainly sparked some interesting discussions! I feel like this is described as a love it or hate it book, but I am firmly in the middle. There is a certain level of hype around this book that I've noticed, and unfortunately I personally didn't feel it quite lived up to this. However, I adored the characters, and the character development you saw in the book, but could've done with so much more! I'm really interested to read the second book in the series, and can't wait to see the direction it's been taken.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
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Overall, I enjoyed The Bluest Eye. I was driven to exploring Toni Morrison as an author after reading about her in A History of the World in 21 Women (Jenni Murray), and decided to start with her first book. The story is a brilliant insight into life as a black person in post-depression 1940s Ohio, and allows for appreciation and understanding of a black child growing up in this era through the eyes of Pecola, Claudia, and Frieda. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing in this book, as it felt a little jumpy and I struggled to follow at times, having to read a couple of passages more than once. Despite this, I would recommend this to absolutely everyone, as the insights gained from reading this are honestly second to none.
Content warnings: abuse, rape, and racism
Chosen by O.M. Faure
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Honestly, I'm not completely sure how to feel about Chosen. I picked it up because I loved the premise of the book, and I adored the cover (look how beautiful!). I think it's classified as a thriller with an element of adventure, but I would argue it's more of a sci-fi adventure than a thriller. It definitely raises some interesting points about climate change, overcrowding, racism, and the future of the planet, but part of me feels that Faure is trying to cover too much. It is very detailed, and I appreciate Faure's writing style as similar to that which I have loved in other novels, but I think this probably would be a lot more exciting and fast-paced if some of the extra detail was cut out. I've also seen comments that this is one book split into three to create a trilogy, and I can completely see that just from the first book. I don't think I'll be reading the other two. It's a very interesting concept, but, as I said before, it covers too much, and none of it in depth enough for it to be worth further exploration.
Content warnings: racism, murder, political discussions
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