summer reading roundup
in the business of misery (minus one book)
Piles of Halloween candy are currently creating a sugar fortress on the outer edge of every grocery store. We had our first rainy day of the season in LA this week. All this to say: we are undeniably deep into October. I pretended it was an endless summer as long as I possibly could.
Now I’m bundling up and doing a seasonal retrospective.
I decided to pivot towards fiction this summer as I spent the spring months on a non-fiction kick. I started on a high with The Ministry of Time and spent the rest of my summer chasing that (literary) dragon.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
The Ministry of Time is Kaliane Bradley’s debut novel. And what a debut it is! I was immediately hooked.
This sci-fi romance follows the life of a government employee (hang on, it gets more exciting) who works for the secretive branch of the British gov known as The Ministry of Time. She is charged with the task of befriending and integrating an ‘expat’ time traveler into modern life. The expat in question is Lieutenant Graham Gore, pulled into the future from a doomed Royal Navy mission in the Arctic Circle in 1847.
There’s tons of humor in witnessing Graham’s adjustment to life in modern London; he handles it as well as a Victorian Naval Officer possibly could. What adds a layer of interest to this story is the fact that Graham Gore was a real person in history, who was actually on the doomed Franklin Expedition. This book brings about an alternative ending to a life cut tragically short.
If you’re into either romance or time travel stories, I’d highly recommend. If you fall into the shaded area of the Venn diagram featuring the two, sprint to your nearest bookstore or library.
For those inspired to read it, I’d watch this short doc about The Franklin Expedition before or after. Even if you don’t plan to read this book, you can still watch it in the spirit of spooky season.
Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household
I procured and read Rogue Male as a companion piece to The Ministry of Time. Victorian ‘expat’ Graham Gore reads this book seven or eight times during his adjustment period to modern life. His copy of the novel actual becomes a pivotal plot point in the story as well.
It’s a spy thriller that was published in 1939. It was suspenseful, beautifully written, and made me nostalgic for a time I never experienced. I could see why Graham Gore went wild for this one.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
Cleopatra and Frankenstein is Coco Mellors’ debut novel. It captures the lives of a miserable age-gap couple composed of Cleo, a young British painter, and Frank, a middle-aged American ad guy.
The novel opens with Cleo and Frank’s first electric meeting on New Year’s Eve in NYC. From there, we are captive to the roller coaster ride of their tumultuous relationship. Thanks to Mellors’ narrative switches, we also get glimpses into the lives of the eclectic artist friends who surround them.
I read Blue Sisters last November and loved it, so I had high hopes for Cleopatra & Frankenstein when it was selected for Your Friendly Obsession’s book club. Prior to starting, I became somewhat suspicious due to this blurb on the cover:
“A debut novel of love and privilege that’s made for TV.”
Is that not a bit insulting? Aren’t debut novels generally made for… reading? But as I delved into the melodrama I kind of understood the backhanded compliment. The story has the millennial-centric sensibility of shows like Girls (Lena Dunham) and Gossip Girl. It also featured a character seemingly copied / pasted from Fleabag. Because this novel inhabits an aesthetic universe with which I’m already familiar, it felt somewhat cozy to me despite the through line of misery.
If you are only intending to read one Coco Mellors novel, I say go for Blue Sisters.
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
I picked this book up in Paris earlier this spring. I have a huge blind spot when it comes to the classics and am trying to remedy this, slowly but surely. This felt like an apt choice, as Baldwin was one of the most notable American expats and writers who lived in France this past century.
The prose is gorgeous. I started reading after I’d flown home - Baldwin’s descriptions of Paris were a tonic for the post-vacay blues. As I read on I felt like I was still strolling around the city’s arrondissements.
The story itself I can only describe as tragique. Giovanni’s Room is a tale of love and loss between an expat couple comprised of the American narrator and the eponymous Italian stallion, Giovanni. The highs of their romance are high. The lows are chilling.
I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a doomed romance.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
In Big Swiss by Jen Beagin we meet Greta, a transcriptionist living in a dilapidated Dutch farmhouse in the Hudson Valley. She has the juiciest job ever: transcribing therapy sessions between the local sex therapist, Om, and his various clients.
Greta is enchanted by the voice of one of Om’s clients, whom she nicknames Big Swiss. She eventually bumps into Big Swiss in real life; chaos ensues.
Although Greta struggles with depression, and Big Swiss has experienced serious trauma in her past, they’re a fairly joyful pair. The fact that Greta knows far more about Big Swiss than she is contractually allowed to let on adds tension and humor to their dalliance.
If you are a fan of All Fours, or enjoy the art of eavesdropping, or are generally annoyed by therapy speak, then Big Swiss might be for you.
Until next time. I’m currently reading The Safekeep for YFO’s book club. I also started Martyr!
What did you guys read this summer? Would love to hear in the comments.