December and Christmas Reading 2020
I read a total of six books in December, and started a seventh on New Year's Eve (Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory). My completed books were Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, The British Library anthology A Literary Christmas, Hilary Mantel's Bring up the Bodies, John le Carré's The Constant Gardener and C.S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew. As you can see, I read a number of Christmassy reads as well as what may be considered childhood books in the month of December, which I always like to do around Christmas time. Things were a little different this year with the restrictions and trying to squeeze in a trip to see my parents before the inevitable national lockdown, so I felt that I wanted some easier reads thrown in with my normal quota. See below picture of me in a happy reading spot!
I've already posted a full review of Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger on my blog (the last post if you'd like to have a read!), so I'll crack on with some short reviews of the other books I read. For the past few years I’ve made it a tradition to read Dickens’ A Christmas Carol over the festive period, and it couldn’t be a more heartwarming and cosy book. The classic novella tells the well-loved story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the grumpy and miserly old man who is visited by three spirits, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, who teach him the meaning of being charitable. He is shown visions of the man he one was, the man he is now, and the person who he will become unless he changes his ways.
This is a short little book which has some really terrifying scenes, especially for children! Aside from that, Mr Dickens could definitely teach us all something today. More than ever, surely this is the year to be that extra bit giving, that extra bit patient and that extra bit loving. In the circumstances it would be easy to be a humbug but we could all use all the Christmas spirit we could get!
Next up is this beautiful anthology from The British Library, A Literary Christmas, which is the ultimate Christmas treat which I have immensely enjoyed for the past few years. It comprises poems, short stories and prose extracts relating to the festive season, with favourites such as Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë, Christina Rossetti and Thomas Hardy.
⠀I also read the second book in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy, Bring up the Bodies. I read Wolf Hall back in November and really enjoyed it, though I found it a challenge. The second book was more action-packed for sure, and detailed the downfall of Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. The first book focuses on the decline of Catherine, and the annulment of Henry’s first marriage, in order that he can marry the beautiful and fierce Boleyn. Yet soon he has tired of this second partnership, whilst rumours of her gross infidelity circulate the court, and she is soon condemned to the tower before her execution.
Again the novel zooms in on Cromwell, now Master Secretary to the King’s Privy Council, who is a slightly more likeable protagonist in the second book. I found the first book a little slow and dense at times and there was not a whole lot of action, so this second more action-packed novel was welcomed. It’s nice to not have to keep flicking back to the extensive cast of characters once you become familiar with who’s who, and I really settled into the story and the people within it.
Once again, this is a very narrow view of events which occurred, and does not show Boleyn’s stance or defence. It would be interesting to read a novel focusing on her side of the story alongside this for comparison. Considering I was pretty terrified of this trilogy after being put off in my first year of university, I’m so pleased to be enjoying it so much and cannot wait to read The Mirror and the Light! ⠀
Following the recent passing of John le Carré I got to thinking that I, shamefully, hadn’t read any of his novels. One book of his I did own but hadn’t picked up yet is The Constant Gardener - I have loved the film adaptation (partly due to the fact it stars Ralph Fiennes) for a long time so I thought that reading it was well overdue. It’s safe to say that the book is pretty much always better than the film but in fairness, the adaptation of this one is pretty bloody good!
The novel follows British Diplomat Justin Quayle in Nairobi, Kenya, who is informed that his activist wife Tessa has been killed whilst travelling in a remote part of Africa with her doctor friend Arnold Bluhm. Bluhm’s body is nowhere to be found and the murder is pinned on him, but Justin suspects that there is more to her death and begins looking into her activity prior to her death. He uncovers documents revealing her investigation of pharmaceutical activity in Kenya, primarily the company KVH who distribute drugs under the name ThreeBees, purporting to treat AIDS. In reality, the drugs are testing a new tuberculosis treatment with severe side effects on vulnerable Africans, with the deaths being erased from the records.
Tessa had discovered that the drug, which had not been fully tested before distribution, is killing many but that the scandal has been hushed. Her close proximity to the goings on had led her to receive death threats and Justin picks up her trail where she left off. The corruption and exploitation Justin comes across is sinister and horrifying, and he soon realised that his digging and poking is encouraging unwelcome followers - he is being tracked and spied on everywhere he turns. This thriller is truly gripping, terrifying and eye-opening and the friendly and kind façade of the criminal pharmaceutical companies is completely gut-wrenching.
The final book I completed in December was C. S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew, after I received The Complete Chronicles of Narnia storybook for Christmas. I really enjoyed the first story and look forward to continuing - I will most likely dedicate a whole post to all seven books once I have finished the collection. If you've made it this far, I really hope you enjoyed reading and would love to hear about your recent reads!
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