november book club

great reading month with an in-depth read of intermezzo.

What I Read This Month:

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Summary: This story follows a young woman in the 1950s juggling societal pressures while battling mental illness. Instead of aspiring to be a wife, she dreamed of being a writer. From living in New York City to understanding the tiers of mental facilities, this story is witty, beautiful, and devastating all at the same time.

Why I Chose It: I can admit that in past years, I haven’t been as aware and willing to dive into the classics. This year, I’ve broadened my views and realized the classics are essential and fundamental to the history of writing as a whole.

Rating: 4.5/5

Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Morrison

Summary: This isn’t your average self-help book. It’s loosely a story of a man who decided to turn his life around and what skills, qualities, and perspectives are needed to do it.

Why I Chose It: I secretly love a self-help book because I think it’s a great way to reframe your own personal views - it can be hard getting out of our own mindset.

Rating: 3/5

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Summary: Intermezzo is the story of two brothers navigating their grief journey from the recent death of their father - throughout the process, it documents (from a first person perspective) the relationships they have with each other and other women in their lives.

Why I Chose It: This damn book was like the it girl of #booktok. From Substack to TikTok to Instagram, everyone was reading this book so I jumped on the bandwagon and dove in.

Do I regret it? No.

Was this book overhyped? Absolutely.

My True Feelings on Intermezzo:

This book would have been completely OK without Problematic Peter. And maybe the syntax of the writing.

I understand why so many people loved this book because there were profound moments surrounding the dissection of feelings and emotions within relationships but then another mediocre white man just ruined all of that.

Peter was angry, drunk/drugged and needed to go to rehab for that story to feel complete to me. He was mad at his old girl for getting paralyzed in a car accident (like what in the audacity) but then he couldn’t admit to himself that he was in love with a 23 year old sex worker so he just screwed with both of their heads. Make it make sense.

I would enjoyed a more in-depth look into the relationship between Ivan and Margaret or their relationship with their mother and father or anything else not surrounding Pouty Peter.

All I can say is sally wtf girl.

Rating: 3/5

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What I’m Currently Reading:

Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

Why I Chose It: One of my Substack bffs

Enrique <3

recommended it to me recently and I cannot put it down. Lucille has me captivated.

We all know how iconic Joan Didion is.

until next month.