Week 6
Week 6 has been delightful. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened, but I think that’s the beauty of it. More Mad Men. A little less yoga, a little less running (next week will be painful). I’m on leave this week and I planned to go on gloriously long walks, sleep in until 11am, cook delicious meals… But I’ve been decluttering again, in between playing The Sims 2 and The Sims 4. I’ve managed to read 2 books, so that isn’t too bad, but it hasn’t been the healthiest week…
Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of my favourite authors in the world. I find her writing incredibly deliberate. No word feels useless, every sentence feels carefully thought out. When I began consistently reading again (i.e. reading more than WH Smith novels in train stations), Americanah was the book that reminded me how excellent books can be.
I’ve admittedly not read everything Adichie has written. Purple Hibiscus has been in my TBR pile for years now. I think the reason is that because Adichie’s writing is so intentional, I never feel in the perfect mindset to read and fully appreciate her work. Which is a rubbish reason not to read, but hey ho.
Notes on Grief retells the days after the unexpected death of Adichie’s father during the COVID-19 pandemic. One moment, he was tired and laughing to her on Zoom. The next day, he was dead.
I’m not going to talk more in depth about someone’s lived experiences, especially about grief. That feels strange to me. But I admire Adichie for this book. It was heartbreakingly sad, tinged with guilt and sorrow. Her writing is, as always, excellent.
Rating: ★★★★★
Between the Lies by Louise Ticke
I started this a very long time ago. An embarassing amount of time ago. As I flicked through my unreads on my Kindle, I thought why not give this another try, its easy and clear writing perfect for my tired brain on a Thursday evening as my friend played Red Dead Redemption 2 in the background.
Between the Lies follows Cherry, a family court reporter, reporting on a private children act case. The parents separated, and the mother alleges domestic abuse perpetrated by the father. She doesn’t want her ex husband anywhere near their children. So she geos to court. On the flip side, Cherry has her own experiences with domestic abuse; her father murdered her mother and brother in front of her, then cut her. As Cherry reports on the case, she finds herself getting deeper and deeper entwined in the custody battle.
This book was okay! The writing was very easy, very clear and explained the nuance of family court well. Ticke is a family court reporter herself, and her vast knowledge and expertise is evident throughout the book. I think I have to give it 4 starts for so accurately capturing the acrimony between parents in a custody battle, and the part of children act proceedings that people don’t get to see; how quick everything can happen, how difficult it can be. I think without this, this would’ve otherwise been a 3 star book.
Rating: ★★★★☆