#9 The End of the Effing World
Am I going to become a doomsday prepper?
I’ve never read particularly happy books but these are especially bleak. My end of year genre list is going to be very revealing.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 4/5
“Once a thing is set to happen, all you can do is hope it won’t. Or will-depending. As long as you live, there’s always something waiting, and even if it’s bad, and you know it’s bad, what can you do? You can’t stop living.”
I have the misconception that I at least know of all the classics even if I haven't read them but that is my ego talking because it’s definitely not true.
This was an example of that — it’s a retelling of a true story written in a narrative way — my kryptonite. It follows the brutal, and seemingly, random murder of a family in a small town.
I loved the story structure of this book — from the get go we know who the murderer is and it focuses on the family victims and the pursuit of the assailant. It delves into the background of the killers alongside the history of the town and the family. A lot of true crime focuses on the criminals and the crime so it’s easier to stomach a brutal slaying as the victims are somewhat detached ; but this story doesn't shy away from depicting the family’s daily lives and the fear and grief that gripped the survivors which is harrowing — but a phenomenal read.
The ending is open to our interpretation which usually irritates me but in this case it makes sense because true stories are really wrapped up neatly in a bow.
The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman 3/5
“You know when you look into someone’s eyes for the first time and the whole world breaks apart and you just think, “Of course, of course, this is what I’ve been waiting for all this time”?”
I succumbed to the constant bombarding that this was an international bestseller — and I wish I didn’t.
It wasn’t bad but it was nowhere near “been on the bestseller list for weeks” good. It’s a simple murder mystery — the characters are probably a better draw than the plot itself. I would’ve rated it a 2 but the characters were so lovable and endearing that it didn’t feel like a complete waste of a read.
It’s set in an old folks home, a contractor assigned to demolish a nearby graveyard is killed and a group of pensioners who are true crime fanatics take it upon themselves to find out whodunnit. It’s trying to be Only Murders in The Building but Selena could never.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 4.5/5
“No more Internet. No more social media, no more scrolling through litanies of dreams and nervous hopes and photographs of lunches, cries for help and expressions of contentment and relationship-status updates with heart icons whole or broken, plans to meet up later, pleas, complaints, desires, pictures of babies dressed as bears or peppers for Halloween. No more reading and commenting on the lives of others, and in so doing, feeling slightly less alone in the room. No more avatars.”
TW: Pandemic.
I had to put that disclaimer because this was eerily similar to the time our lives changed 2 years ago — and it was written before the pandemic. I guess the steps of how society will descend into chaos are rational and logical and just reflect a national progression (or regression) of human nature because Emily got it spot on.
A deadly flu-like diseases spreads around the world killing over 95% of the population, the internet stops, there’s no longer electricity, people form small communities living of the fat of the land. Babies are born and grow up with no knowledge of the world that existed before and adults can only live with the memory of calling someone on the side of the world or using Google Maps.
I loved that it focuses on a few key characters that show different perspectives of their journey from when they found out about the crisis to their current lives — it’s the same vibe as movies like New Years Day or Valentines Day where their lives intertwine unbeknownst to them.
The book is left quite open ended which is frustrating but after some contemplation it wouldn't make sense for there to be a clear cut ‘The End’ for the characters which is both satisfying and heartbreaking.
Are light-hearted books even fun to read?
