"What I can only scientifically describe as ... vibes." If only I could use this exact statement for the reason behind every critical judgment I make forever and ever amen.
For those interested, the first sentence of Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith (the best friend of a Gumption Club member!!) is: “Something was moving in the shrubs in front of Tan Son Nhat Airport.” 👀 I am sure it was meant to be included but that was quite a big stack of books to get through. Thanks for walking us through them Leena!
I think Careless got a bad rap here. It’s a great story about a teenager in the care system, the main character is really blunt and witty. It is slight YA feeling though because of the character’s age.
I had already read sorrow and bliss and absolutely loved it! Has kind of Bell jar/fleabag vibes. I plan on definitely reading the great circle(currently reading it), build your house around my body and the sentence! I will be attempting to read all of them though!
This video feels so full circle for me, it was your reading the prize for women’s fiction longlist video last year that was the first video I ever watched from you, and you have became such a comfort youtuber for me ever since. Thankyou for everything you do 💗
The Island of Missing Trees is AMAZING! It's for sure one of my favourite books of 2021, so it's great to see your excitement for it. I just love Elif Shafak's books. Every year I also try to go through the whole longlist of the Women's Prize, so this video is definitely my cup of tea
I’ve only read sorrow and bliss but loved it! Could write a whole para but the best pitch is The Bell Jar crossed with Fleabag Will read Great Circle and Remote sympathy; and will stay away from Paper Place - apparently there are massive trigger warnings for childhood sexual abuse, r*pe, and other trauma that the blurb doesn’t indicate!
I borrowed Build Your House Around My Body from the library thanks to this video, and it turned out to be one of my favourite books! It was so good, gonna be thinking about it all day now
I just finished The Sentence and it was incredible and I'm sure it will be one of my favorite reads of the year. I had never read a book from Erdrich and I now want to read everything she has written!
Is Ruth Ozeki kidding me with the first line of the book of form and emptiness??? SO GOOD. Immediately placed a hold on it at my local library. Sadly the US cover isn’t as nice as the UK cover 🥲
Went and bought "Island of Missing Trees" purely based on this. Don't think I've read anything by Shafak before but your endorsement was so glowing it swung me.
"The Island of Missing Trees" and "The Sentence" are the first two I bought because they were so intriguing. I've also picked up "Popisho" (a.k.a. "This One Sky Day") because to have a fantasy in a prize like this always seems so impressive (especially after last year's winner being fantasy).
Ooh love this Leena ! I had the same reaction to The Sentence. I love anything about bookshops and prisons LOL. I ordered that and Care Less actually, I am interested in the foster/ care system element. Salt Lick I heard from Eric Karl Anderson is published by Unbound, so it was basically crowdfunded which is very interesting. I also think it's narrated or partly so by a Greek chorus of cows?! I had credit on Unbound so I ordered that too. Ruby & Garnet were the twins in Double Act 🤓
I want to read at least: The Sentence, Build Your House Around My Body, and The Bread the Devil Knead !! If you did happen to read all 16 and feel inclined to share your thoughts… I’d be down 🤓 obvi no pressure it’s a lot of BIG books
I recently read Geek Love because you recommend it from time to time and it was at least as good as you said it would be, so now I trust your recommendations implicitly. 💖 even your first impression recommendations!
We read The Island of Missing Trees for my book group. While I didn't love it (I'm not convinced the author did a good job writing a native-English speaking teenager) there were parts that were fantastic - and we certainly a lot to discuss in our book group!
I'm currently reading The Sentence and loving it! Though I do love the much more colourful Canadian cover ;) A lot of the Women's Prize longlist are new titles to me (despite watching a LOT of booktube) so I deeply appreciate this video
Ok, can I just say that your covers/endpapers are stunning, compared to what I see in Canada. I am currently reading the Ruth Ozeki, and the Elif Shafak, and am looking forward to your commentary!
Love seeing what aspects stand out to different booktubers - your appreciation for novels centred on 30-turning-40 main characters is really cool, and I’ll keep that in mind for books I look for in the future :)
Omg I haven't watched the vid yet, but I love this concept, mainly because when I was looking through the list I loooooved so many of the covers/titles
I really really really have to suggest that you read Ruth Ozeki's first book My Year of Meats as well, it was published in 1998 but it's completely relevant (to the world and your interests specifically).
Loved this video! Has helped me priorities what books I should read as I cannot get through all these door stoppers lol, I’m going to read the sentence!
Wow...I am so in love with your channel!! I actually found it from another channel...Siberia Inside. I'm looking forward for Sunday tomorrow so I can binge-away!
I read The Island of Missing Trees last year. It was one of my favourite books of the year, but I feel that doesn't count. The first book that I have picked up is The Bread The Devil Knead and I am really enjoying it so far. If you read/enjoyed 'The One Armed Sister', I think you will enjoy this!
The Sentence is one of my favourite books from this past year and definitely made my list of all-time favourites. Can't wait for you to read it yourself!!
I have read four and absolutely loved three and couldn't stand one which makes me intrigued to read the rest and see which way they land. Great Circle, Build Your House Around My Body and Sorrow and Bliss were all on my favourite books of 2021 list but I really didn't get on with The Paper Palace. I'm reading This One Sky Day next. Looking forward to seeing what you make of those you read!
The Sentence is an absolutely PHENOMENAL read. I’m obsessed with Erdrich’s work in general, and this particular book is definitely one of my favorites of hers. I thought I knew where this book was going, and I was thrilled to be wrong. Must read!
Not me retroactively watching this after the winner was announced and being stunned that you put 4 of the 6 from the shortlist into your pile and included the winner…
I’ve only heard INCREDIBLE things about Sorrow and Bliss, so that’s definitely at the top of my list, but The Sentence isn’t far behind! Also when blurbs tell the reader how the book is going to make them feel, I ALWAYS go back over them after reading to see how accurate their assumptions are.
I'll be reading The Sentence, thank you! very interested to read books kind of based on the pandemic! I read Seven Days of Us which I thought that they were LIGHTWEIGHTS - 7 days versus many months of isolation/lockdown!
Can't stop looking at the way Salt Lick is upside down in that towering pile. 😆 This was fabulous! 📚✨ If you do get a chance to read This One Sky Day you'll see what a frickin WILD day it is. Like you, I'm really keen to read Ozeki and Erdrich's novels too. And I adored Shafak's novel which includes a talking fig tree. 💕
I really enjoyed The Paper Palace. The blurb makes it sound like a "will they, won't they" about an affair, when in reality it's about her relationship with her mother and sister as much if not more than her husband and Jonas. I highly recommend giving it a try.
I listened to a fantastic interview of Ruth Ozeki by Richard Fidlar on "Conversations" (which is an Australian broadcasting corporation podcast) relating to her book and her own experience with hearing things that are not corporeally there. It's a juicy hour long interview and I can highly recommend seeking it out - I listened while weeding in some dappled shade. Also: That beautiful book spine was winking at me all video.
I'm currently reading the Ruth Ozeki book and though it was a slow start, it's so good so far. I'm 60% through and the writing is exquisite. Also lots about books and libraries which always helps
I loved the Paper Palace! The author has worked at HBO and was involved with the Sopranos and the Wire and I feel like it shows that she knows what a great story is. Beautiful language and she did a great job at intertwining the past and the present! I definitely recommend it!
I'm predicting Remote Sympathy for the shortlist based on the final paragraph of the blurb. Also you've convinced me to add the sentence on to my tbr after I'd already added 6 of the other books 😂
I wish I wasn't stuck in an obssession with The Expanse series right now (all v long books that will take me an age to get through!) because some of these just sound SO GOOD!
Opal and Nev is so fun! I'm still reeling over a plot point in this book a year after reading it. I now some people derisively call books (especially by women) "book club fiction" but this is a book I wish I had read with other people. It's a great launching pad for doscussion
Sorrow and Bliss is a superb book! I loved its portrayal of mental health thrilled it's on the list. Currently reading Great Circle and it's beautiful. Interesting what you said about careless I was intrigued most be it and dont mind the cover. Happy reading!!
The Island of Missing Trees is one of the best books I've ever read. It's one of those books that excels at literally every possible thing. It's entertaining yet educational, historical yet contemporary, it has a great story, great characters, moments of sorrow but also moments of joy and it is so evocative of Cyprus and all the foods and smells and plants. Not to mention one of the characters is literally a fig tree. AMAZING.
I'm most intrigued by Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead, but the cover of The Bread the Devil Knead is also luring me in even if the blurb isn't what I'm normally drawn to.
The premise of Island of Missing Trees is super appealing but the first line put me off a bit. I’m not really a fan of overly flowery language, my mind kind of switches off half way through sentences when they’re like that. But I might still have to give it a go just because of the concept and I want challenge myself
I will probably read the winner (I think it's going to be The Book of Form and Emptiness), but from the long list, I'm really interested in The Sentance, Creatures of Passage and Careless. With The Sentance being the one I would pick.
I would like to read a book not on the list...yet...but one your books Leena! Can't wait to hear your take on these books and see what ones you believe are worth reading.
I'm not much of a consistent reader anymore, but I realized that what you said about being able to write a shorter book, I feel similarly about albums. I tend to find great albums that are around 30 minutes long more impressive than one that's an hour long.
Love the blurb and first line of Book of Form and Emptiness but worry that it wouldn't hold my attention for its entirety, so my pick would have to be Island of Missing Trees.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak is so good on audio book. Each chapter is told by a different perspective and the different characters are brought to life by two narrators. Highly recommend it as a listen!!!!
The book I would pick (and probably will buy and read) would be Ruth Ozeki's book of form and emptiness. I read a tale for the time being and loved it so hoping for a similar vibe. I'm also very intrigued and will probably read the sentence
Similar choices here. Elif Shafak’s Island of Missing Trees and the book of form and emptiness on the wishlist (but oh my that second one is long... so not sure)
I loved a tale for the time being so Ruth Ozeki would probably be my pick. But they all sound super interesting, flamingo may be up my street and the cover is just so fun!
Catherine Chidgey was my lecturer at University. Her novel is STUNNING. Her earlier novels are amazing, especially The Wish Child. Please check it out.
