“Ponti” is not an easy read, often raw and brutally honest. The main characters are flawed human beings, driven by jealousy, ambition and desperation. But if anything, their flaws make them more real.
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Three loosely interconnected stories about friendship, love, loss and hope – and the unbreakable bond between humans and their dogs.
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So often, I wanted to jump into the pages of the book and cry out a warning, grab Vanessa by the shoulders and tell her to stop – and the helplessness I felt as the story unfolded was staggering.
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Set in California, this modern-day tale of Romeo and Juliet is funny, heartwarming and refreshing. I love the Vietnamese representation and the emphasis the author puts on family and community.
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Huma Qureshi tells her journey of self-discovery with clarity, courage and charm. A gifted writer, she fills the pages of her book unapologetically with warmth and affection, and the love that shines through on every page.
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Juliet Marillier has created a rich world full of mystery, magic and darkness, but also filled with hope, love and resilience. Reading this book felt like the Fair Folk of the forest had cast a spell on me as well.
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Building on the first novel, “Before the coffee gets cold”, the author takes his readers back to the little, windowless basement café in Tokyo where guests can revisit their past while sipping their coffee.
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This book, adapted from a play by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, reveals its appeal only slowly, page by page, chapter by chapter, but once you’re hooked, you won’t be able to let go.
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The ten short stories, all set against the backdrop of Indonesia’s vibrant capital, made me want to live inside this book and cure this seemingly endless feeling of homesickness.
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Other reviews called the book disappointing and a far cry from Kawakami’s other works. I somewhat agree with the latter statement, but I’d never call “Ten Loves” a disappointment. I love the premise of the book and enjoyed its quiet, unconventional approach.
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As Sophie Williams so aptly writes, “saying ‘I’m not racist’ is a good place to start, but it’s the absolute bare minimum. Not being racist is the right foundation, but it’s a passive state. It’s not allyship. To be an effective anti-racist ally, we all need to be actively anti-racist.”
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While we are encouraged (or forced) to stay at home, at least our minds can travel freely, so here are some book recommendations from me to you. They may seem random at first as they are not of a particular genre, but they do have one thing in common: they helped keeping me sane throughout 2020.
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By the time I had finished reading this book, it was almost like I had become part of a secret community, as if I had fallen under a magic spell. It was a truly bizarre, yet rewarding experience.
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The author approaches the complex topic of racism with clarity and strong words, but also with a lot of patience and self-reflection. Personally, it was impossible to read this book without being reminded of my childhood and adolescence, when I myself was so often confronted with everyday racism without really understanding it.
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After reading a few chapters, one can already guess how the story ends. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading this book – I did. Perhaps because I knew in my heart that the author would give me a happy ending – and I really needed one.
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After reading this book, be sure to dig out your old Madonna tapes, CDs or vinyl. Sure, you can easily find her music online these days, but that wouldn’t be very 80s now, would it?
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“The Midnight Library” is the book I never knew I needed. I found it especially comforting to read it during a time when the whole world is upside down because of a global pandemic and I struggle with my own winter blues.
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“Momo” is a children’s book that should be on every adult’s mandatory reading list as well. lt inspires us to take a step back, to set new priorities and to rethink our approach to life. Only then we will be fully able to enjoy its riches.
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This book was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Since it is about an era that was so important to me as a fan, it was quite an emotional ride as well – and probably one I’ll happily come back to time and time again.
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In Lenny Kravitz’s memoir, aptly named after his first record and the motto that has guided him through life, Let Love Rule, he looks back at his life with the right amount of frankness and humour.
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