Friday Bookbag is a weekly feature where I share a list of books I’ve borrowed, bought, or otherwise acquired during the week. It’s my chance to buzz about my excitement for books I might not get the chance to review.
This week I’ve got a smorgasbord of environmentally conscious sci-fi and family saga literary fiction on offer. Heavy stuff–but they all look like they’ll have a rewarding payoff. Ready? Let’s dive in!
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
the plot: An anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, and a biologist enter a contaminated zone known as Area X that has distorted everything around it, creating astonishing and beautiful natural phenomena. It also threatens all of human civilization. The four women must strive to survive themselves and each other while seeking to uncover Area X’s secrets.
why I’m excited: I saw the movie adaptation of Annihilation in theaters a few weeks ago and was entranced by its combined sense of breathless wonder and creeping dread. As I understand it, the movie is a rather loose adaptation of the book–the first novel in VanderMeer’s creepy eco-thriller Southern Reach trilogy–but I’m excited to immerse myself regardless.
White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
the plot: Two Korean sisters struggle under Japanese occupation on the idyllic Jeju Island. In 1943, one sister, Hana, one of the famed haenyeo divers, is captured and forced to become a “comfort woman” for the Japanese army during World War II. In 2011, the other sister, Emi, embarks on a journey to find her.
why I’m excited: I think many Americans either don’t know or forget about Japanese colonization and occupation, especially the horrible (and still-fresh) wounds it enacted on Korea. Mary Lynn Bracht is part of the Korean diaspora–she’s an American of Korean descent who lives in London–and I’m looking forward to reading her take on a neglected part of history that continues to have devastating consequences.
Ferocity by Nicola Lagioia
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
the plot: The bloody death of Clara, daughter of one of southern Italy’s preeminent families, is officially ruled a suicide–but her brother can’t let go. The novel plumbs the depths of moral decay and unscrupulous wealth in modern Italy, and is pitched as a thriller that’s a cross between Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. The novel is translated from the Italian by Anthony Shugaar.
why I’m excited: This one is the biggest risk on my list this week. I love literary thrillers, I love weird family sagas, and I’m always looking to read more books in translation, but I don’t know much about this book or its author, so I’m still a little cautious. Here’s hoping that I love it!
The Tangled Lands by Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S. Buckell
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
the plot: A city corrupted by overuse of magic is crumbling and under the rule of a vicious tyrant known as The Jolly Mayor; in the face of environmental ruin and overwhelming decadence, the city’s citizens fight back. This book is made up of four interlinked stories about the city and the uprising.
why I’m excited: Allegory much? This book couldn’t be more timely, and I’m sure that’s intentional. Paolo Bacigalupi is incredibly skilled at turning today’s nightmares into a horrifying (but strangely hopeful) vision of tomorrow. I’m less familiar with Buckell’s work, but I can’t wait to dive into this magical dystopian tale.
What’s in your bookbag this week? Do you have any exciting weekend reading plans? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to link to your own book reviews and blog posts!
That first one sounds so good!
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Doesn’t it, though? Based on that plot and on how much I loved the movie, I can’t wait to read it!
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Annihilation is a fantastic novel, completely weird and creepy and wonderful. be warned though, it is completely different from the movie – far less action, slightly different ending. The book and movie are telling slightly different stories, and they both succeed wildly. I hope you enjoy Annihilation, Vandermeer is one of my favorite authors!
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That’s all good news to me! I love when movies diverge from the book–they’re such different mediums that it’s hard to imagine something that’s suited for one would be perfect for the other. Thanks for sharing!
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Excited to see what you think of the Tangled Lands – that one looks up my alley, and if you recommend it, I may give it a shot!
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I just finished it this weekend, and in short, I liked it but didn’t love it–I plan to publish my review sometime today or tomorrow with more details!
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Haha – I actually found that post and started reading before I saw you responded! 🙂
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Haha – I actually found that post and started reading before I saw you responded! 🙂
It seems like a rough read, and while I can get through some of that stuff, I get easily infuriated by unfairness if there’s no promise of vengeance or redemption. Definitely glad I read your review first!
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