THE CATCHER IN THE RYE // J.D SALINGER
★★★★☆
This was a re-read for me. After reading it back when I was just 13, it's fair to say I read it a little prematurely but back then I loved it and it has remained one of my favourite books since then. However, my English teacher said that your love for this book is one that changes with age; as a teenager you will love the character of Holden and what he stands for but as you grow up and experience a little more of life, you start to see him as a pretentious git. I kind of liked that idea but not so much the idea of falling out of love with my favourite book so I was actually a little apprehensive going into this again. I'd like to start by saying that, while during the second time of reading Hold did start to annoy me, I don't ,think I could hate the character that Salinger created. His outlook on life is a strange one but somehow relate able to how I sometimes feel. It understood a lot more of the plot and the story than I did the first time- I can't decide whether that had a positive or negative effect on me. Holden is a character that is a bit of a pain but one that I think, weirdly, we can all see glimmers of ourselves in him and that's the beauty of this book I think.
THE GREAT GATSBY // F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
★★★☆☆
I finally did it! I finished the Great Gatsby! I think it was a book I'd spoke about right back at the start of my blog and each summer I'd give it another go but each time I got side tracked by a book I was just more interested in. But, finally I've done it with a push from the idea of it helping me pas my exams. I don't know whether this would class as cheating but I listened to the audio book instead of reading it and, while I don't if audio books are something I will delve into much, Jake Gyllenhaal's voice for this audio book was perfect. I love that man. I used Audible to listen to the audio book and while I don't think it's worth the money at all, my phone network offered me a three month subscription for just 32 so I couldn't miss out on giving it ago. As for the story, I wasn't a big fan. That didn't really shock me seeing as I'd tried and failed before.I just found it all a little bizarre and I don't whether it was something I was missing but I didn't really understand how events occurred and why; it's a bit vague without spoilers but the story just didn't work for me. What I did enjoy was the setting and atmosphere that was created. At the famous Gatsby parties; they were depicted just as I'd envisioned them and the suspense that built at certain points in the book I did enjoy. I'm glad I've finally ticked it off my TBR but it wasn't really a favourite for me.
WOMAN MUCH MISSED // THOMAS HARDY
★★★★☆
These little black classics are right gems. After deciding to pick up some poetry as another wider reading text, I found these to cover a similar topic to Ted Hughes' birthday letters. But unlike Ted Hughes response to Sylvia Plath's death, Hardy was grief stricken. I haven't read all the poems in this little book but those I've read I've loved and it's led me to learn more about Hardy and his relationship with his wife. I particularly like At The Word 'Farewell' that describes their first meeting and how it was fate that brought them together. I also like The Voice which has quite a supernatural feel to it. Poetry is something you can dip in and out of and I like that about it and I'll definitely be reading some more in the future. If you have any poetry recommendations I'd love to know!
So there's the very educational based Recently Read but I like that it's making me read a little more. If you have any classics recommendations that you think I should read for my exam I'd love to know as it can be almost any classic stories! Also What have you been reading recently?
Hope you're doing great,
Sarah x
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