January 2024 Book Round-Up

After what feels like an eternity- January is finally over. I, for one, could not be happier about that, and though the month dragged on it did bring some excellent books my way. So, in celebration of this, here is a little round up of the books I read, and how I felt about them. 

P.s there are no spoilers in this post…I don’t think! 

Book Number One- The High Mountains of Portugal: Yann Martel 

This book was a special Christmas present gifted to me from my friend all the way from Livraria Bertrand- the oldest bookshop in Lisbon. It is split into three separate sections- each following three different characters who are ultimately linked by a small town in the High Mountains. The first section is set in the early 1900’s and follows Tomas- a grief stricken man who is on a mission to find a gift that he believes ended up in a church in the High Mountains of Portugal.

The second section is set some years later, and sees a pathologist visited by his wife at work, who goes on to discuss an interesting comparison between the gospels and the works of the Queen of detective stories- Agatha Christie. After she leaves, he is visited by another woman- someone from the High Mountains, who is demanding an autopsy on her dead husband.

By the time you reach the third and final part, we are in 1981 following the life of a Canadian Senator- Peter Tovy. Another character mourning the death of a loved one, he visits the Institute for Primal Research and, after forming a connection with it, buys a chimo, Odo, to live with him. With his family originating from the town in the High Mountains of Portugal- Peter and Odo up sticks and leave Canada to start their new life there. This section is hard to talk about without giving too much away, but the ending ties a beautiful bow on a beautiful story, all parts included. 

If you like books that make you think, can be interpreted in many ways, and are full of interesting topics- this is the perfect book for you. It is beautifully written and thought-provoking- a true masterpiece. 

Book Number Two- How To Stop Time: Matt Haig 

I am already a fan of Matt Haig, so I did have quite high expectations when I started reading this book and wow were they met. I am a sucker for a story with a bit of a fantasy element, and also a historical element, so the concept of a group of people who have been alive for centuries was an immediate grip for me. 

Tom looks 41, but has been alive for much longer than that- he has performed alongside the famous Shakespeare, traveled the world through the centuries and held many different identities. I love that you get transported through different moments in time, from Elizabethan London to the trials and tribulations of witchcraft, and also introduced to music throughout history too. There is one rule for these people: to never fall in love, something Tom battles with when he returns to London to teach in an attempt to have an ‘ordinary life’: 

“The first rule is that you don’t fall in love…there are other rules too, but that is the main one. No falling in love. No staying in love. No daydreaming of love. If you stick to this, you will just about be okay.” 

The novel explores different types of love throughout the ages too- from romantic love to family love to self love, all intertwined in an incredible and fantastical story. If you are already a Matt Haig fan, or have an interest in historical fantasy novels, this is definitely for you. It packs so much into 300+ pages, more than you realise until you reach the very end. 

Book Number Three - Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley 

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie and have been for a very, very long time. My collection of her books grows all the time, and though I haven’t quite read them all, I don’t think I am far off either. 

This book is a biography by BBC historian Lucy Worsley and in my opinion a must read for anyone who, like me, is in awe of Christie’s detective novels. It covers the entirety of Agatha’s life- from being a young Victorian girl to her time serving as a war nurse in the first and second world wars, her widely successful writing career, of course, marriages, her disappearance that still has many people baffled, and her strong defiance and independence to be a working, wealthy woman at a time where that was truly not the norm. 

It is a glimpse into her life that revealed so many things that I didn't know about her, despite being a huge fan of her novels and one summer visiting her well-known house in Devon- Greenway. 

It also includes snapshots of letters and old photos that are not widely well-seen, and is a truly captivating and interesting biography of a captivating and interesting woman with an incredible talent for detective story telling. 

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This is definitely the most books I have read in one month for a long time, but when they were this good, it was hard to not have a binge read! 

Here’s to more great books in February.