These are my final reads of the year and a Top 5 of the best books I read in 2020.

December Books

The Invention of Love by Sara Schaff

This Ok, but completely forgettable collection of short stories was an advance copy I got from Netgalley, and tbh I feel like maybe one story out of the lot was interesting. I feel like recently my reading choices are very hit and miss. Schaff’s stories focus on women, and quite a few of them have no dimensions at all, and some are just completely dull, like the story about siblings trying to sell a rundown house. Yawn.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Das Parfum. Die Geschichte eines Mörders) by Patrick Süskind

What a disappointment. I felt like my expectations of this book couldn’t be further from what it actually was. I thought I would get a creepy Paris set novel that follows a warped murderer as he terrorises the city. Instead, it was a boring story that flirted slightly with the creepiness but felt more like something Flaubert would write (which isn’t necessarily bad in itself I just didn't expect this tone). I nearly gave up when he was in the cave for years, and then the weird perfume induced orgy was a massive eye roll moment. All in all, I don’t get the hype it was a complete waste of my time, and I could probably have read a few other books in the time it took me to force myself to finish this one!

The Englishman by Douglas Stuart

I read this short story by recent Man Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart for the very reason of seeing whether I like his writing style enough to read his award-winning book Shuggie Bain. Short answer, Yes, I do. The Englishman was published in The New Yorker and follows a young gay Scottish man who takes a trip down to London to stay with the eponymous Englishman as part of an “arrangement”. The short story is beautifully written and explores the naivety of the narrator wonderfully. I will most likely be picking up Shuggie Bain very soon as a result.

I Have the Right to Destroy Myself (나는 나를 파괴할 권리가 있다) by Kim Young-ha

This is my 3rd re-read. I don’t normally re-read books very often, but this concise book fascinates me. I love Kim’s writing, his imagination and how dark this story is. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it but be warned it is very dark.

Best Books of 2020

Last year I read 58 books, some of them were short stories (do they even count?) and others were absolute mammoths! Overall, these are the 5 books that stood out above the rest, the books that had me hooked and voraciously consuming page after page.

Seasons of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih

This book was introduced to me through Uni as it was on my year 3 reading list, which I will forever be grateful for as this novel blew me away. It’s dark, unexpected and beautifully written and has helped me expose how ignorant I was (and still am) about colonialism. I will forever continue to re-read this book and recommend it to everyone as it’s not only an important portrait of Black Arab culture in Post-Colonial Sudan; it’s a stunningly realised novel.

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

This book is hardcore sci-fi but infinitely readable that in itself is a feat. I found The Three-Body Problem unputdownable and being a slow reader that can take weeks, months or sometimes a year to finish a book this is high praise. I love how it mixed past and present and how the layers of mystery unfolded as you read on. I have the rest of the trilogy ready and waiting, and I have actually made a start on the next book The Dark Forest.

Heroes and Villains by Angela Carter

I’ve been a fan of Carter ever since reading and studying The Bloody Chamber back in school for A-Level literature. I think she will forever be one of this country’s greatest writers. Heroes and Villains is set in a post-apocalyptic world and reads like a dreamy, nightmarish fairytale.

Untold Night and Day by Bae Suah

This book unravels like a strange dream or a fragmented film where recurring motifs become unsettling and have you guessing where the boundaries between reality and fantasy merge within the narrative. Suah’s prose is also rather magical, and this is perhaps my favourite work of hers that I’ve read so far.

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

I really enjoyed Madame Bovary, and that’s probably mostly down to Flaubert’s wit, and perhaps to a certain degree, the translation by Magaret Mauldon as this book reads very easily which isn’t always the case when it comes to classics. I also think Emma is a fascinating protagonist. She almost feels quite modern the way her imperfections are laid bare and her distaste for the banality of marriage and provincial life.

Honourable mentions: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Naiv. Super. by Erlend Loe and The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.

In a desperate bid to finish my Goodreads Reading Challenge of 50 books, I managed to finish 5 books in December.

Act 1, Scene 1 by Lee Mu-young

Another of LTI Korea’s free short stories that are available on Buk. I decided to read this short story as it is of the pastoral genre and I myself had in the middle of November moved with my family to the countryside so it just felt fitting to read something of this ilk. The story followed a man named Sutaek who gave up his job as a writer in the city to relocate to the countryside of his youth to become a farmer. In the process, he reconnects with his father and becomes inspired by his new way of life.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

I’m still working my way through the series on audiobook read by the wonderful Stephen Fry. I am rather excited by the conclusion of this book as it is a turning point in the series, Voldermort has returned!!! So it’s probably going to be a crazy ride from here on out! Love the writing, as usual, it’s just a fun and easy listen that makes my day a little nicer

Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

The irony of buying a physical book on minimalism is not lost on me. I really enjoyed this little read which I read on Christmas day and boxing day (it was a present). And it has reaffirmed my desire to declutter and minimalise my life.

Love for Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim

Buddhist monk Haemin Sunim’s follow up to his bestselling book The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down is another essential read if you are looking to become a little wiser and kinder to yourself and those around you this new year. This book is like a little ray of sunshine and so unbelievably soothing to read.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This little novel was the perfect conclusion to the year (and the decade) as it deals with the past, and how our actions shape our future. In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Timetravel is possible. But there are rules and regulations that deter most people from partaking, one major rule is that you can’t change the present by going back. But four different characters still go back and by joining them on this journey you are forced to consider your own life and decisions and how you could be at any moment making decisions that affect your future. It’s a heartwarming and emotional read which I didn’t expect when I picked it up at my local Waterstones.