November Books

Just So Happens by Fumio Obata

This Graphic Novel tells the story of Yumiko a Japanese woman who has made London her home, she however has to return home as her father has passed away. The story follows Yumiko on her journey home and how the call of your past and people can be so strong. It’s a simple story but the artwork elevates the simplicity and makes it a quick and enjoyable read.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Often referred to as Shakespeare’s Masterpiece Hamlet is a enigma of a play, and as I am studying it for an upcoming essay I find it all the more intriguing as analysis always makes me appreciate literature more and more.

The Fruit of my Woman by Han Kang

This short story was first written by Kang in 1997 and upon reading it you immediately can see that it is somewhat of a precursor to her most famous novel The Vegetarian. While Kang’s writing style is more lyrical here than it is in The Vegetarian, both tell a similar story of a woman in peril.

Read for free on Granta.com

The Earthquake Bird by Susanna Jones

I watched the Netflix movie with Alicia Vikander in the title role of Lucy Fly and while I wasn’t blown away by the story I was intrigued to read its source material which is indeed better than the movie adaptation and leaves the ending a little more uncertain in terms of who dunnit. And the book also make Lucy’s obsession with Teiji far more creepy.

I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Kim Young-ha

This is a re-read and I am just as enamoured by Kim’s prose and imaginative weirdness as I was when I first read it. It’s a dark little book but a fascinating one. Slightly reminiscent of Murakami but definitely is Kim’s own thing.

The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s Children’s story The Happy Prince is a short read but an enjoyable one nonetheless and it has its heart in the right place…or does it??? One reading of this story could tell you that its about encouraging children to be generous and helpful but on the other hand when you consider what transpires in the short story it could be a treatise encouraging the exact opposite!

Read for free on buk.io

October Books

As You Like It - William Shakespeare

I have always been much more of a fan of Shakespeare’s tragedies (with the exception of Much ado about Nothing) and I have to say that I am just not a fan of this pastoral comedy, but watching the play performed made it a lot more bearable than reading it, which I guess is to be expected but I was expecting a little more. The jury is still out on whether I nailed the essay on it though…

Black and White Photographer - Han Yujoo

This short story by Han Yujoo is available to read via Issuu or Buk thanks to the LTI Korean Library (there are also so many more short stories from Korea available on there for free too!)

The Black and White Photographer follows a young boy who is kidnapped and held in a storage room for a week. In this 20 page short story, Yujoo explores how a young mind would try and grapple with such a traumatic and alien experience.

Tale of a Mad Painter - Kim Dong-in

Another Korean short story that I read on Buk, this one also is a little dark and reads kind of like a Grimms Fairytale. The story is a story within a story, a writer is hiking and he decides to make up a story as he admires the view. The story he makes up is about a painter who is unsightly, and as a result he becomes a recluse, one day he meets a blind girl. I won’t tell you the conclusion as it’s well worth a read.

Walden - Henry David Thoreau - Nearly finished/ might not get to the end because it is oh so dull!

Oh dear. I am most definitely not a fan of Walden, in fact I could indeed say that this may just be the most boring book I have ever had the displeasure of reading. Thoreau is a self-entitled twit, whose occasional moment of poetical flare or interesting philosophical musing is overshadowed by his irritating egocentric narration. Also not much even happens, a whole chapter is dedicated to the hoeing of a bean field! I had to read this for uni and it’s safe to say I will never read Thoreau ever again!

Macbeth Review

Justin Kurzel’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Scottish saga is a wonder to behold and is perhaps the most beautifully shot film that this year has seen. It was no surprise that the film was a contender for the Palm d’Or at this year’s Cannes film festival, however, the surprise for me was that it didn’t win (but then again I haven’t seen the films it was up against).

Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard are perfection as the twisted treacherous couple, their performances are so visceral and poetic it is a pleasure to see their story unfold even though it is common knowledge as to what happens in the play. Macbeth’s ephemeral reign is doomed due to the nature of how he succeeded to the throne, and it is during this segment of the film that Fassbender shines where he teeters on the edge of full-blown madness and desperation that turns him into a tyrannical maniac. Also, Cotillard expertly navigates the conflicted Lady Macbeth who begins the film urging her husband to commit murder and supports him fully in their transition to royalty until she too is consumed by guilt and fear as her husband slowly becomes more demented.

The wild Scottish landscape is so beautifully moody it becomes a character itself which coupled with the sublime score by Jed Kurzel elevates this adaptation of Macbeth to the level of grandiose that Shakespeare’s tragedy deserves. The battle scenes that both open and close the film stood out with transcendent cinematography courtesy of Adam Arkapaw, they were whimsically savage and utterly awe-inspiring. Interestingly the final battle between Macbeth and MacDuff had a twist from the play, instead of the army carrying shields made form Birnam Wood a colossal fire lighted by Macduff brings the ashes of the prophetic trees to Dunsinane Castle which then, in turn, brings a beautiful orange glow to the battle with flecks of smouldering ashes floating stunningly through the air as the men battle to death. In other words, this moment was pure genius while looking gorgeous the fiery battle also reflects Macduff’s line ‘Turn Hell-Hound turn’ as a fitting reflection of the nature of Macbeth’s demonic actions and that he thus must descend to hell for his crimes in this predestined end.

To me, this film was nothing short of exceptional therefore I urge lovers of film and any fellow Shakespeare nuts to see this gem on the big screen as it is not just a film but a piece of exquisite art.

Overall I give this Film: An Infinite amount of stars.