beelikej | January readings: bookreviews! (Reply)

This year I plan to post bookreviews again. I joined reading community

thestoryinside and for this first bookpost I used their comment template as a guidance for my summaries and reviews. Special thanks to

matchboximpala, my bookbuddy for this month, who went through my bookpile to pick three books that were either written by a male author and/or part of the fantasy genre (read more about genre categories here.

These books were chosen for January:
Less by Andrew Sean Greer, a novel about an American male author who's about to turn fifty. When he gets a wedding invitation from his ex-boyfriend of nine years, he avoids having to go by accepting all the requests in his mailbox for readings at literary events around the world. Traveling confronts him with memories of his life.

Spinder by Simon van der Geest, a Dutch childrens' book about a boy who's telling the story of the fight he is in with his older brother over their secret basement. Spinder is keeping his insect collection down there, his brother wants to use is for his drumming. Ever since their eldest brother died, their mother has been escaping into work and she's hardly ever home. The fight between the boys escalates into full on terrorisation.

I'm still reading A Field Guide to Fantastical Beasts by Olento Salaperäinen with illustrations by Andrew Pinder. This book is unrelated to the famous 'Fantastic Beasts' universe by J.K. Rowling, but rather an independent catalogue of all sorts of supernatural creatures, from fairies to goblins and beyond, exploring the origin of all those beasts. It references to original ancient fairytales, but also current literature, such as Harry Potter.

Spoiler free reviews & recommendations
I would recommend Less to anyone interested in relationships and traveling, it's both a figurative and a literal journey through past experiences and through the world. As a traveler myself, I recognised the mixed feelings of stepping out of the comfort of your own home. At first I had a bit of an issue with the narrator, who at certain times interjects, but eventually this structure does work to the advantage of the story of Arthur Less. I will definitely reread this book in the future, to reconnect with everyone that Arther met up with and to find out if I missed anything along the way.

I was surprised how raw Spinder was; the older brother is really extremely cruel and I was very worried for the whole family. I had bought this book for Children's Bookweek, a yearly tradition I still stick to. I picked it because the cool cover looks like the outside of Spinder's notebook, with drawn insects on the cover. I think children and adults who have had to deal with loss and trauma will connect with this book, it's very direct in dealing with loneliness and emotions. I can imagine some people not being up for a story where there may not be redemption. (No spoilers;)

A Field Guide to Fantastical Beasts is fun and interesting so far. Recommended for everyone who is curious about the backstory to fairytales:)

Other book(s) I read this month
I also read short children's book De Eilandenruzie (the Islandwar) by Jozua Douglas, which was a gift that came with my buy for Children's Bookweek. About two dictators who argue about a bunch of islands and their children who try to stop them from killing each other (no, really). I think it's supposed to be funny and silly but I didn't think it was very well written (and what the hell kind of set up is this story anyway??). Apparently it was a sequel to a series, so I guess it's popular enough among the kids in the Netherlands that the author was asked to contribute to the yearly bookweek. I'm seriously reconsidering my decision to keep reading children's books... even if it's only once a year. "In my day....." *mind wanders off*

J.