What Have We Been Reading?
We asked our current postgraduate students what their favourite books were from their studies last semester. We asked each student what in particular made the text stand out for them, so be sure to read their thoughts and maybe try one or two for yourself.
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, William Blake – Chosen by Alex
Blake’s poetic collections, featuring his own illustrations, were covered in the ‘Romantic Legacies’ option module last semester. We asked one of our students, Alex, why this one was his favourite: ‘I would say how unstable the text is aesthetically, with 9 different editions known to exist!’
What Belongs To You, Garth Greenwell – Chosen by Emily
Studied in ‘Contemporary American Fiction’, Greenwell’s novel explores queer relationships in the unfamiliar setting of Bulgaria.
Emily: ‘I liked the writing style of the author, it felt very fluid. The way it examined the protagonist’s sexuality by looking both at his formative years and his current life was also pretty interesting; it really let you get into his head and understand where he was coming from. Other than that, it was set in Bulgaria rather than somewhere I know well. Looking at another culture through the eyes of an American was a little disarming, but in a good way!’
The Casual Vacancy, J.K Rowling – Chosen by Katie
Rowling’s famed ‘adult’ novel is discussed in the module ‘Women Writing in the 21st Century’. The text explores themes of local politics, social status and the power of community.
Katie: ‘I liked the social implications of the text. Pretty much J.K Rowling showing the need for community and support, especially for the most vulnerable.’
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler – Chosen by Becky
A novel full of unexpected twists, Fowler’s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is a shocking tale of familial love in the most unfamiliar ways. It was covered in the ‘Women Writing in the 21st Century’ module.
Becky: ‘For me, the text explores what it means to be human. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it, but the book definitely takes an unexpected turn which leaves you shocked, and suddenly doubtful of the ideologies you might not have realised you’d been adopting up to that point. It raises some difficult questions, and doesn’t give a simple answer. That’s what I like about it the most I think.’
The First Bad Man Miranda July – Chosen by Tim
From the ‘Contemporary American Fiction’ option module, July’s novel explores the world of Cheryl Glickman, and is an interesting narrative on the issues of gender.
Tim: ‘The first-person narrator is realised in an innovative way, through fantasy, role-playing and by inhabiting the personae of other characters. In this way July charts a trajectory from the postmodern inauthentic to a truly self-reflective narrative of authenticity. The narrator’s voice is compelling and distinctive. Thematically, I enjoyed the novel’s engagement with concepts of self-help, heteronormativity and the transformative nature of love.’
So there you have it, some of our students favourite books from last semester.
Have you read any of these, or are you interested in giving any a try? Would you like to see full length book reviews from us in future? Let us know!