Septembrrrr

Sometimes I wonder if anyone (aside from me of course) is still reading this blog, and why I still bother. Then I realized that I'm not really doing this for readership; I'm keeping this blog because (1) despite the lack of time for it, I actually like posting (as I've been blogging for almost 18 years now); (2) I still enjoy the actual blogging experience (as opposed to just posting a photo and typing these long captions or "micro-reviews" on Instagram) and (3) I'm sentimental in that I'd like to keep this little corner of the blogosphere (wow, I can't remember the last time I used that word) for myself. Look, I even got a spanking new domain when the old one expired and couldn't be renewed. 

Anywayyyy. September was a very good reading month for me because I finished reading two chunky ones plus a slim volume to boot. 

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - 5/5

• This tome was the book club's pick for September. 
• I was hesitant at first to read it (so much that I kept asking our moderator if they're absolutely sure about it) but what do you know, I ended up liking it A LOT and rating it 5 glittering stars in the end.
• Spent many a sleepless night over it; I had a bit of trouble with the names at first (Russians have complicated names and nicknames, heh), trying to remember who is who again (because the narrative kept shifting from one name to another!), but luckily the copy I borrowed from my officemate had a Translator's Note with the list of names and derivatives and nicknames and such. 
• It was written from the third person POV but it didn't prevent the reader from "hearing" the characters' musings and internal debates. They were often depicted as monologues, mutterings while walking long distances or doing other mundane stuff. Detached, but not so. Does that make sense?
• Ah, the moral struggles in this novel! The psychological battle waged between Raskolnikov and Porfiry! The poor plight of innocent bystanders such as Lizaveta! The wide chasm between rich and poor! I could go on and on about the many things I loved about this novel, but what I say wouldn't do it justice. This is canon reading, boys and girls. 

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie - 5/5

• This novel has been in my physical shelf for a long time now. Why I finally picked it up and why now, I'm not exactly sure, but I'm glad I did!
• Lost sleep over this one, as well. I love the dry humor, the brutal honesty, the frankness of this novel. 
• Apart from racial issues, this one also traversed immigrant stuff, particularly in Nigeria: how people attempt to escape local issues (especially poverty) by taking their chances in America and other countries, how undocumented aliens struggle for just the opportunity to stay and eke out a living abroad, deportation, etc etc. 
• I think, apart from the timely and relevant themes of this novel, what I really enjoyed most was the writing. Adichie writes fluently and eruditely, perhaps exactly how I would wish my own writing would be. The fact that she's Nigerian and that English is just a secondary language (I would presume) is truly amazing for me. 

Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri - 4/5

• I've been enjoying Japanese literature for the last couple of years already, picking them up as some sort of palate cleanser after all the heavy reading. This one has been on my radar for a while now so after taking on two heavyweights by Dostoevsky and Adichie, I felt it was time for something light. 
• Light, my ass. Very emotional, if not heavier in theme than the two that it preceded. For a slim volume, this novella sure packed an emotional punch. 
• The prevailing theme of the novella was loss. Take this word, roll around it your head, examine its many different kinds, and take it from there. 
• I appreciated it, though, for what it is. For people like me who see Japan through rose-colored glasses, this was an eye-opener (though not enough to completely turn me off, no). 

Excited for October, pretty much! See you next month!