Watson, Levin and Petrushevskaya (3 out of 52) in Back entries: 2013 - 2015

Book 1: Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson (366 pages) is about a woman who wakes up every morning with no memory of her life. Every morning seems to be the same routine of rediscovery - but when she finds that she’s been keeping a journal, through the advice of her doctor, memories resurface. And she may not be safe…

This was a very quick read, most of which took me an afternoon, when I made time to sit down and spend the time with it. I’d picked it up originally as I’d just finished reading a book on the Hanoverian monarchs (which I’m not going to review as I’d finished it a day into the new year and I don’t feel that it counts towards my New Year goal), and wanted a light read. The ending felt a little too rushed, and although the book didn’t “wow” me I could see why it won awards.

Book 2 was The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin (139 pages), the story of Joanna and Walter Eberhart. They move with their young children to Stepford, a quiet town in Connecticut. While Walter settles in right away, Joanna struggles to fit in and make friends. The town’s too “perfect”....

A better read than A Kiss Before Dying, and enjoyable but predictable. I’ve been meaning to read this for a while, and it’s just one of those books that I’m not sure I’ll re-read. Another one that didn’t “wow” me too much.

Book 3 was There Once Lived a Mother Who Loved Her Children, Until They Moved Back In (Three Novellas About Family) by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya (181 pages). These novellas are about three very different women - the poet in The Time is Night finds herself struggling to survive and provide enough food for her grandchild, whilst her two children exploit her. The young nurse in Chocolates With Liqueur fears for her life at the hands of her husband. And a woman commits a heinous act in Among Friends.

A great read. I’ve been wanting to start reading Russian literature for years, and my mother got me on to Petrushevskaya. Definitely recommended, and thought provoking.

Books Read: 3/52.

Last updated December 21, 2015