This year, I made a resolution for myself: to read. As much as I hate to admit it, most of the books I read are the ones assigned to me at school, and that simply will not do. After brainstorming for a little, I concocted a plan to help me fulfill my formidable task. Below are the goals I have for every month:
1. Must read the AP Lit book completely.
2. Complete a minimum of two non-school books per month throughout the school year.
3. Complete a minimum of three non-school books per month during summer break.
Per my last article, I decided to continue my journey through Mary Shelley’s The Last Man and Joshua Hull’s 8814. I was initially introduced to Shelley’s novel through a Pinterest post, advertising it as a story about the last man to survive a plague. Having gotten through 30% of the book so far, I must say there is a lack of a world-altering pandemic. Instead, the work focuses more on the relationship between our protagonist, Lionel Verney, and his much more affluent social circle. While the plot is interesting to me, the lack of sci-fi elements in the first Mia Hanuska. A grotesque horror novel, 8814 should not be read right before sleeping. With gory paragraphs detailing the narrator’s descent into insanity as he imagines disturbing black mold infecting everything (and everyone) around him, I definitely pulled my blankets a little higher after turning the lights off. What struck me as a little more than odd was the protagonist’s (an avid podcaster) lack of emotional intelligence in dealing with the alleged suicide of one of his best friend. Instead of taking time to mourn a three decade long friendship, he decides to begin a podcast investigating the death. Oh, and then let’s interrogate Best Friend #2 on Best Friend #1’s recent passing on the first episode.
As April arrives, the next books on my list are Behold the Man by Michael Moorcock and tentatively The Will of the Many by James Islington. The former, recommended by Mia, seems to be a comedic relief in the face of 8814, while the latter will hopefully get me back into my fantasy fiction groove.