Written from the perspective of a van driver, this books tells the manifold stories of Sri Lanka‘s people: returning exiles, aid workers, entrepreneurs, tourists and many more. The novel beamed me right back to 2012 when I first visited. I could see the places in front of me, smell the smells and remember all the great conversations I had with people about the war, the tsunami, the Chinese and the future. What a perceptive and fantastic read.

I was looking for something magic, fairy tail-y and harry potter-y. I got 1000+ pages of repetitive writing, intrigues and incestuous sex scenes.

I was looking for something magic, fairy tail-y and harry potter-y. I got 1000+ pages of repetitive writing, intrigues and incestuous sex scenes.

Enjoyed this fantastic story about an ordinary woman transforming to a rebel overnight. For me, the book is about the surge for belonging and oneness with sth bigger, in a world that is actually characterized by hyperindustrialization, societal norms and social alienation.

Great and short book about an outsider living in the Amazonas area. I think I am in love with Southamerican writers now! Found this book thanks to @Lunakay - cheers for that!

Not my cup of tea 🤷🏼‍♀️

I chose this book because I wanted to read something controversial and provocative. Unfortunately, Submission did not live up to my expectations. The book mostly (re-) tells the life story and struggles of two characters: the narrator, a fictional French university professor, and the actual author Huysmans. Overall, a too overly academic story for my taste.

Loved, loved, loved this book! It was my first Steinbeck and I found it to be a real page turner. I adored how Steinbeck developed this rich story (and characters!) despite (or maybe even because of?) his plain writing style. The bonus: the book is packed with great quotes like is „The free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.“

A book that took me for forever to finish (9 months) and that I initially loved and then fought with and then liked again. The reasons for all this: The unique way of story telling. And just because it‘s so special, I would also recommend it.

„Age is my alarm clock“. Word 😅

Bright and funny from the outside, cynical and dark humored from the inside. A good (yet not great) contemporary and very American read. Thanks @ClairesReads for letting me stumble upon it.

What should you do if you can‘t be angry with god?A great question from the book that well describes the feelings I had when I finished it: anger, sadness, excitement, understanding and love for the characters. What an amazing read, I found thanks to @SanjanaGhosh

This book is about an American scientist who makes her way to Bangladesh‘s tide country to observe river dolphins. Throughout her trip, she observes the fauna, builds relationships with the locals, connects with religion and finally decides to stay. A nice story that, for my taste however, is a bit too slow to pick up and might have been told too often.

A moving novel about the struggles of a Vietnamese boy growing up and negotiating his identity in a foreign country. A harsh depiction of his reality combined with rich meaning beyond the mundane- a book I absolutely loved. Hard, soft and very touching.

I was thrilled when I discovered this book through @Dilara because I have an affection for poetic literature and a personal connection to Cataluña. What a timeless gem; all the words are so carefully chosen! A story about life in the Pyrenees told from different perspectives (from dog to human and ghosts); each of them full of soul. Somehow the book reminded me of Japanese literature (spirits, ghosts) and films, like Totoro.

Romantic surrealism full of magic and brutality. In this book, fact and fiction, past and present, memories and dreams all become blurred and one. The family chronicles of the Buendías reminded me of how we all create and reproduce our own realties, or what Garcia Marquez calls worlds of solitude. A refreshing and unique book I adored reading, also because it comes from a non-western view.

Versatile, entertaining and snackable. A contemporary, pop cultural sequence of snippets strung together - unfiltered, without classification and, literally, without periods or commas. A TikTok to read that makes me wonder: Does it have enough depth? What‘s the impact? Will I even remember having read it?

After reading so many great reviews of this, expectations were high, and especially in the first part, met. Wole Soyinka has a light way of deep storytelling, combining poetic elements and real street talk, that I really enjoyed.

Well, Fromm is a philosopher - so to make his point he derives from aristotle to the bible and from spinoza to freud. I could have done without that part but surely appreciated some of his perspectives on the decline of love in the western world.

A beautifully told story about four lives, their harshness and their interconnectedness. Focusing on the delicate bond of friendship, the book tells us about the unequal distribution of power, the inhumanity of politics and business, and thus our own set of rules, aka the system, we have established and chosen to live with in „peace“.

A masterpiece. Touching, true and full wisdom.