Simone Reddington

As we approach the end of what has been the strangest year in our lives and we start to get excited for Christmas and the hope of the new covid vaccine, I think that the majority of us would rather forget this past year rather than look back over it. Normally I like to remember all the memories of the past year in December but it is fair to say that 2020 has been very different to most other years. There hasn’t been many memorable moments for us to treasure as we’ve spent more time at home than anywhere else. However, one good thing about 2020 has been that I have had a lot more spare time to read. I have always loved reading, and was a huge bookworm when I was a child but unfortunately I have had less time to read over the last few years early as I became an adult. However, at the beginning of lockdown I set myself a challenge on Goodreads to read 2020 books by the end of 2020. This has been the only goal that I have managed to achieve this year as I am currently on book 22 at the time of writing, with 23 days and 17 hours left of 2020.

So while I can’t post any memories of exciting holidays or fantastic achievements this year, I can share the best books that I have read over the last 12 months.

• Girl Meets Boy (Ali Smith)- This is the last book that I read and it was so good that I finished it within a day of starting it. It’s a love story, as the title suggests, but I promise that it’s not cheesy or slushy as most romance novels. It explores how love knows no gender and uses the symbolism of Greek myths in the modern day setting of Inverness. It’s the most beautifully written book that I’ve read for a long time, and I will definitely look out for more Ali Smith books in the new year.
• Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race (Reni Eddo-Lodge)- The tragic murder of George Floyd this summer started a global conversation about racism and showed how ignorant a lot of white people (myself included) about the inequalities that black people still experience in 2020. Renni Eddo-Lodge’s 2017 book became the first book written by a black British woman to go to number one in the UK book charts. I bought the book last summer as I wanted to learn more about the ugly institutional racism that exists in my own country. It is a very informative and powerful read and it really did make me wake up the injustices that is deeply embedded within British history and culture. I am aware of the fact that the majority of books in this list are written by white authors, and I am definitely going to read more literature by black and other ethnic minority writers in 2021.
• The Happiness Project (Gretchen Rubin)- I ordered this book from the Waterstones website as I wanted to read a self help book to get my life in some sort of order while I was on furlough and lazed around my parent’s house doing next to nothing for 5 months. I don’t normally read books like this so I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading it. It was written by a woman who dedicated a year to work on different areas of her life in the hope of improving her overall happiness. It might not be a book that everyone would enjoy or feel it would benefit them (she was already happily married with a successful career and an expensive apartment in New York, so she had a lot more to smile about than most people when she started her project) and I must admit, I initially found the writer rather dull as she described her interests and hobbies, which were very different to mine. However, a lot of the advice she gave is very valid. Happiness is not always caused by moving away to the other side of the world and it certainly does not happen overnight. I have adopted some her tips on becoming more organised in my own lifestyle and set myself small, more achievable goals that I can complete every day. I also really liked her message that different things bring happiness to different people, so don’t feel embarrassed if you don’t like the cool things that everyone else is interested in. Please note, however, that this book was not written by a mental health expert so if you are struggling with your mental health, as many of us do, I would advise you to talk to a friend or a professional who can provide you with much better help.
• Atonement (Ian McEwan)- This was the last book I borrowed from the library before they closed in March, and I’m thankful to say the local authority did not fine me for keeping it for 7 months after it was due back. I vaguely remember watching the 2007 film adaption when I was a lot younger but I didn’t understand the adult themes and was just in awe of Kiera Knightley’s stunning emerald green evening gown. It’s a very well written book and I don’t want to give away the plot, but it is about a wealthy family in England during the 1930s and how their lives change after one fateful summer in the run-up to the second world war. I still remembered the tragic ending from the summer but I empathised with the characters a lot more so it still broke my heart.
• Becoming (Michelle Obama)- I bought a copy of Michelle Obama’s autobiography as a Mother’s Day present for my mum last year and she really enjoyed it so I read it during lockdown. I don’t know a lot about American politics and I knew even less about the Obamas, but I have gained a lot of respect about the previous First Lady of the United States after reading her memoir. I wasn’t aware that she was a highly successful lawyer in her own right before she met her husband, and I certainly didn’t realise how much hard work and sacrifice is required to support your spouse when he fronts the most highly publicised political campaign in history, and you find yourself married to the most powerful man in the world. support your partner w
• Cleo (Helen Brown)- I read this book in February, which feels like a decade ago now. It had sat on my bookshelf for years as it was one of those books that I received as a Christmas present that I simply never got around to reading and sat on my shelf for ages. The phrase ‘never judge a book by it’s cover’ has never been more true than for this book. It is the memoir of a cat owner, and with the photo of an adorable black kitten I assumed it was going to be a funny, light-hearted read. I was very wrong, as the narrator’s family is hit with the most horrible tragedy within the first couple of chapters and the story explores how the family deals with their grief and how a furry new arrival helped them look forward to a happier future. It’s a lovely heart-warming read that made me want to adopt my own little kitten.
• The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)- I know that I am very late to the party with this book as I remember it being very popular in 2016, when I was in my first year of studying English literature at university and didn’t have the time to read for fun. I picked up a battered paperback copy of it in one of my local charity shops and once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a dark thriller, full of twists and turns, about an alcoholic woman who hasn’t been able to move on from her divorce. She sees a young glamourous couple in their lovely home from the train she gets to work every morning and fantasises about what she thinks must be their perfect life. I really enjoyed the narrative style as it really allows the reader to get inside the protagonist’s mind and understand how easy it can be to become dependent on alcohol as her life fell apart. As I read the book in 2020, four years after it was a best-seller, I found her quite relatable. Even though I am not an alcoholic, I have (like many other people) had my day-to-day life changed dramatically by the events of this year; and I have often found myself yearning for my ‘old life’ before the pandemic and have compared myself to strangers on social media who appear to have the perfect life.