47) The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman 48) Atonement

Apologies for my rather long absence; I haven't been doing much reading recently aside from articles for uni as I've got out of the habit of reading for half-an-hour-or-so before bed, which I really must start doing again.

47) The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postman by Denis Thériault

 Ever wondered if your postman read your postcards?

I chanced upon this book in Daunt Books, a lovely bookshop in Marylebone, London, with books organised by the country where they are set, and my mum has since told me that my grandpa used to work there! This book wasn't actually in the travel section, and I must admit to being caught out by it's cover into thinking that it was set in Japan; in fact it is set in Montreal, although there are Japanese aspects to the narrative.  This is a very whimsical narrative, and if you enjoyed The Elegance of the Hedgehog (also originally written in French), then you will appreciate the eccentricities of Bilodo's life. The concept of a postman who lives through the letters of others is a fun one, and  I thoroughly enjoyed the many beautiful haiku, which Liedewy Hawke did a very good job of translating. Overall a very different book, but a thoroughly enjoyable one.


48)  Atonement by Ian McEwan

This is my second time studying this novel (it was also one of my set texts at Sixth Form) but I enjoyed reading it as much as ever, if not more, for the new perspective which The Girl in the Book module has lent me. McEwan does a brilliant job of personifying a variety of characters at different point in their lives, but particularly Briony, both in her childish naivety and her adult repentance. This novel shows how consequences are like ripples spreading out across a lake; one small action can have huge after-effects that remain long after the original splash. Definitely one to read if you haven't yet, and I also highly recommend the film.