Happy New Year!
The first book club meeting of 2025 was Wednesday, and what a way to begin the year!
The two picks for the month were: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman.
The Bear and the Nightingale, based on Russian folklore, is book 1 of the Winternight Trilogy. Perfect for the winter months, this book is an enchanting read, full of atmospheric prose and mystical imagery. Arden explores the complexities of family, identity and the power of tradition through the magical narrative. Overall, this book proved to be a delightful combination of fantasy and historical fiction.
Noughts and Crosses, book 1 in the Noughts and Crosses series, also received high praise. This dystopian novel has repeatedly proven itself to be a stable in the YA dystopian genre. The racial commentary remains as prominent, relevant and compelling as ever, exploring the alternative experiences through dual POVs. The various character dynamics and relationships Malorie Blackman formulated not only elevate the driving force of the plot, but allow for the bonding between character and reader, making those pivotal plot points ever more impactful.
After our discussions on this month’s picks, we decided to have some fun with what next month’s book would be. In order to choose our books, we named 6 books we wanted to read, spun a wheel and let the wheel decide. We will therefore be reading A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park and Legendborn by Tracy Deonn for next month’s book club on Wednesday 5th February.
We hope to see some of you next month, Courtney.
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