March '22 wrap-up

March was ALL about the Dylan Thomas prize for me. I wanted to try and finish the longlist before the shortlist was announced but I had a pretty busy month so didn't quite make it in time. I really enjoyed the range of these books though.

This month I read:

Peaces — Helen Oyeyemi

This was my first foray into the wonderfully weird writing of Helen Oyeyemi and I loved it. It's a surreal and beautifully written book, but by the end I felt a little cheated. I enjoyed the ride but was left a little dissatisfied. I'll definitely be picking up more Oyeyemi though.

The Sweetness of Water — Nathan Harris

Wow. This book was huge in both scope and feeling. I found the character development to be really convincing and loved the complexity of their trajectories. The writing is extremely emotive without being over the top. It took me a while to get into but boy by the time I finished I wasn't ready to let go.

Hot Stew — Fiona Mozley

This really took me by surprise. I found Mozley's writing to be so fresh in its contemporary Dickensian rambling nature. I absolutely loved the descriptions and detailing here and was so immersed in this London. I thought this was a really great book but lacked that something extra which would make it a favourite.

What Noise Against the Cane — Desiree C. Bailey I'm not particularly into poetry generally, but was excited to read this as part of the longlist. I found that the formal experiments really added to my experience, and I loved the meditations on nature. I was unsure what to expect but found myself blown away by this powerful collection.

ALSO THIS MONTH:

I've been listening to Charli XCX's Crash. So many catchy songs there! I like it better than her last album and haven't been able to get some of them out of my head.

I watched Bridgerton season 2. As did we all. Loooove how that show toes the line between the serious and the ridiculous.