I’m on my way to grade AP Research Academic Papers for the College Board, so don’t get excited. I’m not going anywhere terribly exotic, but I AM gonna earn some money this week, so yay!
I’m halfway through book 1 of my 40 book challenge, so I thought I’d write a bit about it. I wasn’t totally expecting to like Isola, by Allegra Goodman, but the premise was interesting to me, so I bought it at some point last year. I do enjoy learning history through fiction (and musicals), and I had never heard of Marguerite de La Rocque before. Honestly, I’ve heard people say this book is slow at the beginning but picks up at the halfway point. I understand that perspective, but it hasn’t been like that for me at all! The writing is beautiful, and it almost feels biblical in terms of how the voice and atmosphere sound. This is yet another book in which we learn that women have basically had no power or agency in their daily lives throughout history, but the story is still grabbing me. This is not a spoiler, because it’s in the blurb about the book, but where I am now is just past halfway, and Marguerite has just been left on the island. And winter is coming. I did enough googling to know she doesn’t die right away, so I’m super interested to see how she survives. I have always found survival to be a very compelling theme (thanks, Hatchet), so I remain VERY into this book.
As for my challenge, yesterday was the first day so far where I pushed the rule of “I have to read at least a little bit every day” to its limit. I read 1 (one) page. Not because of anything wrong with the book, but because I’m currently going through the worst neck pain I’ve ever experienced (it might actually be the worst pain I’ve ever experienced). I’m on a bunch of painkillers right now because I had to drive myself 2 hours to the airport earlier, but I know very well from the three days previous to this that once those wear off, the throbbing is going to start again. I wish I could say I knew what had caused this so I could never do it again, but it truly came out of nowhere. So anyway, moving at all just took it out of me yesterday, which is why I only managed one page. It turns out, you use your neck a lot. Like, for every movement.
Very much hoping the pain goes away at some point this week while I’m working. And looking forward to reading more Isola as a means of escaping the misery of flying for the next couple of hours.
Extra credit Audiobook: almost done with Cleopatra, by Saara El-Arifi. I’ve really been enjoying it! The audio is narrated by Adjoa Andoh (AKA LADY FREAKIN DANBURY), and she’s perfect. I’m learning history from this book, too. I swear I’ve learned more about Egypt and Rome and their surroundings from this book than from any history class curriculum I can remember.
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