Recent Reads- Summer 2020

“Recent Reads” is a series that I do where I discuss the books that I’ve read recently, give a small review, and share my thoughts. I find it difficult sometimes to write a full review of every book I read because I don’t always have a lot to say, but sometimes I still want to discuss my thoughts. Anyways, here are some of the books that I’ve read recently.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

This play follows Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, seeking revenge on his uncle for murdering his father and stealing the crown.

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

A lot has been said about Hamlet before, it’s one of Shakespeare’s’ most popular plays, and deservingly so. The writing, as in all his works, was intricate and taut with emotions. The play felt like it flowed perfectly to meet it’s ending, even with all the complexity of the plot. (Hamlet was kidnapped by pirates in the middle and I wouldn’t even consider this as one of the top ten significant things that occurred.)

Overall, I absolutely loved this play, (5/5 stars) and it’s definitely my favorite of all the Shakespeare I’ve read.

Emma by Jane Austen

This novel follows Emma Woodhouse, a matchmaker helping her friend Harriet find a husband while also slowly falling for the man that she’s trying to set Harriet up with.

“You must be the best judge of your own happiness.”

This was the second novel I read by Jane Austen (I have previously read Pride and Prejudice), so the writing, which at times can be quite convoluted, felt easier to grasp as I had become more familiar with her style.

Clueless had been a favorite movie of mine for a while, so my expectations when beginning this novel were quite high, and it definitely met them. I loved Emma’s character, her determination and wit were very enjoyable to read about. Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.

Alexander The Great by Anthony Everitt

This is a biography of the life of Alexander III of Macedon.

“When someone asked him: ‘To whom do you leave the kingdom?’ he replied: ‘To the strongest.'”

I have not read any other biographies on Alexander the Great so I can’t say how it would compare to others, but I did enjoy this one. It wasn’t too long but it was still packed full of details on his life. The book didn’t solely focus on Alexander’s campaigns, but also discussed the culture of Macedonia, his parents’ lives, and his childhood, to set the scene on how Alexander rose to power.

Overall, the writing was nicely paced and I thought this was a great overview of the conquerer’s life.

These are just three of the books I’ve read recently, but I would love to hear what you have read recently or what you think of any of these books if you’ve read them.