Thanksgiving break is fast approaching. Only two more days until I’m back in Connecticut with my family for some much needed rest. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed and have a home cooked meal with my extended family.
I haven’t been writing creatively as much lately because it is a busy time of the school year. However, I have been making the time to read for enjoyment and listen to new music to unwind. Below are some of my song and reading recommendations.
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood
Although I read this book for a literature class on Atwood and Morrison that I am taking this semester, I thoroughly enjoyed its content and Atwood’s prose-like writing style throughout. Since I am a book worm, I loved how long the novel was because it kept me occupied. The plot centers around themes of female relationships, societal constructions of male and female behavior, bullying, religion, depression, artistic expression, feminism, traumatic memory, the nature of time, life in the 1940s and more.
A brilliantly tragic story, Cat’s Eye follows a girl named Elaine as she grows up in the wake of WW2. Her childhood is vastly unsocialized and unique, since her family moves around often due to father’s work as an entomologist. They spend most of their time on the road, in isolated woodsy areas, or staying in motels until Elaine’s early adolescence.
Upon beginning to regularly attend school, Elaine is exposed to “female” conventions she had not previously known about or considered. Her friendships with women that ensue are tumultuous and full of secrecy and contempt. She reflects on her early life in sharp detail; the novel is a retrospective from Elaine’s present day as a well-known artist.
I found the novel most interesting due to Elaine’s position as an unreliable narrator, the detailed catalogue of her past, Atwood’s poetic language and the dark, complex emotions she is able to convey in her characters.
Moving on to some music I’ve been liking lately, some artists I’ve been gravitating toward are as follows:
- Sarah and The Sundays (if you like Rex Orange County/alternative music)
- Teyana Taylor (for energized and soulful R&B)
- Clairo (for pop-y, light music)
- Social House (if you want something with a carefree vibe)
- Upendo (for unique lyrics and beautiful vocals)
Linked below is my most recent Spotify playlist with specific song recommendations:
The Bucketlister 