Books I Read During Lockdown
Hi guys!
Since the beginning of lockdown in 2020, I have been spending my free time reading a lot more, as well as watching some adaptations of some novels and series.
Books:
The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire.
I have read all but one of the books in the Wayward Children series, excluding the most recent release. This series is a YA fantasy series that is based around children who have visited another world, such as Wonderland or Narnia. Each book focuses on a different protagonist and their personal experiences in their other world.
Each book is around 200 pages long and is a completed self-contained story, yet I would still highly recommend reading these novellas in order of publication as there are a few recurring characters.
Some of the themes that are featured in this series are letting children be children yet still understanding that they themselves understand far more 'adult' concepts than many believe. Another is about not forcing children to fit the mold you believe they should fit into; children are individuals and should be allowed to be such. One book specifically explores the theme of same-sex relationships and how accepting children are of such relationships.
Personal Favourite/s in the series: Down Among the Sticks and Bones, In An Absent Dream
Mistborn: Era One by Brandon Sanderson
In my personal library I have almost an entire shelf dedicated to Brandon Sanderson and I own a physical copy of many, yet not all, of his novels.
Though the Mistborn trilogy wasn't the first Sanderson books I read, I found that they drew me even more towards his works as well as helping me better my own writing in the process.
Mistborn currently has two different eras.
Era One follows our main protagonist Vin who is a misting, an individual who can turn ingested metals into enhancing or deprecating properties of ones self or others. However, Vin is not simply a misting, she is a Mistborn. A misting can only ingest and use one metal, whereas Mistborns can use all.
Throughout the trilogy we follow Vin as she navigates her life as a newly discovered Mistborn and her newfound misting crewmates.
The themes that I discovered in this series are: dealing with loss, mental illness, addiction, found families, personal growth, trust in others and yourself, standing up for your beliefs. Some of these themes are present throughout all three novels, whereas some only feature in one or two. Through these themes, Sanderson presents to the reader how many deal with the same issue in many different ways, some of which are extremely unhealthy such as addiction.
Era Two, the era that I in fact own yet have not read, is set around 300 years after Era One and follows the characters of Wax and Wayne, mistings. Due to my lack of knowledge on this era, I would recommend visiting The Coppermind website which will be linked at the bottom of this post.
Personal Favourite/s in the series: The Hero of Ages
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Another Sanderson book, what a surprise! I found that during lockdown, I wanted to read books that focused on fantastical elements that would take me out of the current situation I was facing in my own life. Even though fantasy is my most read genre, I found my self gravitating towards it even more during this period.
Warbreaker follows two sisters, Siri and Vivenna, daughters of the King of Idris. Both have been raised to fulfil the future that was chosen for them. However, when the day arrives for Vivenna to leave and marry the God King of Hallandren and has been bought up for such, it is decided that Siri is to be sent in her place.
Throughout the novel you watch as both sisters explore the new lives that they must lead and how this choice on their fathers part will change everyone's lives forever.
I find this magic system rather difficult to explain, therefore I will again direct you to the Coppermind website for all the information you could need.
One of the themes Sanderson presents in this novel is the idea of 'forced future' and how even a slight change in such plans can flip someone's life completely, be that for better or worse. Another theme that I found interesting in Warbreaker is how extreme the difference can be between expectation verses reality, in this novel it is in reference to a person based of his reputation.
The Stormlight Archive (Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer) by Brandon Sanderson
More Sanderson, of course. After reading and loving the Mistborn trilogy and his standalone, Warbreaker, I decided to dive into his most famous work The Stormlight Archive.
As of writing, I am half way through Oathbringer, the third novel in the ongoing series. Though this is possibly the series that Sanderson is most well-known for, it is definitely not the place I would recommend starting. Sanderson himself has made a video discussing the best place to start with his works that is posted on his YouTube channel, which I will link at the bottom of this post.
The series follows a vast array of characters yet there are three prominent ones: Kaladin, Shallan and Dalinar. Again I do not feel that I will be able to do justice to this series through any explanation and will, again, direct you towards Coppermind for such information.
The learning curve for this series ad it magic system is complicated to say the least, and I would not recommend this series for beginner fantasy readers.
The Stormlight Archive is a fantasy series of epic proportions and is a must read for any experience fantasy lovers and SanderFans.
It is, in my opinion, impossible to choose a favourite book in this series, not only because it is ongoing, but also due to the vast over-arching plot throughout the Stormlight Archive.
Some themes that are presented in this series is mental illness and the healing of such, addiction, heroism and personal growth and found family. The theme I found to be the most prevalent so far in the series is that of found family in Bridge Four.
Shows/Movies:
In terms of TV and movie adaptations, the one that comes to mind first is the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, featuring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen in the starring roles. Before viewing this movie I had seen the BBC miniseries from 1995 and, therefore, believed that I had already watched the superior adaptation. However, I was surprisingly mistaken.
Though the movie was unable to adapt every aspect of the movie that the miniseries did, due to the time restraint, I found that it portrayed the attitudes and mannerisms of the character more accurately than the series was able to. Though Colin Firth was an amazing Mr. Darcy, there was something about Matthew Macfadyen's portrayal of the character that stuck with me after watching.
I still firmly believe that the miniseries is a wonderful adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, however the 2005 movie better portrayed the characters and tone that Janeite's fell in love with in Austen's writing.
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