The Summer of 2016's 'To Read': "The Accursed" by Joyce Carol Oates

My reading project for this summer may become a fall project as well, but I have set my mind to go through reading every book on the list. Some changes have been made, but the amount of books to read are still the same. One for each month of the year.

This one, "The Accursed" by Joyce Carol Oates is a worthy and interesting book for someone who is interested in a well-written novel with 'historical' elements and an author who is always a bracket away. The story of a woman who suddenly disappears and the aftermath of her disappearance is interesting and caught my attention - especially the historical signs here and there: The idea of slaves, and a woman's place in society. But what made it a difficult book to read was the constant need for the author to reevaluate the choices made of what to include in the novel and what to leave out. Furthermore, the need to underline that he or she is the only one who made this and that historical find. - until I found out that it was written from a historians perspective - a character implemented in the book. By the way, a fact I did not know until recently, when I had finished the book. Not knowing this fact made the entire book cool and weird at the same time.

I find the story interesting, but it is not a book I would read again. The constant stop to reevaluate the "author's" accomplishments, makes it difficult to get back on track with the storyline of the book. The idea is genius, but the way it has been carried out makes it "heavy" to read and makes one skip interesting and maybe important parts of the story that could have been a major help in cracking the code to the story.

In the end it became a "fight" to get through all of the over 700 pages long book.

2 stars out of 6 for this one. 

My "to-read" this summer

I am a book-worm. Not that I will claim to be the fastest reader on this planet or anything like Rory Gilmore who apparently have read every classic there is. I just love to read. Making a new world. Experience the world through my imagination. Every summer I have make this mental note on all the books I just have to read this summer.

This summer I commit myself to reading/finish reading following books:


1. Khaled Hosseini, "And the mountains echoed" (Yeah, it's been on the shelve for a while).

2. Robert G aka J. K. Rowling, "The Cuckoo's Calling" (I looove J. K. Rowling).

3. Aydin Soei, "Forsoning" (The book began a trial... I have to know what that's all about).

4. Jakob Sheikh, "Danmarks Børn i Hellig Krig" (I have almost finished this one. Just needs to finish the last couple of pages).

5. Joyce Carol Oates, "The Accursed" (I am 200 pages from finished. Nice and weird).

6. Umberto Eco, "The Prague Cemetery" (Favourite author of all time!!!!).

7. Jussi Adler-Olsen, "Den Grænseløse" (Give me a day or two).

8. Jeremy Bowen, "The Arab Uprisings" (I love the Middle East. I just wants to know everything.).

9. Niels Frank, "Nellies Bog" (It is written in a weird way, I just have to know more about).

10. Abdul Rahman Munif, "Cities of Salt" (This book have been banished in some countries in the Middle East. That fact alone made me curious).

11. Timothy Keller, "The Reason for God" (I love Timothy Keller's preachings!).

12. Veronica Roth, "Divergent" (I loved the movie - need to read the book.).


I guess, by publicly declaring here what I am reading this summer, I have to read them all. If you have any good suggestion to a good book I need to read, please - do share.


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