UBIQUE's Big Book Profile
written by the ubique team
introduction and edited by pat bui
It was a fine Thursday morning - the sun was shining down on me as I checked UBIQUE’s team email. Bored out of my mind because Google Meets are useless, I was hoping for something interesting in our inbox (because I’ve checked the fuck out of my own emails)… and that was when I stumbled upon an email from one of our beloved librarians, Nell Day. Ms Day had contacted us to let us know that next week would be… Book Week? And they’re planning on celebrating from home? And they want us to celebrate with them? …
So naturally, as UBIQUE loves anything to do with books and literature, I replied yes without hesitations (obviously I had to discuss this with our team and honestly I took a few business days to reply but this sounds better :D).
Therefore, welcome to our ‘Book Week’ feature! Since the natural way to celebrate a ‘Book Week’ is to read a book, it’s necessary for a book review of some sort to be published. But honestly, book reviews are boring. So… why not spice it up with a book profile? Read through the article to see our honest thoughts, feelings and opinions on the books we read, with no summary nor spoilers (of the plot, but I’m pretty sure we mention like 200 times whether the book ended sadly or not… rip).
- The Editors of UBIQUE.
-
Pat’s Profile on Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller.
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical.
3 words to describe the book: Capturing, Heartbreaking, Nostalgic.
1 sentence to describe how you felt finishing it: Let’s just say I’m glad I didn’t end up flooding my bedroom floor (because I cried a lot).
Strength of the book: The absolute genius and gorgeous writing. I never felt like it was dragging on or it was getting boring - every moment, sentence and word felt important. Also was a super good source for studying Classics.
Weakness of the book: Made me legit depressed. Horrible book hangover.
Why you’d recommend this book: It’s fucking good. But seriously, this is a great example of what good writing looks like.
Mason’s profile on In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
Genre: Non-Fiction Novel, True Crime.
3 words: Horrifying, Suspenseful, Distressing.
1 sentence: Deeply impacted - both shocked and enthralled.
Strength: The novel offers a great panoramic view which brings together the whole town and this combined with masterful character development, builds suspense from start to end.
Weakness: It’s true.
Why you’d recommend: It is a masterpiece that combines journalism with literature, non-fiction with fiction and the captivating with the shocking.
Margaret’s profile on cloud wish by fiona wood.
Editors Notes: Uh oh, here comes the negative review… but I also read this and could not finish it so I support this statement 200%.
Genre: YA Fiction,
3 words: Garbage, Cliched, Cringe.
1 sentence: I was relieved that I’d finally gotten to the end of that monstrosity.
Strength: That it ended.
Weakness: The most unoriginal plot development for the main character. Really? Her parents want her to be a doctor and she wants to go into arts, how creative.
Why you’d recommend: I really wouldn’t.
Editors Note: Me neither.
Margaret’s (actual) profile on Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Genre: Crime, Psychological Fiction, Classics
3 words: Thrilling, Exhausting, Intense.
1 sentence: Crime and Punishment ends on a very melancholic tone, with the ending neither happy nor sad - it is a renewal for the protagonist and the mind of the reader.
Strength: I rather liked how Dostoyevsky wrote the turmoil and mania of Raskolnikov. The audience is constantly kept on edge by his narrative considering it is difficult to determine whether the protagonist is at risk of being caught or if it is just his increasing paranoia triggering his fear.
Weakness: Yeah, I get that it was to show his declining mental and physical state, but can Raskolnikov stop fainting. I could see why someone would get tired of counting how many times the guy collapses and has to get nursed back to health by his simp-bro.
Why you’d recommend: Judging from the author, you can already tell this book is well written. I mean, it’s Dostoyevsky. As an added bonus, there’s stuff about murder in it which is always great to have.
ZIFA’s profile on UTOPIA AVENUE by DAVID MITCHELL.
Genre: Historical fiction?
3 words: Conceptual, Original, Addictive.
1 sentence: I can’t say exactly because it would spoil it, but I enjoyed the book tremendously and wished it hadn’t ended.
Strength: Well crafted characters. I loved and hated each one dearly, they leapt right out of the page into my heart (lame).
Weakness: The stupid thing David Mitchell does where all his books have to be connected, I think it’s a little contrived, even though it’s kinda fun. Oh also I would've liked to see Griff’s character developed a little more, it was disappointing that you had to be a songwriter to be a protagonist, although I do think the way the story was built around the album concept worked really well.
Why you’d recommend: A really fun book, a great way to write about music. The writing isn’t too dense or unapproachable, but still really powerful. A book to keep you up until your eyes won’t stay open.
-
Whewww… a lot of profiles to go through huh? Well, take a break with…
Elliot’s comparison between Call for the dead by John Lecarre and City of Glass by Paul Auster.
Call from the Dead is a quick, clever and exciting read. In the book the contemplative cuckold George Smiley steadily pursues a case as the audience pieces together the facts to form a larger picture which is tied together in the end, with enough room for a sequel - a classic spy novel.
City of Glass on the other hand, does the opposite. Written 25 years later, Paul Auster completely deconstructs the mystery genre. Similarly presented as a fast paced thriller, Daniel Quinn, a spy novelist, is sent into a case through a misdialed phone call. Masquerading as a private investigator, Quinn finds himself in a story utterly unlike his Lecarre-esque writings. Things get only more and more confusing as random events lead to nowhere, slowly driving Quinn insane.
Call of the Dead teaches us that there are no coincidences, while City of Glass projects a world ruled by chance. The two are both absolutely worth a read, especially back to back.
-
Alright, back to our profiles :)
Ash’s profile on lockwood & Co; The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
Genre: Horror/Mystery/Comedy
3 words: Unique, dark and humorous
1 sentence: When I finished the book I was desperate to start reading the sequel, as I was so wrapped up in the plot and the characters I felt compelled to continue reading Stroud’s wonderful narrative, so I could watch it play out in whole.
Strength: The fact that the rules Stroud uses in world building for this book are out of the box. He doesn’t use your basic rules for ghosts like ghost busters or something like that. As well as the fact that each character has depth to them.
Weakness: I honestly can’t say anything that I didn’t like about it. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.
Why you’d recommend: (Cue sales pitch music) If you like the idea of a world with a pandemic (Not the corona kind) of the dead coming back to haunt the living, a couple of teens running their own anti-ghost agency who risk their lives for each client, finding out morbid secrets and discovering the truth of the dead, this book is for you! I highly recommend it if you want to step into another, semi-realistic world where the world is plagued by the restless dead, where not even your own home is safe, with ghosts haunting the streets of London at night. If you like any of Rick Riordan's books (I see you Percy Jackson fans, I know who you are) then you will love Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co series.
Juline’s profile on a winter’s promise by christelle dabos
Genre: Fantasy.
3 words: Arranged marriage, memories.
1 sentence: Where can I buy the next one?
Strength: I really like the writing and description in this book but my favourite thing is how the whole world is built out of nothing and manages to make sense. The whole universe is really well thought and shows a lot of imagination.
Weakness: The action and interesting part takes a little bit of time to appear but I think it’s understandable because readers have to get used to the crazy world setting.
Why you’d recommend: In addition to the crazy universe, there’s also a lot of investigation and mysteries with plot twists that just makes you want to scream. There are also misunderstandings and chaotic relationships but really funny ones. I love reading about people arguing. And it will get better eventually, right? No need to worry. (I hope)
merlinda’s profile on destroying avalon by Kate McCaffrey
Genre: Fiction.
3 words describing the book (in your opinion): Cyber bullying, helpless, courage.
One sentence describing how you felt when you finished the book: I knew it.
Strength: It is the plot twist in the middle where it is unexpected and unplanned for. When they finally take initiative to take charge.
Weakness:P The ending felt like it was short on something. With the plot twist even though it was bound to happen my mind still lingers on the fact that what if it was any different.
Why you’d recommend this book: The only book that I can remember most clearly.
