So here's a question for y'all. I have this book about art history that I'm reading. Each set of pages has an overview paragraph, a timeline at the bottom, and maybe about 3 blurbs about specific pieces of art. I read about the first 50 pages completely and then decided it was going to take me ages to finish if I kept up that way and since it's a library book I do eventually have to return it. So anyway, now I'm only reading the main blurb and the timeline at the bottom but skipping the blurbs about specific artworks unless I find them especially interesting. Anyway, when I get to the end of the book this way, would you consider that I've read it? I'm not sure if I should include it on my reading list or not.
So I finished the other French book I was reading last night "La Petite Fille de Monsieur Linh". The English title is "Monsieur Linh and His Child which" is not an exact translation because in French the title is "The little girl of Monsieur Linh" or "The little daughter of Monsieur Linh". The ending was sad. I'm not sure if anyone would be interested in reading it (in English?) so I'll put spoilers below. Note these will be extreme spoiler spoilers so don't read if you plan on reading the book.
Monsieur Linh and His Child Plot SpoilersX
The book is about an old man who gets on a boat with his daughter's baby and leaves his country after a war leaves his village completely destroyed and the baby's mother dead. It doesn't say exactly where he is from but my guess is somewhere Asian, maybe Vietnam? Anyway, upon arriving in France, he is put up in a home for refugees. He meets another man in a park and they become good friends even though they don't understand each other's languages and can't really speak to one another. The old man is very proud and protective of the little baby and always takes very good care of her.
One day, the old man is taken to the doctor and sent to a new home which turns out to be an asylum for the elderly. It's around this point that I guess where this is going but I wasn't entirely sure until the end. Anyway, he doesn't understand why he is there with these other mentally ill people and not speaking the language, isn't able to converse with anyone. He wants to see his friend again so he manages to escape from the asylum with the baby girl and goes on a long journey through the city to try to find the park where he used to meet his friend. Remarkably his baby girl doesn't seem to be getting hungry, never cries, and never needs changing...
Anyway, beyond exhaustion, the old man finally finds the park and sees his friend but in his excitement, he doesn't check before he crosses the road (having grown up in a place where there aren't any cars). The old man realizes he's about to be hit and folds his body around the little girl to protect her...
Up to this point, the book was all told from the point of view of the old man however the last chapter is told by his friend. His friend goes to check the old man, thinking he is dead, and remarks that he is holding the DOLL that he always carried with him everywhere. The book ends with the man moving slightly and his friend telling him that the ambulance is coming.
So...anyway, it's very sad thinking about how much the old man lost, his family, his country, AND his sanity. He truly believes the little girl is all he has left and does everything in his power to care for her. Now, at the end of the book, after having read all the chapters from the seemingly stable point of view of the old man, you now have to question everything he did in the book from this new point of view knowing that his baby was in fact a doll.
Anyway, my nonspoiler review is that it was a very good book, and I enjoyed it even though it was sad. I think this story will stay with me for a long time.
I don't have a book list, but i do plan on trying to read 50 books this year. So far i've only read 2 (working on my 3rd), so i'm quite behind. but i've read these 3 this month, so i'm sure if i find the right books i can catch up. Dang adhd dictating my reading... The books i've read/am reading is the scyth series by neil schusterman. It's a futuristic dystopian series that's really good. Heavy at points, but good.
I don't really know what that's like, because reading is like an escape for me. I use reading to ignore everything that's exhausting, and sleeping for what i can't escape from. Probably unhealthy coping mechanisms, but eh.
I finished my 3rd book last night (stayed up until i finished it, with a fall guys break with my hubs and a couple friends, so i was up until like 8am.) and got a couple book recommendations from another friend. So now i have a couple series to read next.
I'm still working my way through that library book about art history. I'm up to the modern times with Picasso and whatnot so it's slightly more interesting now (in my opinion). Still torn on whether or not I'll count it on my list. I'm sort of a perfectionist so I still don't feel it entirely counts since I haven't read every single bit. @_@
I'm also listening to the audiobook The Secret Commonwealth. It's a sequel to the His Dark Materials books. It's a bit angsty but I'm mostly liking it so far.
