It is only natural to have periods of time, of varied lengths, during which reading, although still a favourite, can become an activity one’s brain refuses to engage in, in some sense losing interest in it. Leafing through pages and immersing into another world becomes tedious and many decide concentrating their efforts in another activity. Such is my case these days, and most days of the past month; finding it difficult to let myself carried away by words and phrases, even my eyes refusing to cooperate sometimes. Regardless, there is no shame involved, neither is there any trace of guilt for not having read every single day, or not having read a certain number of books, of pages. Instead, what I find quite helpful in such situations is choosing shorter books – which might come off as ironic seeing how lengthy Watership Down is -, short story collections or novellas.

Assembly – Natasha Brown – ★★★

Natasha Brown’s Assembly, read in Romanian, promised a thought-provoking experience, a narrative shining light on the complexities of race, societal expectations and, amongst others, the intricacies of one’s identity. It is a fairly enjoyable book, with nuanced characters and a compelling writing style, and it succeeds at sparking a conversation about privilege and race. As the pages progressed, it fell short of its promise, leaving one yearning for a more profound insight, yet it still remains an exploration of identity worthy to be read.

Watership Down – Richard Adams – ★★★★★

Watership Down is indubitably an outstanding novel, a timeless tale taking its readers on an adventure worthy of all the praises it has gotten across the decades. Whenever I remember it, I wonder why I waited so many years to read it, and the answer comes just as fast: it’s not a children’s book. Some might include it in that category, and it does captivate readers of all ages, but I am a firm believer that it’s a book for adults, describing adults, in a more fictional yet entirely true manner. While the Universal Themes of survival, leadership and resilience as well as the rich character development are already placing it on a pedestal, it was the writing style that compelled me into considering it as one of my favourite books – the vivid, raw, emotional descriptions especially.

Gooseberries – Anton Chekhov – ★★★

Chekhov’s short stories were certainly revolutionary for the times during which they were written, all three compiled in this collection centred on the universal themes of love and loss in a nineteenth-century Russia. Considering I haven’t read anything written by him, to my shame, I feel these short stories are a suitable introduction into his works, and I am certainly looking forward to a more complex experience.