Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Shanah, the Bionic Book Worm.
This week’s topic:
K – L – M – N – O
(books with titles that start with the featured letters)
K is for…
Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
This was one of the best books I read last year and one of my favorites of last year as well. It’s a historical fiction novel with a strong sense of magical realism that’s set in Uganda and is about the cursed bloodline of the Kintu clan. The story focuses on how the curse has affected generations of Kintu Kidda’s descendants. It’s an amazing read. The story and the prose are great, and I HIGHLY recommend you give this one a try. The structure of the story and the names that are repeated every generation made Kintu remind me of One Hundred Years of Solitude, another wonderful story.
L is for…
Linden Hills by Gloria Naylor
This is one of my favorite books. Written in the mid-1980s, Linden Hills was a contemporary novel of its time about African Americans chasing the American dream and what it might cost to attain it. The story is set in a wealthy Black community that’s modeled after Dante’s Inferno. It’s this element, as well as the writing, that hooked me to the story. It’s been a while since I’ve read it and I have forgotten some details, but I’m sure if I should reread it, I’d still consider it a favorite.
M is for…
Mother of the Sea by Zetta Elliott
I read this one last year and really liked it. It’s a fantasy short story about a girl who’s abducted from her village and sold into slavery. Much of the story takes place aboard the slave ship as it sails the Middle Passage. The girl endures the brutal journey with the help of a mischievous child, who may be connected to a goddess. This was an interesting read. I enjoyed it, but I wish it was longer.
N is for…
No Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le Guin
A book of essays the majority of which appeared as posts on Le Guin’s blog between 2010 and 2012. It was a good read while I was reading it, but after completing it, I forgot everything. I think I read it too quickly.
O is for…
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
One of my favorite classics. The prose is beautiful and the story is captivating. But what is it about? It’s hard for me to say in just one sentence. It is magical realism and is about generations of the Buendia family. Beyond that, I don’t know what else to say to describe the plot. It is an interesting read and can be confusing for some, but it’s totally worth trying.
I loved One Hundred Years of Solitude – but you are right, it is difficult to synopsize adequately. It’s a great read. I haven’t read ANY LeGuin yet…I’ll probably start with her novels though.
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I’d like to read more of her work. Have only read the Earthsea books so far.
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Slowly catching up with everyone’s Top 5 Tuesday posts. 😉 I like the sound of Kintu, I’ll have to check it out.
Here’s my Top 5 Tuesday post so you can see my K,L,M,N & O choices. 😉
Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and enjoy this week’s reads.
Flora x
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I’m way behind on catching up with things, but I will soon.
Kintu was such a great read. I hope you like it if you try it.
Thanks! Have a great week!
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That Mother of the Sea cover is pretty intriguing.
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I love the cover that’s why I bought it. But I thought it was pricey because of how short it is, so part of me feels pissed about “wasting money.”
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Totally get that.
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I like the look and sound of 100 years of Solitude – will go and check that out.
Lynn 😀
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Yea, it’s totally worth reading.
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I’ve read all of them except for two: Mother of the Sea, and No Time to Spare.
There was a period of about 4-5 years when I read One Hundred Years of Solitude each year, but I don’t think I’ve read it since the turn of the century – nearly 20 years. I wonder what me experience would be re-reading it now?
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I wonder too. I’d love to know if your thoughts on it have changed.
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I just learned about One Hundred Years of Solitude and put it on my TBR. I’ve never heard of it before, but it looks like a beautiful book!
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Oh it’s so great. Just beautiful writing
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Great list! I’m now totally intrigued by Mother of the Sea
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Thanks. It’s a good one to try. I really wish the story was longer though.
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Nice choices. I haven’t read any of those, but they sound good. Especially Mother of the Sea and Linden Hills.
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Thanks! They are all worth trying. 🙂
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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