SPLENDID EXPERIENCES

1. The Names – Florence Knapp

• Heartwrenching
  • 4 Stars

Do our names affect the person we become and shape who we are? A question to ponder and the overarching concept of The Names.  

The book is profoundly thought-provoking, beautifully written, and deeply engaging. I found myself pausing several times to process some of its most intense moments.

The story follows Cora – a wife and mother who’s facing a conundrum on a name she should give her newborn son. Cora has three names; her daughters favourite, her favourite and her husband’s favorite. Three names, three versions of a life told over a 7 years interval, all with poignant moments. 

‘Because some people – like Gordon’s father – travel through life believing themselves so far beyond improvement, they come to think their children, and their children’s children, should all be made in their name. Because sometimes their need to please previous generations is greater than their need to love future ones.‘

Cora’s life is not all rosy, she’s in an abusive marriage and Florence Knapp takes us on  a whirlwind journey where we see how each chosen name shapes the future of their son and the impact it has on his close relationships. Cora and her children bring a fascinating dynamic to each version of the story. My heart ached for them. 

The Names is without doubt worth the hype and on my list of favourite reads for the year.

2. Go Gentle – Maria Semple

• Disjointed 
  • 3.5 stars

The book felt a bit disjointed for me but surprisingly I couldn’t put it down. 

There are three plots in the story – the first plot, Adora, who’s a philosopher working for a wealthy family in New York and has a fragile relationship with her daughter. Adora  trying to create a “coven” of older women living on the same floor of an apartment building and supporting each other as they grow older together, the second plot, delves into Adora past and what she endured while trying to make a life in LA and the NDA that silenced her and the third plot the book becomes a thriller with arms deal and international terrorists. 

This book is wild in so many ways. It being on Oprah’s Book Club List pick for April, it got a lot of press but the book is not for everyone. 

I still haven’t decided what I think of the author. I read a few review that her book, Where Did You Go Bernadette, was adapted into a movie, which I haven’t seen. The book is on my TBR list. Ill make a decision on whether or not to keep the author on my list. 

3. Pillow Talk – Nivashni Nair Sukdhev 

• Light-hearted
  • 3.5 Stars

I needed to read a light-hearted rom-com after reading The Names which sent me on a tailspin. 

Pillow Talk is exactly what you expect in a rom-com where childhood friends who’ve always liked each other but never spoke of it, decide to embark on a no-string attached relationship. 

The story follows Shona, a bridal designer who has been working for family’s tailor business decided to break away and do her own thing. Then there’s Sen, Shona’s childhood friend who’s a lawyer and her friend with benefits.

Their relationship is tender. Their no strings attached situationship gets complicated when unresolved issues from the past come to light. We witness them navigating life, Shona dealing with her broken relationship with her family and feeling some kind of way for Sen. 

‘Shona felt her heart sink but quickly remembered that they couldn’t have moments like this. They were in a no-strings relationship. They shouldn’t be flirting with each other in what was perhaps the most romantic setting she had ever been to.’

Sen is trying to be more of an available friend to Shona, who is completely closed off leaving Sen frustrated at times. 

Their no string attached relationship is tested but they eventually find their way around the life challenged they face. 

I thoroughly enjoyed and cant wait to read, Its Complicated a follow up to Pillow Talk.

4. Good Things Keep Happening to Me – Puseletso Tsotetsi

• Fluffy
  • 3 Stars

I really enjoyed reading this book. I especially loved the South Africanisms throughout—it made the story feel authentic and totally relatable.

Didi, a single mother with a messy past with complicated entanglements, meets Thato, a doctor, carrying his own emotional baggage, which he keeps locked in his heart. They fall for each other – hard. But as their relationship deepens, things slowly begin to unravel.

‘People tend to keep information away from their new partners intentionally, whether to protect themselves or because they’re afraid of being judged for the poor choices they made when they were younger.’

There are plenty of make-or-break moments throughout their relationship. At times, I found Didi’s reasoning and decision-making a little immature and frustrating. Thato, on the other hand, approached situations with a much calmer, more level-headed perspective.

There’s a saying, ‘With age comes wisdom,’ and you really see that play out in this book. Didi is 28, while Thato is 42, and the difference in their life experience is reflected in how they handle challenges.

This is the perfect book to pick up when you’re looking for an easy, light read with relatable characters and a distinctly South African feel.

5. Strangers – Belle Burden 

• Compelling
  • 3 Stars

I was really looking forward to reading this book after all the hype, but sadly, it fell flat for me.

Belle’s story is compelling, and what her husband puts her through is horrendous. I can see why the book did well – the story will be relatable for many women. One moment you’re happily married, living your best life, and then, seemingly overnight, everything changes.

One thing the book highlights is the difference between how some men and some women approach relationships. Many women give so much of themselves when they fall in love and get married. Belle signs a prenup, stops working, and hands over control of the finances – choices that many women make out of trust and commitment. Meanwhile, James ultimately puts his own needs first, abandoning both Belle and their marriage. Leaving her with so many unanswered questions.

Overall, it was an okay read. A compelling read and flowed well. It kept me turning the pages, but it never really wowed me. It’s not a book I would recommend outright.