2021 Recap: Books
As part of an attempt to reflect on the year that's passed, I want to take the time to look back on the books I've read up to this point and give my official ranking of them. I've read over 50 books this year so I'll try to make the list as concise as possible, going from worst to best in that order. So without further ado, let's proceed:
#50. Authority by Jeff VanderMeer
I remember being so enthralled by the strange and mysterious world VanderMeer had established in Annihilation that I felt compelled to complete the trilogy. So it's a shame to say a lot of that excitement and momentum I had coming off from that book died very quickly when I picked up the 2nd entry in the series.. Authority follows a man named Control as he attempts to evaluate the damage Area X is developing while trying to determine what his higher ups are hiding from him. It's by no means the worst piece of literature I've ever read, but the extremely slow pace and boring narrative at play makes any investment you initially had die off quickly!
#49. We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan
We Come Apart is a Young Adult/Romance book based in the UK. One of the main selling points of the story for me was how it was a bit unconventional from your typical romance book as it used a Romanian immigrant as one of the central leads in the narrative. I'm always down for stories using real-world issues like systemic racism to help progress the story while also having something relevant to say at the same time. While I appreciate the intent and for the most part the relationship and initial storyline developed here seems endearing and sweet, I feel the story is let down somewhat by it's rushed 3rd and final arc which fails to conclude things in a satisfactory fashion.
#48. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I really wanted to enjoy Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I was in all honesty quite excited to pick this book and get invested in a series like I had been with Harry Potter, as I knew it was often what it was closely associated to. Sadly though I think the charm and allure of the Percy Jackson series is wasted on me. While I enjoyed the idea of Greek gods in modern times and think Rick Riordan did a fantastic job in the world building for this story, I just couldn't get myself to care about the actual story. I think the narrative at play feels underutilised and it's characters lack the proper development for me to get behind them and care about their journey. I appreciate that's a subjective issue and I know it was a good enough story to get a lot of people behind it, it just wasn't for me.
#47 One Day by David Nicholls
One Day is a adult romance book which tries to tackle the complicated and realistic dynamic of an on and off relationship through the decades. I get the intent of the author's work here, to try and show love is deeply rooted and despite how much we try to oppose a connection it will eventually flourish. While I didn't really sync with the characters of their overarching stories I appreciated the format in which it was told over several decades to reflect the passage of time for each character with a consistent pace.
#46 Real Life by Brandon Taylor
#45. Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
Serving as the first entry in Silvera's Infinity Cycle trilogy, I had an interest in reading this book based on the premise and the fact I have enjoyed Silvera's written work in the past. For the most part I enjoyed the book in modest terms. I think the world building in the story is great with a mix of magical and modern reality settings and the characters themselves are brilliantly written and realised which I think has always been Silvera's strongpoint. The main weak element of the book is it's story I think, apart from coming off a tad generic with a chosen one prophecy I think the structure and pacing reflect an almost chaotic style and it damages the investment I had with the book in all honesty.
#44. Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet by Gerry Davis
Fun but inconsistent would be the words I use to describe Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet. Adapted from the TV episode of the same name this story tells the last tale of the 1st Doctor before his regeneration and also sees the introduction of the iconic Cybermen. I think conceptually the story is a bit of a mess at times and some plot threads aren't as ideally tied up as they could have been but it's hard to not enjoy the threat and menace the Cybermen present. Where this story works best is in it's characters and the moments they get to overcome threats, whether it's from the Cybermen or other threats.
#43. Indigo Donut by Patrice Lawrence
I moderately enjoyed the narrative Patrice set out here for the most part. I think the issue I have with it mainly is it doesn't do anything that different to other YA books I've read in the past. The characters themselves and some of the plot beats felt a tad underwhelming on reflection. The main selling point for me on the story was Indigo's grief as a kid in social care and the mystery behind what happened to her mother and her father; those elements of the story I enjoyed. The romantic part of the story again just felt a tad predictable in all honesty and didn't draw me in.
#42. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a heart-warming and beautiful story about friendship and overcoming personal trauma. I enjoyed it for the most with how it focused primarily on characters and emotion and the story being told felt very consistent. The only thing that let me down with this book was the format in which it was told. As the idea of the story is it's all taking place through letters written to an unnamed person, it means the storytelling is perspective based and in a past tense fashion too. I think with how much emotion and weight this story has packed into it I believe a more open ended style of storytelling would have worked better.
#41. Project Semicolon: Your Story Isn't Over
Project Semicolon is a mental health project targeting any associated with suicide. Whether it's survivors or family members who have suffered the effect of it, the charity tries to offer support in any capacity. I appreciate the intent and focus of this charity, for me mental health is very important and I will always support any attempt to showcase this. This book by the charity is a very sensitive book to work though as it's filled with accounts from a lot of people who have suffered in their own sense with suicide. I think the stories themselves are beautiful and it takes a lot of courage to be open about these experiences, I just wish the book was a bit more professional in how it structured them out and did a better job of signposting and putting content warnings on them, there's very little structure given here and it was something I didn't appreciate.
#40. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
I'm surprised on reflection that I marked A Feast For Crows so low down on my ratings this year. Though after looking at my review from earlier this year I realise what my main reason for giving it such a low score was. I felt the pacing was incredibly slow in this story and George decided to cover the stories of a lot of new perspective based characters in this one while choosing to omit fan favourites like Dany, Tyrion and Jon Snow until his next book. What this left us was a good chunk of the story following people like Cersei Lannister who are not the friendliest of people to watch and when a lot of the characters are new and have little exposure from the prior books, it makes getting behind them in this overarching narrative all the more difficult.
#39. Dragon Age: Last Flight by Liane Merciel
Last Flight is a consistent story from beginning to end. Written by Liane Merciel, this story takes place during the Mage/Templar civil war in Dragon Age and follows two parallel perspectives as we learn the fate of the Grey Wardens and what truly happened to the last of their heroic Griffons. The foundation of this novel is something I struggle to pick apart, it's solid in nearly every avenue. On reflection though I think the only weak link is the present day perspective character, I find she didn't have much of a presence in the story until the very end.
#38. The Joker: A Celebration of 75 Years by various authors/artists
Joker is one of my favourite comic book villains so having a compendium of sorts paying tribute to some of his best stories over the past 75 years was such a treat to read through. I adore the history on display here and really appreciate the details and historical notes left that reflected the change in tone and art style the character faced as the book progressed. My only issue with this book though was how it felt some of the more recent comic stories were cut short due to their size and scale. It's not a massive deal breaker but you do notice it when you get so used to having complete stories at the beginning of the book.
#37. Doctor Who: 12 Doctors, 12 Stories by various authors
12 Doctors, 12 Stories was a really fun experience to read through. As it says on the cover, the collection consists of 12 short stories written for each incarnation of the Doctor (At the time of publication) by 12 different acclaimed authors. I love the variation in this collection and while not every story works in my opinion it at least has a well balanced collection of stories to get lost in.
#36. Mass Effect Revelations by Drew Karpyshyn
Mass Effect Revelations was the first major novel spin off in the Mass Effect franchise and it's set as a prequel to the 1st Mass Effect game. Written by the original writer for the games; Drew Karpyshyn this book follows David Anderson during his early years in the Alliance as he seeks to locate a missing Alliance scientist in the wake of a terrorist attack on a science facility. I think structurally this is a great book and it does great on expanding on characters like Saren, Anderson or Kahlee. The only negative to draw from it it is the remainder of the supporting cast is weak in comparison but it doesn't do much damage to the overall impact to the story.
#35. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Ask Again, Yes is a compelling story about family and all the positive and negative aspects that stem from it. I really enjoyed the narrative playing out here as it covers the dynamic between two families in update New York; the Stanhopes and the Gleesons. Despite having a slow start I think the pace of this story is really enjoyable too as it shows a natural evolution of relationships between these characters and the complicated concepts that tied them all together.
#34 Dragon Age: The Masked Empire by Patrick Weekes
I was initially a bit apprehensive about picking up a Dragon Age book not written my series veteran David Gaider after reading his past three entries. Those initial fears can be easily dismissed though as I feel Patrick Weekes is another great writer who gets the world of Dragon Age and it's characters so distinctly. Masked Empire is a very nice insight into the political and feudal hierarchy of Orlais in the land of Thedas. It plays well in showcasing a new type of story across several different perspectives through a slightly uneven pacing.
#33 Doctor Who: Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris
Jonathan Morris did a great job here setting up an original story which utilises the Weeping Angels in a distinct fashion. I appreciate how much emotion serves as the core foundation of this narrative. I think the Angels are at the best when they send people back in time because the reality of that is so cruel and vindictive and Morris does a good job pivoting the perspective around this. I think the only minor issue I had with the story was the actual inclusion of the Doctor and his companions throughout the majority of the plot. I think they don't do much but hinder the pace whenever they turn up and this would have been far better as a Doctor-lite story until the very end.
#32. The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Problem With Forever was another book I was initially dismissive off on my first impressions. I do like YA books but I felt like this one was going to be a very generic one when I picked up the initial chapters. When I got further into the book however I realised how much effort Jennifer L. Armentrout went to to make this a really solid narrative. I do think it uses a lot of YA tropes that I've seen before but at least it uses them to strengthen the foundation of her own story as apposed to telling the same story as all the others. I enjoyed the narrative at play here and how while showing a romance in the midst of it, the core focus of the book is about finding your own worth. It's a really solid book and a lot better than I gave it credit for.
#31. The Whisper Man by Alex North
I admittingly never read crime/thriller novels before now. In retrospect The Whisper Man was a great story to introduce me to the genre. I think it's a story packed with a lot of deeply emotional concepts that relate to fatherhood. The way the characters play off one another as the mystery of the Whisper Man continues to escalate throughout the book is really engaging and the pace keeps a consistent run as well. I remember enjoying it a lot but one negative I had to pick out was some of the supernatural elements Alex North implemented into the story, because I feel it conflicted with some of the more grounded aspects of the story he was trying to establish.
#30. Doctor Who: Dalek by Robert Shearman
Back in 2005, Robert Shearman has the difficult job on his plate with not just writing up an episode for the newly revived Doctor Who but also having the task of bringing back his iconic enemies; the Daleks for a whole new audience. Dalek as a story is such a amazing showcase of the relationship between the Doctor and the Daleks. By putting both of these entities in confined and very vulnerable positions it allows us to look at them in a much deeper level and explore the more complicated nature of these characters in a post-Time War landscape. The novelisation captures all of the layers embedded in the story with great quality, however the only issue I have with it all is the pacing being cut up constantly by the introduction of this notably jarring short character stories which I appreciate Shearman wanted to flesh out the supporting cast with, but they didn't work all that well for me.
#29. Doctor Who: The Crimson Horror by Mark Gatiss
The Crimson Horror stands as one of my favourite 11th Doctor stories and thankfully the novelisation by the original screenwriter; Mark Gatiss reflects the very best elements of it while fleshing out minor areas at the same time. The reason The Crimson Horror works is it feels like a very traditional Doctor Who premise but it's baked in the typical charm and humour Mark Gatiss often incorporates into his work. I also like how this is mostly a Doctor-lite story which takes great pleasure in showcasing the narrative capability of the Paternoster Gang with their own little short story at the start of it all.
#28. Doctor Who: The Witchfinders by Joy Wilkinson
The Witchfinders stands as my favourite episode from series 11 of Doctor Who and also stands as one of my favourite historical episodes in the show. Joy Wilkinson wrote this episode like a very traditional story as well with a lot of wit and charm and I adore how it utilised the Doctor's new female incarnation's limitation in the wake of the time period as a interesting story note. I always have a fascination with the Witch Trials that plagued the 16th and 17th century, it was such a dark and morbid era of history and Joy uses it as a perfect backdrop to telling this story. She also handles a lot of the characters interactions very well too and I loved a lot of the sequences with King James.
#27. Dragon Age: Asunder by David Gaider
I will never stop singing the praises of David Gaider as a writer. He has the ability to balance world-building on top of character development in beautiful synchronisation and that's never more clearer than in Dragon Age Asunder. Asunder follows the break out of the Mage/Templar civil war in the White Spire circle. It sees the introduction of some new characters including the Inquisition companion Cole and the return of Origins companion Wynne for a truly captivating adventure of twists and turns wrought with emotion.
#26. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis
Five Feet Apart is a heartfelt and emotional story which not only gave me a endearing romance storyline but also did a great job in educating me about Cystic Fibrosis as a medical condition. I think how Lippincott, Daughtry and Iaconis managed to do a perfect blend of fictional romance on top of factual and scientific education deserves to be praised. I do take slight issue with how quickly the relationship between Stella and Will changed initially but that initial transition doesn't weigh down all the other positives of the story.
#25. Doctor Who: Rose by Russell T Davies
To say Russell T Davies had left the role of showrunner back in 2009 I can honestly say the man hasn't lost a single beat in writing for this property. I know that might seem a bit of an easy compliment to give when you consider he's basing it off a episode he already wrote but his approach to re-telling Rose in novel form feels genuinely fresh and different. He covers the core foundations of the TV episode but does a brilliant job in fleshing out and adding a way more mature tone to the overall feel of this story. It's the best way to revitalise an old story for a whole new format of storytelling.
#24. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
To say I've not read any of the Hunger Games novels as of yet, I felt like reading Suzanne Collins' prequel story was a great place to start. I feel like the worldbuilding in this book is some of the darkest yet most compelling bit of writing I've ever read. There's an incredible sense of of depth and maturity to how the story is conveyed here. The main conduit for it all is Coriolanus Snow as the main character. As we know he's the villain in the main trilogy it's a great opportunity in this book to show how deep a character he is and where his journey began.
#23. Star Wars Dark Disciple by Christie Golden
Adapted from the scrapped storyline intended for Star Wars Clone Wars television show; Dark Disciple tells a story about the attempted assassination of Count Dooku at the hands of Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress. I adored how well Christie Golden was able to translate the continuity of the show into written form. She pays a lot of attention to the character development Ventress has had all throughout the years and I honestly adore how much tribute it pays to her in the conclusion of it all.
#22. Yes, No, Maybe So by Becky Albertalli, Aisha Saeed
This was a really nice romance story to read which I appreciate all the more for doing something different with a mixed-race romance. Set in modern day America the storyline takes a great opportunity to reflect the political atmosphere of the time, especially for the Pakistani main character in a republican lead state. I like how the story manages a good balance of romance and political commentary and the message at the heart of it doesn't try to pick a side and more so focus on the general nature of being kind and decent regardless of your political alignment.
#21. Annihilation by James VanderMeer
Annihilation is a very strange and confusing story, but I think that is a strength in this case as apposed to an negative. I think the world and storyline set up by VanderMeer is one so bizarre and lucid that you feel compelled to keep up with the story. I think where Annihilation works but Authority doesn't it it focuses more on the world of Area X and the "nature-gone-wrong" feel of it all. The limited cast help add the sense of paranoia and isolation to the overall plot as well.
#20. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Clap When You Land is a very emotional story of two distant people united through tragedy. In the wake of their fathers death two half-sisters who never knew of one another find themselves facing the reality of his death while soon learning the existence of one another. I love despite how different their lives are to one another, there are aspects that tie them all together. Emotion is at the core of this story and Acevedo does a great job in reflecting how tragedy can unite us towards a better future.
#19. Holes by Louis Sarchar
Holes is a classic kids story which I've enjoyed ever since I was a kid myself. The book while quite short does a great job in conveying a strong message of friendship and perseverance. The story of Stanley Yelnats and his time at Camp Greenlake is a fun and imaginative story with a wide cast of interesting characters both in the present day and in the past. I loved the story so much and it's honestly such an iconic book.
#18. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Glass Castle is an honest account of author Jeannette Walls early life as part of a nomadic family in America. It's a very captivating read on the basis of the type of life Jeannette lived with her family. The nomadic life she lived through was shared with a wide cast of her family members who I feel are the other compelling aspect of the book. The relationship she shares with her father specifically is very complicated and it's filled with a lot of moments in which she reflects on the reality of their bond and how despite it's difficulties, she still loved him regardless.
#17. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is a literary classic that to this day stands the test of time and finds relevance even in our current era. I think how it tackles the loss of innocence through the eyes of Scout Finch and her brother in such a stellar way. That combined with the tone and pacing of the story set in conjunction with their father Atticus's attempt to defend a black man in a pretty racist society gives us a story filled with so much conviction and moral reflection.
#16. A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow by George R. R. Martin
A Storm of Sword 1: Steel and Snow is a great continuation of the overarching storyline found in A Song of Ice and Fire. It does as expected in continuing to expand on the rich and detailed world-building and character development with a wide array of characters both new and old. Set in the midst of the War of the Five Kings, the conflicts at play continue to escalate as character relationships continue to develop over time. The only issue I have with this book is how jarringly it cuts off at the end.
#15. A Dance With Dragons 1: Dreams and Dust by George R. R. Martin
A Dance With Dragons 1: Dreams and Dust feels like a much need booster after the slow and tedious journey received from A Feast for Crows. I like how it brings back much missed characters from prior entries in A Song of Ice and Fire and continues to ramp up the stakes of the new conflicts at play here. Allegiances and stakes now begin to develop around Dany's struggle to control Meereen and desire to travel across the sea to Westeros. The shift in tone and pace is much appreciated in this case and seeing the story begin to develop with higher stakes made working through this book a lot easier.
#14. A Dance With Dragons 2: After the Feast by George R. R. Martin
A lot of the positives I had for A Dance with Dragons 1 can be passed over and applied onto the 2nd entry; After the Feast. World building and character relationships are continuously developed and pushed forward in the wake of the ever increasing tide of war approaching from all sides. As the events of A Feast for Crows begin to run parallel to the events in this book we now see the after effects of those sequences and return back to characters we hadn't seen since then, it's much more acceptable in this case as they're not piled on top of you with the rest of the drab aspects from that book.
#13. Doctor Who: City of Death by James Goss
I love A City of Death so much. I think it stands as one of the best Doctor Who serials in the entire show.. What James Goss does here in condensing the entirety of the four episode narrative into a small Target novelisation is really impressive. He manages to capture a lot of the heart and charm of the story with some wonderfully constructed character perspectives and interactions. It's a wonderfully funny and imaginative narrative and I consider it quintessential experience for any Doctor Who fan.
#12. Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection by Daniel Wallace (With illustrations by Lukasz Liszko and Ryan Valle)
This compendium is a visual treat for any Star Wars fan to own. I love how detailed it is in reflecting the unique and expansive designs of the lightsabers wielded by Jedi, Sith and any other individuals within this universe. As well as having such an incredible sense of scale and design I appreciate the history and explanation given to each lightsaber to give fans that much needed insight within the universe and even behind the scenes! Extra credit goes for referencing lightsabers from extended Star Wars properties like the video games and comics and tv shows.
#11. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
A Monster Calls was a beautiful and heart-wrenching story by Patrick Ness about a young boy struggling to face the harsh realities of his life. The way Ness uses a giant, mythical monster as a means of conveying these anxieties of young Conor O'Malley is such an inspired concept. The mix of emotion, character and tone works in a beautiful blend that results in a storyline that resonated with me in such a profound way.
#10. Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1 by various artists/authors
Dragon Age: The World of Thedas does an incredible job of completely breaking down the foundations of the world of Dragon Age. Every single aspect of the lore that you could hope to understand is broken down in such an insightful and comprehensive way. Not only do all the key areas of the game get explored in great detail but they are also accompanied with some beautiful illustrations that I can honestly not do enough justice.
#9. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
American Dirt is a very touching yet harrowing story to work through. It follows a mother and her son who find themselves the sole survivors of a cartel attack in Mexico. Fearing for their safety the mother decides to take her son to the border to try and find safety in the land of America. The narrative's main strength is in the character dynamic shared between the mother and son and the characters they meet along the way. The find themselves in very dangerous situations as the journey develops and it's an experience to see how they tackle them.
#8. Star Wars - Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good by Timothy Zahn
Greater Good continues to showcase Timothy Zahn's ability to write the perfect stories for Grand Admiral Thrawn. Serving as the second entry in the Thrawn Ascendancy series, Greater Good continues to develop the overarching narrative at play during the early days of Thrawns career in the Chiss Ascendancy while he finds himself meeting new challenges from within their star system and from outside it. I appreciate how much Zahn is able to do with each chapter, he has a great sense of detail both in characters and in the moments they find themselves in.
#7. Noah Finn and the Art of Suicide by E. Rachael Hardcastle
Noah Finn finds himself ready to commit suicide on the day where he needn't bother as he finds himself on top of the World Trade Centre during September 11th 2001. In the wake of his sudden death Noah finds himself being taken through the history of his life to try and show him the value of it and help him decide what he wants to do going forward in the wake of his death. I love how deep this story tackles the concept of death and seeing the value in ones life. The conversations at play here truly resonated with me and helped me deal with some of my own anxieties. It's a truly beautiful story with a lot of smart wording at use to help cover some pretty heavy topics.
#6. A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin
A Clash of Kings was the largest book I've managed to read this year, but despite it's length I found myself caught up and easily able to work through the content of the story. Set after the events of A Game of Thrones, this book see's the beginning of the War of the Five Kings. George R. R. Martin set's factions and characters into motion against one another for some really bloody and tense situations to reinforce the "anyone can die" mantra he embedded in the first story. George is a king when it comes to world building and defining characters new and old and that's what made this book so easy to work through for me.
#5. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
A Game of Thrones stands to be one of the finest pieces of literature in the fantasy genre. Not only does it set up a whole new world with medieval and magical themes but it bakes it all with a serious amount of political and historical influence that is impossible not to appreciate. The man is able to establish whole new concepts and characters and build upon them so easily with each chapter. The visual description and extended connection of storytelling he has at play here is like nothing I've ever seen and it deserves all the praise I can give it. Characters are so three dimensional and have so many layers that you really get into each of their perspectives. He also plays the story out across several different and varied settings around the same time and he manages to express a really unique vision with his wording so easily.
#4. Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 2 by various artists/authors
Whereas the 1st volume of Dragon Age: World of Thedas covered the core foundations of it's world and the concepts that build it up like politics, religion and history; the 2nd volume takes an even more extensive look at the world and more specifically it's stories and characters. The amount of depth here is astonishing! Learning a much more personal account of nearly every important character in the franchise is so cool to me as it helps flesh them out even more. There's also meal recipes written out as if they were in universe with actual ingredients and instructions. This book is designed to please any Dragon Age fan by continuing to expand on even the smallest details and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it.
#3.The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Life is one shot gig, it's often a fact I struggle to face a lot of the time and I have a lot of anxiety about it. What Matt Haig does is take that anxiety, wraps it up and explores it in a comfortable and refreshing way in The Midnight Library. The main character of this story called Nora faces a similar situation in that she feels she's wasted her life up to this point and decides to end it all. As she dies she enters the Midnight Library, a magical place which allows her to visit alternate lives she may have had if she decided to go down differ paths. These lives show Nora that her resent and longing to have made different choices isn't healthy and doesn't mean she would have had a better life. I think the format of storytelling used and the tone and pace is incredibly refreshing and it was such a resonating experience to read through this book and see how Haig addressed a lot of deeply rooted issues I have with myself.
#2. A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold by George R. R. Martin
A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold is the best entry in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. I think the stakes never got any higher than when they were present in this book. The amount of action and character building moments present in this story were numerous and they all kept building up to a major set of chapters that shook the foundation of this world forever. George did all this with great precision and care as well and he made sure none of the expected elements like world building and character exploration suffered because of it. I still to this day think about how amazing an experience this book was to read through.
#1. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Before the Coffee Gets Cold stands as my #1 book of the year. It's funny because when compared to the other books I've read this year it doesn't hold much in the way of stakes or scale but I think it managed to do way more for me personally than any of them. Just for context I began reading this not soon after my Grandad had passed away quite suddenly. In that moment I was filled with regrets and resentment about the times I could have spent with him, the conversations I might have had or the love I could have shown him. He was a kind and loving man who wanted for nothing but to be surrounded by the ones who loved him each and every day. I miss him so much and during those initial days this book really helped me put into perspective how to deal with those internal resentments now that he had gone. Set in a café in Tokyo, the concept of the story is that patrons of the café can sit in a specific spot to go back in time to speak with people that are no longer present in their lives. The idea of being able to have these small limited conversations helps these patrons come to terms with their own regrets and failures and move forward in their lives. The concept was so original and so full of heart that I just fell in love instantly. The core message behind it all was to not live in our regrets and resentments and move forward in our lives with the memory of those we lost embedded in everything we do. That sort of story was exactly what I needed to come to terms with the passing of my Grandad and that to me is why I consider this my #1 book of the year.
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