PAIRS IN PAIRS This year’s spring book review was inspired by the magic number of 2022. I am not too familiar with numerology, but somehow this year with the twos seems to be a positive energy bomb. Lo and behold: it is. According to specialists of the topic, examined from several perspectives (for example, if we add the digits, we get 6), CSILLA TÖRÖK-PAPP ALFÖLD TELEVISION BUSINESS UNIT MANAGER this year could be the year of harmony, love, family, and peace. In selecting the six books, for the first time in my life I decided in pairs and based on their covers. It was a bit like telling the waiter of an unfamiliar restaurant during a trip to bring me anything and surprise me. So I began reading books and I can say—as it has proven to be true countless times before—that there were no coincidences. Let’s see the pairs: Mary Ann Marlowe:
Dating by the book
The title of Dating by the Book is very pertinent because the protagonist, Maddie Hanson, is a novice writer and bookstore owner, which foreshadows mentions of countless books. All the books a bookworm like me will know feature here. The mention of Jane Austen’s female characters and the discussion of the decisions of Louisa May Alcott’s Jo were a bit clichéd, and when characters talked about Gone with the Wind without mentioning the fact that a lot of significant moments were omitted from the film, such as Scarlett’s first child, I was starting to suspect that the book was written by a romantic movie fan. It was well designed alright because the elements dovetailed nicely. It featured a rocker, a handsome boy, a hero, and even online dating, and, of course, all men in the countryside desired Mad. Not an epic novel, more of a one-time read, but perfect for that purpose.
Matt Haig:
The mindnight library
Books covers often carry recommendations from other authors, whose words are there to pique our interest. When I picked up this book, I found the words of Joanne Harris on the inside cover. The writer of the Chocolat series declares for the book this way: “It’s a rare light shining in the dark.” That was enough for me. Nora is the protagonist of the novel. Opening the books in the Midnight Library, she experiences how her life would have changed if she had made other decisions, and is now trying to find the life that is perfect for her. We go on a dynamic adventure with Nora, something that makes us think that even we could live our own lives as well as possible, even if there is no Midnight Library nearby. This book can prove to be therapeutic, where, by examining ourselves, we may take a bird’s eye view of our own lives. This would sometimes be helpful at any stage of our lives.
WHY ARE THEY A PAIR? Based on their titles, both books are related to books. SIMILARITY: The topic itself. Books play significant roles in both novels. DIFFERENCE: It is enough to read the Dating by the Book novel once, The Midnight Library requires a high amount of openness. 44
