Scribble Feminist Reads

The Twenty Days of Turin by Giorgio De Maria Libby Driscoll

     5/5

I was suffering a bit of a reading slump recently, but I heard about this underground 1970s Italian thriller with a slight political element that was called the future of horror literature. It’s from the perspective of an author who is writing a book (the one you’re reading, one of my favourite tropes) about Turin, a city which suffered from a ‘collective psychosis’ after the creation of the Library, a place where people could pay to read each other’s darkest secrets. It’s supernatural and covers the descent into madness in a worryingly relatable tone, but the central theme is the horror of human curiosity. The translator’s introduction put it best, the protagonist receives a warning not to ‘insist on searching for truth where human reason could fi nd only shadows’, but ‘someone has to ignore such warnings, or else ghost stories wouldn’t be ghost stories.’

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar Aaina Jassel

    4/5

This book was amazing. It is the fi rst book I have read about a queer brown girl and it was defi nitely something that had been missing from my bookshelf. It explores many themes including cultural appropriation in a very contemporary and powerful way. The main character, Nishat, is just a typical high school girl struggling with all things to do with the teenage years an it was such a compelling story.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Aaina Jassel

     5/5

I loved this book so much! It is a love story between Alex, the First Son of the US and Henry, the Prince of England. This story made me laugh and cry at the same time and it truly is amazing. There are so many comic moments alongside such heartfelt scenes which altogether create such a good energy and atmosphere. The progression of Alex and Henry’s relationship was phenomenal and I can only hope to have something close to what they had.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Aaina Jassel

     5/5

I don’t even know where to start with this book. It completely took my breath away and i’m not sure I have recovered yet. It is fully of mystery, suspense, romance and action. The perfect book! For starters there is an actual magician hiding as an illusionist in a circus (which only comes out at night!) and there is a secret competition. All the hard tears were extremely well written and there were twists, turns and surprises at every point. The ending was so beautiful and fi t the rest of the story wonderfully. I couldn’t have written a better book if I tried.

Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies curated by Scarlett Curtis Holly Lovett

    4/5

A book that celebrates feminism, FEMINISTS DON’T WEAR PINK and other lies is both intriguing and informative. Expressing the harsh, humorous and truthful reality of the life of a female, this is a book that I believe should be on everyone’s bookshelf. Incorporating a mixture of real-life experiences, poetry and detailed information, readers are invited to not only form opinion, but also to explore further (particularly in the section titled “our shared shelf”). There is a varied mixture that grants representation to many different women with inputs from famous females, female businesses owners and everyday women such as single mums. A section that particularly struck me as of importance was “My Feminism” written by Saoirse Ronan as I found it specifi cally relatable to my own life.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Lily Harding

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A GCSE classic sent to torture 15-year-olds across the isle, I would still recommend this surprisingly short novella for its earned place in the gothic lit hall of fame. It wears it’s themes on its sleeve, making perhaps quite a blunt and obvious partner in comparison to the cerebral, slow paced Frankenstein; another giant in the genre based around the ever-expanding horrors of science and their tension with the religious dogma of the 1800s. But, even if everybody knows the truth of the mystery at its heart, I can’t help but be charmed by the quirks of its earnestness and the genuinely endearing details of Stevenson’s writing. If none of this can convince you to take the 100-page plunge, it’s worth it purely for the comedic value of the scene where Utterson and Enfi eld see a monstrous face in their close friend’s window and decide collectively to walk away and never talk about it ever again.