The Book Club: August Edition

Welcome to our book club!

Arya’s recommendation:

‘Listen, every object’s in flux. The earth, time, concepts, love, life, faith, justice, evil - they’re all fluid and in transition. They don’t stay in one form or in one place forever. The whole universe is like some big FedEx box’ - ’Kafka on the Shore’, Haruki Murakami

I’ve just started ‘1Q84’, a block of a book (technically, it’s two volumes in one). Like much of Murakami’s work, this is a work of magical realism. He has this ability to create these really immersive, weird worlds you find yourself drawn into. My favourite book by his is ‘Kafka on the Shore’ - it’s quite a saga, mostly following the story of teenager Kafka Tamura as he runs away from home in an attempt to escape an oedipal curse. Out of all the Murakami books I’ve read, this one hits every mark. It’s weird, magical, and you’ve just got to go with the flow. Hopefully, I like ‘1Q84’ just as much, if not more!

Jiya’s recommendation:

This review is quite personal, as I plan to be rather critical. These are just my own thoughts. I first came across this book before it became a ‘TikTok book,’ and even back then, I held the same beliefs as I do now: it contains a lot of toxic advice. It feels like this book is tailored to please and empower a 14-year-old boy rather than provide meaningful guidance. 

I want to clarify that my criticism isn’t directed at the author as a whole. I’ve read his other books and genuinely enjoyed them. In fact, I think this book is well-written. The issue lies in its content, which I find problematic. The 48 Laws of Power makes you feel manipulative and powerful, but the idea that you need to be ‘evil’ to be powerful is misguided. Life isn’t a Disney movie where you have to play the villain to succeed.

The fact that this book is trending on TikTok only serves to promote an unhealthy mindset. It’s not realistic at all. I can understand why it’s trending and the audience it appeals to, I mean it makes sense. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a good book or that its advice is great. The book literally advises you to “pose as a friend and act as a spy” and “crush your enemy totally,” as if it’s some kind of action movie. Who reads that and thinks, “Wow, great advice”? Some of the advice even contradicts itself. 

That said, not all of it is bad, some of the advice on honesty, for example, is decent. Just a book that should be in the right hands of people who have critical thinking skills, which honestly in this generation is quite rare - I said what I said!

We’ll post about the book club on the last day of every month. Join us by letting us know what you’ve been reading and who your favourite authors are :)