Goodreads Book Challenge Wrapped (2023)

In 2023, I challenged myself to read 20 books — these are the fiction ones I read last year.

I got a couple rules for a list like this. The books did not have to come out this year. And I don’t really care which genre they are technically apart of, I separated them into science fiction and everything else and lumped it all together. What matters to me is if they had parts I enjoyed, did the story stay with me, and was the writing clear and imaginative.

Let me know if you read any of these books and what fiction you read this year in the comments below.

They are organized from the books I most enjoyed to least enjoyed in both categories, so without further ado —

Science Fiction:

Patternmaster — Octavia E. Butler

• Starting this one off, a friend of mine tuned me into Butler’s Lilith’s Brood series last year. This year, I tried her psychic drama / emotional thriller. “Patternmaster” is utterly gripping, an intimate portrayal of relationships and power struggle. When a girl rebels against the machinations of her ‘father’ / immortal diety creator, she kickstarts a revolution and discovers her own desire for control. Butler explores the life of women abused, psychological and physically, interracial relationships, the dynamics of power, and how a woman navigates these successfully (with psychic intrigue, power, etc). Easily one of my favourite books in recent years.

Foundation — Isaac Asimov

• Asimov’s first “Foundation” book is a yearly read for me at this point. The science fiction novel solidified my appreciation for the literary genre. As science fiction fans, this is required reading for class. A bit of historical fiction, a short story collection to span humanities centuries amongst the stars after a imperial collapse (think Gibbon’s Fall of the Roman Empire), the characters in “Foundation” rely on their wits and schemes to overcome the odds. The Anacreon story is one of my favourites, as is “The Mayors” (a story in which technological advancement is seen as religious power). This book series is also the “Foundation” of a lot of modern science fiction (no pun intended).

The War of the Worlds — H.G. Wells

• A gritty war novel set against the backdrop of an alien invasion from Mars, “The War of the Worlds” is a classic science fiction novel. My favourite parts were the descriptions of the carnage and the aliens.

There was something fungoid in the oily brown skin, something in the clumsy deliberation of the tedious movements unspeakably nasty

• Truly terrifying, the sickest science fiction I read this year. The tale of a pair of brothers making their way across the war torn English landscape, the struggle for survival, the killing of people who have gone insane in the war; Wells’ writing makes for a gripping and often times uncomfortable read, a bloody awesome fiction on the costs of war.

Light from Uncommon Stars — Ryka Aoki

• At first, “Light From Uncommon Stars” did not grip me. But as I continued, the memorable characters snuck under my skin, the light hearted writing made me laugh, and cry at times. I remember the story long after I had finished it, and therefore it deserves to be read. We follow a young musician finding her footing and navigating the complexities of life as a Asian-transgender woman in the United States; a international musician who sold her soul to the devil long ago; and a space captain keeping her family safe in a donut shop from an impending space apocalypse. Three leading ladies, three different character motivations, and when they collide into each other, Aoki plays it out with a lot of emotion and a lot of heart. Worth the read.

Foundation and Earth — Isaac Asimov

• “Foundation and Earth” was intended to be both the final of the second trilogy of Foundation books and the start of a planned continuation. An overall very traditional adventure, this book is a missed opportunity considering the experimentation of the other Foundation works. Besides the ending, I barely remember the story, characters, or beats.

The Warehouse — Rob Hart

I like the other cover better

• Honestly, Hart has a interesting world that wastes its potential on boring main characters, a lack of tension, and a ending that really doesn’t leave an impact. The book may have been well received, but I don’t like it that much. The message felt like, “hey I’m criticizing Amazon, look at me, look at me”, with nothing much to say after.

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire — Steve Perry

• A by the numbers Star Wars book that’s twenty-seven years old. Cool game, shitty novel.

Fiction:

Fifteen Dogs — Andre Alexis

Cool Greek vase cover

• Easily my favourite philosophical-literary book of the year, “Fifteen Dogs” asks the reader questions that can only be answered through the premise of giving intelligence to 15 dogs. Can we be happy despite having the intelligence to know our ends? Is intelligence what defines humanity? How would we feel is a dog spoke to us and asked for “money”? Alexis explores these topics with nuance, scenes that left my jaw on the floor, and genuine horror and sadness. A beast of content, with five interwoven short stories, but a small poodle of a book, “Fifteen Dogs” is worth the read. I got a lot of friends and coworkers to read it, now I’m gonna try to get you to read it to.

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz — Mordecai Richler

The ladder of success

• Richler left a impression on me with his Canadian classic, “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz”. A character drama set in Montreal about the ultimate hustler, poor-Jewish boy Duddy Kravitz. He seriously puts all other hustlers and charlatans in the 21st century to shame. As we follow along and root for Duddy, who becomes increasingly greedy, we watch as he distances himself emotionally from the people who love him in pursuit of that dollar. Every North American man should aspire to be like Duddy, who grows to be despicable in his actions, because he makes lots money. I think forgoing our emotional attachments (friends, partners, parents, grandparents, etc.) that make life worth living (and help Duddy succeed) is what all Canadians should do to get ahead in the world. Without land, a man’s nothing, y’know?

Hotline — Dimitri Nasrallah

• I devoured this book, and personally, I saw this book as the second half of the Duddy Kravitz story. “Hotline” centers on the first generation of immigrant-Canadians in 1980s Montreal. Escaping a traumatic and wartorn life with the dreams of building a better life, Nasrallah tells a tale of a young Lebanese teacher fleeing war-torn Beruit with her young son in tow from war torn Lebanon. The reader roots for Muna as she tackles a shitty call-center job (been there), emotionally charged clients, her own emotional scars, grieving her husband’s supposed death, all while trying to provide for her son. The little intimate moments, combined with the great descriptions of downtown Montreal, made reading this book feel like peering into intimate memories. And unlike Duddy, Muna succeeds where Duddy fails by remembering that life is meant to be lived with people. She handles herself with humility and grace while battling “invisible barriers at every turn”. A fantastic novel worth the read.

The Day of the Owl — Leonardo Sciascia

• A crime mafia story centered on the island of Sicily, “Day of the Owl” is my favourite mafia book. I read this book seven years ago, loved it then, and I enjoy it now. Mafia, crime, detectives, what more could you need.

The English Patient — Michael Ondaatje

• Oh the English Patient, you are a tough one: so sensual, so smooth, so poetic, so slow. Ondaatje’s penchant for poetry shines through and puts us through a whirlwind of strong, emotional imagery (which I love). All while making the plot as slow as possible (which I hate).

Black Girls Must be Magic — Jayne Allen

• This is not a terrible book, by any means, just a terribly boring one. A lot of the writing is, “she said dramatically, she wondered wonderously, she imagined with such great imagination.” A good drama that didn’t leave a lasting impact on me.

The Silent Patient — Alex Michaelides

• Michaelides, you need to find more Greek metaphors than sheep farmers, Greek islands, and Greek gods, from one diaspora community Greek to another. The book didn’t leave me with many questions at the end, preferring to wrap everything up in a nice bow, which is a shame considering the twist. The focus should have been on the silent patient herself, not so much on the main character.

Sadie X, Clara Dupuis-Morency (translated by Aimee Wall)— OFFICIAL REVIEW COMING FEBUARY 2024, @Montrealreviewofbooks

• My first review, drafted by the editorial at Montreal Book Reviews, will be out in Feb 2024. Keep your eyes out, I’ll put out an announcement, and give the review (and the book if you want) a read.

Follow my reading adventures in 2024 here. And stay tuned for pt. 2: Non-Fiction, which I talk about history, philosophy, and a little bit of poetry.