Are you in search of a good book to read under the sun at the quad as the days get warmer? Here are a few recommendations for you.
- “The Island of Missing Trees” by Turkish writer Elif Shafak tells the love story of a Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot during the civil war. The book switches from the perspective of the two lovers, their daughter, and a fig tree, who bears witness to their meetings, departures, sorrows, and expanding family. Unique, heart-wrenching, and magical, “The Island of Missing Trees” is a must for anyone who is in search of a romantic, historical fiction novel.
- “Intimacies” by Katie Kitamura recounts the adventures of a woman who relocates from New York City to the Hague, in Netherlands, to work as an interpreter at the International Court of Justice. A woman of many languages and identities, she is looking for a place to call home and put down roots. Yet, her year abroad is plagued with uncertainties and dramas: her friend Jana witnesses seemingly random acts of violence, she is called to work as a personal interpreter for a dictator on trial, and she is suspended in her relationship with her boyfriend, Adriaan, who is in the process of ending his marriage. Observant and chilling, “Intimacies” is the perfect read for anyone who is in search of a serendipitous journey or mystery.
- “The Maidens” by Alex Michaelides features the protagonist, Marianna, and her obsession with proving that Edward Fosca is a murder. She is drawn back to Cambridge University, her alma mater, after the murder of her niece’s best friend, Tara. Marianna is certain that Fosca, a handsome and calculating Greek tragedy professor, is to blame. Fosca, however, remains innocent and popular in the eyes of staff and students alike: especially by the Maidens, a secret society of female students who flaunt wealth, power, and intrigue. Filled with chilling plot twists, and a haunting dark academia setting, “The Maidens” is for anyone who wants to get transported into another world.
- “In the Time of the Butterflies” by Julia Alvarez tells the true story of the Mirabal sisters (nicknamed “the butterfly sisters”), three young mothers and wives who organized resistance groups against the Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo. The narrative follows the sisters in their youth and adolescence, until their assassination, and is a testament to the limitless power of female collaboration, friendship, and love. “In the Time of the Butterflies” is for anyone who wants to be moved, inspired, and celebrate the bravery of these three incredible women and revolutionaries.
- “Beautiful World, Where Are You” by Sally Rooney tells the stories of four friends: Alice, a young, successful novelist who travels to Rome with Felix, a cynical warehouse employee. While Alice and Felix struggle to redefine their complex connection, Eileen flirts with her childhood crush Simon. They desire each other, deceive each other, propel each other into growth, and share frightened realizations about what it means to be in love in our current society that is in many ways on the brink of collapse. Intuitive and raw, “Beautiful World, Where Are You” is perfect for anyone who wants a truthful, sincere novel. Be sure to read Rooney’s other novels, “Normal People” and “Conversations With Friends” afterwards.
Do you have any book recommendations? If so, feel free to email Student Publications at editor@okcu.edu
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