Hello everyone, and Happy New Year from the Coterie!
With all of the reflection that comes along with this time of year, us Coterie Exec members have taken the time to compile a list of some of our favourite reads of 2021.
Jules Lee (AVP): Normal People by Sally Rooney
"My favourite read of 2021 is definitely Normal People by Sally Rooney. This novel follows the lives of Connell and Marianne, two very different high school students, to college. It's very coming-of-age and captures the feelings of transitioning from teenager to young adult. What I love most about this book is how Rooney develops her characters in a non-linear fashion. She depicts the struggles of growing up in a realistic manner, never embellishing the ugly realities of reaching the points of self-discovery. The writing style is spare, which allows readers to focus on what isn't being said, arguably the most important part of the novel itself. Since Rooney discusses the perils of miscommunication, she forces her audience to become an active agent in the narrative, really challenging us to read in between the dialogue of each character to unravel how they're actually feeling. Rooney writes such round and elaborate characters that convey the real experiences of finding their place in a world that never felt like their own while simultaneously creating an incomparable romance in which readers become fully invested in."
Asha Saha (AVP): The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“The best book that I read in 2021 was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid! The novel tells the life story of a fictional Old Hollywood movie star who decides to reveal the details of her life in an interview. I loved this book because the characters were so multi-dimensional that I felt like I really connected with them, and the plot had so many twists that it was enticing the whole way through!”
Rachel Tersch (VP Events): Vicious and Vengeful by V. E. Schwab
"Vicious and Vengeful are the first two books in a trilogy about two college students who experiment with the possibilities of near-death experiences. Complete with various villains and high conflict, there are no clear heroes in this dark academic style story. V. E. Schwab is a master of storytelling and this series is no exception to her growing list of masterpieces. The characters, particularly, are so interesting and complex, as well as the world building, the plot, the prose and all of the deep intricacies that meld to create this fantastic fantasy series."
Faith Caswell (VP Academics): Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
"One of the best books I read in 2021 was Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing. Kya, abandoned at a young age, is left to raise herself in the North Carolinian marshes, finding solace and strength in the natural world around her. This book is a beautiful and intimate portrait of coming of age in a harsh and isolating environment. Owens is masterful in her depictions of the struggles of growing from a young girl with an abusive father to a young woman facing discrimination, prejudice, and toxic relationships. This story is written with stunning descriptions of nature and life, but the trauma Kya faces creates a dark undercurrent throughout the novel — I couldn’t put it down until the last page. Permeated with rich discussions of race, gender politics, sexual assault, and abusive power imbalances, I think Where the Crawdads Sing is a necessary book that speaks to our generation."
Abby Robitaille (President): The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
"Of all of the books that I read this year, it is The Poppy War trilogy that stands out to me as such a clear favourite. This grimdark fantasy story follows Rin as she flees her childhood home for Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan. There, she not only trains for fast-approaching war, but also faces the other students who quickly single her out for her colour, background of poverty, and gender. Kuang writes some of the most dynamic characters I've encountered in a long time in this trilogy, and the moral greyness of so many of the characters was extremely thought-provoking, particularly of Rin's character. The story's plot was largely inspired by 20th-century China and the Second Sino-Japanese War, and even the fantastical worldbuilding was inspired by the Opium Wars, all of which contributed towards the rich, detailed setting. Overall, I really cannot stop thinking about this series, and I am oh-so highly anticipating Kuang's (unrelated) 2022 release, Babel."
Comentarios