October 2020 Wrap Up

TL;DR

Olive discusses the books she read in October, including a Victorian memoir, Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell, a romance novel called Spoiler Alert, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and more.

Transcript

hi guys olive here happy halloween here today to talk to you about the books i read in october 2020. i'm making this wrap up video a touch earlier than i normally do and that's because non-fiction november starts tomorrow in case you didn't know i dedicate this whole channel to nonfiction during the month of november i only read nonfiction and i on... Read More

Key Insights

• ⌛ The Victorian and the Romantic offers an interesting mix of memoir and admiration for Elizabeth Gaskell, focusing on her time in Rome.
• 💦 Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell is the author's first novel, exploring class differences and themes of misunderstandings between people, but Olive did not enjoy it as much as her other works.
• 🍄 Spoiler Alert is a fun romance novel about fan fiction and the TV show industry, although similarities to Game of Thrones may be off-putting.
• 😱 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a brilliant and heartbreaking novel that is misunderstood as a horror book.
• 🖤 When Dreams Descend lacked depth and answers, possibly due to stretching out the story into two books.
• 🙂 The Organ Thieves sheds light on the unethical practices in medicine, particularly regarding organ transplantation.
• 🫚 Olive did not enjoy Group, feeling uncomfortable with the therapist's methods and the focus on rooting for a murderer in They Never Learned.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is The Victorian and the Romantic about?

The Victorian and the Romantic is a memoir by Nell Stevens, discussing the time Elizabeth Gaskell spent in Rome and her infatuation with an American critic.

Q: Did Olive enjoy Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell?

Olive did not particularly enjoy Mary Barton, finding it to be the author's first novel that read longer than necessary. However, she appreciated the exploration of class differences and themes of misunderstandings between people.

Q: What is Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade about?

Spoiler Alert is a romance novel about a fan of a TV show and one of its stars who write for the same fan fiction site without knowing each other's real identities. They eventually become friends and start a romance.

Q: Why did Olive find When Dreams Descend lacking?

Olive found When Dreams Descend by Janelle Angeles lacking in substance because it felt like the story was dragged out to justify splitting it into two books. It felt repetitive and didn't provide enough answers.

Q: What is The Organ Thieves about?

The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones is a non-fiction book that tells the story of the unethical removal of organs from a black man who was admitted to a research hospital in 1968.

Q: What was Olive's issue with Group by Christy Tate?

Olive had concerns about the therapist's conduct in Group therapy sessions mentioned in Christy Tate's memoir. She felt that the therapist had too much control over the participants' lives and questioned his ethics.

Q: Why did Olive dislike They Never Learned by Lane Fargo?

Olive disliked They Never Learned because she found the murder scenes lacking tension and the twist to be predictable. She also expressed her discomfort in rooting for a cold-blooded murderer.

Q: What are Olive's thoughts on The Searcher by Tana French?

Olive found The Searcher to have editing issues but enjoyed parts of it. She recommended watching her video review for a more detailed opinion.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Olive participated in the Victober challenge and read The Victorian and the Romantic by Nell Stevens, a memoir and admiration for Elizabeth Gaskell, and Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell herself.

• She also read Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade, a romance novel about a fan of a TV show and one of its stars who unknowingly write for the same fan fiction site.

• Olive finally read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and found it brilliant and heartbreaking, contrary to its popular portrayal as a horror book.

• She read other new releases, including When Dreams Descend by Janelle Angeles, which she found lacking in substance and too stretched out, and The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones, a non-fiction book about unethical practices in medicine.

• She didn't enjoy Group by Christy Tate, a memoir about group therapy sessions, and They Never Learned by Lane Fargo, a book about a murderous professor.

• Finally, she mentions The Searcher by Tana French, a mystery novel set in rural Ireland, which she found had editing issues but had some enjoyable parts.