Post from the Pagebound Club forum
Since graduating college I’ve been on a quest to fill in the gaps in my classic literature knowledge, but I’ve realized how important in-class discussion and explanations of themes was to my enjoyment/understanding of books throughout school.
Since starting Crime and Punishment and 100 Years of Solitude I have really been feeling the itch to go to some online resources mid-read to help me frame the book better in my head. I’m hesitant though bc of “spoilers” partly but also I worry that it’s an intellectual crutch that might harm my ability to draw my own conclusions from the text. Pagebound has given me some of the classroom discussion vibes which I love, but I feel like it might be nice to go deeper.
How do you approach more challenging literature, do you integrate external sources into your reads?
rubysparkles is interested in reading...

Human Scars on Planet Skin
Effie Joe Stock
rubysparkles TBR'd a book

Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
Merlin Sheldrake
rubysparkles is interested in reading...

Wife Shaped Bodies
Laura Cranehill
rubysparkles is interested in reading...

A Botanical Daughter
Noah Medlock
rubysparkles is interested in reading...

Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)
Jeff VanderMeer
rubysparkles commented on a post
I must admit I'm having trouble reading this as all my other books seem more appealing to me 💔 I'm not saying this isn't good, it is. I just think I will like my tbr more so I'm kinda forcing myself through this (I have a rule of not reading more than one physical book at the same time. Only 1 audiobook and one physical allowed simultaneously. And I physically cannot dnf any book nor do I wish to dnf this one LMAOO)
rubysparkles TBR'd a book

The River Has Roots
Amal El-Mohtar
rubysparkles commented on a post
I think this is the first time I've actually been surprised by something in the plot...
rubysparkles started reading...

One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez
rubysparkles wrote a review...
More than a retelling, this is a full reimagining of the story of Clytemnestra. I would warn any purists off of this one. The book is interesting but the writing style gets a bit repetitive, I was not too surprised to find out it was a debut novel.
The concept of mostly removing the gods from the narrative while retaining their impact on a religious society was a strong point of this book.
The changes to Tantalus and Orestes made in this book are very interesting, especially given where the story ends. I am not sure if it is to the book’s detriment or not.
Helen is also an interesting character in this version. The text seems to want us to see this as a more powerful twist on her character, but then she is repeatedly presented in the vain, flighty, jealous way that is frequently critiqued in older portrayals.
rubysparkles finished a book

Clytemnestra
Costanza Casati
rubysparkles commented on a post
rubysparkles commented on a post
I find it interesting that Gregor is more worried about being late for work than being a giant bug, lol. Its a pretty good commentary on work life balance.
rubysparkles TBR'd a book

The Everlasting
Alix E. Harrow