#kallocain

"I have seen death's power spread out across the world in wider and wider circles - but must not life's power also have its circles, even though I haven't been able to see them?"

the way that there is no outright revolution, like in some other dystopian scifi's, but a quiet one, triggered by the deep longing to connect in a world that isolates and ostracises you from everyone you care for

Leo wanting to spread Kallocain, not to save himself, but to gift other people the opportunity to experience freedom under oppression

I haven't been as active here in 2024 as in other years, but I still feel like sharing my top 10 fo the year. No idea how, but I managed to read 52 books overall - the goal was 49 and I honestly thought I wouldn't reach it... Let's see which books were the best of the bunch to me :)

Kallocain by Karin Boye

Extremely beautiful dystopian novel. I feel like this is what people think 1984 is when they get disappointed by it (I'm saying this as a compliment). It's the story of a scientist who lives under an oppressive totalitarian state, and discovers a potent truth serum. 10/10, would recommend to everyone ever to read this.

2. Summer by Ali Smith

Don't ask me why I began reading the seasonal quartet from the last book, but so far this is the only one I read and... I loved it. It made me emotional in all the best ways. This has raised the stakes for the other three books of the series (I plan on reading Autumn in 2025 but why knows, might take me another two or three business years to actually do it).

3. All Men Are Mortal by Simone de Beauvoir

I think I should tell you that I picked up this book by chance from my mom's bookcase - as usual she knew she read it and remembered nothing of it. This novel felt like a slap in the face, and I don't understand how people can't always remember it after having read it. This is the story of an immortal man who regrets his immortality, and somehow it's an in-dept analysis of humankind's mortality and... I don't know how else to describe it if not the aforementioned slap in the face. Absolutely majestic.

4. The Biggest Prison on Earth by Ilan Pappé

This book should be mandatory in every school but alas. I don't think it's a good recommentation for people who never approached the subject of the history of Palestine, but I think it could still prove extremely useful to people who are interested in the topic - and let's face it, we all should be.

5. Act your age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Took me ages to finally finish the Brown sisters series, and I loved this third instalment just so much. I think Eve and Jacob are a great exaple of well written enemies to lovers - or whatever "sorry I accidentally run you over with my car, let me help you run your B&B" is supposed to be. It's my favorite trope and it better be done like this more often.

6. Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I think I'll remember this novel for the wrong reason - it's so far the only book by Moreno-Garcia I didn't give 5 stars (I gave it a 4.75 so I should really just shut up). But I really enjoyed it, as it's written well, the characters are compelling, and it takes place in a moment in the history of Mexico I didn't know much about, which made it a good reason to do further research, something I always like. And, may I say? It has one of my favorite endings in all the Moreno-Garcia books.

7. From the River to the Sea: Essays for a Free Palestine ed. Sai Englert, Rosie Warren, Michal Schatz

Extremely upset I didn't have access to this while I was writing my Master's thesis (don't care if it has been published 2 years after my graduation ok). Please read this if you can.

8. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

First book I read completely in 2024 and it was GREAT. I spent the year looking for Bloodmaker at my usual bookshop, but I will end up having to order it on their website. I need to know how the story goes, ok? This book wins the Best Plot Twist of the Year award to me (which means it's the best written, the one with the best build up, and not done for shock value).

9. Bite by Bite: Nourishment and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

World of Wonders, which I read a couple of years ago, is still one of my favorite books. This is basically the food version of it, so how could I not love this one too? it's so caring, so loving, so beautifully written: I can't ask anything else from a book.

10. Our wives under the sea by Julia Armfield

I'm not good with books that scare me. This scared me just enough to be able to finish it and still be so full of dread I could cry. If you're not a whimp like me you will probably think this is very tame, but to me the not knowing will always be more upsetting than the knowing.

Honorable mentions