My top ten reads of 2021
What a year it’s been. Image designed via Canva.
Heyo, lovely people, and happy holidays! I hope you are safe and well; I have been blessed with a small but peaceful Christmas with my family, and I will always be thankful for it, especially in these uncertain and dangerous times. I am also blessed to have you, lovely people, as I’ve bloggerooned my way through The Charisian in 2021. So, to you, thank you.
As an entire side-note: I’m going to add “this article” because, according to my dad, this post isn’t worth reading if I don’t have that phrase somewhere in here. I may or may not have attained some of my humour from him.
Now, before I go anywhere further, my last of the year:
What I’m Reading: Iron Heart (Nina Varela — Quill Tree Books) / The Plantagenets (Dan Jones — William Collins Books) / The Chrysillium Tree (Laken Honeycutt)
What I’m Watching: I have since seen Spider-Man: No Way Home (Marvel), and holy moly, what good soup!
And with that, my top ten!
10. Spin the Dawn / Unravel the Dusk, AKA ‘The Blood of Stars’ duology (Elizabeth Lim — Hodder Books)
So, this one is absolutely cheating, but I feel it appropriate given I read both in relatively rapid succession of one another, and I liked book two significantly more than book one (book one: 3 stars; book two: 4 stars). I enjoyed both considerably (and just look at those covers!), and Elizabeth Lim has since become an instant-book-buy author for me due to this duology. Following 18-year-old Maia Tamarin in an initial Mulan-esque, but with tailors premise in a fictional Chinese-inspired setting, we watch as she rises above what most ever expected of her, and I loved it. Though, I will say! Those looking at this title expecting a Mulan retelling will find themselves at the end of book one’s first half and realising the Mulan-inspired component is done. I had heard many people say as much, though I was still surprised when the rest of the book began to play out. I rated book one three stars given I enjoyed it enough, but the second half is very romance heavy, and I didn’t find myself enjoying it as much. (I am also apparently getting old because I started asking myself, “Like, she’s at least eighteen, right? Because he’s over five-hundred years old, and if she’s any younger than eighteen, then this is super creepy.”) It took me almost to the end of book one for that answer to be given, and while still weird, it’s undoubtedly less creepy.
Book two, however! Unravel the Dusk changed everything for me. Now, Maia is dealing with demons and potentially becoming one herself, and the journey she undertakes is a gem to read. This book only has one plot end-point, and Maia charges toward it with lightning speed. There are also teasers for her latest book, Six Crimson Cranes, which I am super eager to read once the smaller paperback comes out! All in all, it was an excellent read, and I’m glad I finally picked Spin the Dawn from my bookshelves.
9. Crier’s War / Iron Heart, AKA the ‘Crier’s War’ duology (Nina Varela — Quill Tree Books)
Aha! Okay, so I’m cheating again, and like, in only two ways — namely, I haven’t actually finished Iron Heart yet. However! To my understanding, Iron Heart is the end of the series, given that there’s no third book advertised on Goodreads, and I love what I’ve read of book two. Genuinely, most of the second half of this list was pretty interchangeable, and tomorrow, this could easily have taken fifth or sixth place. For today, however, we’re here, we’re queer, and my goodness, Nina Varela is a good writer. I am beyond grateful I found these two books, if only for how precious Crier is. Like, I like Ayla, I think she’s a fantastic and headstrong, very cool lady, but I adore the Automae Princess.
For real, don’t tell my fam I like an AI character. I’ll never hear the end of it.
Fabulously sapphic from end to end, I spent most of my review (when not celebrating Crier) celebrating how intricate and detailed and skilled the writing is. It’s the kind that makes me as a writer sit back, nod, and wonder how exactly I’ll write something so neat.
(For real, though, writing is not a contest, and every writer has their own strengths and weaknesses, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come in my own writing; it is genuinely fantastic when I come across writing so good, I can’t help but sit back and admire it.)
This is a really solid four-star duo, and I highly recommend it. For an author who only has these books out in the wilderness, I cannot wait to see where her writing takes her.
8. Deconstruction of a Symptom (Nathan Anderson — Alien Buddha Press)
I love me some poetry. Personally, I almost think I’ve had more success writing poetry than with writing anything else this year. I personally find poetry an overall more spiritual experience than literature, and sometimes, poetry is all I want or need in a reading experience. Cue Deconstruction of a Symptom, a powerful 4-star poetry collection by fellow Aussie, Nathan Anderson. Rich with symbolism, a mastery of repetition, and all the emotions, there is every reason people should be reading this collection — including supporting independent Aussie artists!
For real, there was never any question — even as I finished it — whether or not Deconstruction of a Symptom would be on this list. It would have taken some pretty insanely 10/5 books for this to not end up on here. And though my words here and in my review prove brief in total (in part because it is a shorter overall piece), I cannot express strongly enough how much this book is worth your time.
7. The Crystal Cave, AKA #1 of the ‘Arthurian Saga’ (Mary Stewart — Peerage Books)
So, the cover says Merlin trilogy, but the cover is lying! We’ve unearthed a scandal, lovely people!
Okay, well, sorta. The books were initially planned as a trilogy, but at some point, the books extended beyond the three. So the first three are Merlin’s, book four is Mordred’s, and then there’s a fifth side story, still featured in the age of Arthur’s court, but instead featuring entirely separate characters (I’m sure I’ll read it one day and realise how utterly incorrect I am about this lattermost statement).
I read The Crystal Cave in my minor frenzy of Arthurian content, and though it was a slow start (many heavier fantasy titles are like this for me, so it’s less to do with the book and more to do with my attention span)… yo. Like, this book gave me the sads. It is also home to an excellent audiobook, read by Derek Perkins, which I listened to when I couldn’t access my hard copy. This is also personally one of my favourite adaptations of Merlin and of Uther — finding myself like Uther so much really surprised me, which was possible through Stewart not having him force himself on Igraine — 99% sure that’s how Stewart spelled it. The only downside to this book is that women do not enjoy the best representation; given its publication in 1970, I can’t entirely excuse it, but I also understand that The Crystal Cave is a product of its time. It’s definitely something to keep in mind, but please don’t let that deter you from checking this book out. It’s easily one of the better overall Arthurian adaptations out there. A good book and a great opening act for what is to come.
6. All Systems Red, AKA #1 of ‘The Murderbot Diaries’ (Martha Wells — Tor.com)
Personally, my life is a little more complete now that I’ve read about this lean, anxious killing machine. This novella was an absolute charm, and I could not get enough of it. Murderbot, the MC of this series (in a series titled ‘The Murderbot Diaries? Who authorised this?), is the hero of this book. Not only are they, by definition, the hero of this book, but they have proved one of the best representations of anxiety in a character I’ve ever read. Genuinely, my anxiety has never felt so seen and heard.
Highly entertaining, rich with character and a compelling story racing in the background, this novella won’t take longer than a day at most. I doth recommend it.
5. The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln — Century Books)
Do you think I can ever remember all three of the authors’ names off the top of my head? Like, I stumble my way through the first one, get to the second, and think, “I know this one….” So anyway, this book was a beast to read — one which, come the end, possessed roughly seven packs worth of sticky notes?
I began reading this on July 8 and finished it on October 1. Taking the time to sticky note my way through meant really taking things inch by crawling inch, especially when the book has just so much knowledge to give. But, by the end of it, I felt as if I’d been on a journey, beginning it all with the discovery of Jesus Christ’s potential resting place. And yo, I cannot emphasise, this book was controversial. It set out to learn the truth of the Holy Grail, and on its way there, hypothesises a history of Jesus Christ different to what we know.
I’ve not often encountered a book so thoroughly fascinating as this. It’s not for everyone, I will concede, but for those looking for something non-fictiony, controversial, tremendously well-researched, Arthurian, or simply something different, look no further. This is a five-star book I am grateful I found tucked away in a secondhand bookstore.
4. Iron Widow, AKA #1 of ‘Iron Widow’ (Xiran Jay Zhao — Penguin Teen)
My goodness, I loved this book. If not for the books in the top three being as extraordinary as they are, this was easily worthy of any of the highest places. As such, it lies here at fourth. From plot, to character, to humour, to social commentary and destroying the patriarchy, to worldbuilding, to magic systems, to a POLYAMOROUS RELATIONSHIP and no I will not shut up about this, to fantastic bisexual rep the world needs far more of, Iron Widow has it all.
I think it’s all the better knowing of the journey Zhao went on to tell this tale, sharing their story in a YouTube video you should absolutely watch. I partly say that as someone who loves reading the acknowledgements after I’ve finished the main book. Oftentimes, that can be among the most personal sections of the entire book, the authors stopping to reflect on their journey from beginning to end.
I cannot wait to see what Zhao will do with other books and this series. So if you’re looking for a grand budding new series, you’ve found it, lovely people.
But now, the top three! Starting with…
3. Witchshadow, AKA #4 of ‘The Witchlands’ (Susan Dennard — Tor Teen)
I’m still fresh out of my review, and I’m still processing just how mind-blowingly good this book is. Like, there are essentially no faults in this book (also, I tagged Susan Dennard in my Twitter post sharing my review, and she liked and retweeted it!). To see such an act of pure craftsmanship, to have been able to experience something so intricate and detailed and rich and fulfilling as Witchshadow, is beyond me.
I honestly have no words, all of them still thriving about in my far more detailed review. For anyone interested in reading something still in the works (rumour has it book five will be escaping into the world in 2023, so there’s a fair bit of time yet to pass), like… this is honestly where everyone needs to be. And in the long run, I think these books will get every bit of the attention they deserve.
Also, shoutouts to Sightwitch, one of the best side stories in a series out there. And so pretty!
And now, for our penultimate pick!
2. Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World, AKA #2 of ‘Aristotle and Dante’ (Benjamin Alire Sáenz — Simon & Schuster)
I shall preface this by saying that second and first place were the hardest to allocate. While Witchshadow is a genuine feat in literature, my second and first place selections moved me in such ways that almost nothing could really have ever taken their places.
This book was beyond important for me, a sequel to one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read, one I’ve reread countless times. And there is something so treasured in MC Ari’s first steps into growing up, but to see him finally become a young adult and really find himself, to become a person, I couldn’t get enough of this. In my review, I called Aridante #2 pure catharsis — in part because of another book I read this year, I won’t name names but, you know — partly because there was something almost spiritual in seeing someone you’re so attached to finally figure things out and find happiness.
But more, I think one of the best parts of this book is on the side of the author. Book two reflects upon the problematic aspects of book one (which incorrectly genders a trans woman), with the following from my book review:
that very fact is also addressed and significantly improved upon in Aridante #2. The woman in question is finally referred to as a trans woman, her name Camila, and Ari is very active in referring to her as such, not as a transvestite or as a ‘he’. There is a confrontation where Ari is challenged on this by a decidedly transphobic, homophobic character, and he shows no hesitation in standing his ground and defending Camila.
Sáenz acknowledges his shortcoming quietly, delicately, and respectively. I am thankful he did not simply set that moment aside, allowing a small but problematic moment to fester as years go by, but allowed for such a moment to find reconciliation and consequent peace.
Separate from everything I’ve mentioned, one of my favourite elements of Sáenz’s writing is, well, the writing. While some people are not fans of his more aesthetically poetic style, I simply adore it. For all the books I’ve read of his — both within the Aristotle and Dante series and without, I find it easy to lose hours as I consume every word and emotion poured onto the page. And though I’m sad that there is no more to tell for Ari and Dante’s story — it is most definitely complete — I am so happy that both books exist. So, to Benjamin Alire Sáenz, thank you for the literary music.
Alrighty! With that, there is only one space left — for those who have been here a while, you may already know what my next pick is. It’s certainly very in line with last year’s number one selection, The Song of Achilles (if medical terminology is anything to go by, it became a chronic emotional wound after either three or six months). But first!
My top four honourable mentions!
Also, one dishonourable mention, because Gods damn it, I kept saying I could only judge something if I’d experienced it, so I read it. (Disclaimer: I do concede the first ten pages were, to be quite blunt, fucking hysterical to read, given how fucking dumb Perceval is)
My top one dishonourable mention!
And now, for number one — drumroll, please!
A Little Life (Hanya Yanagihara — Picador)
Well, I say.
That previous sentence is the entirety of my review left on Goodreads. Genuinely, I had yet to encounter a book capable of reducing me to sobs, but there is a first for everything. Where the very end of this book was concerned, I was curled up in a bathroom well into the late evening, trying to read but finding myself somewhat unable to do so because of how hard I was crying. Later, my psychologist asked me, “Did you enjoy it?” And honestly, I could only answer, “Well, no, but I did get a great deal out of it.”
I stand by my conclusion that A Little Life is not necessarily an enjoyable story — even for me, it was rough — but it was, in turn, an extraordinarily moving experience. Would I ever reread this? Certainly not for a long time. And I maintain the belief A Little Life is absolutely not for everyone. However, for those prepared to take the leap, it’s one of the most stunning tidbits of literature out there. I will have to one day read her other books if A Little Life is even partly something to go by. But as far as number one reads, though part of me advocated for my number two pick to be here, there was ultimately no question. If only for Jude St. Francis, to whom I will still be dedicating a book one day.
On a slightly lighter note, it was pretty amusing picking between Aridante #2 and A Little Life. Like, do I choose the book that has somewhat traumatised me? Or do I go with the book that made me genuinely happy? Catharsis or depression?
Ooh boi, we’re at the end. (I’m sure it’s Sunday somewhere still) I will definitely be keeping this tradition alive. Still, as far as posting reviews are concerned, I do like the idea of posting them after I’ve finished the book, not necessarily every second Friday. In the future, I think I’ll do that. I’m also eager to share a few movie reviews, of the new Dune, perhaps of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and as well, a film I’ve rewatched several times in the past two years, one that will sit tall and proud in my favourite movies of all time.
But boyo, 2022 is just around the corner; I’m still helping finish off leftovers from Christmas, I’m hoping to get accepted for a Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing now that my Bachelor’s Degree is effectively complete, and with all luck, I will have far better fortune in my writing world. But to you, lovely people, I want to thank you for joining me in my reading reflection of the year and wish you well in the year to come. And with that, 2021 is a’done!
— Charis.
