lets get readin’…
Lockdown has been the perfect time to get back into reading for me. I found it hard to read ‘for fun’ whilst at uni, so now I have the time I thought I’d share what I’ve been reading/do some mini reviews. I’d also love to know if you have any book recommendations so I can add them to my ever growing list!
the prison doctor: 3.5/5
Amanda Brown (author) went from being an NHS GP in a small town, to treating criminals in the most notorious prisons in Britain. She started off at Wormwood Scrubs, a young offenders prison and over time moved across to women’s prisons, which included Bronzefield (the largest women’s prison in Europe).
This book is a memoir of Brown’s time in various prisons, treating a variety of prisoners and the trials and tribulations of it all. I’m a huge true crime fan, but have never really read much into the prison system and what goes on behind closed doors, so this was a fascinating insight. It begins with Brown’s experience at Wormwood Scrubs, a young male offenders prison and she further progresses onto women’s prisons. Many of the experiences Brown describes are absolutely horrific (trigger warning: a lot of self-harm and suicide attempts) and I can only imagine how hard that must have been to witness. It was interesting to understand the contrast between the male/female institutions, however around halfway through I found it started getting slightly repetitive. It was insightful of course, but the stories ended up being fairly similar which is why I’d only give it a 3.5/5.
the tattooist of auschwitz: 5/5
The story is based on the real lives of Lale Sokolov and Gita Furman. As the title suggests, Lale was one of the tattooists’ in Auschwitz. The story follows Lale’s time spent in Auschwitz as a prisoner, and this is also where he meets Gita.
Of course this is based in one of the most infamous concentration camps of WW2, so it was a difficult read at times. It definitely gives an insight into the horror of it all. Throughout, I was rooting for Lale and Gita. Lale did everything he could to keep her safe whilst there and their story is something so unique. Although it highlights the horrors of the camp, I do believe there are other books that focus on this more heavily. I feel like the main focus is the story of Lale and Gita. I genuinely couldn’t put this book down and read it very quickly – would 100% recommend.
the girl with a clock for a heart: 4/5
“George Foss never thought he’d see her again, but on a late-August night in Boston , there she is, in his local bar, Jack’s Tavern.” This psychological thriller follows George’s unexpected encounter with an ex lover, an encounter which he may come to regret.
Something a bit different from the above, but I do love a thriller. I bought this book years ago but completely forgot about it, until my Mum read it and told me it was really good. I wasn’t sold at first, it took a while for me to get going with it but once I did, I was hooked. There is so much mystery surrounding the girl that has appeared back in George’s life unexpectedly, what does she want and what is she going to do? The mystery of it all is what kept me gripped. It was also a fairly easy read so if you love a thriller, I’d highly recommend giving this a go!
Lucy