Oasis, Gone Girl, and Small Mercies

I bought a Kindle Oasis from Amazon because it was on sale. As far as I know, Amazon has discontinued making Oasis. That almost always thrills me—the collection of things that will soon disappear. Like typewriters. 

Kindles are wonderful devices. I've had my Kindle Paperwhite for seven years; it works just as well as when it had first arrived. But I was curious about the Oasis. I like real buttons to click when I turn pages. The physicality of reading gives me pleasure, like the turning of the pages, or the smell of books, both old and new.

How does Oasis compare with Paperwhite? The Oasis offers a more premium reading experience—warm light, better screen, and the buttons you can actually click. Then there's the ergonomic design: the uneven surface at the back that juts out for your hand to grab. It feels like reading an actual book. But the battery life is lousy. As someone who reads for hours each day, the Oasis gets drained after three days. I do not relish the ritual of charging my devices. In comparison, I can use the Paperwhite for weeks without ever charging it. I like that its back is in plastic, which feels more comfortable to my hand (I have bouts of hyperhidrosis), compared to the Oasis' aluminum surface. 

In the end, I'd very much prefer the Paperwhite. I do not regret buying the Oasis. It is still a wonderful device. It would have been much, much better if it had a longer battery life.

Now that the review of the Kindles are done, let me tell you about the two books I've read in my Oasis. 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which was an absolute delight. 

And Small Mercies by Dennis Lahane, which was the kind of fast-paced book that felt like watching a film.