Manong Ralph's Reading Year 2024
Manong Ralph arguably reads more books than me. I invited him to write something for here. Here's his list. What books did you particularly enjoy this year? Let me know in the comments!
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2024 Best ReadsI’m on my way to finishing the incomparable Barbara Kingslover’s opus Demon Copperhead, which would be my 40th book this year.
This has been a good year for reading. Here are some memorable
books I’ve read in 2024, in no particular order:
Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover. She’s a brilliant author. Her characters are deeply flawed, human, and full. Poisonwood Bible threads the themes of religion, patriarchy, race, trauma and how one experience can affect each member of a family differently. I am including Copperhead in this list, although I’m still making my way through it, because it’s also very good. The narrator, the titular Damon Copperhead is authentic, funny, and resilient, and this book is a testament to the beauty of the human spirit in a dark, cruel world.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. The story is set across multiple timelines written from the POV of two (mortal?) A.I. enemies, Blue and Red. This is a love story that involves time travel, but written in such a refreshingly new way: one author wrote the Blue character and the other one, Red; yet, the narrative as a whole doesn’t feel disjointed. It also reads like poetry. The letters between these two characters have a lyrical quality to them.
Hounded by Kevin Hearne. I bought my copy in a New York City bookstore last year based on a recommendation from one of the staff, Tom DeWitt: “A fun start to an awesome urban fantasy series filled with magic, suspense, witches, vampires, and a druid with his dog.” This book is all of those and more.
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. What I love about this book is that it is about friendship, and how it can be as powerful, meaningful, and important as romantic and familial relationships. Friends and collaborators Sam and Sadie navigate their relationship amidst the haze of professional jealousy, competitiveness, and the complicated world of video game development and marketing. My favorite character though is Marx, Sadie’s romantic interest and Sam’s roommate and best friend. He is the steady, dependable friend who loves Sam and Sadie very well, until the end.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. I bought this book on my way back from a work conference in Bali. The story is set in Ireland in the hands of a tyrannical government. The story feels eerily familiar, because of the Philippine’s history under martial law during the Marcos dictatorship. This book is a powerful reminder that democracy is such a fragile thing.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. I am familiar with Sally Rooney from the screen adaptations of her books, Normal People and Conversation with Friends. But Intermezzo is the first book of hers that I’ve read. Her prose is so simple and yet approachable. She writes in an everyday-conversation kind of way. I’m impressed with the way she constructs her characters’ internal, almost post-mortem monologues and reflections. She deals with complex and chaotic emotions, yet there’s some order to them too. My favorite thing about this book is that she treats her characters like they’re real, complex people, as if they’re her actual friends. There’s a particular conversation between the two main characters, brothers Peter and Ivan, towards the end that’s full of tenderness, understanding, and forgiveness. It’s quite beautiful.
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon. This is another fantasy novel that I enjoyed this year. It plays on the familiar enemies-to-lovers trope, but what I love about this book is its world-building: the story is set in a distinctly Filipino and Southeast Asian inspired world. Oh, the author is also Filipino, an Ilongga from Negros Occidental.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. The story is set across multiple timelines written from the POV of two (mortal?) A.I. enemies, Blue and Red. This is a love story that involves time travel, but written in such a refreshingly new way: one author wrote the Blue character and the other one, Red; yet, the narrative as a whole doesn’t feel disjointed. It also reads like poetry. The letters between these two characters have a lyrical quality to them.
Hounded by Kevin Hearne. I bought my copy in a New York City bookstore last year based on a recommendation from one of the staff, Tom DeWitt: “A fun start to an awesome urban fantasy series filled with magic, suspense, witches, vampires, and a druid with his dog.” This book is all of those and more.
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. What I love about this book is that it is about friendship, and how it can be as powerful, meaningful, and important as romantic and familial relationships. Friends and collaborators Sam and Sadie navigate their relationship amidst the haze of professional jealousy, competitiveness, and the complicated world of video game development and marketing. My favorite character though is Marx, Sadie’s romantic interest and Sam’s roommate and best friend. He is the steady, dependable friend who loves Sam and Sadie very well, until the end.
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. I bought this book on my way back from a work conference in Bali. The story is set in Ireland in the hands of a tyrannical government. The story feels eerily familiar, because of the Philippine’s history under martial law during the Marcos dictatorship. This book is a powerful reminder that democracy is such a fragile thing.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. I am familiar with Sally Rooney from the screen adaptations of her books, Normal People and Conversation with Friends. But Intermezzo is the first book of hers that I’ve read. Her prose is so simple and yet approachable. She writes in an everyday-conversation kind of way. I’m impressed with the way she constructs her characters’ internal, almost post-mortem monologues and reflections. She deals with complex and chaotic emotions, yet there’s some order to them too. My favorite thing about this book is that she treats her characters like they’re real, complex people, as if they’re her actual friends. There’s a particular conversation between the two main characters, brothers Peter and Ivan, towards the end that’s full of tenderness, understanding, and forgiveness. It’s quite beautiful.
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon. This is another fantasy novel that I enjoyed this year. It plays on the familiar enemies-to-lovers trope, but what I love about this book is its world-building: the story is set in a distinctly Filipino and Southeast Asian inspired world. Oh, the author is also Filipino, an Ilongga from Negros Occidental.
Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk. This is a biography of MacArthur Genius awardee Jeremy Denk structured around his piano teachers. It is as much about honoring the people who have shaped him to become that prodigious pianist and teacher that he is as it is about his life. Jeremy Denk is a prolific and hilarious writer, and one does not need to play piano to appreciate this book.
Labels: books/reading
posted on December 29, 2024
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