With summer coming to a close, Saidhbh Brannigan recaps some of the season’s hottest reads.
Each summer comes to an end with a catchy trend and Summer 2023 is no stranger to the trend of the ‘labelled girl’ summer. This summer may be a favourite yet as it concludes its somewhat eccentrically tagged ‘Rat Girl Summer.’ Perfect, unattainable goals for a fun hot summer were left in the pre-COVID era. This made way for a new wave of an audacious blend of individuality through self-love, understanding adversity, the courage to choose ourselves, and most importantly the ultimate goal to not give a damn what others think. This summer was all about celebrating the imperfect, a narrative cultivated by the likes of Bookstagram, Booktok and Booktube, reining a new medium for us rodents to be influenced by. Not just avid readers, but also writers have been promoting hidden gems and embracing new narratives that would have not had their place in the ‘hot girl’ sun otherwise. From the classic summer glow of romance to the issue with cultural appropriation and the domination of the white Western literary scene, here are some of the hottest reads of Summer 2023:
This summer was all about celebrating the imperfect, a narrative cultivated by the likes of Bookstagram, Booktok and Booktube.
Yellowface – R.F. Kuang
A dark, satirical novel delving into white-privileged authors and the complexity of the publishing industry. Dealing with issues such as cultural appropriation, plagiarism and the taboos of writing through the lens of another race, Yellowface is an uncomfortable first-person narrative exemplifying the rise of the unlikable main character.
The Rachel Incident – Caroline O’Donoghue
A devil's advocate of a romance novel, channelling Sally Rooney's relationship dynamics.
A devil's advocate of a romance novel, channelling Sally Rooney's relationship dynamics, is a story of an entangled group of people exploring their complex relationships formed and affected by the consequences of their actions. Set in the early 2000’s Cork Ireland, The Rachel Incident incorporates Irish society and the financial crash as another main character into the mix. A perfect blend of self-prioritised indulgence, unrequited love and chaotic Ireland.
Everything I Know About Love – Dolly Alderton
A labyrinth of awkward dates, questionable decisions, and friendships that sometimes prove to be harder than the dating scene itself.
Everything I Know About Love is a vibrant bundle of misadventures, brunch-fuelled epiphanies, and complex insights into life in your twenties. As we follow Alderton through her memoir of a labyrinth of awkward dates, questionable decisions, and friendships that sometimes prove to be harder than the dating scene itself; this book is an ode to growing up, making mistakes, and learning that some of the best things in life are finding a pizza at two am.
Kala – Colin Walsh
An Irish thriller mystery set on Ireland’s West Coast. Centred around three friends haunted by the Summer when their reckless friend Kala disappeared without a trace. Years later, similar disappearances occur beckoning the friends to reopen old wounds. A new and enticing read resonating with the Irish mini-series Dublin Murders.