📚️October 2026 Book Club - Banned Books📚️

Mary_Scope

I remembered that bit but didn't think I could say that on here @Rachel_Scope 🤣🤣🤣

Mary_Scope

This is very exciting @kreacher! I really hope you enjoy it, please let me know what you think of it!! The final season is out in a few weeks and I can't wait😁

Glad to know you enjoyed Animal Farm too, I am looking forward to starting it!

MissMarple

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1152503#Comment_1152503

Thank you @Mary_Scope I'll just pop my head in from time to time while hoping for a calmer period in my life. Hope you'll enjoy Animal Farm.

SmellyBin

Alright, Loveless by Alice Oseman – what a treat! Georgia is unsure of herself about all sorts of relationships, both friends and potential partners. Despite her reluctance she throws herself into her new life at uni and goes above and beyond to have some adventures, way beyond her comfort zone.
I am often rooting for the underdog, but in this case even more so with her having all these insecurities. Who doesn’t? I am glad the story was written around her personal development with only a bit of othering as a part of the book as it would be in real life, but not related to her experience directly.
Ever since I got ill I definitely feel like an outcast, even more so these past few years when I am able to look at my own situation with a bit more distance. Therefor the cozy part about people being seen or heard by others without the need to fix or change them, yup that really hits home for me.
If you want a heartwarming book to broaden your horizon on certain subjects that are part of the queer community this book is definitely worth reading, I highly recommend :)

Bluebell21

Hi @SmellyBin thank you for sharing your review. I am glad you enjoyed "Loveless"

I have looked it up and it will be going on my book list.

Take care.

Bluebell21

Review of my October banned book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

A heart breaking story of female suffering and endurance, told through the lives of two women.

Both before and after the Taliban takeover.

How their friendship is as close as a mother and daughter and will endure beyond death.

One of then will make the ultimate sacrifice for the other.

It certainly makes you value the freedom we have.

I would recommend this book although it is not always an easy read.

SmellyBin

So Sally Rooney's books are now banned in the UK?

SmellyBin

Thanks @Bluebell21 for your thoughts on A Thousand Splendid Suns. It reminds me of Lolita in Tehran, but like you say not an easy read. I had to take a break from it, perhaps even two times.

Mary_Scope

I saw this @SmellyBin! Have you read any of her books? I didn't get around to reading them but they were on my list😣

That sounds like a very emotional but important book @Bluebell21, is it based on a true story?

Loveless sounds right up my street @SmellyBin, I am adding that to the list! Have you read/watched Heartstopper? She wrote that series and it's pretty good😊

I started Animal Farm last night, I'm only one chapter in so far but I'm enjoying it. I haven't read something from the perspective of animals before so I'm really intrigued to how I will find it overall.

SmellyBin

Only yesterday I quit reading Normal People by Sally Rooney @Mary_Scope It wasn't for me, the dynamics felt a bit off and there wasn't much going on apart from the relationship between Connell and Marian.

I've not read Heartstopper, because I cannot get into graphic novels. But I enjoyed reading I Was Born For This. I hope Alice Oseman keeps writing more regular books, the themes she writes about are something worthwhile - it is easy to understand how she relates to young people.

And Animal Farm sounds interesting, keep us posted.

Bluebell21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1154688#Comment_1154688

Khaled Hosseini the author of A Thousand Splendid Suns has said "It is not a memoir of a direct account of real events. Instead, it is a fictional novel inspired by the real-life struggles of Afghan women during decades of war and oppression".

Mary_Scope

Ah I see @SmellyBin. That's disappointing, I've seen such good reviews about that book. I don't really like books that focus on just romantic relationships, not the biggest romance reader😅 The BBC adaption is meant to be very good, do you think it would work better as a TV show instead?

Ooh I didn't know Heartstopper was originally a graphic novel, I had assumed it was a book! I did watch the first season or two on Netflix and that was pretty good, very sweet. I can see how it has developed such a big fanbase of younger LGBTQ+ people.

Wow that sounds like a very emotional and moving @Bluebell21 but an important read.

NoShame

Lolita by Nabokov was banned and there were a few court cases around the world at the time. No longer banned but “cancelled” as people who haven’t read it assume it’s pro child abuse. Humbert is a monster in it, but a charming monster (that’s how he infiltrates his victims family). Plus the use of the name Lolita in creepy contexts isn’t helping much. It’s a great book but not his best. Pale Fire is my favourite ever book. It’s basically three different books wrapped into one. A 999 line poem, a deranged commentary and a choose your own adventure book written in the foot notes.

SmellyBin

Normal People is definitely not a romance novel, more about the human condition… @Mary_Scope

Mary_Scope

My mistake @SmellyBin, I had always thought it was!

Pale Fire sounds very intriguing @NoShame. Do all three books merge together? Or are they three completely different plots? I haven't read Lolita by Nabokov but I have read Being Lolita: A Memoir by Alisson Wood which was incredibly eye opening and powerful. Has anybody read that?

I have read another two chapters of Animal Farm. I found parts of it quite hard as there was talk of animal abuse but luckily it didn't go too much in depth. Hoping to finish it by next week as it's only a small book!