When I was scrolling the internet the other day I came across this booktuber who announced all the books she would read that month and she encouraged her Viewers to read one or all books with her so they could have like a viritual book club.

I liked this idea. That this could start real engaging discussions. I’m really bad at making TBR (to be read) lists. I tried last year but considering what a weird and spontanious reader I am I couldnt really have a fix TBR. Only Time I could have a fixed TBR every month was when I knew I had to read some certain books for work.

But I have also, as can be read in my last blogpost, decided to read 12 Classic books this year. Books I felt like I wanted to read and that I havent so far. I also decided I wouldnt read them all in one go but spread them out and read one Classic every month.

When I was on my Twitter I met this guy who was also going to the Emma by Jane Austen in February. And the idea hit me. Why not announce on my blog what books Im gonna read for the Classic Project of mine and maybe someone wants to read the same books as me, or already have and want to have a disscussion on it after im done. I will write a small Review on the book and give my thoughts. But im hoping the comment section will be the star of the show. Share our throughts and opinions.

Is it even Worth being a Classic? why did we like it or not like it? Was it maybe good when it came out but not now or was it not considered a good book until now many years after?

List of the books I will be Reading for this Classic buddy Reading:

January – Kallocain by Karin Boye

February – Emma by Jane Austen

March – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

April – Moby Dick by Herman Melville

May – Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

June – The Three musketeers by Alexander Dumas

July – Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

August – Hitchhikers guid to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

September – Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra

October – Dantes Inferno

November – Illiaden by Homer

December – A christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Kallocain by Karin Boye (Review)

I dont know how famous Karin Boye is outside of Sweden. But when I was in High School we was forced to read this book. At that age i dissliked Everything we was given to read in school and I didnt like the forcefulness of it all. It also have a very grown up language and alot of science talk. Belive it or not but I havent Always been a strong reader. In High School I still had problem with my dyslexia and I was afraid to ask for help. So this book was hard for me to read.

All my classmates also dissliked this book or the assigment, im not sure which but they dissliked it enough for it to grow on me too. I read half the book and Always considered it to be trash.

A year ago I felt like i wanted to re-read this book and some other books i read around this time. Maybe I was older and could get the subject better or maybe I could understand the more advanced language now. I had way to much to do to actually pick this book up. But a couple of Days ago I did.

And i enjoyed this book, the entire book.

Summary:

We met Dr. Kall Who have invented a truthserum he decides to call Kallocain. In the beginning of this diary entry of a book we get to know Dr. Kall is a true Soldier that does anything for the state. He dont mind the ears on the wall, the constant observation and the fact that individuals have no right to their own Lifes. But after creating the truthserum and seeing how the state wants to use to to not only Control every persons Life also Control their thoughts we can see dr: Kall being more uneasy.

He tell us about how the World looks like, work, how the Children leave at the age of 8 to serve the state and do military service. How women feel like childbearing Machines that never really connect to their own Children because they dont elong to their mothers. All their personality traits are formed by the state to create the perfect obidiant subject.

Karin Boye wrote this book in 1940 and she wanted to write about what she thought the future would hold for us. How would the 2000 look like if not this. Its not weird considering the Cold war, dictaturship and second Wold war that must have been a big ground to this novel.

My thoughts:

I was amazed with how Amazing this book is. I wasnt bored and it was a very Quick 200 page read. I felt sorry for every charecter in this book and I udnerstood them. I understood why they all acted the way they did and why they were scared. It also took up so many discussion: is it ok to Control humans like this? should a country/state or anyone Control anyone like this? Do anyone have the right to our inner thoughts or are they our own? Should we be ashamed of what we truly feel or is it not human?

I dont read alot sci-fi, future dystopian books but maybe this was a good start. And not only that but also a Classic.

Im happy i read this book again and it made me question other books I dissliked around this time of my Life. Maybe I should give it a go and read more of them.

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Have you read Kallocain by Karin Boye?

Do you wanna join my Reading buddy idea?

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Next book in this will be Emma by Jane Austen, would love to read it together with you guys.

Much love,

Miss Elin