The days are getting shorter and the nights … well, longer, and my thoughts are heading towards considering what to read as the dark gathers outside the window. Of course there is Annabel’s readalong of The Dark is Rising sequence which is due to take us up to midwinter, but what else beckons?
So, there’s Witch Week 2022, an annual meme run by Lizzie Ross and myself, focused on fantasy themes that suit the period between Halloween and Bonfire Night. This year highlights Polychromancy, a theme looking at fiction related to diverse cultures and stories, and runs till 6th November after the schedule of posts is revealed on 30th October. The featured book is Black Water Sister by Zen Cho.
1st November also sees the start of Novellas in November run by Cathy at 746books.com and Rebecca at BookishBeck.wordpress.com. They’re basing their weekly schedules on four headings – short classics, novellas in translation, short nonfiction, and contemporary novellas – and I’m considering possible titles to read and review through the month, all chosen from books I already have on my shelves. Of course I reserve the right to change my mind at the last minute!
• Short Classics:
Good Morning Midnight (Jean Rhys) OR
Orlando (Virginia Woolf)
• Novellas in Translation:
Strait is the Gate (André Gide)
OR By Night in Chile (Roberto Bolaño)
OR Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Gabriel García Márquez).
• Short Non-Fiction:
We the People (Timothy Garton Ash)
OR The Viceroy of Ouidah (Bruce Chatwin).
• Contemporary Novellas:
The Lost Daughter (Elena Ferrante)
OR Ghost Wall (Sarah Moss).
November is also when SciFiMonth (curated by Imyril at https://onemore.org and a couple of other bloggers) reaches its tenth anniversary. I’m generally on the periphery of bloggers marking the annual event but I shall attempt to read one or two titles at some stage during the month.
So that’s me. Are you planning to join any of these events? Have you read any of the novellas mentioned? Pray tell!
Calmgrove 
I will always try to join in as many November challenges as I can – and luckily many of them overlap! There’s also Non-Fiction November and the German Lit Month. I shall try and fill as many as I can with Novellas!
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There definitely are a lot of tempting memes in this particular month, aren’t there? Maybe I ought to consider Non-fiction November and German Lit Month in 2023…
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So many exciting reading events this month and the next. I’m hoping to catch up with #TDiRS this month, and next month do at least one book each for German and Australian lit month and may be a novella and a nonfic, let’s see
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We’re definitely spoilt for choice when it comes to November events, so thank goodness we can choose what draws us or suits the books we already have waiting!
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My completion rate for challenges is poor at the best of times; the current moment seems particularly chaotic! (in a nice way). I’m struggling now to make a somewhat decent end to a couple of yearly challenges (Back to the Classics & European reading but I would like to read at least one contemporary novella and something sci-fi/horror, in honor of the season.
I did start Black Water Sister and am enjoying it very much but — it’s got a lot of bookish competition. In line with your sci-fi theme, have you read anything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia? I really think she’s bringing some very interesting ideas to this area.
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Silvia Moreno Garcia is high on my want-to-read list though heaven knows when I might get around to her – every year I say “Soon” but it’s yet to happen! Glad you’re enjoying BWS because I think you’d appreciate the discussion we had which will appear during Witch Week.
Back to the Classics I started well at the beginning of the year but it has since slipped off my radar, sadly. Ditto the European challenge – I’m a real disappointment to myself! But I’m sure you’ll do well in the two months remaining this year. 🙂
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I definitely plan to join in with the novellas (and have read and loved both of your classic choices) – I love a good novella and many! November is German Lit month and I usually try to take part in that. Plus of course there will be The Grey King!!
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I read Orlando a few years ago so may go for the Rhys, saving the Woolf for when I read the Vita Sackville-West novel I have stashed away somewhere. I wish I’d settle down to some more German Lit, I know I have a Mann or two, and even The Nibelungenlied which I am looking forward to revisiting after nearly a half century.
Ah yes, The Grey King – I must first get that Greenwitch reread done soon before No 4 in the series!
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Well, a German novella would be a useful choice for next month! 😉
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Hmm, I may have to dig around a bit… 😁
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I recommend Orlando, although I appreciate I’m a big Woolf fan so I am definitely biased.
The only Márquez I’ve read is One Hundred Years of Solitude but that’s brilliant, so you’ve inspired me and I’ve just grabbed a Kindle copy of Chronicle of a Death Foretold 🙂 I’ll let you know if I think it’s any good!
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Thanks, I read Orlando sometime last century but having visited the Woolfs’ cottage Monk’s House, Virginia’s sister’s Charleston and Virginia’s lover Vita’s Sissinghurst Castle more recently I’m keen to see what I think of it now. But it depends on my mood! Meanwhile, I’m curious to know what you think of the Gabriel García Márquez… 🙂
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I think I will give the featured book “Black Water Sister” a read. It sounds really interesting!
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It is, and I think then you’d appreciate the discussion even more after!
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