Reading Recluse📘 "Genesis" by Bernard Beckett
This is a philosophical young adult novel. If I had read the synopsis of this book, I would have never picked it up. It was personally recommended to me on Masto, so I gave it a go. Fortunately I did, because I had a blast!
The format of this novel is something I'd never seen before. The protagonist is going through an oral exam, which consists of four hours with three small breaks in between each hour. Every chapter is one of those. The book is sort of a logged transcript of this examination process.
In this post-apocalyptic world, the protagonist wishes to join an academy as a historian and in her exam she discusses how the world came to be as it is. It heavily incorporates classic philosophy, which might be more suited to a younger audience, but is still fun enough to read as an adult too.
You can see the book work steadily towards something, but what? If you look closely, you might know beforehand. But even if you do know, you'll be surprised by the way it's done. I cackled! I loved it. It does it so earnestly, completely commits to it. I'm smiling broadly thinking back to it. Don't misunderstand me, it's a dark book, but I found great joy in how the author pulled the rug from under me. Even if you hate it, you'll have to admit it's original.
I won't say any more. It's its own experience, easily read in one sitting. Great fun, awesome recommendation.
Taylor Drew