My thoughts on a month when, for once, I didn’t enjoy reading. Was it the books, or was it me?
Reading a new book is always a step into the unknown. You read the blurbs, check the reviews, think you know what to expect, but still it’s a surprise.
Often those surprises are good, and sometimes they’re not so good. August was great, but in September, for some reason, I didn’t enjoy my reading. I even started to blame myself, wondering if I wasn’t concentrating enough to appreciate what the books had to offer. That might be part of it—I was quite busy and distracted. But anyway, here’s what I read in September.
Quiet Flows the Una by Faruk Sehic
I liked the idea of a story about a man trying to overcome the trauma caused by the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of the writing was quite beautiful, but there was no story at all, as far as I could tell: just a series of disconnected anecdotes, riffs, childhood remembrances and observations. I felt lost and just wanted it to end.
Borderline Fiction by Derek Owosu
This novel alternates between two parallel narratives covering the same character at ages 19 and 25, navigating love and relationships while apparently suffering from borderline personality disorder. It was interesting to see this perspective, and again some of the writing was beautiful, but I didn’t particularly enjoy being in this character’s head at either age.
Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto
I don’t often read crime fiction, but I had this on my Kindle from a previous sale or something, and after those two experiences, I craved something simpler and more plot-driven. This book delivered. It wasn’t particularly memorable, but at least it made sense.
Indignity by Lea Ypi
The best book I read this month, although it’s a low bar. I enjoyed parts of this part-memoir, part-fiction reimagining of the author’s grandmother’s life in Salonika and then Albania in the early twentieth century. It brought in some interesting history and showed how the big sweep of history affects individual lives. Still, the balance felt off: a mass of detail on minor aspects of the story, while skipping over others that seemed more important.
In Progress: Underworld by Don DeLillo
I’m not sure why I thought it was a good idea to continue my disappointing reading month by embarking on an 827-page colossus involving yet more disconnected narratives. I think it’s been on my “to read” list for so long that I just wanted to jump in and read it, and also I didn’t quite realise how long it was.
The prologue, a wide-ranging, God-like narrative about a baseball game, was one of the best things I’ve read in a long time. The rest has left me wondering whether his editor took a sabbatical while this was being published—there are so many parts crying out to be cut.
Anyway, September is over now, and I’m hoping for better reading luck in October. How was your reading month? Better than mine, I hope!
There are 14 comments
The good news is that I don’t need to add your September books to my “to read” list since I’m still trying to get through Milkman, which is clearly very good, but it’s hard! Perhaps too much concentration for summer. But since I ordered it from another Michigan library, I can’t just put it down and try again in winter so I’ll carry on. ?
Yes, definitely don’t add them! Sorry to hear that Milkman is a struggle. I agree, it’s not an easy read. In fact, I wonder if I would have hated it if I’d read it in September! I think time and energy levels make a big difference when reading, especially with difficult books.
I’m sorry you had an indifferent month – that happens sometimes, doesn’t it? Hopefully October will be better!
Thanks! Yes, it happens from time to time, so I hope October will be better. Any good recommendations to get me started?
Sorry your September reads were not mre enoyable.
Inspector Imanishi Investigates is on my TBR.
Wishing you a much better October!
https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/10/01/2025-september-wrap-up/
Thanks Emma. Hope you enjoy Inspector Imanishi Investigates when you get to it. I’ve also read Tokyo Express by the same author and enjoyed it a little more than this one.
Too bad your September reading was a bit disappointing. Always frustrating when that happens. I hope October is starting off well! I read some good books in September. The Mad Sister of Esi turned out to be a really good fantasy read. It began a bit rough, but once it got going, I very much enjoyed it.
Also read Under the Eye of the Big Bird. Enjoyed it, though not as much as I thought I would. Same goes for Creation Lake. My nonfiction read, Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead, was amazing!
Hey Stefanie, Glad your September reading was better than mine! That’s an interesting collection of books – I didn’t know most of them so looked them up. I particularly like the sound of Theory of Water.
I had a similar month to yours, mainly disappointments. The only one I could recommend is
Benedetti, Mario “The Truce” (E: La Tregua) – 1960
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2025/09/benedetti-mario-truce.html
I think I might have picked up the book Quiet Flows the Una, had I seen it in the bookshop but now, I guess I give it a pass.
Even though September is my birth month, it might not be my reading month (or maybe because, who knows). But I started some good ones, so I am sure, next month will be better. I hope the same for you. Good luck!
Sorry to hear that, Marianne. I’m glad you had one that you could recommend – I’ll read your review now. Wishing you better reading luck in October, and also a belated happy birthday 🙂
Wait, did your books spend their September with my books? My reading felt the same and I still don’t know whether it’s the books or me.
Let’s hope October will be better.
Cheers!
Our books are conspiring against us! That’s the only logical explanation 🙂 Here’s to a better October!
Hah, your ending (by starting Don DeLillo) made me laugh. That seems like a most excellent idea. A chunky classic: guaranteed to get the reading mojo back into gear. But, then, it actually might! I’ve been reading Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 and finding it surprisingly gripping at times.
September for me was a tough one too, and not least of which because I seemed to have a harder time following the news and, yet, pressing onwards while keeping uptodate. The weight of it was landing even more heavily. I think the direct attacks on free speech affect me in particular, because it goes towards how I spend every day…and there was more of that, consistently. Not sure if that would explain any of it for you, but maybe?
Yes, I think the news was definitely part of it – I’ve been struggling with the steady drumbeat of horror and trying to get the right balance of staying updated and engaged without drowning in anger and/or despair. I think that certainly didn’t help my concentration and probably affected my ability to lose myself in a book.