Welcome to Pam’s Labyrinth – the wild creative that designs this magazine. But alas, no more, for she is leaving us, and this maze of sorts, into the capable hands of another. Yet the labyrinth will never be the same without this mad designer, and we begrudgingly attempt to move on. But not before one last hurrah: I, resident bookworm, dedicate this column to our very own Cheshire Cat – Fforde’s Cheshire Cat that is, the librarian. To Pam, because we’ll all miss you terribly and I’ll miss getting random book suggestions from you. Let us venture into her book world and some of her book proposals.
There are two kinds of people in our world, squibs and muggles – we’ve all given up hope on being proper wizards as the sad but eminent truth set in: we’re too old to catch the train to Hogwarts. According to Pam, that is but a lie. She is in fact a wizard while the rest of us are mere muggles. Confused? FOR SHAME! If you haven’t picked up the Harry Potter series yet, do it now! Action, drama, friendship, and tragedy all lay between the pages of this magical series. Live the tales of loyalty and bask in the glory of wisdom, these books have proven time and time again that knowledge is power. Oh Professor Dumbledore, your insight has taken us far in life. We might be born muggles but deep down, we can all be wizards.
“This book is life-altering! You have to read it!” Those were her exact words when she suggested I read All The Bright Places by one Jennifer Niven. While I might have not exactly started reading it – I found a copy at the airport and haven’t had the chance to properly sit down with it – the story does seem compelling to read. Like those books you pick up one evening with a good ol’ cuppa then suddenly you have three pages left, your tea’s gone cold, and you have to go to work. This intense work of Young Adult fiction revisits the tale of life and death while shedding a very real spotlight on the struggles of mental illnesses. Spoiler alert: you will cry! Also, give this book a chance and read it the way the author intended – with a paperback or hard cover in hand and not a soft copy off your e-reader/tablet.
My last suggestion for the summer was tricky to find – Pam suggests at least two books a month. After careful consideration though, I have come to a conclusion: we must take a moment to salute all the fanfiction writers out there. In my humble opinion, they invest blood, sweat and tears into their borrowed stories with zero expectations from the outside world. To understand how a fanfiction author operates and what their thought process and lives are usually like, I suggest none other than Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl. It’s an easy read that’s as light as popcorn. It’ll make you laugh, giggle and in parts, shed a tear or two – but it’s a lot of fun. Besides, beach season restarts soon and you’ll be itching for a book to read whilst tanning!
And just like that we say goodbye to our bookish designer – may your journeys take you to spectacular places and your adventures be epic. Keep suggesting books, and as always, I’ll keep reading them!
If you find yourself intrigued enough to read some actual fanfiction, check out www.fanfiction.net. On a different note, tune in next time for some more awesome reads. Carpe Libro everyone!
