Review of THE READING LIST by Sara Nisha Adams

3.5 Stars

This novel is about the transformative power of books. It will appeal to bibliophiles though it doesn’t say anything avid readers won’t already know.

Wembley, a suburb of London, is home to the Harrow Road Library. Here 17-year-old Aleisha works as a library assistant. Though it is not the summer job of her dreams, she likes that the library provides her a refuge from a difficult home life where she and her brother Aidan have to look after their mother Leilah who suffers from mental illness.

Mukesh Patel is a widower mourning the death of Naina, his wife of fifty years. He goes to the library thinking that reading might connect him with Naina and with Priya, his book-loving granddaughter. He asks for a book recommendation but Aleisha does not enjoy reading and so is at a loss. By chance, however, she found a reading list with eight titles and so suggests the first book on that list, To Kill a Mockingbird. She decides to read the suggested books as well, and the two become unlikely friends as they discuss their impressions of what they read. Aleisha confides in Mukesh and when a tragedy occurs in her family, he proves to be a true friend.

The book is told from the perspectives of Aleisha and Mukesh though there are chapters focusing on secondary characters who also find the list of books. The inclusion of Chris, Indira, Leonora, Izzy, Joseph, and Gigi adds little to the book. When some reappear, it’s difficult to remember who they are.

The portrayal of mental illness bothered me. The nature of Leilah’s illness is unclear and she has no diagnosis because she’s never seen a doctor. Aidan and Aleisha take turns staying with their mother but they don’t make any real effort to get professional care for her? Then at the end, despite a heart-breaking tragedy, she seems to improve rapidly and agrees to see a doctor?

The theme is obvious: books can transport people to other worlds and also bring people together. Books provide escape, comfort, and a sense of community. They can help a person understand and cope with life’s challenges. For instance, Mukesh feels closer to Naina when he reads a book she read. Mukesh also finds that “reading had helped him find something to pass the time, some way to connect with others, a reason to get out of bed and out of the house.” There is nothing new in what is mentioned; book lovers will find much with which to agree: books “open up your world”; “books say different things to different people”; “books aren’t always an escape; sometimes books teach us things. They show us the world; they don’t hide it”; and “Books always change as the person who reads them changes.”

Sometimes the showing of the influence of books feels heavy-handed. Mukesh identifies with Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird, finds parallels to his life in Rebecca, and sees his daughters in Pride and Prejudice. Aleisha identifies with Pi’s situation in Life of Pi, and finds parallels with her life in both Pride and Prejudice and Little Women. It’s as if the list were curated just for them!

Because of its exploration of topics like grief, mental illness, and loneliness, the book has some heart-breaking moments. However, the ending is predictably heart-warming. For me it was an okay book, though nothing exceptional. What I actually enjoyed the most was thinking about the books on the list, all of which I’ve read, and considering which titles I’d put on a list if I were to recommend my favourites.