Ubookquitous

Ubookquitous means a book the bookstaverse is asking you to read. A book that you cannot escape. I interpret this word to profile five books from my bookshelf that feature a book as the protagonist. 

Have you ever read a book where the central theme of the tale is a book or a story or a library of books? Would you like to read such a book? I mean, think about it, a book talking about another book. Won’t that need to be done creatively to keep one hooked? I think so.

I have come across plenty of books that have such a theme, but there are about a handful that I can recommend to you, and most failed to deliver. If you know of any such books, do share them with me please as I would love to explore them too.

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The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany, Hitler is out to burn all books that don’t proclaim him to be the supreme leader. Young Liesel is sent to live with her aunt and uncle as her mother is found guilty of treason against Hitler. Her uncle begins to teach her to read in the most unusual way and she develops a love for books. So begins are journey as a book thief as books are a little hard to find in Germany right now.

Its a haunting tale, with death as the narrator. The innocence of childhood, the value of a promise and the zeal to learn are the three core setups in this book. The writing is sublime and I dare you not to fall in love with it. You can check out my review to help you make up your mind.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

In this Jane Eyre meets Charles Dickens, we have a biography writer whose affair with books began when her father gifted her a valuable edition. He owns a bookstore of rare and old books and she runs inventory for him. When she gets an invitation from a famous but very reclusive writer Viola Winter to write her biography.

This gothic suspense filled novel is intriguing to say the least and will have you flipping pages till you hit end. If you haven’t read it, you should rectify it soonest.

Also read my review of Once Upon a River by Diane Seterfield

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a University grad student who stumbles upon a strange book in the library which is uncatalogued. Despite his best efforts he is unable to find more about the book other than the fact that it was donated by Jonathan Keating Foundation. The first story in the book is an even that happened to him but which he never told anyone. Then how come it was narrated so seamlessly in the book? He embarks on an adventure of a lifetime which leads him to discover an underground labyrinth full of books and secrets.

A beautifully embellished tale which surpasses one’s imagination sublimely. The writing is surreal and immerses the reader into an alternate reality. Check out my review if you need more convincing to read this one.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Hammel

A historical fiction set in the World War II era, this book talks about the selfless work of the unknown forgers who worked hard to create false documents to help hundreds of Jewish children escape Germany to Switzerland safely. But in creating false identities, the forgers realize they are erasing the true existence of these children. They decide to create a diary to log in the names and family history of these children. This becomes the book of lost names which proves to be even more important when their work is threatened by a betrayal.

A powerful story encased in resilience and bravery, it truly shows the strength of human spirit in the face of adversity and danger.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This is the first one in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. Its postwar Barcelona and a young boy discovers a mystery regarding author Julian Crax’s books which someone is out to destroy. He has one copy of his book and realizes that it might be the only one in the world. The tale follows his journey to solve this intriguing mystery.

This book is a testament to the power of Literature and has a superlative tale of intrigue, romance, and murder woven around it. Read it to believe it.

Well that is my list of books about books which are truly ubookquitous and I am hoping you have read some of them or are planning to now. Please do share with me which is it in the comments below.

Coming up V for Vellichor next!!

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For the uninitiated, AtoZ challenge is a blogging challenge wherein one has to write on every alphabet from A to Z and post on all days of April, except Sundays. Usually its better to devise a theme as it makes it easy to write the posts. Plus readers have a reason to stay hooked too.