Happy Tuesday everyone! It is the second day of the week; it is already midweek. Since it is the second day of the week, it is also time for a Top 5 Tuesday update. Top 5 Tuesday was originally created by Shanah @ the Bionic Bookworm but is now currently being hosted by Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads.

This week’s topic: Top 5 books with an emotion in the title

Of Love and Shadows by Isabelle Allende

Snippet from my review: Like The House of the Spirits, Allende’s sophomore novel is a homage to her home country, its colorful people, diverse landscape, and even its tumultuous history. Through Irene and Francisco’s sleuthing – and their developing romance – Allende captured a dark phase in contemporary Chilean history. Allende sheds light on the darker sides of our humanity, the side of us that allows some of us to exploit our fellow and turn a blind eye to these inequities and atrocities. Nevertheless, there are still among us who, with courage, are willing to remove the lid and expose these brutalities, even at the expense of their lives. Of Love and Shadows is a compelling and evocative follow-up to Isabel Allende’s successful literary debut. It consolidated her status as a literary star.

Shame by Salman Rushdie

Snippet from my review: While not without blunders, the publication of Rushdie’s third major literary work cemented his status as a rising literary star. Shame explored the various manifestations of shame – shame from within, fear of shame, identifying shame in others, personal same, living in shame, among others. The seven deadly sins came to life through Rushdie’s imaginative storytelling. Coming to the fore is the contemporary history of Pakistan. Several elements that were seminal in shaping the young nation, from dictators to warlords to betrayals, were vividly captured in the novel. In true Rushdie fashion, he derived an immersive story from the pages of contemporary Pakistani history. History, after all, was his playground.

Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel García Márquez

Snippet from my review: Love aside, the novel also grappled with some social concerns. Power dynamics were depicted by the story. Delgadina’s submissiveness was a vivid example. The novella also stressed how the rich and the powerful always exploit the poor, the weak, and the uneducated. The rich and the powerful are ostentatious in their flaunting of the control they have over the weak. Those trapped in the quagmires of poverty and hopelessness tend to resort to illicit but high-paying occupations in order to have something to bring home, in order to survive. These have emphasized the differences that persist among the social classes. The rich spend their time finding leisure while the poor spend their time earning money.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Snippet from my review: Doused in humor prevalent in Backman’s works, Anxious People, however, was more than just a novelty act. In his latest work, the Swedish writer has again demonstrated why he is a writer to look forward to. His lenses magnify our human tendencies. He vividly captures who we are and what we are. The humor belies his deep insights but both elements shine through. His insights make the reader reflect on himself or herself, without being preachy or pushy. Backman plays to his strongest card, and that is the keen understanding of what it is to be a human being. In Anxious People, Backman has crafted a timely, relevant, and rewarding read that mirrors the concerns of our time.

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

Snippet from my review: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a perfectly written narrative. Everything about it is good, or great. The dialogues were free-flowing and the characters were well-developed. I have no qualms about these aspects. All over its pages, it evokes nostalgia, a wonderful feeling of presentiment. Reading about the different characters, particularly Mick’s, is a wonderful journey. But just as I was getting to understand them, the book was abruptly cut off by an underwhelming ending. However, in spite of its numerous positive facets, the book didn’t blow me away the way I wanted to. At times, it was an underwhelming experience especially since it was a challenge to establish a reading rhythm.