It all started with one of my students asking me, "Do you like BTS?" on the first day of school. I had to admit that I didn't know who BTS was, but I promised that I would find out, since they clearly meant a lot to her. One school year later, I am in deep. Really deep. BTS' music is fun, beautiful, and brightens my day. I now have a bias (RM), a bias-wrecker (J-Hope), and have delved into the world of Kdramas, too. Upon hearing that there was a Kpop-a-thon readathon a few weeks ago, I was excited to hear the BTS challenges. However, since the creator was not a fan of BTS, I found the challenges didn't reflect each of the members as fully as they could have. I therefore have created my own challenges that, I feel, fit the members better. I did keep two challenges from the original prompts, so all credit for them goes to Devon at A Court of Books and Love on YouTube.
1. RM (Kim Namjoon): Read a book with or about great wordplay.
RM's songs are known for their incredible wordplay. My personal favorite is "Trivia 承: Love" which plays on the similarities and differences between the words for "human" and "love" (사람 "saram" and 사랑 "sarang" in Korean) and "live" and "love". Wordplay in two languages? No wonder he's my bias! In the spirit of RM's talent for lyric-writing, read a book featuring great wordplay or about great wordplay.
My selection: Soul of the Age: A Biography of the Mind of William Shakespeare by Jonathan Bate
I got creative with this prompt. Who else epitomizes great wordplay than the Bard himself? I love Jonathan Bate as a scholar, too, so I'm very excited to see what he has to say in this biography. Since we do not have many resources to consult about concrete facts from Shakespeare's life, Bate takes the facts we do know and investigates how those experiences are reflected in Shakespeare's plays, using "The Seven Ages of Man" soliloquy from As You Like It as a framework. If something Shakespearean doesn't suit you, get creative like I did. How can you bend the prompt to fit a book on your TBR pile?
2. Jin (Kim Seokjin): "Worldwide Handsome" - Read a book with a beautiful cover.
Jin once nervously called himself "worldwide handsome" in an early English interview, and the nickname has stuck, almost becoming a running gag. He later said that he created the nickname to break the tension he was feeling, as he is not very confident speaking English. He also cannot believe that he is considered handsome outside of Korea, since different cultures often have different standards of beauty. In honor of Jin's handsome face, read a book with a beautiful cover.
My selection: The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill
The Surface Breaks was not originally available in the US, but I was lucky enough to pick up a copy in England over Christmas vacation. It is a feminist retelling of The Little Mermaid. Need I say more? This book is marketed as a young adult novel, but Louise O'Neill is never afraid to broach hard-hitting topics such as rape or toxic relationships in her novels for adults and young adults alike. I can't wait to see how she tackles the more troubling aspects of The Little Mermaid's plot. Plus, the UK cover is beautiful! And not to worry: if you're in the US and find this book appealing, it was released on July 30.
3. Suga (Min Yoongi): Read an important book/one with an emotional impact.
Suga's raps are not only fast and well-executed, but they have a great emotional impact on the listener, no matter what the subject matter is or whether or not one understands Korean. His songs can range from the basketball court and his joy in the beautiful moment of being young and alive to his struggles with fame, anxiety, and shyness. In honor of his bravery in songwriting, read a book that also has a great emotional impact on the reader.
My selection: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Sing, Unburied, Sing was one of the most hyped young adult books of last year. It centers around Jojo, a thirteen-year-old mixed-race boy on a road trip with his family across 21st-century Mississippi to retrieve his father from prison. As the trip unfolds, we learn about Jojo's many father figures, his mother, and the ghosts of other boys like Jojo that still haunt the South from the past. It certainly sounds lyrical, powerful, and important, and I'm excited to see where this literal and figurative odyssey of a book takes me.
4. Jimin (Park Jimin): Read a short book.
The running gag among the BTS members is that Jimin is short. He is also sweet, kind, hardworking, and just plain adorable, but the fact still remains that he is the shortest of all seven members. In honor of this joke, with all the love in the world (just like the love he shows ARMY members), read a short book.
My selection: Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett
As you may have guessed from my first pick for this readathon, I love Shakespeare. Therefore, when I heard that there was a book that picked up where The Tempest left off, I was very intrigued. When I found it at BookCon, I was over the moon! Miranda in Milan follows Miranda (Prospero's daughter) as she adjusts to life in seventeenth-century Milan after living on Prospero's magical island all her life. It's also rumored to have an LGBTQ+ romance, too, so this small book looks like it will pack a punch!
5. V (Kim Taehyung): Read a lyrical/unusual/unknown book.
V is...interesting. He has a deep voice, which makes him immediately stand out from the group. He is also known as the 'Veagle' of the group because of his enthusiasm. His hobbies include studying 'high art' and collecting classic paintings, developing his photography skills (no pun intended), and perhaps dabbling in classical music? I'm not sure about that last fact, but he did break into "Lascia ch'io pianga" when asked in an interview what song should play when he walks into a room. Because of V's unusual and varied tastes, read a similarly unusual or lesser-known book.
My selection: The Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson
The Sealwoman's Gift is not available in the US yet either, as far as I can tell, which is a reason in and of itself to use it to fulfill V's reading challenge. The fact that it is so underrated is a shame, though, as it features a story that needs to be told, in my opinion. The novel features real events from 1627, when about 400 people from Iceland were abducted in a raid by Barbary pirates and sold into slavery in Algiers. As no one knows what happened to the Icelanders after being sold, Magnusson imagines what life must have been like for them as slaves, what stories they might have told each other to remind themselves of home, and how their legends and mythology might have begun to blend with Algerian tales. I was persuaded to purchase this book immediately, as the Arabic/North African and Icelandic cultures both fascinate me.
6. J-Hope (Jung Hoseok): Read a book with a colorful cover and/or characters.
J-Hope immediately brightens any room. He is a fantastic dancer, cheerful to the -nth degree, enthusiastic, and can sometimes be dramatic (whether the situation calls for it or not). From dressing up as a flower, wearing his clothes so that it looks like he's walking on his hands, or playing the recorder with his nose, J-Hope will do anything to make someone laugh. In honor of his big, bold personality, read a book with a colorful cover and/or colorful characters.
My selection: Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
This book is the third and final book in the Crazy Rich Asians series. All of your favorite characters from the series are back, but the story centers more around Su Yi, Nicholas Young's grandmother - both her present and her past. I can't say much more than that, because of spoilers, but I can say that both the bright cover and larger-than-life characters match J-Hope's prompt perfectly. I can't wait to dive back into more outrageous adventures with this series finale.
7. Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook): Maknae - Read your most recently-acquired book.
Jungkook is the 막내 "maknae" of BTS, meaning the youngest member of a family or group of friends. In fact, Jungkook made a name for himself in BTS' early years as the "golden maknae" as he was good at everything to which he turned his hand. He may have given up the title (as the record company signed a new group with younger members), but in honor of his former status, read the newest addition to your TBR pile.
My selection: The Paper & Hearts Society by Lucy Powrie
As of creating these prompts, The Paper & Hearts Society was my most-recent acquisition. Again, it is not available in the US as far as I'm aware, but it can be ordered from UK booksellers. The story follows Tabby Brown, a painfully shy, bookish teen who is in the process of moving to a new town. When she spots a flyer in the library advertising a teen book club, she decides to give it a try. Among Jane Austen dance parties, Harry Potter movie marathons, and literary road trips, Tabby has to ask herself, "Have I found my people?" I only wish this book had been available when I was 16!
8. ARMY (BTS' fanbase): Read a book with a black/white/silver cover.
BTS' fanbase is known as ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth), not because they are belligerent, but because they protect each other and always stay together. Their mascot in BT21 merchandise is Van, the ARMY robot, and their colors are black, white, and silver. In honor of ARMY pride, read a book with a black, white, and/or silver cover.
My selection: The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
In The Book of Strange New Things , Peter is sent as a Christian missionary to an alien planet. While he deals with the many adjustments he must make to life on Oasis, his wife, Beatrice, begins to struggle with life and faith at home. Can their love and faith survive, or will the huge physical distance create an emotional distance that is too great to be crossed? I loved Faber's The Crimson Petal & the White, so I hope I like this book just as much.
This readathon is very adaptable. You can complete as many challenges as you like, whenever you like, wherever you like! I'm aiming to complete all eight challenges before the Reading Rush begins on July 22, but you can extend it to any timeline that fits your schedule.
If you take on this challenge, let me know how you got on! In the meantime, happy reading!
*Spoiler alert: I didn't finish it before the Reading Rush or the N.E.W.T.s readathons began. Three more books to go in September!