Introduction

Growing up, I fucking hated reading.

It was boring and all I wanted to do was to play video games. My dad would give me money as a reward for every book I finished. What's funny here is that I still struggled to get through books despite having money as the motivation.

However, there was one book my mom got for me. That book got me hooked. It was the first time in my life I genuinely tried to find time to read.

How I got the book

I can't remember everything.

I was 12. My mom and my younger sisters were at this playground for children. It was an indoor playground where they also had a library.

It's funny, looking back, I remember I wasn't playing much. I was sitting in some corner watching gaming videos. My mom told me to try to find some books.

Now, I'm not gonna lie. Back then, I wouldn't listen to my mom. However, many of the books' hardcovers looked stunning. The bookshelves looked beautiful. It was as if the books were inviting me.

I stood up and went to one of the shelves. After some minutes, I went back to my corner to watch gaming videos. Before we left, my mom came up to me and gave me the book. She said she had bought it.

I felt a responsibility to at least take the book from my mom and take a look since she already bought it. The title "The Murderer's Ape" instantly caught my attention. Before we left, I began reading the book and forgot about my dislike for reading.

The book

The book was out of this world.

It was an adventure of emotions, betrayal and love.

How the author wrote the book made you melt into the book. It was as if you were there. You could feel and smell the surroundings. An exotic environment. I had never felt this way before when reading.

The way subtle details were described. You could visualize the characters and scenarios clearly.

I loved how easily I got introduced to the book. The beginning wasn't too long nor confusing. It was perfect.

When I wasn't reading the book, I was constantly thinking about it. Not just what will happen next, but my thoughts and opinions about what happened.

It's the first book I became legit obsessed about.

Storyline

To not make any mistakes or spoil too much, I copied this from Amazon:

Sally Jones is not only a loyal friend, she’s an extraordinary individual. In overalls or in a maharaja’s turban, this unique gorilla moves among humans without speaking but understanding everything. She and the Chief are devoted comrades who operate a cargo boat. A job they are offered pays big bucks, but the deal ends badly, and the Chief is falsely convicted of murder.

For Sally Jones this is the start of a harrowing quest for survival and to clear the Chief's name. Powerful forces are working against her, and they will do anything to protect their secrets.

I changed

I used to wake up at 5 AM to watch gaming videos before I went to school. That's how addicted I was. I felt like I had to consume endless gaming content to feel good.

The book made me change. I used to wake up earlier. However, it wasn't for the gaming content. It was for the book! I wanted to spend more time reading it. So I decided to read it before heading out to school.

I loved the book. I still remember reading it and the emotional adventure I went through. I traveled to a different destination.

No, I traveled to multiple different destinations.

Twice

I read the book twice.

In both German and Swedish.

The first time I read it was in Swedish when I still lived in Sweden at 12.

The second time, I read it in German. It was after I moved with my family to Sweden. I was 14 back then.

I plan to read it this year in English.

Writing is an art

The author of the book is such a good writer.

It's not just the storyline that's great.

The details described in the book. How and when they're brought up. It makes you melt into the situation.

I hope one day to talk to the author. Not just about the book itself, but writing and how to craft amazing write-ups.

Conclusion

You don't hate reading.

It's what you're reading that you dislike.