April was not a great reading month for me, partly because it was Ramadan and partly because the books were a bit disappointing and threw me into a bit of a slump. Nevertheless, I read four books in April, one poetry, one comic, one classic fiction, and one Arabic Fiction.

Here is a short list of the books I read this month, along with excerpts from my reviews of them.

1. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare – 1596

This was actually an amusing little play with some provocative ideas. The play tells the story of a Venetian merchant named Antonio, who borrows money from a Jewish moneylender named Shylock in order to help his friend Bassanio win the heart of a wealthy heiress named Portia.

2. Batman: the Dark Knight Strikes Again by Frank Miller – 2001

This was extremely disappointing, especially since Frank Miller has previously written really great Batman comics. The story takes place three years after the events of the first book, as Batman (who is barely even in the comic!!!) and a new generation of superheroes fight against a corrupt government controlled by Lex Luthor and Brainiac.

3. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – 1961

Catch-22 is a satirical novel set during World War II, it follows the experiences of Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces bombardier who is struggling to maintain his sanity in the face of the absurdity of war.