Category: Books

A lot of short snippets– random lists of facts, two page articles on a lot of interesting topics, longer articles on vaudville and other quirky topics. There’s a lot of readers digest like articles– strange laws, stupid burglaries, accidental discoveries– plus odd facts about toilets and sewers to fit the overall theme.

It was fun, entirely light– and entirely forgettable. There’s very little I retained– well, remembering freeform. Perhaps, if something specific came up in conversation, I might remember something more, but I don’t consider most of it added to my stock of knowledge. (Other than the extended series on the Mayflower, which was particularly interesting.)

A fascinating take on myth, grounded firmly in historical Greece. The world is alien but dimly familiar; the encircled and separated world of women, the grim brooding of a father who still blames his daughter for the loss of his wife in her birth, sisters and rivalries, and the terror of getting shipped off to an entirely new world to join her husband that she knew for only an afternoon previously.

Her decision to intercede on her husband’s behalf is surprising– it doesn’t come from an excess of love the way you’d imagine. Her time in the underworld is bold, deeply marking– and annoying, given how she’s treated. Passion comes in the least likely place– and returning to the world above is a sacrifice, not liberation.

The men are alien and distant, separated by her status and the difference between the reader’s and the characters’ mores. It’s a fascinating look that encourages me to dig deeper into Greek literature.

The book was written by Stieg Larsson, but it thrives because of its tranlation by Reg Keeland. Honestly, the writing was completely transparent: I’d have thought of it as written well informed English if I didn’t know better.

I picked this up in Toronto on my way back, and was very pleasantly surprised by the writing, plot, and characters. They all have real and significant foibles– even the good guys have serious problems and can be their own worst enemy.

Given the title, I was surprised by the amount of screen time that was devoted to Mikael Blomkvist, but it was a good choice. Lisbeth Salander is interesting– in many ways she’s like a WoD character with a lot of points in flaws used to buy some exceptional traits. She’s not a superhero, but she’s very good at what she does.

Sweden turns out to have a few skeletons, at least in this telling. In many ways it’s a police procedural (well, anchored by an investigative journalist instead of a policeman, and the case is quite old…) but it has a lot of differences. The unusual to my experience setting is wonderfully revealed: the differences are small and typical assumptions are mostly right, but they build as the book continues.

In the end, I enjoyed the book thoroughly and will be requesting the next ones from the library.

I enjoyed this one– and it vanished quickly. It’s much less… repulsively brutal than The Windup Girl was. Nailer is a great lead character; his relationships, good and bad, are great to empathize with. His luck, his relationship with Pima and later with “lucky girl” and his wife– they all work, and feel natural. His connection to lucky girl makes sense and follows only because of his other luck.

The world is familiar; the ship breaking experience is all too similar to news articles about modern day work going on in India today. The world is well built– it’s the same future as in The Windup Girl, a post oil collapse and runaway greenhouse gas disaster. The way the wealthy skim above the changes and continue to run everything runs all too true. I bought the boardroom/ship maneuvers too– politics, greed, and piracy all trudge along into the future.

After this one, I’m really looking forward to tracking down more books by Paolo Bacigalupi.

The last book– while it started off as I expected, the whole Rosenesme plot was entirely unexpected.

Bella gets her way, and thrives in the life she chose– it’s a good match for her. Her transition is impressive, and her superpowers are exactly what’s needed, just as the plot demands. Her relationship with Edward is handled well; enough is left to the imagination that it never feels gratuitous.

The looming threat of the Voluturi, the negotiations with the witnesses, and the final confrontation all deliver. It’s a clear end– a solid path to a new life, a new calm, and a new era for Bella.

An interesting direction to take it. I wanted to read it before the movie; it looks like it’ll adapt much better than the more internal story of New Moon.

A very fast read; I catapulted right through it and into Breaking Dawn.

Proofreading has slowed down my other reading, but we’re getting close– soon I’ll clutch it in hands. My precious…

An interesting sequel; turns the emo to 11. Bella’s heartbreak is well presented– it’s impossible to go three pages without a reminder of her pain and abandonment, even when she’s currently fighting off the loneliness.

I dread imagining how this one will be handled in a movie; so much of the motivation and struggle is internal even Edward’s voice and her quest for danger to provoke it. The book does a good job of showing how grinding depression and abandonment are…

The Voluturi and wolves are interesting– similar to White Wolf’s takes on their analogs, but the differences are significant enough to keep it from being a clone. I’m curious about the next book and hope to read it before I see the matching movie.