Unleaving: a review

by Jill Paton Walsh
(also known as Goldengrove Unleaving)

This book was in the children's section of my school library and I'm not sure why. Not that it's a bad book--it's well written and interesting and the prose often sings. ("And far out, in the distance, the lighthouse in a tissue of haze is just visble" (134).) There's a masterful interweaving of past and present which reminded me of several of Rumer Godden's books. But its themes are adult and though there are children in the book, the tone and philosophical discussions make it definitely not a child's book. Maybe young adult.

I'm still not sure if I like it or not. I tend to be fond of past and present interwoven, if done well and this was done well. And, despite the very gloomy outlook of several main characters, the book ends up affirming love and beauty. Madge is a very sympathetic character and Patrick, if not exactly sympathetic, is interesting. If you think you'd like a fairly quick read with some philosophical and moral dilemmas, set on the Cornish coast, you'd probably like this one.

Book source: my school library.

Fire and Hemlock: a review

by Diana Wynne Jones

Most people have only one set of memories. But things are a little different for Polly Whittacker. She has one set, normal, undistinguished in any way, and another set which her nineteen-year-old self struggles to retrieve. These hidden memories are all centered around one Thomas Lynn, a seemingly ordinary cellist in the British Philharmonic Orchestra. As she begins to delve into the true past, she remembers that they met when Polly gate-crashed a funeral. At first their friendship is simply a bright spot in Polly's life. But gradually strange things begin to happen and continue to happen.

The narrative structure of the book works very well, in my opinion. It would have been an easy one to mess up, but Diana Wynne Jones pulls it off (because she's awesome like that!). The fact that Polly's forgotten her own memories allows the whole story to unfold in the past while still moving the plot of the present forward.

Polly and Tom are both lovely characters--the kind that you just love from the beginning and never let go of. The minor characters are also part of the charm of this one. Tom's quartet are all magnificent and Granny is marvellous. Fiona and Nina, in their different ways, are also necessary to the whole book.

I'm trying to avoid spoilers, so I'll only say that the ending is one of those where no one seems to know exactly what happened. That's all right. Somehow it seems to me to fit into the pattern of the book as a whole.

One of my favorite books by Diana Wynne Jones.

Book source: my school library

Imaginary Lands: a review

edited by Robin McKinley

This the second time I've read this anthology. Oddly enough, I think I liked it more this time around. There were still a few stories I wasn't as wild about. But "Flight" by Peter Dickinson, "The Old Woman and the Storm" by Patricia McKillip, and "The Stone Fey" by Robin McKinley herself were all, in my opinion, excellent. They were also, interestingly enough, the stories which I felt best fulfilled the stated mission of the book: "the stories...must have a particularly strong sense of location, of the imaginary land each was laid in."

Having just read Fire and Hemlock, Joan Vinge's "Tam Lin" provided an interesting counterpoint. Fire and Hemlock is still my favorite (although Elizabeth Marie Pope's The Perilous Gard comes in at a very close second). It may have something to do with the length--book length lets Diana Wynne Jones build up her characters much more effectively. But I think it's mostly that I prefer Fire and Hemlock's conclusion. While both are somewhat bittersweet--something lost and something gained--Fire and Hemlock felt both more real and more hopeful to me.

"Stranger Blood" by P.C. Hodgell was another of my favorites. Again, there was a strong sense of the land and culture as something both distinct and real.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend this anthology if you enjoy reading fantasy, especially fantasy set in a specific location.

Book source: Southern Oregon University library

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks: a review

by E. Lockhart (and [HERE])

I've begun the last two reviews with the character's name. I am determined to break the pattern. So:

P.G. Wodehouse? Check. Basset hounds? Check.* Secret societies? Check. Devious plans? Check.

This book has all of those, plus a spunky main character with a great vocabulary and the inability to take no for an answer.

And yet, somehow, I don't LOVE it. It's fun. I'm reading it for a second time, so clearly it isn't awful. I think most of my problem is that I never quite believe in Frankie as a real character. I feel bad for her and I rejoice at her victories. But she never quite jumps off the page.

Now, I know there are heaps and heaps of people** who love this book. And I do enjoy it. And yet.

I don't know. I may need to give it a few days to percolate.


Book source: my school library

*Incidentally, basset hounds always remind me of James Thurber, probably because I was a docent at the Thurber House for several years when I was younger.

**People whose recommendations I trust.

Savvy: a review

by Ingrid Law

Mississippi Beaumont, commonly known as Mibs, is about to turn thirteen. Normally thirteen is just another birthday. But for the Beaumont family thirteen marks the day their savvy kicks in. Mibs is looking forward to her day. A little nervously, given that her brother Fish started a hurricane and forced the whole family to move to Kansaska-Nebransas (the Kansas/Nebraska border). But just before her birthday, her Poppa is in an accident and everything changes.

Determined to make it to him, she sets off on a pink Heartland Bible Supply bus with an assortment of siblings, friends, not-so-much friends, and passersby.

I LOVED this book. Mibs' voice was so fresh and true and while every character is a little out there, none of them felt like caricatures. And the writing just sparkled. I opened the book to a random page and found this bit:

Before leaving the bathroom, I cheerfully added a paper-wrapped soap to the pocket of my dress that still held Will's birthday present pen. Then I joined the others and we all flop-flapped down the hall in our new Mega Mega Mart flip-flops, following Lill and Lester downstairs toward the Heartland Bible Supply bus like a gaggle of flat-footed goslings, keeping a lookout for any unwanted attention.

I also liked how Mibs seems to find church and faith genuinely important. It didn't feel forced in any way--it simply seemed like part of her character. She did seem older than thirteen to me. But I decided that in a way that fits--the oddness of the Beaumont lifestyle would probably make her older than most thirteen year olds.

Ingrid Law has a new book out next year called Scumble which looks like it will be a sequel to Savvy.


Book source: my school library
Recommendation source: the Andre Norton shortlist

Hattie Big Sky: a review

by Kirby Larson

Hattie Inez Brooks, having been orphaned at an early age, has spent most of her life being shuffled from one relative to another. Now, at sixteen, she is about to be pulled out of school when an unexpected letter arrives. Her Uncle Chester has died and left her his homestead in eastern Montana. Determined to build a life and home of her own, Hattie sets out for Montana alone.

Kirby Larson obviously did an impressive research job for this book but she also manages to avoid the throw-everything-in approach which can haunt historical fiction. I really liked the fact that she did not feel the need to over-explain the homesteading system. I had no idea that homesteading had continued into the 20th century, so that aspect was fascinating to read about.

The characters, with the possible exception of Aunt Ivy, all felt delicately handled and well rounded. I still don't know what I think about Trask Martin. Which is to say, he felt human. I also liked the resolution of the story which wove a delicate balance between realism and hope.

I'm not wild about the cover though. The girl doesn't look like Hattie, nor does she look accurate to the period. I think it would have been more effective with only the sky and the land. But maybe that's just me.

And...I don't know why, but I didn't LOVE this book. I liked it. I would recommend it as a different view into a certain period of history. I liked a lot of aspects. I'd say it deserves its Newbery Honor. But something kept me from fully engaging. It's entirely possible this reaction is me and not the book. I really don't know.

Book source: my school library
Recommendation source: Leila

January Reading List

The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris: A re-read. Love these books, especially this one. A re-telling of Arthurian legend, complete with dwarves, enchantresses, the Seelie Court, and hidden identities. Oh, and some great lines. “You’ve clefted my dinner!”

Friday’s Child
The Black Sheep
Devil’s Cub
Venetia (twice)
Bath Tangle
The Grand Sophy
Charity Girl
The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer: Okay, so I’ve been reading a lot of Georgette Heyer for awhile now. Quick run-down: Loved Devil’s Cub, Venetia, The Grand Sophy. Was so-so on the others. The Black Sheep and The Quiet Gentleman were okay, just not amazing.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: This was the first book in a long time, maybe ever, that made me scared to get into bed at night. (I used to get scared by Agatha Christie adaptations and be afraid that someone would poison me while I slept. Yeah, I know, logic was not a strong point.) Anyway, back to the book. Basically I thought it was fabulous, a weaving of history and legend and flat-out fantasy. All in all, I thought Kostova did a marvelous job of evoking the different countries, many of them unfamiliar to most western readers. I personally had a little more familiarity with the places since most of them are Orthodox. Rila Monastery, for instance. And I realized that I’ve had the salty cheese pastry she talks about at a couple of points. It’s a story of love and loss and quite fascinating. There were a few moments when I could tell she was writing from outside the culture but these were minor.

Death in a White Tie
Grave Secret
Enter a Murderer
Night at the Vulcan
Killer Dolphin
Death of a Peer by Ngaio Marsh: I’d taken a long break from Ngaio Marsh but was glad to discover that I love Rory Alleyn just as much as ever. Seriously, he’s up there with Peter Wimsey. *swoons* Oh yes, and the mysteries are pretty good too. ;) I really enjoy Death in a White Tie, Night at the Vulcan, and Death of a Peer. Enter a Murderer is early Marsh, and you can tell.

Deep Secret (twice)
Charmed Life
The Lives of Christopher Chant
The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones: So, I could have (and should have) written a whole post on Deep Secret because I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Maybe not quite as much as Howl, which is probably the epitome of Diana Wynne Jones. But Deep Secret…man, I love that book. Hence reading it twice. In one month. Basically Rupert Venables is amazing. And all the other characters are too, but I can’t say much more for fear of ruining it. The Merlin Conspiracy follows one of the main characters (Nick) from Deep Secret. READ IT SECOND. There are huge whacking great spoilers for D.S. all over the place. I loved it too, but I really wanted Rupert and *mumbledy mum because of spoilers* to be in it and they weren’t. Not even mentioned. Sigh. This was strange on one level but made sense on another because Nick is just about the most conceited being in the universe and it’s a bit out of sight out of mind with him. Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant, being my favorites of the Chrestomanci series (although The Pinhoe Egg is lovely too), were also amazing.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck: LOVE this book. It’s a sequel to A Long Way From Chicago, which is also nice. But A Year Down Yonder…I can’t even tell you. It’s the story of Mary Alice who has to go live with her crazy Grandma Dowdell during the Depression. It’s funny, tender, tragic, and realistically awkward, all at the same time.

Skin Deep by E.M. Crane: A shy, lonely girl accidentally winds up helping a local eccentric and in so doing gains a new perspective on herself and the people around her. Put like that it sounds kind of hokey, but this was a good book. While Hyacinth is definitely an earth-mother type, she has the lifestyle to back it up, so I didn’t mind that aspect. There’s a little hint of romance for Andrea but it never is explicitly stated and it certainly doesn’t take over the novel. I enjoyed this and I’d recommend it, but it didn’t blow me away.

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute: A friend recommended this to me. Actually, when she learned I’d never read it, she ran out of the room, returned with it, and stuffed it into my hands. A story of romance during and just after World War II although it was set in Malaya and Australia. I enjoyed seeing WWII fiction not set in Europe. And it was a very sweet story.

City of Masks
City of Stars by Mary Hoffman: I didn’t get to finish the series! *pouts* The first book was excellent. The second was good. The third…oh, I don’t know. I guess by the third book I felt like Hoffman had gotten herself stuck in a bit of an Issues rut—separated parents and major illnesses are all over the series. It just ended up seeming a little…improbable after awhile. Still, I’d like to finish that third book.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn: I have major mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, I really did like the main character and the mysterious detective, Nicholas Brisbane. On the other, well, there’s a reason this was shelved in adult fiction. And some stuff I can handle and other stuff I can’t. So, approach with caution.

Book of Enchantments by Patricia Wrede: Short stories by the author of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles (LOVE THEM!) and the Kate and Cecelia books. I must have read this years ago because I remembered all the stories. For some reason my abiding favorite is “The Sixty-two Curses of Caliph Arenschadd.”

Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer: I was telling my sister that when I first read this I said it was like “Jane Austen WITH MAGIC.” I didn’t know what I was talking about. This is really like “Georgette Heyer WITH MAGIC.” Seriously. If you like GH and you like fantasy, read this. Hey, even if you just like one or the other, read this.

Crown Duel
Court Duel by Sherwood Smith: I really like this series for no good reason. Well, I guess I have two reasons. One, Meliara is a wonderful narrator who manages to be spunky without feeling like A Man In Disguise, which some overly spunky heroines sometimes end up as. Second, I love the hero. With a deep and abiding love. Even though I could see the setup coming from the first book.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale: A beautiful, beautiful book. Goose Girl is probably my favorite Hale, but Book of a Thousand Days is a close runner up, if it’s not tied. The writing is crystal clear and gorgeous. A re-telling of a Grimm’s fairy tale, transposed to a version of Mongolia.

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey: Another fairy tale re-telling, this time of Sleeping Beauty. It’s interesting to compare this to Robin McKinley’s Spindle’s End, which I also love. This was MUCH shorter, but very well done. I liked the fact that I really didn’t know exactly what was going to happen next. At the same time, I think I would have liked a little more volume.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke: Short stories by the author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which I would have re-read if I thought I had time. Clarke continues her amazingly versatile writing style in this collection. I think you pretty much had to read Jonathan Strange for most of these to work at all. But if you read and enjoyed that, I think you would like collection.

The Road to Yesterday by L.M. Montgomery: L.M. Montgomery=joy. Although…these are all set in Avonlea and several of them mention Walter and…okay, I hope I’m not spoiling Rilla of Ingleside for anyone, but Walter was my favorite Blythe child and I cried buckets of tears in Rilla, and whenever anyone mentions Walter my throat starts getting all tight and my eyes start watering and I have to blink rapidly so as not to start bawling.

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett: This was a lot of fun. A middle-school grade mystery, I’d say. It was nice in that there were a lot of puzzles but even if you couldn’t figure them out, you could still read the story. However, the solution left me annoyed because I don’t see any way the reader could have independently deduced the villain, except by the old Unlikeliest Person trick. And even that’s shaky.

Brief update

I'm now on Twitter. I'm not exactly sure what I'll use it for, but I think it'll be for random little updates, possibly book or travel related. Anyways.

ALSO, I leave for London on Saturday. SATURDAY. I will try to knock out a few reviews and such before then, but I'm not promising anything. I will get some up sooner or later.

The December Book list

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde: A re-read. Always fun. Highly recommended for all of you bookworms out there.

Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild: Not my favorite Streatfeild, but all of her books are comfort reads for me, so I’m not complaining.

Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card: Reviewed here.

Silhouette in Scarlet by Elizabeth Peters: These books are definitely a guilty pleasure, but such a fun one! I think this is the one where John is introduced, but I could be wrong.

Moon-Flash
The Moon and the Face by Patricia McKillip: A sci-fi ish two book series by Patricia McKillip. Interesting but probably not my favorite books by her.

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild: I love, love, LOVE this book. Not so wild about the movie (although it’s okay).

Ombria in Shadow by Patricia McKillip: This, on the other hand, was beautiful. Absolutely one of my favorite McKillips.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce: I read these in middle school and haven’t read them since. I thought I might as well give them another try. Major eh. I think it’s really Pierce’s writing style which tends to consist of short little scenes that aren’t very well connected. Also, I get tired of Young Girl Overcoming Oppressive Society by Proving She’s Just As Good as the Men (although Tortall is strangely enabling for an Oppressive Society).

Party Shoes by Noel Streatfeild: I don’t think I’d ever read this one but I ended up really enjoying it. While it maintains the shoes theme, it’s distinctly different than Theatre Shoes or Ballet Shoes.

Trojan Gold by Elizabeth Peters: Another awesome one. I can’t help it, I just love these books. John! Schmidt! Vicky!

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner: I think we all know how much I love these books by now, so I’ll just leave it at that.

In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce: Second in the Alanna series. I was massively confused at the beginning because I had assumed that it would pick up immediately after the end of the first book. Nope, it started a year later. Despite my abiding love for Jon, I just couldn’t like this book very much.

Night Train to Memphis by Elizabeth Peters: This book was pure gold (erm…). I mean, the other ones I enjoyed. But this one! Schmidt! The pure awesomeness that is Schmidt blew me away. I laughed myself silly in parts. And did anyone else catch the Busman’s Honeymoon reference?

The Throme of the Erril of Sherill by Patricia McKillip: A children’s book. Not particularly my favorite, but nothing wrong with it.

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie: Sigh. This is one of those comfort reads that I pick up when life is a howling wilderness. Can’t help it, I love this one. Although I quibble about the hero a bit more than I used to.

Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie
The Hollow by Agatha Christie
Nemesis by Agatha Christie
Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
The Murder in the Vicarage by Agatha Christie:
Oh gosh, I read so many Christies. I’m just lumping them all together. Besides Poirot Investigates which was decidedly EH, these are some of my favorite Christie novels and I enjoyed them ALL.

After Many Days by Lucy Maud Montgomery: Short stories. It’s not my favorite collection but it was to hand.

Winter Rose by Patricia McKillip: Lovely McKillip. One of those slightly dream-like stories that she’s able to weave so well. Also has a GORGEOUS cover painting. I envy her the cover artist.

The Richleighs of Tantamount by Barbara Willard: Slightly weird and lovely story of four children accidentally cast adrift in their ancestral home. Nuanced and beautiful.

The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh: These were very fun! I’ve had a soft spot for Inspector Alleyn for several years and I’d never read any of these short stories. Several non Alleyn stories as well.

Unexpected Magic by Diana Wynne Jones: I’d read most of the short stories in this collection before, but the novella Everard’s Ride was new to me, and I loved it! It actually reminded me a bit of The Richleighs of Tantamount which I’d read just before.

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer: Mmm, Georgette Heyer. And I’m very fond of Sylvester, containing as it does an account of the trials of a young author.

The Foundling by Georgette Heyer: I like this one as well, mostly for Gilly who is probably the most sympathetic Heyer male ever.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones: I love Howl. He would drive me insane within a week, but I love him. And I love Sophie even more.

A Christmas Book by Elizabeth Goudge: I admit that I sort of skimmed this one because most of the selections were just excerpts from longer works and I’d rather read the longer works, thank you very much.

Ain’t Nothing but a Man by Scott Nelson: Nelson tells of his struggle to find information on the real John Henry. Fascinating story, and it would be especially valuable to anyone interested in the process of historical research.

The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones: I’m in the process of getting my sister hooked on Diana Wynne Jones. She liked Howl but I’m hoping that Dark Lord did the trick. Then I had to read it myself, naturally. Hilariously funny and yet deeply serious at the same time.

The Chaos King by Laura Ruby: I read The Wall and the Wing earlier this year and I was hoping this was a sequel. It was. Despite all appearances, Gurl and Bug’s troubles have not disappeared. What with the sudden loss of the Professor, snotty classmates, the trials of fame, and numerous misunderstandings, they have a lot to deal with.

2008 in books, part two

Part one here.

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb. I can’t quite decide if I liked this book or not but it certainly stuck with me. And the writing was excellent. Some adultish content.

The Other Wind, Tales From Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin. Two new books about Earthsea. Both of them are very worthy additions to the series. And Tales from Earthsea is worth reading just for the introduction.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. My first Neil Gaiman. I enjoyed it a lot—more than either Fragile Things or American Gods (which I didn’t finish). Definitely some adult content.

Larklight by Philip Reeve. A wild, wonderful book which includes giant spiders in space, a house named Larklight, and space pirates. All set in an alternate Victorian universe. Great fun. I need to get a copy of the sequel, Starcross.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages. A beautiful, thoughtful YA novel about the community of scientists at Los Alamos during World War II. Told from the point of view of two young girls, it brings up big, serious questions without ever feeling preachy or impossible.

A Tiny Step Away from Deepest Faith by Marjorie Corbman. The journey of a teenager from a sort of pantheism into Orthodoxy. Simply but very well told.

Farthing by Jo Walton. Set in an alternate universe where Britain made peace with Hitler’s Germany. Jews are mildly persecuted. It combines the atmosphere of a good 1940’s-50’s murder mystery with a chilling depiction of what might have happened. Really wonderful book, with some adult content.

The Doors of the Sea by David Bentley Hart. An examination of the problem of evil in the world from an Orthodox perspective. I found it very persuasive. Personally, I would like to see a few more citations from the early Fathers, to round out the picture from an Orthodox point of view. But overall, an excellent explanation.

Ender’s Game, Speaker for the Dead, Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card. These were all amazing. I started Xenocide, the third in the Ender series and found it much less so. Of course, it was also finals week. At any rate, these three books are all fascinating and complex and beautiful.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall. A children’s book which reminded me of the Melendy series by Elizabeth Enright and the Bastable series by E. Nesbit. Excellent, even more so than the first book (The Penderwicks).

Chalice by Robin McKinley. I loved this book, which I think you probably already know. Of course, it’s by Robin McKinley, who is right up there on my grand list of Favorite Authors. But it’s also a lovely story of hope and struggle in the face of overwhelming odds. And it has bees. Several people have complained that it ended a little quickly, and I can see that. But I loved it so much overall that I didn’t mind that as much.

Patricia McKillip. One of my new discoveries. She kept getting recommended so I thought I should check out her books. And lo, they are many and wonderful. She often has this extreme dream-like quality to her writing and stories which I really love. I could easily see this turning some people off, however, so she probably isn’t for everyone. My favorites follow:

The Changeling Sea
Alphabet of Thorn
The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Harrowing the Dragon
The Riddle-master of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, Harpist in the Wind
Ombria in Shadow
Winter Rose

Dragonfield by Jane Yolen. Short stories by Jane Yolen. I don’t think I’ve read anything by her since middle school, but I got this book semi-accidentally during my read-through of Patricia McKillip because she (Patricia McKillip, that is) wrote the introduction. A good short story collection is a wonderful thing, and that’s exactly what this one is.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Well, technically I didn’t read this. But I listened to Neil Gaiman read it, and that was just as good, if not better. I loved lots of things about it, one being that Silas’ full identity is never revealed. I mean, you’re given lots of hints, but Gaiman never actually comes out and says it. If you know that particular mythology you’ll pick up on it; if you don’t, you won’t lose anything. Definitely fantasy, slightly dark, entirely wonderful.

At the Corner of East and Now by Frederica Mathewes-Green. One of my new favorite books about Orthodoxy. As I said in my original review, you can read this as someone with a vague interest in Orthodoxy or you can read it as someone who’s grown up Orthodox and either way you can find something interesting and helpful in it.

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene. This is one of those embarrassing “I had to read it for school but I still loved it” books. There are lots of those in my past. At any rate, I thought this was beautiful. It wouldn’t be for everyone—it definitely deals with an adult situation—but it will go on my list of Excellent Books.

2008 in books, part one

Every year my goal is to read 365 books. I have actually made this goal in the past. This year was annoying because I’m so close! 359 books. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite able to make it, mostly because of October and November.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. A beautiful, elegantly written story. If you have a prejudice against books with pictures in them, ignore it. Read this book. Highly recommended for everyone.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. I loved Goose Girl by the same author but wasn’t as wild about the other books in that series. Book of a Thousand Days is entirely different and beautiful. Highly recommended.

Rowan Farm by Margot Benary-Isbert. Some years ago I read The Ark, by the same author, and loved it. I knew there was a sequel but I could never manage to get my hands on it. And then when my library system had a copy, I hesitated. What if it wasn’t as good? What if I wasn’t able to enjoy The Ark any more? Life would be tragic. Then I read this and thought how silly I was. Of course Margot Benary-Isbert would write an excellent sequel to an excellent book. Silly me.

I, Claudius by Robert Graves. I enjoy books about history, especially the ones that make it come alive for me. I’d never done much reading about Roman history, but this book more than made up for it. Boy, you couldn’t top some of the crazy things they did if you tried!

Sorcery and Cecelia, The Grand Tour, The Mislaid Magician by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. When I originally reviewed these I said they were like Jane Austen with magic, but now I see that I was wrong about this. They’re really like Georgette Heyer with magic. Quite excellent, especially the first two.

Court Duel and Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith. These feel a little campy, or something, but I can’t help really enjoying them. Meliara is a great narrator, able to somehow be adventurous without ever feeling like she’s just a guy in disguise.

East by Edith Pattou. I enjoy a good fairy-tale re-telling. One of the ones I’d never seen done was “East o’ the Moon, West o’ the Sun.” Edith Pattou did a marvelous job in this book.

The Silver Branch by Rosemary Sutcliff. I love The Eagle of the Ninth, so when I found out that there was a sequel (of sorts) I leapt with joy! Rosemary Sutcliff is wonderful and so is this book.

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt. One of my new favorite books. Beautifully written. Somehow it’s never dark, even though it deals with some very heavy subjects. Also, has a gorgeous cover.

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. Actually, I read most of the others in this series as well, but I think the first book was my favorite. Delightful series. Best described as Patrick O’Brian WITH DRAGONS which, believe me, was two points in its favor from the beginning. I should break down and read the last book or two but I don’t want to because I’ve seen the plot summary and I know it’s going to be painful.

Diana Wynne Jones. I read almost all of her books during 2008. Below are the ones I particularly recommend. If you like fantasy, give her a try. She writes both hilarious (Chrestomanci), heroic (Dalemark Quartet) and something in between (Dark Lord of Derkholm). My favorites follow:

Chrestomanci
Dalemark Quartet
Dark Lord of Derkholm
Howl’s Moving Castle
The Merlin Conspiracy
Fire and Hemlock
Mixed Magics
Hexwood
Unexpected Magic

Georgette Heyer. An, um, guilty passion of mine. Yes, I admit it. I love her books. I’ve read practically all of them now. The usual sort (the ones I enjoy) are frothy Regency romances. Nonetheless, they are quite clean and great fun. An Infamous Army is a little more than that, since it tells the story of the battle of Waterloo. It had me crying and laughing, in that order, on the same page.

Devil’s Cub
Frederica
Friday’s Child
Lady of Quality
Sylvester
The Black Sheep
The Nonesuch
The Grand Sophy
The Foundling
The Talisman Ring
An Infamous Army

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. One of my favorite books from 2008. Clarke’s ability to create a believable world which includes real historical facts and a system of magic, a history of that system of magic, AND a fascinating and wonderful story amazes me.

The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby. Beautifully written story of a girl named Gurl who can become invisible and a boy named Bug who can fly. I really enjoyed this one and its sequel, The Chaos King.

Speaker For the Dead

Speaker For the Dead
by Orson Scott Card

I read Ender's Game way back in August and somehow, in spite of being completely blown away by it, forgot to write it down in my book notebook and therefore forgot to review it here. But it was amazing in that way that only really, really good sci-fi can be. I will try to be as non-spoilery as possible here, but if you haven’t read Ender’s Game, you should probably do that before reading this review. Seriously, go read it.

After I read Ender’s Game I didn’t read any of the sequels because I didn’t want my perception of the first book to be ruined by potentially not-so-great books in the series. I’ve had this issue a few times which leads me to be wary of series in general, especially those I know weren’t originally intended to become series. But then I talked to two friends who told me that the whole series was good and possibly even better than the first book and I should read it. So I ordered Speaker For the Dead and stayed up ridiculously late reading it one night. I think maybe the latest I have ever stayed up reading. But it was totally worth it. Because this book is even more incredible than the first, in my humble opinion, of course.

It picks up three-thousand years after the events of Ender’s Game. Ender Wiggin is now a name spoken with disgust since people now see him, not as humanity’s savior, but as a Xenocide, someone who wiped out an entire race of ramen, intelligent beings who share many characteristics with humans. What none of them know is that the Speaker for the Dead, Andrew Wiggin, who travels from world to world as an itinerant Speaker is Ender Wiggin, still young because of the effects of inter-planetary travel. No one except his sister Valentine knows his real identity or that he is the original Speaker who wrote The Hive Queen and The Hegemon. He is still tortured by the guilt of what he did, still trying to work out some kind of reparation for it by Speaking the truth.

When Ender receives a call to go to Lusitania, a colony of Brazilian immigrants which is fenced to protect the colonists from the piggies, the only known ramen, his life and the lives of those on Lusitania begin to unravel. As he questions their foundational beliefs, he exposes ugly truths. It is only then that they are able to reach some kind of healing, that they are able to go on.

I loved Ender in the first book. I think you have to, for the book to work. But in this book, I loved him even more. For some strange reason, I have a soft-spot for characters who break my heart and Ender did that several times.

I did have some quibbles with this book. Card’s Mormonism made a sudden appearance at one point, which meant that there was part of the book that I had some problems with. On a more minor level, I’m not sure how no one in three thousand years connected “Ender Wiggin” with “Andrew Wiggin.” However, I can see how if you are thinking of Andrew Wiggin, Speaker for the Dead, Ender Wiggin, Xenocide doesn’t really pop into your head. So I guess that one is just me, being bothersome.

“How do you know there wasn’t something that he touched kindly? Someone who loved him, who was blessed by his love? Destroyed everything he touched—that’s a lie that can’t truthfully be said of any human being who ever lived.”


I can't wait for the next book.

The Scent of Water: A review

The Scent of Water
by Elizabeth Goudge

When I was younger I really didn’t like this book. I liked almost every other Elizabeth Goudge book out there. But not this one. I think that Cousin Mary scared me. Anyway, my grandmother gave me her copy when they moved, about five years ago, I think. Eventually I thought, well I should really read it to make sure I don’t like it before I sell it. I read it and I loved it. Which is all to say, sometimes there is a right time and a wrong time to read books.

I don’t really have a lot to say about this book besides read it. It’s beautiful. So here are a few quotes.

“Most of us tend to belittle all suffering except our own…I think it’s fear. We don’t want to come too near in case we’re sucked in and have to share it.”

“….one of those moments when the goodness of God was so real to her that it was like taste and scent: the rough strong taste of honey in the comb and the scent of water. her thoughts of God had a homeliness that at time seemed shocking, in spite of their power, which could rescue her from terror or evil with an ease that astonished her.”

“If one’s intellectual equipment was not great, one’s spiritual experience not deep, the result of doing one’s damned best could only seem very lightweight in comparison with the effort involved. But perhaps that was not important. The mysterious power that commanded men appeared to him to ask of them only obedience and the maximum of effort and to remain curiously indifferent as to results.”

“You want to love and you can’t, and you hate yourself because you can’t, and all the time love is not some marvelous thing that you feel but some hard thing you do.”

Wolf Tower
by Tanith Lee

I enjoyed this book when I read it—it got a little star in my book notebook which is the equivalent of about a four star rating—but now that I’m thinking about it later, I’m realizing that this was essentially an apathy rating. I wasn’t blown away by it but it was solidly good. There were a few quibbles I had.

First, Claidi’s voice seemed a little unsettled to me, like the author wasn’t quite sure how old she was or how old the readers were. Sometimes it seemed very young adult, sometimes a couple of years younger. I suppose you could make a case for that given that Claidi was both very protected and forced into adulthood. However, it felt less like a device and more like an actual problem.

Second, what with the beautiful gardens and the Waste and the balloons, I kept making these connections to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was extremely distracting. I was expecting the whole way through for it to suddenly fall into some sort of back-story for the Oz books. When it didn’t, I was just confused. Now, granted this may be the fault of my mind making connections where it shouldn’t. But really, when you start talking about an oasis in a desert called the Waste and then add in balloonists, I start to get suspicious.

All in all, I enjoyed this, despite these issues. I’ll be interested to see where the series (four books) goes.

Recommended.

Skellig: a review

Skellig
by David Almond

Michael's baby sister is ill, and to top it off, he's had to move from his old home to a new one, a real fixer-upper. In the garage he finds a mysterious man with a secret. With the help of a new friend he tries to find a way to save his sister and rescue the mystery man.

This was a lovely story. I won't presume to say what it is about, but to me it says something about family and love and a great deal about wonder and hope. While I could have done without some of the emphasis on evolution, it was still a beautiful book. I liked that Almond was able to include a character who is homeschooled but is not antisocial or psychotic and is in fact wise beyond her years. I picked this one up on a whim but I'll definitely keep my eye out for more of his books from now on.

More on Twilight

I saw someone in the cafeteria wearing a Twilight shirt.

Uh.

For some reason my initial reaction to the books was fairly balanced and mild but now I'm kind of in this "WHY???" stage where people are annoying me. I think it's mostly a counterbalance to the people who are like: "tHis iS thE greAtest bOok EVARRR!!!!!!!!!!!!" Uh, no. It's not a terrible book, but it is NOT the greatest book ever. There are issues of writing and plot that should probably have been addressed by the editors. Like tightening up that first 150 pages.

I am also vastly scared by the number of people who think Edward is the most perfect human being in the whole world. I know there are extremes of fangirldom for almost every book/movie/tv show out there, and I squee over a good number of characters myself. (Gen, Ned, Lord Peter Whimsey...) But Twilight seems to breed them for some reason. And, sorry Team Edward, I just don't see it. I mean, from the first book I like him better than Jacob who basically is just like, "Dude sucks." But if you find it extremely romantic for a guy to watch through your bedroom window while you're sleeping before you're even officially together, I just don't know what to say to you.

Also, he sparkles.

Now, I'm not, not, not saying that you can't enjoy these books! There was certainly some part of me that liked the one I've read. What I am saying is that you can't claim them as great literature, or great YA literature. (Robin McKinley, Ursula Le Guin, Madeline L'Engle, Megan Whalen Turner and L.M. Montgomery are much better choices. Lloyd Alexander too. And Robin McKinley even wrote a vampire book.) If you want to keep your hoard of S. Meyer books around for when you need that kind of book, go for it. Who am I to judge? I am reading through Georgette Heyer one after another. Just give up the claims to eternal glory.

September book list

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: This book is amazing. You should read it, if you haven't already.

The Pooh Perplex: Fake literary criticism on Winnie-the-Pooh. Funny for an English major, but not really interesting for anyone else.

Warlock at the Wheel by Diana Wynne Jones: Short stories. I enjoyed them, but I'd already read several, which made them a little less exciting.

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer: Definitely one of my favorite Heyers. Quite amusing.

Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer: Definitely not one of my favorites.

Sweetblood by Pete Hautman: Lucy, a diabetic, believes that diabetics were the origins of the vampire myth. Meh.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: Reviewed HERE.

Simon the Cold Heart by Georgette Heyer: It was okay, but not a favorite.

Changing Planes by Ursula LeGuin: LeGuin is almost always great (I failed to get through Left Hand of Darkness). This was no exception. A travelogue from different "planes," which you reach only when you're in an airport.

Out of Patience by Brian Meehl: This was a fun read, but nothing more. Kooky band of characters and a Curse.

Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones: Normally, I love Chrestomanci, but this was only okay. Definitely read the rest of the series before this one.

Wild Roses by Deb Calletti: This was hard to read for me. It struck far too close to home in some places.

Mixed Magics by Diana Wynne Jones: YAY DWJ!

Pistols for Two by Georgette Heyer: Short stories. I enjoyed them a lot!

Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer: Unusual main characters, but the resolution seemed a tad strained.

The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer: Definitely a favorite!

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall: Even better than the first book. In my opinion, this one puts the Penderwicks firmly in the ranks of classic children's lit.

Chalice by Robin McKinley: Amazing. Reviewed HERE.

The Power of Three by Diana Wynne Jones: Really good DWJ.

The Doctrine of Christ by Bishop Dmitri: This would be very good for a catechumen or someone interested in Orthodoxy, but I didn't find it terribly challenging.

Tales of the Black Widowers by Isaac Asimov: A series of mystery short stories centered around the Black Widower club. There are more, thank goodness, because I really enjoyed these!

Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer: Meh.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley: The more I read this book, the more I love it. Even though I keep saying I can't recommend it. And I can't--I'm also surprised every time by how much stuff there is in there. But...I still love it.

The Changeling Sea by Patricia McKillip: I've tried reading The Tower at Stony Wood several times and have never gotten through it. I think I just had the wrong book, because this one was excellent.

Hidden Turnings ed Diana Wynne Jones: It was okay. Not wild about it though.

The Toll-gate by Georgette Heyer: Another one that was okay but not great.

Erosion by Jorie Graham: Poetry. I didn't like it as well as Hybrids of Plants and of Ghosts, but it was good.

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey: I love this book.

A Murder for Her Majesty by Beth Hilgartner: Nice book, probably about the 9-12 age range.

Owl in Love by Patrice Kindl: I hate to put it quite this way, but this book is in the same vein as Twilight (teenage love, fantasy) but better. Much better.

Instead of the Thorn, Barren Corn by Georgette Heyer: These books are quite similar. I was not fond of either. They're set in about the 1920s.

The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez: Mystery set in Oxford. Meh. I skimmed the last half.

The Twilight review *SPOILERS*

I actually read this, what, a couple of weeks ago? Something like that. Anyway, I feel that Twilight is like a Twinkie (I’m totally stealing this metaphor from cleolinda, by the way). If you actually want something that’s going to fill you up, you eat real food. But sometimes, even though you know that Twinkies are sugary and full of preservatives and don’t have a natural ingredient in them, you want a Twinkie.

I have a few major problems with this story and a few things I thought were okay. Major problem no. 1: The first 150-200 pages. They were repetitive and annoying and full of teenage ANGST. I mean, I knew Bella and Edward were going to get together from the beginning and I wanted them to just get it over with already. However, once we actually reach something approaching a plot, the book becomes a lot more decent. I actually think it has something interesting to add to the vampire genre. Except for one thing (Major problem no. 2): The sparkles. No, seriously. We’ve just spent all this time with Edward angsting all over the place that Bella doesn’t take seriously enough that he’s DANGEROUS, I tell you, DANGEROUS. Trouble. Angst. Angst. So what does he do? He takes her out to a meadow and walks out in the sunlight and SPARKLES. I almost fell off my chair laughing. Maybe it’s just me, but a sparkling vampire (sparklepire to borrow from cleolinda again) does not seem all that threatening. Kind of the reverse.

I do also have some philosophical issues with the whole stalker thing and how obsessed Bella is with Edward after so little substance. But I’m sure it’s been said before, so I’ll leave that alone.

I’ll probably read the rest of the books because…Twinkies are addictive. (Cheese puffs also work for this analogy—I will eat far too many of them.)

There were also some individual lines that I want to point out the ridiculousness of. Sorry, major Twilight fans.

No one was going to bite me. p. 14 I suppose this was supposed to be funny and somewhat eerie, but I just found it annoying. Seriously.

Once I got around the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot A large black “3” was painted on a white square on the east corner. p. 15 I don’t even know what to say about this one.

Today I was worse than usual because my head was so filled with Edward. p. 75 Sigh. Yes, we know.

I shivered and rose quickly from my place of concealment p. 139 Okay, I know Bella is a big classic book fan, but “place of concealment”???? If her whole voice was like this, it would be one thing, but it’s not.

The rocking movement of his walk. I snorkled over this one. Really?

I wondered if it should bother me that he was following me; instead I felt a strange surge of pleasure. p. 174 YES. It SHOULD bother you.

I’d given more information than necessary in my unwilling honesty, and I worried that it would provoke the strange anger that flared whenever I slipped and revealed too clearly how obsessed I was. p. 230 Well, at least she admits it. That’s the one thing where I do feel a little okay about the whole obsessed thing. I mean, it’s strange, but Bella does make a conscious choice to be obsessed. I don’t understand it, but I can sort of accept that choice.

Chalice

So, first let me say that this is a beautiful book. (See pictures here, here, here, and here.) The title and Robin McKinley's name are both embossed. There are these beautiful bee decorations sprinkled throughout the book. Without the dustcover, the book is dark red with the author's name, the title and a bee in a circle embossed in gold on the spine. The type is nicely set and very readable.

I don't like summarizing plots, so I'll just give you the blurb from the website.

"As the newly appointed Chalice, Mirasol is the most important member of the Master’s Circle. It is her duty to bind the Circle, the land and its people together with their new Master. But the new Master of Willowlands is a Priest of Fire, only drawn back into the human world by the sudden death of his brother. No one knows if it is even possible for him to live amongst his people. Mirasol wants the Master to have his chance, but her only training is as a beekeeper. How can she help settle their demesne during these troubled times and bind it to a Priest of Fire, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone?"

Mirasol as a character is a lot like the "typical" McKinley heroine (and hero)--well-intentioned and highly likable but also thrown into a difficult situation and struggling to do the right thing. The book gives very little background, only doling out information as we reach certain points in the story. I felt that this worked very well in giving a sense of Mirasol's overwhelment. (That should be a word but evidently it isn't.) I liked the fact that while she clearly Does Things, they don't need to be male things (much as I love, say, Hari).

This book has the richness of Sunshine but it is very clearly its own story. I found it extremely well-written and engaging and just...beautiful. Very satisfying. I hope some more people read it soon so I can compare notes!

(Pictures from Robin McKinley's blog.)

The June book list

Warning: Very long.

Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery: An old friend, met again and loved again.

Poison Study by Maria Snyder: Overall good story, but MAJOR content advisory. I can’t recommend this one, in all honesty, but I’ll read the next one in the series because I don’t think the content will be as bad.

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik: Second book in the Temeraire series. Excellent, as usual. Laurence and Temeraire are in China.

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones: Okay, but nowhere near as good as Jones usually is. I think this one suffered from being in novella form—it felt like it needed to be a short story or a full-length novel.

The Other Wind by Ursula LeGuin: The first Earthsea novel in lo, these many years. Lovely. Filled me with a deep satisfaction.

Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver: Another old friend revisited.

A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson: The nicest thing about this book was that the author had obviously done her research where Russia was concerned. Overall, it was pretty much a generic clean romance. I might read it again, but it didn’t blow me out of the water.

The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs: Not a fan. Strange story. Too Gothick for my tastes.

Lord Peter by Dorothy Sayers: All the Lord Peter short stories. I love Lord Peter.

Believing is Seeing by Diana Wynne Jones: Short stories by the ever-wonderful DWJ. YAY!

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke: Short stories by the author of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Also YAY!

The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer: Not my favorite Heyer. The hero annoyed me.

Frederica by Georgette Heyer: One of my favorite Heyer books. It’s the supporting cast that really makes this one for me. I like Frederica and Alverstoke as well, but it’s Jessamy and Felix and Charles Taylor that take it to a new level.

Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie: Short stories by Agatha Christie.

A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson: I didn’t enjoy this as much as the other two I read by the same author. It all seemed a little improbable and the characters veered a bit farther into the romance book category than I can reasonably stand.

A Song For Summer by Eva Ibbotson: This was definitely the best of the three I read by Eva Ibbotson. Slight content advisory at the end, which bothered me, but the rest of the book was good enough that I ignored that part.

Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer: Not my favorite Heyer, but it was all right.

The Spellcoats by Diana Wynne Jones: Complex, lovely, and enthralling.

Tales from Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin: Short stories about Earthsea. I enjoyed the glimpse into the different periods of Earthsea history. And I loved the introduction. Even if you haven’t read a word of the Earthsea books, check this book out and read the introduction.

Black Powder War by Naomi Novik: Third Temeraire book. This one seemed a bit tedious to me in places, but still a worthy addition to the series. The excerpt from the fourth book in the back worried me. With reason, as I’m currently finding out.

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie: Also known as the Boomerang Clue. For some reason one of my favorite Christie’s. No particular reason, it just is.

The Crown of Dalemark by Diana Wynne Jones: Love, love, love. Seriously. I loved this book. Read it. Read the series. Diana Wynne Jones is amazing.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman: Hilarious goodness. I love the movie too, but the book has its own charms.

The Young Unicorns by Madeline L’Engle: Except for House like a Lotus, there is not a L’Engle I have read I don’t like. Young Unicorns is no exception.

Magic for Marigold by L.M. Montgomery: Another old friend revisited.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman: I kept hearing about this Neil Gaiman guy so I thought I’d better see why everyone was so wild about him. Now I get it.

The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer: I can’t make up my mind whether I like this one or not. I guess I do, but the heroine is so wimpy! I prefer the heroines along the lines of Frederica or Mary Challoner or Drusilla Morville.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggins: Yet another old friend revisited.

The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie: Typical short stories.

Eight Days of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones: Enjoyable, fun, but not the best.

Aunt Maria by Diana Wynne Jones: I liked this one a lot. It’s more along the Chrestomanci lines than the Dalemark lines, but I like both.

A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer: Nice mystery from Heyer.

Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer: One of my favorite Heyer’s. Mary Challoner is great.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones: I have to say, I read this and went, Anime? What? It seems so British. Oh, I loved it. In the same way that Temeraire is Patrick O’Brian WITH DRAGONS, this was Georgette Heyer and Miss Marple WITH MAGIC. Yay.

Wild Robert by Diana Wynne Jones: I liked this one, but it was too short.

Avalon High by Meg Cabot: So, not generally a fan of Meg Cabot, but this one sounded more along my lines than her usual type. I liked it. In a guilty sort of way. I don’t know why the guilty part, because it was well done and she obviously knows what she’s talking about. And she quotes P.G. Wodehouse.

The Doctor’s Sweetheart by L.M. Montgomery: Short stories. As usual with Montgomery’s short stories, some I loved, some I couldn’t stand.

False Colours by Georgette Heyer: (I read a lot of Heyer during June, didn’t I?) Only all right. I’m not sure why I’m not more excited about it, but I’m not.

Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer: Ditto.

Gifts by Ursula LeGuin: Loved it! This is the first LeGuin that’s not Earthsea that I’ve finished. I approve.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle: For some reason, I always think I’m going to like this one more than I do. It’s really the later books in the series I love, although this one certainly has its moments.