Reviews for this week:
Nameless - Sam Starbuck
Character driver rather than plot driven, and definitely what I'd call slow paced. However, it's in the unique position where I like the entire cast and can identify with both of the protagonists. The language flows easily and the scenes are laid out in a way that appeals to me on an aesthetics-level, in the sense that I can visualize everything easily. For those who reads a lot of fantasy I'd add that this is more magical surrealism than high fantasy. I like it, very much, but am not too sure if I can recommend it for others...it's not really a common style (like a more diluted, less lyrical and more wry and modern version of Bradbury?)
Charitable Gettings - Sam Starbuck
Same: character instead of plot driven. However, I adore this story (though the other book mentioned above is the one that I plan to buy) because the consulting firm for non-profit charities that this story centers around resembles my lab. Complete with interns in place of undergrads and donors / clients in place of collaborators / Core facility admin. And exhaustingly enthusiastic CEO / PI with a tendency to Have Ideas, which the people who work for him mostly have learned how to work around. Plot is kind of "eh" but my god, the people. This author does people so very well.
Children of Hurin - J.R.R. Tolkien
Story takes place during the rise of the power of Sauron, before the events of the Trilogy. It has the epic world building and the darkness and depth of the Trilogy though, and is conveniently about the size of The Hobbit (not sure if I can muster the energy at this juncture to wade through three-book's work of Tolkien, sad but true). I think I should warn people that this is not a happy story at all. It's tragedy of Hamlet proportions -- as in, my first coherent thought upon finishing is "Oh dear God WHY." If you're fond of Tolkien at all though, it's like Hamlet-- worth reading at least once in your life for the experience.
"Snow, Glass, Apples" - Neil Gaiman
Snow White re-telling. Very Gaiman (think American Gods and Sandman). Very short (six pages). Very -- how should I say it -- visceral. Gaiman's writing style lends itself to fairy tales very well.
Time of Ghosts - Dianne Wynne Jones
Collection of short stories. Cannot make it through even the first one. I fear no stories of hers will ever rival the charm of Howl's Moving Castle in my world. Or even Castle In the Air.
Flowers of Paradise and Other Armenian Tales - Marshall, Bonnie
Fascinating from a cultural perspective and of course I collect fairy tales, but I need to find a collection with a better translator. Unlike Gaiman, the style just feels off. Yes it's from another culture, but there are ways to do that and maintain the language pattern, thus preserving the magical something that says fairy tale. (Jane Yolen's very good at doing this, so I know it can be done.) Also, the arrangement of the stories on pages (and all the end notes -- oh the end notes) was just really annoying.
Geography Club, the - Hartinger, Brent
Very quick read, very easy read. (Tolkien cannot be comprehended before eight in the morning. At least not by me, without tea.) Makes me reminisce about high school ...or at least muse back to how utterly sheltered I was in comparison. I like it. It's a very different sort of coming-of-age story, almost, and I find the style very clean and effective (the author could've waxed on and on about hundreds of things and I'm deeply grateful that he didn't). It brings up some issues about human nature and courage and outcasts though, which I'm still pondering over because those issues don't get solved at the end of high school...the hormones just got replaced with taxes and bills and what-have-you. And there will always be cliques, forever and ever, worlds without end, Amen.
A Play of Sherlock Holmes - Doyle, Barrie, Gillette et al.
Cannot comprehend Sherlock Holmes riding off into the sunset with a girl. Just. Brain does not compute. It's Sherlock Holmes and for all he's derided his stories as a romanticized version of actual events I don't really find him a romantic figure at all (which for me has always been part of the appeal). He belongs in Sussex with his bees, but leaving that aside, the play's quite well done, containing the most interesting bits from a handful of the most famous cases from Doyle's short stories (e.g. Scandal in Bohemia, Copper Beeches, Great Game &c). And the parodies...the parodies. That's enough said.
At this point I'd like to point out that of all materials listed above, only the fairy tale book is a physical book -- a hard cover that I borrowed from Lucy. The kindle e-ink holds up really well under the glare of sun and is pleasantly non-reflective and easy on the eyes under fluorescent lighting. Bless Calibre for its organization functions and its format converters, but I should also mention that all .pdf are not created equal, and some become indecipherable upon conversion, which is sad. Both SJ and SD libraries allow ebooks on loan, and SC is hosting a workshop on it soon so I expect it will offer it at some point though I currently can't find the option on the main website. I should thank Chris for the pointing me to IRC...what...two years ago? And between everything mentioned in the above paragraph I've basically slashed most of my difficulties in reading -- the only one remaining being time -- and I have discovered that in addition to deepening my neuroses, grad school had made me a faster reader as well and so...well, I am now slowly starting to work on my to-read list.
Well, and also the The Adviser seemed to have forgotten about the review he wanted me to write. Which gives me a bit more time.
It's so good to read something that doesn't come with figures and p-values.
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