**spoiler alert** 1.5, maybe. I skimmed most of it.
I wanted to like this but.
First Esmee Stewart and Matthew Lennox were not the same person. Esmee St**spoiler alert** 1.5, maybe. I skimmed most of it.
I wanted to like this but.
First Esmee Stewart and Matthew Lennox were not the same person. Esmee Stewart was the favorite of James VI and I, and was possibly his lover. Esmee Stewart was never regent, though he had sway over James (who was proclaimed adult ruler in 1579, I believe). Matthew Stewart was James' grandfather and a regent. This is an easy fact to check. I get it can be confusing - Esmee Stewart is the 1st Duke of Lennox, Matthew Stewart the 4th Earl of Lennox, but seriously check it. So that pissed me off.
But the main issue is that Gibson seems to be using the witchcraft trials to show how society goes after people, largely women. This would be okay if the thesis were actually clearer and if she didn't constantly blur lines. For instance, I might agree that you could argue that the abuse Stormy Daniels got was similar to a witchcraft trial, but if your example of a gay man being given a witchcraft trial for who he is, is in fact Montague Summers, I'm going to side eye you. You are playing Summers occult/witchcraft connections to make a larger point but don't do it well.
Furthermore, and I say this as a person who hates Trump, why include Stormy Daniels? I get that Daniels is there in part because of Trump's constant and false use of "witch hunt" but it also makes the chapter more of an attack on Trump chapter, which I am totally down with but that doesn't quite fit the book. Trial by public opinion maybe, but Stormy Daniels was not on trial, unless you count the defamation case. A better example, one where a woman face real legal danger or damage, would be Amber Heard and the abuse she faced. The book might have been written in responsible to Trump's misuse of the term witch hunt, but still the Daniels chapter is odd. And if I, a Trump hater, notes that and have questions about the inclusion, it's not a good sign.
There were parts I liked, but I wanted more detail. I would have preferred more detail about the trial in Norway, say, than the inclusion of modern examples that may have been influenced by historical witch hunts. In fact, the first half of the book is superior to the second, more modern, half. It's almost like two book sandwiched together.
I will note that the writing really isn't academic. It might be dry for some people, but it is not purely academic writing. ...more
"Life After Theft" - a Hope/Karl story. They have somehow become parents even though they never seemed to want to I have read several of these before.
"Life After Theft" - a Hope/Karl story. They have somehow become parents even though they never seemed to want to be. Meh. I don't like Hope/Karl.
"Forbidden" - a quasi mystery that leaves some unanswered questions. I like the fact that Morgan is part First Nations/Native American. It was nice to see Clay and Elena without the too old kids. Also nice play on the idea of small town culture/football culture.
"Angelic" - Read this one before. Still a good Eve story.
"Zen and the Art of Vampirism" - this story may gross out some people, but it was a fun ride.
"Ungrateful Dead"- Love Jamie, and I can actually stand Savannah when she works with Jamie.
"Counterfeit Magic" - read this one before and it still stands up....more
**spoiler alert** I enjoy the Women of the Otherworld, even if I don't like all the characters.
This is a collection of short stories and novella, many**spoiler alert** I enjoy the Women of the Otherworld, even if I don't like all the characters.
This is a collection of short stories and novella, many of (if not all) have appeared else, mostly in chapbook or ebook form.
The first story "Brazen" features Nick (from Elena's pack) and he teams with Vanessa to hunt down Macolm. I didn't buy the romance in the book (and it went from a hook-up with no strings to true love waaaaaay too quickly). But I did like Vanessa. And though the story makes use of too much violence towards women, it was a good story, in particular it allowed Nick to shine.
The second story is the first meet between Karl and Hope. As I don't like them, I really wasn't interested in "Chaotic". Actually, it is really Hope I don't like because she never really seems as developed or even as interesting as the others. Hell, even Vanessa in the previous story was more interesting.
The third, "Amittyville Horrible" I've read before. I love Jamie and Jeremy. I love kitsune.
"Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" features vampires Cass and Zoe, and ties witb "Amittyville Horrible" for the best in the collection. It is fun story, almost more of a character study of Zoe. But a fun read.
"Off Duty Angel" - I normally like Eve, but this didn't really grab me. Liked the British Museum cameo though.
"The Puppy Plan" - this one had the makings of a good story. It features Elena, Clay and their twins , Kate and Logan. Logan doesn't quite act like a child for much of the story, and the story goes on far too long. It could have been tighter in the writing. But it is also at times funny and sweet Christmas story. It also address the question of vampires and dogs.
"Baby Boom" - I hated this story. Not every couple needs to have children. Truly, and Paige never want them. Because the Cabal got someone to mess with Paige's birth control, Paige gets pregnant. I understand that Armstrong lives in Canada which is a bit more progressive about abortion, but the fact that Paige is okay with what is basically a forced pregnancy and doesn't seriously consider abortion, is a bit much. I'm sorry but we know that abusive men have impregnated their wives and partners to keep control of them. We live a society were far too many people believe that if a woman just gets pregnant she will want to be a mother, and while that may be true for some, it is not true of every woman. Hell, Elena was unsure about children, so we basically have had this story before. Baby Boom just feels like Armstrong wanting to Lucas and Paige to have a child, and forcing it on them. The fact that abortion wasn't really considered was horrible. The only good part of the story is that Lucas makes it clear that it is Paige's decision. Why she changes her mind about kids, the reader really doesn't get.
Edited - over a month after reading this, I am still pissed at the story Baby Boom. In fairness, to Armstrong she seems to have both pro-choice and pro-life people pissed off at the story, so she must be doing something right. The problems for me with are two fold
(1) with the edition of Paige being a mother again (I'm sorry, but she was mother to Savannah) we now have every long term female character with the exception of Jamie as a biological mother. This includes two women who were totally no kids (not Elena, hope. With Elena there was reference to conversations with Clay). While it is perfectly acceptable for women to change their minds, to not really convey or show how those changes take place is disappointing, to be mild about it. Armstrong is simply, whether she intends to do it or not, re-enforcing the idea that all women want to be mothers. That's not true. This view is further complicated by Jamie, the only long term central character who doesn't have a child because she can't have a child. The reason she can't - botched abortion. Now, I always took the view is that Jamie's abortion was botched because it was done in secret, but by having the only childless woman be the one had an abortion, even one she was forced to by her mother, and indicating that Jamie had wanted children, Armstrong is showcasing aspects of the anti-choice groups, whether or not she intends to. (I have no idea what Armstrong's view on abortion is). More importantly, not every woman wants kids. WoO was a good series because the central woman who ran the length of series were so varied. By making them all biological mothers, Armstrong has undermined that in serious way.
(2) If Paige and Lucas had decided on their own that they changed mind - fine. But that's not what happens. Paige isn't pregnant because she chose to be or even her birth control didn't work. She is pregnant because the Cabal manipulated her into being so. They forced a pregnancy on her. However you want to dress it up, it is a form of control, even if you want rape, on both her and Lucas. The fact that they don't really have a serious conversation about this aspect is down right disturbing. The fact that Paige is basically consigned to baby factory by the story itself (it's Lucas who is seen doing the power play, btw not her) is also really off. If you are going to have character become pregnant because someone messed with their birth control, than you damn well need to do a good job at highlighting the abusive factor of that as well as the trauma on the victim. It's not that that I wanted Paige to have an abortion, it's the fact that her right to her own body was stripped from her, and she does not ever think about it that way. The Paige from early in the series would be smacking this one so hard.
Lowered to two stars because I am still pissed about this story...more
This book is more about the wives of four royal women during running from the time of Henry IV to Henry VII. It details how charges of witchcraft wereThis book is more about the wives of four royal women during running from the time of Henry IV to Henry VII. It details how charges of witchcraft were used for a variety of reasons. ...more
There is always a risk when an author (or any artist to be honest) returns to a book that was written as oDisclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley
There is always a risk when an author (or any artist to be honest) returns to a book that was written as one and done. In some cases, like say Atwood returning to Handmaid’s Tale with The Testaments, it can appear to be that of marketing or money. This doesn’t mean that the book in question is bad � The Testaments is a great book, in my opinion � but it can make readers hesitate when buying. In other cases where money may be involved, say like Weis and Hickman returning to Dragonlance, it can ruin the memories that readers had of the series and even of the authors.
I don’t know why Connelly decided to return to The Book of Lost Things. He mentions working on a screenplay of the novel and then Covid in his afterword. What is clear, however, is that he returns with love in his heart. It is a sequel, but it can stand on its own. Reading the first novel will give the back story for new readers to what is now a duology, but it isn’t really needed.
My guilty secret is I think I like this one better.
It’s true that the first book concerns a boy’s quest for his mother, but this one is even more mother oriented. We start with Ceres whose daughter Phoebe (note the names. Names are important in these books) is injured after a traffic accident. Ceres eventually finds herself in the Land of Lost Things, changed since the adventures of David in book one, and she struggles to find her way back to her daughter.
As in the first novel, this one is also about grief and struggling with that grief, though Ceres� grief has the possibility of hope. It is also about temptation, and the price of things.
In many ways, this book, book ends (pardon me) the first. If David’s journey is about coming to terms with a loss of parent, this book is about the losses that one suffers after one reaches adulthood. Yes, part of that for some adults is the loss of a child, but unlike some writers, Connelly remembers that not everyone has a child. Loss here is more than simply loss of a relative.
It is nice too that Connelly adjusts the reasons for the journey � Ceres would do anything to help her daughter but as an adult she also knows more about what we would do and what we would give is different than what can happen. She also knows that “hope is the thing with feathers� as Dickinson said.
There are many allusions and characters taken from history and folktales/fairy tales/legends that make appearances. There are also some wonderful touches of humor � the bit with the witches stands out. The book also widens itself from David’s journey. It feels like a bigger and larger world, not surprising considering who Ceres is, and her experiences as opposed to young David’s.
My only criticism, and it isn’t really a criticism, is that in the ARC at least, there isn’t a section at the end that gives details about the characters and figures used as appeared in The Book of Lost Things. While many readers will not need it (as they may not have needed it in the first book), it gives a nice touch.
But then again, if this book is more about adult grief and processing, we know that we must find answers ourselves, don’t we? ...more
This isn't a bad start, and it does a good job of presenting child abuse. It just did not grab quite as much as I wanted it to.This isn't a bad start, and it does a good job of presenting child abuse. It just did not grab quite as much as I wanted it to....more
I do not play Minecraft so I cannot say how it ties into the game. I love the problem solving aspect as well as the bonus section that allows childrenI do not play Minecraft so I cannot say how it ties into the game. I love the problem solving aspect as well as the bonus section that allows children to continue the story....more
This installment of Warlock Holmes finds Warlock and Watson coming to terms with the events of the last volume. They do this in a rather strange way. This installment of Warlock Holmes finds Warlock and Watson coming to terms with the events of the last volume. They do this in a rather strange way. Pinkertons are involved but they are somewhat like a certain famous group of wearers of black.
The two Holmes stories that are used include, of course, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Silver Blaze, and the Solitary Cyclist. The Cyclist sequence is particularly funny while the Baskervilles give us more detail about Warlock. It isn’t quite as funny but there are some shining moments.
As always, the humor comes from the asides that Watson does. In this case, Watson deals with issues as complex as fake beards, tricycles, and Canadians. The charm of the series is Watson’s down to earth musings that deal with issues raised in the original stories � for instance walking sticks. So, it is like you have an urban historical fantasy novel with a high shot of realism.
If you like fantasy and Sherlock Holmes, you should read this series.
Garston’s narration is particularly wonderful. He doesn’t do silly woman’s voices. His Watson sounds close enough to Edward Hardwicke to make a connection to Holmes seamless. His Holmes is not quite what you would think, but is brilliant nonetheless. ...more
Disclaimer: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
This collection of stories from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland draws from famoDisclaimer: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
This collection of stories from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland draws from famous collections, but also lesser known collections. It is divided int three sections transformations, wit, and journeys. While East of the Sun, West of the Moon is included many of the stories are not as well known.
The collection starts with “The Forest Bride� about a young man who marries a mouse. It ends with the story of “Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn�. Between the two, we have some traditional stories that would be well know to any read of folktales � such as the story of the Doctor and Death � but there are stories such as “The Honest Penny� or “Hildur, Queen of the Elves�.
The illustrations are wonderful, quite beautiful. They remind one of the old fairy tale books with the classic illustrations. Thynell has the right combination of dark, light, and whimsey that makes a fairy tale picture a wonder to behold. ...more
Be warned some questions are answered, and more questions are raised because you know, thOMG! Margaret is back to best Margaret.
And breaking my heart.
Be warned some questions are answered, and more questions are raised because you know, they went you to keep buying the series. It isn't as funny as the earlier volumes, but far more emotionally honest and touching....more
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Salem holds a strong place in the American psyche. In part, this is due to makDisclaimer: ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Salem holds a strong place in the American psyche. In part, this is due to making students read Arthur Miller’s the Crucible. Perhaps it is the stories that surround the town of Salem itself. The story itself has been examined a variety of ways. Thomas Gilbert’s feminist take is not the first such.
Though it might be the best fictional take.
Gilbert’s story focuses on the young girls in the town of Salem, in particular Abagail, and how the women are controlled by the male dominated society. He also works in the culture clash between the Native Americans and the European colonizers.
It is a harsh story, but the way Gilbert tells it, it becomes a more powerful story. It tackles the issues of how a society views those who are different. The focus on the fear of the other as well as a woman’s ability to reproduce make this story and graphic novel timely.
It should be noted that some of the artwork and content material is graphic. The artwork is a perfect match to the story. ...more
This is an overview of various postcards depicting various fairy tales. Most of the postcards are drawn from his private collection. In edition to a bThis is an overview of various postcards depicting various fairy tales. Most of the postcards are drawn from his private collection. In edition to a brief overview of the history of the postcard as well as the history of fairy tale art on postcards, Zipes includes various tales, including a possible source for Rip Van Winkle. There are also brief biographies about some of the artists.
It is a beautiful book. It is great fun to look at how the various postcards depicted various characters. Though it was a bit stranger that the Andersen section didn't include postcards from Denmark....more
I think I would have gotten more out of this book if I was interested in becoming a follower of Wicca. I was looking more for a history, and this is vI think I would have gotten more out of this book if I was interested in becoming a follower of Wicca. I was looking more for a history, and this is very general about history. ...more
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