What an interesting little time! My prehistoric knowledge is poor so I was excited to expand it and the writing style of this felt very accessible to What an interesting little time! My prehistoric knowledge is poor so I was excited to expand it and the writing style of this felt very accessible to a beginner. I am constantly overwhelmed with amazement thinking about prehistory - the carvings of women and the discussions of shared affection are such a powerful reminder of our connection with these ancient ancestors! It was also interesting to learn more about later societies and human behaviours as they were used as jumping off points to discuss what prehistoric attitudes to different topics may be. I feel the inherent difficulty in a book like this is that it's already such an immense challenge to know anything about what happened in prehistoric times that to be able to differentiate between men and women's roles in society is even harder! This book uses a lot of language like "perhaps", "maybe" (etc) because truly how could we know with the scant evidence we have? Nonetheless, I enjoyed this dabble....more
Loved the latter half of the play a lot, particularly Richard's speeches once he's deposed. Rounding up to a four to be generous, enjoying my ShakespeLoved the latter half of the play a lot, particularly Richard's speeches once he's deposed. Rounding up to a four to be generous, enjoying my Shakespeare dabbling this year!...more
Super fun to read Moreno-Garcia's debut! I can see a lot of seeds for her later work here, particularly Silver Nitrate in the type of magic and characSuper fun to read Moreno-Garcia's debut! I can see a lot of seeds for her later work here, particularly Silver Nitrate in the type of magic and characters that are going on. I will say it's not my favourite of hers overall, I felt the middle dragged a bit, but I've never had a bad time with this author....more
I absolutely adore the way Jasper Fforde throws a bucketful of seemingly disperate nonsense into each of these, but without fail draws it all togetherI absolutely adore the way Jasper Fforde throws a bucketful of seemingly disperate nonsense into each of these, but without fail draws it all together in a meaningful way!...more
The narration is quite simple, particularly at the beginning I felt it was perhaps too simple but I grew to appreciate it, and there are some lovely dThe narration is quite simple, particularly at the beginning I felt it was perhaps too simple but I grew to appreciate it, and there are some lovely descriptions of nature and the valley running throughout. The emotion of the book really built for me as it went on - I think I really hit my stride when Rebecca was in her 40s and 50s, as that's when we got slightly less factual "here's a potted biography of my brother's life" and a bit more of her opening herself up, growing into herself, and therefore providing more emotional resonance for me as a reader. By the end, the reflections on the change the valley had seen and the way of life were really moving....more
I much preferred the second part full of moving elegies. The first part I can see Heaney is returning to a lot of childhood memories, as well as drawiI much preferred the second part full of moving elegies. The first part I can see Heaney is returning to a lot of childhood memories, as well as drawing a lot on classical allusion, but I think maybe I lack the context to connect with them? My fave from the first part is The Border Campaign, perhaps no surprise as I love Beowulf!...more
My favourite of the series so far! I'm a sucker for Arthurian retellings which really lean into the love triangle going all ways, and this one threw iMy favourite of the series so far! I'm a sucker for Arthurian retellings which really lean into the love triangle going all ways, and this one threw in an extra pillar with Lancelot's relationship to God too. I just adore the unconventional way TH White tells the tale, directing us to Mallory if we want to read about such-and-such a detail. He also goes on these little asides which demonstrate such a vivid understanding or human nature, posited in an analogy that begins very mundanely. Another thing that was very compelling was seeing the ideal of the court begin to crumble. I do wish we hadn't lost Arthur so much in the tale....more
I thought this would be much more plot-heavy but really it's a big old thought experiment, a Socratic dialogue on Plato's Republic, the fallibility ofI thought this would be much more plot-heavy but really it's a big old thought experiment, a Socratic dialogue on Plato's Republic, the fallibility of humans and how you go about ascertaining whether robots are reaching sentience - in short, absolutely my jam! I think it becomes extremely clear very early on that not only is the entire concept of Plato's Republic flawed, but the people putting it into practise are even more so, their biases are completely unexamined. As as a result, we have some abhorrent things happen from rape to eugenics, none of which are examined very thoroughly within the narrative but I feel that's because it's so clearly awful that it doesn't need to be spelled out? We so clearly have a case of lofty ideals being undercut by the prejudices of flawed humans and being enabled by the detached emotionless viewership of Athena. Personally that aspect worked for me, perhaps more strongly than when Walton does try to attack topics head on? The discussion of slavery becomes an ongoing one that I did appreciate but the climactic debate near the end felt a little lackluster - at least some of the glaring thoughts I felt could have been utilised were ignored in favour of ones that felt weaker overall! My favourite parts were absolutely from when Socrates appears and questions everything, but I also enjoyed some of Apollo's journey to understanding volition and the growing presence of the robots. Super intrigued where the next one will go, I shall have to explore it soon....more
Even though I'd already seen the miniseries so knew the plot, I really enjoyed experiencing the telling of this! Waters' writing is so rich in VictoriEven though I'd already seen the miniseries so knew the plot, I really enjoyed experiencing the telling of this! Waters' writing is so rich in Victorianisms and she sets a scene so well. Occasionally it did feel a bit long, I guess partly because the way the narrative is split into parts means you have a few quite distinct stories all woven together to make Nancy's life! I think my personal preference is for Waters' slightly darker and more twisty work, but this was still a really fun romp and I particularly loved the ending. Interestingly, reading this edition with the afterword it appears the author can see some of the "shortcomings" herself and I really enjoyed reading her discussion of them and what she might do differently if she wrote it now - but still, what a corker of a debut!...more
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