My enjoyment and frustrations continue in equal measure. The more HP elements are left being in this picaresque travel novel. Simon goes America! My fMy enjoyment and frustrations continue in equal measure. The more HP elements are left being in this picaresque travel novel. Simon goes America! My favourite himbo is pretty mopey as this one opens, being mind fucked by a ruthless father-figure for your entire life does that to a guy. I was hoping Simon would you know... process that fact at the end of the last novel, but even in this one we are just sort of circling around the issue.
Interesting how this book also has a cult, though it does more of a number on Agatha and Baz than Simon. My favourite bad boy Baz, continues also to be handsome and sarcastic and fucking fuck nobel all at the same time. Unfortunately poor Agatha, gets to be 'Poor Agatha' some more. The story will not just let this girl get out of this (from her perspective) stupid dangerous traumatizing magic shit, no matter how sensible and clear headed she really is.
So we get more of Simon being super sexy if not particularly bright, Baz being sexy and noble, Penny being pushy and delusional and self-aware of her delusion. We get explorations into the interesting nature of language magic that depends on the language of Normals. An outside voice says that the Mages just few the Normals as cattle and that isn't wrong.
Interesting how North America is seen as a refuge by magical creatures from the persecutions of the Mages of Europe. Further commentary on dropped colonial and racist shit that was raised but never dealt with in the main source books of JKR.
I really liked Shepard! I think I want more of him and his smiling way of talking with EVERYONE! ...more
Lovely weird. Written by a true weirdo that isn't trying, but just is. Love the books within the books. Terrifying documentary in the dsytophic affairLovely weird. Written by a true weirdo that isn't trying, but just is. Love the books within the books. Terrifying documentary in the dsytophic affairs today. Worker-mothers of the world unite! Will sit with this story for a while....more
Great on sentence by sentence level. Smiley's personal life is the prototype of the wounded romantic -- but he's in a very cold calculating world. AndGreat on sentence by sentence level. Smiley's personal life is the prototype of the wounded romantic -- but he's in a very cold calculating world. And the cold war ideology is interesting -- seen from a different world now with its own competing world views....more
Really entertaining thriller with Sorondo's distinctive voice. Love the pacey slipping back and forth in time and between characters. Alex has it. TheReally entertaining thriller with Sorondo's distinctive voice. Love the pacey slipping back and forth in time and between characters. Alex has it. The story telling gift....more
Five stars, but the last part of the epilogue is brutal in that hard shift to philosophical inward turning. Discourse on the nature of history writingFive stars, but the last part of the epilogue is brutal in that hard shift to philosophical inward turning. Discourse on the nature of history writing and even some causation was fine throughout the book, but the hard-core straight philosophy at the end was a challenge to get through. Screw you Tolstoy! I did not DNF at the very, very end of your brilliant historical meta-history story of the invasion of the French into Russia. I read every word and clicked on each tedious link to the translation of the French in this word translated from Russian. It was a surprising book and an immersive one. Knock another milestone off my bookworm bucket list....more
The ending dropped this charming sexy romp down for me, but loved it mostly for its fun up to that point. The desire for sequels might have diluted thThe ending dropped this charming sexy romp down for me, but loved it mostly for its fun up to that point. The desire for sequels might have diluted the finale. Will have to read on to see if I'm right... ...more
Erotic, disturbing, taboo and thoughtful. Also full of itself but, hey, it's Alan Moore so what you gonna do? A perfect marriage of subject with the gErotic, disturbing, taboo and thoughtful. Also full of itself but, hey, it's Alan Moore so what you gonna do? A perfect marriage of subject with the gauzy art of Melinda Gebbie. Not like much else I've read which is either a comment on the book or my reading......more
I'm (a) so late to review this book, I finished it a while ago and (b) so late to the party of comfort-fantasy! This was a god-send after whatever misI'm (a) so late to review this book, I finished it a while ago and (b) so late to the party of comfort-fantasy! This was a god-send after whatever miserable book I read before this. I loved the low stakes, I loved the attention to detail in building a coffee-house. Very much a grand-child to Terry Pratchett's fantasy work, but so enjoyable and relaxed and I loved all the characters. I will come back to this world for more comfort when I need it. Not smarmy!...more
I really love Shardlake, and I am going to miss him. I'm aware there is one more book in the series (the author having passed away since I read the laI really love Shardlake, and I am going to miss him. I'm aware there is one more book in the series (the author having passed away since I read the last one). Perhaps it is with that knowledge I wonder if this should have been the last book. The end of the novel marks the passing of an era. Should Shardlake just have retired here?
I so enjoy having Shardlake's ant-level view of all the ruthless, powerful men (and a few women) stomping around Tudor England, and just praying (in a non-god sort of way) that he and his don't get flattened in the process. We have different giants rampaging around today: men, women, corporations, and governments which are supposed to represent us. We have far more in common with Shardlake than is comfortable, but it is a comfort to read about his intelligence, compassion, and perseverance 鈥� also his very humanizing failings....more
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