Around the World in 12 Books Challenge Wrap-up

December 20, 20132 Comments

With less than two weeks to spare, I have completed the Around the World in 12 Books Challenge at Giraffe Days!

The goal was to read a book for each of the 12 selected countries, one per month, and here’s what I read:

January (France) — Anna Gavalda, Hunting and Gathering
February (Sudan) — Tayeb Salih, The Wedding of Zein
March (Wales) — Peter Ho Davies, The Welsh Girl
April (South Pacific Islands) — Jill Shalvis, The Trouble with Paradise
May (Belgium) — Dorothy Dunnett, Niccolò Rising
June (South Korea) — Samuel Park, This Burns My Heart
July (Israel) — Etgar Keret, Suddenly, a Knock on the Door
August (Palestine) — Matt Beynon Rees, The Collaborator of Bethlehem
September (Brazil) — Luis Fernando Verissimo, The Club of Angels
October (China) — Dai Sijie, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
November (Egypt) — Mary Doria Russell, Dreamers of the Day
December (Argentina) — Adolfo Bioy Casares, Asleep in the Sun

This was a really interesting challenge for me, since I normally stick to British and American authors. I enjoyed reading outside my geographical comfort zone and will make an effort to read more globally in the future.

My favorite books from the challenge were Hunting and Gathering, a charming love story with depth; The Wedding of Zein, which seemed both specific to Sudan and yet also universal; and The Club of Angels, which was bizarre and sinister and philosophical — but funny! On the other hand, I didn’t particularly enjoy The Welsh Girl, and I HATED Niccolò Rising!

Anyway, I won’t be participating in this challenge next year — I think I’ve already overcommitted myself! — but if you’re interested in broadening your literary horizons, the sign-up post for 2014 is here (and there are some format changes, so take note!).

Review: Asleep in the Sun

December 20, 20131 Comment

Adolfo Bioy Casares, Asleep in the Sun (trans. Suzanne Jill Levine)

Lucio Bordenave is a fairly ordinary, contented man who lives with his wife, Diana, and an old servant called Ceferina. His life is not without problems, however, and most of them center around Diana, who is very high-strung and always seems to be unhappy about something. Lucio protests that he loves his wife and is generally happy in his marriage…but when a doctor from the nearby sanatorium suggests that Diana might benefit from a short treatment there, Lucio finds himself agreeing. Diana accordingly goes to the mental hospital, and when she returns, she is joyful, loving, and contented. At first, Lucio is pleased with Diana’s “cure,” but eventually he begins to feel that something is not quite right. But when he attempts to get more information from the mental hospital, he is propelled into a nightmarish state of confusion that culminates in his learning the shocking truth.

This is my first book by Bioy Casares, and I’ve read almost no South American literature, so I honestly had no idea what to expect. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this weird little novel. I really liked the narrative structure: Lucio is the narrator for most of the book, and the first page reveals that he is writing to an old acquaintance for help — so you know right away that something has gone terribly wrong. The framework also inevitably raises questions about Lucio’s reliability; is he lying, or has he possibly gone mad from worrying about a perceived difference in his wife that doesn’t really exist? An interesting ambiguity is maintained for most of the novel, but in the end — fortunately, from my point of view — the truth is revealed. I’m not opposed to ambiguous endings in certain circumstances, but I’ll admit that in general, I prefer to have some level of closure. I also want to note that most editions of this book have HUGE spoilers in the cover blurb; the NYRB edition is an especially egregious offender. For this reason, I’d encourage people to avoid plot synopses as much as possible and go into the book “blind”; I promise you’ll enjoy it more that way!

Review: Un Lun Dun

December 20, 20132 Comments

China Miéville, Un Lun Dun

Zanna and Deeba, two seemingly ordinarly pre-teen girls, are suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar world when they follow an umbrella into a dark London basement and emerge in Un Lun Dun. Un Lun Dun is an “abcity,” part of a universe that parallels our own but has many significant differences. (For example, giraffes aren’t exactly harmless herbivores in Un Lun Dun….) At first, Zanna and Deeba only want to go home; but they soon learn that Un Lun Dun is under attack by the evil Smog, and Zanna is supposed to be the “Schwazzy,” or chosen one, who will fulfill an ancient prophecy and defeat it. The girls are willing enough to help, but when their first encounter with the Smog goes terribly wrong, it’s up to Deeba, rather than the chosen Zanna, to save the day.

This was my first encounter with Miéville, and I’m thinking it won’t be my last. If you enjoy detailed world-building and clever puns, this is definitely a book for you! The world of Un Lun Dun is wildly inventive, from the trash-can warriors known as “binjas” to the flying buses to the “extreme librarians” who populate the abcity. You may think the book sounds a lot like Gaiman’s Neverwhere, what with the alternate London setting, but I was actually reminded a lot more of Jasper Fforde. The plot itself is rather predictable, but it’s still a fun ride to follow Deeba as she figures out who her real allies and her real enemies are. Some may find the book a bit preachy on the issue of environmentalism — the villain is literally called Smog, after all — but since this book is aimed toward younger readers, I suppose the message shouldn’t be too subtle! All in all, I found this book very entertaining, and I’m interested to try some of Miéville’s adult novels now.

Review: The Perfect Match

December 18, 2013Leave a comment

Kristan Higgins, The Perfect Match

Practical, reliable Honor Holland has been in love with her longtime best friend, Brogan Cain, since high school. But when she goes to the gynecologist on her 35th birthday (because that’s the kind of girl she is), the doctor tells her that she should think about having children soon if she wants to be a mom. Honor realizes it’s time to get serious about her love life, but her hopes for a romance with Brogan are dashed when he rejects her. Meanwhile, Tom Barlow is a British college professor whose visa is about to expire. He’s desperate to stay in America to be near his “almost-stepson” Charlie — even though Charlie is a sullen, withdrawn teenager who seems to want nothing to do with him. With a little help from some matchmaking friends and family, Honor and Tom decide to form a marriage of convenience; this will enable Tom to stay in America, and Honor will get a chance at motherhood. But all too soon, sparks start flying between them. Can Honor and Tom move past their baggage and insecurities to turn their fake relationship into something real?

I’m a big fan of Kristan Higgins’ light, witty contemporary romances, and this book is no exception. It’s a sequel of sorts to The Best Man, and there are welcome cameos from Honor’s sister, Faith, and the rest of the Holland clan. I really like books that feature big, rambunctious, mostly functional families; it’s very rare in fiction, unfortunately, and I found it a refreshing change. I also tend to enjoy the “fake relationship becomes real” romantic trope, although here I was a little confused about the setup. Honor agrees to marry Tom on the condition that they will both give the marriage a real effort, to see if something can grow between them. But that seems like an awfully big risk to take, especially since Honor is hoping to get a child out of the deal. Aside from that, though, I have no complaints! The romance is very well-written and well-developed, as usual in a Higgins novel. There are a few “adult” scenes, but nothing too explicit. I even liked Charlie, even though I usually hate the way children are portrayed in adult novels (too precocious, too sickeningly sweet, too much of a blatant plot device rather than a real character). All in all, I’d definitely recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance! You may want to pick up The Best Man first, but it’s definitely not necessary to follow this book.

Review: The Case of the Gilded Fly

December 18, 2013Leave a comment

Edmund Crispin, The Case of the Gilded Fly

In 1940s England, a theater troupe converges upon Oxford to produce a new play by acclaimed playwright Robert Warner. One of the actresses, Yseut Haskell, is a beautiful girl who has attracted many admirers, but her outward appearance masks a cruel and self-absorbed personality. The other people involved with the play are frankly sick of her attitude, especially when she begins to stir up trouble within the company. So it’s not particularly surprising when Yseut is subsequently found murdered — in fact, nearly everyone in the theater company expresses relief that she’s finally gotten what she deserved. In the midst of this tense situation, Oxford don Gervase Fen uses his passion for criminology and his friendship with policeman Sir Richard Freeman to investigate the murder. As he talks to the various suspects and uncovers some unpleasant secrets, he begins to wonder whether exposing the murderer is really the best course of action.

This is a fairly typical Golden Age mystery, and as a fan of that genre, I enjoyed this book. I found Gervase Fen entertaining, although he wasn’t as prominent in the book as I expected he’d be; much of the story is told from the viewpoint of Nigel Blake, a young man who becomes involved with the theater troupe and falls in love with one of the actresses. I can see why Crispin chose that approach, though, because Fen claims to have solved the murder within three minutes of viewing the body! I also found Fen’s qualms about exposing the murderer very interesting. In many mysteries, it’s taken as a matter of course that the murderer should be unmasked and brought to justice; however, in this case the victim is a truly unpleasant person, and many of the characters think that the murderer did them a favor. Finally, I was struck by the fact that this really doesn’t feel like the first book of a series; there are several allusions to Fen’s past cases, and as I mentioned before, his character isn’t particularly fleshed out. Nevertheless, there are a few more Gervase Fen books, and I’ll probably seek them out at some point.

Top Ten Tuesday: Best new (to you) authors

December 17, 2013Leave a comment

We’re getting to that time of year where we start compiling the “best of” lists, and this week’s Top Ten Tuesday is the perfect example: the top 10 authors you’ve discovered in 2013. It was somewhat hard for me to compile my list, because I tend to go through long periods of catching up with authors I already like rather than discovering new ones. But here are 10 new-to-me-in-2013 authors that I’d like to read more of in the future (I’ve listed them alphabetically in the interest of fairness):

1. Anthony Berkeley — The Poisoned Chocolates Case was so clever, such a wonderful exploration of the philosophy of the mystery novel, that I really want to get my hands on the rest of his books!

2. Gemma Burgess — If you like British chick lit, you should definitely check out Burgess’ well-written, romantic, exuberant novels. I really liked both The Dating Detox and A Girl Like You.

3. Edmund Crispin — I recently read The Case of the Gilded Fly, the first of a vintage mystery series featuring Oxford professor Gervase Fen. I haven’t had time to review the book yet, but I did enjoy it and am curious to try another Gervase Fen book.

4. Michael Innes — Yet another classic mystery author! I didn’t wholeheartedly love Hamlet, Revenge! while I was reading it, but once the solution was revealed, I was very impressed with how the whole thing hung together. I’ve already acquired another Innes book and look forward to reading it next year!

5. Robin LaFevers — I discovered the His Fair Assassin series this year and got completely sucked into it! Medieval Brittany + romance + killer nuns = yes please! If the idea appeals to you, do yourself a favor and pick up Grave Mercy.

6. Ben Macintyre — Over the past few years, I’ve become very interested in World War II, so I finally decided to try the intriguingly titled Operation Mincemeat. It’s a very well-researched yet extremely readable account of a crucial intelligence operation in the midst of WWII, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the period or in espionage.

7. Cheryl Mahoney — Perhaps I’ve gushed a little too much about The Wanderers recently, but I can’t help it — I really liked the book! It’s good old-fashioned epic fantasy fun, and fans of the genre should definitely give it a try!

8. Matt Beynon Rees — I read The Collaborator of Bethlehem this year and was fascinated by its depiction of daily life in the West Bank. While it’s a work of fiction, Rees himself is a journalist and spent time in the region, which lends authenticity to the book. I’m planning to read book #2 of the series, A Grave in Gaza, next year.

9. Mary Doria Russell — Doc was so good (seriously, one of my top 10 books of the year, and I don’t even read Westerns) that I’m eager to get my hands on the rest of her work! Even though I wasn’t as thrilled with Dreamers of the Day, I’m optimistic about her oeuvre as a whole.

10. Patricia Wynn — She wrote a mystery series with Jacobites! And romance! Need I say more?

Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn: If you ever want something

December 17, 20134 Comments

If you’ve ever seen the movie “Once,” you’ll recognize my pick for this week’s Tune in Tuesday immediately. I first saw it several years ago, and I didn’t fully appreciate it initially; it took me a little while to warm up to the movie. But I always really liked the music, especially this song. I love its unique 5/4 meter, and I love how the song’s simplicity allows the very emotional vocal performance to shine through. So without further ado, here is “When Your Mind’s Made Up” by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, from the movie “Once”:

Emma Approved!

December 15, 20136 Comments

I can’t believe I didn’t discover this sooner, but the folks who brought us the Lizzie Bennet Diaries have returned with a new web series based on Jane Austen’s Emma! It’s called Emma Approved, and it is pretty freakin’ adorable! Here’s Episode 1:

Yes, Emma’s self-confidence is grating and borderline crazy, but that’s part of her charm! Subsequent videos reveal that while she is incredibly determined and doesn’t take no for an answer, she also really cares about her friends and wants them to be happy. So far I’m really enjoying this adaptation, and I can’t wait to see what happens next! Videos are posted Mondays and Thursdays, and there’s still plenty of time to catch up! 🙂

Top Ten Tuesday: The Winter TBR List

December 10, 2013December 10, 20135 Comments

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is 10 books that are on your winter TBR list. My list of books I hope to read this winter is way too long for a blog post, but here are 10 books I’m planning to read within the next few months:

1. Life of Johnson by James Boswell — Finishing this enormous book is my last big goal for 2013. I’m on page 315 out of 1408, so it’s going to be a fight to the finish…but I will be done by January 1, dammit!

2. Asleep in the Sun by Adolfo Bioy Casares — I have to read a book set in Argentina for the Around the World in 12 Books challenge at Giraffe Days, and this one looks super interesting in a creepy way.

3. Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross — This will be my Christmas present to myself after I finish Boswell. I love the two Julian Kestrel books I’ve read so far, and I’m looking forward to continuing with the series — but slowly, so that I can really savor it!

4. Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay — I’ve had this book on my TBR list for a while. Plus, it’s set in the Northwest Territories in Canada, which seems like a perfect complement to real-life cold weather!

5. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout — I’m finally going to dive into the Nero Wolfe series, probably at the beginning of 2014. It will fit nicely with my Vintage Mystery Challenge!

6. The Impersonator by Mary Miley — It’s very rare that I will pay full price for a book these days, much less a hardcover book. But the cover of this one caught my eye, and the plot summary really intrigued me. It sounds an awful lot like Brat Farrar, which could be a problem…but then again, I really liked Brat Farrar, so I’m hoping to like this one a lot too!

7. A Grave in Gaza by Matt Rees — After being very impressed by The Collaborator of Bethlehem, I’ve decided to try the second book in the Omar Yussef series, which is a mystery series set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

8. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley — I think I mentioned this book last week, since it’s coming out in January 2014. Can’t wait to read it and discover what comes next for Flavia and her family!

9. The Two Mrs. Abbotts by D.E. Stevenson — Again, this book comes out in January 2014 (technically it’s a reissue, but still), and I’m dying to read it!

10. The Giver by Lois Lowry — Astonishingly enough, I never read this book as a kid! Now I’m finally going to take the opportunity to read it, probably in February because it will count as an award-winning book for my Monthly Motifs challenge (Newbery FTW!).

Tune in Tuesday with Katelyn: She’s gonna set you free

December 10, 20134 Comments

For this week’s Tune in Tuesday I’m sharing “Woman” by Wolfmother, which is a really great, straightforward, four-on-the-floor rock song. I can’t remember where I first heard it, but it was definitely featured on “Chuck” (4×09, “Chuck vs. Phase Three”). The band has also been featured on the “500 Days of Summer” soundtrack and on “Gilmore Girls” — and that’s just off the top of my head. 🙂 Yet another song I stole from TV, apparently!