Mon 2 Aug 2010
July’s books
Posted by PJ under book lists, books, reading, review
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Finished in July:
1. The Heart of Faerie Oracle by Wendy and Brian Froud
A beautifully-illustrated oracle that uses Faerie to explore relationships: to others, to oneself, to the universe. Lovely and approachable.
2. Demon Blood by Meljean Brook
I love this series and this is a worthy entry into it. Ms. Brook has really hit her stride.
3. The Keys to D’Espérance by Chaz Brenchley (Subterranean Press chapbook)
A short, fantastical, compelling read that leaves as many mysteries as it solves, winding around itself like the spiral staircase at the center of the story. Beautiful writing and a beautiful raveling and unraveling of a character.
4. In a Strange City by Laura Lippman
The writing is good, the characterizations are mostly excellent, the premise was interesting, BUT I found the plot so transparent that I guessed the whodunit quite early on and much of the whydunit. As a result, the ending was flat and not particularly inspiring. The other plot element I didn’t care for centered around the main character, Tess Monaghan, doing stupid things. I realize that part of this is because Tess is a risk-taker, but she displayed such stupidity in some places (for an otherwise smart woman) that I felt it was more about authorial convenience in advancing the plot than true characterization.
It’s really a shame, because I was excited by that premise: a mystery centering around the Poe Toaster, an anonymous man who for sixty years (until 2010) left roses and cognac on the grave of Edgar Allen Poe each January 19 (Poe’s birthday).
I will probably read something else by Ms. Lippman because, as I said, the writing and characters were mostly well-handled, but I think maybe I’ll try one of her stand-alones rather than another from the the Tess Monaghan series.
Begun in July:
- Demon Blood by Meljean Brook
- Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton
- The Keys to D’Espérance by Chaz Brenchley (chapbook)
- A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin (aka Catherine Webb)
Continued Reading This Month:
- Serpent in the Thorns by Jeri Westerson
- Walkers Between the Worlds: The Western Mysteries from Shaman to Magus by Caitlin and John Matthews
- Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History by Owen Davies
