Woman in the Company of Pope London; Proven Assassins; Cape Bone; Best Candle from the Hideous Jake

[maribou]

The Woman at the Washington Zoo, Marjorie Williams
A collection of essays, some political, some personal, and I think a few book reviews too. Marjorie Williams was an excellent writer and I am sad to only be discovering her posthumously.
(119/250)

In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant
I was very dubious about this book because I loved the author's previous novel, The Birth of Venus, so much. I am happy to report that I needn't have worried. This was excellent, and not just a retread of her previous success either. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
(120/250)

Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross
This was very readable and interesting, but it suffered from a GLARING flaw: the protagonist is a Mary Sue, subcategory "walking anachronism". You know the type: the historical character who somehow instinctively and pointedly eschews every historically normative opinion that might offend the modern reader, driving me up a wall in the process. If that had been less painful, the rest of the book would've been great. Sigh.
(121/250)

London: A History, by A. N. Wilson (unabridged audiobook)
This was a delight. The reader was perfect and the history fascinating. Bits and pieces only, since this was part of the Modern Library Chronicles series and they are short to the point of near-absurdity by design, but yummy bits and pieces. I'm developing a fondness for ye olde A.N.
(122/250)

Proven Guilty, by Jim Butcher
Latest Harry Dresden novel, very much enjoyed it. Want more. Was very sick when I read this, don't really remember useful specifics.
(123/250)

The Assassins of Tamurin, by S. D. Tower
Interesting Asian-history-flavored fantasy. Reminded me of the Liavek stories somewhat. Would read more by this author, liked how everything got wrapped up.
(124/250)

The Cape Cod Caper, by Margot Arnold
Very fun mystery. Love intellectual detectives. A bit distanced, like a lot of 'heady' mysteries, so that while people died, etc, I never felt very upset by it. Or maybe that was just the fever...
(125/250)

Candle, by John Barnes
Interesting book, grapples intelligently with the nature of freedom, liked it, thought the sequel was better but I was glad to have read this one.
(126/250)

Best American Essays 2001, edited by Kathleen Norris and Robert Atwan
I am coming to depend on this series. It's awfully rare that I read an essay that is less than okay in one of these. And there are always some absolutely brilliant ones, and interesting things I never would've come across on my own.
(127/250)

From the Dust Returned, by Ray Bradbury (unabridged audiobook)
I think this is a lovely, poetic little book. But it's really hard to say because the reader did such an awful job. John Glover, you are an overdramatizing overemoting pain in the behind. Ray Bradbury's lush language needed a cool, elegant reading, not your mawkish over-the-top approach. The story was fantastic enough, you didn't need to pull it and stretch it like taffy. Grrr.
(128/250)

The White Bone, by Barbara Gowdy
Elephants struggling to find sanctuary. Pretty good, actually.
(129/250)

Jake, Reinvented, by Gordon Korman (unabridged audiobook)
This was very fun, but it's a modern retelling of The Great Gatsby. Which I've never read. So I spent a lot of time going 'whoa, wait, why is all of this so uncannily familiar?' for the first CD or two. Anyway, I really enjoyed it and now I feel like I have even more of an excuse not to read TGG. Except I feel guilty for feeling that way so I suspect I will probably get around to TGG sooner than I would've before. Want to read some non-classics-related Gordon Korman now. Or reread. My appetite is whetted.
(130/250)

That Hideous Strength, by C. S. Lewis
This was the most problematic of the Space Trilogy for me (Lewis's assumptions do not mesh well with my feminism, in a way that sticks out a lot more in a relatively realistic setting, just for starters) and the most satisfying at the same time. Hints of Kipling, just hints, but they pleased me, and the most similarities to the Narnia books. Part of the reason I love Lewis so is that his gut reactions are such a mix of stuff-I-agree-with-instinctively and stuff-that-roils-my-tummy-just-to-contemplate. It gets me all fired up and thoughtful and makes me re-examine my own unreasonable claims.
(131/250)

Comments

[cow.livejournal.com]

Woot! I'm glad In the Company of the Courtesan was good. I saw it on the shelf at Powell's, so I put it on hold at KCLS months ago, and it just now came in--I'm heading over to Bellevue Friday to pick it up. :D

Currently reading Labyrinth by Kate Mosse.

[maribou]

Good, I think you will like it. How's Labyrinth?