Tsar of Art and Techno

[Amy]

Would you believe I read it twice? Straight in a row? I did feel it was hard to keep it straight the first time around. It was beautiful writing, but by story 3 or 4 I found i was skipping around looking for lost details, trying desperately to put it all together. It wasn't until the end that things began to fall into place. I wasn't content until I read the entire thing again a second time. And that's when I upped it to four stars from three. Beautiful writing, clever, interesting, made me think and feel. It wrapped me up in it, despite that I don't like jumping around in time. This would not have been one I would have been drawn to, or would have picked up without the recommendation of my PBT friends, so I am grateful to each and all of you. This was out of my comfort zone, and I greatly enjoyed it - twice!

Just started Fates and Furies. On my reading list for June is Lilac Girls, the community read for the Historical Fictionistas, the Beautiful Possible, by Amy Gottlieb, and for PBT, I have the Lions of Al-Rassan, (also Outlander and His Magesty's Dragon). Would like to see Eligible and the Nest come through on my library queue. I still haven't started my book swap book, No Ordinary Time, and I'd like to at some point. Possibly September. My list is a mile long now, so hard to say what some of the fill ins will be. That's one positive and negative about the move to Goodreads. My TBR list just expanded and went haywire. I am going to need to do some massive re-organization this summer.

[Nicole R]

I am so back and forth on Fates and Furies and you are the third person in two days to mention Lilac Girls. I am going to have to look at that one closer.

PBT is definitely not good for whittling down the TBR.

[Susie]

I'm busting to read this! It's the June read for my book club but I need to wait until closer to our meeting date so that it is fresh in my mind.

[Denizen]

I have it on my short list for next month. I'm generally not a fan of short stories but LOVED Constellation so absolutely must give it a spin.

Amy, wow! I don't think I've ever read a book twice back-to-back. I'm about 2/3 of the way through Fates and Furies.

[Amy]

I'm catching up to you, Den Dearie….. I'm about a 1/4 way through...

[Jennifer]

I'm so glad you ended up liking it. I really (really) loved it. I might read it again. I liked the first story the best but I really just liked the whole thing overall. I thought it was smart but not in your face about it. I would never, ever, ever think I would love a book of short stories that takes place in Russia. I never would have read it had I not heard about it here and then stumbled upon it in the library. I think the unusual name helped keep it in my memory too. I kind of liked how the stories threw you all around. I've read a couple of books recently where I felt the author banging me over the head with their point. I liked that Marra thought the reader was smart enough to keep it subtle. I'm sure I'd learn more with a re-read. And I just thought he was funny.

I liked Fates a lot more in the 2nd half. It really picked up for me and then I couldn't put it down. You could probably re-read the 1st half of this one immediately again and pick up on the cues you're missing right now since they are told from 2 different points of view.

I think I might just like stories that are told in a non-linear way.