Watcha Reading in November/December

[Michelle, Overrun By Pets]

I am through The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. The pacing of this book was a bit off for me. The beginning of the story started out strong with a detailed account of a murder. I also enjoyed the end sections when Murray and Minor finally meet and foster a friendship. The middle section lagged, which definitely lengthened overall reading time. I liked the assignment of a word at the beginning of each chapter with the word's entry in the Oxford English dictionary, but I must admit that etymology, specifically derivations and forms, makes me feel somewhat illiterate. I wanted the narrative to have a compelling pace and read more like In Cold Blood. This book had one of the best acknowledgement sections that I have ever read. The author did a superb job of letting the reader know exactly how each listed person helped him, it felt both informative and sincere. I give overall kudos to the author for completing detailed and thorough research on this book's topic, it definitely showed in the writing.

I am over halfway through If There Be Thorns. I love a book that requires no brainpower expenditure. It is pulp, for me it is nostalgic, and I'm having a great time re-reading it. I forgot that this must have been one of the first books I read with chapters from different character's perspectives. Chapters oscillate between 2 brother's point of views. The brothers are very different, and this keeps the story fresh and moving forward. One of the brothers is also a mentally ill, pet-killing demon child, so that also holds my attention.

I completed Personae. I liked it, but it felt unfinished. I still have SO many unanswered questions. While the general ambiguity didn't detract from the actual reading of the book, I think the author could have expanded text and clarified plot points while still keeping the intended experience.

I started Embassytown and China Miéville has me hooked early. This author is gifted at immersing you in an alternate reality with a foreign language without making you feel lost. He uses made up words in such a rich context it tricks you into feeling that the word is real. I'm fascinated by the interaction between residents of Embassytown and the Hosts and can't wait to see more of it as I read further.

I have a difficult decision ahead, I can't decide if I want to get dolled up and go on a date with my husband, or convince him to stay in and read aloud to me from The Shadow Rising. This book has been extremely neglected in forward progress, we haven't read from it in months.

[Andrew, Wound Up]

I finished Magic for Beginners, a collection of nine short stories by Kelly Link. I've enjoyed both of her short story collections. This set of stories felt more cohesive than Stranger Things Happen in tone. Both books share a sense of eeriness in most of their stories, but Magic's stories each feel like an unnerving dream sitting right on the brink of becoming a nightmare.

Link's tone is a mash up of Haruki Murakami and a Grimm Brothers' fairy tale. Her stories defy expectations and are NOT grounded in reality. They have ambiguous beginnings and endings yet never feel incomplete.

I applaud Link's dedication to the short story format. I gave this collection five stars wholeheartedly but I don't think I'd have been as enthusiastic if she had tried to shoehorn these tales into any type of cohesive whole.

I must read aloud this weekend to Michelle as it keeps seeming to be put off for no good reason.

I'm also halfway through Embassytown and am loving it, I'm excited to brainstorm some questions when M gets to the end of the first half.

[Michelle, Overrun By Pets]

I am through with If There Be Thorns. Although this is a reread for me, I remembered less of it than previous installments. In this book we are introduced to the next generation of Dollangangers. I'll have to read the final book in this series in order to follow through with how troubled Bart turns out in the end. I loved the prequel Garden of Shadows, and have always been mildly obsessed with Flowers in the Attic but every book after that loses a bit of gumption for me.

I am midway in Embassytown and had to be strongly convinced by my husband not to plow through the rest of the book. I hope to post questions and answers to this post haste under the monthly book club selection topic so I can continue on with this titillating read.

I am a few pages in to Ticker. The author is new to me and I'm pleasantly surprised so far. The author is adept at weaving sentence structure like a tapestry, while still keeping the pace of the story moving swiftly ahead.

Alas I'm sorry to report there has been no forward progression on The Shadow Rising. Maybe Santa will bring me extra hours in the day to fit in time for this book.