Chapter Two Hundred Twenty: Jane Austen's novels

So, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I've spent much of my leisure reading time this winter delving into Jane Austen's six (completed) novels.  I had only ever read Pride and Prejudice before, and I really enjoy it, so I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get around to reading the rest of her works, but now I'm very glad that I've taken the time to read them all.  While Emma and Sense and Sensibility were my least favorite of the bunch--Emma because the titular character is so obnoxious during most of the novel and Sense and Sensibility because it exposes so much of the casual quotidian cruelty of people--I'm glad to have read them, and will probably read them again in the course of my lifetime.  Mansfield Park, though long and with the icky (to this modern reader, though probably not to Austen's contemporaries) main romance between first cousins, I actually found to be more enjoyable than I'd anticipated, probably because I found the timid and downtrodden but sensible and kind Fanny Price to be such a sympathetic main character, if somewhat frustrating for her passivity.  Northanger Abbey, for its satire and the personal growth of its young heroine, has won a warm spot in my heart, and I liked Persuasion almost as much as Pride and Prejudice--high praise, indeed!  Although I have to admit that, re-reading Pride and Prejudice after I'd read the others for the first time, it's still my favorite, and if you've never read any Austen, I would still suggest starting with Pride and Prejudice.  I so appreciate that Austen's novels combine satire with good endings, cleverness with deep feeling, interiority with plot, and I'd strongly suggest that everyone go and read at least one of them. 

Chapter Two Hundred Nineteen: Half a King

While I wouldn't have chosen Joe Abercrombie's Half a King for myself, I read it for a book group, and at the least I can say it surpassed my admittedly low expectations.  As the blurbs on its cover suggest, it is a story of violence and revenge--not my taste at all, but given that, I found the plot to be compelling enough that I wanted to pick the book up again once I'd put it down.

However, I'm not sure exactly what to make of the main character's disability (his left hand has only a thumb and index finger).  I felt that his constant self-doubt and self-deprecation as a result of his different hand was a bit wearing and unoriginal; his focus is constantly on what he cannot do or be as a result of his physical difference, rather than on the things he can do and be.  While he exhibits some growth in this regard, partly as a result of being enslaved (see next paragraph), I would have really been far more into a book that shows a person with a disability who isn't mainly defined by that disability, as Yarvi seems to be.  I will say that Half a King does, at least, largely evade the horrible trope of characters with disabilities who are medically or magically cured by the end of the book.  (Though apparently there are sequels to Half a King which I haven't read, so I can't vouch for the fate of Yarvi's hand in them...)  While Yarvi feels more confident about himself by the end of the novel, it is not because his left hand has not been medically or magically enhanced in any way. 

Yet a big problem is that Yarvi's increased confidence comes mostly as a result of his enslavement.  He's never been much of a fighter and has been more of a weakling, and he's forced into better shape by his time as a slave--an absurd and tired trope of so much literature, especially of speculative fiction, that if one is forced into horrible feats of physical endurance, usually as a result of enslavement or kidnapping, one will emerge physically fit.  What baloney.  The upside to being enslaved is not that you become physically stronger and more confident.  The upside to being enslaved is--oh, wait, there is no upside to being enslaved.  It's amazing how many books seem to forget that, even as they describe filthy conditions, near starvation, and whippings.  How much more interesting would it be to have had Yarvi decide, for his own reasons of vengeance or whatever, that he was going to make the effort himself to become stronger and more confident, and then follow it through? 

Despite these (rather large) reservations, I'll remind my gentle readers once more that my complaints about Half a King are by no means unique to this book, and, in fact, are found in some form or another in many fantasy novels (and in other genres, too).  Still, if the best I can say about a book is that it does no worse than other novels on a couple of tropes, that's not exactly a ringing praise...  I can't really write my encouragement here to go and read this book for its own sake, but I will say it offers a lot of points for thought and critique.

Chapter Two Hundred Eighteen: Miracle and Other Christmas Stories

Okay, I know I really missed the boat for posting about this one, but it's a collection of Christmas stories by my favorite favorite, Connie Willis!  I hadn't read it before, and it was just what I wanted around Christmas--short stories (because I was busy, obviously too busy to blog) that have just the right mix of otherworldliness and Christmas sentimentality.  Anyway, enjoy this post in way early preparation for next Christmas, and in not-very-early preparation for my annual midwinter/gray months re-read of Connie Willis, which is coming just as soon as I finish my current trek through Austen's works...  (Look for a near-future post on that adventure!) 

Chapter Two Hundred Seventeen: The Lost Plot

So I haven't had time to post in a while, but I have had time to read!  (Though there's never as much time to read as I'd like...)  In January, I was excited to read the newly released fourth Invisible Library book by Genevieve Cogman (see here for my thoughts on the first three in the series), and I am happy to say I enjoyed it at least as much as the first three.  I particularly appreciated Irene's and Kai's development as characters in this novel and the continued world building, particularly as regards the internal politics of the Library, though I still want to learn more about that in future books.  If you liked the first three, I don't think The Lost Plot will disappoint, and if you haven't read any of this series but are looking for solid fantasy novels written for adults (about secret agent librarians, no less!), give this series a try.

Chapter Two Hundred Sixteen: Artemis

So I listened to Artemis, the newest novel by Andy Weir (author of The Martian), because The Martian was really excellent on audio, and I figured the same would be true of Artemis.  Guess what?  The same is true of Artemis!  I was hooked--it was the kind of story that made me not want to get out of my car because I wanted to keep listening.  (It's probably also fun as a read, but if you do audiobooks, definitely listen to Artemis, delightfully narrated by actress Rosario Dawson.)  While there are a couple of really weird moments, mostly this is a fun, fast-paced, smart, and entertaining caper story.  I really enjoyed that our main characters--who live in the first and only lunar city, Artemis--come from all over Earth, offering a surprisingly and pleasantly diverse cast.  The main character, Jazz, is highly intelligent and also has her share of human flaws, a combination not found often enough in books, I think.  If you enjoyed The Martian, check out Artemis.  (If you haven't read either, go read both!  No, the movie of The Martian doesn't count, though it is good.  And yes, I'm hoping for a movie of Artemis.)  If you're looking for a smart, irreverent adventure story, check out Artemis.  In sum, go check out Artemis.  It's really good!

Chapter Two Hundred Fifteen: The Library at the Edge of the World

The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy is a feel-good small-town story without being overly sweet or unrealistically and relentlessly upbeat. While I didn't find this novel to be earth-shattering, I did enjoy and care about its cast of characters, and I liked its Irish setting (its author is Irish).  Also, if you hadn't guessed, it's about a librarian!  Although she is a somewhat (very) begrudging librarian...  This book reminded me a bit of Louisiana Saves the Library, which I read back in April of 2016--apparently I'm pretty into reading books about librarians.  Who'd have guessed it?  However, you needn't be a library junkie to enjoy this novel--it actually reminds me a bit of A Man Called Ove, too, though it didn't make me cry like Ove did.  If you're wanting some contemporary realistic fiction, try The Library at the Edge of the World.

Chapter Two Hundred Fourteen: Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet

I couldn't resist following up Candyfreak with an audiobook about eating bugs, and the library where I work kindly obliged!  (Actually, I wouldn't have found either of these titles if I hadn't been browsing the shelves at the library, an exercise I highly recommend.)  Daniella Martin's Edible offers a fascinating look at global entomophagy (that's a fancy word for eating insects).  Martin is herself an enthusiastic insect eater, and her enthusiasm infuses Edible as it covers topics as diverse as entomophagy's health benefits, its environmental benefits, and some of the various cultures that already embrace eating at least some insects.  Most important, Martin reminds listeners and readers that many insects, if prepared well, actually taste good!  Martin has spent years of her life researching entomophagy, and not just by eating insects, so if you're looking for some well-informed and informative non-fiction about a topic you probably haven't thought much about, definitely try Edible--you might be surprised at what you learn!