Trashy Books

I've been on a trashy book kick since I've been home from school, probably because I just got back from one of the most intense semesters of my life, reading and otherwise. After sifting through a lot of dense philosophy and High Literature (what I'm calling Joyce and Faulkner, probably my two least favorite authors not counting the likes of Dan Brown), I was craving a re-read of The Devil Wears Prada and finally read Sister of the Dead, a macabre fantasy novel a friend bought me several years ago that never looked appealing at any given moment. Well, it was honestly pretty horrible, although the author did incorporate some Elvish, which has to score some points. What I don't get is why science fiction and fantasy almost always have the best ideas, but more often than not sub-par writing. Why don't great ideas and great skill naturally go together? I've been privileged to read mostly the best; Tolkien, L'Engle, and books I've read more recently like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and The Last Light of the Sun.However, whenever I've delved into what's considered teenage boy fare, I haven't been impressed. Readers of fantasy deserve better and we will find it.

But I've digressed. The point is, trashy books can be comforting. They take the pressure off and you can forget about yourself and immerse yourself in the characters' lives. "Mind candy," I've heard them referred to. I really don't consider myself the type who goes in for this sort of reading, but as my academic reading gets tougher, trash begins to look more and more attractive. Something to consider when looking to spend my B&N giftcards.