Skip to main content

Books Read in May

37. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith



I Capture the Castle wasn't what I expected: it was better. It's the British version of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, set in a castle, featuring a significant dog character. Cassandra is an imperfect quirky protagonist coming of age in a world that hasn't been fair to her or her family. Her English bulldog Heloise is my favorite character. I've rarely noticed a dog that's written so well, and it turns out that Dodie Smith is also the author of 101 Dalmations, so no wonder.

Recommended to weird, romantic readers. You know who you are.

38. Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter



I already had plenty to say about Ship of Fools, and though I did finish it, my first impressions proved consistent. Ship of Fools has wry third person narration, sweeping views of an enormous cast of characters, and possibly the most stereotypes and racial epithets I've ever seen gathered in one place.

39. The 100: Day 21 by Kass Morgan



Continuation of The 100 introduces new elements to the story but very much feels like an ongoing saga that hasn't gotten as far as the TV show. Still, language is tight, plot is rolling, characters intriguing, ethics smoldering.

Comments

Rudejasper said…
Ha, HA! I'm a weird romantic weirdo because I loved I Capture the Castle! I love how it ends though it's a little melancholy.
I'm a weird romantic weirdo too, obvs. I just don't know how else to describe it, because it's not really romantic, but it's not not romantic---a little melancholy is apt.

Popular posts from this blog

Books with Single-Word Titles

Happy Top Ten Tuesday over at That Artsy Reader Girl! Books with Single-Word Titles These are all my favorite books that I could think of with one-word titles. A lot of fantasy, a few nonfiction (minus subtitles) and Kindred , whether you consider it scifi or historical fiction. Also two portmanteaus using the word "bitter." I suppose it's a word that lends itself to amelioration. 1. Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler 2. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore 3. Fire by Kristin Cashore 4. Heartless by Marissa Meyer 5. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini 6. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius 7. Stoned by Aja Raden (has a subtitle) 8. Educated by Tara Westover 9. Fledgling by Octavia Butler 10. Kindred by Octavia Butler

Book Review: The Speed of Clouds by Miriam Seidel

Book Review: The Speed of Clouds by Miriam Seidel *To Be Released from New Door Books on April 10, 2018* Mindy Vogel is haunted by the future. In frequent daydreams, she toggles between her real, wheelchair-bound life and the adventurous life of her fanfic alter ego, SkyLog officer Kat Wanderer. She's haunted by all that Kat can do which she cannot---belong to an organization of comrades, walk, and fall in love---yet. Because at twenty-four, Mindy's future is very much ahead of her, wheelchair notwithstanding. Through Mindy's "SkyLog" fanzine and related emails, Seidel evokes Star Trek fandom around the turn of the millenium, but also creates a new and compelling science fictional universe, similar to what Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl  does for the Harry Potter fandom with "Simon Snow." Mindy is among the pioneers transitioning fandom from print to digital, boldly encountering like-minded individuals from the comfort of her chair behind the monito

Books On My Summer 2024 TBR

 I've been fairly successful with my reading goals so far this year (40 out of 42 read!), but I still have some goals to catch up on or exceed (books by authors of color and women in translation). I've also got my book club books, and I'll throw a few new and/or summery titles into the mix for inspiration. Hoping to read many of these outside, basking in beautiful weather! Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books On My Summer 2024 TBR She's Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino--This is technically for a book club, although I probably won't be able to attend the meeting.  I've heard so many good things about this one, and it looks like a good summer read, so I'm planning to read it anyway. Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey into the Heart of Russia by David Greene (Book club read)--I already have it out of the library, but have to get on this one! It sounds very interesting but nonfiction usually takes me a little longer. The Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris (Book cl