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Dec. 23rd, 2015 05:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatOvercast and in the 70s, actually more like gray skies, no rain, yet unseasonably warm. Normally it's in the 50s and 40s in South Carolina this time of year. NYC is freaking out because apparently it's in the 60s and 70s up there as well. Yet people still claim there's no such thing as climate change and global warming and all of this perfectly normal.
People bewilder me.
At any rate, I'm personally grateful it's warm, no snow, no nasty weather on the horizon, with mild temperatures. I love this weather. Thank you, universe.
Lovely time down here all things considered. Tonight, we're off to see the musical Mary Poppins, not the film, the staged musical. It's the third staged version of a screen musical that I've seen...curious to see how it holds up. I've been told it's quite good.
1. What I just finished reading
Falling in Bed with the Duke by Lorraine Heath - at least I think that's the last thing I read. I tried The Sins of Lord Easterbook by Madeline Hunter but couldn't get through it. Falling in Bed wasn't bad - it's about an on-the-shelf 28 year old gal, who having given up on finding love decides to go to the Nightengal Club to lose her virginity. (She's sick of fortune hunters and refuses to marry for any other reason than love. It should be noted that this allegedly takes place in the 1800s, so the historical bits feel a bit on the sketchy side. But then such is the case with 90% of historical fiction (or so I've discovered) hence the reason I'm not overly fond of the genre. Historical Romances...I can deal with because you sort of know going in that the writer is going to be loose with the historical facts. No surprises there. But Heath does push it a bit. Hunter is better with historical accuracy, but her dialogue is stiff and wooden, mainly because she's worried about the historical accuracy, but I find it tough to read.)
Uncanny X-Men - Vol's 3-5 - pretty much the end of the Cyclops arc. These books are by Brian Bendeis and for the most part drawn by Chris Bacchalau, the bits that aren't drawn by him are uneven in places. I really wish they could have stuck with the same artist throughout -- which admittedly is a problem with superhero/action comic books/graphic novels, the turn-over in artists is insane and jarring.
That aside, it's a brilliant series and amongst the best that I've read. The moral complexity alone is worth the trip. Character driven, it explores various angles, and moral dilemmas. The hero - depending on your pov could be seen as either an anti-hero or a classical hero. He's pushed against the wall - having tried literally everything to ensure his people's survival, he's down to threats...which he doesn't want to back up. After killing his father and mentor, the torn and conflicted Cyclops...with just about everyone against him, has started a secret school with a former enemy, an ex-girlfriend/psychic who may have it in for him, and one wildly unstable friend -- in the hopes of saving as many people as he can and possibly redeeming himself. A comic book that makes you think - rare to see in this genre.
2 What I'm reading now
Uprooted by Naomi Novik -- which is an interesting take on the Beauty and Beast trope. The Dragon, a powerful wizard, takes a young girl as a tribute from the village of Dvernik, every 10 years. The tributes are in return for his protection of the village from the Wood, which contain horrible magical creatures and corruption. No one knows what he does with the girls. They are taken at the age of 17. When their time is up -- they leave their village and lands, and either marry someone in town, get a job elsewhere, or see the world. But they don't stay. Anesika along with everyone in her small village believes that her best friend Kaisa, who is beautiful and splendid at all things will be taken. But alas, Anesika is taken instead, for it turns out she has magic. The Dragon, who appears to have no other name, proceeds to attempt to teach her magic as dictated by the King's law, but her magic is different than his -- it's more intuitive, not controlled or detailed or by route.
Like I said, an interesting book - delves into the differences in how people approach things and think. Told entirely in first person and has a sort of fairy tale feel to it.
Reminds me a bit of Robin McKinny's novels.
All New X-Men Vol's 4-5 - finishing up my binge read of the Cyclops arc. Not bad. Not as good as Uncanny. Sort of silly in places. Guessing I'm not the right demographic for it.
3. What I'm reading next?
Don't know really. Flirting with the Magicians by Lev Grossman, and possibly a JA Corey novel. (Haven't seen the Expanse yet.) Or another romance novel, although am a bit burnt out by them. Do need to get and start Daphne Pho's The Pope's Daugher shortly for Book Club on Jan 29.
People bewilder me.
At any rate, I'm personally grateful it's warm, no snow, no nasty weather on the horizon, with mild temperatures. I love this weather. Thank you, universe.
Lovely time down here all things considered. Tonight, we're off to see the musical Mary Poppins, not the film, the staged musical. It's the third staged version of a screen musical that I've seen...curious to see how it holds up. I've been told it's quite good.
1. What I just finished reading
Falling in Bed with the Duke by Lorraine Heath - at least I think that's the last thing I read. I tried The Sins of Lord Easterbook by Madeline Hunter but couldn't get through it. Falling in Bed wasn't bad - it's about an on-the-shelf 28 year old gal, who having given up on finding love decides to go to the Nightengal Club to lose her virginity. (She's sick of fortune hunters and refuses to marry for any other reason than love. It should be noted that this allegedly takes place in the 1800s, so the historical bits feel a bit on the sketchy side. But then such is the case with 90% of historical fiction (or so I've discovered) hence the reason I'm not overly fond of the genre. Historical Romances...I can deal with because you sort of know going in that the writer is going to be loose with the historical facts. No surprises there. But Heath does push it a bit. Hunter is better with historical accuracy, but her dialogue is stiff and wooden, mainly because she's worried about the historical accuracy, but I find it tough to read.)
Uncanny X-Men - Vol's 3-5 - pretty much the end of the Cyclops arc. These books are by Brian Bendeis and for the most part drawn by Chris Bacchalau, the bits that aren't drawn by him are uneven in places. I really wish they could have stuck with the same artist throughout -- which admittedly is a problem with superhero/action comic books/graphic novels, the turn-over in artists is insane and jarring.
That aside, it's a brilliant series and amongst the best that I've read. The moral complexity alone is worth the trip. Character driven, it explores various angles, and moral dilemmas. The hero - depending on your pov could be seen as either an anti-hero or a classical hero. He's pushed against the wall - having tried literally everything to ensure his people's survival, he's down to threats...which he doesn't want to back up. After killing his father and mentor, the torn and conflicted Cyclops...with just about everyone against him, has started a secret school with a former enemy, an ex-girlfriend/psychic who may have it in for him, and one wildly unstable friend -- in the hopes of saving as many people as he can and possibly redeeming himself. A comic book that makes you think - rare to see in this genre.
2 What I'm reading now
Uprooted by Naomi Novik -- which is an interesting take on the Beauty and Beast trope. The Dragon, a powerful wizard, takes a young girl as a tribute from the village of Dvernik, every 10 years. The tributes are in return for his protection of the village from the Wood, which contain horrible magical creatures and corruption. No one knows what he does with the girls. They are taken at the age of 17. When their time is up -- they leave their village and lands, and either marry someone in town, get a job elsewhere, or see the world. But they don't stay. Anesika along with everyone in her small village believes that her best friend Kaisa, who is beautiful and splendid at all things will be taken. But alas, Anesika is taken instead, for it turns out she has magic. The Dragon, who appears to have no other name, proceeds to attempt to teach her magic as dictated by the King's law, but her magic is different than his -- it's more intuitive, not controlled or detailed or by route.
Like I said, an interesting book - delves into the differences in how people approach things and think. Told entirely in first person and has a sort of fairy tale feel to it.
Reminds me a bit of Robin McKinny's novels.
All New X-Men Vol's 4-5 - finishing up my binge read of the Cyclops arc. Not bad. Not as good as Uncanny. Sort of silly in places. Guessing I'm not the right demographic for it.
3. What I'm reading next?
Don't know really. Flirting with the Magicians by Lev Grossman, and possibly a JA Corey novel. (Haven't seen the Expanse yet.) Or another romance novel, although am a bit burnt out by them. Do need to get and start Daphne Pho's The Pope's Daugher shortly for Book Club on Jan 29.
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Date: 2015-12-25 06:02 am (UTC)and Kasia's (pronounced Kahtcha) friendship is portrayed and remains the centerpiece of the book. My husband is originally from poland and he enjoyed it immensely, it really encapsulates the spirit of eastern European fairy tales while still being logically plotted, smart as hell and emotionally engaging.
I read it while I was going into labour and it was even able to distract me from the pain.