Book Review - An Unkindness of Magicians

Finished the dark fantasy novel An Unkindness of Magicians by Kate Howard - review is below.
The novel takes place in NYC. I really wish people would stop writing books that take place in NYC and not bothering to provide any realistic details of the city. This book could have taken place anywhere.

Kate Howard's novel falls more within the subgenre of dark hyper-realistic contemporary fantasy, where there are no fantastical creatures and the characters are for the most part, despicable and if they died tomorrow? We'd be better off without them. This is the norm for dark fantasy, which isn't exactly known for its likable characters. In this novel, magic permits you to make it snow in summer, levitate objects, kill people in horrific ways with no retribution (apparently), increase your bank account holdings, heal your friends and yourself, and have an automated house -- in which you don't have to lift a finger. Also the magic people are using comes from somewhere else -- they aren't really using their own. Because using one's own magic is painful -- you get headaches, nose bleeds, naseau, dizzy spells, etc.

The emphasis is on the plot and thematic structure, and less on characters or world-building. Both are there, but not the main point - so the writer tends to only give us enough information to propell her plot forward. Bare outlines and sketch marks. So that's a weakness, at least it was for me, and kept me from loving this novel as much as I wanted to. To be fair, since it takes place in our world -- well for the most part anyhow, not that much world-building is required. The writer just needs to throw in the history of magical use, houses, etc without getting too exposition heavy -- which isn't easy to do. And to a degree Howard pulls it off - but I could have used a little more description. I live in New York City and it did not feel like New York City -- it could have pretty much been any major city. This is a style complaint, perhaps? I tend to prefer a more descriptive style in fantasy -- I like to fall inside the world. And this narrative was very bare bones in that respect. I had a sense of the world, but not enough of one to really visualize it. For example, each magical family has its own House, which reflects its magic or personality. But it's get that visual until about over half-way through. We're told one house is automated with technology, and another is formal with mirrors. When the mirror house gets new magic -- it changes to look like a forest with vines, rose quartz lamps, and green walls. Minimalist style. Which you may prefer, and I admit it is easier to read -- and a good percentage of readers scan or skip over description -- but it helps to visualize a world different from our own.

The characters also fell a bit flat in places. Too one-dimensional. We have our villains, who are a bit obvious from the start, and do not appear to have much complexity, with the exception of the serial killer -- who has a little more than the others appear to. And the heroes, who aren't built a great deal either. There's a romance, but I was never invested in it, and didn't care that much if the two characters stayed together. I was invested in the characters and the plot, so that worked. And it is a quick read.

Also the idea behind the book, and the theme are compelling and pretty much the reason I bought it and could not put it down. It's rather innovative --( Spoilers )

It's a compelling novel. So compelling that I was able to forgive some major typos -- which I think may have been due to the translation to Kindle format. (I read the Kindle version, so no clue if these typos are in the print version. Will state that I find this lazy on the publishers end and it's why I have more respect for independently published writers than traditional. Because independently published writers work hard to keep these errors to a minimum and at great expense to themselves, while the traditional writer relies on their publishing house to correct the problem and if there is one, we blame the publishing house not the writer. So when I saw the typos, I thought, well no wonder this book was on sale for a Kindle daily deal of $1.99. It's normal price is $7-8 , which is pretty high considering there is a garbled sentence in the book.)

But I can't say it's a novel that leaves you with a good impression of humanity or people in general.


Next up? Artremis by Andy Weir

Televison round-up - Sitcoms, The Good Place and Doctor Who

Been vegging and watching television today, or rather catching up.

1. Doctor Who: The Ghost Monument -- a solid secondary episode that propels the story forward, clarifies who the villain of the arc will be, and shows that each stand-a-lone is part of a broader arc. Also a secret, mystery, is hinted out that may be the central focal point of the arc.
I think I know what it is -- ( spoilers )

2. The Connors as previously predicted and stated, the series is actually better without Roseanne. But I'm not sure her fans will stick with it. It no longer has the insult heavy Roseanne humor that existed previously. What made me cringe is gone now. So I was right, I definitely could and have watched the Connors, and found that group funny without Roseanne in the midst of it.

Also this episode depicted a major problem in the US, and did it with compassion and humor. One a lot of people don't want to look at. Which is the amount of pain a lot of the lower middle class and working class are in. Hence the ophoid crisis. Roseanne dies from an ophoid overdoes -- due to increasing pain in her knees and legs. She'd had knee surgery, but never really recovered from it and became addicted to ophoids, finding ways to get a supply outside of doctors and insurance. The Connors aren't wealthy. They have full time jobs, all reside for the most part in the same multi-family home, and struggle to keep a float. They aren't racist or homophobic either. DJ is married to an African-American Female Army Officer who served in Afghanistan, with a daughter. Darlene's son is gay and possibly transgender. And they don't really care. They are politically incorrect and irreverent, but honest and caring.

Also the cast looks like most Americans. Gray haired. Wrinkles. Not beautiful or air-brushed. The house is scruffy looking, with an aging couch and a small kitchen. It's Middle America. And a sitcom that veers more towards realism than romanticism.

I enjoyed the reboot. It was funny in places and touching in others. I knew these people, worked with them over the years, and have met them. Sat in their kitchens. Listened to their jokes. This, I want to tell people is America, not How I Met Your Mother or Friends or The Big Bang Theory, which don't feel real at all.

3. The Good Place - Episode 4 - Jeremy Berimy -- I think it is episode 4. Better than the last two. They've moved rather quickly out of one paradigm into another.

( spoilers )

4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is beginning to bore me. I kept wandering off during the episode. The best bit, and the only reason to bother with it is Patton Oswalt's musical number in the cemetary entitled "The Cringe", best musical number this season.

5. The Kids Are Alright is a rather charming retro-seventies family sitcom starring Mary McCormick -- about an Irish Catholic family in the 1970s. I wish they'd stop doing the stereotype. Not all Irish Catholic or Catholic families have that many kids. Mine didn't. And most of the people I knew back then didn't. My father's family did -- but they were 1930s-1950s, and it made sense back then. Catholic family, poor working class, with eight kids is a bit cliche and stereotypical. That said, McCormick and the guy who plays her husband are rather good in it and save it. Also the narrative voice reminds me a bit of The Wonder Years. So it's a satisfyingly warm family situation comedy with some good retro commentary. Sonny & Cher (which I watched as kid), the Aerospace Program (practically everyone who lived on my block growing up worked for the Aerospace program as either engineers or machinists), and the references to how Nixon wasn't to blame and Watergate was fake news (the Republicans actually said that and wanted Ford to pardon him) -- all are nice touches. But it's not quite to the same level as The Connors.

6. I've given up on The Neighborhood-- which has become more about father's and loser sons, and less about racial conflicts or community. It's sort of redundant and cliche in the jokes. I really loved the first episode, but the last two I've found unwatchable.

Ditto for Big Bang Theory.

7. In tooling about the net, and listening to recent pop songs -- several Taylor Swift, I've decided there's a lot of pain and rage and dissatisfaction out there. Taylor Swift is truly miserable and filled with rage. Her songs aren't what I'd call uplifting. Neither are Lady Gaga's for that matter.

I'm hunting happy music. Maybe Bobbie McFerrin?

Great American Read Book Meme

So, been watching bits and pieces of PBS's The Great American Read, which my cousin got me intrigued by while I was in Seattle. (I love books, it is and always will be my first love -- if I had to choose between television, art, movies, theater and books -- I admit it, I'd pick books. Some people watch television shows on their commutes on various electronic devices or listen to podcasts, I read.) I realized that I've read about 85% of the books on the list, give or take, or at least tried to. I also own quite a few that I haven't read. AND many of the novels on the list are not written by Americans. The Great American read is not indicative of works by "American" authors, but rather works that people in the United States have voted on and nominated as their favorite book of all time. So, subjective list, and only represents people who took the time to vote every day until October 18. (I voted three times on books I liked.) The program and events associated with it, including a book club are set up to promote reading across the country. So, this is a great idea -- even if you don't agree with some of the selections. On October 23, we'll learn what America's favorite book is -- I dearly hope it isn't Atlas Shrugged, Twilight, Left Behind Series or Fifty Shades of Grey, because that would just be sad.

Below is a book meme. Bold the books you completed. Italicize the ones you attempted but DID NOT FINISH, and underline the ones you own. Comment if you desire.

( List of 100 Books on Great American Read )

See what I mean? A good portion of these are not written by American authors.