Spontaneous Musings

Chilly day. Reminds me of London oddly enough. Not that I was ever in London this time of year..
New tenant who is renting Landlord's apartment is from London. So are their friends who are visiting.
Although not this weekend, this weekend - according to landlord - I'll more or less be here by myself. Lovely. Not. I live on the top floor. And it's gotten chilly. Although landlord promises to turn on the head on Sunday and fix my windows - so they aren't quite so drafty. While he's off doing that, I'll be off looking at apartments to buy. (Which is a process that gives me a headache.)

It's overcast with sun. Looking out my window I see gray and beneath it bright orange.

Finished Aftermath by Jim Butcher - the short story in Side Jobs, that is told from Karrin Murphy's pov, immediately after the last chapter in Changes, the previous book. This short story is at the end of Side Jobs, all the other short stories take place prior to Changes and are told mainly from Harry Dresden's pov.

Rather liked this short story. Even if Murphy at times sounded a bit too much like Harry. Butcher hasn't quite acquired the skill to provide distinctive pov's. But give him time. He, unlike many best-selling writers in genre (mystery, thriller, fantasy, etc) - actually improves with each book he writes and doesn't sit on his laurels. That's my problem with a lot of prolific genre writers or bestselling ones (really) - they start to basically repeat themselves. To the point that you can no longer tell their books apart. I reached that point with Janet Evanovich - I honestly did not know which book I'd read. They were the same more or less. Same problem with Patricia Cornwall.
And many others. Butcher at least evolves his characters and his skill. His latter books are actually a lot better than his earlier ones.

There was one quote in the short story that caught my attention and stuck with me. Murphy describes what it is like being a woman in a male world. She says when one half of the population is stronger and faster than you are physically, not to mention bigger, and you are painfully aware that they will use that advantage to basically do to you whatever they damn well please - it means that you are always on your guard, you find ways to deal with them, and a part of you is always afraid. (Not in those words of course - I didn't memorize them - and I'd have to hunt through it to find them - which is hard to do on a kindle. If I had the actual book - I'd do it.
Which is why I actually prefer books to the Kindle over all. Always will. I suppose I could have highlighted and bookmarked it, but was too engrossed to think of it.) At any rate - when I read the quote, my first instinct was to argue with the writer - for being such a man. Then I thought about it, hard not to, and all the things I do each day to avoid situations that could end with me being raped, mugged, beaten up, or harrassed. Not to mention the apartments that look wonderful but I can't live in because they are in areas that are unsafe for a woman to walk alone in at night or during the day for that matter. Not a fun thing to think about.

Aftermath is a page turner. It grabs hold of you and doesn't let go. It's well-paced. And the characters interesting. It also has the same quirky wit as the other novels. Murphy is a different character than Harry - she doesn't have the same amount of power he does. Or much at all. But
she manages to make things work - which in some respects makes her very relateable.

Can't wait for the next novel which is fittingly entitled Ghost Story.

I wrote this review to avoid spoiling anyone who has yet to read the short story.