This reading week was particularly good – new discoveries, an old favorite, and the continuing delight of Victoria Thompson’s “Gaslight Mystery” series.
The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith: Did you know the movie 101 Dalmatians is based on a book? And that it’s delightful? I did not, but now we both do! Smith’s story is funny and sweet, with funny little details that didn’t make it into the film. For example, another “did you know”: Did you know that Cruella de Vil is obsessed with pepper? She (over-)seasons all of her food with it, to the point that she herself smells and tastes of pepper! (Poor Lucky learned that latter bit the hard way.) Sadly, there is an uncomfortable interlude with a traveling group of Romani people who want to capture the dalmatians and train them as performers to earn money, so I can’t recommend this book without reservations. Except for that (thankfully brief) episode, the book is charming… but I do think Disney took the best elements and discarded the extraneous bits to make the near-perfect film we know and love. (Except the Cadpig – who was revelation of spirit and adorableness and is now second only in my affections to Lucky.)
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery: I’ve been rereading the Anne series this year, dragging along my good friend who’s new to the books, and the more I read this second installment, the higher it rises in my ranking of the series. There are many classic Anne “scrapes” and adventures, of course – from the infamous Jersey cow to the bright blue Avonlea Hall – but there are also many passages that perfectly capture feelings of uncertainty and transition, as Anne is leaving childhood behind, growing into her role as a teacher, and beginning to plan for a future beyond Avonlea.
A Million Things by Emily Spurr: I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. A Million Things is the story of Rae, a young girl whose mother takes her own life… and Rae is the only one who knows. So she continues to go to school, to clean the house, to buy the groceries, and tries to ignore that scratching at her heart. This is a raw, tender, beautifully spare reflection on the realities of grief and depression… and human kindness. Thank you to Netgalley and Text Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Gaslight Mysteries” #20–23 by Victoria Thompson: And that’s it! I’m all caught up on this series – at least until Murder on Wall Street released in April, and you know I’ll snatch that right up. Now that I’m 23 books in (23!! who knew I’d be invested enough to read that many books in any series?), I’ve got a firm grasp on Thompson’s structure and writing, how she couches the answers to the mystery within the investigation. So it’s pretty easy for me to guess whodunnit now – as well as what secrets people are hiding. Sometimes it’s a little frustrating when a clue slips right by the protagonists (to be conveniently remembered later on, of course), but I don’t consider this so terribly bad because the rest of the ride is so pleasant and entertaining. As I’ve said before, much of the charm of these stories is exactly their formulaic nature – for a gal who still turns to old procedural shows for comfort-viewing, the “Gaslight Mysteries” is the perfect literary equivalent. Thompson is also quite good at using the mysteries to propel or frame character arcs – and Murder on Pleasant Avenue is a great example of this, as it brings to the fore all that lies between Gino and Maeve.
–b
Book It With Becca 