So… this week started of with a bang, but I think it’s back on track now? *knock wood* Thankfully, I always have podcasts, movies (1970s Bollywood, anyone?), and, of course, my beloved books to keep me company in the midst of chaos!
The Merchant and the Rogue (“Dread Penny Society” #3) by Sarah M. Eden: As expected, this book is an absolute delight. I can’t say it’s my favorite in the series because The Lady and the Highwayman holds such a special place in my heart, but it is a very close second. I loved finally spending time with Brogan and his sister Móirín, after meeting them in the first two books, and Vera is a new favorite among the characters. The mystery was fun, as usual, but it’s really the characters and relationships that make these books stand out – they’re portrayed with such tenderness and humor, it’s truly a joy to watch them develop. Plus, Brogan and Vera are plenty swoony. *wink* Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: Hoooo boy. So here’s the thing: I really like Ishiguro. He’s truly a master, with his keen insights into humanity and society and his deft portray of complex subjects and emotions. But it’s hard to engage emotionally with his work – perhaps it’s the characters themselves or just his writing style. While reading An Artist of the Floating World, I’m not sure I ever felt anything for the characters (except uncomfortable). By the end of The Remains of the Day, I did feel a physical pang for the narrator’s wasted opportunities, but that doesn’t negate the fact that it took a loooooong time to feel anything for him but wry amusement. Perhaps this is what Ishiguro intended – a slow reveal of pathos – but for someone who loves to get emotional (sometimes to an unhealthy degree, lol) over her books, the extended wait for any feeling here was frustrating. In the end, I’m glad I stuck with it and finished the book, but it was a struggle when I didn’t really want to struggle with a book. Maybe that’s my fault – I knew what I was in for with Ishiguro! After two books, I admire Ishiguro as a writer and an observer of human nature, but honestly, he’s not someone I’m going to reach for often.
Leave it to Psmith (“Psmith” #4) by P.G. Wodehouse: This is actually my first read from the Psmith series (the nice thing about Wodehouse is that he can be read out of order), and what a pleasure! Of course, it’s the master of humor, Wodehouse himself, so I expected nothing less, but that never stops me from being delighted by his stories. Psmith’s devil-may-care attitude is amusingly deceptive, as he proves throughout the story to be more capable than he first appears (or than one might expect, if one is used to the misguided antics of Bertie Wooster). I loved watching him breeze through Blandings Castle, creating chaos and solving problems with nearly unflappable aplomb, and now I want to go back and read his other adventures!
–b
Book It With Becca 