This was beautiful from start to finish. Neil Gaiman thanked in his afterword Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirlees, James Branch Caball and C. S. Lewis. I rereaThis was beautiful from start to finish. Neil Gaiman thanked in his afterword Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirlees, James Branch Caball and C. S. Lewis. I reread the Chronicles of Narnia a couple of years ago but I have old copies of The Charwoman’s Shadow and The King of Elfland’s Daughter. I remember those books made me feel the way this one has. I think I need to reread them. ...more
This book made me feel joyful. I had read it once maybe 25 years ago and I remember I really liked it then. But this time I loved it. It reminded me oThis book made me feel joyful. I had read it once maybe 25 years ago and I remember I really liked it then. But this time I loved it. It reminded me of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London books but not quite. Although I do believe they are the same London. But not quite. All of this magic and squalor swished together in such a glorious way. ...more
Just finished listening to this. Jeremy Northam is a pretty good narrator, his Puddleglum was inspired and his Glimfeather was excellent as well. At tJust finished listening to this. Jeremy Northam is a pretty good narrator, his Puddleglum was inspired and his Glimfeather was excellent as well. At times Puddleglum made me laugh aloud. Some of his other voices weren’t as good, but on the whole I liked his narration. This book is another favourite from my childhood that I’ve read many times. I think of all of the Narnia books, this has the best representation of a young girl. Jill Pole is flawed but interesting, and I liked her growing friendship with Eustace. Eustace has changed quite a bit since the early days of The Voyage of the Dawntreader, he has grown a lot, and is no longer a self involved little prig. But my favourite character is definitely Puddleglum. Just lovely. ...more
I think this is still one of my favourite books in this series. I love that this is a pure adventure tale, some dicey situations but no big bad. A lovI think this is still one of my favourite books in this series. I love that this is a pure adventure tale, some dicey situations but no big bad. A lovely way to explore this world. I thought Derek Jacobi’s narration was ok but I preferred Vanessa Redgrave’s Reepicheep. ...more
This time it was the audio version of this book read by Alex Jennings. The narration wasn’t as engaging as Kenneth Branagh and Michael York’s in the eThis time it was the audio version of this book read by Alex Jennings. The narration wasn’t as engaging as Kenneth Branagh and Michael York’s in the earlier books but it was ok.
This is another book I’ve read about 150 times and as I was listening I often would remember each line as it came up. It’s wonderful listening to something I’m so familiar with, even though I’ve not read any of these books for over thirty years. I’ve not been a huge fan of audiobooks until now. Listening to the Rivers of London books by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith changed my mind. I’m not sure but for me it seems that a really well-trained British actor makes the best narrator. Or maybe it’s just nostalgia because I’ve loved this series since I was a child. Anyhow I’m really enjoying these books. I purchased the entire series on Audible for one credit and I have to say it’s been worth it.
This is one of my favourite books in the series. It takes you out of Narnia into Calormen, and yes I was bothered by the casual racism directed towards the Calormen (Arab?) people. I didn’t like it. It wasn’t something I thought of as a child but I do think of it now. What I did like was Shasta and Aravis and Hwin and Bree. I found Bree funny, I thought Shasta was brave. Aravis is arrogant and privileged but grows as a person and is probably my favourite character. Hwin is lovely. Of course I love Aslan. I grew up Catholic. I think that is relevant because at age seven when I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I was immediately aware that Aslan was Christ. I get why that would bother some, but it delighted me. Here was a Jesus who I could feel loved me but allowed me to make mistakes and would let me find redemption. In this book Aslan appears briefly, but helps draw Shasta and Aravis together, protects Shasta as he sleeps and punishes Aravis for causing her slave-girl to be whipped after she ran away from her father’s home. But he forgives her too. As a child everything is black and white, but now everything is grey (not slavery though). Anyhow, these fleeting contacts with the divine still make me happy, even though I am an atheist now. I can’t go to church after all of the evil things it has been party to, I don’t believe in God or Jesus., I don’t believe in Heaven. As an adult I can’t allow myself easy answers. But I still miss them.
I first read this when I was seven years old. It was my first “chapter book” as I called them and I was so proud of myself. I loved it so much I read I first read this when I was seven years old. It was my first “chapter book” as I called them and I was so proud of myself. I loved it so much I read it over and over again. I still love it. My father bought me my first copy of this. He was a reader and taught me to love books as well. He passed away two years ago and I miss him. As a child there was no problem so great that a book couldn’t take me away from it. I wish that was true now but listening to this audiobook narrated by Michael York helped bring some magic back into my life. ...more
I first read this as a child. I’ve read it many, many times in my life. This time I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kenneth Branagh. It made me I first read this as a child. I’ve read it many, many times in my life. This time I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kenneth Branagh. It made me happy and feel childlike again listening to it. I seem to need that right now. ...more
This little book of short fiction is so beautiful I have no words. My copy is old. I bought it in 1989, a reprint as it was published 11 years earlierThis little book of short fiction is so beautiful I have no words. My copy is old. I bought it in 1989, a reprint as it was published 11 years earlier. This is not Science Fiction, set in an imaginary Eastern European country the stories range from 1050 to 1963. Le Guin writes of ancient tragedies, murder and war, of the innocence of children playing in a wood, of families, of love and of hate. She writes of simple things and gives them great meaning. She helps me to see in this dark time that things can be much worse than they are now (as I write in my beautiful, comfortable house full of books) and I tell myself I can get through this. I am fortunate and I shouldn’t complain, just get on with it and do my job. Her writing makes me hope for a time when things are better. This is why I read I guess. ...more
I picked this up from the library and the librarian said to me, “Such a pretty book.” It is so pretty and small enough to fit in your pocket...small eI picked this up from the library and the librarian said to me, “Such a pretty book.” It is so pretty and small enough to fit in your pocket...small enough to take with you for a walk in the woods. Beautiful. I think this needs to be mine. ...more
This is a bit uneven but overall very enjoyable. Three and a half stars rounded up to four.
The Home Crowd Advantage is just ok. Three stars.
The DomesThis is a bit uneven but overall very enjoyable. Three and a half stars rounded up to four.
The Home Crowd Advantage is just ok. Three stars.
The Domestic also just ok. Two stars.
The Cockpit made me a bit uncomfortable. Two stars.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Granny. Sweet, three stars.
King of the Rats. Another one that made me uncomfortable, two stars.
A Rare Book of Cunning Device is delightful. Set in a library. Really fun. Four stars.
I was really beginning to think short fiction is just not Ben Aaronovitch’s thing when I got to the second half of the book.
A Dedicated Follower of Fashion. Quite fun, a drug escort in the sixties finds a baby River in his basement, names her Wanda and opens a boutique. Three and a half stars.
Favourite Uncle. I loved this one, Abigail is one of my favourite characters and it was delightful reading a story from her point of view. Four stars.
Vanessa Sommer’s Other Christmas List. I haven’t met Vanessa yet in anything else, but I quite liked this. Three stars.
Three Rivers, Two Husbands and a Baby. Adored this. It was nice to see what happened to the River Lugg and also Dominic and Victor. Five stars.
The Moments: I’ve grouped these together, they are so brief it is hard to classify them. Having just listened to the first six novels on Audible I find they make more sense than when I read them a couple of weeks ago before I listened to them. I’d give them as a group three stars. I did like that they gave me a glimpse into the lives of Nightingale, Reynolds and Tobias Winter. Now onto Lies Sleeping.
This was so much fun to read. A magic sword and a thirty-six year old widow join forces to obtain the widow’s inheritance and to keep her from being fThis was so much fun to read. A magic sword and a thirty-six year old widow join forces to obtain the widow’s inheritance and to keep her from being forcibly married to a relative who covets said inheritance. Sarkis and Halla are wonderful characters and I thought that was enough until I met Zale, a priest of the White Rat, and Brindle a gnole and his ox. There was romance and suspense and a great deal of humour. Awesome. ...more
This was so entertaining. Fast paced, funny, great characters. Especially Boots, although Nilah really grew on me as she evolved from an over privilegThis was so entertaining. Fast paced, funny, great characters. Especially Boots, although Nilah really grew on me as she evolved from an over privileged brat to a woman able to see the inequality all around her. Also a terrific AI named Kinnard. This is a universe where Science and magic are equally important, and the novel was like the love child of Star Wars, Firefly and Oceans Eleven but with far higher stakes. I look forward to the next book in this series....more
This is a short novel written very early in Le Guin’s career. I believe it was written in the mid sixties. I don’t think it is as brilliant as some ofThis is a short novel written very early in Le Guin’s career. I believe it was written in the mid sixties. I don’t think it is as brilliant as some of her other novels, but her writing is so beautiful I have to give it four stars. Roccanon is on a planet doing an anthropological survey, with others from Hain. Their ship is attacked and all of the other members of the expedition are killed. Roccanon and some of the men who live on the planet travel south over the mountains to find the ansible belonging to the enemy so he can get a message back to the League of Worlds and get help. It’s a simple story, not long and not as gender bending as her later works. Her descriptive passages are gorgeous and as always she uses simple language in such a beautiful way. ...more
This was the best of the series. Charlotte and company are in Paris, attempting to steal a painting. Or are they? The plot twists in this novel writheThis was the best of the series. Charlotte and company are in Paris, attempting to steal a painting. Or are they? The plot twists in this novel writhe like an eel. A wonderful mystery, romances new and old. Beloved characters. Reading this book was like eating a box of chocolates. So hard to choose which element you like the best. ...more
This one was a roller coaster. Lord Ingram is accused of murdering his wife. Can Holmes save him? Also can Treadles get his head out of his own ass inThis one was a roller coaster. Lord Ingram is accused of murdering his wife. Can Holmes save him? Also can Treadles get his head out of his own ass in time to save his marriage to the delightful Alice? Where is Bernardine? These questions and more are answered in this riveting mystery. So much fun. ...more
Just beautiful. Set in a part of the world I don’t often think of in terms of romance and heroism. But here it is in spades. Of course reading this maJust beautiful. Set in a part of the world I don’t often think of in terms of romance and heroism. But here it is in spades. Of course reading this made me think of the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina only 25 years ago and terrible things that happened before that. The roots of these ancient enmities goes back so far and I can’t see an end to it. I’m not sure if Kay feels that religion is at the root of the terrible things people do to one another but it feels like it. This book is one that looks at the roots of war and the atrocities committed by armies and by others fighting against them from the shadows (I guess we would call them terrorists now). It looks at the effects of war on the small people trapped between armies and the small tragic events that can spin out of those lives.
This book also examines the lengths families will go to to control their wayward daughters and the effects such control has on their lives. Clever women locked in boxes by their families. Betrayed by those who should love them. The lack of respect afforded a woman trying to use her abilities the way a man would and the lengths she has to go to to obtain respect. All of this richness that gives you so much to think about and all told in such a beautiful way. Oh and a wonderful dog too. ...more
A quest. An adventure story. A warning for the future. Beautifully written. Just wonderful. I remember the first and only other time I read this. I waA quest. An adventure story. A warning for the future. Beautifully written. Just wonderful. I remember the first and only other time I read this. I was 19, on a geology field trip to Manitoulin island on a summer day. It was hot and sunny. Today I’m in Ottawa. It is January. It is -20 degrees Celsius this morning and a storm is coming. The ache in my heart right now is the same. ...more
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