reading, reading

[lunabee34]

1. Those of you in the Terror fandom might be interested in reading the third chapter of EcoGothic which is about the Antarctic as it first appears as an ecological idea in Shelley's Frankenstein and then as it figures in modern works about the ill-fated 19th-century expedition (by Atwood and Simmons; book predates the show). I only read the first three chapters as most of the book is outside of the scope of the 19th-century course I'm preparing for the spring, but the whole book looks really cool.

2. I don't know what genre you would call these books; they're not romance novels, and they're not literary fiction. Maybe family saga? IDK In any event, this is an author I'd never read before, but executrix sent me two of her novels, and I ended up really enjoying them.



How It All Began by Penelope Lively

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a book in which one incident set off a cascading chain of additional events among an interlocking cast of characters. My favorite parts of the book are Charlotte's ruminations on aging and Anton learning to read in English. Lots to love in here about books and storytelling and teaching reading.



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Family Album by Penelope Lively

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really like this book. As the title implies, it's a family saga told from the various POV of the family members who all remember different events in different ways or who reveal different bits of information about scenarios to the reader.

There is a mystery that hangs over the novel that is resolved about halfway through, and there is such an air of malevolence while that mystery persists. I kept expecting someone to have done something quite terrible (which they haven't), but that sense of foreboding is delicious.

Simply, what's happened is that Charles sleeps with the au pair Ingrid and his wife Alison, rather than being angry with Ingrid (her anger with Charles, although deeply buried, is another matter), wants Ingrid to stay part of the family and folds the resulting child Clare into the family as if Alison and Charles are her parents.

What is so fascinating about this novel is that Ingrid and Alison like each other very much, aren't angry and resentful of each other, and spend their entire adult lives together. Ingrid is a permanent fixture in the household long after all the children have grown and any need for an au pair has disappeared. In fact, after Charles dies at the novel's conclusion, the two of them sell the crumbling Edwardian family mansion and buy a home together to live happily ever after for the remainder of their twilight years.

I love the cast of characters who are all flawed but mostly lovable (except Charles who is a ding ding and doesn't deserve Alison or Ingrid and instead deserves a swift kick in the pants and then to the curb).

A quick and highly engaging read.



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3. I also read a novella and a short story collection by Victoria Janssen and enjoyed them both immensely.



Erotic Exploits by Victoria Janssen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed this collection of erotic, lesbian short stories that showcases a wide range of genres. The collection opens with inventive sci-fi (really fun narrative voice) and moves through to a fairy tale inspired story to end with a story that features an older protagonist (which was a welcome surprise).

Highly recommended.



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The Magnificent Threesome: a collection by Victoria Janssen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This Western-themed novella is a fun read. The characters are engaging, and I like that just as much time is given to character- and world-building as the romantic aspects of the storytelling.






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Comments

[oracne]

I'm glad you enjoyed them!

[lunabee34]

I really did. :)