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[lunabee34]

1. I got the most wonderful poems in the post from minoanmiss. Thank you! They are going to decorate my office.

2. I've been rereading the Murderbot books. I've finished all of them except Network Effect, which I just started today, and the most recently published one, which I've never read before. I love Murderbot so much.

3.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I had never read this play and had somehow gotten a completely wrong impression of it. I thought it was long and tragic and deeply serious and full of soliloquies about the nature of power and monstrosity; instead, it's really short, mostly ridiculous, and a pretty breezy read. I mean, the postcolonial reading of the play appeals to me; there's definitely some heft and interest in interpreting Prospero as the colonizer and Ariel and Caliban as the colonized. (I also like Gonzalo's reference to Montaigne's "Of Cannibals.")

I suspect this is much more fun to watch than read; I bet the buffoonery is much funnier.

I'm a little confused by what happens at the end to Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. Are they left behind on the island? Are they pardoned and they leave to go back to Milan? 2025 ETA: Stefano and Trinculo go back with Prospero et al, but it's not clear what happens to Caliban. I think they just leave him behind.

I'd like to see a stage production of this play, especially the gender-flipped one with Helen Mirren.



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The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book makes me so sad and angry. I can't believe the conservatorship she was put under is any way legal. I'm glad she's back in control of her own life.

Really potent commentary on the sexual double standard, being a woman in the entertainment industry, the legacy of family trauma, and mental illness.



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Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This starts out really slowly. I was bored for about the first hundred pages. Once the book circles down from its aerial view of the family and dives more deeply into each individual character, I found myself hooked.

This is a deeply tragic book. I feel so sorry for most of the characters. Tony is forced to marry someone she doesn't love (even though her family wouldn't acknowledge the pressure they're putting on her) rather than the man she does (although I'm not certain she'd have been happy marrying that guy given the class/wealth disparity between them); then that guy turns out to be a scoundrel and a cheat. The second guy she marries is a lazy good-for-nothing, and her daughter's husband ends up a scoundrel and a deserter. Christian clearly has some sort of mental disorder as well as OCD, but I also think he has autoimmune disorders that would account for the nerve pain he experiences that everyone dismisses.

I ended up really enjoying this despite the slow start.



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3. the future is (a benevolent black hole) by ClassicMelancholy
Stranger Things
Steddie
Slow, happy getting together

standing up the dead by heartofwinterfell
Stranger Things
Max/Lucas, blink-and-you'll-miss-it Steddie
Max and Eddie dimension hopping post-Vecna. I love how things change in each world they visit.

Comments

[kore]

I got the ebook AND audiobook of Britney's memoir because I just wanted to support her (Craig Ferguson and I were both defending her when nobody gave a shit. Addicts in recovery unite!).

Also her friend does a HILARIOUS imitation of her horrible boyfriend. Timberlake?

[lunabee34]

Oh, yeah. Justin Timberlake comes off pretty horribly in this memoir. It seems like she's had very little genuine support in her life, which is just awful.

[author_by_night]

d. I mean, the postcolonial reading of the play appeals to me; there's definitely some heft and interest in interpreting Prospero as the colonizer and Ariel and Caliban as the colonized. (I also like Gonzalo's reference to Montaigne's "Of Cannibals.")

It's been a very long time since I've read The Tempest, but it is interesting how even Shakespeare's intentions can be read differently. Was this him supporting or criticizing what we now know as Colonialism? Or was it a third option, him not necessarily taking a hard stance either way, but noting the dangers of foraying into an already inhabited space, and who it might hurt? My gut tells me the third is probably more likely, but I'd have to re-read, or even watch, the play.

(Of course, we also must remember that Shakespeare was writing for the crown, so he couldn't be too bold with his political commentary, either.)

[lunabee34]

It's ambiguous because Prospero is not ever punished for his actions. However, Montaigne's "Of Cannibals" is all about cultural relativity and argues that the peoples Europeans encounter on their voyages are not savage or barbarous but instead are more civilized in many ways than Europeans. Shakespeare's use of that speech, and Gonzalo's sympathy for what he thinks are the indigenous people of the island suggest that Shakespeare was at least sympathetic to that idea.

[princessofgeeks]

MURDERBOT

[lunabee34]

INORITE?

And ART, of course.

[esteefee]

So glad you are enjoying Murderbot!

Yeah, The Tempest was never a fave of mine but it is kinda fun.

Poor Britney. She is only one of so many.

[lunabee34]

I just finished Network Effect last night and had to lay there and squeal for awhile. Art and Murderbot loving their humans (and each other) is the absolute best. :)

[esteefee]

\o/\o/\o/ wait e.m.o.t.i.o.n.s.? nooooo MB denies! although MB2 would agree with you :D

[lunabee34]

Heeeeee. Exactly.

[amejisuto]

And now The Tempest is on my wish list. And someday I'm gonna read those Murderbot stories. I've heard they're good. I just have a tower of books to read already!

[lunabee34]

I think you will love Murderbot. It's a really fun series, and most of the books are novellas, so they are super quick reads.

[amejisuto]

Yep, gotta put it on my list!

[minoanmiss]

I am delighted that the poems delighted you! it is so much fun picking out specific poems for people.

Britney is free! *cheers and cheers*

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

You do a very good job of it. <3

I hope Britney goes on to have an amazing life. It makes me sick that those fuckers took her money from her.

[scintilla10]

I'm re-reading Murderbot, too! It's so good!!

heartofwinterfell's Stranger Things fics are great -- I haven't read this one yet, but looking forward to it!

[lunabee34]

Oooh, I'll have to just click on that author and read more of them then.

I just finished Network Effect last night, so all I have left is the newest one, which will be a first time read!