mathgirl40's 2013 category challenge

I'm finally getting my 2013 challenge set up! I’ll try for a minimum of 8 books in each category. It’ll also be a priority for me to read books already owned or borrowed as of Dec. 31, 2012, so I’ll be keeping track of that here as well.

1. Short-story anthologies
2. Graphic novels
3. BookCrossing books
4. Dust Collectors
5. 1001 Books / Classics
6. Non-fiction
7. Around the World
8. Next in the series
9. 2013 award nominees
10. Mystery
11. SFF
12. Young adult
13. Everything else

Category 1: Short-story anthologies

1. Steampunk! edited by Kelly Link (Mar. 20)
2. The View from the Stars by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (Apr. 30)

Category 2: Graphic novels

1. The Sandman, Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (Jan. 20)
2. The Sandman, Volume 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman (Feb. 15)
3. Digger, Volume 1 by Ursula Vernon (Feb. 28)
4. The Sandman, Volume 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman (Mar. 4)
5. The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (Apr. 10)
6. Asterix and Cleopatra by Goscinny and Uderzo (April 11)
7. The Sandman, Volume 4: Season of Mists (April 30)

Category 3: BookCrossing books

1. Hyperion by Dan Simmons (Jan. 9)
2. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (Jan. 11)
3. The Postman by David Brin (Jan. 28)
4. Dust by Martha Grimes (Mar. 31)
5. Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay (Apr. 25)

Category 4: Dust collectors

1. The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies (Mar. 6)
2. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (Mar. 28)
3. The Giver by Lois Lowry (Apr. 16)

Category 5: Classics and books from the 1001 list

1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (Feb. 23)
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (Apr. 27)

Category 6: Non-fiction

1. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (Mar. 29)
2. Eating Dirt by Charlotte Gill (Apr. 17)
3. The Influencing Machine by Brooke Gladstone (Apr. 27)

Category 7: Around the World

1. Sidetracked by Henning Mankell (Jan. 13) -- Sweden
2. Death of a Celebrity by M. C. Beaton (Feb. 27) -- Scotland
3. Winter of the Lions by Jan Costin Wagner (Mar. 3) -- Finland
4. The Secret River by Kate Grenville (Mar. 12) -- Australia
5. Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci (Apr. 8) -- Romania

Category 8: Next in the series

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth (Feb. 6)
2. The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö (Apr. 3)
3. A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold (Apr. 6)

Category 9: 2013 award nominees

1. Away by Jane Urquhart (Feb. 10)
2. Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese (Apr. 3)

Category 10: Mystery

1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (Jan. 26)
2. The Gallows Bird by Camilla Läckberg (Jan. 31)
3. The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell (Feb. 18)
4. Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham (Apr. 22)
5. The Fire Engine that Disappeared by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (Apr. 24)

Category 11: Science fiction, fantasy and other speculative fiction

1. Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat (Jan. 23)
2. Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (Feb. 22)
3. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow (Mar. 22)
4. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold (Apr. 12)

Category 12: Young-adult books

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth (Jan. 4)
2. Son of Interflux by Gordon Korman (Feb. 13)
3. The Geomancer's Compass by Melissa Hardy (Feb. 26)
4. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (Mar. 19)
5. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Apr. 13)

Category 13: Everything else

1. A Mercy by Toni Morrison (Jan. 30)
2. Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold (Apr. 7)

I was wondering where you'd gotten to!

A book-bullet thread for sure. Good to see you here again Paulina.

I've been looking for your thread and now I know why I couldn't find it! I'll look forward to seeing the books you choose to fill your categories.

Thanks all, for stopping by my new thread! Yes, I was a bit slow in getting going, as December was so busy, but I'm on my way now.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth (4 stars)
Category: Young-adult books
Reading Challenge: Random CAT (new-to-me author)

This novel is the current selection of our parent-child book-club. I feel as if I’ve read too many YA dystopian books lately, but this one was quite difficult to put down. My daughter finished it in two days and immediately started the sequel, Insurgent, and I read the entire book over a single long car trip while my husband obligingly drove.

The excessive amount of violence seemed unnecessary and the character development isn’t as strong as in The Hunger Games, a book with which this one is frequently compared. However, I liked very much the setting of the story, a society in which people are divided into five factions based on their personality traits. I will definitely be continuing this series.

I was just boo-hooing over on my thread cause I hadn't found you yet. I've now placed my star and dried my tears. Looking forward to following your reading again this year.

Divergent is a potential read for me this year also. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

Hi Paulina! I am looking forward to another great year of following your reading!

Welcome back!! Looking forward to be bookbulleted over here! :)

We share a few categories so I'm sure I'll find something new here. Happy reading!

Starred again this year!

Thanks to all of you for dropping by! It's great getting some encouragement, especially since this first week back to work has been particularly hectic and I haven't been able to spend as much time here as I'd like. However, I hope to do some catching up on posting and reading other posts this weekend!

2. Hyperion by Dan Simmons (4.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing books
Reading Challenge: Random CAT (new-to-me author)

This novel, in the style of The Canterbury Tales, features seven travellers on a pilgrimage to a dangerous world, each telling his or her story in turn. I enjoyed the book very much, and so did the other members of the book club. The only disappointment that we all shared was that the stories did not get resolved in the end and we'd have to read the next book for the conclusion.

I was very impressed by the world-building and am surprised there are only four books in the series. There are so many interesting themes and rich characters that I'd expect four books to hardly cover them adequately. It was a great mix of stories, some suspenseful and some quite moving. I particularly liked the treatment of time and aging.

3. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing books

This was a good police procedural, in the style of many of the Scandinavian crime novels that I've been reading. I liked the plot, but even though this is my second Inspector Van Veeteren mystery, I'm finding it hard to get to know the main character. He seems rather a cold fish, without any endearing traits or those human weaknesses which evoke empathy in readers. A few of the secondary characters seemed more interesting, and maybe they will be developed further in later books.

Van Veeteren is not a charismatic guy, is he? Still, I enjoy these straightforward police procedurals.

I'm pretty sure I've got at least one of Van Veeteren's books on my TBR/wish list. I have enjoyed quite a few of the Scandi Crime novels I've read.

Oh, that's a shame about the Van Veeteren-character. I have a few in that series on Mt. TBR, but I also have another one of Nesser's series waiting, so I'll try the other one first and hope for the best about that character.

I've got the first two in the Van Veeteren series waiting on the tbr shelves as well. Will get to them eventually.

>29 RidgewayGirl:: Well, I did enjoy the novel too, despite not finding the main character appealing, and I plan to read more in the series.

>30 thornton37814:, 31, 32: I'd be interested in hearing what you think of Nesser's books!

4. Sidetracked by Henning Mankell (4 stars)
Category: Around the World (Sweden)
Challenges: CAT Alpha

I had just finished Borkmann’s Point, which was about the hunt for a serial axe murderer, when I decided to pick up the next Inspector Wallender mystery on my shelf, and guess what it was about? The hunt for a serial axe murderer! I’m thinking it’s time to take a break and get back to something tamer, like good old-fashioned arsenic poisonings.

There were many similarities in the stories, so it was difficult not to compare. Certainly, character development is one of Mankell’s strong points, and Wallander, with his strengths and many weaknesses, is a character that I’ve gotten quite attached to. Perhaps that is an unfair assessment, as this is my fifth Wallander mystery, and I’ve only read two of the Van Veeteren books, so I’ve had more time to warm up to Wallander. The plot is also more complex, with a number of subplots and more rounded-out back stories. Still, Mankell can be verbose and I had to admit that, at times, I felt appreciative of Nesser’s spare and to-the-point writing.

Sidetracked is my favourite of all the Mankell books that I’ve read. The murderer is
introduced to us early on, and Mankell gives us glimpses into his thought processes, but there are still many surprises as his real identity and motives are slowly revealed.

Sidetracked is my favourite Wallander too. :) Hope your next book is less gruesome.
And speaking of arsenic poisonings, if you're in the mood for non-fiction on the subject I highly recommend The Arsenic Century, by James C. Whorton.

I've semi-given up on reading the Wallander-books (since I've grown to like Branagh's version enough to just watch that instead), but this sounds like an installment I would like to read. It'll go on the "find-on-sale" list. :)

>35 rabbitprincess:: I've put The Arsenic Century on my wishlist. It sounds like the kind of book I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation!

>36 -Eva-:: I've been eager to watch the Wallander TV series, and our library has the DVDs. However, I noticed that the episodes are not in the same order as the books. So I'm not sure if I should watch them in the order in which they were produced, or in the order in which I'm reading them. For those who have read the books and watched the series, do the episodes follow the books very closely?

5. The Sandman Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

After seeing the posts about the Sandman year-long group read, I was intrigued enough to borrow a copy of this graphic novel from my local library. I was a big fan of superhero comics (especially the Flash and Green Lantern) when I was a kid and loved graphic novels like Asterix and Tintin, but I've not read much in this line in recent years. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this series and whether I'd want to commit to a year-long group read. Well, I'm happy to say that after finishing Volume 1, I'm hooked and looking forward to starting the next volume. "Dream a Little Dream of Me" and "The Sound of Her Wings" were my favourites from this set, and showed me that Gaiman could create characters with as much depth as those in his traditional novels. I found the stories somewhat confusing at first, with the large number of characters being introduced. However, I've started reading The Sandman Companion alongside the series and I've been finding it extremely helpful.

I am starting to think reading The Sandman Companion would be a huge help for me too. Thankfully, the group read has enough readers to help fill in the numerous blanks for me! ;-) Glad to see you along for the adventure!

I managed to miss you for most of last year. Not going to happen this - too much good stuff here. Star!

Happy to see you hooked on Sandman! It seems most of us in the group are rereaders (often more than once), so it's great having some people along who are new to the series :)

36. I can't watch the Branagh adaptions. I've watched all the ones with Krister Henriksson (except the one that's just out) and really like them. I love kenneth Branagh but I just can't handle the pronounciations in the show. It just sounds SO bad - my ears bleed.

Never actually got around to reading any of the books, though. I should do something about that...

>40 GingerbreadMan: - I agree getting a fresh perspective is very interesting, glad to see another convert ;-)

I read the first two of the Wallander books, but it was so long ago that I can't remember how well they match the Branagh-version. The first two Branagh's didn't do it for me at all (and yes, the peculiar semi-Swedish pronounciations take some getting used to for a Swede), but after that I was on board. I do like Branagh a lot, though, so that helped.

Great to hear you'll be continuing with Sandman! It is so fun to follow along with newbies and rereaders in the same group - there are things that come up for the newbies that are things I either forgot I wondered about the first time around or things I just missed completely. On a reread, it's easy to skim some details that you think you know just because you know the general storyline.

Hi Paulina, glad your coming aboard for the Sandman Group Reads.

I am hoping to get to at least one Wallander book this year, my usual story of so many series to follow, so little time!

It's so nice to get visits in my thread from all the Sandman enthusiasts! I'm quite eager to get to Volume 2 now. Thanks, all, for stopping by.

Eva and PawsforThought: now I'm intrigued enough to want to watch the Branagh adaptation, but I would love to see the Henriksson ones too. Unfortunately, those might be more difficult for me to get. It's interesting what you say about the pronunciations. I'd listened to a couple of the Wallander books on audiobook and I didn't find Dick Hill's narration appealing at all. I wonder what the Swedes think of it.

6. Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat (3 stars)
Category: Science Fiction and Fantasy
Reading Challenges: CAT Random (author new to me), CAT Alpha

Aurorarama, the first book of Valtat’s planned New Venice trilogy, is a steampunk alternate-history fantasy set in a dystopian Victorian-age Arctic settlement. It’s an ambitious book, exploring a multitude of ideas and filled with references to literary works and native folklore. It also features the obligatory airship and zombies which seem to come with this genre. Valtat builds a complex and intriguing world, but he seems more interested in ideas than plot or character development. I found that the plot meandered all over the place and was made even harder to follow by the many descriptions of drug-induced hallucinations. The title is aptly named as it seemed very much like a diorama. There are plenty of interesting things to see and examine, but you still feel as if you’re on the outside looking in. While I don’t begrudge the time it took me to read this novel, I don’t have much inclination to read the sequel.

I just saw that the Henriksson version of Wallander is streaming on US Netflix - perhaps on Canadian as well?

45. I know at least some of them have aired on UK television so there's bound to be "less legal" copies with subtitles available if all other sources fail you.
Krister Henriksson is a good actor (so are all the other actors in the show, btw) and I like the way he portrays Wallander. But what I love most about the series is the lighting and cinematography. Scania just looks breathtakingly beautiful in some scenes and it's making me want to go on holiday there - which I've never really thought of doing before. So very, very pretty.

>47 -Eva-:, 48: Thanks for the info about the Henriksson version. I'll have to seek it out. In the meantime, I've started watching one of the Branagh episodes and I like it very much. I'm not at all qualified to comment on the pronunciation of names but Branagh is exactly as I'd pictured Wallander in my head. I also love the lighting and cinematography in this version, so if the Henriksson version is even better as you say, PawsforThought, then it really must be worth watching!

7. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (4 stars)
Category: Mystery
Reading Challenges: CAT Random (author new to me)

I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy a mystery series with a precocious 11-year-old as the main character, but I found Flavia de Luce absolutely charming. The English country house setting, the plot twists and the witty dialogue all remind me of my favourite classic British mysteries. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I definitely plan to read more in the series.

8. The Postman by David Brin (4 stars)
Category: BookCrossing books
Reading Challenges: CAT Random (author new to me)

After reading so many mediocre post-apocalyptic novels, it was a pleasure to read this well-paced and thought-provoking novel. It seemed a little preachy at times, but Brin sends clear messages that are still very relevant. My only complaint was that the novel seemed a bit disjointed, and I understand that parts of it were originally published as short stories. I’ve not seen the movie yet, but I’ve heard from various sources that I shouldn’t bother.

I'm so glad you enjoyed meeting Flavia! The series just keeps getting better, so since you liked the first one you're likely to like the rest of them.

I'm a big Flavia fan, too. I love how the adults don't condenscend to her.

Good review of The Postman! My BF bought that one with his Christmas gift card so I'll likely be borrowing it eventually :)

I'm not a fan of Flavia, but I am of the Postman. It's been such a long time since I've read it though, the details are dim. Need to do a reread!

>52 cbl_tn:, 53: Yes, I'm sure I'll enjoy reading the rest of the series, though I can't help wondering how many murders an 11-year-old can realistically encounter in her youth! :)

>54 rabbitprincess:, 55: I do hope that the two of you will read/reread this book. I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say. It seems that reviews are mixed but I liked Brin's writing very much.

9. A Mercy by Toni Morrison (3.5 stars)
Category: Everything Else
Reading Challenges: CAT Random (author new to me), CAT Awards (Orange Prize), CAT Alpha

I manged to squeeze in a CAT-Trick before the end of January with this book, and the timing is good as we start Black History Month. A Mercy is my first book by Toni Morrison, and likely not my last, as I find her writing to be beautiful and poetic. The novel follows the lives of a number of characters in 17th century America, with a focus on the ordeals endured by the Black slaves. There are many good reasons to read this book, but I also found it difficult to enjoy. The viewpoint switched frequently among many characters, and in such a brief novel, it was quite overwhelming. Also, there is so much despair in this book, with very few light or uplifting moments. "Relentless" is the word that comes to mind, but perhaps that was the reality for many of the people in the slave population at that time.

A Mercy was my first Toni Morrison. I thought it was an interesting time period because there were different types of slavery at the time. I can't think of any other fiction I've read that has both African American slaves and white indentured servants.

i plan to read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie this year. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did.

Agree - if you "buy" Flavia as a character, you will certainly enjoy the whole series!

I have The Postman on the wishlist - it ended up there when one of my coworkers had a veritable melt-down after watching the Kevin Costner-movie. The book was his favorite and the film was apparently atrocious. :)

>58 cbl_tn:: Yes, it was interesting to compare the plights of the slaves and the indentured workers, and even more so to see how they viewed free black men.

>59 Zozette:: I hope you enjoy it too, Zozette!

>60 -Eva-:: Having heard so many bad things about the film of The Postman, I'm now really curious to see it. :)

10. The Gallows Bird by Camilla Läckberg (3.5 stars)
Category: Mystery

This is the fourth book in the Erica Falck & Patrik Hedström series and is another absorbing mystery with elements of chick-lit. I think this is the only Nordic mystery/thriller series I've read that features prolonged descriptions of wedding dresses and the like. Before I'd started this series I probably would have cringed at the thought of that, but now, I'm so immersed in the series that I want to hear every detail about Erica's and Patrick's domestic life!

I didn't like this installment as much as the previous three books. Hedström's team investigates a couple of seemingly unrelated murders while a reality show is being filmed in town. I found some of the characters over-the-top (yes, even in a reality-show context) and the dialogue unrealistic. However, there were some good twists and turns in the plot and a few surprises, and the soap-opera elements provided by Erica's family and friends provided a nice distraction.

A couple of years ago I read White Cargo: The Forgotten History of Britain's White Slaves in America by Don Jordan and Michael Walsh. It compared white indentured servants to black slaves and showed that the whites were often the worst treated because the black slaves were seen to have value but many of the whites were seen as having little or no worth.

I will have to read A Mercy, maybe next year. I will put it on my wishlist.

January summary:

Books read: 10 from 7 categories

Books from off my shelf: 6

Challenges done: Random CAT, Alpha CAT, Awards CAT

Group reads: Sandman Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

Favourite book: Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Least favourite book: Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat

I enjoyed A Mercy when I read it.

>57 mathgirl40: You caught my interest with your review of The postman. I recall the film as being a bad execution of an interesting idea. I didn't know it was based on a book.

Reading blurbs though, it comes across as being a bit flag waving ("re-kindling the dream of America"), which is something I tend to be sensitive about. Would you say that is the case?

>66 GingerbreadMan:: It's interesting you say that, because as a Canadian, I occasionally feel the same way about over-zealous American patriotism, probably because of our "inferiority complex" north of the border. :) However, the kind of patriotism (and not just American) that bothers me most is the "we're the best in the world" sort. Brin's patriotism, to me, seemed more like a longing for the very basic values (decency, bravery, tolerance, the small things like postal service that make a nation civilized) that made America a great nation. Before reading the novel, I too had worried that the patriotic themes might bother me but they didn't in the end.

By the way, these reflections by Brin on the movie are quite interesting:
http://www.davidbrin.com/postmanmovie.html

ETA: I hope I don't offend any of my American friends with the comments about "over zealous American patriotism". I mean by this the kind that would probably make you cringe as well, and I dislike just as much similar statements made by Canadians about our own country. The only reason I point out American patriotism in particular is that, apart from the fact that it's the subject of Brin's book, we get exposed to it a fair amount in Canada, given the popularity of American TV shows, etc.

Speaking as an American, I am sometimes bothered by the over-zealous American patriotism which I feel is covering up some forms of racism. I support my country by volunteering and paying my taxes and I don't feel that it's necessary to run around town in an oversized truck with a huge American flag waving behind it to show patriotism. And several times I have considered moving to Canada when the U.S. has moved in a direction that scares and worries me.

> 62 - I think this is the only Nordic mystery/thriller series I've read that features prolonged descriptions of wedding dresses and the like.

Makes me intrigued to check into the series!

> 66 - 68 - Good comments. Patriotism is always a hard one, since levels of patriotism can viewed by different people in different ways. What makes me cringe is perfectly acceptable to others. I can turn a blind eye to most of it but when it is "in your face" in a prominent manner that seems disproportionate to the context of the setting, I have troubles with it, regardless of the nationality.

>68 mamzel:: Of course, you would be most welcome in Canada if you were to move here! Some of the political rhetoric from the far right in the US scares me also, but for the most part, my experiences with Americans have been very positive. I've visited a number of places in the US and even lived in Ithaca for several months. I love that city!

>69 lkernagh:: Yes, you're exactly right about patriotism that's disproportionate to the context of the setting. I sometimes roll my eyes at the way Canadians make a huge deal about a mediocre achievement just because it was done by a Canadian. :)

11. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (3 stars)
Category: Next in Series

Insurgent is the second book in Roth's Divergent series, about a civilization separated into factions based on their members' personality traits. The novelty of the premise and my curiosity about how it would play out made the first book very appealing. This second book, however, seemed more like the run-of-the-mill teen dystopian SFF adventure. There is still a good page-turning fast-paced plot, but the narrator spends too much time agonizing over past events. Perhaps that was done to help bring readers up to speed, but Insurgent isn't a good standalone novel, so I wouldn't recommend reading it without having finished Divergent. One thing that I found especially bewildering was the technology. This is a civilization capable of programming extremely complex simulations, so why is there such an abundance of hard drives, keyboards and 2-d projectors? You'd think they'd have more interesting hardware, and doesn't it ever occur to anyone to make a back-up of vitally important data? Still, despite these complaints, I'm eagerly awaiting book three as I need to find out how this series ends!

Interesting discussion about patriotism. I vaguely remember a dreadful old reality show that made the news where they set up tourists of different nationalities at a resort (at different times). They ruined the flag of each nationality and the Brits got a bit miffed but I think the North Americans were very very upset. I don't think either group would be seen as overly patriotic.

We all know it when we see it: that blind belief that someone's country is better, right in all things and any time huge sweeping generalisations are made. Of course it is true that we British are very good at making tea, unlike you foreigners.

72. You're great at making tea, but always seem to ruin it by putting milk into it. Also - can't make coffee. ;)

yuk to milk! tea is to be served with no such adornements, and those people who squeeze lemon in? heretics!

Yup, I drink both tea and coffee black (unless one of my Indian friends makes a real homemade chai). I started doing that during a summer work term when I was in university. The area where I worked didn't have a refrigerator, so the only option for coffee was artificial whitener -- ick! I got used to drinking it black and haven't switched back to my old ways.

I would ignore Pete, he is seen as a dangerous, heretical element in British society.

I have to concur about the coffee though: looks sadly at tepid, weak cappuccino.

Glad to know I'm among peers.

74. Lemon in tea should be illegal (unless we're talking "ginger tea" which isn't really tea at all but more of a ginger infusion).

75. Chai is different. You have to have milk in chai.

Oh, no. The best tea is very strong with milk, so that it looks like a liquid brick.

I have been very spoiled since my son started roasting for a local coffee shop. He knows my tastes and brings home special blends for the restaurants and B&Bs in the area. My present every day favorite is Sumatran. Yum!

We're spoiled too. One of our neighbours runs a local coffee roasting company and we get free home deliveries. Currently, our favourites are Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and an espresso blend she makes.

By the way, I must be spending too much time on LibraryThing (though usually I think it's not enough), especially looking at the reviews for the Sandman group read. When I first looked at "Sumatran" in your message, I read "Sandman". (They do have a lot of letters in common.) Now a Sandman-inspired coffee would be interesting!

12. Away by Jane Urquhart (4.5 stars)
Category: 2013 Award Nominees

This historical novel tells the story of a family that leaves Ireland at the time of the potato famine to settle in Upper Canada. It was one of the five books chosen for Canada Reads 2013 but unfortunately, it was voted off today, in day 2 of the debates. I particularly enjoyed the historical aspects of this novel as I didn’t know much about the history of the Irish in Canada, apart from what I had learned in school. Urquhart made certain events, such as the assassination of D’Arcy McGee, much more exciting that the bland presentation I recall from high-school history class back in Quebec. Interestingly, one of my friends said she had never learned about D’Arcy McGee in her history class. I guess he wasn’t important enough to make it into the Ontario curriculum!

I really appreciated Urquhart’s beautiful, lyrical writing and the touches of mysticism throughout the story. The minor characters were all wonderful, especially the skunk charmer. Did Urquhart make that up, or were there really skunk charmers peddling their services in those days?

Urquhart’s beautiful, lyrical writing and the touches of mysticism throughout the story.

I really need to get around to reading the copy that is sitting on my TBR bookcase. I am going to be very curious to see which book wins Canada Reads this year as Away was the one I was cheering for.

80. Surely a Sandman-inspired coffee blend would have the opposite effect of normal coffee? Some sort of super-decaf...

I would recommend to my son to create a blend called Sandman but I don't think the majority of the customers would get it.
I'm asking my son if they have that Ethiopian blend to give it a try.

>82 lkernagh:: I was surprised to see that Away was voted off so early in the week, and I had thought Indian Horse might win. I've not read it yet but I really liked Wagamese's earlier book, Ragged Company.

>83 PawsforThought:: I was thinking "dark and mysterious" rather than "soporific" but you do have a point! :)

>84 mamzel:: If you get a chance to try it, I'd love to hear what you think of it. I quite like it, but I'm not really a coffee connoisseur.

13. Son of Interflux by Gordon Korman (3.5 stars)
Category: Young Adult

This novel, a selection of our parent-child book club, is about a teenager who rebels against his father, an executive at a large corporation, by pursuing studies in arts instead of commerce. Furthermore, he leads a student protest against a major expansion of his father’s company that would destroy lands surrounding his school.

Gordon Korman is extremely popular in Canada but this is one of his older, less well-known novels. I am not a big fan of this author, but I can understand why his books are so well-received by children and teens. There are plenty of quirky characters, funny if completely unrealistic situations, and even some charming moments.

Can you tell us why you're "not a big fan"? I'm trying to read more young adult work this year since I'm now back to teaching that age group in the summer, but I can imagine some faults that would make me sorry to have picked it up, despite the positives you listed!

>87 whitewavedarling:: I tend to find some of Korman's humour on the "juvenile" side. He sometimes creates crazy, over-the-top situations which I find tiresome but which my daughter and her friends seem to love. Also, his characters don't always have enough depth to keep my interest. Your students would probably enjoy his books, though. He really is very popular here in Canada. I should also add that the books I've liked the least are his older ones. I think his writing has definitely improved over the years.

As an alternative, you might consider Kenneth Oppel, though his target audience is a little bit older. I absolutely loved his Airborn series.

Thanks! I'll make note of both and check them out later this year as I'm getting ready to go back to the young ones for the summer :)

14. Sandman Volume 2: The Doll’s House by Neil Gaiman (4.5 stars)
Challenges: CAT Alpha

This second collection in the Sandman series continues with stories where Morpheus, the embodiment of dreams, plays a role, and it follows for a large part Rose Walker’s search for her brother. My favourite story was undoubtedly "Men of Good Fortune," about a man who seeks immortality by making a deal with Morpheus. This story tracks their meetings through the centuries. I particularly loved the explanation of how Shakespeare stopped writing mediocre material and started producing his masterpieces. (This made me think of another of my favourite historical "revelations": how the Sphinx lost its nose in Asterix and Cleopatra.) "Collectors", about a group of serial killers at a "Cereal" convention, was terrific as satire, but it was a little too disturbing for me to enjoy. Otherwise, this was an excellent collection of stories, exploring themes of gender roles and control of one’s fate. I also appreciated the glimpses into Dream’s past history and character, as well as the continuity provided by Rose’s story, so this collection did not seem as disjointed as Volume 1.

I love that Asterix story! Well, I suppose it's hard to find one I don't like, come to think of it... :)

That is one scary Sandman cover! Glad you are enjoying it.

Nice little review of Doll's house! Many more Shakespeare cameos to come :)

"Men of Good Fortune" was excellent!

Now you are making want to re-read my Asterix books... ;-)

@91 and @94: it's so nice to find other Asterix fans! I grew up with Asterix and Tintin.

@92: Yes, the cover is quite disturbing, isn't it. I didn't really take it in at first, when I picked up the book. It was only when I looked at it from a greater distance that I noticed how creepy it really was.

@93: Ah, nice to hear that Shakespeare will reappear in the series!

15. The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell (4 stars)
Category: Mystery

In Mankell's sixth Wallander mystery, we meet another serial killer with a definite agenda. Mankell is great at creating atmosphere, and I enjoyed the ongoing story of Wallander's own personal struggles with his relationships. I liked the pace of this novel, though other readers might find Mankell's pacing to be generally slower than that of other crime novelists. Mankell conveys Wallander's thoughts in a meticulous fashion, and that can be tedious but gives us great insight into his character. I'm enjoying the series more with each subsequent novel and will be sad to get to the end.

16. Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (4 stars)
Category: Science-fiction and fantasy
Challenges: CAT Alpha

I’d bought this e-book as part of the excellent Humble Bundle offering a few months ago. Set in a dystopian version of South Africa where criminals develop symbiotic links with animals, the novel follows Zinzi December’s search for a missing teen celebrity. I loved the world that Beukes had built, one that can be harsh and dangerous but where the "animalled" have strange and unique magic powers that serve both as a gift and a curse. The idea of the animalled is clearly derived from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, and it was interesting to examine their somewhat different role in Zoo City.

I did not find the plot particularly strong, but I loved Beukes’s gritty and humorous writing style. I also grew to like Zinzi as a character, despite some of her despicable activities. This is a woman with a sharp and self-deprecating sense of humour, who’s tough but very vulnerable at the same time. Zoo City was definitely a worthwhile read, and I’ve heard that Beukes’s next book, Moxyland, is even better.

Some great reviews for your last few books! I loved The Doll's House so far my favorite of the series (of course I have only read 3 so far :)), I also felt much the same about Zoo City and fully intend on investigating more from this author. And, although I am behind you in the Wallender series, I hope to get my next one in the next few months.

Haven't managed to get around to Beukes yet, but very much looking forward to it when I do. I was wondering about the Pullman similarity when I heard what it was about - intriguing.

I'm pretty sure we haven't seen the best from Beukes yet :) One intriguing notion is that her Zoo City Cape Town and her Moxyland Johannesburg (or if it was the other way around) can hardly exist in the same world. Will be interesting to see which path she pursues - or if she finds a completely new one. THe strong sense of place, vividly captured, is one of my favorite things about her writing.

Beukes's new book is out very soon the shining girls

Oh good. My TBR is down to it's last two books. And they're just different editions of the same book, really. So I really needed that.

@100 Her new book is set in USA I think.. that's going to be weird.

Thanks for visiting, all! I'm sorry I was away for so long, but a big work deadline followed by a much needed vacation (in sunny Florida, visiting family members who'd recently moved there) meant that I've not been on LT as much as I'd like.

Moxyland is definitely on my TBR list, and I'm excited to hear that Beukes has yet another book out. Many of the group-read participants agreed that there were weaknesses in Zoo City, but Beukes seems to have so much potential as a writer.

17. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books and Classics
Challenges: CAT Alpha (February)

This was a reread for me, as it was the latest selection of a women’s science-fiction book-club to which I belong. Unlike my first time reading it, I knew the "secret" of Hailsham and did not receive that shock I received on my first reading when I realized the full horror of the situation. That did not make the novel any less powerful on this second read. I’m more impressed than ever with Ishiguro’s abilities as a writer. The chatty voice of Kathy H., so filled with the typical and mundane observations of any "normal" young woman, just adds to the incredibly sad and truly scary feel of the book.

As a side note, I attended the premiere of the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010 and had the pleasure of seeing Kazuo Ishiguro on stage. He defended the director’s decision to show in the opening scene what many readers would not figure out until well into the novel, but I do wonder if his private opinion might have been different.

18. The Geomancer’s Compass by Melissa Hardy (3.5 stars)
Category: Young Adult

This was a good young adult SFF novel with a touch of the supernatural and a focus on Chinese-Canadian history. There was not much character development but the novel did have an interesting enough setting (in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, no less), a well-paced plot and nice light humour. I’d definitely recommend this to younger teens but I’m not sure it has enough depth to appeal to older teens or adults.

19. Death of a Celebrity by M.C. Beaton (3.5 stars)
Category: Around the World (Scotland)

There’s not much depth in a Hamish Macbeth mystery, but it’s always a terrific weekend read. In this installment, Macbeth investigates the murder of a much disliked television celebrity who had threatened to reveal long-buried secrets while doing a feature on Lochdubh and its surroundings. There is also some development in Macbeth’s personal life, as he meets an attractive journalist with mysterious psychic powers.

20. Digger, Volume 1 by Ursula Vernon (4.5 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

I’m still somewhat new to modern graphic novels, so I find it hard to rate this volume as I don’t know how it compares to others of its genre. I will say, however, that I found this story about a courageous and sassy wombat to be funny, engrossing and utterly charming. I loved the artwork and the crazy characters!

I’m really looking forward to reading the subsequent volumes. I had received all 6 volumes of the Digger comics in my Hugo Voter Packet last year, along with novels (including Among Others and Embassytown, which I enjoyed very much), novellas, short stories and more. What a fantastic deal for $50 USD! Needless to say, I will be purchasing the 2013 packet when it becomes available.

A random side note: the default touchstone for "Digger, Volume 1" was the The Secret of the Old Clock, the first Nancy Drew mystery by Carolyn Keene. Huh??

Sheesh, we're in the second half of March and I'm just finishing up my February reviews! Pathetic. I will have to do better in the next few weeks!

February Summary:

Books read: 10 from 8 categories (for a total of 20)

Books from off my shelf: 5 (for a total of 11)

Challenges done: Alpha CAT

Group reads: Sandman Volume 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman

Favourite book: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Least favourite book: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Moose Jaw is definitely not a setting one sees often, especially in SFF!

I like the idea of the Hamish Macbeth series (and have read one or two) but keep forgetting about it when I'm at the library. Should pick one up soon.

You can get packets of Hugo nominees?? I can't tell you how excited that makes me. That's an award after my heart -- before the dawn of the internet, I was making hand-drawn lists of nominees and winners from reference materials at the library to figure out which authors to try.

Have you read and voted for many years?

>110 rabbitprincess:: I agree! Actually, I'd love to visit Moose Jaw one day. I've never been to Saskatchewan.

>111 pammab:: I definitely recommend getting the Hugo Voter Packet if you love SF. You can get more information about it here: http://www.lonestarcon3.org/hugo-awards/index.shtml. Basically, you pay for a one-year membership, and the Hugo Voter Packet is available as a bonus. Note that it's in electronic form, and last year, some of the novels were in PDF form, which doesn't work on my e-reader as well as ePUB. Last year was the first time I'd joined, and I'm definitely doing it again this year. Last year, the packet was released in May. I certainly plan to do some Hugo reading once the shortlists are announced. I hope you will too; it'll be fun to compare notes. :)

21. The Winter of the Lions by Jan Costin Wagner (4 stars)
Category: Around the World (Finland)
Challenges: CAT Alpha

Strangely, this is the third mystery I’ve read in the past few months (the others being The Gallows Bird and Death of a Celebrity) in which reality or talk-show television plays a major role. The Winter of the Lions is the third book in the Inspector Joentaa series, and it is a fairly short novel written in a spare style, which means you don’t get the description and analysis that is typical of a Henning Mankell novel for instance. However, you do get a chilling hard-to-put-down psychological thriller that moves at a steady pace to an exciting conclusion. There’s more character development in this one but I still find it hard to warm up to the brooding Kimmo Joentaa.

22. Sandman Volume 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

This third installment in the collected Sandman series consists of four very different short stories. The Sandman plays a role in each, but he is not the focus of the stories. My favourite is the highly acclaimed "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." It’s easy to tire of Shakespeare’s play, as it has been done and redone so many times in so many ways, but I do love Gaiman’s take on it, and the exploration of the father-son relationship gives the story depth. I also liked "Dream of a Thousand Cats" very much, especially the feline version of Dream. Seeing the different manifestations of Dream is one aspect of this series I particularly enjoy. I thought that "Calliope" was a good story. However, I found "Facade" rather disturbing, which surprised me, since I’ve read plenty of novels and seen films with more disturbing content without feeling the same revulsion. Perhaps the form of the graphic novel, with its combination of visual and textual information, affects me more than either alone? All in all, I thought this was a very good collection of stories, one that I might recommend over Volume 1 to someone wanting to just dabble in the Sandman series, as each story doesn’t require much knowledge of the Sandman world to enjoy.

I must admit to being almost religious about reading a series in order, but you make a good point about this installment being a good introduction for someone who just wanted to see what it's all about. The other ones do take more of a commitment.

@115: I too hate to read a series out of order. However, I did find Volume 1 of the Sandman collection a little confusing at first. After I got further along in the volume and picked up a copy of The Sandman Companion from the library, things got much better!

23. The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies (5 stars)
Category: Dust Collector

I went through a Robertson Davies phase in my late teens and early twenties, in which I read and reread his Salterton, Cornish and Deptford trilogies. I even had the great fortune to hear Davies speak when he was visiting my university. I can’t remember the topic of his talk but I can certainly remember his great presence. It’s been many years since I’d read a Davies novel but I decided to pick up again this one, the first in the Cornish trilogy.

Rereading this book was like being reacquainted with an old friend, one who is chatty, funny and so very learned. It was both comforting and intellectually stimulating at the same time. It was also a humbling experience, making me wish I were better read so that all those jokes about Rabelais and Paracelsus wouldn’t go right over my head. What I love most about this novel are the wonderful characters -- the idealistic Rabelais scholar, the volatile gypsy mother, the evil and cunning former monk, the professor doing research in dung. Some were so crazy that. in the hands of a less skilled writer, they would seem fake, but Davies manages to make me feel like I’ve met them all before. Set in a fictional university that has an obvious resemblance to University of Toronto’s Trinity College, where Davies had taught, the novel shows the academic world at its best and at its very worst.

I think I'll havecto try a Robertson Davies novel. He's not an author I'm familiar with, but he's been popping up a lot recently.

I have an omnibus of the Deptford Trilogy but never managed to get through the first volume. Will have to rescue it from my parents' place and give it a go someday!

@118, 119: I hope you'll both enjoy Davies. His most famous book is Fifth Business, the first volume of the Deptford Trilogy. My daughter just finished studying it for her Grade 12 literature class, but she did not like it so much. I guess Davies's style doesn't appeal to everybody, but he is a favourite of mine.

24. The Secret River by Kate Grenville (4.5 stars)
Category: Around the World (Australia)

This was a well written, well paced historical novel that drew me right into the story. Set mainly in Australia, the novel tells the story of British convicts exiled from their homeland who are forced to make new lives on this wild and strange continent. Grenville superbly explores the conflicts between the British and the native people, as well as the settlers’ difficulties in adapting to the new environment. Not all the characters are likable but they are realistically portrayed and they exhibit the strength and determination that one often associates with the first British settlers in Australia. The colonists eventually succeed in establishing themselves, but at a great cost. In securing a niche for themselves, they devastate the lands upon which the Aborigines rely. In that way, this story about the colonization of Australia is not so different from our own stories of settlement in Canada.

25. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen (4 stars)
Category: Young Adult

This novel was chosen by one of the members of our parent-child book club and the timing was fortuitous, as we were in Florida during March Break vacation visiting family members who had recently moved there. Our relatives lived very close to where Hiaasen had grown up and where Coconut Cove, the fictional town of Hoot, might have been set. This is an excellent book for middle-school kids and deals with bullying and environmental issues in a humorous and entertaining way. My only complaint is that the story is terribly predictable but I did like the characters very much, especially the main character Roy, who thinks through his problems and uses his smarts to solve them.

>120 mathgirl40:: D'oh! I just realized I actually have the Cornish trilogy, not Deptford. I've heard about Fifth Business as a high school text but never studied it myself. The BF did though.

For some reason both the Cornish and the Deptford trilogies sit unread on Mt. TBR. I can't remember why I bought them in the first place, but it's clear that I should give them a try!

I read The fifth business ages ago and liked it, but never got round to continue with the trilogy. It's been a candidate of mine for every challenge here on LT, but has never made the final cut. Maybe next year, eh?

Sounds like a lot of people have Davies on their TBR list. Maybe I'll organize a group read next year. I think this year's already getting pretty filled up with group reads. I'd like to finish the other two books in the Cornish trilogy this year, but I'd love to reread the Deptford and Salterton trilogies sometime. I've also had Murther and Walking Spirits on my TBR shelf forever.

A group read next year is an excellent idea. He's someone we all want to read more by, but it's so easy to choose new and shiny instead.

You just delivered a book bullet on The Secret River.

Great idea! I'd join that group read.

I'd be in on that group read too!

>127 RidgewayGirl:, 129, 130: Wow, I can't believe we're planning for 2014 already! :)

>128 thornton37814:: Glad to have done so, Lori! I would definitely recommend that book.

26. Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories edited by Kelly Link (4 stars)
Category: Short Story Collections

This collection of YA steampunk stories features all the usual elements associated with steampunk: Victorian-age sensibilities, airships, gadgetry, zombies, romance, and so on. However, there were some things I did not expect, such as a steampunk story set in ancient Rome, which worked surprisingly well. There were some stories I liked very much, such as "Clockwork Fagin" by Cory Doctorow and "Steam Girl" by Dylan Horrocks. There were also a number of mediocre ones. However, the value I found in this collection is seeing the variety of settings as well as the commonality in the steampunk genre, and I was happy to find several new-to-me authors whose work I’d like to investigate further.

27. Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow (3.5 stars)
Category: Science Fiction and Fantasy
Challenges: CAT Alpha

One of Doctorow’s early novels, Eastern Standard Tribes is narrated by a man at an institution for mental illness who insists he is sane and who tells the story of how he was set up by his former partner and girlfriend. The title refers to the situation in his world, where people form allegiances to "tribes" based on time zones. Like the protagonist Art, the novel was fast-paced and full of clever ideas, but I didn’t like it as much as his more well-known work, Little Brother.

28. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (4.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collector

After working on this gigantic tome on and off for the past year, I’ve finally finished it, and it was a wonderful reading experience! The book is not without its faults. There is too much repetition of ideas, making the novel longer than necessary, and so many of the women agonize endlessly over decisions. For that reason, I liked the character of Morgause though she was despicable in many ways; at least she could make a decision and not have any regrets about it! However, I loved the scope, the imagination, and Bradley’s ability to make me think of the Arthurian legends in a totally different way. What I liked best was the excellent exploration of the conflict between Morgaine’s matriarchal pagan society and the patriarchal Christian society of the outside world.

I borrowed from my library the DVD of the TV mini-series and watched it last night. Even though the novel seemed slightly longer than it needed to be, the movie was certainly much too short to do the book justice! I was disappointed by the omission of certain characters (notably Kevin) and subplots and the one-dimensional portrayals of Morgause and Mordred. Still, I enjoyed the film, particularly the performance of Angelica Huston, and would likely have enjoyed it even more if I had not read the novel first.

29. The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson (4 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

It’s not often that I find a non-fiction book that is so hard to put down. Larson interweaves the stories of architect Daniel Burnham, Director of Works for the 1893 Chicago world fair, and serial killer H.H. Holmes. While the story of Holmes created page-turning suspense, it was the descriptions of the fair’s development that truly fascinated me. The scope, the innovation and the impact of the fair were stupendous. The story read like a novel, which kept me engaged. However, Larson tends toward melodrama at times and I did wonder about the accuracy of the recreated scenes. Overall, I would recommend this book, particularly for those with an interest in architecture and its history.

->134 mathgirl40:
I remember absolutely adoring it when I read it many, many moons ago. It's on the list for a reread this year and I certainly hope it holds up - sounds from your review that it at least has a fighting chance. :)

>134 mathgirl40: This tome is one of my blind picks this year, and I plan to tackle it in june. Reviews like this make me hopeful :)

Anders and Eva, I'd love to hear what you think of Mists of Avalon when you get around to reading (or re-reading) it. Most people I know who have read it absolutely loved it, but there have also been some that had found it tiresome. I've heard that the remaining books in the series don't have the same impact as the first, which is rather disappointing, but I still plan to try one of them someday.

30. Dust by Martha Grimes (3 stars)
Category: BookCrossing books'

I’d read Martha Grimes’s early books many years ago and recall enjoying them very much but I was lukewarm about this one. I’m not sure if it’s that Grimes’s books have lost their original quality or that my own tastes have changed. The characters, with the exception of Melrose Plant, had very little appeal. The plot seemed tediously slow for most of the book and only started catching my attention in the last quarter when the various elements started coming together. It’s wasn’t a terrible mystery but it wasn’t much more than adequate. There were plenty of details about Henry James, as the novel is partly set in one of his homes. One good thing about Grimes’s novel is that it has made me eager to read some of James’s works, which may turn out to be more satisfying.

I had the same feeling about Martha Grimes the last time I tried one of her books. I used to enjoy them but they've lost a lot of their appeal for me.

That's LT for you -- over time it makes you dissatisfied with books you once would have loved. On the other hand, I don't seem to be struggling to find things to read.

@135 I second the recommendation, fascinating topic the Chicago World Fair

>140 cbl_tn:: Glad to hear I'm not the only one. I wonder if I'd still like her old books just as much if I were to reread them today.

>141 RidgewayGirl:: Yes, I've discovered so many good mystery series, especially, that some of the ones I used to love seem really mediocre now. On the other hand, there are some authors (Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers) that I liked before and appreciate even more now.

>142 clfisha:: The fair really is fascinating, and I was surprised that so many familiar products (shredded wheat, Cracker Jack, for example) were introduced there.

Last month, I was 18 days late with my end-of-month summary, so I'm definitely doing better this month!

March Summary:

Books read: 10 from 8 categories (for a total of 30)

Books from off my shelf: 4 (for a total of 15)

Challenges done: Alpha CAT

Group reads: Sandman Volume 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman

Favourite book: The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies

Least favourite book: Dust by Martha Grimes

31. Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese (5 stars)
Category: 2013 Award Nominees

A couple of years ago, when I’d read Wagamese’s Ragged Company, I liked it very much and was surprised that so few people had heard of this first-rate author. Finally, Wagamese is starting to get some recognition after Indian Horse was selected as one of this year’s Canada Reads nominees. It did not win, but of the five books, it was first in the "People’s Choice" poll, getting almost 50% of the vote.

I’ve heard it said that this book, about an Ojibway residential-school survivor, may turn out to be a "Canadian classic." I don’t doubt it. All the great Canadian themes are covered: the challenges facing the First Nations people, the contrast between the wildernesses and the cities, and Canada’s favourite game, hockey. There’s plenty of hockey in this book, and it made me feel nostalgic for my youth, when I regularly watched the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada with my family.

This novel can be grim and even brutal at times, and the hockey play-by-play may get tiresome for those who are not fans of the game. However, the writing is beautiful (even, maybe especially, the long passages about Canada’s game) and the story makes real in a way the newpaper coverage does not the horrible legacy left by Canada’s residential schools for aboriginal people. For those not familiar with this aspect of Canadian history, the CBC has a summary here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2008/05/16/f-faqs-residential-schools.html

Great reading happening here since I last stopped by! You hit me with The Secret River and I was intrigued to read your review of The mists of Avalon. I remember reading Zimmer Bradley's book when it came out as I was on an Aurthur/Merlin reading kick at the time. I had a lot of troubles with Mists of Avalon and shelved it. Not sure if I am up for attempting it again. The Devil in the White City is another book that I am looking forward to reading at some point. Looks like I will be adding Indian Horse to my future reading as well...... I never expected so much to come out of one visit to your thread, Paulina!

Thanks for stopping by, Lori, and I'm glad you found some books that appeal to you! I'd be interested in what you think of them. I can understand the reluctance to attempt Mists of Avalon again. I really enjoyed it, but reading it is a major commitment!

32. The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (4 stars)
Category: Next in the series

I’d been reading a good number of the newer Nordic crime novels lately, and it was nice going back to the series that had inspired many of the current crop. This volume, in which Martin Beck investigates the murders of eight people on a bus including a member of the police force, had excellent pacing and suspense. The authors were successful in creating good atmosphere, as well as moving the recurring characters’ stories along.

33. A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold (4.5 stars)
Category: Next in the series

I was introduced to Bujold and her Vorkosigan saga midway through the series, with Komarr. (Bujold herself wrote that this was a suitable alternate entry point to the series.) A Civil Campaign is the next one in the series and definitely requires that a reader finish Komarr first to fully appreciate it.

Subtitled "A Comedy of Biology and Manners", this novel follows the style of regency romances, and indeed, Bujold pays tribute to Georgette Heyer and others in her dedication. In addition to romance and comedy, there is suspense, political intrigue, and genetically engineered vomiting bugs. Really, what’s not to like in this package? Serious sci-fi this is not, but it’s great entertainment with superb characters and loads of wit. I’ve only read two Bujold novels and it thrills me that there is still so much more of hers to read!

34. Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold (3.5 stars)
Category: Other

This novella provides a charming story, without the depth of the other Bujold novels I’d read, partly due to its shorter length. The setting is the prelude to the wedding of Miles Vorkosigan, the main character in this series, but Miles plays a smallish role here. Instead, the story is about Armsman Roic and Taura, characters that have appeared in earlier volumes. I would recommend this novella to fans of the series, but as so many characters appear in this brief volume, I suspect I would have been quite lost if I hadn’t already been familiar with most of them.

->148 mathgirl40:
Gah, that's one of the series I mean to read! Being Swedish, I should already have done so, but I've been lured by the various TV-versions instead. Need to remedy!

I've only read the first in the Martin Beck series so far but definitely intend to carry on as I already have the next 5 sitting on the tbr shelves. I want to get to the Vorkosigan books too at some point.

I read The Laughing Policeman as part of a university class on mystery fiction (best class ever!) and really liked it. Looking forward to rereading it now that I have all the books in the series and can actually read them in order for once :)

Ohh, a Swedish mystery series that isn't on my wishlist yet, will have to rectify that!

>151 -Eva-:: I didn't know there was a TV series. Too bad it's in Swedish. :)

>152 AHS-Wolfy: and 153: I've been reading the Martin Beck series in order and I'm definitely enjoying each subsequent book more than the first.

>154 DeltaQueen50:: I hope you'll enjoy the series. I've been going through a lot of Swedish mystery series too. I love the atmosphere in many of these.

35. Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci (4 stars)
Category: Around the World -- (Romania)

I grew up in Montreal and the 1976 Olympics were a major event there. I recall being completely awed by gymnast Nadia Comeneci, the first to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in Olympic competition. This young-adult book, one of the selections of our parent-child book club, has Comaneci telling the story of her rise in fame in Romania and her defection to the United States.

The book is part of the Art of Mentoring series, inspired by Letters to a Young Poet, in which a prominent person writes as if answering letters to a young person. I particularly disliked this aspect of the book, as Comaneci's attempts to write instructive and inspirational messages seemed artificial. Her story, given plainly, is instructive and inspiring enough, not to mention fascinating and quite gripping when she writes about her defection. It might have worked better as simply her memoirs, written for a young-adult audience.

One interesting aspect is her evaluation of the training system in Romania. She describes it as intense, even harsh by North American standards, but insists she was a willing participant and never forced to do more than she herself wanted. Cunxin Li said much the same in Mao's Last Dancer. I expect that the very top athletes everywhere in the world, regardless of the political system in which they live, are extremely self-motivated and persistent, and they likely push themselves harder than any coach.

>156 mathgirl40: Great review! I remember watching the 1976 Olympics at my aunt's house when we were on summer vacation. Her floor routine was the best ever. I loved the music - Yes Sir, That's My Baby.

->155 mathgirl40:
There's an old movie-version of The Laughing Policeman with Walter Matthau, but other than that it's all Swedish I'm afraid. :)

>157 cbl_tn:: I rewatched some of Nadia Comaneci's performances on Youtube after reading the memoirs, and yes, that floor routine was great!

>158 -Eva-:: Wow, it's hard to imagine Walter Matthau as Martin Beck. I think I'll have to check it out sometime.

36. The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: CAT Alpha

I did not enjoy this graphic novel as much as I thought I would, given the praise this volume has received over the years. I had difficulties following the plot at times, but found the plot summary for part 4 written by Miller that was included with my edition to be helpful and worth reading for its own sake. Despite these grievances, I can appreciate how Frank Miller took the genre in a different direction from the beloved superhero comics of my youth. This is a darker, grittier Batman and Gotham City than I remember and much more interesting as a result. I also liked very much the new Robin and the contrast this youthful and bright character provided against the Dark Knight.

37. Asterix and Cleopatra by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

This quick and fun read is one of my favourites of the Asterix series. Some of the jokes (especially the ones that are repeated in every book of the series) get tiresome, though I adored them as a child. Apart from the slapstick humour, however, there is still a lot of wit and plenty of play on words. I love the explanation of how the Sphinx lost its nose as well as the colourful and cheerful artwork by Uderzo.

38. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold (4 stars)
Category: Science Fiction and Fantasy
Challenges: CAT Alpha

This installment of the Vorkosigan series gave exactly what I’m coming to expect from Bujold, after now having finished several of her works: a highly readable sci-fi story with a good dose of intrigue and superbly developed characters. In this story, Miles and Ekaterin's honeymoon is cut short when a diplomatic crisis, involving a missing and possibly murdered officer, arises at a nearby space station. I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as Komarr, perhaps because there were so many references to early books in the series. I didn’t feel as if the references hindered my understanding of this story, but I did keep wondering if I’d enjoy the story even more fully if I knew the entire backstory.

I need to get around to making a start on the Vorkosigan books at some point. Never seem to hear a bad word for the series as a whole.

Yay for Asterix!!!! I love those books.

->161 mathgirl40:
I remember taking the story about the broken nose as gospel truth when I was a kid - to the point that I still remember how disappointed I was when I figured out it wasn't the case at all. Not that I thought they were historical characters, but somehow it must have sounded like it was based on some sort of historical fact. LOL!

>165 -Eva-: Well that sort of thing wasn't, but the general background stuff was fairly historically accurate. There's actually a nice book about the history involved in it and how much was correct and whatnot.

>163 AHS-Wolfy:: I too have never heard anyone say anything bad about the Vorkosigan series. I do have friends who had raved about it for years and who are now relieved that I'm finally heeding their wisdom.

>164 lkernagh:, 165, 166: So happy to find other Asterix fans!! When I was a child, I did figure that some events (like the "hot water with a drop of milk" in Asterix in Britain) were not accurate, but the series certainly made me interested in learning more about that time period.

39. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (4.5 stars)
Category: Young Adult

This was a thoroughly enjoyable steampunk young-adult novel set in an alternate WWI setting with Darwinists (whose technology involves genetically modified animals) pitted against Clankers (whose technology consists mainly of machines). There is a reversal of traditional roles in the main characters. Alek is a prince, sheltered his entire life, but now on the run with a small band loyal to him, after his parents were murdered. Deryn is a tough and street-savvy girl who poses as a boy to gain admittance to the British Air Service. In the midst of the war, their paths cross, and the result is an exciting adventure story with excellent character development. My only complaint about the novel is the cliffhanger ending. At the end of a book, I don’t want to feel as if I’m still partway through the story!

->166 .Monkey.:
Which is probably why I totally bought the nose business - there was so much else that approximated accurate. :)

>169 -Eva-: haha well, especially for a kid, you never know when adults are telling the truth or just having a little fun! :P

>167 mathgirl40: I never read it as a kid, I didn't know about it then. But my husband is a huge fan so I've discovered it in recent years :)

At the end of a book, I don’t want to feel as if I’m still partway through the story!

Agreed. That is kind of a problem with some of these planned trilogies... those darn cliff hangers!

>170 .Monkey.:: It's never too late to start reading Asterix! I also loved Tin Tintin as a child and have reread several of the volumes as an adult.

>171 lkernagh:: I always feel the cliffhanger endings are a cheap ploy to make me buy the next book. To me, the best kind of series is one where, after each book, I feel a sense of completion but I'm so attached to the characters that I'm compelled to get the next book anyhow.

40. The Giver by Lois Lowry (5 stars)
Category: Dust Collectors

The Giver is set in a seemingly utopian society, one that was acquired at a very high price. Over the years, the citizens have given up not only a number of freedoms but also their memories of them. When Jonas turns twelve, he is given the position of Memory Keeper, the one person in the entire community with access to the forbidden memories, and as he slowly acquires them from the Giver, the former holder of that post, he realizes how very much they have all lost.

When I started reading this novel, I was struck by the many similarities there were between this book and young-adult dystopian novels that have followed it, such as City of Embers and Divergent: the tightly controlled insular community, the ceremonial entrance into adulthood where one’s role is assigned, and the inquisitive protagonist who starts to doubt the basic tenets of the society. The Giver, I found, is superior to the current crop of YA novels of a similar nature. One major difference is that, unlike many of the others, this is not a fast-paced action-packed book. Rather, the main character changes through his acquisition of knowledge and feelings. This is a quieter, more contemplative book that, as a result, leads to a more impactful resolution.

41. Eating Dirt by Charlotte Gill (4 stars)
Category: CAT Alpha, CAT Random, CAT Awards

I picked up this book because it was one of the nominees for the Ontario Library Association’s Evergreen award and then noticed it is a perfect choice for an April CAT trick, as it fits all three CAT challenges for the month!

Gill, whose earlier work had been nominated for a Governor General’s award in Canada, writes about her twenty years’ experience as a tree planter in the clear-cut forests of British Columbia. There is a marked contrast between the quality of her writing, which is poetic at times, and the rugged, gritty and back-breaking work that she describes. Gill talks about the history, the science and the environmental issues related to the cutting down and replanting of trees. However, the book is mostly about the subculture of tree planters, and like the best books of this type, it offers a fascinating view into what exactly these people do and what drives them to do it.

>172 mathgirl40: haha indeed, comics are great for all ages. My husband just recently went through and re/read all the Tintins in written order from the library, lol. A couple of them the Dutch ones were missing when he was at their number, so he got the English ones instead. I prefer the cartoon to the comics, myself. The comics very clearly show the time period they were written (Hergé was not intentionally racist, I'm sure, he merely thought the things everyone back then was brought up to believe, so his blacks were depicted in that manner, his "Indians" (aka Native Americans) were pretty horrible, etc), which is too frustrating for me to really enjoy them. Plus he's so absurdly over the top, I think it comes off better in the more modern cartoon adaptations. I do enjoy Snowy's thought bubbles, though, haha.

You're spot-on about the series book endings. They need to be resolved, with enough character stuff going on that would carry over, possibly some unresolved background other thing(s), but the main event of this book needs to be properly wrapped. I won't give money to an author who purposely leaves everything completely dangling. I have one of those on my shelves, bought book1 from BN's bargain sales thing for cheap, and enjoyed it well enough, but it just plain stopped. If I encounter the other 2 used for real cheap somewhere, or in a library, or whatever, I wouldn't at all mind seeing what happens, but there's no way in hell I'll hand any money to someone clearly just trying to rake it in by simply chopping one longer story into three pieces at random pages! ugh.

I went to see Westerfeld speak when the third book of the series, Goliath, came out. He described the process of illustrating as a real collaboration. Sometimes Keith Thompson added something in the illustrations that Westerfeld would question and eventually add to the story. It was an interesting talk.

Hi Paulina, glad to see that you enjoyed Eating Dirt, I thought it was a very well written book on a very interesting and unique subject.

I am planning on reading my first Lois McMaster Bujold in June with Shards of Honor, I agree that I haven't heard one bad thing about this author and, in particular, this series.

Another good review for Eating Dirt, I was going to get this for my mother but I may have to read it myself too :)

>175 .Monkey.:: I once heard author Robert Sawyer mention that his publishers didn't like to publish his stories as one gigantic book and that there is some pressure to split books into trilogies. I'm not sure I buy that completely. Guy Gavriel Kay, for example, writes long volumes that come out once every three years, but he did say, in a recent talk I attended, that he has an understanding publisher. Anyhow, Sawyer's experience might explain why there are so many series books that seem incomplete on their own.

>176 mamzel:: That does sound like an interesting talk. I loved the illustrations in Leviathan. In fact, I really like many of the newer steampunk books because the covers and illustrations are so beautiful. It's too bad the contents don't always live up to the visual effects, though they did in Leviathan! :)

>177 DeltaQueen50:: I'll be interested in seeing what you think of Shards of Honor. I plan to read it one day too, but I might do Bujold's Captain Vorpatril's Allegiance in June instead.

>178 clfisha:: I hope you and your mother enjoy Eating Dirt!

I'm planning to do Dewey's Read-a-thon on Saturday. An entire day of reading! What could be better? You can follow my progress on my blog if you're interested. Is anyone else doing this read-a-thon? It's really a lot of fun.

42. Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham (3.5 stars)
Category: Mystery

If you like traditional English mysteries, then this is a good choice. It has all the elements: an old country manor (floor plan included), a large dysfunctional family, and the detective from the outside with enough connection to the family that he is invited to settle in with the cosy group. The detective is Albert Campion, and I was introduced to him through the excellent BBC series starring Peter Davison. This is my first novel by Margery Allingham, and I was pleased to find that the book was just as enjoyable as the TV episode of the same name. There were some rather snobbish and racist comments which I’m not so accustomed to seeing these days, but I suppose those were typical of the times in which Allingham lived.

By the way, I was particularly pleased to have found this Penguin edition in a used book store last year. I love Penguins and have started to collect the mugs, like the ones shown below. I’ve got Great Expectations, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre so far. I need to get one of the green-and-white ones next.

Ooh, I like those mugs! Unfortunately I am on a mug-buying moratorium -- running out of cupboard space!

>182 rabbitprincess:: I understand completely. I will have to clear out some older ones before I can get any more Penguin mugs.

43. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (3.5 stars)
Category: Mystery

I did not enjoy this novel as much as the previous one in the series, The Laughing Policeman, but it was a good solid police procedural all the same. The introduction by Colin Dexter, where he admits he had not read any of the Martin Beck novels before being asked to write the introduction, was "interesting" to say the least. The role of Martin Beck is this novel is minimal. Rather, his various colleagues are in the spotlight and are developed further. The authors also provide some political commentary on the social challenges facing Sweden at that time.

44. Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay (3.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing books

Ysabel had a good story and good writing as I’ve come to expect from Guy Gavriel Kay, but the main character Ned just did not seem believable as a teenage boy, at least not a modern one. (The fact that I could recognize all the rock musicians he named made me suspicious.) There were many aspects of the novel that did not seem YA but at the same time, it did not read like one of GGK’s adult novels either. I did enjoy the story, especially the setting, but this would rate below the other GGKs I’ve read so far. On the other hand, a mediocre GGK book is still well worth reading!

Hi Paulina, I love those Penguin Mugs! I am planning on reading The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham next month, this will be my second book by her having previously read Sweet Danger.

Wow, lots of excellent reading going on here (of course)! See you tomorrow for the RAT!

> 181 - Love the mugs!

> 185 - I am leery about diving into Guy Gavriel Kay books and your review of Ysabel keeps me perched firmly on the fence, even though you do say that a mediocre GGK is still worth reading. Maybe I will attempt his works in one of the future category challenges.

>186 DeltaQueen50:: I would really like to read more Margery Allingham! I had planned to start at the beginning of the series, but then this book just ended up in my hands and I didn't want to wait.

>187 LauraBrook:: I'm up and all ready to start at the designated time!

>188 lkernagh:: Lori, please don't be leery about Guy Gavriel Kay. Ysabel was not as good as I'd hoped, but his other books that I've read (Tigana, A Song for Arbonne and Under Heaven) have all been absolutely fantastic. Tigana, especially, is a book that really stays with you. Ysabel is really unlike these other books. I think he tried to write for the YA audience, with mixed success.

Good luck today! I've got your blog up and am excited to see what peaks your interest first! I've often thought about signing up to be a cheerleader but have never gotten around to fully convincing myself. It's a shame, really, since over half of the thons that I've done I've not received a cheer visit! You know what, I just made up my mind - next time, I will be a cheerleader too! See you in a bit....

Those mugs are very tempting....

Lori, Guy Gavriel Kay is an amazing author. I'd suggest giving Tigana a try or, if it's size is off-putting, try The Lions of Al-Rassan. He really is an extraordinary writer.

I think it would be so fun to read the novel and enjoy a beverage in the same mug simultaneously. Kind of like going to a movie and having it advertised on your drink cup - but better!

If that's the case, you'd better not read Sparkling cyanide by Agatha Christie.

>190 LauraBrook:: I'm glad I had the chance to stop by your blog, and thanks for visiting mine! It was definitely a fun read-a-thon day. I managed to finish two books and started a third.

>191 RidgewayGirl:: I've yet to read The Lions of Al-Rassan. Another book to look forward to! Tigana is indeed a pretty long book but I found that the reading went fast.

>192 mamzel:: I'd actually bought the Jane Eyre mug for my daughter, because she liked my Pride & Prejudice one so much, and I gave her a copy of Jane Eyre to go with it so that she could do exactly as you suggest. I couldn't resist getting this Penguin Couture Deluxe edition for her, with cover design by Ruben Toledo. I'm generally not a collector but Penguin comes up with so many beautiful things for book lovers.



>193 Bjace:: Good one! Now you've got me thinking that literary champagne glasses would be pretty nice too. :)

45. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay (4 stars)
Category: Mystery

The set-up in No Time for Goodbye is very much like that in all of the Barclay thrillers I’ve read so far. An ordinary middle-aged man living a normal, mundane life suddenly finds his world turned upside down when something terrifying happens to a person close to him. In his search for the truth, he discovers horrifying secrets about his family or friends. In this particular novel, high-school teacher Terry Archer tries to support his wife Cynthia as she searches for answers about her family, who had all disappeared one day 25 years ago.

So can I sit through more variations of this formula without getting tired of it? The answer is a definitive "yes"! Barclay does ordinary characters so well. I find it easy to relate to them, and this makes the fear and horror they’re going through seem very real. Sometimes, Barclay's plots can be predictable, but I still can’t put down his books once I start reading them. I had picked this one to read for Saturday’s read-a-thon, and I finished it entirely in one afternoon.

I love Linwood's thrillers! I'm saving his latest, Trust Your Eyes, for my vacation next month. Can't wait to dig in :)

>196 rabbitprincess:: Linwood Barclay is the perfect vacation read! I'm looking forward to reading his next one myself.

46. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (4.5 stars)
Category: Classics and 1001 Books

I’m not sure what I can say about this book that hasn’t already been said. When I had read it as a youth, I recall thinking it was rather slow, but this time around, I enjoyed every detail. I’d watched the 2011 movie recently, and after rereading the novel, realized how much more depth there was to the characters in the book. The novel is not just about Jane’s and Mr. Rochester’s romance, though so many people seem to portray it as such. It’s equally about Jane’s relationship with St. John Rivers, which I found fascinating, and indeed, Jane’s relationships with others, such as Adele, the Rivers sisters, Mrs. Reed and Helen Burns. There are so many layers to this novel, and my only complaint is that the melodrama is a bit much for my tastes at times.

As a side note, there were several sentences that I found quite hilarious. Speaking of the warmer spring temperatures, Jane says, "the nights and mornings no longer by their Canadian temperature froze the very blood in our veins." I find it amusing that the word "Canadian" was used as a synonym for "freezing cold". It’s not cold here in Canada all the time, honest! Also, speaking of Adele:, Jane says, "As she grew up, a sound English education corrected in a great measure her French defects." It makes me wonder what the English really thought of the French at that time!

47. The Influencing Machine by Brooke Gladstone (4 stars)
This is a graphic non-fiction book describing and analyzing the media throughout history, with many examples taken from American politics. Graphic non-fiction in which the narrator is a cartoon character is not so unusual in children's books but is rather unexpected for this topic. It works surprisingly well, though, and I enjoyed the illustrations by Josh Neufeld. This was a thought-provoking book, and I would recommend it to most, but it helps to have some knowledge of US history and politics.

The Influencing Machine sounds interesting :)

48. The View from the Stars by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (3.5 stars)
Category: Short story collections

Not having read Miller’s classic Canticle for Leibowitz, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this short-story collection, which includes 9 stories originally published in the 1950’s. Several of the stories felt very dated, and "The Big Hunger" was rather abstract for my tastes. Still, I was impressed by the quality of Miller’s writing and the depth of some of his characters, especially in the context of the short-story format. My favourite story was "Crucifixus Etiam" about a migrant laborer on Mars, who is working to make the planet habitable for future generations of humans.

That story is in the Oxford Science Fiction Stories collection, it was interesting. :)

>202 .Monkey.:: Those Oxford collections sound really good. I'm intrigued by some of the other ones you'd mentioned on your thread, too. I'll have to check them out.

heh my library has several, so I've taken advantage ;)

49. Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists by Neil Gaimon (5 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

This collection of Sandman comics follows a single storyline. Morpheus, urged on by his sister Death at a family reunion, embarks on a journey to Hell in order to release Nada, a woman he had once loved and then banished there. When he reaches Hell, he meets Lucifer who declares that he is abandoning Hell, releasing all its inhabitants, and passing the keys into the care of Morpheus. Morpheus must then contend with the various gods who all stake a claim to the property.

There were many things I loved about this collection: the cohesion of the volume, the bringing together of gods and myths from around the world, the revelation that Morpheus has a conscience, the wonderful portrayal of Lucifer, and finally, the recurring theme that the inhabitants of hell choose to be there. My favourite story was "Charles Rowland Concludes his Education", which seemed to me at first to be a standalone story but actually fits in well with the rest of the collection.

I'm a few dates late with my April summary, but here it is. It was a terrific reading month. I finished 19 books, though admittedly a good number were graphic novels. I'm particularly pleased that I managed to hit every category this month!

April Summary:

Books read: 19 from 13 categories (for a total of 49)

Books from off my shelf: 6 (for a total of 21)

Challenges done: Alpha CAT, Random CAT and Awards CAT

Group reads: Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman

Favourite book: Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

Least favourite book: can't pick one; I liked every book I read this month!

Looks like you are making good progress with your challenge, Paulina! I just purchased a copy of Indian Horse this past weekend so very happy to see it is listed as a Favorite book for your April summary. ;-)

Catching up a few weeks of posts here. Another wonderful review of The giver! I'm somewhat tired of YA post-ap at the moment, but a slower, more introspective story sounds pretty refreshing.

I'n loving my reread of the Sandman series. I just finished volume 7, which has to be the masterpiece of the series, IMO.

>207 lkernagh:: Thanks, Lori. I'd love to hear what you think of Indian Horse. I think Wagamese is fantastic, and I'm thrilled that our region has picked one of his earlier books, Ragged Company, for our "One Book, One Community" read.

>208 GingerbreadMan:: That's so good to know that there's even more great stuff to look forward to!

Can't remember how The Influencing Machine ended up on my tbr but am glad to see a good review for it!