richardderus's sixth 2025 thread

No idea where this is, or who took the photo...but it is gloriously beautiful!

Welcome to Year of the Wood Snake.

Reviews 1, 2, 3 are here.
Reviews 4 through 17 are here.
Reviews 18 to 24 are here.
Reviews 025 up to 033 are here.
Reviews 034 through 044 are back there..

THIS THREAD'S REVIEWS
045 The Wretched and Undone in post #55.
046 Blood on Her Tongue : A Novel in post #79.
047 Palestine in a world on fire in post #88.
048 Your love is not good in post #99.
049 The night guest in post #107.
050 Heartwood in post #123.
051 A Carnival of Atrocities in post #165.
052 Sad Tiger in post #182.
053 Sour cherry : a novel in post #189.
054 The library game in post #196.
055 The fourth consort : a novel in post #213.
056 Antimatter blues in post #223.
057 Big chief in post #239.
058 The Creation of Half-Broken People: A Novel in post #243.
059 Perspective(s) : a novel in post #261.

All my threads in the 75ers linked somewhere here
My Last Thread of 2009 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2010 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2011 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2012 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2013 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2014 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2015 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2016 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2017 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2018 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2019 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2020 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2021 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2022 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2023 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.
My Last Thread of 2024 Is Here:
Reviews are back-linked there.

All previous Pearl Rule reviews linked here.

THIS THREAD'S PEARL RULE REVIEWS:
#008 One Night Two Souls Went Walking in post #281.

All previous Burgoine reviews linked here.

THIS THREAD:
#020 Conclave in post #127.
#021 The Quality of Mercy in post #246.

Seriously...not a great venue for normies here.
My 2024 goals are here, for reference.

2025 GOALS
I wrote an unprecedented 413 reviews in 2024, though certainly not all those books were read in 2024! I'm not counting books read, but reviews written. Decades of pilf from the review aggregators never got a real review written, just some notes on my computer. This year I went back to all my old computers and vacuumed notes onto a data stick. It's my purpose now to write at least a Burgoine review from those notes, post it here and on the DRC aggregator's site, and that will be my annual count.

For those who think I should follow the "books read in 2025" model, that's very interesting, and thank you for sharing your judgment with me. I will, however, be using the site the way I want to not how you think I should.

Numerical goals aren't really the point for me. I've shown I can meet or exceed them often enough now to think they're just unnecessary, and a little show-offy, for me. I will focus my efforts on getting my unwritten-review count down, and on focusing my efforts on reviewing #ReadingIsResistance titles.
☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂☀☁☂
1Q25 was a suckass time to be alive. The Felonious Yam and Muskolini came out swingin' and enshittified a lot of lives. It was a time of terrible stress and serious immiseration, and I myownself could not possibly hate it more.

I wrote eighty-three reviews of all types. Two reads stood out in excellence: Rio Muerto and The Case of Cem. Several were bad, but only one made me angry because it was so effing lazy: Conclave, whose movie actually won an Oscar!!! The apotheosis of blah, bland thinking and writing in both media, and directing of a film.
2Q25
3Q25
4Q25

See >5 richardderus: for 2024 achievements & 2025 goals.
Monthly (and special hashtag events) wrap-up posts are linked below.
JANUARY 2025 here.
FEBRUARY 2025 here.
MARCH 2025 here.

GBBO and other special foodie projects will be linked here.
Season 15's comments linked here.

Fine. You win. It's your turn.

Happy new one. 🤩 wow, what a gorgeous topper.

Happy new one, Richard. That topper is definitely glorious!

>9 Ameise1: Happy to see you, Barbara!

A springtime crown for you, my dear lady.

>10 jessibud2: It's apparently the entry hall of a building right next to the Taj Mahal. Welcome, Shelley!

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Tuesday to you. Happy new thread!

No book sort/Virlie’s today.

From your last thread, ladies coming up with Rabbit as a name reminds me that John Updike used Rabbit as a name, albeit a nickname, in his Rabbit series, which I’ve never read.

Heh. Trope fatigue. Weary story syndrome.

>1 richardderus: Absolutely stunning.

*smooch*

>11 richardderus: Thanks so much. I like it. As children we always made flower headdresses like this.

>14 Ameise1:. Happy New Thread, Mr.D!

That was a great review of Twist on the previous thread. What is it about Irish authors? I’m reading a charming Niall Williams right now, Time of the Child, and thinking great storytelling, the gift of the gab, really is genetically passed down in that country.

I enjoyed McCann’s wire walker novel, and this looks like another one I’ll try. It is mind-boggling to think how dependent we are on those undersea cables.

>13 karenmarie: "Rabbit" Angstrom was, as you say, a nickname and one he hated in the books. Updike's and his coeval Cheever's stuff is, blessèdly, sinking from the conversation like Kingsley Amis and the other post-WWII British men. I'm not mad about it. I was never mad for them, though. Some good stuff, and mostly reams and reams and reams of mediocre overpraised misogyny and homophobia. So long, y'all!

I liked "weary-story syndrome" too. Feel free to use anywhere. I'm glad you like >1 richardderus: as well! So beautimous. *smooch*

>14 Ameise1: Oh, I'm glad it brought up good memories. I love the daisy crowns!

>15 jnwelch: Hi Joe! I'm routinely gobsmacked at Ireland's outsized footprint in the literary world for its smallish Anglophone population. I think the setting of Twist : a novel is an excellent choice for that reason. It's largely unknown to the users of the internet how the hell the damn thing works...it might as well be magic to most people. The story brings home the stakes of the problems we're increasingly seeing in geopolitics.

I suspect you'd really enjoy the read, so I hope it will land on your list soon. Nice to see you!

>1 richardderus: It is gloriously beautiful!

Happy new thread, RD! ((Hugs)) and **kisses** for today. I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

>1 richardderus: Yes, it’s definitely beautiful!

Happy new one!

Happy new thread!! And I love the banana dolphins up above!! Definitely post your reads/reviews when and how you want. Smooch.

Happy new thread Richard.

>1 richardderus: What beautiful doorways.

>19 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! *smooch*

>20 drneutron: Amazing looking space, no? Thanks, Doc.

>21 Berly: Howdy smoochling! Happy to see you.

>22 humouress: Agreed, Nina, and everything so amazingly decorated that the doorways are more elegant still.

...and Musk...and Zuck...

"reams and reams and reams of mediocre overpraised misogyny and homophobia" That about sums up my reaction to those dudes. Throw Saul Bellow in there too.

Happy New Thread, Richard!

>27 richardderus: I laughed at that sign but then I reread it and thought. "eueeeueu no!!"

Happy new thread, Richard!

Karen O

Happy new thread!

>28 laytonwoman3rd: Awomen, Linda3rd! *smooch*

>29 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah!

>30 RebaRelishesReading: Ha! Agreed, Reba...not even with YOUR dick, as I used to say as a babyqueer.

>31 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen O.!

>32 ocgreg34: Thank you, Greg!

Happy new thread, Richard

>1 richardderus: Lovely!

>27 richardderus: haha

>38 ArlieS: Thanks, Arlie, and I'm glad you got a chuckle too.

>27 richardderus: - LOL! and rfj, jr, and......the list is simply too long, isn't it?

>40 jessibud2: Oh myyy, as Takei would say...it's pretty much endless.

>1 richardderus: What a wonderful reddish orange

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Richard!

>1 richardderus: That is a gorgeous entrance!

Happy new one, RD!

Happy New Thread Richard!

>18 richardderus: Three of my four five star books from last year were from Irish authors.

>42 figsfromthistle: I so agree, Anita! Thanks.

>43 atozgrl: Thank you, Irene, I'm glad you agree too!

>44 katiekrug: Merci, Mme Katie!

>45 SandDune: Diolch i fy ffrind! It was my 2024 6* of five read's source too, Rhian. Odd....

Salutations on your new thread, RD.

>50 PaulCranswick: Thanks, PC!

Happy New Thread!

>52 SilverWolf28: Thank you, my dear!

Happy newish thread, Richard
>1 richardderus: this is so beautiful!

045 The Wretched and Undone by J.E. Weiner

This is a dark and spooky Texas-set (ironically) immigrant-family saga.

>54 Deern: Hi Nathalie! It's new-to-you, so all good here. I'm glad you like >1 richardderus:!

Hiya, RDear! Happy Wednesday to you.

>16 richardderus: I have 3 books by Kingsley Amis that I can deaccession.

>27 richardderus: Love it, but sad to say am not willing to deal with maga nuts potentially targeting us. Lots of delivery folks here.

>28 laytonwoman3rd: The title and publisher’s ‘defies expectations’ are enough to have me running to the … well… hills. Not my cuppa, of course.

*smooch*

Richard, I thought you might appreciate this.

;-)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RBy-3jBY7ME

He couldn't run that fast if his life depended on it. All the more reason to make it happen. Here, and in Greenland, too, lol!

>57 karenmarie: Kingsley Amis's Lucky Jim is the only one I'd encourage you to read before deaccessioning. It's aged poorly, and well at the same time. I think it's appalling gender politics but an excellent character study of the incels, via what I'd have to call their fantasy fulfillment. Plus it's got some savage satirical stabs at the "experts" we all love to hate.

Other than that, all your decisions seem logical and grounded in facts. Why aren't YOU president instead of the Felonious Yam?

>58 jessibud2: I love it! What a hoot!! I don't want the Felonious Yam to escape that, rather I don't mind of he doesn't...I'm only concerned for the bear's ingestion of so much toxic waste.

>1 richardderus: GORGEOUS!!!! I would have guessed Spain, but India certainly makes sense.

>27 richardderus: heh That would be a long list indeed, so I'm content to let the figurehead stand for all of them.

I agree with your middle-ish century white male novelists assessment. I read all the Rabbits, but I could have done as well without them. I'm glad that you don't have Malamud on your list. I value him - or did at the last reading.

Happy Thread new to me and *smooch* for Hump Day!

>55 richardderus: I think I am going to give that one a pass despite your excellent review, RD.

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today, Richard! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

>61 LizzieD: "Islamic" is really more applicable than any toponym, since that style is associated with the spread of the religion through hot miserable places by that miserable thing, religion.

I just forgot Malamud, and Bellow, and Mordecai Richler. They're all in there, too, but didn't ever make me attend to them. Hell, rereading Vonnegut in the 21st century is a bit too cringe for me to recommend him anymore, and as for Brautigan and Bukowski...!

*smooch*

>62 alcottacre: Morning, Stasia! But it's set in Texas! How can you resist?!

*smooch*

6 threads in not-quite-three months!! I'm exhausted just thinking about it! Nevertheless -- happy new one Richards!!

>65 RebaRelishesReading: I do like to stay busy....

xo

>64 richardderus: Easy. I am a Pennsylvanian by birth and still think of myself as such :)

>67 alcottacre: *gasp*

>68 richardderus: Not sure why you are gasping, lol. I have never thought of myself as a Texan since we moved from Pennsylvania to Iran back to Pennsylvania to Maryland to 3 different places in Florida to multiple places in Texas. . .

>69 alcottacre: ...but...but...STASIA! You live in God's Demi-Paradise!! You're required to join The Cult℠!!! Pfui on Penna.!

>7 richardderus: Brilliant idea!

>71 sirfurboy: It makes me giggle every time I see it, Stephen.

>70 richardderus: ? :(

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Thursday.

>59 richardderus: Okay – just de-accessioned The Old Devils. I deleted and just re-added The King’s English because it’s nonfiction, I just looked through it, and it has some interesting stuff.

I’m younger than the chaos demon, better looking, smarter, not ethically and morally challenged, and etc. Yup. I could nail it.

>63 richardderus: I surprised myself by seeing that I have The Assistant by Malamud on my shelves. No Bellow, no Richler. One Brautigan, which was Bill’s. No Bukowski, but lots of Vonnegut. I’m not sure I want to revisit owning books by him at this time.

*smooch*

>73 mckait: heh

Lured you out of hiding!

>74 karenmarie: Thursday orisons, Horrible!

Your touchstone goes to Fowler's book. The King's English: A Guide to Modern Usage is Amis's. I have it, too, and for the same reasons do not deaccession it. You'll get to thinking about Kurt's work...I will say my problems with it are very 21st-century squeams, so I'm keeping the books. I just can't let go of the good bits because they were so high-quality at that time; the bits that haven't aged well are, well, not hard to ignore. I ignore the only gay man in UKL's The Dispossessed committing suicide...it was 1972 while she was writing it, that wasn't outrageous yet.

We need to accept nuance even when we disagree with the ideas. *smooch*

Good morning, Richard! I'll give lip service to acceptance of nuances while disagreeing with ideas. I guess I do this without thinking much past doing it. My mind skips immediately to a very conservative W.F. Buckley follower in 1967, who discussed articles in The New Republic with me because she needed to know what the other side was thinking, and I lapped up everything I read there. I respected her, but I could never watch 'Firing Line,' and I certainly can't watch FOX now. I know that's not what you were getting at, but it's where my mind seems to go every single time it gets a chance.

I'm happy that we're omitting the likes of Roth and DeLillo, neither of whom I've read.

(I love The Assistant, Karen. I can see why RD doesn't. The man could write!)

I hope you find a lot to enjoy for the rest of your day, Richard. *smooch*

>77 LizzieD: Thank you, Peggy me lurve. I feel much the same as you do, only I use ground.news to track the word salad of the stupids so I don't have to experience it full force. Roth's omission is simply down to my never having included him as I was repulsed by Goodbye, Columbus when I read it as a hormone-drenched gay teen. DeLillo isn't on my own omit list.

I'm tryin', I'm tryin'....*smooch*

046 Blood on Her Tongue : A Novel by Johanna van Veen

BLOOD ON HER TONGUE is a modestly successful Carmilla revamp that earned 4* from me:

Just dropping by to report that my area's prime art college, Kutztown University, doesn't have the book about Rothko that you recommended. Not in its library. Other Rothko books, but not that one. I'll chase on; lots of universities in this region.

Purge all the writers you want. I shall not be moved.

>70 richardderus: No, I will not join The Cult℠! I am leaving that to other family members. *sigh*

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today, RD.

>80 weird_O: Of course, Sir Weirds-a-lot. No one is forcing you to deaccession those of less than desirable profiles.

Yet.

Hunt the good hunt before They force ideological ownership on us all.

>81 alcottacre: Your turn will come.

Indeed it shall.

*eville laughter*

>79 richardderus: Dadgummit, got me with another one!

>84 drneutron: *eville chortle*

Well, there ya go...they ricochet all over, them book bullets.

(sounding scary over here; maybe I'll try again later)

>86 humouress: (maybe Saturday; today's worse)

047 Palestine in a world on fire by Katherine Natanel, Ilan Pappé

It's Haymarket Books' aptly titled collection of interviews with eminent thinkers about the Palestinian genocide.

‘Morning, RD. Happy Friday to you.

>76 richardderus: Touchstone fixed. I mostly appreciate Vonnegut’s pre-1980 stuff, and am completely in love with now and will be in love with forever, Slaughterhouse Five. I only have one book by Le Guin, and haven’t ever read it.

>78 richardderus: Just signed up for ground.news and added the app to my cell phone.

>79 richardderus: Pass, but good review. Body horror a hard pass. I watched Carmilla after Jenna mentioned it quite a while back, my first exposure to the story.

>88 richardderus: My sympathies with the Palestinians started with Vanessa Redgrave in the late 70s and have continued apace in the ensuing decades.

*smooch*

>89 karenmarie: I was raised among pro-Palestinians, surprisingly, though in my father's case it was mostly anti-semitism. Mama said during the Yom Kippur war, "what did they expect, come steal people's homes and you'll always get a fight!"

Still feel that way today.

Carmilla is a precursor to Dracula and, in most ways, much more horror-y to me. This version was just...okay.

Yay for Ground News! It's a very very useful tool in the political climate we're in. I can not endure the direct exposure to toxic evil rightwingnuttery I once could. Like Vonnegut, I just can't now. Too much else I need to do. *smooch*

>91 richardderus: ???? but no thanks anyway.

Hope your Friday is an excellent one!

>88 richardderus: Definitely adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, RD.

((Hugs)) and **smooches** and hopes that you have a fantastic Friday!

>92 LizzieD: No joke, Peggy! "Assorted" has better abbreviations they could've chosen.

>93 alcottacre: Excellent, Stasia! I'm so pleased!

Finally checking out your new digs here, Richard! *smooch* for the day

>96 bell7: Ha! I was just over at yours grumbling about how much fun you were having this weekend! *smooch*

>76 richardderus: FWIW, much of the time my mind treats certain novelists as writing about an alternate reality where whatever prejudiced nonsense is true. Women aren't people; they are rewards for male success, just as if they were Kzin females, so let's get on with the adventure story. Indigenous people are ogres, orcs, etc., put into the book to provide a nuance-free evil enemy for the heroes to defeat - much like e.g. Nazis in some World War II adventures.

Such a book generally is and always was shallow, more or less pure heroic adventure bereft of nuance. But they work as conquering hero/ine adventure fantasy - yes, even heroine, because I'm clearly of the active, doer species, and thus identify with the (male) hero, not the female (possibly Kzin, and thus too dumb to learn language) he gets as his reward. And while I wouldn't appreciate his specific reward - ych, a sex and life partner that lacks intelligence, initiative, and self respect - I can appreciate him/me winning the usual reward for his/our success.

I suspect I'd have a lot more trouble with similar movies, if I were in to movies. Seeing the non-people would make it harder for me to map them into folkloric, mythic, and sci fi constructs like orcs and Kzin. But in reading, their behaviour screams "ogre", or non-sapient, or whatever, and there's no visual contradiction.

048 Your love is not good by Johanna Hedva

And Other Stories' 2024 Republic of Consciousness Prize nominee gets a trade paper edition on April 15th...soothe Tax Day pain with a story exploring queer desire's darker corners.

>98 ArlieS: I sort of "see" books as movies, so that dodge isn't available to me. I'm often trying to find some sort of logic in the brutality, as in *why* does this story need this gory thing *here* to make a point? When the answer is a grunt of masturbatory completion, I quit. Any other reason, no matter it makes me curl a contemptuous lip, I can work with it.

The mythic frame is very useful to me in this regard as it turns the violence into a Peter-Jackson-LOTR montage, and I just can not take those at all seriously. Orcs? Clearly fake, CGI things, so the point is to dehumanize victims, valorize Manly Men, and I'm deeply unmoved by this.

‘Morning, Rdear! Happy Saturday.

>90 richardderus: Hmm. I was raised in a non-religious home but with Judeo-Christian influences. My maternal grandmother would weep to hear that, since she lived with us from 1956-1964 (when she died) and was devoutly Presbyterian. I remember her hunched over her radio to listen to Sunday sermons, but my dad was agnostic and either wouldn’t allow my mom and his mother to take us to church or they didn’t want to go against him.

I knew quite a few Jewish kids until we moved in 1967, but no Palestinian or Arab kids that I remember.

I was shocked when I realized that Sheridan LeFanu is a real author. I thought he was a fictional plot device in Sayers’ Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane novel Gaudy Night. Harriet had returned to Shrewsbury College to research him for a book, then got caught up in all the college doings.

>91 richardderus: *smile*

>99 richardderus: Think I should recommend this to Hwan?

*smooch*

>101 karenmarie: I don't remember Sheridan LeFanu coming up in that story, so how cool to have it in my mental database! TYVM

I think Hwan would likely enjoy the read, though probably with an edge of eyerolling. Still and all, a read well worth recommending to her to show you're thinking about her.

I was hoping for fewer clouds than I got from this Saturday...oh well, it's spring so this is what we're supposed to have. Albeit just a bit warmer. *sigh*

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today, Richard, and hopes that you have a super Saturday!

>103 alcottacre: *smoochiesmoochsmooch*
***

No further comment.

>104 richardderus: - The Wayne and I were just saying the other day that we were due for a re-watch of this - one of our very favorite movies ever...

>105 katiekrug: Depressingly, none of the current meatspace cast are as talented or entertaining as Sellers. I did get a wry chuckle out of it because The New Yorker audience is most likely one of the few that's still got people in it who catch the reference.

049 The night guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir (tr. Mary Robinette Kowal)

Mary Robinette Kowal's translation of THE NIGHT GUEST by Hildur Knútsdóttir, a deeply unnerving psychological domestic horror novella that centers misogyny, was a 3.5* read for me.

>91 richardderus: LOL

Wishing you a good weekend.

>108 RebaRelishesReading: I'm glad you chuckled, Reba, and I wish you a very fun, full of delight, weekend right back.

>91 richardderus: That wouldn't make me want to run out and buy them!

Have a wonderful weekend, Richard!

>91 richardderus: As long as it is chocolate, I'll have one.

Morning RD, I hope you have a lovely Sunday.

New week smooches!

>111 vancouverdeb: *chuckle* You're a brave lady, Deborah!

>112 Caroline_McElwee: Morning, Caro! Thanks for the Sunday wishes, heartily returned.

>113 MickyFine: Hi Micky, happy week-ahead's reads.

It's my gang-review day of the Burgoines and Pearl-Rules. I was deeply pleased that Nancy Pearl queried me on Bluesky as to why she wasn't getting notifications about the monthly post, was I no longer doing it? So I started tagging her on Bluesky the way I had on Twitter, and got a nice thank you. It's very validating when your heroes notice what you're doing with the inspiration they've given you. The text from Bsky:
It's the last Sunday of the month...time for a few short #BookReviews! Each month I do a few @nancypearl.bsky.social-inspired explanations of unenjoyed books; a few @nathanburgoine.bsky.social-inspired quick takes on enjoyed ones.
Current crop is here:
https://expendablemudge.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-2025s-burgoine-and-pearl-rule...

Hi RDear! Happy Sunday to you.

>104 richardderus: I’m also reminded of Tom Lehrer’s song “So Long Mom, I’m Off to Drop the Bomb”. He’s still alive, will be 97 on April 9th. Serious impending doom and prescient/humorous impending doom.

>107 richardderus: Intriguing, but not quite enough. Your review, as always, is excellent.

*smooch*

>118 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible! I'm not going to urge >107 richardderus: on you. It was good until that gorram ending. That's enough to ruin any read, for me at least; but it *is* full of good writing.

Lehrer must be wryly chortling about how useless satire is now. *smooch* for the nice compliment.

"Old Tom Gauld, he drew a farm
e I e I o
...
with a plofpplofp here and a plofpplofp there..."

Hi Richard, dear friend, Happy New Thread, sending love and hugs from both of us and Elliott.

>121 johnsimpson: Greetings, John! Happy to see you in my new thread!

050 Heartwood by Amity Gaige

HEARTWOOD: A Novel...A Read with Jenna Pick...via Simon & Schuster Books, takes us with three very strong women to resolutions of life issues they did not expect:

Great review. I wish you a good start to the new week. *smooch*

>124 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, and the same to you.

MARCH IN REVIEW

I reviewed thirty-four books in March. They ranged from okay, but interesting, up to outstanding. On the downside, there was a truly disappointing read that didn't make me think the future of discourse was going to be better after my departure from this mortal coil. And it was a book I *agreed* with. The sheer *awfulness* of the pseudo-arty Conclave, book and film, cemented my mood of despair...the horrible thing won AN OSCAR!!!

The Case of Cem OTOH was an excellent read. It's almost a half-century old, and is just now being translated into English! Murrikinz and they obsession with the great evils commuhnism and soshulism and suchlike refuse to engage with ideas or words not written here. The book was written by a Bulgarian; them people's commies, can't be bothered with 'em. It was not at all about any of that Cold-War stuff (officially). It was fascinating as a kind of afterlife trial of a man whose life was utterly destroyed by an authoritarian who had no truck with weaknesses like mercy or fairness.

The read spoke to me. It had the advantage of being very well-translated from Bulgarian...a language Anglophone readers are now discovering thanks to Gospodinov...as well as topicality. I recommend it highly. I was also exercised and riled up by The Man Nobody Killed, the latest from Elon Green whose first book Last Call impressed me.

A better-than-expected reading month! Hip hip hooray! Now what fresh hell is April gonna bring....

BURGOINE #020

Conclave by Robert Harris

Rating: 2.5* of five

Don't bother. Read Earthly Powers instead.

The film's worse...the lavish visualization of a Signal chat between two old men far too sure they're interesting.
***
Somehow or another I never posted this here!

Hiya, RD, and happy Monday to you.

>119 richardderus: Ah, yes, gorram. It turns out that it was used way before Firefly, but that’s where I first heard it. I may be up for a re-watch soon… my brown coat has been in the closet too long.

>120 richardderus: Excellent.

>123 richardderus: I am happy to read a Publisher’s blurb that ends up with the restrained written with both enormous literary ambition and love. Over-top-blurbs appeal less than reasonable ones.

You are Lena… I love your description of her/you.

Alas, it’s too rich for my blood right now, what with being released tomorrow, but it’s on my wish list. Her The Folded World is intriguing, too.

*smooch*

>127 richardderus: Hmm. Liked the book of Conclave and liked the movie even more.

Earthly Powers is a pretty good 'un too

>128 karenmarie: Horrible my sweet! I'm as always surprised at how ready you are to travel down rabbit holes others simply decline to see..."gorram" was one of the reasons I got into Firefly in the first place, and all the other clever ways they got around the censors...any creative team that could go that deep into world building got/gets my admiring attention.

The Folded World sounds as heteronormative as the rest of her fiction. I won't seek any more out, as I would have to shell out my own United States dollars for it which, oh hell no.

One result of decades of therapy is the willingness to be honest about myself and my affect on others. Lena is how I come across to others, as well as an accurate reflection of who I am inside. *shrug* Should I deny it? Whatever for? Acknowledging your presentation of self's impact on others is crucial to understanding what it is that's really happening in one's life.

But more Gaige reading? Nuh uh.

Monday orisons!

>129 magicians_nephew: We are all as Heaven made us, Jim. 0.o

>132 magicians_nephew: *shudder* How did he tell they were dead-v-dying?

>127 richardderus: We watched Conclave over the weekend. I was perfectly happy with the discussions between the older men but did not like the ending at all. I found the ending quite trite and simplistic and it could easily have been something very different.

>134 SandDune: I thought the conversations were the equivalent of texts. Tucci saying "you're such a rebel" and, well, nothing else was ever said and there was certainly no sign of him being anything but an old church guy. Then...that ending...it...well. Nothing interesting happened; no one changed anything; no one's "character" developed.

Just like the dull book.

>107 richardderus: Decidedly not for me. Thanks for the review though, RD.

>120 richardderus: LOL! I really enjoy Tom Gauld!

>123 richardderus: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, RD!

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today

>123 richardderus: - I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the Read with Jenna picks and this one caught my eye...

>126 richardderus: Wow! 34 books! that is quite a feat.

The Case of Cem will go on my wish list.

>136 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Good call on >107 richardderus:; >120 richardderus: is a delight; >123 richardderus: is a solid read that I feel certain you'll enjoy a lot.

*smooch*

>137 katiekrug: Get it from the library on audio, a friend told me he liked the narrator so much he kept going in spite of giving the book 2*.

>138 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita! I think The Case of Cem is really a special read indeed.

Good Tuesday morning, Richard! Hope your week is going well so far. At least he hasn’t started a war with France or Denmark yet. I know, early days.

Heather Cox Richardson’s essay from yesterday talks about that ploy—starting a war with a foreign power to distract from domestic issues, with a historical reference to Lincoln’s Sec of State Seward’s early effort to do just that in an effort to distract from the issue of slavery and unite the country. Fascinating. Luckily, Lincoln was having none of it. Ah, the days when the president was honorable and not a criminal out to gut the country to line his own pockets (and stay out of prison).

>123 richardderus: Well, you got me with this one. I’m on the holds list at the library. (I just counted how many books I have on hold—25, and quite a few are on your recommendation.)

Especially when it's justified by all the awfulness around us....
***
>142 Storeetllr: Enjoy >123 richardderus: Mary...it'll keep you flippin' pages.

I think the absolute worst thing about the Felonious Yam and Co. is their utter venality.

April is, as I know y'all know, National Poetry Month. I am sure each of you has already put up your shrine to Wordsworth and bedecked your bookshelves with daffodils.

I will spend April reviewing every poetry book I have on my Kindle. Here is the list:

>144 richardderus: - LOL!

>143 richardderus: Love it!! (and I'll try to keep reminding myself of it too)

>145 jessibud2: I'm glad you enjoyed my little jest.

>146 RebaRelishesReading: It's so incredibly important to take good mental health care right now. It's always good to find a reminder or two along the way.

Can y'all even believe Perdido Street Station is 25 years old?! Neither can China Miéville:
https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/30/author-china-mieville-says-we-shouldnt-blame-s...
Thanks to Stephanie for sending along that link to a magazine I don't often read.

...I agree with you on several levels. One is, even though some science-fiction writers do think in terms of their writing being either a utopian blueprint or a dystopian warning, I don’t think that’s what science fiction ever is. It’s always about now. It’s always a reflection. It’s a kind of fever dream, and it’s always about its own sociological context. It’s always an expression of the anxieties of the now. So there’s a category error in treating it as if it is “about the future.”

Awomen, China!

>144 richardderus:
This made me laugh!

>150 richardderus: Really clever!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Karen O

Hiya, RDear! Late in the day happy Tuesday to you.

>126 richardderus: I neglected to congratulate you on your March reviews – 34 is a great accomplishment.

>130 richardderus: I’m inquisitive by nature, definitely, and now that I can just look up something on duckduckgo and figure out how far down the rabbit hole I want to go, I have loads of fun. I so wish Firefly had not been cancelled. Sadness.

>150 richardderus: Clever.

*smooch*

>151 benitastrnad: It's a good'un eh Benita?

>152 klobrien2: Made me chuckle, too, Karen O. I love that kind of cleverness.

>153 karenmarie: Thanks, Horrible! I thought >150 richardderus: was a darn funny cartoon. 34 reviews was a total I was very pleased with.

Firefly being a product of a very problematic creator, I'm torn, but I so loved the show.

>144 richardderus: Ha! I'm with you on that one. (No Wordsworth shrine for me.)

>149 richardderus: That quote about science fiction is so right on!

>150 richardderus: Love it!

>157 atozgrl: ...more of a TS Eliot lass, are you Irene? *chuckle* We're just not looking at reading in quite the right light are we.

I'm glad you enjoyed >150 richardderus: as much as I did.

>149 richardderus: So excited that there might be a new book by China Mieville. Jacob and I went to an author talk by him years and years ago, and he was a great speaker. Clearly very thoughtful.

>159 SandDune: It's always a good day when a favorite author is coming out with something he's been working on for 20 years!

>158 richardderus: I'm definitely more of a TS Eliot "lass"! I can do without most poetry, but can enjoy some that's more easily accessible. I'm afraid I *do* like rhyme. And I just don't get most modern poetry. Must not be "literate" enough, or some such thing.

>161 atozgrl: Eliot is the anti-Wordsworth, so it seemed like the obvious choice. I just don't like poetry, any of it. I don't think it's any fun.

>144 richardderus: I appreciate your plans for poetry month.

>143 richardderus: Love that.

>150 richardderus: Ha.

051 A Carnival of Atrocities by Natalia García Freire (tr. Victor Meadowcroft)

A CARNIVAL OF ATROCITIES, things going wrong? blame a woman!, got all 5* from me here:

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Wednesday to you.

>156 richardderus: Ah yes, the very problematic Joss Whedon. However skeevy and predatory he was, he was brilliant. I prefer to think that watching Buffy and Firefly honor the fantastic actors, costumers, makeup artists, and etc. Possibly simplistic, but oh, well.

>144 richardderus: and >161 atozgrl: and >162 richardderus: Poetry is not one of my favorite genres, and except for EE Cummings, I prefer rhyming poetry. When I read it. Which is infrequently. Or more accurarely, rarely.

>165 richardderus: You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din. 9 POVs, translation, dream-like prose, and etc. don’t endear this one to me. Pass, as shouldn’t surprise you.

*smooch*

>163 Familyhistorian: ...a plan I shall fully execute.

>164 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caro! Sending hugs.

The 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist is below. I've read two of five, hated one and liked another well enough.
Good Girl by Aria Aber

All Fours by Miranda July...many many many many people just luuuv this. I'm hesitant to try it.

The Persians by Sanam Mahloudji...huh?

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout...no one can convince me these are anything but forgettable nonce books.

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden...decent; absent lesbian awakening, I'd be as dismissive as I am of Strout's dull "entertainments."

Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis...huh?

12 June's winner announcement will come with a £30,000 check. Lucky winner!

I have to admit that I have yet to read one from the 2025 list so far. I will wait to see the winner. A great prize, indeed!

Happy mid week

>170 figsfromthistle: I don't think you're missing anything by waiting. Wednesday orisons, Anita!

>139 richardderus: Thanks for the input, Richard!

>144 richardderus: Your list is about as long as mine is. . .

>165 richardderus: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review, Richard.

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today

>166 karenmarie: I wondered what happened today, and it turns out I'm inattentive not you're avoiding me. Yeah, Whedon's not a good person, like so many others. I still enjoy the shows, just not as much.

Poetry. Ick.

I think you'd hate >165 richardderus: so I'm glad to hear it. *smooch*

>172 alcottacre: I thought you'd be dragging your Joyce Kilmer and Alfred Lord Tennyson omnibuses out to re-read this April...? No?

>165 richardderus: snuck up on me. I liked it until the ending, when I bloody loved it. *smooch*

>165 richardderus: Well, definitely making a note of that one. Thanks for the review!

>175 bell7: Hi Mary! >165 richardderus: is something I can see either working really well or really falling flat for you, if you feel it's too tricksy. You don't seem to enjoy the quirkier edge of modernism from what I can tell.

xo

>165 richardderus: I always sit up and pay attention when I see a 5-star review from you! I think I’ll give A Carnival of Atrocities a look-see. Thanks!

Karen O

Edited to add: Not at any of my libraries yet (it’s new, so, of course not!) I’ll put it on my LT TBR.

>176 richardderus: You don't seem to enjoy the quirkier edge of modernism from what I can tell. No, I don't. I do like what multi-POV can do when done well, however, and at 160 pages I'm willing to take a chance. I appreciate your personalized comments, if I end up abandoning it partway through, I won't feel like I'm missing out!

>177 klobrien2: I'll wager you'll need to ILL or ask your library to get one. Libraries aren't mad for small press books or translations and this is both. ¡Suerte!

>178 bell7: It really isn't a huge time commitment, so you're not risking much.

Except your sanity. *eville laugh*

Well well well...look what Tumblr showed me first today:

...just as I'm posting >182 richardderus:...it's amazing how easy random chance is to feel like god's hand.

052 Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno (tr. Natasha Lehrer)

SAD TIGER, French-Mexican author NEIGE SINNO begins a society-wide conversation about incest...a subject many do not want to think or talk about...especially survivors. Like me.

Sweet Thursday, Richard. As you can tell we are back and trying to get back into our usual routine, which includes enjoying Jackson Day. We sure miss the little guy. I hope all is well with you, my friend and thanks for your visits over on my quiet thread.

>183 msf59: Heya Mark! I'm so happy you're back with such good memories and pretty pics. I know that kind of travel is fun but also exhausting. So is Jackson time, of course, but in a different way.

Enjoy the reentry process, and keep the envy-bait images comin'!

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Thursday.

>181 richardderus: Thanks for posting this. I’m not on Tumblr so wouldn’t have seen it otherwise.

>182 richardderus: Gulp. As soon as I saw your opening sentence, I knew this would be hellish for you. I’m sorry that you were greeted with hostility and lying in the 1980s. Onto the wish list it goes. From a purely publication viewpoint it’s interesting that the paper book came out on the 1st and the Kindle book will come out on the 15th.

*smooch*

>185 karenmarie: White upper-class women do not like men messing with their victim party.

Thanks for the sympathy. It's not an easy subject but one we ALL need to attend to.

Writers about history often say something similar.

"History is always about then . . . and it's always about now"

>187 magicians_nephew: It's just the truth. We'll always have no way to understand or focus on any stories other than the lens of Now.

053 Sour cherry : a novel by Natalia Theodoridou

SOUR CHERRY is a feminist retelling of the folktale Bluebeard...only with empathy enough to go around. It's a debut novel, the start of a long career, via Tin House Books.

>188 richardderus: Some of us are old enough to remember times when we/society had other concerns, assumptions etc. And some of us came from places that were different from where they are now.

My lenses started being formed in 1957, in a country where I no longer live, and included material older than I was.

>190 ArlieS: Custom is what forms the world we work within. You aren't that person, with those concerns; that's the past, and the past is the lens of now. We can't see the past, it's too much altered; we can only see it through our todayness. Your lenses began forming in a world that doesn't exist anymore. As do everyone's.

We get older, and put on glasses we grind to our specification, but they're today's lenses over yesterday's eyes.

Oh, Richard. My usual song of can't catch up, but I grinned happily at your poetry list (I confess that I haven't read even one of the Knopf 1-a-day poems in my e-mail) and the literary fish.

I'll have to come back some other time to look at your latest reading comments. Here comes the weekend! *smooch*

>191 richardderus: We get older, and put on glasses we grind to our specification, but they're today's lenses over yesterday's eyes.

How true. We bring our past experiences with us into the present. But even further, those past experiences can be shaped by those even older than ourselves.

>192 LizzieD: They're poems, Peggy me lurve...they're interchangeable and indistinguishable. Read one ya read 'em all. No guilt attacheth to thy inattention. Ego te absolvo.

>193 Familyhistorian: There's a reason they call it "generational trauma," eh Meg? It's inevitable in any social system that this is the way we roll, since we in aggregate refuse to learn to do better. It's down to each individual's needs and abilities for progress to be made.

054 The library game by Gigi Pandian

THE LIBRARY GAME is Author Pandian's latest bookish cozy mystery among a pack of good friends, via Minotaur Books.

‘Morning, RD! Happy Friday to you.

>186 richardderus: … especially if there was federal/state funding involved in supporting victims.

>187 magicians_nephew: Insightful review as always, but I’ll pass. Shouldn’t surprise you.

>196 richardderus: See immediately above.

*smooch*

>197 karenmarie: Especially then indeed.

>189 richardderus: and >196 richardderus: aren't very solidly in my good graces so I won't argue for 'em. Thanks, though, for saying the reviews are good. I'm not sure how much my lukewarmity harms my reviews, though they seem to do okay in despite of it.

*smooch*

>181 richardderus: 💔 {{{hugs}}}

>199 Storeetllr: *smooch*

>194 richardderus: Oh dear, Richard. I've had students say the same thing about books - any books.

*smooch* anyway and *smooch* again just because!

>201 LizzieD: Thank you, smoochling! I've never ever known a mode of expression that could not justly be lumped into that statement by someone who dislikes or misunderstands the mode in question. It's always true...for the speaker. I'm discovering the greatest moral relativists are usually the most dogmatic and inflexible non-thinkers.

My only point of superiority to that description is awareness of it and a stubborn determination to resist the easy path it represents.

I know, Richard, I know. I was just twitting you a little. At this point I'm unwilling to invest myself in reading poetry although it's another thing on my list to hope for.

>203 LizzieD: HOPE for?! Are you also pining for TB or mumps?! I swaNEE I do not understand les femmes

>174 richardderus: Well, since I own neither, there is no chance in Hades.

Yay for loving it at the end!

>181 richardderus: That is a good one.

>182 richardderus: I need to read that one. I was not an incest victim, but I have a stepdaughter who was. She was abused by her mother's husband starting at age 14. Felisha had the courage to speak out and the man ended up in prison.

>196 richardderus: That sounds right up my cozy-loving alley. I will have to see if I can find a copy.

((Hugs)) and **smooches** and hopes that you have a wonderful weekend.

>205 alcottacre: It's so appalling how common incest actually is.

What?! You no longer have dozens and dozens of English Poets in gilded-page editions?! All that Byron, all that Browning just...gone? So sad. Your credentials as a droopy, depressed poetry-fancying gamine are in grave danger!

>196 richardderus: will please you on many fronts. I liked that the characters all had each others' backs. Let me know what you think when you think it!

*smooch*

‘Morning, RD! Happy Saturday to you.

>198 richardderus: The posting of lukewarm and bad reviews of books is almost more important than positive reviews.

I have way too many books of poetry on my shelves, most of ‘em unread. I just scanned my poetry tag and see 9 of them that I could easily deaccession without it hurting my feelings at all.

*smooch*

>207 karenmarie: Morning, Horrible! I encourage the removal of poetry from all human habitations, even when it causes temporary pain, as this will contain the spread of the damned stuff. Of course you'll be sending it to the book sale, thus perpetuating the cycle...permaybehaps just leave 'em on the shelves, or better yet, put 'em unboxed in the attic for the silverfish.

It's hard for me, a novelist manqueé, to say unkind things after someone's been so deeply enmeshed in the act of creating a novel. When I am nasty, you know it's bad! Being lukewarm's harder still...all that work and the best they get is "yeah, okay"?

But in the end I'm on the readers' side so I needed to get past the squeam. Still never easy.

Morning, Richard. I enjoyed hanging with Jack yesterday for a few hours. He was bashful at first but quickly warmed up. He is into Star Wars lately and wields a mean light-saber. I am meeting birding buddies this AM, although it is damp and cool here. Waiting for a big warm-up.

>208 richardderus: Unless it is Simon Armitage, RD?

Have a good weekend dear fellow.

>209 msf59: Morning Intercontinental Birddude! I hope les birbs cooperate with you and display themselves on the dampish bird walk. Enjoying your time with your grandson fails to shock me....

>210 PaulCranswick: As an exception to prove a rule, he's one. And only one. Heh.

055 The fourth consort : a novel by Edward Ashton

This is the latest sci-fi funfest (with a serious well-made point) from Edward Ashton via St. Martin's Press.

Happy weekend smooches!

>214 MickyFine: *smoochiesmoochsmooch*

Weekend *smooches*

>216 bell7: Same back at'cha, Mary.

>206 richardderus: Your credentials as a droopy, depressed poetry-fancying gamine are in grave danger! I cannot tell you how sorry I am about that - NOT

Unfortunately The Library Game is not available to me either from my local library or through Hoopla.

>213 richardderus: Well, I will give that one a shot. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Richard.

Have a wonderful weekend, RD. ((Hugs)) and **smooches**

>218 alcottacre: Of course you cannot tell me how sorry you aren't. I know you're secretly weeping into your pillow with dread and regret.

I hope >213 richardderus: and its sequel (review tomorrow) will delight. *smooch*

Delurking to wish you a wonderful weekend!

>220 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita! Same wish heartily returned.

Delurking to wish you a happy weekend, Richard - though we're heading into the tail end of it here.

056 Antimatter blues by Edward Ashton

ANTIMATTER BLUES is Edward Ashton's second Mickey7 novel via St. Martin's Press, and a solid 4* read:

>222 humouress: Thanks! I'd say we're due for a redefinition of our weeks to include 48 more hours of "end" into them. If AI's taking all the jobs, let it give us more time off.
***

>224 richardderus: 1) Yes please. Or at least more work-from-home/ flexi-time.

2) 🤦‍♀️ 😱🙅‍♀️

‘Morning, RDear. Happy Sunday.

>208 richardderus: Letting books rot in the attic gives me the heebie jeebies. Just can’t do it. I’d donate them to the Friends. It’s hard to tell from our Spring book sales because Poetry is a subset of Oldies and Classics for some reason. We had 84 boxes of that category, sold 72. However, I noticed one of the guys consolidating and re-boxing quite a bit of poetry at the tail end of the sale.

>213 richardderus: and >223 richardderus: Great and fascinating reviews of books I’ll pass on.

>224 richardderus: Ah, Gauld, you’ve nailed it. Again. So much said.

*smooch*

>225 humouress: I hadda look up "Make Albion Great Again" to see if Gauld was makin' it up.

He wasn't.

I feel sick.

>226 karenmarie: Morning, sweetiedarling. Lettin' poetry rot in the attic isn't like letting *books* rot in the attic. It's more in the nature of letting deadheaded plants turn to compost.

What?! You SF maven you! I was morally certain you'd go order two each of the entire Ashton œuvre.

*snort*

Gauld's cartoon humor very closely matches mine and this unnerving one even moreso. He seems like someone it would be fun to have here on LT. I wonder if any of us knows anyone who knows him. I'd volunteer as tribute except I can't travel to the UK to go hunt him down. I have my doubts that being stalked by a crazed fan would work as persuasion anyway.

*smooch*

>182 richardderus: Way behind here, but glad that I happened to read this particular post. Thanks for sharing. I am so sorry. But I love the person you turned out to be. xoxo

>227 richardderus: I assumed Gauld made up "make Albion great again" too. Then, following your lead, I looked. I also heard some news in passing about the SAVE act. Scary stuff!

Morning, BigDaddy! I am so late to this thread, but I love your topper so much. It speaks to me.

>91 richardderus: Made me laugh!

>117 richardderus: So full of fabulous!

>144 richardderus: I laughed out loud! I love you SO much!

>149 richardderus: What a great quote.

>165 richardderus: A direct hit! Onto The List it goes. I gave your excellent review my thumb.

>182 richardderus: Oof. "This is me speaking in support of this necessary, awful read. Most especially for those who say "it's horrifying, I can't read that" to themselves or out loud.

Your failure of empathy speaks louder than any words."

Okay. You got me with your honesty and your disavowal of anyone's "I just can't." Brutal but fair - onto The List it goes, and thank you. Again, I added my thumb.

>191 richardderus: "We get older, and put on glasses we grind to our specification, but they're today's lenses over yesterday's eyes." Truth.

>213 richardderus: "I shouted at my Kindle from 97% on." SO maybe not. On the other hand, I did just pick up a copy of Mickey7 on my latest bookstore jaunt.

>223 richardderus: Skipped this since I have not yet read Mickey7.

>224 richardderus: Gauld never disappoints.

*Sunday smooch*

>230 Berly: So much to love in that, Berly-boo, and thank All those useless gods we've found each other. Even if you are fifteen years younger than I am, you're such a solid and necessary support. *smooch*

>231 Familyhistorian: Scary is le mot juste, Meg. It's appalling. It's nauseating. And it's hideously dangerous. These scum are...invective fails me. That's rare, and scary at the same time.

>232 Crazymamie: Isn't that space glorious, Mamie? I look at it every day and each time I feel uplifted and happier for the seeing.

I think you will do better with Mickey7, and possibly >223 richardderus:, over >213 richardderus:. Please go see the film too! I know you're among the Gauldish here because you love to laugh. That one's got a wee wince in it, but a big ol' laugh for sure.

>233 richardderus: Countless smooches. : )

Monday *smooch* , Richard!

>237 vancouverdeb: Monday *smooch* right back, Deborah!

057 Big chief by Jon Hickey

BIG CHIEF is Jon Hickey's debut novel about a Native American nation's political leadership & corruption; it's about loyalty and grief and healing, all via Simon & Schuster.

Morning, Richard. Back to the grind. It will be nice to see the kids again. I will also be back to playing PB. I miss that as well. Still waiting for a warm-up here.

>240 msf59: Warm is for April, Mark, we just need to muddle through until then. Getting that routine back is so comforting, isn't it. I'm always discombobulated when things get off my accustomed track. Enjoy the reimmersion into your life!

>239 richardderus: - This sounds like one I might like. I'll have a look at the library...

Hope you have a good start to the week!

058 The Creation of Half-Broken People: A Novel by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu

THE CREATION OF HALF-BROKEN PEOPLE is a new African Gothic novel from a Windham-Campbell Prize winner and published by Canadian literary powerhouse House of Anansi Press.

>242 katiekrug: I think it's likely you'd enjoy it, Katie, but may I respectfully request you consider >243 richardderus: even more strongly? It just *feels* like The Katie Book℠ of my April's reading. Both of them come out tomorrow, so it'll be some time before the library has them.

Monday's been good enough if a touch on the dank side for my true pleasure. Spend yours splendidly.

>244 richardderus: - Hmm... TBH, Ndlovu doesn't appeal much at all, despite your excellent review. We'll see!

BURGOINE #021

The Quality of Mercy by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu

Rating: 3.5* of five

The Publisher Says: From 2022 Windham Campbell Prize winner Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, the breathtaking conclusion to her multiple award-winning City of Kings trilogy, including The Theory of Flight and The History of Man, “Perhaps the most monumental trilogy to come out of Southern Africa.”—Afrocritik

Everyone saw Emil Coetzee drive into the bush the day the ceasefire was announced. Beatrice, busy consoling her friend Kuki over the loss of her son and marriage. Dikeledi, the postwoman who refuses to lean. Tom, the drunk who makes his living impersonating Emil in backroads bars. Vida de Villiers, stuck in a coin-toss choice. Saskia, the feisty reporter determined to ruin Emil’s name. Marion, the enigmatic lover he left behind. Mrs. Louisa Alcott, the lonely farm wife reading Mills & Boon romances in her best dress, waiting for her life to begin. But nobody saw him drive out of it.

So begins the investigation of Spokes Moloi, the first black chief inspector in the City of Kings, who on the eve of his retirement is handed one final crime: the possible murder of Mr. Coetzee, the notorious head of the Organization of Domestic Affairs, who disappeared on the same day the country's independence beckoned. In investigating Emil’s disappearance, Spokes' path collides with an assortment of witnesses with the best and worst of intentions—including a pair of corrupt investigators with an eye towards framing the guerrilla icon Golide Gumede for Emil’s murder, and the insatiable public, infatuated with Emil and unable to come to terms with the fact that the future they had so long anticipated had, at last, arrived.

With a nation in flux and his beloved wife Loveness forever present in his mind, Spokes’ investigation leads him back to the very beginning— and gives him one last chance to solve the twenty-year-old murder case that determined both the path of his life and destiny of his country.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I made a fatal error with this book. I accepted it not knowing it was the third of three mysteries. I was swept up in the prose, and absolutely loved the setting and cast, but couldn't figure out what the hell was going on or why.

Now, of course, I've read The Creation of Half-Broken People so I am all the more aware of how very little I *got* about the read. Start your journey with The Theory of Flight.

Catalyst Press lists the ebook for $9.99, and that would be great if you're current with the series.

>245 katiekrug: Really? Well, do keep it in mind for another mood...and thanks for the nice compliment.

>243 richardderus: Yeah, that definitely sounds like my jam. And I probably won't get all of the references, which sounds like it might be a plus.

*smooch* for the day

>248 bell7: Heh, I think you'd like looking 'em up! xo

Richard, I don't know where I've been for a week or more, but it certainly hasn't been here at LT. I can't catch up, but I'd like to explore Ashton someday. Otherwise, *smooch*. That is all.

>250 LizzieD: Ashton is well worth your eyeblinks, Peggy. I think Mickey 17's getting a bad rap from the toxic end of fandom, but you're not famous for rushing out to see all the latest films so it likely won't be on your menu.

*smooch*

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Tuesday.

>229 richardderus: Gads. I hadn’t heard of it. They throw crap out there to get everybody in an uproar, then slyly do something like this.

>239 richardderus: …alienating absence of interest in building tension…. I chase that tension in novels, novellas, and even short stories, so would pass on this even if it appealed on other levels.

>243 richardderus: Okay, onto the wishlist it goes. I do want to know what happens next.

*smooch*

>243 richardderus: A second look at that review puts it on my list with thanks. I haven't been a great reader of gothics, so I think I wouldn't be troubled as you were by intrusions of tropes past.

Yep. SAVE. It looks so innocuous on the surface. Meanwhile, in NC HB806 is up to hire up to 50% unlicensed teachers for K-3, I think, and increase class size. Nothing innocuous about that. I guess when you're building a peasantry, you really really don't want them thinking or reading.

*smooch* for your day anyway

>252 karenmarie: Oh goody good good! >243 richardderus: is one I love for its propulsive interesting way of telling.

Yeah, >239 richardderus: isn't one I'll shove at you, not hard to see why you're opting out. I myownself want to opt out of the timeline that produced >229 richardderus: in the US Congress. Like, yesterday at the latest.

Tuesday orisons. I'll coddiwomple thitherward here directly to see what the sawbones did to you. *smooch*

>253 LizzieD: You and I see it...why don't The Voters see it too? It's appalling, Peggy. It's horrifying. It's revolting. And we should all be revolting too.

"Happy" Tuesday, me lurve.

I have not read anything by Edward Ashton but as I read your review of Fourth Consort and then the discussion about Micky 7 the thought ran through my mind that Mickey 7 sounded alot like Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan. So thank you for another 2 BB's.

Also for the BB's of Ndlovu's books. I had seen the reviews of these but didn't add them to the gargantuan book list until I read your reviews. So there were 4 more BB's. I don't blame you. I just needed your reassurance to add them to the ever growing pile.

>243 richardderus: You got me with that one, Richard, and my library already has it on order.

>256 benitastrnad: I'm so glad to have peppered your TBR so completely, Benita. I hope they're more successful and involving reads. Especially >243 richardderus:!

>257 Familyhistorian: Excellent, Meg, you're in for a cool treat!

Happy Wednesday, Richard. I am back into full swing. Last work day of the week and then playing PB. Looking forward to seeing Jack tomorrow. It might be a full day with him. Sue is still recovering but is planning on going back to work tomorrow. I hope you are having a good week.

059 Perspective(s) : a novel by Laurent Binet (tr. Sam Taylor)

PERSPECTIVE(S): A Novel is French novelist Laurent Binet, as translated by Sam Taylor, being his most sibylline self in Medici Florence...via FSG's good offices:

>260 msf59: Poor Sue...this has been quite the siege for her. I'm glad to hear it's not taking away your Jackson time. The PB and kid runs must feel very grounding to you, having a routine that's productive and satisfying to you is a gift.

Enjoy it all!

'Morning, RDear.

Not much to say... a tad whupped.

*smooch*

>261 richardderus: BB
I wish you a wonderful Wednesday. *smooch*

>263 karenmarie: Whupped, after surgery? You're joking!

*smooch*

>264 Ameise1: Oh good, Barbara! I think Binet's retelling of a Renaissance Florentine social comedy will entertain you.

Wednesday orisons, dear lady.

Another Rothko new to me! No date given by the Tumblr poster, and most likely another untitled one since almost all his colorfield works were.

I love its colors and the fascinating way they're layered. I find it hopeful and happy.

>267 richardderus: - Purple is my favorite color, so I like that one exceedingly!

>261 richardderus: Perspective:a Novel

Me want book!

>267 richardderus: Oooo...those are "my" colors. And I see things in the images (I experience it as two images, because I can't see the whole work at once on my screen with my current settings, and I don't change my settings for Rothko or nobody). For some reason the green part reminds me of the door to the firebox on my grandmother's old wood-burning kitchen range. The purple part, of course, suggests the fountains at the Bellagio. Or is that just me?

>269 magicians_nephew: Book out now, Grog.

>270 laytonwoman3rd: Not being a Vegan (ETA stupid AI autocorrect changed that from LAS Vegan), I ain't know what them waterthings are to purple, but it seems possible to me. I can usually see something in Rothko's color fields that makes sense as an emotional state, and Bellagio's fountains are widely known for their ability to make people emotional.

Nana's firebox interests me, since they're an extinct species nowadays. What a cool thing to have direct memories of!

>261 richardderus: A palpable hit! I wonder why I never followed up on HHhH, which thrilled me. It's now on my wish list, and I'm looking at what else may be available in my price range. He's one who doesn't write the same book twice, at least not superficially.

Did you read Mountain in the Sea, which I just saw referenced on new member yorlor's thread? (I think that's her name.) I'll keep it in mind.

>267 richardderus: That's another new favorite! Like Linda, that is a favorite color combination, and I love getting lost in the textures. Favorited again, of course.
Did I say "favorite" enough times to show you that I'm in love?

*smooch*

>223 richardderus: I AM A VERY BAD MAN Umm, I thought we all knew that already. . .

I wish my local library had any of Ashton's books!

>239 richardderus: I will give that one a shot if I can ever find a copy!

>243 richardderus: That one too!

>261 richardderus: And that one. . .*sigh* Why do I visit here when I know that the BlackHole is going to grow?

Afternoon, BigDaddy! *midweek smooch*

>261 richardderus: You got me again. Adding it to The List.

>267 richardderus: Love this!

>273 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! No Nayler for me. At least not yet, if he wins the Hugo I might pick one up. Binet's not one to repeat the details, as far as I can tell...he has his thematic hobbyhorses, as we All do, but I'm happy to play along clackin' coconut shells to add the last fillip of verisimilitude in my noggin.

>267 richardderus: is a speaker, indeed. I am always aware of edges in Rothko's works. These are some especially evocative borders and meeting places!

*smooch*

>274 alcottacre: Har har har, Stasia. I am as a fleecy little lambkin, all innocent harmlessness, compared to your book-Kalashnikov.

>275 Crazymamie: Afternoon, Mamie me lurve. So glad >261 richardderus: made it under your defenses. It's a very very good read indeed. And >267 richardderus:...well, do they get more enveloping?

*smooch*

>268 katiekrug: It wasn't his most commonly used color, purple, more on the magenta/tomato edges of the red family. It's especially pleasing to me in conjunction with the bluey-green/spruce tree shades. I love his work because unlike so many abstractions it rewards sustained attention.

>267 richardderus:❤️.

Hey RD. Congrats on all the books read and the scintillating reviews. Edward Ashton? I’ll go looking for Micky 7 after this post. (My touchstones aren’t grooving with that title).

Not to make you spill your soup, but I just finished the newest Liaden book, Diviners Bow. I’m suspecting the series is a bit too twee for you? I’ll be pleasantly surprised if not.

You can’t see me holding my thumb and index finger close together, but I came this close to starting Twist yesterday. Instead that nefarious warbler Mark got to me re How to Read a Book(no, not Mortimer Adler) by Monica Wood. I’m sold so far.

Are you ever going to visit the cafe again? Your dark wit is much-missed.

PEARL RULE #008

One Night Two Souls Went Walking by Ellen Cooney (2%)

Rating: 2.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A young interfaith chaplain is joined on her hospital rounds one night by an unusual companion: a rough-and-tumble dog who may or may not be a ghost. As she tends to the souls of her patients—young and old, living last moments or navigating fundamentally altered lives—their stories provide unexpected healing for her own heartbreak. Balancing wonder and mystery with pragmatism and humor, Ellen Cooney (A Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances) returns to Coffee House Press with a generous, intelligent novel that grants the most challenging moments of the human experience a shimmer of light and magical possibility.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I hit my reinforced concrete wall here:

In the stacks of the library where I wandered, where almost no one went, where everything was old and a little beat up, a ray of sunshine came in, filled with swirling bits of dust, when nothing else was moving, and I saw it wasn't dust but particles of the spirits of those books, free and out playing around, like no one was watching.

Oh dear gawd. And this was at 2%! I hopped around randomly to see if this was an aberration.

It wasn't.

Coffee House Press asks for $9.99. I couldn't even read a freebie, so...

>277 richardderus: Yeah, I do not in any way, shape, or form believe that you are "all innocent harmlessness." I wonder why?

>281 richardderus: Nope, not even bothering to read the review, lol.

((Hugs)) and **smooches** for today

>280 jnwelch: Hi Joe! Mickey7 was fun, and the movie was too...I do not get why people are calling it a flop. I never got into the Liaden universe, though "twee" isn't the reaction I recall having...what that reaction was has, however, vanished from my mind. Just...nothing...no impression at all is left, which is probably the most damning response of them all.

Monica Wood vs Colum McCann is a cage match that I didn't ever see coming! They're both longtime favorites of mine. I'd never be able to choose.

I visit your thread! I fell out of the habit of commenting, it seems. I'll coddiwomple thitherward here directly.

>282 alcottacre: ...because you're a mean, cynical old lady...? Permaybehaps? *beams fleecy lambkin innocence Texasward* Good call on >281 richardderus: since it's so treacly I'm still flossing it out of my teeth.

‘Morning, RDear! Happy Thursday to you.

I’m coming along and have much more energy than yesterday. One more day after surgery AND a good night’s sleep will do that.

>273 LizzieD: Mountain in the Sea seems right up RD’s alley, Peggy. I was surprised to see that it’s available on Kindle Unlimited, so on a whim I downloaded it.

>274 alcottacre: Why do I visit here when I know that the BlackHole is going to grow? This is an immutable fact, Stasia. Visit RD’s thread, get wish list candidates AND BBs which are immediately acquired. Today I got a BB from Peggy. Thankfully it was Kindle Unlimited, so no $$ was spent.

>277 richardderus: I don’t keep track of the BBs I acquire because of you, but I do keep track of wish list items acquired because of you. It currently stands at 119, which is when I started my new wish list here on LT under username @@kairfa. This list is only from 2021.

>281 richardderus: The description of this book made me want to read it, even though a dog is one of the main characters. However your Pearl Rule of it makes me pass.

>284 richardderus: Lambkin innocence. Snort.

*smooch* from your own Horrible

>285 karenmarie: What!! I've read over 600 books in four years and you only liked a mingy 119 enough to wishlist them?! *broken sobbing* I might as well be reading Little Golden Books at that rate of uptake!

>281 richardderus: was awful. I'm glad you skipped it. KU is your savior, like the DRC aggregators are mine.

I AM A FLEECY INNOCENT LAMBKIN!

All right, Richard. From now on in my mind, you are *FIL*. We'll see how it goes.

>281 richardderus: How perfectly precious. That doesn't even deserve a !.

*smooch* for the day.... The week's going fast.

>287 LizzieD: This week done went, since it's Thor's Day already. So presh is >281 richardderus: that I deleted it from my Kindle to free up those 250 kilobytes. Out of 32 GIG. You can see I'm expecting a terrible crisis in my storage. *smooch*

Nothing really to add but just wanted to say "hi" so you'll know I've been stopping by :)

>289 RebaRelishesReading: *smooch* Thanks for stopping by, Reba!

I seem to be following you through the thread this morning (afternoon for you) so I'll wave as I go.

>281 richardderus: I read it while ago and gave it 4 stars...I loved it

>292 mckait: You are in the majority, goodness knows. It's a popular read. It just isn't one I like.

>293 richardderus: Am I? How odd.

>294 mckait: It's not your ordinary place to land, for sure. But in this case, you're on the vibe and I'm not. xo