Review: The Birds and Other Stories

5 stars. MIND BLOWN. I'm officially convinced that Daphne du Maurier is my soulmate, spirit animal, favorite authoress, celebrity crush, historical hottie, best friend, sister from another mister, lady of my heart. I am determined to read every word she's written. Her words speak to my soul. 

From a technical standpoint, this story collection demonstrates not only her ability to build tension and dread, but also to write from a wide variety of personalities. Her tone varies based on character / narrator - do you know how rare it is to find an author who can properly write distinct voices? I was super impressed particularly by the transition from "The Little Photographer" to "Kiss Me Again, Stranger." The tone went from a sort of languid lusciousness to clipped and short and it worked in every way. 

Here are my thoughts on each:

"The Birds" - reading this felt like careening down a long, steep dip on a roller coaster, picking up speed, going faster and faster except without any sort of visible destination at the bottom. My heart rate went up. SPECTACULAR ending.

"Monte Verita" - reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone, or an old sci-fi film from the 70s, you know, like the ones that MST3K makes fun of? Otherwise, it captures feelings to which I relate immensely - the pure sense of escape when you immerse yourself in nature, the desire to throw everything away and reject society, the dreadful pull of conventional life paths and pursuits. "Often I wish I had the courage to throw my work aside, turn my back on the civilized world and its dubious delights, and go seeking after truth with my two friends. Only convention deterred me, the sense that I was making a successful career for myself, which it would be folly to cut short. The pattern of my life was set. It was too late to change." Also as a whole this story is definitely a metaphor for something. Or, there's a lesson here. I just don't feel like picking at it. 

"The Apple Tree" - clever and funny and scary all at once. What's that you hear? Is it the beating of a hideous heart beneath the floorboards? Nope, just an apple tree to haunt you...

"The Little Photographer" - an absolutely wicked story with a trademark insufferable narrator. Full of lush imagery and delicately gutting quotes like: "A love affair should be a thing of silence, soft, unspoken. No raucous voice, no burst of sudden laughter, but the kind of stealthy curiosity that comes with fear, and when the fear has gone, a brazen confidence. Never the give-and-take between good friends, but passion between strangers..." I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" - fucking brutal. Just when I thought I'd figured it out, she pulled the rug in a way that left me feeling dumbfounded and disturbed.

"The Old Man" - well, wow. Just wow. Perfect ending to a bright and unusual collection. Extremely fun and profoundly well-written.

I think I'm so consistently shocked by du Maurier because it seems to me like her writing should feel dated or old-fashioned or unrelatable - but it is, for me, actually the complete opposite. Her writing feels fresh and new and personally relevant in a way where many modern authors fail to connect. I felt the same after reading Rebecca and I look forward to seeing where she takes me next. 

The Birds and Other Stories on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

4 stars. Positively delightful! A deliciously dark take on the classic Frankenstein with the right amount of themes and layers - but not too many to weigh down the sheer fun of it all. This book is written from the perspective of Elizabeth Frankenstein, Victor's childhood companion and eventual wife, who plays a twisted and fascinating role in his pursuits - and his successes. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is the perfect title for something like this, something unexpected and topsy-turvy and atmospheric. 

This is my first by Kiersten White and I have to say I'm impressed. She peppers the horror and the action with admirable claims about gender, power, relationships, and more. Victor is a classic villain (not a spoiler!) - one we can love to play the game with. He's hateful, of course, but well-written and has a satisfying arc. 

I also loved the tone: this is not historical fiction meant for extensive research or detail, but for thunderstorms and dusty bookstores and ice shacks over lakes. And our heroine wrestles with choice and mistakes and guilt and blindness and ignorance and awareness with astounding maturity and hope. I loved the idea that guilt and blame are distinct and that under certain circumstances, one can technically be blamed but should not feel guilt. 

If I had one complaint, I'd say that the ending - as scrumptious as it was - seemed a bit abrupt! I would've loved to see a bit of a longer conclusion, maybe a post-epilogue epilogue, because I had grown to love the featured characters and wasn't convinced that the end was truly the end (always shoot twice, as they say). Otherwise, an excellent book for reading by the crackling fireplace on a cold, rainy day. 

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Stand

5 stars. This review took me FORVER to write. I've been writing and re-writing and tinkering for days, which is unusual for me, and I'm afraid this is all still a bit of a mess. The Stand is obviously an impressive masterpiece, and I could leave it at that and call it a day. But as with all of Stephen King's work I do feel the itch to think a bit, to process a bit, to consider the layers of his brilliance as well as (well, here it comes) why this one wasn't a TOTAL home run for me. 

The Stand is about good versus evil. It's about the survivors of a flu-like plague that left the world decimated and destroyed. It's about a paranormal phenomena that follows the apocalypse, and how the survivors come together and try to re-build. It's about what threatens their efforts - a creature with ill-intent who thrives in this brave new world. It's about those who stand up to this threat and fight. It's about fate and free will and battles old as time. It's about love and hate and fear and courage and sacrifice and morality and identity and death and hope and all those other Big Things We Wrestle With As Advanced Thinkers On This Planet. 

I know, I know - why would you read about a virus-driven apocalypse during what feels like quite literally a virus-driven apocalypse? I'm not alone, I'm pretty sure a ton of people are turning to this book for comfort or escapism or some sort of masochistic instinct. For me, the reason was quite simple: it became available at the library. And I honestly wasn't "reminded" of real life as much as I expected. This is a fantastical story with supernatural elements, plus, Stephen King's stories never feel too "real" to me - except this one, when I got to the ending. It wasn't the plague that ending up feeling too real. It was the ending. Humans are so fucking doomed, dude. 

Here's what I absolutely loved:

- A collection of astonishingly well-written moments including: when Frannie tells her mother that she's pregnant (and the confrontation that follows - King's use of the parlor space hit me right in the gut), the introduction of Randall Flagg (the entire chapter is breathtaking), the sequence in the Lincoln Tunnel, that fucking ending!! Stuck the landing! With a boom! 

- The narrative criss-crossing. Sometimes I'm bothered by multiple POV's on such an epic scale, but King really nails it here. Sure, the pacing is a bit odd, and sometimes loose threads get tangled up in knots, but I don't feel as though he asks too much of the reader. Plus, everything comes together in the end. 

- Harold and Glen and Tom Cullen and Lloyd and Larry and the way King explores different types of masculinity. Harold especially is a fascinating character - I genuinely couldn't predict his arc until it was over (rather abruptly). King almost always nails the Big Bad, but he truly shines with the sidekick weasels. 

- The way the “heroes” "win” but return to life changed and damaged and unable to settle for good. It’s one of my favorite things about LOTR, which served as a major point of reference for this book, and I think it’s an important part of why I liked this as well.

Here's what bothered me:

- The writing sometimes FEELS old-fashioned. It was originally written in the 70s, so of course it does. And I've never been bothered by that before. But something about the exclamations ("golly!" "gee!" "wowie!") totally jarred me out of the immersion. 

- The length. I’m obsessed with the fact that everyone else seems to be obsessed with how long this book is! I’ve read arguments that say the length is why it works, and I’ve read arguments that say the length is why it doesn’t. Personally, I could’ve gone for some more editing. Especially in the middle, when things drag a bit and we’re extra focused on … like … the paperwork of rebuilding a society from scratch.

- King's portrayal of women. Mother Abigail shows a glimmer of the progressiveness King demonstrates in his other books, but Frannie cries often, as in, in almost every single one of her scenes (I started clocking halfway through and ... yep ... it's every single scene). While showing emotion like that may be realistic for a pregnant woman existing in an apocalyptic world, it drove me CRAZY. She also slips so easily into the compassionate/maternal role that it felt stereotypical and flat. And Nadine - beautiful, sexual... but just.... what was going on there? 

^^ This right here is partly why I've struggled so much with this review - I can barely articulate why I was annoyed. I just was. Maybe I expected King to shake off the sexism of the 70's when he wrote this, or the sexism in his thematic / tonal references (Westerns, Epics, etc.), maybe I expected more from him. Maybe I expected a greater spectrum of heroes, of personalities. For whatever reason I just found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit. 

Despite that weird quibble, this is obviously a masterpiece. There's something incredibly moving about the thought of doing what's right No Matter What. Even if what's right is difficult - I mean difficult right down through your bones. Even if what's right is likely impossible. But I think the standout theme for me is the fact that we all must reconcile with the consequences of our choices. We must own them and pay for them and live with them - or die by them. And that's about as epic as it gets, eh? 

The Stand on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Mirror and the Light (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #3)

5 stars. Although I enjoyed this the least out of all three, I can't give it anything less. It is an impressive conclusion to an impressive colossus of historical fiction that should be widely-read and widely-studied for years to come. Hilary Mantel has taken me on what feels like an actual ... ugh, so cheesy ... but an actual journey. The final few sentences are even more breathtaking and heartbreaking than I expected.

We return smoothly back through the door into England almost immediately after we left. Anne Boleyn has been executed and Henry VIII - more volatile every day - needs a new bride. Talented Thomas Cromwell has risen above his common blood to serve as a noble and maintain stability in the English realm, but despite successes and titles and financial security, his job is not an easy one. It is, in fact, a dangerous one. 

Mantel takes her time. She travels, she leans, she slips and slides, she spirals and circles the drain slowly, slowly, slowly. She spells out the story with her ever-challenging, ever-beautiful prose and serves as a steadfast, if not long-winded, guide. Thomas Cromwell's character is painted with sympathy and care - the question of accuracy isn't even on the table. It's just compelling.

I've written about this in my reviews of the first two books, but I love what she does with images. A star, a leopard, a memory, a jewel ... she breathes life into these things, placing them as signposts or symbols throughout the narrative. The level of detail (and the scope of the political intrigues) would be intimidating, if not for the clarity she offers. I never felt as though she asked too much, even with her nicknames and varying names/titles and flashbacks. That's just life: a confusing, very complicated, sad, every man for himself roller coaster ride with the slight, slippery promise of a satisfying conclusion.

I wish there was more.

The Mirror and the Light on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Bring Up the Bodies (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #2)

"But remember this above all: defeat your instinct. Your love of glory must conquer your will to survive; or why fight at all? Why not be a smith, a brewer, a wool merchant? Why are you in the contest, if not to win, and if not to win, then to die?"

5 stars. Stunning. A beautiful, driven sequel to Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies picks up where we left off: with England in need of an heir. Anne Boleyn has yet to provide, and Thomas Cromwell is there to juggle the rest. Adept as ever, he observes his king grow tired of his new bride and schemes for what's next. 

Compared to Wolf Hall, there's more movement - more forward momentum. The king's Great Matter took almost a decade, but Cromwell is more confident now, more ruthless, more capable. Things move quickly. And truly, the suspense is breathtaking; considering we all know the end to the story. The legal twists and turns are gorgeous and intense.

I felt the portrayal of Anne Boleyn was a bit flat in the first book, but here she is developed and concrete. A worthy adversary for Cromwell and I'm sad to see her go. This version does paint the Boleyns in an incredibly unflattering light, and I do wonder... I guess we'll never know. History, as always, is written by the winners.

I expected Henry VIII to come across as more childish in this book, past his prime and desperate for his legacy intact. For whatever it's worth, I think Henry believed in his good intentions - always. He was not self-aware enough to see the irony in accusing Anne of bewitching him into a marriage with curses and spells. Sigh. Monarchy. "Chosen by God." Causes problems. SMH.

The prose here is so weird and crazy and wonderful. I again felt like I was there, and came to regard the characters not only as real, but as people I actually know. I wouldn't say I rooted for them, necessarily, but seeing so intimately their intentions and motives and ambitions made me feel for them. I don't know how Mantel manages such unique writing with such diverse, distinguished characters. It's deeply impressive, I practically bask in the afterglow of her writing. 

Can't wait to find out what happens! He lives... right?!

Bring Up the Bodies on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy #1)

5 stars. I feel eaten alive. Wolf Hall is the first in a trilogy about Thomas Cromwell: aide to the king of England during a time of great crisis. England needs an heir. The government needs stability. The Church needs power, and loyalty. The country needs allies, and money. And Henry VIII wants Anne Boleyn. 

Cromwell navigates through it all - the fall of his Cardinal, the squabbling nobles, a mercurial king, two queens - using his sharp mind and deep intellect. It is a spectacular work of historical fiction that's focused not on the sun, but the space around the sun - the objects and empty spaces orbiting and swirling around what appears to be the brightest thing in the sky. What it gives, what it takes, what it feeds and what it burns. 

I've never fallen in love with historical fiction the way I have with this. Every time I picked it up I felt like I was melting into the story, falling down a well, and as cheesy as it sounds, I felt like I was there. It's rich with detail - Mantel knows her shit - but she includes the fun stuff too; the scandalous jokes, the twists and turns, the melodrama, the innuendos, the sex. This is NOT The Other Boleyn Girl, though I respect Gregory's writing a lot too.

I've read a lot ABOUT this book, because it fascinated me so much and I wanted to skirt on the fringes of this world a bit longer. I noticed a couple of common themes and observations among readers, and I'd love a chance to address them and push back a bit. 

First, there seems to be a frequent observation that Mantel writes Thomas Cromwell as cold, calculating, without emotion, ruthless, conniving, manipulative, greedy, power-hungry, and otherwise just generally villainous. While I think it's true that Cromwell was an ambitious and greedy man with a ruthless streak, he used his intellect in ways that were ultimately astonishing. He was complicated, and Mantel writes him as such. I've seen readers question his motives, call him a psychopath, yell at him for "getting over" the loss of his family so quickly, and declare his demise as justified and well-deserved. 

It's an interesting interpretation - to cast him in such a bad light - but I would argue that those readers may have been misled by the dryness of Mantel's prose and her approach to the character. It's not that Cromwell had no emotions, she just didn't write about them, or at least not in the way we're used to.

(I should note that I'm not a fan of Cromwell, I don't sympathize with him and I love that Mantel made him grow to be so arrogant, especially toward the end.)

Second, many readers complain that the prose is boring, dense, challenging, difficult, and the pronoun usage is confusing. Yes - absolutely. The pronoun usage tripped me up a whole bunch. But I didn't mind the density or intensity of the writing, in fact, I rather enjoyed having to sing for my supper. To work so hard was rewarding for my brain. So that's a preference thing, or an English Lit major thing, I don't mind going back to re-read passages, but I wish readers wouldn't complain in such an accusatory way. I was blown away by what Mantel was able to do with certain images and motifs - comparing a face to a thumbnail, what people wear under their clothes, a dog pulling at its own collar...

The thing is, this book is so immersive, so compelling, so detailed and strong in its depiction of a fragile society balancing on the edge of a knife, it felt ... well, familiar. Context is everything. I know this story. We all know this story. And that helps, with the names and the faces and the messy nature of the story. But something about this version of it, or the timing of my reading experience ... I recognize echoes of what happened back then today. Not just the threat of illness or plague, but the sense that the walls are always just on the verge of caving in and we can't really trust anyone but ourselves. The moral struggles - the push and pull of desire and ambition and obligation. And more obviously, the soul-crushing terror of watching a leader fail and a country break. Transfer of power comes to mind...

It's like this: when I think of politics under Henry VIII, I think yeesh, messy. Thank god politics has ... *sits back* ... nope, nevermind, still messy. 

I wonder why we tend to look back on our ancestors and think we are superior - think of them as primitive, dumb, petty; their mistakes and motives and beliefs far removed from us. On the contrary, I think we are still primitive, dumb, petty. Our technology is advanced, we’ve conquered the planet, and we are able to answer so many questions with science, but we still squabble, we still kill each other uselessly, and we are, as always, just as we were then, ego-driven, shallow, motivated by power and greed and questionable beliefs, following distractible leaders surrounded by sycophants. 

When I read a book like this I wonder, should humanity survive the current crisis, what will be written about these times? Who will they write about? Will they look back with contempt and disdain at our misguided communities and think, thank god we’re better? Or will they, like myself, look back and think, we haven’t changed a bit?

"Beneath every history, another history."

Thomas Cromwell has entered the chat.

Wolf Hall on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Time to Smell the Roses (The Hermux Tantamoq Adventures #4)

5 stars. *sniffle* Man, I'm really going to miss these characters. Hermux, thanks for the adventures, the laughs, the memories and the snacks. (These books ALWAYS make me hungry - the food is cheesy and quaint and so delicious-sounding!) This one wraps up nicely, just like the first three, with a satisfying crack that reminds me of reading Nancy Drew and Sammy Keyes as a kid. 

Hermux, Terfle and Linka are at last ready to start their new lives together when a Mystery Appears! This one involves a murder, perfume, competitive business rivals, and a few deep family secrets. It's scandalous, twisted, tangled, and of course Tucka's right in the middle of it all. Expect a lot of clever rose puns, bee stings and new friends :)

I do enjoy that each of these books features a "theme" - art, history, the theater - although this was probably my least favorite. But I loved the story. There are breathtaking action sequences along with some really heartwarming moments. I'm so bummed the books haven't continued - I would've loved to hear what sort of doughnuts were served at the Tantamoq/Perflinger wedding. 

This is a random detail, but I really enjoy - beyond just her nature and narrative presence - how everyone else treats Hermux's pet. It's a sign that a character is "good" when he or she treats Terfle with respect, and a sign that a character is "bad," or villainous, when Terfle is ignored. There are many lessons embedded in these pages, and this to me is one of the most charming and important.

Sigh. I just love these cozy, nostalgic, amusing mysteries. 

Time to Smell the Roses on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: No Time Like Show Time (The Hermux Tantamoq Adventures #3)

5 stars. Precious in the best way. I know that the Hermux Tantamoq Adventures were popular upon publication, I have no idea why they didn't stay popular beyond that. To me they are up there with Roald Dahl, Eva Ibbotson, the Redwall books... they're wonderfully clever and entertaining.

This, the third book in the series, takes Hermux and his charming pet Terfle to the theater. We meet old favorites, like Linka, new heroes, like Hermux's hilarious best friend Nip, and vicious villains with multiple identities and evil plans! It's all very charming - a solid mystery, characters you can root for, and even a little bit of romance...

I've been reading a lot lately about mythic folklore and children's literature, and talking animals, shockingly, comes up quite a lot. Beyond the analytical and psychological reasons, for me personally it's just very comforting to take a break from humans. The lessons in these books are just as clear without us. 

And lessons there are many - good ones, too! Michael Hoeye always injects classic good vs evil themes and his hero shows true bravery, honor, loyalty and courage. Hermux always does the right thing, and he is rewarded for it. And of course there's Tucka, who is literally the most Extra before Extra was a thing. Love her. 

I had the fourth book marked as read, but I don't actually think that's true - I have no memory of reading it and had to buy it used recently. I look forward to finishing (mourning) the series and - recognizing it's one of the least-known in children's literature right now? - my reviews will go totally unnoticed. But that's okay. That's not the point.

Team Pinchester for life. 

No Time Like Show Time on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Monster, She Wrote

“There seems to be an unspoken assumption that women aren't interested in horror and speculative fiction, despite ample evidence to the contrary.”

5 stars. Perfect for me, no doubt, but also perfectly researched, crafted, written, and printed. An extremely satisfying read that has already made my TBR list explode. I look forward to diving deeper and continuing my education in all things lady horror! The future is female indeed. 

This book collects brief biographies of fundamental, pioneering, and otherwise impactful female writers of horror. Divided by category and listed chronologically, the entries come across like dainty Wikipedia morsels packed with flavor, insight and wit. It's written simply - nothing too analytical or technical - and directly - nothing too obscure or presumptuous. 

Yeah, so I was the kid who read ghost stories in fourth grade, snuck into horror movies in tenth, wrote research papers on the Scream franchise in college. Horror is interesting to me and probably my favorite genre, though I read almost everything I can get my hands on. As soon as I saw this book from Quirk I snagged it, because I know it'd hit the spot.

And it was delicious. I enjoyed learning about the history of the genre from a specifically feminist angle. I was reminded of certain classic, familiar authors and was taught about new ones. I only wish it was longer! And perhaps dove deeper! A must-read for horror enthusiasts (there’s a ton about science fiction and fantasy as well). I highly recommend the print version, which is charmingly illustrated.

One last quote: 

“These genres of fiction are instruments with which women writers can shake up society and prod readers in an uncomfortable direction, to an unfamiliar space where our anxieties and fears run free. But this is also a space where strength emerges. Women experience horrors in everyday life; the eerie and the terrifying become tools for these writers to call attention to the dangers: frayed family relationships, domestic abuse, body image issues, mental health concerns, bigotry, oppression.”

Monster, She Wrote on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Obisidio (The Illuminae Files #3)

4 stars. Phew, what a wild ride. These books are really great - really impressive. It's clear a ton of effort went into the storytelling and the graphics and worldbuilding, and honestly, it all just comes across as really fucking entertaining. I'll be honest, I was tempted to skim through the climax (you know, just to zoom past all the pesky complications and fake-out deaths) but I stuck with it and it was really worth it. I'm a little sad it's over, for all my bitching and complaining about how challenging it is for me to finish a series.

Obsidio picks up immediately where Gemina left off - with a raggedy band of teen heroes attempting to take down Evil Corp and save lives and get laid. Heimdall has been destroyed, survivors are cramped on the Mao, and the only viable means of jump transportation leads them back to where it all began, Kerenza, where BeiTech is trying to wrap things up and return to the office, so to speak. All the favorites are still in play, including AIDAN, who I definitely do NOT dream about at night because he is definitely NOT my new favorite character of ALL time. 

Look, this shit is just fun - and, as I noted in my review of Illuminae, deep. We have space battles and wormholes and AI and we also have explorations of good vs evil, morality, ethics, war, death, identity, grief, existence, etc. I found the juxtaposition really jarring in the first book (I think that's probably because my expectations were off ... I judged! And was wrong for it!) but learned to love it here. This stuff makes you think. Maybe I learned a lesson, or two. 

If I had any quibbles, it would be that this one didn't need so many subplots. And also the romances annoyed me, but that's because I'm ice cold and also because I was nowhere NEAR as cool or smart or emotionally mature or monogamous as these teenagers. So I found the whole love thing a little ... ridiculous. And unnecessary? 

But honestly, good stuff. I'm officially interested in checking out more from Kaufman and Kristoff, if not a little frightened of what is apparently a very passionate fanbase? Nah, I'm excited. Onward. AIDAN, call me. 

Obsidio on: Amazon | Goodreads