Margaret Atwood: Surfacing

Hi everyone

It's been I while I read something by Margaret Atwood so I wanted to try something I hadn't read before. Her books have been very hit and miss for me. For example; I loved The Handmaid's Tale but I'm not sure I will read The Testaments, I had to DNF Oryx and Crake and I found Lady Oracle to be just ok. So, I went into Surfacing with cautious curiosity.
I read this book on my e-reader.

"A young woman returns to northern Quebec, to the remote island of her childhood, with her lover and her two friends to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her father. Flooded with memories, she begins to realise that going home means entering not only another place but another time. As the wild island exerts its elemental hold and she is submerged in the language of the wilderness, she sees that what she is really looking for is her own past."

The only reason I finished this book is because it was only 200 pages long. And even then, it was a struggle.
Atwood clearly wanted to write Great Literature; something philosophical, deep, thoughtful and inspirational. But for me, it fell flat. Instead of a profound exploration of memory, identity, and wilderness, I got a boring story that didn’t go anywhere. The characters felt distant and so uninteresting, and I just couldn’t bring myself to care about any of them. Not one bit.
The prose was overly flowery and introspective without any substance to back it up, and the plot (if you can even call it that) felt meandering and pointless. It’s one of those books where you keep waiting for something to happen, but it never really does.

Surfacing was a disappointment. If you’re a die-hard Atwood fan, you might appreciate its themes or style, but for me, it was a miss.
Have you read Surfacing or any other Atwood books? Did you connect with it more than I did? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!
Helena 

Marie Brennan: The Waking of Angantyr

Hi everyone

The Waking of Angantyr is a standalone novel written by Marie Brennan.
I read this on my e-reader. 

" The bondmaid Hervor is used to dead men whispering in her sleep. They’ve been doing it for as long as she can remember; it’s the living she has to watch out for. And when a new arrival at her holding triggers her into a berserker fury, she’s forced to flee the contract that enslaves her and into the arms of an uncertain future.
Unchained from the living, Hervor goes in search of a way to silence the dead, but it will take much more than grit and determination to make that happen. She’ll need the help of a ruthless Viking, an ailing jarl, a mad witch, and more―for the treachery that killed her ghosts isn’t nearly as dead as they are, and the path to peace must first traverse a river of blood."

This had its ups and  (mostly) downs.
The pacing was definitely off. The book started out rather slow but it did pick up. The plot itself was all over the place and I didn't really like that. There was just too much she was trying to do. Brennan would skip months at a time and every time it felt jarring and I felt out of place.
The characters were mediocre too. Hervor herself was ok, and I love her strength and determination but she hasn't got a lot more to her, there's not much to like about her character. The other characters were very one-dimensional. By two thirds in I didn't care for anyone because they would all die so what's the point. And that made loose even more enjoyment.

The book didn't grip me. I never felt the urge to start or continue reading it. Once I was reading, it wasn't bad but I would get easily distracted and that's not the sign of a great book. It was boring to be honest. And that's a strange thing to say about a book filled with fighting and gore, but it was.

Happy reading!
Helena 

David Dalglish: A Dance of Mirrors

Hi everyone

A Dance of Mirrors is the third and final book in the Shadowdance series by David Dalglish. 
I read this on my e-reader. 

"Haern is the King's Watcher, protector against thieves and nobles who would fill the night with blood. Yet hundreds of miles away, an assassin known as the Wraith has begun slaughtering those in power, leaving the symbol of the Watcher in mockery. 
When Haern travels south to confront this copycat, he finds a city ruled by the corrupt, the greedy and the dangerous. Rioters fill the streets and the threat of war hangs over everything. To forge peace, Haern must confront the deadly Wraith, a killer who would shape the kingdom's future with the blade of his sword. 
Man or God; what happens when the lines are blurred?"

I did not enjoy this. I find Haern to be so, so stupid in his decisions and actions. He had me rolling my eyes countless times. How can he not see what his actions will bring? 
There's no depth to the characters, and contrary to what I had hoped, this doesn't get better further in the series. 
It's easy to read and a lot happens but then again, there's no real point to it all. It doesn't go anywhere.

I'm not sure I'll try anything else by Dalglish and if I do, what I should read. Do you have a suggestions?

Happy reading!
Helena 

Terry Pratchett: Carpe Jugulum

Hi everyone

Carpe Jugulum is the 23rd book in Terry Pratchett's wonderful, amazing Discworld series.
I've had my copy for years, it's an older edition but I so love their covers.
This was my third time reading Carpe Jugulum.

"Mightily Oats has not picked a good time to be priest. He thought he'd come to Lancre for a simple ceremony. Now he's caught up in a war between vampires and witches.
There's Young Agnes, who is really in two minds about everything. Magrat, who is trying to combine witchcraft and nappies, Nanny Ogg ... and Granny Weatherwax, who is big trouble.
And the vampires are intelligent. They've got style and fancy waistcoats. They're out of the casket and want a bite of the future. Mightily Oats knows he has a prayer, but he wishes he had an axe." 

I adore the Nac Mac Feegle. They are a wondrous, hilarious and genius addition to The Discworld. And their interaction with the witches especially never ceases to make me laugh out loud. 

Carpe Jugulum's plot is not my favourite; I find it to be a bit too slow.
But I love the witches, I adore the Nac Mac Feegle, Perdita is amazing, Magrat as a mother is quite an emotional read, everytime any Ogg is in a scene I can't help but smile, the humor is out of this world, the writing flows easily and I wanted to keep reading. I love the scenes where Nanny becomes 'the other one/witch' those were out of this world fantastic. 
Pratchett's take on religion (through the character of Oats) was once again thought-provoking, respectful, funny and introspective all at the same time.

It's not my favorite Discworld novel, but with so many to choose from (there are 41 Discworld books, not counting the little extra ones in between) I couldn't name one favorite, there have to be 10 number one books in my opinion. And this isn't one of those because of the pace, but it is amazing nonetheless.  

So. 
Go read some Discworld novels!  

Happy reading.
Helena 

 

Christian White: The Nowhere Child

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Bookhaul

Hi everyone

I got some new books! 
After reading Brian McClellan's Promise of Blood I immediately ordered the second and the third book in The Powder Mage series because I'm sure I'll love those too.
Same goes for Jonathan French's The Lot Lands series. 

I'm so happy! Like a kid in a candystore. :) 

Here's what I got:

- Moniquill Blackgoose: To Shape a Dragon's Breath 

- Jonathan French: The Free Bastards

- Claire Keegan: Small Things Like These

- Brian McClellan: The Crimson Campaign 

- Brian McClellan: The Autumn Republic

- Dennis E. Taylor: Not Till We Are Lost 

I can't wait to get to these.

Happy reading!
Helena 

Peter Brown: The Wild Robot Protects

Hi everyone

The Wild Robot Protects is the third and last part (I think) in Peter Brown's The Wild Robot series.
I got my copy from Bol.

"Life for Roz and the animals on their island is perfect: wild, natural, harmonious. Her son Brightbill has even found a mate! But then, one day an injured seal washes ashore and warns of dangerous, cloudy waters that are flowing toward the island—and soon the animals are forced inland to fight over dwindling resources.
Roz calms and organizes the animals, but the poison tide takes a terrible toll on the island. And when the robot discovers that her new body is waterproof, she marches into the waves and sets out across the ocean, determined to stop the poison tide."

The Wild Robot is a series for children, something my almost 8 year old daughter would read if I had bought it in Dutch (our mother tongue). It's certainly entertaining, the illustrations are wonderful and the story is easy to read and fun. But this particular book was boring. The plot is really slow and I felt my mind wander multiple times. It takes ages for the islanders to do something and it takes even longer for Roz to reach her destination. There's not much else going on. The tone was very preachy. Humans = bad. Animals = good. There's no nuance and it's too moralistic.
So yeah, the first and second book in the series were very enjoyable, this one not as much.

Happy reading.
Helena 

Ilona Andrews: Magic Burns

Hi everyone

Magic Burns is the second book in Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. 
I read this on my e-reader. 

"Kickass mercenary Kate Daniels is back in another breakneck urban fantasy adventure. She's ready to take care of anyone who gets in her way . . .Down in Atlanta, tempers - and temperatures - are about to flare . . .As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate's going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger a divine one.When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta's paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realises much more is at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest - and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can't stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive..."

This was so entertaining. I enjoyed every minute of this book. I liked all the characters, I found the story to be really engrossing, it's packed full of action, there's humor, a bit of spice, magic, fighting, ... Everything you need for a fun read.

Happy reading!
Helena 

Yuval Noah Harari: Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

Hi everyone

I read Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Yuval Noah Harari spread over the last few weeks.
This is my husband's copy.

"Sapiens showed us where we came from. Homo Deus shows us where we're going. War is obsolete. You are more likely to commit suicide than be killed in conflict. Famine is disappearing. You are at more risk of obesity than starvation. Death is just a technical problem. Equality is out - but immortality is in.
What does our future hold? Yuval Noah Harari, author of the bestselling phenomenon Sapiens envisions a not-too-distant world in which we face a new set of challenges.
Homo Deus explores the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century - from overcoming death to creating artificial life. It asks the fundamental questions: Where do we go from here? And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers?"

This was a bit dissapointing. I read Sapiens about a year ago and that was very interesting. I really enjoyed it. But Homo Deus is just not as engrossing or interesting. There's not much new here. The information in the book just wasn't groundbreaking, I never paused thinking 'wow that's amazing'. 

The writing is good, there's just not much to the information. 

Happy reading!
Helena 

 

 

Brian McClellan: Promise of Blood

Hi everyone

Promis of Blood is the first book in The Powder Mage series by Brian McClellan. This series is set before the Gods of Blood and Powder series, which I read (and loved) first. So if you have yet to start Brian McClellan's writing, I suggest you start here. And I suggest starting now because his books are amazing.
I bought this book from Bol.com.

"The Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it.
It's a bloody business overthrowing a king...
Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas's supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.
Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.
But when gods are involved...
Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should...
In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets?"

Promise of Blood is not a little book (it's not really big either) but it read like one. I was never bored, constantly on the edge of my seat, constantly wanting more, there are no infodumps but you do learn enough about the world, the magicsystems and the characters.
I loved every moment. It's great to get to know the old characters anew (because I read the second series first I mean). We learn about more about Ka-Poel, we see through Tamas' eyes and we get to know him better. Honestly, I enjoyed every character and every storyarc. There weren't too many so you can easily keep them all separatly and because we have multiple POV's you care about them all.
The story is great, there's a lot going on but it's never overwhelming and it stays interesting.

I loved it and I have already ordered the second and third part in the series. 

Happy reading!
Helena 

Wrap Up: June 2025

Hi everyone

June has flown by. Summer vacation has started for the children, my husband and I are still working but in a couple of weeks we'll be going on holiday and we're all looking forward to that.

Here's the list with links to the books I read in June.

- Rachel Joyce: Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North

- Yoko Ogawa: Revenge 

- Stephen Aryan: Of Gods and Men

- Jonathan French: The True Bastards

- Trudi Canavan: Thief's Magic

- Martha Wells: Witch King 

Did you read anything you'd like to recommend?

Happy reading!
Helena