Emma Newman - The Split Worlds Trilogy

All I can do is to heave a great sigh. This series had a lot of potential, but there was an event in the second book that ruined one of the story lines for me. This trilogy, by English author Emma Newman, followed three main characters/groups of characters: Sam, Max and the Gargoyle (which happens to house his soul), and Cathy and Will. The story line that really disappointed me was Cathy and Will. To be more specific, it was Will.

To back it up a little, the books take place in a universe that is split between the human world (Mundanus) and the fae world (Exilium). There is a place between the worlds called the Nether where human families that are sort of contracted to fae lords reside (they're called fae-touched generally). Time doesn't really flow there like it does in Mundanus, so they don't age. I mean, they really don't age. The children's nursery is located in Mundanus so they can grow up. The society in the Nether is stuck in the 19th century, so patriarchy is rampant, women have no rights, and every dresses in Victorian fashion.

I really enjoyed Sam and Max's parts of the novels. Sam is an ordinary human who gets mixed up with the Elemental Court, who live in Mundanus, run global corporations, and have affinities with various metals (Lord Iron, Lady Nickel, Lord Copper, etc...) which grants them both respect and fear from the fae given the dampening effect the metals have on magic, so they aren't really involved with either the fae or the fae-touched.

Max is an arbiter, an agent for a sort of policing group led by sorcerers that protect innocent humans from the fae and the fae-touched. Arbiters have their souls detached from their bodies, which are then stored back at HQ and allows them to act without being impeded by emotional response. Through a series of events, Max's soul gets attached to a gargoyle, which then acts as his partner through the rest of the novels.

I go back and forth about whether I like Cathy or not. By the end of the series, I had ended up liking her, but it was a rough journey. Cathy managed to hide from her family and her fae patron in Mundanus for two years, going to university and pretty much just enjoying the 21st century. She loves sci-fi/fantasy, video games, etc. Sometimes it felt like the author was just name dropping big series titles to prove how much of a nerd Cathy was, which could get a bit annoying.

So Cathy is eventually found and is arranged to marry Will. She is, of course, quite unhappy about it and for a long time, still wishes to escape back into Mundanus. Cathy is interested in social justice and women's rights, yet it takes about midway through the second book, and someone to bring this to her attention, that the other Nether women aren't quite so happy with their situation. So she decides to stay in the Nether to try and change things there instead.

Big spoiler here, but I wanted to let you know what it was that upset me so badly about this book. So, on multiple occasions, Cathy told Will that she didn't want to consummate their marriage. She was pretty clear about not wanting to sleep with him. Will, who was under very-creative-and-very-painful threat of death (or worse) from his fae patron to have a son in his first year of marriage, used a potion to overcome Cathy's inhibitions and have sex with him. So basically, Will date-raped her.

I would have been okay with all of this had he come clean and confessed what he did to her. But Will never tells Cathy that he drugged her! They actually fall in love with each other throughout the third book and he still never says anything about it! I was, and still am, absolutely horrified that this was okay and never resolved in any way. I mean, sure Will was being coerced himself and he felt badly about using the potion, but he never told Cathy about it. I think she probably would have forgiven him, but Cathy wasn't even given the chance! This part nearly ruined the entire series for me, and definitely made me dislike Will even when I was clearly supposed to be liking him later on.

What a disappointment! I can't believe that other reviewers of these books weren't bothered by this! And Sam and Max's parts ended up being so good! What in the world was Emma Newman thinking by not resolving this potion issue! Just awful!

Virginia Woolf - Between the Acts

I love Virginia Woolf. I really do. This short novel was assigned for my class which just finished yesterday (8/8) and was themed Modernism and Postmodernism for British literature (honestly, though I enjoyed the literature, postmodernism is a tricksy beast that doesn't like to be pinned down). Between the Acts is the last novel Virginia Woolf wrote before committing suicide and it was published by her husband shortly after her death.

It's set in a small English town, not too far away from either London or the coast, where there will be a pageant that evening. It predominately follows the Oliver family, Bartholomew, his widowed sister Lucy (Mrs. Swithin), his son Giles and his wife Isa (they have two young children, but the kids aren't a huge part of the novel). Other central characters include Mrs. Manresa (with whom Giles is having an affair), William Dodge (her companion), and Miss La Trobe (the author of the play). The pageant play at the heart of the novel has to do with English history.

To me, the most interesting part of the novel was Giles Oliver's absolute fury towards practically every other character, and his relationships with Isa, Lucy, and Mrs. Manresa. I wrote a really lovely paper about this novel ("Impotent Patriarchy and Shifting Gender Roles" if you were interested) so at the moment I am thinking about the novel more analytically rather than for entertainment.

I also got to read a few of her essays, some of which were assigned for class and another that I read to support the paper I wrote. "Modern Fiction" and "Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown" were assigned and were fun to read. Woolf had a sort of wry humor in her non-fiction that was highly entertaining to me. I also read "Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid," which was just a lovely piece of writing. All three of these essays are available in their entirety online, so I highly recommend you read them!

Kazuo Ishiguro - An Artist of the Floating World

I really should have gotten these Cosmopolitan books out of the way first. They're starting to fade a bit in my memory! This novel follows Japanese artist Masuji Ono and takes place post-WWII. He reminisces about his youth and the idyllic "floating world", described as the "nocturnal realm of pleasure, entertainment, and drink", and about his part in the war.

Ono became a propaganda artist during WWII and ultimately and adviser to the Committee of Unpatriotic Activities, which is exactly what you think it is. He lost contact with all of his old teachers and pupils, most of whom did not approve of or agree with his decision to become more politically involved with the war. At the crux of the novel, it is revealed that Ono inadvertently caused his favorite student to be arrested for being "unpatriotic" and held in a sort of internment camp for the duration of the war.

His attitude toward his own actions changes drastically throughout the novel. In the beginning he is unashamed of his behavior during the war, even when his association with the Committee of Unpatriotic Activities (and by extension the government that is perceived by Japanese citizens to be the cause of the dropping of the atomic bombs) even when this negatively affects his younger daughter's chance at a marriage. However, by the end, he admits that he did make some mistakes and that he does bear some responsibility for the outcome of the war. In fact, his daughters become concerned that he will commit suicide to restore honor to his family and atone for his mistakes during the war like several other key government figures did during the novel.

The novel is full of beautiful imagery and I really enjoyed it. There was quite a bit of time jumping as Ono was constantly drifting back into the past. I would definitely be interested in reading some of Ishiguro's other novels, especially if they are as well-written as this one.

Book Series and Favorite Authors

There are a lot of really good book series out there in just about any genre you could hope for. I really love a good series partially because I can sometimes be overly attached to characters. I enjoy reading about their growth as they overcome adversity and relationship building tends to be more developed in series simply because there is more time.

Here are some of the series that I am currently reading/have read, followed by a few authors that I think you should give a shot.

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files and the Codex Alera
I've written up about the most recent Dresden Files novel, Skin Game, but I wanted to address the series as a whole. If you've never read any of them, and haven't looked at that particular entry, the Dresden Files is centered around Harry Dresden, a wizard who lives in Chicago. There are currently 15 books, and I've read that Jim Butcher has books planned all the way into the mid twenties, so if you like binge-reading, this is a good place to start! The characters are so well developed and Butcher is wonderful about tracking different plot lines against a huge cast of support characters. Harry Dresden usually has a lovely sense of snarky (but sometimes a little lame) humor and one of the things that I love most about him is that he isn't perfect. He does make mistakes but always does his best to deal with the fallout and make sure that no one gets hurt. The first novel in the series is Storm Front, so if you have the opportunity, I definitely recommend starting there.

Butcher has a second series, the Codex Alera, which is more high fantasy than Dresden. There are six books (it is complete!) and has a really interesting world history. The famous missing IX Roman legion stumbled into another world, providing the basis for the dominant human culture in the Codex Alera. The series itself doesn't take place anywhere near that point in time, but there is a lot of Roman influence that is a joy if you happen to like the classics. The books focus on a boy named Tavi, who is 15 (I think) in the first novel and in his early twenties by the end. There's action, adventure, political intrigue, romance, and magic, making for a really exciting read.

Kim Harrison - The Hollows
This is another one of my favorite series that I've been reading for a while. The most recent book, The Undead Pool, just came out in February (and is on my waiting list for a full entry) and is the 12th, and penultimate, in the series. The very last book is set to be released in September, which is bittersweet news to me. I'm not quite ready to give up the series yet, but I always enjoy a definite ending so the series doesn't get drawn out and lose its appeal. The main character is a witch named Rachel Morgan who works (and lives) with a living vampire, Ivy Tamwood, and a pixy, Jenks (and his extensive family). They are "runners" which basically means they do jobs like bodyguarding, retrieving stolen/lost items, etc. in the supernatural community. There are elves and demons and were-creatures, fairies and plain vanilla humans. A lot of good character development and very interesting plots.

Kelley Armstrong - Women of the Otherworld
This series is complete as of Thirteen, published in 2012 as the 13th novel. This one doesn't revolve around any single character but rather several connected women who make frequent appearances in each other's books. The first couple focus on Elena Michels, a werewolf, and then shift to Paige Winterborne, a witch who first appeared in the second novel. Some other characters are Eve, a half-demon witch, and Savannah, her daughter, who was taken in by Paige as a pre-teen. One of my favorite things about this series are the strong female characters. Like the name of the series indicates, Kelley Armstrong really develops her leading ladies, but doesn't slack off on the men either. The supporting cast are dynamic and interesting with fully developed back stories. (I'll admit it, Jeremy, the alpha werewolf is my favorite character!) It's difficult to describe any of the plot, considering that the books don't focus on one single character like Butcher and Harrison's series, but they are all fantastic, so you should read them!

Elizabeth Peters - Amelia Peabody
Sadly, Elizabeth Peters passed away last year, so this series is definitely finished. There are 19 books, including a compendium/guide to the series, which revolves around Amelia Peabody Emerson and her family. The first book takes place in the 1880s and goes through the 1920s, splitting its time between England and Egypt. Amelia and her family are archaeologists working in Egypt alongside notable people such as Howard Carter. Elizabeth Peters herself had a Ph.D. in Egyptology, lending a really credible feeling to the series. At its core, the books are mysteries, as Amelia fancies herself a bit of a detective and the Emersons happen to wind up in quite a few scrapes. The novels are written in first person and are published sort of as journals. They don't feel like diaries or anything, but are meant to come from Amelia's personal journals. Amelia herself has a wonderful voice and any of the books are a joy to read.

It looks like I may have to do a Series Part 2, because I definitely have more to talk about and this post is getting a little long. To wrap things up, here are some more authors that are definitely worth checking out.

• Brandon Sanderson (seriously... read everything this guy puts out. You won't regret it. Some of the most imaginative and unique magic systems I have ever read.)
• Neil Gaimon (do I really need to say more?)
• Rachel Aaron (Eli Monpress is just lovely)
• Rob Thurman (the Cal Leandros series is awesome)

Hari Kunzru - Transmission

Yet another Cosmopolitan novel assigned for class, Hari Kunzru's Transmission follows Arjun Mehta, a gifted programmer from India who is hired by a sketchy company who ships Indian programmers to America to work as cheap immigrant labor.

After experiencing many disappointments in the U.S., which didn't match up at all to his vision of the American Dream that was promised by his new employers, Arjun is hired by a big data company. However, budget cuts force Arjun, as a non-American citizen, to be one of the first programmers to be let go. In desperation to keep his job and not have to return home in disgrace to India, Arjun creates a very sophisticated virus that quickly mutates out of control, causing a global crisis that turns him into a wanted cyber terrorist.

Along with Arjun's story, the novel follows Guy Swift, a young English entrepreneur, his girlfriend Gabriella, and Leela Zahir, Bollywood star and unknowing face of Arjun's virus.

There is a lot of humor in the novel and I found all of the characters and their plot lines to be compelling and interesting! One of my favorite parts is after Guy's company has been hit by Arjun's virus and his suave controlled life is spiraling out of control. He's having a bit of a breakdown and has sort of fired his only technical support, who is unfazed at losing his job and "would be in the pub if Guy changed his mind."

As the reasons for Caedmon's nonchalance started to dawn, sitting down no longer seemed appropriate. For a while Guy flounced around the building with his phone pressed to his ear. Then he noticed he was flouncing and made an effort to stride with masculine purpose. It made no difference. No one would listen. No one would help. Like many business people he had a quasi-theological view of computers. They were important and mysteriously beneficial, but it was the job of the priesthood to engage with them. Finding himself with no technical support was like standing naked before the judgement of God. He had no idea how to proceed, no way of even gauging the seriousness of his predicament.

At this point he realized he was vocalizing. And that his staff was staring at him. 

I could really visualize this scene with Guy, who you see very quickly in the novel is kind of smarmy and full of hot air (which is expected given his youngest billionaire in the world status), having a good freak out, pacing around and talking to himself. Maybe not even talking, but "vocalizing." Maybe you need to read more about Guy's character to get the humor of the scene, but it cracks me up every time! I really enjoyed Transmission and I'm definitely interested in reading some of Kunzru's other work.

James Kelman - You Have to Be Careful in the Land of the Free

What a mouthful for a title! It definitely fits in with this novel. To be honest, I wasn't overly fond of You Have to Be Careful in the Land of the Free, which was another novel required for my Cosmopolitanism class.

This novel is referred to as a "jeremiad," which is basically an extended rant about the state of the world. In fact, the name of the narrator was named after this genre, Jeremiah Brown. Jeremiah is a Scottish national who has lived in the U.S. for fifteen years. He has an estranged (maybe ex-, I can't recall) wife and young daughter and is going back to Scotland to see his sick mother.

The entire novel takes place in a span of a few hours the night before Jeremiah's flight as he barhops and reminisces and drinks. Oh boy, does he drink!

I wouldn't say that this was anything close to light reading. It is complex, quasi-stream of consciousness, and partially in Scots. Even visually, it is not easy to read. There is very little white space, no chapter breaks, no section breaks. Here's a little sample for you (Jeremiah has a foul mouth, so I've censored him!)

Mine was a compulsive, obsessive, addictive personality, the usual--plus I felt like a beer and the company of human beings; human beings, not tubes in a box or words on a page, and masturbation enters into that. In other words I was sick of myself and scunnered with my company, physically and mentally. And why was I gaun hame! I didnay even want to go hame. Yes I did.

No I didnay.

Yes I did.

No I didnay. No I f***ing didnay. It was an obligation. Bonne Skallin man it can only be an obligation. The faimly were there and one had to say hullo now and again. Posterity demands it of us.

This is from the very beginning of the novel (page 2, to be precise) and does a good job of showing a bit of the Scots dialect that permeates the novel and the writing style. He does converse with people occasionally, but it isn't traditionally formatted. No quotation marks at all. Jeremiah's dialogue is just mixed into his narration and the other people are expressed in italics. This goes on for over 400 pages and doesn't really much of a plot in the usual sense.

The novel was interesting in relation to the class, but I don't know that I would pick up another Kelman if it is like this one! It was a bit of a struggle to get through. You definitely need a quiet place to focus.

 

 

 

Skin Game - Jim Butcher

If you've never read one of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, you need to go to the bookstore and buy Storm Front and get started! Skin Game is the fifteenth book in the series and just came out on Tuesday, May 27. The last several books in the series had gotten very serious and Harry Dresden was in a dark place, making the books a little difficult to read--still enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but they were very heavy. Skin Game felt a bit more like the earlier books. The plot was still pretty intense, but Harry seemed much more mentally healthy.

I love how Harry can go from calling someone a "murderous murdering murderer" and shouting out "Parkour!" while actually doing parkour to being surprisingly insightful.

There's power in the touch of another person's hand. We acknowledge it in little ways, all the time. There's a reason human beings shake hands, hold hands, slap hands, bump hands.

It comes from our very earliest memories, when we all come into the world blinded by light and color, deafened by riotous sound, flailing in a suddenly cavernous space without any way of orienting ourselves, shuddering with cold, emptied with hunger, and justifiably frightened and confused. And what changes that first horror, that original state of fear?

The touch of another person's hands.

This was one of my very favorite passages in the entire book. It goes on, but I didn't want to fill the entire post with a book quote. Harry is still struggling with some moral issues in this book (without giving spoilers, it has to do with Mab, Queen of the Winter Sidhe) and is concerned that he may be changing for the worse and not even realizing it.

For those of you new to the Dresden Files, Harry Dresden is a wizard living in Chicago who goes from a sort of private detective to supernatural protector for the city. His narrative voice is a joy to read. He's mouthy and has a somewhat questionable sense of humor at times. He sets ridiculously high standards for himself, which can lead to some of his occasional angst about his moral state. Best of all, he's a avid movie quoter (which apparently isn't a word, but I'm going to pretend it is). In Skin Game, my two favorite moments are when he starts quotes Monty Python and the Holy Grail at someone who he thought was quoting but turned out to have no idea what he was talking about, and when he quotes The Black Hole and is greeted with incredulous reactions. I did a terrible job describing the scenes, but I couldn't quote directly without giving away plot.

Anyway, I highly recommend not only Skin Game, but the entire Dresden Files series (and the Codex Alera, also by Jim Butcher, which is lovely).