What I read: Sept & Oct 2013

I haven't stopped reading, but I only read 5 books in September, so  I decided to wait and combine them with my October books. Part of the reason I read little was that of course I had to go back to work, but also, I read two books which were quite long, and that took some time...  Anyway, here's what I thought of them all.

1. The Hour I First Believed,  Wally Lamb. Wally Lamb is the author of one of my favourite all-time books (She's Come Undone) so when I saw this one in a used book shop, I grabbed it. This was one of the long ones, but it was a great story. Reminded me of a kind of John Irving epic (without the wrestling). The story centered on the lives of two people who were (fictional) survivors of the Columbine school shooting - one who actually lived through the event and her husband, who taught at the school, but was out of town on the day due to a funeral.  It was an interesting exploration of the effects that a traumatic event can have on the lives of the people involved - those who lose loved ones, those who survive the event, those who are connected to survivors, and so on. There was lots more to the book, but that's the starting premise. I found the characters well drawn - realistic and flawed but in a way which still drew me to them. And I am reminded that I actually own Lamb's other novel, I Know This Much is True, but have never read it (it's a gigantic hardback and I always forget about it as it's on a different bookcase.  Really must get around to it!)

2. The Cleaner of Chartres, Salley Vickers.  Lots of people have heard of Miss Garnet's Angel, but Vickers has written many other stories, of various styles and subject matters (though all roughly dealing with human relationships). I enjoyed this one more than some of her others (though I haven't disliked any I've read) - perhaps because it's more in my comfort zone and perhaps a little less heavy, despite dealing with some serious issues, than some (e.g. The Other Side of You, which I read earlier this year).

3. Arlington Park, Rachel Cusk. A novel about a number of people who live in a certain neighbourhood, exploring their lives and issues. This was fine, but not one of my favourite reads.

4. Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden.  This book has been on my shelf for a while - I picked it up at a book sale a year or two ago, and had been reluctant to try it - I think under that principal that when everyone raves about something, maybe it's too good to be true.  However, I finally decided to give it a go, and am glad I did - apparently, it's one of those instances where everyone likes a book simply because it's a really excellent book. If you haven't read this, do try it - it's a super story, and the main character is very engaging. And of course the details of the life of a geisha are very interesting as well, and probably not entirely what you'd expect. (This was the other longish book!)

5.  Moon over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch. And then for something completely different. 2nd book in the Peter Grant, Apprentice Wizard series (not sure if the series is called that - I just tagged it that way) and although perhaps not quite as good as the first (partly due to the effect of knowing what some of the funky twists were likely to involve) still an excellent continuation of the idea (detective story in contemporary London, only with magic thrown in), with great characters, new and old, and a creative plot line. Plus lots of things set up for book 3 and beyond. And I do love the author's tone - very funny, without trying too hard.

6. Sacred Hearts, Sarah Dunant. An historical novel about a girl inside a nunnery in 16th century Italy. I like a good historical novel, and this was.

7. The Sea Change, Joanne Rossiter.  The parallel stories of the life of a young woman victim of a tidal wave (on her honeymoon) and her mother, who was forced to leave the village she loved growing up (taken over by military in the war) examining their unresolved issues both with one another and in other relationships in their lives.  Enjoyed this, though not one of the very top reads.

8. Graceling, Kristin Cashore.  Teen fiction, fantasy. Set in a world where some people are born with special gifts, which set them apart from others, either through the ability itself or through fear and superstition. The main character, Katsa, is graced with the gift of killing.  Also involves some romance and political intrigue. An excellent piece of teen fantasy. Looking forward to the other books set in the same world.

9. Whispers Underground, Ben Aaronovitch. Another in the series above and again, an excellent adventure. My husband is reading these as well, and keeps ordering them from the library, so rather than savour them over time, I am feasting on them more or less all at once.  However, the author has only written four so far, so after we read the next one, we'll have to have a break!

10. Club Dead, Charmaine Harris. 3rd in the Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire series. This is the sort of thing I often read when I want something easy on the brain, but still entertaining.  These amuse me; they're good fun.

11. The Age of Miracles, Karen Thompson Walker. A nice coming-of-age story, with a twist - the earth's rotation is slowing down, and it's causing all kinds of problems. Thought this well written, with a well-thought-out premise and a lot of interesting side issues.

12. The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexandfer McCall Smith.  Gentle mystery set in Edinburgh. I'd probably read more of these, especially on holiday, etc, where I want something easy-going and not-too-taxing, but still well-written, but I probably won't seek them out. It wasn't  quite as charming as the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, but what is...

13. The Three Body Problem, Catherine Shaw. Another mystery. This one historical, and set in late 19th century Cambridge, centering around mathematicians. I have a couple more in this series, which I think I will also enjoy. The mathematics was interesting without being too tiresome or detailed and the characters were pretty solid and didn't feel anachronistic.