#sffbookclub

I loved this book for several things:

• How real and solid the historical-London setting felt. I'm used to that sort of thing feeling very flimsy, but this is an author who clearly does deep research and lets it suffuse the writing without getting all 'splainy.
• The very palpable tension between the protagonist's precarious position and her need to have some freedom.
• The delightful-if-implausable retconning of Sir Christopher Wren's secret motive for shaping London the way he did.

#SFFBookClub

About halfway through and I have mixed feelings about this book. I find the plot such as there is one quite interesting and a very good vehicle for dissecting/mocking the 2010s-2020s turn to fascism. And I like the writing itself a lot. But Gospodinov seems perpetually unsure whether he's writing a novel or an essay.

The thing that's keeping me going is that he's a good enough writer and observer for it to be an enjoyable essay, but I am increasingly finding myself wanting the essayish digressions to get shorter so the plot can move more.

#SFFBookClub

Ok, I think I'm putting this down now - it has become a slog. I took a little break, thinking maybe I just needed a change of pace, but I'm just not into it.

I'm reminded a bit of when, having loved The Historian, I picked up The Shadow Land, also by Elizabeth Kostova. I spent much of the novel anticipating how the surreal elements were going to be introduced, only to eventually realize that it was just a "normal" mystery story (coincidentally also set in / revolving around Bulgaria).

Some of the concepts are intriguing, but they don't seem to be going anywhere (so far).

#SFFBookClub

#SFFBookClub

👀

#SFFBookClub

#SFFBookClub

this is a statement about the current geopolitical landscape

#SFFBookClub

#SFFBookClub

savage

#SFFBookClub

#OpeningSentence #SFFBookClub

Novellas are inherently short on characterizaton, but in my opinion the characterizaton of London/English lilfe of this time is well done here, it made quite the impression. I also really liked the descriptions of the supernatural happenings; concise and impressive always, grand and awe-inspiring where appropriate.

(I started it in the afternoon and stayed up very late to finish it.)

September 2025 #SFFBookClub

An interesting mix of victorian(?) midwifery and eldritch mysticism. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as groundbreaking as Our Lady of Endless Worlds.

#SFFBookClub

The #SFFBookClub pick for October 2025