This link opens in a pop-up window
Enter the Dreaming again as the blockbuster audio adaptation of "the greatest epic in the …
Such a great collection. I haven't read these in many years. The audio adaptation, more of a theatrical radio performance than an audiobook, was brilliant. The story of the imprisoned muse is haunting.
"The book collects dozens of Hurley's essays on feminism, geek culture, and her experiences and …
Really good essays from a pov that I thoroughly appreciate, especially after sampling the author's contributions to the sff realm. Hurley is inspirational and not just for her feminism. She speaks to me as a writer. Although we come to this from different perspectives, I can thoroughly relate to her frustration. This text should be part of a creative writing college curriculum.
"Quentin Coldwater's life is changed forever by an apparently chance encounter: when he turns up …
Really good novel. Magic system is so-so, but the worldbuilding is solid. There is a good story within a story too, and the characters are challenged and changed.
Some great dialogue too:
“I will stop being a mouse, Quentin. I will take some chances. If you will, for just one second, look at your life and see how perfect it is. Stop looking for the next secret door that is going to lead you to your real life. Stop waiting. This is it: there’s nothing else. It’s here, and you’d better decide to enjoy it or you’re going to be miserable wherever you go, for the rest of your life, forever.” - Alice
“You can’t just decide to be happy.” - Quentin
“No, you can’t. But you can sure as hell decide to be miserable...” - Alice
“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger …
In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's …
I love the worldbuilding and the air of free magic. The main character struggles so hard to find himself, but it's worth it in the end.
Another attempt to broaden my mind, not to make the writing of novels easy, but to incorporate some new clever tools. Not really inspiring at all though.
This little book was written before either "Jane Eyre" or "Shirley," and yet no indulgence …
I love the raw energy and hidden innocence of this novel. The prose is more elegant than I expected. The characters are somewhat more crisply drawn than Brontë's later novels. In its innocence, there is quite a lot of innocent humor like the question of a window overlooking a school of girls. Pure innocence for sure. And I get it... Brontë became much better, but in truth, here she was already quite good.
Shirley, A Tale is a social novel by the English novelist Charlotte Brontë, first published …
An interesting perspective about the industrial revolution from a woman's perspective. Robert Moore, a Dutch Titan of industry is desired and revered, but we also see the impact of machines, especially how they displace the poor. There is a level of disdain in the prose for such efforts:
...if I succeed as I intend to do, my success will add to his and Shirley's income. I can double the value of their mill property. I can line yonder barren Hollow with lines of cottages and rows of cottage-gardens----"
"Robert! And root up the copse?"
"The copse shall be firewood ere five years elapse. The beautiful wild ravine shall be a smooth descent; the green natural terrace shall be a paved street. There shall be cottages in the dark ravine, and cottages on the lonely slopes. The rough pebbled track shall be an even, firm, broad, black, sooty road, bedded with …
An interesting perspective about the industrial revolution from a woman's perspective. Robert Moore, a Dutch Titan of industry is desired and revered, but we also see the impact of machines, especially how they displace the poor. There is a level of disdain in the prose for such efforts:
...if I succeed as I intend to do, my success will add to his and Shirley's income. I can double the value of their mill property. I can line yonder barren Hollow with lines of cottages and rows of cottage-gardens----"
"Robert! And root up the copse?"
"The copse shall be firewood ere five years elapse. The beautiful wild ravine shall be a smooth descent; the green natural terrace shall be a paved street. There shall be cottages in the dark ravine, and cottages on the lonely slopes. The rough pebbled track shall be an even, firm, broad, black, sooty road, bedded with the cinders from my mill; and my mill, Caroline--my mill shall fill its present yard."
"Horrible! You will change our blue hill-country air into the Stilbro' smoke atmosphere."
"I will pour the waters of Pactolus through the valley of Briarfield."
"I like the beck a thousand times better."
- my emphasis. :-)
My opinion: Shirley is a good novel, but it is not as riveting as Jane Eyre or Villette.
Left by harrowing circumstances to fend for herself in the great capital of a foreign …
My favorite of all the books! I love the spaces inside the story and the ambiguity at the end. Lucy Snowe is such an intriguing psychological study. Also the postcolonial interpretation of slavery and West Indies trade is tangentially explored and is all the more intriguing for the light touch of disapproval employed.
Drawing heavily from personal experience, Anne Brontë wrote Agnes Grey in an effort to represent …
Agnes Grey is much more personal than the other Bronte stories. This is the tale of (shock!) a governess. The reader is treated to a gazetteer of all that it is to be a woman of little means in a world deaf to her misfortune. Agnes Grey is faithful to the rest of the Bronte ambient, including the imminence of death's knocking on the heroine's door.
A tale of passion set in the bleak Yorkshire moors in mid 19thC, far from …
Great novel with memorable characters. Heathcliff loves the word "witch."
A blend of searing social commentary and speculative fiction, Chana Porter’s fresh, pointed debut is …
Excellent short novel with an original take on infused encounters. Delicious prose. Well crafted story with good characters. I wish there was more, but it's a solid story anyhow.
"In his first book devoted solely to the form, structure, and development of Black English, …
Wow. I am a polyglot, love languages, and study how they evolve. I've read dozens of books about language formation and the impact of culture and history on human communication, but this is one of the best. If you do read it, get the audiobook so you can hear McWhorter pronounce the excellent examples of a wide sample of languages that convincingly make the case that there really is so much that is special about Black English, while at the same time making the case that it is just an ordinary language evolution. I learned a lot.
The Lady Astronaut Alternate Universe continues with Nicole's story, wherein we learn that the Earth Firsters are willing to do anything to stop human exploration of space. This is a great story, but I resisted, because initially I really wanted to know about York's flight to Mars. Kowal tells a story that hits a lot closer to home, especially in post-qAnon America where we have all seen adults we thought were smarter believe unsubstantiated rumors and blatant lies. If this is intentionally, I really like Kowal's choice, especially putting the racism and sexism front & center. Brave move. For me at least it worked very well! Bravo!
