Six weeks in the south of Sweden
Courtesy of
Henning Mankell and his boss detective, Kurt Wallander. I plowed through everything except for
The Return of the Dancing Master. I'm saving that for later, as it made me a bit sad to be done with Kurt's world. This book is not a Wallander novel, but it's a crime novel and contains a few of the same characters, at least from
Before the Frost.
Apart from my fascination with the things of Sweden (which was heartily fed with this series), I found the novels engaging because of the humanity and vulnerability of the characters. Flaws and flubs abound, making them all the more 'human'. I found some of the situations implausible (Wallander was stalked fairly frequently and he really should have upgraded his security in his flat by somewhere around
The White Lioness) but then crime novels aren't meant to be relatable, if that's even a word.
I recommend them heartily for those who enjoy a good police procedural. The sweet dips into Swedish culture were a delight for me. Though if I ever do go to Ystad, I'll be keeping my eyes open a bit wider than I do in my own 'hood.
I just wish I didn't have to be done. Oh wait, I'm not. Yet.
I'll put off the Dancing Master for awhile - I know I have a lot to look forward to.
Foiled by the Booker!
Twice in a month I have been foiled by a
Booker prize winning novel. In August, it was
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.
This week it was
The Photograph by Penelope Lively.
Both books have a premise that intrigues - delving into people, culture, and psychology. Both books have won one of the most prestigious prizes in literature. Both books appeal to my curiosity of the different - neither the predictable novel.
And both have failed to capture and retain my attention and I've moved on to more frivolous pieces. I'm attributing my mindwandering to the time of year - summer and school break - having a short period of time to kick back without the stress of school has made me want to relax in every aspect of my world. So I have.
These books feel more like winter books - dedicate time, curl up and focus, spend a rainy day with them kind of books. While I fully intend to get back to them in the next few months, I can't help but feel a bit of the stoopid that I've traded them in for now.
Though I did trade The Photographer for
Quite Honestly by John Mortimer. I just started it last night so am only a few chapters in - and it's pure Mortimer: delightful, comfortable and amusing. Nothing earthshattering but a good fun read.
Under construction
as is everything, eh?
Okie then. I read a decent amount of books (yay) but have a memory as functional as a sieve (boo). So I decided to track the books and my opinions of them here. Yay again! I'm hoping this will help me 'member a bit better. Hope, hope, hope.
My fiction preferences are towards the mystery/suspense genre so it's likely that most of my 'reviews' will be along those lines. Over the last year, I have delved into books by Arnaldur Indridason, Karin Fossum, Kerstin Ekman, Michael Robotham, Jacqueline Winspear, Rennie Airth, Sean Doolittle, and of course the ever so alluring Ken Bruen. There are plenty more I can't think of right now (sieve, I cry!) but will drag out later.
I've also been reading some war novels - A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry and In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien both consumed over the last month. I have a couple more in the works but they can't be read in rapid succession for mental health purposes. I'll never understand why humanity continues to pour its sons and daughters into the horrors of war and I never want to forget. Somehow these stories have helped me see that which I'll never comprehend.
I love, lerv, luv PG Wodehouse. And John Mortimer. Love them. LOVE! Their books take me the first half of forever because each line is rich with literary sustenance. I progress slowly so as not to miss nor to overdo them. I love them. LoOoOoOvE! Don't mess with my Rumpole or my Mulliner or my Jeeves and Wooster.
Then there's Sigrid Undset. Over Christmas break I am going to read the Kristin Lavransdatter series. I love her work though of course the titles I have read escape my pea brain now. (grrr)
Myth/cultural lore is also a big interest of mine. A bit more than half of my roots are Swedish and the rest of them are Irish and Scottish so I've developed quite the fondness for Scandinavian work and lore - Norse myths, the Sagas of the Icelanders, Celtic folk legends are all on my shelves. I have books of myth and tales from a variety of cultures both modern and past but the northern European are most intriguing to me, at least for now.
I'm not into romance novels and I'm not really smart enough for anything like Shakespeare, poetry, most of the classics, Umberto Eco or anything really challenging. I wish I could claim otherwise but I can't. Alas. Woe. Etc.
