Saturday, September 30, 2017

September, a glorious month to read

So this month, I went on a week’s vacation. Between airports and NOT having access to my TiVo, I got a lot of reading done. Had I not chosen to tackle another GOT novel, I’d have read more books this month. Although not necessarily more pages. As it is, I read 5 books at 2529 pages. So here we go!

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson (516 pages). This. Novel. Was. Weird. But also really good. Narrator was a successful, attractive, drug addicted porn star/pornographer until he was in a horrendous car accident that leaves him burned beyond recognition. While recovering in the burn unit, he meets Marianne Engel, an artist who sculpts grotesques. Marianne tells him that they were lovers in medieval Germany. She had been a postulant and scribe at the Benedictine abbey at Engelthal. He had been a mercenary. As she recounts the story of their life together, he wonders if she's crazy or telling the truth. The novel was surprisingly spiritual and romantic and crazy. I finished in 8 days. 

Margaret Mitchell and John Marsh: The Love Story Behind Gone with the Wind by Marianne Walker (518 pages plus a 20 page preface). I love, love, LOVE GwtW. Seen the movie more times than I can even tell. Read the book twice (the first time in fifth grade). Kind of want to read it again. So this autobiography was a no brainer. Even though I've been to the Margaret Mitchell house (aka The Dump) and know so much about the novel. I didn't really know a lot about Peggy and John. She truly would never have written GwtW without him. Amazing love story. And a very well written book. Full of great stories of the couple, told to this author by their family members. I finished in 4 days (hooray for vacation!)

Your House is on Fire, Your Children All Gone by Stefan Kiesbye (198 pages). The back of the book said it was  Children of the Corn meets the Brothers Grimm. So I was excited for some scary. It was not scary, just weird. It takes place in a small German town. The novel is told by several of the children, each from their own perspective. The townspeople believed in curses and omens and ghosts. There were murders and incest and cheating and lies. I didn't really enjoy it but I finished in 1 day (seriously, vacay rules!)

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle (299 pages). Who doesn't love Pride and Prejudice?!  Ok, fine, some people might not. But I bet those people aren't reading my blog!  As everyone knows, there were 5 Bennet girls- Jane who married Bingley, Lizzie who married Darcy, Mary, Kitty, and headstrong Lydia who married Wickham. Mary was always just kind of there in P&P. Not as smart as her older sisters, not as vivacious as her younger ones. Typically middle daughter. But in this novel, Mary is given some personality and story. She is resigned to her lot in life- she will most likely never marry. But then, during a visit to Jane and Bingley, she allows herself to imagine when she meets Henry Walsh. Amidst more Lydia drama, Mary must decide what she wants and who she loves. I finished in 2 days (vacay AND travel). 

A Feast of Crows by George RR Martin (978 pages). I decided to head back to GOT, knowing there won't be another new episode for 2 years!  I've got 2 more books to finish, so why not. Honestly though, I've reached the point where I just like the show better. Martin has never met an edit he likes (apparently). While it's definitely nice to get additional story that the show just doesn't have time for, I found that this book dragged a little bit. He only focused on a few characters in the whole novel. So I found myself wondering about the rest of the cast of character. Turns out, they'll be the subjects of book 5. And then I'll be all caught up to what he's actually published. They also changed some of the character names from the book to the show, so I had to occasionally remind myself who this character is. And there were some great characters who aren’t even in the show. Like Lady Stoneheart aka Lady Catelyn reincarnated. Honestly though I just kind of powered through to get it read. I finished in 16 days. 

This month's favorite read goes to (drum roll please) Margaret Mitchell and John Marsh’s love story. The Gargoyle came in second