Recent reading
Oct. 11th, 2022 03:24 pmI have got a cold (or whatever it is) and cannot do any teaching. Guess I'll do a rapid covid test soon. I am actually quite good at ruthlessly cutting down on my activities when I am sick, instead of laboring on despite tiredness and sore throat. And so, I have been lying on the bed reading for most of the day! I've been feeling for some time like I don't get enough time for reading, so it has been quite enjoyable. Also, before I got sick, I baked some utterly delicious chocolate chip cookies with expensive 70% chocolate, planning to share them at an activity on Monday evening. Because of the cold, I could not go, so I suppose I must now sacrifice myself and eat those delicious cookies myself!
Child Royal by D K Broster (1937)
This is set in the 16th century, which is a departure from her usual 18th and 19th century settings, but it is still concerned with France and Scotland. The main character is master of horse to Mary Queen of Scots in France. As usual with Broster’s later books, there is, alas, no slashiness. The het romance is unobjectionable (aside from one annoying line of dialogue, which, judging from![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
regshoe’s post about the book, made her roll her eyes as well!)--I didn't mind it, but neither did it particularly grip me. I do think Broster has gotten better at writing children, though. I think I probably would have got more out of the book if I had known more about the 16th century, but still, it was quite page turney and I stayed up late to finish it. The ending is less twisty than some of her other books. ( Spoilers ) Also, regshoe, did you understand who sent that knife to Ninian in prison, and why? Maybe I'm dense.
Flying Colours by C S Forester (1938)
Recced bysanguinity, and I am reading it now so that I can go on and read the longfic she is currently posting! I quite enjoyed this, it has a nice balance of hurt-comfort between Hornblower and Bush to exciting naval stuff, and as an adventure story to read while having a cold, it certainly delivered. Aww, and I liked the whole sequence about drifting down the Loire. I'm glad sanguinity warned me about Hornblower’s relationships with women, though, because there are some authorial decisions here that I question, ahem. As in Lieutenant Hornblower, there is so much sleeplessness during the action! That book had Bush going three nights without sleep, which sounds terrible. In this one, they go two nights without sleep. Augh.
Child Royal by D K Broster (1937)
This is set in the 16th century, which is a departure from her usual 18th and 19th century settings, but it is still concerned with France and Scotland. The main character is master of horse to Mary Queen of Scots in France. As usual with Broster’s later books, there is, alas, no slashiness. The het romance is unobjectionable (aside from one annoying line of dialogue, which, judging from
regshoe’s post about the book, made her roll her eyes as well!)--I didn't mind it, but neither did it particularly grip me. I do think Broster has gotten better at writing children, though. I think I probably would have got more out of the book if I had known more about the 16th century, but still, it was quite page turney and I stayed up late to finish it. The ending is less twisty than some of her other books. ( Spoilers ) Also, regshoe, did you understand who sent that knife to Ninian in prison, and why? Maybe I'm dense. Flying Colours by C S Forester (1938)
Recced by
sanguinity, and I am reading it now so that I can go on and read the longfic she is currently posting! I quite enjoyed this, it has a nice balance of hurt-comfort between Hornblower and Bush to exciting naval stuff, and as an adventure story to read while having a cold, it certainly delivered. Aww, and I liked the whole sequence about drifting down the Loire. I'm glad sanguinity warned me about Hornblower’s relationships with women, though, because there are some authorial decisions here that I question, ahem. As in Lieutenant Hornblower, there is so much sleeplessness during the action! That book had Bush going three nights without sleep, which sounds terrible. In this one, they go two nights without sleep. Augh.
