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Recent reading
Jun. 10th, 2024 05:51 pmIt can be surprisingly difficult to set out to read something self-indulgent! I suppose a reread or the next entry in a series is the best bet, but even those can backfire (the Hornblower book I read before these was a success, though).
The Magpie Lord by K J Charles (2017)
Surely a K J Charles would be a fun, engaging read? I picked this one on the basis of it being free, but alas, it didn’t work that well for me. The relationship between the main characters just wasn’t built up enough for me, with the result that I kind of lost interest in the sex scenes and was more into the magical plot. It didn’t help that it has that sort of everything-goes-smoothly kink where one of the main characters just goes ahead and dominates the other without anyone having to talk about it, whereas I would prefer there to be more negotiation and snags and character moments. I’m not being entirely fair, because there are some moments like that, and I did like those! But on the whole the relationship felt a little shallow.
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (1984)
A favorite of many of my fannish friends! Perhaps an older YA fantasy was what I needed? I think if I had read this one at fifteen, I would have loved it, but reading it at forty-five without the benefit of childhood nostalgia, I did not love it. Don’t get me wrong, I can still be charmed by a flame-haired princess fighting dragons, but I am more apt to have my back put up when the book starts out with someone on the border of a kingdom wanting to secede, and the narrator assures me that the only reason someone could want to secede from this Good Kingdom is because he’s a little stupid and also possessed by a demon. I also found the final battle anti-climactic because Aerin only wins because of something that seems accidental? And a lot of her actions in the second half seem like she’s being carried on some determined path rather than choosing her own actions? I am aware of how hypocritical this is of me, since I’ve seen people complain of the same thing in The Dark Is Rising, but I love that (childhood favorite) book, heh. However, my favorite character is the horse Talat. Great character, lovely relationship with Aerin, totally carried the book for me. <3
The Magpie Lord by K J Charles (2017)
Surely a K J Charles would be a fun, engaging read? I picked this one on the basis of it being free, but alas, it didn’t work that well for me. The relationship between the main characters just wasn’t built up enough for me, with the result that I kind of lost interest in the sex scenes and was more into the magical plot. It didn’t help that it has that sort of everything-goes-smoothly kink where one of the main characters just goes ahead and dominates the other without anyone having to talk about it, whereas I would prefer there to be more negotiation and snags and character moments. I’m not being entirely fair, because there are some moments like that, and I did like those! But on the whole the relationship felt a little shallow.
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (1984)
A favorite of many of my fannish friends! Perhaps an older YA fantasy was what I needed? I think if I had read this one at fifteen, I would have loved it, but reading it at forty-five without the benefit of childhood nostalgia, I did not love it. Don’t get me wrong, I can still be charmed by a flame-haired princess fighting dragons, but I am more apt to have my back put up when the book starts out with someone on the border of a kingdom wanting to secede, and the narrator assures me that the only reason someone could want to secede from this Good Kingdom is because he’s a little stupid and also possessed by a demon. I also found the final battle anti-climactic because Aerin only wins because of something that seems accidental? And a lot of her actions in the second half seem like she’s being carried on some determined path rather than choosing her own actions? I am aware of how hypocritical this is of me, since I’ve seen people complain of the same thing in The Dark Is Rising, but I love that (childhood favorite) book, heh. However, my favorite character is the horse Talat. Great character, lovely relationship with Aerin, totally carried the book for me. <3
