Recent reading

[luzula]

Energy and Civilization: A History by Vaclav Smil (2017)
A brick of a book, requiring sustained concentration. But worth it! I liked how much time he spent on preindustrial societies, especially agriculture, since I've been reading other books about that. The later chapters contain a somewhat eyes-glazing-over amount of statistics, and also some repetition when he's summing up. But overall, recommended!

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer (1928, audiobook)
My yearly Heyer (I don't know why, but I always seem to read exactly one Heyer a year). A good choice for listening to alongside the previous book--one needs a little crossdressing hijinks with the heavy bricks. I enjoyed this, but Cotillion and A Civil Contract are still my favorite Heyers (different as they are).

Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan (2017, Memoirs of Lady Trent #5)
I'd been saving this up, and I wasn't disappointed. Well, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of attention paid to the Isabella/Suhail relationship, since I really liked the romance aspect of the last book. But then, romance is not the focus of this series, and I wouldn't want it to be. Instead it goes on with the scientific discoveries and dragon adventures, in a direction I did not see coming but which in retrospect I can see is set up very well. It makes for a satisfying last book.

Comments

[glitteryv]

One day I will get around to reading a book by Heyer. :-/

(FTR, I do have several of her books in my TBR. I do wonder if they won't click for me since so many ppl started reading them when they were younger. Hmm)

[mific]

I fell into them after everyone else (last year) and devoured several as audiobooks. My favourite Heyer reader is Phyllida Nash. :)

[glitteryv]

Good to know. :)

[luzula]

I started reading Heyer in my thirties, and I'm enjoying them. I don't think you need to have read them when you're young! Although it's good to read someone's reviews first, so you can avoid those with surprise!anti-semitism (or be braced for it). skygiants has good Heyer reviews.

[glitteryv]

Perhaps that is the impression I have from Book Twitter/Romancelandia. That Heyer's a formative author.

It sucks that there will be anti-Semitism in her books. That said, Agathha Christie has plenty of it in her novels and she's one if my fave authors. :-/

[brigantine]

I quite enjoyed "The Masqueraders." "Cotillion," too. Freddie is such a dear! Gosh, now that I think of it, it's been a long time since I read "Cotillion." Might do for a re-read, after I've finished the book I'm on. :)

One of my favorites is "The Reluctant Widow." It is very silly. I love young Nicky and his dog.

[luzula]

I am mostly going off skygiant's reviews, but they haven't mentioned that one, so thanks for the rec! *notes down*