Recent reading
Feb. 3rd, 2023 10:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luzulaJonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (2004)
I have read this fifteen years ago or more, and my reread was prompted byregshoe saying that she was going to reread the book, since this is one of her fandoms. I was slow to get into it--the book lay there like an accusing thousand-page brick, implying that I really should get going or I would never finish it. But after fifty pages I hit on the brilliant idea of listening to it as an audiobook instead--this often works well for me when I'm rereading something. And it really was a good audiobook! My remembrance of this book was that I enjoyed the style and worldbuilding but felt somewhat at a distance from the characters, and I think that was true on reread as well. The magic in the book is the opposite of the sort of worldbuilding where magic is a comprehensible system, and I enjoyed that numinous feeling.
I think my warmest emotion was anger at Strange and Norrell for how they treat Arabella and Lady Pole respectively--it's not like Strange didn't care about his wife, or that he was in any way cruel to her, but he didn't listen to her, arrrgh. And as for Norrell, it's clear that he is completely ignoring Lady Pole’s existence because he somehow thinks it will make his dealings with a fairy go away, but that is really no excuse, arrrgh. Strange and Norrell’s reunion was rather charming, though. I don't really ship anybody in this book, if anything it might be Arabella/Lady Pole just because they both deserve better. Hello, past self commenting on Yuletide in 2012, I see you thought the same thing. *pats self on back* I had a brief look through the fic on AO3, but the vast majority of it did not look to be of interest to me. Butregshoe, I will definitely check out yours, and let me know if you have any other particular recs. : )
The Henchmen of Zenda by K J Charles (2018)
A very different book from the previous! I thought it was DELIGHTFUL. : D My hat is off to K J Charles--this is really the pinnacle of sexy swashbuckling, could not be bettered. Enjoyable narrative voice, great sexual/relationship tension and sex scenes. I do recommend that you read The Prisoner of Zenda before this one, to properly appreciate what she's doing with the plot and with the characters. It's not really enemies-to-lovers, but sort of adjacent, what with the shifting loyalties and the uncertainty about whom to trust. I like how the bad guy in canon (Black Michael) is not a good guy here, but actually both sides fighting for the throne are equally despicable--but nevertheless the main character is likable and has a good reason to work for Michael (which I won't reveal, because it's a spoiler). A+ handling of the female characters, they are actually interesting people with agency in this book, as opposed to in canon.
The Ceaseless Century: 300 Years of Eighteenth Century Costume by Richard Martin (1998)
The 300 years is because it tracks the influence of 18th century fashion on later centuries. This is 82 pages and mostly pictures, so a quick read.
I have read this fifteen years ago or more, and my reread was prompted by
regshoe saying that she was going to reread the book, since this is one of her fandoms. I was slow to get into it--the book lay there like an accusing thousand-page brick, implying that I really should get going or I would never finish it. But after fifty pages I hit on the brilliant idea of listening to it as an audiobook instead--this often works well for me when I'm rereading something. And it really was a good audiobook! My remembrance of this book was that I enjoyed the style and worldbuilding but felt somewhat at a distance from the characters, and I think that was true on reread as well. The magic in the book is the opposite of the sort of worldbuilding where magic is a comprehensible system, and I enjoyed that numinous feeling.I think my warmest emotion was anger at Strange and Norrell for how they treat Arabella and Lady Pole respectively--it's not like Strange didn't care about his wife, or that he was in any way cruel to her, but he didn't listen to her, arrrgh. And as for Norrell, it's clear that he is completely ignoring Lady Pole’s existence because he somehow thinks it will make his dealings with a fairy go away, but that is really no excuse, arrrgh. Strange and Norrell’s reunion was rather charming, though. I don't really ship anybody in this book, if anything it might be Arabella/Lady Pole just because they both deserve better. Hello, past self commenting on Yuletide in 2012, I see you thought the same thing. *pats self on back* I had a brief look through the fic on AO3, but the vast majority of it did not look to be of interest to me. But
regshoe, I will definitely check out yours, and let me know if you have any other particular recs. : )The Henchmen of Zenda by K J Charles (2018)
A very different book from the previous! I thought it was DELIGHTFUL. : D My hat is off to K J Charles--this is really the pinnacle of sexy swashbuckling, could not be bettered. Enjoyable narrative voice, great sexual/relationship tension and sex scenes. I do recommend that you read The Prisoner of Zenda before this one, to properly appreciate what she's doing with the plot and with the characters. It's not really enemies-to-lovers, but sort of adjacent, what with the shifting loyalties and the uncertainty about whom to trust. I like how the bad guy in canon (Black Michael) is not a good guy here, but actually both sides fighting for the throne are equally despicable--but nevertheless the main character is likable and has a good reason to work for Michael (which I won't reveal, because it's a spoiler). A+ handling of the female characters, they are actually interesting people with agency in this book, as opposed to in canon.
The Ceaseless Century: 300 Years of Eighteenth Century Costume by Richard Martin (1998)
The 300 years is because it tracks the influence of 18th century fashion on later centuries. This is 82 pages and mostly pictures, so a quick read.
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Date: 2023-02-04 04:24 pm (UTC)Totally agree about the lovely numinous magic, and about Strange's and Norrell's treatment of the women in their lives (especially Strange, who is easy to read as The Good One and who makes gestures towards recognising women as equals, vs. Norrell's much more straightforward, overt sexism—but there's not much substance in his actual actions). If you want more female characters doing interesting things in this universe then you should definitely read the spin-off short story collection The Ladies of Grace Adieu!
I also agree about shipping—I would ship Arabella/Lady Pole if I shipped anyone (also possibly Stephen/Segundus, which I'm slightly surprised doesn't have more fics—although Segungus/Childermass being—somewhat bafflingly—the juggernaut probably doesn't help).
Fic! I agree that much of the fandom isn't aligned with my worldbuilding-rather-than-shipping tastes, but it does often get some good worldbuilding fic at Yuletide—everything in the last Yuletide collection is worth reading, and my bookmarks have some good stuff from previous years. I've liked everything I've read from
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Date: 2023-02-04 10:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2023-02-05 03:43 pm (UTC)I know I've read and enjoyed The Ladies of Grace Adieu at some point. Segundus/Childermass--yes, I was baffled! I did not see that at all in the book. Perhaps they are both good looking in the TV series, or something.
And thanks for the recs, I will check them out. : )
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Date: 2023-02-05 06:19 pm (UTC)Perhaps they are both good looking in the TV series, or something.
Hee, that may have had something to do with it :P (though, while those two actors were both great in their roles, I cannot recommend the TV series in general).
And thanks for the recs, I will check them out. : )
You're welcome, I hope you enjoy them :D
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Date: 2023-02-05 07:23 pm (UTC)Do you perhaps have some post in your journal detailing What Is Wrong with the TV series? : ) Not that I am likely to watch it anyway, I am very bad at watching TV.
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