“Sense
and Sensibility” by Jane Austen. So I, um, won a kindle fire
at my holiday party a couple of months ago. This was the first book I read on
it. I found it a nice form factor and comfortable to read off of, but I found
it easier to put down and not pick up than an actual book, maybe because you
have to turn it on. The wrap-up of Eleanor’s storyline seemed too easy to me,
not that I wasn’t happy for her or anything, but I felt like it should have
been less of a surprise and more motivated.
“Graceling”
by Kristin Cashore. Oh my god, a book I chose myself! The boy wandered off with this
when he’d finished all that GRRM stuff. He told me it was “a good first novel”
which is damning with faint praise but whatever. However, when I was reading
along, I could see what he meant; it lacked a certain elegance in execution.
The idea was really cool, though. I loved Po’s grace. And the plot moved right
along.
“The
Fox Woman“ by Kij Johnson. I’ve read three of her short stories,
and all have stuck with me enough that I’ve even forced them on other people
(!). Those stories were 26 monkeys also the abyss, Ponies (which some people
have gotten angry with me for recommending, but I think that’s what makes it
effective), and some really disturbing thing about being trapped in an escape
pod with a really tactile alien. Anyway, so I was happy to see she had some
novels, and I requested the first one from the library.
It’s told as three diaries woven together, the POVs charming and
profound. I mentioned to my Japanese friend what I was reading, and she said, “Oh,
children’s story,” so I told her there was a fair bit of sex. She asked me if
they got married, and I said yes, so we agreed maybe it was the same one. The
fox magic version of a fairy world was brilliant, also.