Monthly Archives: November 2014

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

American Literature

Synopsis: The interlocking stories of Darcy, an 18-year-old who has just gotten a contract for her first novel, and Lizzie, the protagonist of Darcy’s novel who is having a love affair with a Hindu death god. Review: Afterworlds had great promise but Scott Westerfeld loved Darcy too much, and didn’t make her suffer enough. I got tired of hearing the characters talk about how they were all wonderful writers. Even if they are wonderful writers (and Darcy’s novel does have “the juice”), it grates. But…

Read More »

The Killer Next Door by Alex Marwood

British Literature

Synopsis: The residents of a London apartment building come together during a bizarre accident, but have no idea of the secrets they are all keeping (hint: one guy turns girls into mummies). Review: The Killer Next Door was so so so good and it reminded me a lot of Ruth Rendell, a writer I love. In fact, it had a very similar premise to Tigerlily’s Orchids, which I read recently but didn’t blog. I think I liked Alex Marwood’s version better.

Read More »

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

American Literature

Synopsis: A reporter heads back to her hometown to write about a serial killer, only to find her own past coming back to haunt her. Review: I didn’t love Sharp Objects, but I will admit it’s a good page-turner. I just couldn’t get past the central character conceit, that she’s carved her body full of words. I knew someone once who gave himself a home tattoo of the word “TRUST” after the Hal Hartley movie, and it took up like half his leg because it…

Read More »

The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks (Lightbringer)

American Literature

Synopsis: In the third Lightbringer book, bastard son turned full spectrum polychrome Kip Guile finds himself fully immersed in politics and war, while ex-slave Teia discovers that her seemingly obscure talent for drafting a color invisible to all but a few might in fact make her a key player in the coming of the apocalypse–or its prevention, and ex-Prism Gavin Guile’s past sins wreak their vengeance on him as he becomes a color-blind galley slave. Review: Awesome, awesome, awesome. Brent Weeks’ strongest book yet and…

Read More »