Category Archives: Book Reviews

Interiors: The Private Patient

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Marion

The Private Patient/P.D. James Vintage, 2010 Whether it’s describing a publishing house along the river, a small local museum or a religious community, PD James is adept at setting her mysteries in interesting spaces.  Invariably, the fate of the place … Continue reading →

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Cleopatra, a Life

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Marion

 Cleopatra, a Life Stacy Schiff Little, Brown, 2010  Stacy Schiff’s thoroughly documented biography of Egypt’s best-known queen throws open a window on a time and place that is mysterious and exotic; Egypt in the four decades BCE.   Schiff is, if … Continue reading →

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Bloodshot

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Marion

Bloodshot/Cherie Priest Ballentine Spectra, 2011 I thought I’d take a break from Gilgamesh and The Book Thief—and that may be the first time those two books showed up in the same sentence—so I read Cherie Priest’s urban fantasy Bloodshot over the … Continue reading →

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The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Marion

The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet:Arturo Perez-Reverte G.P Putnam’s Sons, 2003 When your action novel hero is a battle-hardened soldier, death alone is not enough of a threat to the character.  The writer’s challenge is to find something more serious, … Continue reading →

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Jane Eyre, Part I

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Marion

(Warning: This is a very long post.) Chad Hull, author of the blog Fiction is So Over-Rated, and I have been having a discussion about Jane Eyre.  Chad just read it recently, and was irritated with Jane.  He wasn’t the … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare in Venice, Update: Hey, That’s Me!

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Marion

Jon Courtenay Grimwood has this blog posting on the Orbit publishing site, with lots of glorious photos of Venice, and some discussion of what he was trying to accomplish with The Fallen Blade. Here’s a quote: “My favourite mention of The Fallen … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare in Venice

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Marion

The Fallen Blade Jon Courtenay Grimwood Orbit, 2010  The Fallen Blade is Act One of the Assassini Trilogy. You can enjoy this intricate historical and political fantasy with its nuanced, layered characters on its own, or you can follow the … Continue reading →

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Squid Pro Quo

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Marion

 Kraken, by China Mieville Ballentine Del Ray, 2010 There are two adjectives for China Mieville’s Kraken, “fun,” and “exhilarating.” Mieville’s longer works have always seemed serious to me.  Intricately imagined, believably peopled with intriguing characters, and told with elaborate arabesques … Continue reading →

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The Gift of the Wolf

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Marion

 The Philosopher and the Wolf,  Mark Rowlands Pegasus Books, 2010 (This is a very long essay,over 2,000 words, and may contain “spoilers” even though the book is nonfiction.) * Any book that makes me think about the world, or re-evaluate … Continue reading →

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2010–Books that Got My Attention

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Marion

I never do a “best of” list, mainly because I have trouble remembering what I read; however, there’s where a blog comes in handy! Here are some books that made an impression on me in 2010.  Shadow Tag, Louise Erdrich—for … Continue reading →

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