November almost got away from me. Guess that's what happens around this time of year. As soon as you hit October things start picking up and I swear it's a sprint through the holidays. But I'll go into more of that with my November wrap up post.
For now, let's see if I can get through a few more mini-reviews! And I'm finally into 2018 so for a brief period I will be within a year of getting these things out, which is pretty exciting.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
This was a re-read, sure, but one I realize I had never written about here. I picked it up again after Tom and I had visited the Strand. While waiting for me to finish browsing, he picked up a copy of this and started reading the ending because it's one of his favorite pieces. Which inspired me to revisit the entire book and even knowing how it ends (or at least mostly remembering how it ends) it was still great. There's a reason it's sold so many copies and if you haven't read it yet, you should probably get on that. Also I should probably read some more of her stuff since this is, I think, the only thing of hers I've read.
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The Girls by Emma Cline
This was a selection for book club and one that had made the rounds when it came out. ALSO this review is slightly easier as I had written out thoughts and emailed them to someone right after reading this so score one for past me. Anyway, this book was fine. I was entertained and it's a sorta-version of the Manson family and I like crime stuff so this fit my interests but ultimately wasn't that memorable. I was happy that the story focused mostly on the girls and little on Russel (the Manson figure), which would have been boring so that's a good thing. Oh but I have a note about how the author used the word "moist" a lot so that's a negative.
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
I love this play. Love love love love love this play. I will randomly quote pieces from it. When I was studying abroad in Italy and for Italian class we had to put on a short skit, my friend and I translated the "Do you think death is a boat?" scene and no, no one in the class got it but whatever, we were amused. I heart Shakespeare but I don't even know if that much knowledge of
Hamlet is necessary to enjoy this. Read a cliff notes summary and you have enough background. But I acknowledge that an existential, absurd play about two minor characters from
Hamlet who have no idea what is going on but just sort of go with things and should probably figure out which one is which, but does it really matter? And while I could go on and on and include a whole bunch of lines (ultimately the entire play? probably), let me just share with you that boat scene.
Rosencrantz: Do you think Death could possibly be a boat?
Guildenstern: No, no, no...death is not. Death isn't. Take my meaning? Death is the ultimate negative. Not-being. You can't not be on a boat.
R: I've frequently not been on boats.
G: No, no...what you've been is not on boats.
...Look, I understand why no one in class got it. Anyway.
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All January 2018 books read
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Where The Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
The Girls by Emma Cline
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
