Reviews and Comments

For my book club and so delightful so far—hitting all my bookish book spots!

I am still really pulled in by this trilogy. Kristin continues to make rough decisions, Erlend continues to be a mistake always, but the inner lives and the sweep of it all, and the deeper look into Simon are all great. I think it’s the deeply realized medieval Norway setting in combination with the really subtle storytelling? The details of political feuds escape me, but it doesn’t really matter

An odd book that explores an evolving art piece in which the author matched other artists with people whose lives had been included in the archives of an LGBTQ society. The idea for the piece—matchmaking and creating queer lineages—is great. But the book focuses relentlessly on the author’s experiences of creating the project rather than the artists’ experiences of making the art, or even conveying those installations so that the reader can experience them. The third part with invited essays from Katz, Tea, and Vargas was great—smart and beautifully written. If you’re a GLAMs person, this can open up lots of thoughts both about how we as researchers and we as institutional workers could create opportunities for public and creative work with our collections.

I can’t really explain why this pulls me in so much—Kristin herself is so annoying and I don’t relate to the devout Christianity—but I am just loving this trilogy

Not entirely sure it was wise to choose a romance that has a lot to do with the precariousness of being Jewish in 1832 London and the desperate hopes that they will finally be granted emancipation—lots of anxieties around today’s world pulling me out of a relaxing read, oops

My chronological reading of Pym continues to pay off. I loved this one. Less mockery and cringe, more wistful and generous. Despite Wilmet being the center (or maybe because) it really feels like a study of men and the roles open for them.

Nothing wrong with this one, but it doesn’t reach the heights of Pym greatness.

back to Barbara Pym, my old friend, and my chronological read-through

People kept telling me this series was great and I kept procrastinating, but I'm here to tell you that wow this book was everything I didn't know I needed. It's not only old-folks-solving-murders, it's old folks who are vibrant and believe in community who create lives for themselves that are so rich that they bring in others who also need them in their lives, and together they solve murders old and new. I don't know how to explain it, but it's wonderful.

And this one I was on the waitlist forever, so perfect timing for me to finally read now!

lol I had so many breaks while reading this that my library copy expired and now I’m back on the waitlist to finish reading oops

I maybe shouldn’t read books about moms facing empty nests because it’s too real, but I liked the rapport between the two leads and the happy ending of romance and peace with who you are