Book Post: Galbraith, Bujold and Jones
Feb. 6th, 2024 11:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshorty The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith [J.K. Rowling], 946pp (300 pages read in 2023).[Cormoran Strike book 7]
The seventh book in Cormoran Strike series. A father comes to the detective agency for help since he lost contract with a son who joined a "church" and was eager to get him out. Robin ends up going undercover and they investigate a deeper mystery as well. I'm not a big fan of cults so I wasn't sure I would enjoy this. And I did like it a bit less than some other mysteries, mostly because many people at the cult were appalling and unpleasant and pretty yuk. But the psychological exploration of cults was pretty good as was the tension in the story. I really did end up enjoying the resolution to the murder mystery though; that was well done, with excellent red herrings and clues. This book also ends on an emotional cliff hanger, which was such a nice punch. I don't particularly care about the series' main romantic plot but it is really time to move it along. And as usual, this book is almost 1000 pages but it doesn't feel long and one just wants to keep reading.
Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold, 121p [Penric and Desdemona 1]
I really enjoyed the novels in the World of Five Gods book, so this year I'm starting on the novellas. I knew nothing about them, other than that they are set in this universe (which I have a good handle on because of the novel, so that actually helps a lot). I knew the name Desdemona but not who she was, but I did figure it out pretty quickly in the conversation between Penric and the dying woman on the road. I like Penric - he is young and a bit naive, but I like his attitude toward Desdemona and learning from everything he sees. Even the fact that he names her. When his roommate was leading him to have dinner with the roommate's brother, I knew this wasn't right and wanted to yell at Penric to think a little and like actually tell someone where he was going before leaving but at least it was a life experience for him. And I also really liked his approach of honesty in telling his story and his expectation that he would be believed. He is very ernest and it does serve him well by the end. I'm looking forward to really more novellas and seeing Penric gain some experience. The novella felt very low key, and I was enjoying that.
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones, 239pp
Sirius, the star, was convicted in star court for allegedly killing another luminary and sentenced to live on Earth in the body of a dog, until at least he finds the McGuffin. He is reborn as a puppy, almost drowned, ends up with a girl named Kathleen and her uncle and aunt's family, and grows not just a dog but as he gets some memories bag from being a star. There are clever plot twists but a lot of the book is seeing the world through the eyes of a dog. It was a fun novel, even if I don't care much for dogs. As typical of children's books some adults are just too mean but at least Kathleen's cousins are more three dimensional. There is also references to Welsh deities and underworld that I did have to look up as I didn't know the reference to one of the characters. Overall it was a very good book. I liked some of the other Diana Wynne Jones' books more but I can see why a lot of people enjoy this one, especially if they like dogs.
The only thing that it was hard for me to take the name "Sirius" seriously since I strongly associate it with Sirius Black. So I had to make myself not conflate to two characters. But this is a minor thing and I'm sure just my hang-up.
The seventh book in Cormoran Strike series. A father comes to the detective agency for help since he lost contract with a son who joined a "church" and was eager to get him out. Robin ends up going undercover and they investigate a deeper mystery as well. I'm not a big fan of cults so I wasn't sure I would enjoy this. And I did like it a bit less than some other mysteries, mostly because many people at the cult were appalling and unpleasant and pretty yuk. But the psychological exploration of cults was pretty good as was the tension in the story. I really did end up enjoying the resolution to the murder mystery though; that was well done, with excellent red herrings and clues. This book also ends on an emotional cliff hanger, which was such a nice punch. I don't particularly care about the series' main romantic plot but it is really time to move it along. And as usual, this book is almost 1000 pages but it doesn't feel long and one just wants to keep reading.
Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold, 121p [Penric and Desdemona 1]
I really enjoyed the novels in the World of Five Gods book, so this year I'm starting on the novellas. I knew nothing about them, other than that they are set in this universe (which I have a good handle on because of the novel, so that actually helps a lot). I knew the name Desdemona but not who she was, but I did figure it out pretty quickly in the conversation between Penric and the dying woman on the road. I like Penric - he is young and a bit naive, but I like his attitude toward Desdemona and learning from everything he sees. Even the fact that he names her. When his roommate was leading him to have dinner with the roommate's brother, I knew this wasn't right and wanted to yell at Penric to think a little and like actually tell someone where he was going before leaving but at least it was a life experience for him. And I also really liked his approach of honesty in telling his story and his expectation that he would be believed. He is very ernest and it does serve him well by the end. I'm looking forward to really more novellas and seeing Penric gain some experience. The novella felt very low key, and I was enjoying that.
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones, 239pp
Sirius, the star, was convicted in star court for allegedly killing another luminary and sentenced to live on Earth in the body of a dog, until at least he finds the McGuffin. He is reborn as a puppy, almost drowned, ends up with a girl named Kathleen and her uncle and aunt's family, and grows not just a dog but as he gets some memories bag from being a star. There are clever plot twists but a lot of the book is seeing the world through the eyes of a dog. It was a fun novel, even if I don't care much for dogs. As typical of children's books some adults are just too mean but at least Kathleen's cousins are more three dimensional. There is also references to Welsh deities and underworld that I did have to look up as I didn't know the reference to one of the characters. Overall it was a very good book. I liked some of the other Diana Wynne Jones' books more but I can see why a lot of people enjoy this one, especially if they like dogs.
The only thing that it was hard for me to take the name "Sirius" seriously since I strongly associate it with Sirius Black. So I had to make myself not conflate to two characters. But this is a minor thing and I'm sure just my hang-up.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-02-06 05:55 pm (UTC)Dogsbody was recently recommended to me, so neat to read your review of it!