Book round-up: February 2020
Mar. 5th, 2020 11:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sixthlightA decent effort this month but mostly with one author, and I expect my reading is going to fall off a cliff in March as I start an exciting and probably all-consuming (it's at a start-up) new job (NEW JOB!).
Flavia Albia series (Lindsey Davis)
Having got started in January, I rattled through the next six books of the series in about two weeks. They did start to get a little samey by the last one but I still love the setting and characters a great deal - I don't know if her reconstruction of Ancient Rome is always accurate but it's accurate enough to be entirely immersive for me. If she's planning any more outings for Albia I'll read them.
False Value (Ben Aaronovitch)
This blogging series has never been an objective record of my reading in any sense - it's about whether I liked the books or not - but I am so deep in this fandom I can't possibly pretend to give a summary of my reaction that will reflect what a new or casual reader might think. Anyway, I loved it, I loved Peter and Beverley's relationship (a LOT of work is done to give it more depth), I am intrigued by what seems to be an attempt at a series re-set, and the deeply accurate satire of High Tech culture was amazing. You know where to find me on Tumblr for much more extensive yelling.
Lost Feasts (Lenore Newman)
Book club book, on foods we used to eat but don't anymore because they're extinct or lost. A very promising start betrayed by some failure to stick to the premise and complete failure to talk to indigenous people while discussing at length indigenous food. This isn't hard! I can point you to several Twitter accounts ~off the top of my head~ that are run by Native American and First Nations people reviving indigenous agriculture, and this isn't even my field! THE AUTHOR IS A FOOD HISTORY PROFESSOR! Aside from that, it's a very easy read and there's a detailed history of pears which are hands-down my favourite fruit, so it's not a total loss.
Gilded Cage (K J Charles)
I reviewed this when it came out in October so I don't feel the need to go into detail, but I will say it stands up well to a re-read, and the found family stuff around the edges is just *chef's kiss*
Flavia Albia series (Lindsey Davis)
Having got started in January, I rattled through the next six books of the series in about two weeks. They did start to get a little samey by the last one but I still love the setting and characters a great deal - I don't know if her reconstruction of Ancient Rome is always accurate but it's accurate enough to be entirely immersive for me. If she's planning any more outings for Albia I'll read them.
False Value (Ben Aaronovitch)
This blogging series has never been an objective record of my reading in any sense - it's about whether I liked the books or not - but I am so deep in this fandom I can't possibly pretend to give a summary of my reaction that will reflect what a new or casual reader might think. Anyway, I loved it, I loved Peter and Beverley's relationship (a LOT of work is done to give it more depth), I am intrigued by what seems to be an attempt at a series re-set, and the deeply accurate satire of High Tech culture was amazing. You know where to find me on Tumblr for much more extensive yelling.
Lost Feasts (Lenore Newman)
Book club book, on foods we used to eat but don't anymore because they're extinct or lost. A very promising start betrayed by some failure to stick to the premise and complete failure to talk to indigenous people while discussing at length indigenous food. This isn't hard! I can point you to several Twitter accounts ~off the top of my head~ that are run by Native American and First Nations people reviving indigenous agriculture, and this isn't even my field! THE AUTHOR IS A FOOD HISTORY PROFESSOR! Aside from that, it's a very easy read and there's a detailed history of pears which are hands-down my favourite fruit, so it's not a total loss.
Gilded Cage (K J Charles)
I reviewed this when it came out in October so I don't feel the need to go into detail, but I will say it stands up well to a re-read, and the found family stuff around the edges is just *chef's kiss*
