The Grand Illusion
For perhaps obvious reasons, my reading, such as it’s been, over the past few months has tended to be a bit more upbeat. I read two books by Katherine Addison, and enjoyed both, although they were very different in setting and approach. The first was The Angel of the Crows, and the second was The Goblin Emperor, justly praised by many. I found The Silver Wind by Nina Allan both melancholy and yet upbeat. On a lighter note, even if it’s more of a YA book, I did like T. Kingfisher’s A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking. While there are a few (to me) technical flaws, I still was carried away by Victoria Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
Although the book is strongly written and the main character definitely unique, I have mixed feelings about Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education , largely because the setting is unrelievedly grim, and that’s likely an understatement.
Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus definitely evoked in me a “fin de siècle” feeling, in her slightly alternate Europe of quiet, but potent and often cruel magic. I just finished Garth Nix’s The Left-Handed Booksellers of London. Being left-handed myself, I could be slightly biased, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, and it certainly lifted me away from the gloom of the past year.
I picked up one of these, and am enjoying it; thanks! Kingfisher’s (Ursula Vernon, actually) sense of humor made what could have otherwise been rather dark, quite a pleasure to read. And insofar as use of powers has its costs, seems she followed your model. 🙂
Bless you. Hope you are well and I’m headed to some needed distractions right now, thanks for sharing. I owe your worlds and the worlds of others so much. And I often wonder what books you enjoy, and what worlds you particularly love.
Based on your recommendation, I’ve picked up The Goblin Emperor. I’m really enjoying it so far, despite the slightly off-putting pronunciation guide and the extremely long glossary of people and places at the start (I worried that the apparent need for those things would lead to the book being overwrought and esoteric). I’m nearly as hooked on it as I usually am on your books, so thank you for the recommendation!
I’ve deeply admired Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. An amazing first novel!
Thanks for the recommendations! I just finished The Goblin Emperor and found it the most enjoyable read since, well, Isolate. I’m now into Angel of the Crows, a really offbeat retelling of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I find it entertaining but not quite as charming as The Goblin Emperor.
Thank you for including this section with comments on books you’ve enjoyed. I’ve just finished Garth Nix’s “The Left-Handed Booksellers of London,” drawn to it partly on the basis of your comments, and I liked it very much. I also liked T. Kingfisher’s A” Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking,” which, again, I read partly because of your comments (and partly because I’ve loved some of Kingfisher’s other fiction). Thank you.