I have my period, T has the flu, and I am probably getting the flu, so this will be short. I wanted to write something about Janet Reitman's Inside Scientology, but that will have to wait. Ain't nothin' goin' on but the rent around here.
What are you reading now?
Rebel Angels, Libba Bray -- yeah yeah as always with the popular books I'm years behind everyone else. I started A Great and Terrible Beauty before I felt like shit but these books are perfect sickbed reading: light, fluffy, silly and not requiring that terribly much concentration. So far the middle book is unpromising, filled with if-you-didn't-read-the-first-book exposition dump, and you can see the Plot Gears grinding grudgingly into motion.....fifty pages in. The GoodReads reviews (I know, I know) universally lament the third book as terrible, so I'm guessing this trilogy follows the Hunger Games plan: good first book, sequel squeezed out under contract, third book a piping hot mess. I am so tired of genre authors apparently submitting one good first novel and then having trilogy contracts pressed upon them. DON'T SIGN! DON'T SIGN! (In case you think I am exaggerating: "Do you remember when you broke the [spoiler] and freed your [spoiler]?" WHY NO, MY FAITHFUL YET MYSERIOUS COMPANION, THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME. Gahhh.)
What did you just finish reading?
See above. I did comfort-reread some Pratchett, which is almost de rigeur when I'm getting sick (favourites: Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Going Postal, Night Watch). When I grow old, fuck wearing purple, I want to be Granny Weatherwax. I also reread "Peter and Rosa" from Winter's Tales a couple of times, because it's gorgeous. ("Peter and Rosa," "The Sailor-Boy's Tale," The Pearls" and "The Dreaming Child" are my favourites from that book.)
What do you expect to read next?
Probably The Sweet Far Thing, altho it does sound just terrible.
-- Well, not a terribly thrilling update here, but I do want to keep in the habit of writing this every week, even if I'm sick.
descensus Averno facilis est