Skip to main content

I Mean It This Time

I'm going to post more often.

But before I get started on writing about some children's books, I want to take a moment to talk about the mystery I'm reading. Did someone recommend Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Gamache series to me?

I'm 2/3 of the way through A Beautiful Mystery (I decided to start in the middle of the series ... or rather, somehow this is the book I put on hold ... there may not have been any real decision on my part), and I'm a bit ... I don't know ... frustrated by the fact that the policemen investigating this crime at a monastery are overlooking two things -- the murder weapon is obviously the piece of metal used to bang on the doors so that you don't hurt your hand when you knock (heavy, heavy wooden doors) and maybe the wrong person was killed, which is why Frere Simon kept saying something about how he wanted to make sure it wasn't the abbot who was murdered.

Yes, I could be wrong about those two things, but it's not good when I feel so strongly about the police missing clues. And I'm finding the two detectives very likable, but already bound into stereotypes. I'm not sure I will read the entire series.

Kidding. I can't start a series without reading them all. It's a problem.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Little Things

I’m not perfect. I’m certainly not a perfectionist. I don’t even have any OCD tendencies (I’ve taken quizzes!). But, as a former copy editor, I do tend to correct mistakes (especially when watching television). It’s a habit. I bring this up because I’ve been bothered by things I’ve read in two books I recently had the opportunity to review. They’re somewhat little things, but I think someone should have checked on them. Like I said, I’m a former copy editor. It was part of my job to check things. But my personality is also such that I’m not always very assertive (luckily, I worked with very, very talented writers and editors who made my job easier). A story that still bothers me: My boss had written the phrase “a tough road to hoe” in one of his columns. I knew it was “row to hoe,” but I figured, he’s the boss, maybe he wants to use “road” because he was talking about paths we take. I wasn’t really brave enough to ask the boss if he knew he had gotten it wrong. Silly on my par...

Penderwicks, Penelope, and Flavia

When I was a teen, I had summer ritual: Each July, I would re-read The Lord of the the Rings (by J.R.R. Tolkien, of course) and Little Women (by Louisa May Alcott, ditto). I read many other books, but these I were my summer vacation tradition. My reading habits have changed over the years--I read far less fantasy than I did as a teen. That genre has been replaced by mysteries (especially Nordic noir and gritty police procedurals). But I still have a spot in my heart for good, old-fashioned storytelling with strong characters. That’s why I’m hoping to get some kids hooked on “The Penderwicks,” “The Children of Ashton Place,” and the Flavia de Luce mysteries. These books will appeal to certain kids--quirky, intelligent, and a bit nerdy. Kids who appreciate a protagonist just like them. And those who think Jo should have married Laurie, but totally understand why she didn’t. (Well, maybe not totally.) The Penderwick sisters have appeared in three books by Jeanne Birdsall so far: T...

Harry vs. Septimus

Sometimes, I like the Septimus Heap series more than the Harry Potter series. There I said it. It’s a secret I’ve kept from all but my kids for a long time. Don’t get me wrong: I’m wild about Harry. I’ve knitted Harry Potter bookmarks (in Gryffindor colors, naturally). I’ve thrown at least two Harry Potter-themed birthday parties, complete with a sorting hat I made. I’ve stood at line overnight at Barnes and Noble waiting for the next book to come out three times. I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire  in one day. But, often, I like Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap books ( Magyk , Flyte , Physik , Queste , Syren , and the just published Darke ) more. And I’m not entirely sure why. My current theory is that the Septimus Heap books are better written and, while also highly derivative, much more charming. The characters are human (muggles, even) and fraught with faults. Also, the Harry Potter books are, rightly so, about Harry. Everything is from Harry’s perspective. Sadly, we don...