Apricots ripe to bursting

[coffeeandink]

The cat is there, her paw in the water, waiting. You think what it's like to be lazing to the surface like one of those carp, plump and ripe and stupid. And then the claw, like steel ripping you through, scooping out the guts and white strings of your body's innards so quickly that they think they are still alive, and they wince in the daylight

Comments

[coffeeandink]

Why do you do this to me?

Because I like you.

Do you want to borrow anything? Speak now, or hold your peace for quite some time, until the books are unpacked again.

[coffeeandink]

Nearly all the DWJ remains out, as she is comfort reading. I plan to do a post on her soon.

I skipped

[herself_nyc]

. . . most of the post because I wanted no spoilage for the books I haven't gotten to yet, but I agree with your assessment of A Spell of Winter, in retrospect. While I was actually reading it I was entirely uncritical. I was just in the spell of the writing and didn't notice any of that stuff. Really, if a writer can entrap me, and keep me in the spell, I'm good for almost anything. I could never be a book reviewer.

Re: I skipped

[coffeeandink]

I try not to spoil anything more than back copy, and in some cases less, because copywriters are sometimes mad.

But read With Your Crooked Heart next.

I was very happy with A Spell of Winter up until almost the very end.

wow

[uhmidont]

What a great entry on Helen Dunmore! E-mail me your current addy and I'll loan you my copy of The Seige if you'd like.

Re: wow

[coffeeandink]

Well, it's at least half your fault. I first heard of Dunmore on Storm Constantine's Web site, of all places, and that caught my attention, but I think your reviews were what made me glom a whole bunch of her books because I thought I'd like them when I got around to them. (This works better than you might think, though it's very frustrating when it doesn't and I've got a bunch to unload.)

Address insent. Do you want to borrow any of the UK ones before I pack them up?

wait, I know that one!

[loligo]

"O stand, stand at your window/ As the tears scald and start;/ You shall love your crooked neighbor/ With your crooked heart."

I rarely read poetry, so the only way I get introduced to a lot of these allusions is to encounter them in other novels (thank you, Maggie's-novel-in-progress, for the Auden). And thank goodness for all those years of church -- at least I get the biblical quotes when I see them.

Re: wait, I know that one!

[coffeeandink]

Yes, that's it. Though I know it only because Dunmore included it as the epigraph. ;)

[ebonbird]

So many books to read - I'm really grateful for your posts. This bookwhore really has a hard time finding things that float her. I wrap my hands together close to my heart and give a little wriggle of delight every time they appear.

[coffeeandink]

:) Thank you for saying so.