Books, books, books...
Just as a quick note to everyone -- there will be no spoilers on this journal. None at all. In fact, my book probably won't arrive until early next week since I ordered from Amazon.co.uk., so I'll almost certainly be avoiding the Internet until I've read it.
I did finish The Virgin in the Garden two days ago, and immediately launched into rereading all of Harry Potter before this weekend. Books 1-3 are finished and I'm well into Goblet of Fire.
The Virgin in the Garden was...still odd. I didn't outright dislike it, but I think Possession set the bar far too high. I wanted to love it. But it just didn't hold my attention. The bits with Marcus and Lucas Simmonds, I didn't even follow very well, which was a shame since I thought Marcus was an interesting character. And Frederica kept getting on my nerves. Plus, the romance between her and Alexander was far too obviously put in place by the author. I knew from the beginning that they were going to end up together, but it didn't feel natural for Alexander to fall for her. I suppose he was going into a crisis at that point, what with all the issues with Jenny and her husband, but even so, it just didn't feel like a logical conclusion. That being said, I've met people like Frederica before. In fact, I've probably behaved like that on occasion, so I can't fault how realistic a character she is. I just wish it didn't feel like the author was puppeting the characters.
I think A.S. Byatt was trying to write a comedy, and sometimes it worked wonderfully. Other times, it just didn't make any sense. And I kept wanting to strangle Bill, but I can only imagine that was the point.
I have to admit, I'm continually impressed with the number of hints J.K. Rowling was able to slip into the earlier books. Like Sirius Black, mentioned within a few pages of the opening of Philosopher's Stone. Or anything involving Snape and Dumbledore. Especially Occlumency/Legilimency. It's there, in the first few books, and I'm very close to joining the bandwagon that thinks Lupin knows at least Legilimency. Prisoner of Azkaban remains my favourite by far -- it's just so beautifully well-plotted, and of course we have the combined power of Sirius and Lupin.
I'm also still convinced that there are hints in Snape's first potions lesson. The bezoar turned up in Half-Blood Prince. Maybe we'll end up with a Draught of Living Death later? Also, I'm noticing some really interesting bits with Ginny that I hadn't before (probably because she became so prominent in Half-Blood Prince and this is my first reread since then), like the fact that Ginny's reaction to the Dementors on the train is almost as bad as Harry's.
(And yes, it does amuse me that I'm putting A.S. Byatt and J.K. Rowling in the same entry since Byatt reportedly hates all things Harry Potter.)
I've also started reading Thackeray's Vanity Fair as part of my 'Read books I ought to have read by now and somehow haven't yet' plan. He's a very odd narrator, but amusing enough so far. He really likes to interject things in his own voice and break up the narrative. Not a problem at all; just something to get used to.
I did finish The Virgin in the Garden two days ago, and immediately launched into rereading all of Harry Potter before this weekend. Books 1-3 are finished and I'm well into Goblet of Fire.
The Virgin in the Garden was...still odd. I didn't outright dislike it, but I think Possession set the bar far too high. I wanted to love it. But it just didn't hold my attention. The bits with Marcus and Lucas Simmonds, I didn't even follow very well, which was a shame since I thought Marcus was an interesting character. And Frederica kept getting on my nerves. Plus, the romance between her and Alexander was far too obviously put in place by the author. I knew from the beginning that they were going to end up together, but it didn't feel natural for Alexander to fall for her. I suppose he was going into a crisis at that point, what with all the issues with Jenny and her husband, but even so, it just didn't feel like a logical conclusion. That being said, I've met people like Frederica before. In fact, I've probably behaved like that on occasion, so I can't fault how realistic a character she is. I just wish it didn't feel like the author was puppeting the characters.
I think A.S. Byatt was trying to write a comedy, and sometimes it worked wonderfully. Other times, it just didn't make any sense. And I kept wanting to strangle Bill, but I can only imagine that was the point.
I have to admit, I'm continually impressed with the number of hints J.K. Rowling was able to slip into the earlier books. Like Sirius Black, mentioned within a few pages of the opening of Philosopher's Stone. Or anything involving Snape and Dumbledore. Especially Occlumency/Legilimency. It's there, in the first few books, and I'm very close to joining the bandwagon that thinks Lupin knows at least Legilimency. Prisoner of Azkaban remains my favourite by far -- it's just so beautifully well-plotted, and of course we have the combined power of Sirius and Lupin.
I'm also still convinced that there are hints in Snape's first potions lesson. The bezoar turned up in Half-Blood Prince. Maybe we'll end up with a Draught of Living Death later? Also, I'm noticing some really interesting bits with Ginny that I hadn't before (probably because she became so prominent in Half-Blood Prince and this is my first reread since then), like the fact that Ginny's reaction to the Dementors on the train is almost as bad as Harry's.
(And yes, it does amuse me that I'm putting A.S. Byatt and J.K. Rowling in the same entry since Byatt reportedly hates all things Harry Potter.)
I've also started reading Thackeray's Vanity Fair as part of my 'Read books I ought to have read by now and somehow haven't yet' plan. He's a very odd narrator, but amusing enough so far. He really likes to interject things in his own voice and break up the narrative. Not a problem at all; just something to get used to.