As a reminder, you can see the 'how and why' for my book rating system here.
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather ★★★★★/5
I read a couple of Willa Cather novels in high school, and made the mistake of thinking her books were 'boring.' The truth is that I was boring, and ignorant. Last year, I reluctantly picked up O Pioneers! for bookclub, and was stunned by how much I loved it. Shocking that an incredibly talented, award-winning author could be good, right? *facepalm* Well, Death Comes for the Archbishop completely blew O Pioneers! out of the water, in my opinion. I read a short commentary written by Willa Cather after Death Comes for the Archbishop became a rousing success, and I was further surprised to discover Willa Cather was not a Catholic, but wrote so beautifully and accurately about the church. The last few pages of the book in particular blew me away. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, and I'm sure I will reread it in the future.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen ★★★/5
According to my Goodreads account, it's been about 12 years since I last read this book. I previously gave it 5 stars, and I have no idea why. It is most certainly my least favorite Austen, and I doubt I will read it again. It's worth reading once at least, especially in the context of its being Austen's first novel. We had some interesting discussions pertaining to its origins and background in which Sam shared information from the annotated version. It is posited that Austen was mocking the Romance and Gothic novels that were popular at the time. Reading Northanger Abbey with this in mind provided some necessary context for her humor. I need to read more in the Gothic genre to really appreciate what she was getting at, but I don't know if I want to.
My Alma Mater, Hillsdale College, recently put out a free online class on 'Northanger Abbey: The Young Jane Austen' which I am planning on watching at some point.
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse ★★★★★/5
I think this is my very favorite Jeeves and Wooster. I've read it about five times and I laugh aloud multiple times, every time. Any of the adventures which include Madeline Bassett, Gussie Finknottle, Pop Bassett and Roderick Spode win out over any other group of characters. I highly recommend listening to the audio version, narrated by Jonathan Cecil (available on Libby). He is such a master narrator, especially when it comes to Wodehouse novels.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman ★★★★★/5
Ah. Another delightful Gaiman novel. I don't know if 'delightful' is the right word. His stories tend to be sort of dark, but in the best way. Without blowing the premise, Neverwhere imagines an invisible London alongside the actual London. The invisible London, or 'London Below' is so fascinating. In some ways, this story reminded me of something out of Harry Potter.
Side note: I would recommend reading the 'author's preferred text'; apparently, Gaiman has published two, maybe three versions as well as a TV show.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
I can't give this a rating, because I didn't finish it. GASP. I rarely start a book without finishing, but this was an exception. It's not that it was terrible, but it was very graphic. I get where Neil Gaiman was coming from and what he was trying to do, but I just wasn't up for it. If you've spent anytime reading Greek/Roman/Norse mythology, you'll know that these gods are very...racy. NG's American gods are worse. If you decide to read this book, don't say I didn't warn you.
The Shining Company by Rosemary Sutcliff ★★★/5
I haven't read a Rosemary Sutcliff novel since I was a teenager, but this came up as a recommendation on my Libby app, so I gave it a go. I really loved the Eagle of the Ninth series in early highschool, but I had no idea how prolific Sutcliff was outside this series. She wrote dozens of historical fiction books, and although they are mostly labeled as youth fiction, I found her writing to still be appealing as an adult. Her historical knowledge is mind-blowing, and the way she brings characters and situations to life is very impressive. All of this aside, I discovered from my google search that Rosemary Sutcliff was severely disabled by Stills Disease as a small child. This information blew me away. Someone who could not even walk was able to write over 50 books in her 72 years, fiction and non-fiction. Not only that, but most of her novels must have required intense research as they are historical/folk-based fiction. Her autobiography, Blue Remembered Hills has been added to my list as a necessary read!
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis ★★★★/5
To be honest, I have been putting off reading this book for many years out of dread. I didn't want to deal with the 'creepy' aspects of the subject material. In reality, it wasn't all that creepy, but rather was a catalyst for self-reflection. I will definitely revisit this one in the future, but it's not a favorite.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty ★★★/5
Nine Perfect Strangers is my first Moriarty novel! I've been meaning to pick up one of her books for months, but was always put off by the length. I'm not afraid of long novels in general, but the trend of the modern lengthy novel turns me off. I've found that most modern novels over 250 pages could have been seriously condensed and still retained and possibly improved the story. This novel was no exception. I liked the idea of the story, and don't regret reading it, but it was much too long. I just finished a second Moriarty novel (I'll include it next month!) and found the same problem. This is not so much the author's fault as it is the modern editor's. Overall, I would recommend this book. Moriarty has a great, conversational writing style that keeps you going.
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie ★★/5
A friend warned me that as Christie's books went on, she seemed to write more and more negatively. I've found this to be true. The men in these later books all seem to be evil losers, and I seem to discover the killer in the first couple chapters. I'm trying to power through the rest of the Poirot books (I think I have 10ish left?) but I don't know if I can make it at this point.
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In addition to the books listed above, I started reading Pride & Prejudice again for Jane Austen Bookclub. We have been meeting some evenings to read sections aloud, and the experience is delightful. I find myself laughing aloud frequently while reading this novel. It is exquisite.
KPA
