Stupid "system"

I just found a scrap of paper in my bag with three book titles on it, from when I had found a bunch of books I had read an indefinitely long time ago, realized I had to just get them out of my room, and then forgot to return them until 5:05 p.m. when I had to be somewhere and just dumped them. So I don't know when I read them or exactly when I even returned them, but at some point I enjoyed the smooth literary stylings of Marina Fiorato (Daughter of Siena), Amanda Cross (In the Last Analysis), and Clare Clark (Beautiful Lies). Except not that smooth.

Daughter of Siena was mildly entertaining; set in 18th century Siena, it's a story of love and politics centered on an especially dramatic Palio. It was interesting reading about the Palio, but I have no idea how well the author did her homework, so it just made me want to go get a non-fiction book and learn more about Siena. Although I guess that's good. I wouldn't add this one to my list of historical fiction books that teach you / make you want to learn more, though. It was also SUPER predictable, but there you go. I feel like I've read another book by the same author - maybe set in Murano/Venice? If she's just making a living going around researching and writing novels set in fascinating Italian cities, more power to her, however the books turn out!

The Amanda Cross book was one in an anthology of (theoretically) important / very good mysteries, and maybe it was when it was published, but I could barely keep my eyes open. A female academic solving a murder (which occurred during the victim's last - scheduled - therapy session, ha) should be right up my alley, but the story and protagonist were boring as hell, the language (especially the dialogue) was stilted, and apparently the publishers didn't believe in springing for a copy-editor. That last just irks me.

I had read Clare Clark's The Great Stink, and as I recall I was looking for her next book, Savage Lands, set in colonial Louisiana, which was checked out when I came across Beautiful Lies. I just now read the NYT review, and I think if I had at the time I probably would have still checked the book out - and on purpose, as it were - but maybe liked it better. I think it just wasn't what I was expecting, and by the time I realized what kind of book it was meant to be, I had lost interest. It also opens very, very slowly and I didn't warm up to the main characters for a while. But I did, eventually, and came to appreciate the story more. And I don't think there's any denying that she's a very good writer. And this reminds me to check on Savage Lands again...

oh, well

I'm in the middle of a bunch of books, and have definitely finished some I haven't written about yet. My system is most decidedly failing me. But I did finish one on the bus ride to work this morning, Kate Morton's The Secret Keeper (2012). This is pretty classic Morton - jumping between England and Australia, between big-deal time periods (WWII London figures heavily here), strong and memorable women, and Big Secrets. That's not to say that being classic Morton isn't a good thing, of course. Her books are eminently readable, quite decently written, and have some lovely language in them. They're just not especially earth-shaking. But I don't think they're meant to be. They are what they are, and very good for it. I saw the surprise ending, if that's what it was meant to be, coming a ways off, but I enjoyed the book no less for that. I definitely got caught up in the story, and had to stop myself from getting teary on the Number 1 bus - then again, old people on their death bed get to me these days. Anyhow, liked it, would recommend it. Good for curling up under the covers or in front of the fireplace, or a lazy day in the grass. Or the bus!