I am so far behind...

The stack of books I've been reading has been getting higher and higher, in part because I had this vague idea of writing actual mini review essays about some of them, but f**k it. In generally the order presented, I think, here are the books I've read over the last month or so:
Captivity  Deborah Noyes
 A novel about the Fox sisters (spirit-rappers in 19th century New York) - I think I just liked the cover, maybe? I remember I came across the book when I was meandering through the Harvard Bookstore, and I added it to the list, but I can't see how the story itself would have necessarily appealed to me. However, I do think it's kind of awesome that a woman named Deborah Noyes wrote a book called "captivity," because I feel like there was a 17th or 18th century captivity narrative written by someone with that name, no?
In any case, don't remember the book all that well, I read it a long while ago now, but I believe I enjoyed it. I think the writing and pacing were probably better than the plot. I also enjoyed the secondary storyline, about Maggie Fox's reclusive friend/employer more than the primary plot, although I appreciated how they mirrored one another.

The Invention of Everything Else  Samantha Hunt

Enjoyable, although more because it made me want to read more about Nicola Tesla than anything else. The events of the book itself were rather implausible, and that doesn't always mean it's no good, but in this case I wasn't as willing as I might have been to suspend my disbelief. Also, a man was in love with a pigeon - and I'll get back to that momentarily.
Picked this one up one day on the way back from lunch, from the bargain table outside Harvard Bookstore, so for the $4 or whatever it was, definitely a good deal.



Jane and the Damned Janet Mullany

Read this on the plane to / from D.C. (as always, another fantastic weekend with E!) - which should help me date these books, like a drought-ring in a tree...this point in the series was June 3-5 (was only not-quite a month ago??? Has it seriously only been 4 weeks since I met Senor Mustachio???). I had picked it up a long time even before the trip, when the Borders in Back Bay was going out of business and the book was, like, 75% off, and then totally forgotten I had it, until the night before the trip when I was looking for paperbacks to bring with me, so my carry-on wouldn't be too heavy.
It was surprisingly fun. I mean, the whole premise of Jane Austen becomes a vampire and defends Britain against a French invasion is more than a little ridiculous, but the Jane here was an appealing character (although I think Jane Austen was probably just an appealing character - or do all novelists and biographers make her out to be because we want her to be?), so smart and feisty isn't exactly groundbreaking on Mullany's part. But it was a solid plane read, and I'll probably read the sequel if I realize it comes out...

The Elephant Keeper  Christopher Nicholson

So, Nicola Tesla was in love (kind of) with a pigeon in Invention..., and in this book the main character is in love with an elephant (more than kind of, but it doesn't get gross, thank goodness). Which is why, in my head, I totally thought I could write a co-review entry. And then got too busy/lazy - oh, well. Good book, though, I really, really enjoyed it. It was touching and funny, heart-wrenching in places, with nice, evocative little touches as far as the setting. I will say, the book got stronger as it went along after a weak start - my memory is a bit fuzzy at this point (I think I actually started this in late May, and then took a break while I was in DC?), but the story starts with the titular elephant keeper, in late 18th century England, writing the life story of the elephant in his charge, and the pseudo-18th century writing was just SO badly handled. It was awkward and forced, but once the writer hit his stride, and dropped that (for the most part) all was good. Quite good, in fact.

Spring Flowers, Spring Frost  Ismail Kadare

Very nicely written (or, at least, translated), with notably well-handled pacing. Set in a small town in the mountains of Albania, Kadare explores what could happen if ancient myths and customs filled in the mental, and governmental, space left by a collapsing Communist regime. The surreal touches were perfect, tipping the whole story just enough off its foundations so you never knew exactly what was meant to be "real," and what wasn't, and how that uncertainty played out for the reader as for the characters. I definitely need to know more about Kanun (code of vendetta) and Albanian history now.



The Girl Who Would Speak for the Dead  Paul Elwork

More spirit rapping! This would have been posted about with Captivity, back when I had grand dreams of mini review essays. I think I also saw this one on the same evening, in the Harvard Bookstore, and liked the cover AND the title. As for the book itself, it wasn't the most original or fascinating plot, but the story was quietly compelling in its own way. The writing was solid (better, I think, than Noyes'), and Elwork does a nice job of drawing a setting (an estate, in this case) that is simultaneously absolutely real and normal for the inhabitants - of the book, and the story - but also clearly "off" in many ways.


Deathless  Catherynne M. Valente

 Loved, loved, loved this book! Also one I saw at H.B. and knew I just had to read - first, that cover, gorgeous! Second, there was a mention of Baba Yaga, and I loved the stories about her and her chicken-legged house when I was a kid, so I was IN. The book itself lived up to the hype I gave it in my head. A mix of Russian folklore/fairy tales and the history of the coming of Communism to Russia (hmm, I guess it goes with Spring Flowers...), the book was impossible to put down. It sucked me in from the opening pages, which called on the seductive pacing of old tales when three events, with three parts, happened on three consecutive occasions - the rhythm, and the familiarity of "something magical is going to happen" from childhood fairy tales, pull you into the story and don't let you back out. Overall, Valente handled the mix of elements so imaginatively, I adored it. My one concern was when she started throwing some sex scenes in, only because I feel like 9 times out of 10, sex in books is just terrible, but it wasn't at all gratuitous, and they were more exciting than explicit & cheesy. I was so sad when the book was over!

A Discovery of Witches  Deborah Harkness

I kept seeing this book around, and meaning to read it, just because I liked the title, and then finally got around to it this weekend. It was actually surprisingly fun! I am not generally into the whole witches/vampires/whatever thing, but the main character is a witch who is a historian! So the plot all turns on her coming across a super-rare alchemical text in the Bodleian, and THAT is a fantasy I can get on board with :)
Romance-y stuff was fine; seemed kind of over-wrought to me, but then again a lot of it does, and I was willing to bear with it for the more historically inspired parts.
I was wondering, as I got near the end of the book, how on earth Harkness was going to wrap things up, and of course it turns out that she doesn't, and there's clearly going to be a sequel (I'm guessing maybe it's going to be a trilogy?). I think I will probably remember to keep an eye out for it, but I'm not sure this is necessarily a book that will stick with me for a long time.