Fiction: The Bear and The Nightingale: A Novel — Katherine Arden (2017) Best fairy tale I’ve read in a long time. I was skeptical at first. But the heroine is more than a pretty face with an interesting fate. I can’t be sure, as I am no expert, but the story seems to be more …
Author Archives: lara
The Books of February
Slade House — David Mitchell (2015) Fans of Mitchell’s recent work will enjoy the little bumps against his Bone Clocks. I won’t spoil it by telling you how it ends but you’ll enjoy the frisson of recognition. Once every nine years a house appears in Slade Alley and one special person is allowed to enter. …
Books of January
More book reviews. I know you’re excited about that! Best American Essays 2016 — Jonathon Franzen ed. (2016) Franzen’s stated criteria for choosing the essays was whether or not the writer was taking a risk. Okay — risky writing is often good writing but I don’t think it makes a sound criteria for choosing the best …
The Books of December
These are the books of the middle of the grey season here in Seattle. It’s been a good month for reading. Books that I read: Best American Poetry 2016 — Edward Hirsch, ed. (2016) Not as lovely and full of surprises as the 2014 edition edited by Terrance Hayes. This is more predictable poetry from the …
The Books of November
These are the books that I read in November. I intended to read a lot in November by not reading Facebook at bedtime. But it’s winter so mostly I went to sleep. Books that I read Mr. Fox — Helen Oyeyemi (2011) Confusing. I love Oyeyemi’s short stories. And I actually enjoyed reading this book. I just …