Mistress of the Art of Death #2: The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin

Read: 7 July, 2009

In Serpent's Tale, we find that Henry II's mistress has died. Naturally Adelia, who now has a baby in tow, is called to solve the mystery.

In many ways, Serpent's Tale is an improvement over Mistress of the Art of Death. The plot is more of a mystery in the detective sense and Adelia does, actually, solve it and finger the culprit. There is also considerably less Mary Suism. The addition of the baby raises the stakes for Adelia, making the novel more suspenseful.

In addition, Serpent's Tale kept many of the good bits of its predecessor. There is still the interesting view of Henry II and the low key but definitely present feminism. Overall, this novel is a very interesting read.

Mistress of the Art of Death #1: Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Read: 12 June, 2009

Something evil has taken hold of Cambridge. A child's body has been found mutilated, and now more children have gone missing. When the town finds an easy scapegoat in the local Jewish population, someone sends for a Master of the Art of Death, a sort of Medieval forensic examiner. What they end up getting is Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar of Salerno, a Mistress of the Art of Death.

Adelia's character borders on the Mary Sue from time to time and a far too great amount of ink is spilled on her various traits. She is, of course, not classically beautiful, but even this has become a standard Mary Sue designation. On the other hand, the story is interesting - so interesting that I nearly forgot how one-dimensional our main character is.

This is not a mystery in the Holmesian sense. We are not presented with all the facts while the detective works it out and then fingers the culprit. Rather, it follows the more standard line of suspense novels that merely construct themselves around a mystery - a mystery that solves itself when the culprit reveals himself to the detective. And so Adelia discovers where the culprit can be found and so he reveals himself. In my own clearly constructed vision of what a mystery should be, I see this as a failure. However, it does appear to be fairly standard in the genre and, at least, Adelia does use her skills as an examiner to some extent when figuring out where do find the baddy.

One thing I found quite interesting is the view of religion in the novel. Adelia is an Atheist. But somehow, Franklin manages not to make this seem anachronistic. Adelia is an 'Old Atheist' - she's polite about it and she is, still, half-immersed in the religious worldview. Even so, here is a novel that presents Atheism explicitly and in a positive light, without attacking religion or religious authority (a prominent religious figure is Adelia's good friend and supporter), and without making a big deal of it. It was refreshing to read!

Another aspect that I found very interesting is the resolution of the romantic sub-plot. Adelia does not simply marry her beau, sublimating herself and her career. Rather, she simply decides to indulge in her love and her sexual desires in a way that allows her to preserve her independence. Again, it was refreshing to read, as it isn't often that women are allowed a happy ending that is not marriage and loss of self.

Overall, Mistress of the Art of Death is an interesting and fast-paced read. While characterization may not be Franklin's strength, she does manage to distract the reader with and interesting setting, a suspenseful plot, and lots (and lots and lots) of ichy gore.

Autism's False Prophets by Paul Offit

Read: 29 May, 2009

Autism's False Prophets is a biography of a controversy. Offit traces the life of the autism-vaccine myth from the first studies conducted by Andrew Wakefield to the latest 'Mommy Warriors' crusade of Jenny McCarthy. Despite his obvious dislike for those who promote this 'manufactroversy' and fear for the children who are affected, Offit adopts a matter-of-fact tone. He covers the facts and dates of the various steps in the story with little subjective injection.

Offit clarifies many of the myths and misinformations surrounding the autism-vaccine scare. His writing style is accessible and interesting. And despite a very weak final line, I could not recommend this book any more highly for all parents and parents-to-be who have heard of the autism-vaccine link and are concerned (or who simply want to make a more informed choice).

Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin

Read: 2 September, 2009

Your Money or Your Life is one part financial advice, two parts general life advice. The nine steps of the "program" are designed to help the reader think about their values and align their life so that there is as little that contradicts those values as possible. That these steps also help the reader get their finances in order, cut down on living expenses, and, eventually, become financially independent is almost incidental.

In following the steps and, according to the authors, learning to live (to truly enjoy being alive and filling the day with meaning as opposed to obsessing over how to get money, how to spend money, and how to pay the bills), the reader may also have more money available. Rather than 'your money or your life,' the end lesson of the book is 'your life and the money that facilitates its living.'

Whatever small flaws this book may have (the assumption that the reader is religions and American, some repetitive passages, the occasional Nervous Nelly advice), it more than makes up for by being among the first logically sound, no-nonsense, 'this won't be easy and the onus is on you to make it work' self-help book I've ever read.

While my family benefited little from the financial advice (nearly all the tips are things that we already do), I found the general life advice to be very thought-provoking. My husband and I have been inspired to re-evaluate our values and goals. In other words, there is something in this for everyone - even those who are not in debt and relatively financially secure. It would not be an overstatement for me to say that everyone, regardless of age and financial situation, should read this book at least once and, preferably, going through the first four steps.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Read: 26 August, 2009

Given all the positive reviews that Rich Dad, Poor Dad has received, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, this was a fairly large disappointment.

Rich Dad is incredible repetitive - not only in terms of content, but also in the actual words used. For example, compare this passage on page 59: "In fact, if you really want to be confused, look up the words "asset" and "liability" in the dictionary. I know the definition may sound good to a trained accountant, but for the average person it makes no sense." to this passage on page 61: "If you want a lesson in confusion, simply look up the words "asset" and "liability" in the dictionary. Now it may make sense to trained accountants, but to the average person, it may as well be written in Mandarin." For all Kiyosaki's talk of spending big bucks to hire smart professionals, he doesn't seem to have felt that this applies to editors as well.

The book itself is short, but should have been much shorted. The first half is devoted to a sermon about how poor dads tell their kids to do well in school so that they can get a good job while rich dads tell their kids to learn to make money work for them instead of working for money. That's it, the first half. Once the actual meat of the book starts, at least the content is somewhat interesting (thought the writing style is as awkward and repetitive as ever). I hesitate to assume devious motives, but I wonder if the lack of content was a deliberate move to allow Kiyosaki to write several books instead of only getting royalties for one.

That a self-help book is lacking in content and practical ideas comes as no surprise. However, Rich Dad also failed to be inspiring. I don't think that this book would be a worthwhile read for anyone, especially since all the advice he gives is available in better-written form for free on the internet.

Quiverfull by Kathryn Joyce

Read: 10 August, 2009

Joyce examines not so much the Quiverfull movement as she does the Christian Patriarchy movement - Quiverfull, of course, being one component of it. The Patriarchy movement centres around the belief that feminism has caused a number of social ills that can be remedied only by having women leave the workforce and return home to be submissive wives and mothers. Quiverfull is the added belief that all attempts to limit the number of children a family has is an insult to God (the most famous practitioners being the Duggar family with their eighteen - and counting - children).

Joyce's analysis is mostly uncritical, her own feelings only rarely show through and, then, introduced explicitly as her own views. Her style is to simply narrate with few adjectives the views of her subjects and allowing them to speak for themselves.

Despite her fairness, Joyce's writing style leaves something to be desired. Her sentences are so long and cover so many different ideas at once that I frequently found myself having to go back and read again. This interrupted the flow of my reading and, therefore, diminished the power of Joyce's writing. The organization of the book seems to be haphazard with ideas coming at the reader from every direction. If any transitions are present, they are surely feeling very lonely.

Stylistic elements aside, this was a fabulous book filled with information on a movement that has, for the most part, remained outside the mainstream West's awareness. I highly recommend it for all readers interested in religion and what is happening under the surface in Christian extremism.

No god but God by Reza Aslan

This is quite a long review. If you want just the final verdict, it is this: An interesting book with some good qualities overshadowed by a persistent lack of authorial honesty.

Read: 31 July, 2009

I don't want this review to be about whether or not I agree with Aslan. For one thing, I simply do not know enough about the subject to do this well. Secondly, whether a book is good or not does not depend on whether the reader agrees with its conclusions; my own feelings on the matter are therefore irrelevant. Having resolved myself in this way, I will be restricting this review to an internal critique only.

Overall, Aslan didn't fare too poorly. His tone is largely reasonable throughout and, if read without close attention to detail, I could see this being a fairly persuasive book.

However, the details are important and, as we shall see, they are where Aslan keeps his devils. I was dismayed to see the number of rhetorical fallacies used throughout the book. Giving the benefit of doubt, I choose to assume that many simply result in Aslan's inability to reconcile his beliefs with some of the evidence he has found. He has likely tricked himself into blindness with regards to the evidence's significance (something that those of us without a vested interest in the topic are not so much in danger of).

This manifests itself most when he attempts to justify the actions of Muhammad. Perhaps the most grievous illustration comes in Aslan's discussion of Muhammad raiding caravans: "In pre-Islamic Arabia, caravan raiding was a legitimate means for small clans to benefit from the wealth of larger ones. It was in no way considered stealing..." This is followed, one paragraph later, with: Muhammad's followers "effectively disrupted the trade flowing in and out of Mecca. It wasn't long before caravans entering the sacred city began complaining to the Quraysh that they no longer felt safe travelling through the region" (p. 82-3).

A few pages later, we read that Islam teaches peace and that only defensive fighting is permissible. Aslan then goes on to say that: "It is true that some verses in the Quran instruct Muhammad and his followers to 'slay the polytheists wherever you confront them' (9:5); to 'carry the struggle to the hypocrites who deny the faith' (9:73); and, especially, to 'fight those who do not believe in God and the Last Day' (9:29). However, it must be understood that these verses were directed specifically at the Quraysh and their clandestine partisans in Yathrib" (p. 84). These "clandestine partisans" being the people that Muhammad suspected "at once" of treachery, though there were "many possibilities" (p. 89). In other words, Islam is a religion of peace, unless you suspect someone on circumstantial evidence of being in cohoots with guys its okay to attack because Muhammad just really doesn't like them. That Aslan, a seemingly intelligent and thoughtful individual, should fail to see the obvious issues in his arguments is astounding.

Aslan expends much ink talking about how Islam never forces conversion or treats non-Muslims unfairly, and yet an equal amount of ink appears to contradict this. Whether he talks about all the groups who rebel and refuse to pay the religious tax as soon as Muhammad dies (p. 110), or the public conversion of Muhammad's old enemy, Hind, who "remained proudly defiant, barely masking her disgust with Muhammad and his 'provincial' faith" (p. 106). He even mentions the "protection tax," or jizyah, forced onto all non-Muslims living in Muslim-controlled areas as though this were a perfectly acceptable way to treat human beings (p. 94).

So far, I have listed only examples that could legitimately stem from the author's lack of thoughtful consideration. I expect better, but at least it is a forgiveable offence. If this were the end of it, No god but God might still have received a positive review from me. Unfortunately, some of Aslan's word choices seem to indicate a more deliberate intent.

Sometimes, it is a problem of omission: "[F]rom the earliest days of the Islamic expansion to the bloody wars and inquisition of the Crusades to the tragic consequences of colonialism..." (p. xvi). Things the Christian West has done are "bloody" and "tragic" while things the Muslim East has done receive no adjectives at all? As is common in discussions of the tension between the East and West, there is no mention of the Battle of Tours. I have yet to figure out if this is simply obscure history that no scholar of Christian/Muslim issues has ever heard about, or if there is something more sinister in it's lack of mention.

Sometimes Aslan chooses positive words to describe acts that clearly couldn't have been all that positive. For example, he writes that Jews were expelled "peacefully" from a Muslim community, and then that: "only slightly more than one percent of Medina's Jewish population" were killed during this expulsion. Perhaps our definitions of "peaceful" differ.

And there there are his translations. Having no Arabic of my own, it is difficult for me to comment in any depth, but when I read a translation of a seventh century text that uses words like "atom" (p. 213), my anachronism flag is raised. If Aslan can so deliberately falsify his source text to add to its legitimacy, what other dishonesty might he have committed? His entire interpretation of the situation in Islam, both past and present, is called in question.

One of the grossest and most reprehensible examples appears in his (brief) discussion of the veil. As the only voice for the idea that the veil is a sexist tradition, Aslan refers to Alfred, Lord Cromer. Rather than dismissing his arguments (which is given so little page room that I can only assume they are inadequately presented), he writes: "Never mind that Cromer was the founder of the Men's League for Opposing Women's Suffrage in England" (p. 73). As though this one man and his personal character embodied the whole of the argument against the veil. As though discrediting a century old British lord was a legitimate way to respond to an argument that has so many promoters - many of whom are female, many Muslim, and many both. This is such a dishonest tactic that it even has its own name - the ad hominem fallacy.

I could go on. I filled many pages of notes during my reading, but this was never intended to be a page-by-page commentary.

This is an interesting book of apologetics from a more 'moderate' Muslim and it brings up qutie a few interesting ideas and arguments. The problem, however, is Aslan's inability to rationally consider and counter any opinions that he does not share. Reading this, I got the distinct impression that anyone who disagrees with him is quickly labelled as a Sunni tyrant/terrorist or a Western neo-colonialist. Aslan shows himself in numerous examples to be dishonest and, to make the identification of his lies and half-truths all the more difficult for the reader, he hides them behind a perfectly reasonable writing style.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Islam, or to Muslims wanting to learn about different perspectives. However, reader beware: read with several grains of salt handy.

50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God by Guy P. Harrison

Read: 21 May, 2009

Harrison goes through all the usual arguments against belief in gods, repackaging them in a new format. Similar to 'Question and Answer,' he uses a 'Reason for Belief and Response' format. Each chapter begins with a single sentence reason, a few quotes that either explain the reason or debunk it, followed by a 2-5 page summary of the arguments against that reason.

Unfortunately, 50 is a very attractive round number and makes for a standard book length. I have seen all these reasons whittled down to only three essential arguments. The result is that many of the reasons are essentially the same with different wording. While I think that it was a good idea not to get into the specifics of one religion or another, this left Harrison with fairly little to say. His entire argument could be summarized as "there are millions of gods to choose from, so how do you know which one is real?" Imagine this, repeated 50 times with only a little variation.

My greatest disappointment is that 50 Reasons lacks focus. I know that I often complain that books, those on Atheism in particular, try to fill too many roles at once. Maybe it's because there are so few books on Atheism on the market, or maybe it's just authorial ego - either way, many authors seem to set out with great ideas, great arguments, and great potential only to fumble because they are trying to catch two rabbits at the same time.

For example, Harrison can't seem to decide who is target audience is. He will sometimes address believers directly, asking them to consider this or that point. At these times, his writing style is soothing and inviting. At other times, he addresses non-believers, as thought this were a "response to every situation" style manual. These passages are interesting, but could easily be interpreted by believers as offensive or condescending. Had Harrison settled on either of these audiences, I am confident that the book would have been greatly improved.

Another symptom of this lack of focus is a lack of efficiency in Harrison's writing. A chapter called "people have gone to heaven and returned" begins with a two-page description of Harrison's travels in which he finds two rotting bodies and stumbles onto a funeral. All this before the afterlife is even mentioned. This happens throughout the book to varying degrees. These passages are very interesting and I would love to read Harrison's travel narrative, should he ever write one, but they simply do not contribute to his arguments.

And finally, I often found myself reading from a believer's perspective and thinking "well, okay, but..." To be fair, Harrison covered far more objections than he missed, but it was enough for me to decide against recommending this book to believers.

I know that this review has been harsh, but only because 50 Reasons was a very good book with a lot of potential. Harrison's writing style is very accessible and he has a non-aggressive way of phrasing his arguments. I sincerely hope that 50 Reasons receives a second edition that addresses my concerns, or at least that Harrison learns from his mistakes and publishes a better book in future.

In the meantime, 50 Reasons is certainly an interesting and worthwhile read. If you've spent much time reading Atheist books or speaking with Atheists, most of this book's arguments will be familiar. But I found Harrison's focus on the 'Many Gods Problem' offers a fairly fresh perspective.

Discworld #12: Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett

Read: 26 April, 2009

A beautiful young servant girl is destined to marry a handsome prince, thanks to her fairy godmother. The ball has been arranged, the gown made, and everything prepared so that Ella can meet her prince charming and live happily ever after.

But there's a catch. Three witches have come to put a stop to this fairy tale and make sure that Ella never marries the prince. Ella couldn't be happier!

Terry Pratchett's twelfth Discworld novel returns to Bad Ass and to the adventures of Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat.

There isn't much to be said about this novel that can't be said for pretty much any of the other Discworld books. As usually, Pratchett his hilariously funny. I love Granny and Nanny and how they play off each other. The inversion of the classic fairy tale is quite clever as well.

But this isn't just about fairy tales. A large portion of the novel could better be called a mock-travel narrative, which was very interesting.

Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham

Read: 6 May, 2009

There was a tall pile of them on the sale table, just $4.99 each. I'd never heard of the title, or the author of that matter, but I had my allowance in hand. This was why I had come - to experiment, to sample the books no one else had wanted. $4.99 is nothing, really, especially for a hardcover. So I grabbed a pile of books, anything that looks interesting. I blew my entire allowance. It doesn't really matter. If just one or two of these books turn out to be gems, they will have enough value for the entire pile.

I'm not sure why I picked this one. I don't think I even bothered to read the jacket. The cover is interesting and it says "by the author of The Hours." Hadn't I heard that title before? I was sure it was a movie I had seen, maybe even liked.

I've been chewing my way through the pile of books I've bought in that way, but months went by before I got to this one. In the meantime, the bookstore marked it down to $2, and then only $1. The pile, sans my copy, never seemed to get any smaller. For whatever reason, this is a novel that has failed to catch the public's eye.

But I like the cover. I like the dandelion parachute ball, green and glowing. I would see it on my shelf and try to imagine what the story could be about. With a name like Specimen Days, it could be just about anything. Horror, maybe? I think I confused The Hours with The Others.

I had just finished Witches Abroad. Discworld novels are safe; I know what to expect when I crack the spine onto the first page. I was ready for something different, unexpected, adventurous.

So I picked the glowing green dandelion parachute ball with the black background. Why not?

Specimen Days is not a novel, no matter what the cover says. Specimen Days is a meditation, a thought experiment. It glides through experiences like a breeze, offering no explanations and no resolutions. To call itself a novel, it experiences the world through three characters: the child, the woman, and the man. Each of these receives a chapter, an age, and a genre. The book is at once historical fiction, detective story, and science fiction. Somehow, the whole is held together by an experience of Walt Whitman. I won't try to explain - I can't. You'll just have to read it for yourself.

I'm not surprised that Specimen Days can now be purchased for only $1 on the book's sale table. It isn't bad, it's just so experimental, different, and genre-defying. It's an experience of beauty and thought that can be both marvellous and uncomfortable. It isn't a casual read.

That being said, it was a wonderful experience and I feel enriched for having been seduced by that glowing green parachute ball. Read it, give it a chance, and let yourself experience the touch of the literary numinous.

Bridei Chronicles #1: The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier

Read: 5 April, 2009

As a small child, Bridei was given to the powerful Priteni druid Broichan for his education. It soon becomes clear that Broichan has a destiny in mind for his young ward, a destiny that Bridei has no choice but to accept. But the moon goddess seems to have plans of her own as, one Midwinter's Eve, she sends him a very peculiar baby girl whom Broichan immediately perceives as a threat.

I'm finding it extremely difficult to write this review. The Dark Mirror is by no means a bad book, nor is it a good one. I can think of nothing that Marillier did wrong, yet I can think of nothing that she did very well. This is the epitome of average (though, to be fair, my standards can be very harsh). I can only think to say that the novel seemed very slow-paced, but I can think of no scene that could have been cut. The fat is far too well spread.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, but I can think of very little that was memorable. In that sense, I will recommend it as filler, something to read on a rainy afternoon. This is a book that can be put down without much of a struggle when the phone rings.

Icarus at the Edge of Time by Brian Greene

Read: 8 April, 2009

Icarus is the classic story of the boy who flew too high for his own good. The twist here is that the titular hero lives in the future, grew up on a space ship, and flies into a black hole rather than the sun. Icarus is also a rather large board book, illustrated with beautiful images taken by the Hubble space telescope.

POSITIVE: Icarus offers an interesting blend of classical mythology and modern science. It's a great introduction to black holes and the relativity of time. Finally, the stunning images can only feed a young mind's interest in science.

NEGATIVE: I don't know what Icarus was trying to be. Board books are normally associated with younger children, but the diction seems too advanced. I'm all for books that challenge kids, but I think that this would only serve to frustrate. The book is also far too large to be comfortably read to a young audience that wants to see the pictures too. If, on the other hand, Icarus was intended for a slightly older set, I think that kids would find the story too simplistic.

Another major flaw was the choice in representation of the black hole. This is shown as a black dot (literally a 'black hole' in the middle of the page) that progressively takes over the entire page and then shrinks back down. I can understand an appreciate that this is supposed to allow the reader to "approach" the black hole as Icarus does, but it's just plain black and it obscures the beautiful background images (almost completely for several of the middle pages). It's both distracting and frustrating.

The greatest flaw this book has is its apparent lack of direction. Perhaps the author wanted it to be too many things at once. Who can blame him? The niche for storybooks that also teach science is severely under-filled - but one book alone cannot hope to fill all of it. The result is literary schizophrenia.

This, coupled with the unfortunate design choice, makes this book somewhat of a disappointment. It's still worth getting, though, if only because of how sparse the genre is.

Curse of a Winter Moon by Mary Casanova

Read: 20 March, 2009

Twelve-year-old Marius has been burdened with the care of his little brother, Jean-Pierre, ever since their mother died in childbirth. But Jean-Pierre was born on Christmas Eve and the villagers believe that he carries the mark of the loup garou - the werewolf. With the longest night of the year approaching and the villagers thirsting for heretic blood, will Marius be able to protect his little brother from the clutches of the Catholic Church?

POSITIVE: The story is short and reasonably entertaining. It's obviously written for children in the 10-14 age range and makes for a great introduction to the Inquisition and schism between the Catholic and Protestant Churches. I could definitely see quite a few teachable moments scattered throughout the novel.

NEGATIVE: However, there just didn't seem to be that much of a point to the story. I never felt swept into the story, or even that I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. There just wasn't much enthusiasm in the narrative. Admittedly, it could just be a subjective conflict with the narrative style, but I usually get swept into stories - even poorly-written ones. The ending fellt a little arbitrary as well.

Overall, I really can't say that anything was bad about the story, it just didn't take my interest. It's a shame because the subject matter is definitely up my alley. As I said above, it's worth reading if only for the teachable moments. It's short enough that it doesn't really need more of an argument than that for its usefulness.

The Greener Shore by Morgan Llywelyn

Read: 17 March, 2009

In this sequel to Druids, Ainvar escapes from a Roman-ruled Gaul to the shores of Hibernia. Once there, he must learn the ways of Eriu, a strange woman who speaks to him from the Otherworld. As he forges a place for himself and his large family among the Gaels, he manages to tread on the toes of some locals. Unfortunately, his druidic powers have deserted him since the battle of Alesia, leaving him vulnerable. Meanwhile, Cormiac Ru must find the long-lost Maia, whom he believes himself destined to marry despite the fact that she was stolen and sold into Roman slavery as an infant.

POSITIVE: Llywelyn's writing style has not much changed in the years between Druids and Greener Shore. This new novel has most of the same strengths and flaws as its predecessors. While this can certainly be a negative (it would have been nice to see the author correct what had held Druids back from being a great novel), I found it a positive - if only because Greener Shore didn't suffer from the all-too-common sequel-itis. This was not a novel released hurriedly in the hopes that it would ride its predecessor's laurels.

As in Druids, the beginning was rather painful, but the story soon picked up. I managed to fly through two-hundred pages in just a few hours.

NEGATIVES: There didn't seem to be much direction to the novel. Druids had the creation of the Gaulish federation and the defeat of Caesar, but Greener Shore lacked any kind of similar goal. Rather, the plot ambled along until it reached an epiphany, but this was done in a rather lack-luster way. Had the epiphany been very good, or had the journey been dotted with thought-provoking insight, this would have been fine. Unfortunately, Greener Shore lacked both. Those many sayings peppering the novel that were clearly meant to be "deep" were rather quite obvious and common to most books that seek depth. Those little surprising, funny, and interesting sayings that sometimes found their way into Druids were lacking here.

I also found exposition of what had happened in the previous novel to be rather heavy-handed. I wish Llywelyn had either sought to make Greener Shore a stand-alone part of a saga, or a straight sequel of Druids. Instead, she gave it a completely different feel (which is a completely waffly term, I know - but it's the best I can come up with) while constantly bogging it down with "as you know, Martha" moments where characters narrate the events of the first novel to characters who had been present! I raised a similar complaint when I read Druids. Llywelyn spends far too much time on exposition and simply does not seem to trust her readers.

The Greener Shore is only a sequel of Druids in the sense that it involves many of the same characters and takes place after the events of the early book. Yes, that sounds like the definition of a sequel, but Greener Shore is an entirely different book with a completely different story to tell. Change the names and strike out the cumbersome "in the last episode" passages and it would function perfectly as an independent novel. Those wanting more Druids will be disappointed. Those wanting more Llywelyn will not.

P.S.: If anyone can tell me why Ainvar keeps refering to Ireland by its Roman name instead of the name the Gaels use, please explain it to me. I would have assumed that he would eager to accept just about anything other than the Roman designation. All I can think is that it was supposed to have some sort of symbolic significance when, at the end, he talks about remembering Eriu, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

Druids by Morgan Llywelyn

Read: 12 March, 2009

When Ainvar's grandmother gives her life to save her tribe from starvation, he begins his journey to learn the true meaning of sacrifice. Along with his "soul friend," the warrior Vercingetorix, Ainvar must find a way to end Caesar's conquest of Gaul.

POSITIVE: Great plot and a fantastic pace. After a painful beginning, this novel quickly became an exciting page-turner.

NEGATIVE: Unfortunately, this great story was burdened with several narrative issues. Right from the start, the reader is met with page after page of unnecessary exposition. Exciting scenes would be broken up by dull interludes explaining the meaning of this or that ritual or detail. The choice of the first person narrative may also have been a mistake as there is no clear perspective or reason for the telling of the story (at one point, Ainvar says "I must remember to ask Menua," despite the fact that Menua has already died from the narrator's perspective). Finally, I have to mention the scene where Ainvar looks into a mirror. He describes the "young man staring back at me" as:

"He had an elegant narrow head with a long skull suitable for storing knowledge. The eye sockets were deeply carved, the cheekbones high, the nose prominent and thrusting. It was a strong clear timeless face full of contradictions, brooding yet mischievous, reserved yet involved. Fathomless eyes and curving lips spoke of intense passions carefully suppressed, concentrated in stillness."

Who, I ask, would ever write in this way about themselves? It's just silly.

Overall, I would say that this book is worth the read, especially for people with an interest in historical battles or the history of Gaul. That being said, readers should be prepared for a less-than-fabulous writing style and an incomplete mastery of the first person narrative.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Read: 6 March, 2009

Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert have decided, in their old age, to adopt a young orphan boy of about eleven years old to help take of the farm. When a miscommunication leaves them with little red-headed Anne Shirley, they must decide whether to keep this fiery-tempered and talkative girl, who is decidedly not what they had in mind.

POSITIVE: The writing style is superb and truly carried the narrative. Even when the plot dulled, the narrative voice kept me chained to my rocking chair, eagerly turning the page. The characters are often quite funny, especially Mrs. Lynde, and even Anne - who could get really annoying in her self-centredness - grew on me.

NEGATIVE: Some may feel that the plodding and episodic plot is a bit much, though I felt that this made for a very pleasant and unchallenging read. As I mentioned above, Anne could be infuriatingly self-absorbed, even near the end when she had supposedly outgrown her selfishness. This is a very minor point, though.

All in all, I found this to be a very relaxing and pleasant read. It is funny at times, sad at others, and always interesting. I would definitely be open to reading the next in the series.

Thank you, Pat, for this great gift. Does this mean I get to be a Canadian now?

Discworld #13: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

Read: 23 February, 2009

Things just can't seem to go right for Brutha, Novice to the Great God Om. First a tortoise starts talking to him, then the head of the Inquisition notices that he exists, and that's just the start! Terry Pratchett delivers yet another wacky, zany, hilariously funny, and delightfully philosophical episode in the Discworld Series.

POSITIVE: Funny. Really funny. Laugh out loud while in public and make others think you're adled funny. In Small Gods, Pratchett's focus is on religion - monotheistic religion in particular. He handles his topic with great care, so that it is irreverent and funny, and yet somehow manages never to come off as insulting. The morals and philosophies of the story are also a treat and the ending, in particular, is absolutely perfect in every way.

NEGATIVES: None. Pratchett frequently falls a little short on his plots and endings, but this book is a shining exception. I don't get to say this often, but I think that this novel might just be perfect in every way.

Overall, this is a fabulous book and a joy to read from start to finish. I think that Atheists and scientists would most enjoy this read. Fundamentalists and religious conservatives may see themselves too accurately reflected and dislike the book as a result. Even so, I think that a good sense of humour will make this book an enjoyable read regardless of your religious beliefs.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Read: 20 February, 2009

In this infamous classic, young Alex is an ultra-violent teen who revels in rape, robbery, and in beating up members of the older generations. When a robbery goes sour and Alex is betrayed by his closest droogs, he finds himself in jail with a very long sentence for murder. But there is still hope for our young narrator. Alex is given the opportunity to test a new system that promises to end all crime by turning the most depraved devils into perfect angels. But the prison chaplain has his reservations. Is it right for the government to keep the peace by creating clockwork oranges?

POSITIVE: The language play is amazing. I have the benefit of knowing a little Russian, but this is by no means necessary. Alex's switches between Nadsat and his "gentleman's goloss" add a great deal of layering to the novel. Burgess is also able to preach without bogging down the story. Finally, the humour is fantastic and, at times, very clever.

NEGATIVE: All that violence can be hard to read and Burgess's writing style makes it all the more vivid. I spent much of the novel in a cringe. Had it not been for the distancing provided by Nadsat, I might not have been able to make it through. Even so, the violence does serve a purpose to the story and cannot be said to be gratuitous.

Overall, I would say that this is a very readable novel and would be most appropriate for scholars and teens. Those with more sensitive dispositions may wish to stay away!

Six Micmac Stories by Ruth Holmes Whitehead

I've recently started some research into fairytales and, while my focus has been on European myths, I have also been looking into other cultures.

I found this book to be very interesting. There are only six short stories, but they are well selected to cover a number of cultural aspects. I also enjoyed the short commentary provided after each story. It explained a bit about the symbolic significance of aspects of the story, as well as some cultural background necessary to appreciate the narrative.

Overall, it's a a very short read, essentially a quick dip into Micmac storytelling. It's by no means authoritative. The stories mostly have positive messages and, with the exception of a few scary moments, would be appropriate for kids.