I picked up Bitter Medicine thinking it was UF with romance in it, but it was romantic fiction
with UF elements. It was also a somewhat odd book, consisting of two uneven
parts. First storyline came to a point at around 60% mark. It was ok, even if
the romance was very slow-burn with rather odd intimate scenes. If the book had
ended there, I might have given it a better rating. Unfortunately, it continued.
The latter
part was a meandering mess that didn’t need to be that long; a couple of chapters
would’ve sufficed. The conclusion was very unsatisfying. It’s a happily ever
after, but at a cost that went against the tropes of fantasy genre, and not in
a good way. Kudos for originality, but … no.
Fantasy
elements were a mishmash of everything, but mostly western. The description
promised xianxia inspired fantasy, but it was inspiration in name only. The main
character, Elle, was Chinese, but nothing in her behaviour made me believe it.
She was very American in her thoughts and deeds, though incredibly stupid for
some reason (she could use a computer but not a smartphone?). For his part, Luc didn’t feel very French, and the Catholic elements seemed really odd.
I was
especially disappointed with Elle’s family relations. As a western reader, one
thing that makes Asian fiction feel authentic to me, is the idea of duty to one’s
family and elders that is very alien to western society. Some lip-service was
paid to it here, but in actual dealings with each other, the characters were
wholly western. Even the premise was about Elle taking away her brother’s
immortality—without his consent, I might add—so that he could escape doing his
duty to his family.
Maybe modern
Chinese are more western in this respect, but these characters were over a
century old and from the heartland of China. If the characters hadn’t been Chinese,
the premise would’ve worked. Now it only irked me. As a whole, the book left me
unsatisfied both as a romance and as a fantasy.
I received
a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hex Breaker is a readable story that suffers from not
knowing what kind of book it wants to be. The cover promises fantasy with
magic; the back cover description promises urban fantasy mystery. It tries, but
fails. I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A mystery from the shared past of the main characters
threatens the life of Devin Rayne. But instead of investigating the past, the
PI duo Alexandra Quinn and Rio Mondragon (though mostly Quinn, because Rio
is useless) run after random clues that don’t really lead anywhere except by
accident. A great production is made of acquiring one clue that turns out to be
useless. There are flashback chapters that I foolishly presumed would reveal
what happened ten years ago and foreshadow the baddie. My money was on Rio. But
the baddie turned out to be a rando we’d barely met with random motivations,
which is just about the worst mistake a mystery author can do. One star for
that.
So it’s not a good mystery. It could be a romance. Quinn
certainly has her fair share of men to choose from. Two she declares to be the
loves of her life, though she takes her time to admit it (and I still don’t
know why there was such antagonism between her and Devin in the first place if
she’s always loved him). One is there for sex and random conflict. But there is
no proper happily ever after—or even happily for now. I give the
pair that forms six months the tops.
In the end I think this was a New Adult relationship drama,
though the characters were over thirty (I presume; they claimed to be under,
but they’ve graduated a decade ago). There are several relationships and a lot
of drama.
Quinn and Rio are best friends since college turned co-workers.
But I didn’t really feel their friendship. Rio did really shitty things to
Quinn to either ‘protect’ her or just because he’s an asshole. Quinn and Jack are
supposed to be dating, but all sorts of drama come from that. Quinn and Devin are
the source of the main drama, past and present, with the added complication of
Quinn and Hale. Then there is a random assortment of old college friends
introduced for no reason that I could fathom, as they play no role in the story.
They’re just word-fillers that come with their own dramas and could (should, actually) all be cut. And to crown
it all, Quinn and Aine, her best friend, who casually violates Quinn’s bodily
and mental integrity with potions and magic several times, basically just
because she wants to, with no compunction or repercussions. She made me root
for the bureaucrats who wanted to make every magic user wear a scarlet
letter.
As a relationship drama, the book works. I might have given
it four stars even, if it weren’t for everything else. On top of the lousy
mystery, there were too many empty scenes that served no purpose whatsoever
(though the gala dinner works if you think this as a relationship drama);
incoherent world-building (I still don’t know where the book took place) and weak
character introductions (I thought I was reading a second or third book in a
series when I started for all I was able to connect with the characters); and
some writing issues, like head-hopping, especially in those chapters that were
in Rio’s point of view. With some restructuring and better focus, it could be
an enjoyable book. As it is, I’m only giving it three stars.
The Midnight Bargain is the first book I’ve read by C. L.
Polk, and I received a free copy from NetGalley for reviewing. It’s a
stand-alone fantasy romance in a historical setting, with magic and automatons.
This is a fairly good book. The stakes are high: Beatrice
Clayborn has to choose between living a life as a sorceress, which she desires,
and marrying, which her family wants. First choice will ruin her family
economically, plus she won’t be able to marry and have children. The second
will put her under the direct rule of her husband and completely rob her off
her magic, as it could damage her children. The choice seems clear to her,
until she meets Ianthe and falls in love.
This is also a really exhausting book. Everything is stacked
against Beatrice from the start, the society, magic and all the people around
her. There isn’t a single character that is on her side, not even those who
seemingly are. There’s no room for her to breathe—and consequently no room for
the reader to breathe. The unfairness of the society is brought up repeatedly,
with same arguments, as if everyone, the reader included, hadn’t understood
after the first couple of times. The repetition bogs down the narrative and
takes room from the plot, like the romance, which feels glued on and not
romantic at all. The couple only talks about politics when they’re alone. The focus is mostly on Beatrice’s attempts to escape her fate.
I ended up skimming through most of the book, but I was curious enough to learn
how it ends, so I didn’t put it down.
The world is fairly interesting. The magic especially is
well-developed. I liked Nadi, the spirit of luck Beatrice summons to help her.
There were some things that puzzled me, like why was everyone forced to speak a
foreign language? Was the country conquered by a wealthier one, or was it
purely fashion? And why was a young woman thrown into the hostile society
without any help or escort from her parents and just told to deal with it, when
all the other debutantes had large support groups? If it was to allow Beatrice
to escape parental notice for plot reasons, she managed just fine on other
occasions, and only made the writing seem lazy.
The ending was good. It had a slight ‘deus ex machina’ feel
to it, but not so badly that it would’ve disappointed. Beatrice is basically
saved, not actively saving herself. Again the romance took a side-line for
Beatrice’s self-actualisation, but it was given a moment too. The epilogue
wraps things up nicely. I was left satisfied with it.
I’ve previously read and loved the
Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid, so I jumped to download this box set
when it was offered for free a while ago. It contains books 1 and 1.5 from her
Knitting in the City series, three follow-up novellas with the same characters,
and a couple of preview chapters from Reid’s other books. So it’s well worth
the expense, even if you pay for it.
The first book, Neanderthal Seeks Human,
introduces the main couple, Janie and Quinn, plus all the other characters in
the series, a group of women that belong to a same knitting group in Chicago.
It’s a fun and not entirely typical romance. Reid has a great knack with writing
characters that tend towards unique way of thinking and regarding the world
with understanding and love, and making the other characters accept them just
the way they are.
Janie is a math-wizard with a habit of
collecting data and blurting it out in stressful situations with absolutely
zero filters. Sometimes they relate to the situation, but most of the time the
workings of her brain baffle people around her. Quinn is different though and
he finds her mind fascinating. A great basis for their romance.
Quinn is a head of a private security
firm and insanely wealthy. He becomes Janie’s boss, but for the better part of
the book she has no idea of it and believes him to be a regular security guard—a plot-line that dragged on a bit too long. The Neanderthal
mentioned in the title is Janie, who sees herself as one, because she’s larger
than other people with an odd mind. It’s not until the second book that we
really learn the reason for her habit. It’s an emotional coping mechanism she’s
learned in childhood to deal with physically and emotionally absent parents.
It’s a good book, but long. Really
long. According to the author’s own notes, it’s over a hundred thousand words,
which is about twenty thousand more than a regular romance novel. It would be
fine, if there were side plots to fill the pages, but it’s really just the two
of them working towards the happily ever after. There are several side
characters introduced, but despite the length of the book(s), they remain
distant and two-dimensional. Some of them get their own books later in the
series, but Steve the co-worker would’ve deserved a better treatment than he
got.
The second book, which is marked as an
in-between novel, is equally long. Neanderthal Marries Human starts with Quinn
proposing to Janie and then follows the subsequent wedding planning. The actual
plans are in the side-lines though. It’s more about family bonds and healing.
Quinn has been cast out by his family, so Janie sees the wedding as an
opportunity to bring them back together, and maybe gain a family that she’s
never really had. It’s sweet and touching at times, but—again—really long.
The three short stories at least live
up to their name. First one is about the honeymoon, where Janie decides to rid
the tropical island of invasive toad species, much to Quinn’s bemusement.
The other two are about Janie getting pregnant and the latter stages of her
pregnancy. I haven’t read the other books in the series, so I don’t know if the
child is ever born during the course of it, but that might be an amusing story
too.
All in all, this was an entertaining
package. However, I don’t feel the need to follow it up by reading the rest of
the series, with maybe the exception of the last book that has Quinn’s best
friend as the hero. I liked him. But there’s a Winston Brothers spin-off coming
soon with Cletus as the main character. I’ll definitely read that.
It’s been three weeks since I updated this blog the last
time, so this is going to be a long post of everything I’ve read since.
I’m not sure why I bother reviewing Nalini Singh’s books
anymore. They’re all great. Five stars. Even if the plot in some is slightly
thinner than in others, she has the amazing ability to write unabashedly
emotional characters who manage to convey their emotions straight to reader’s
heart. Alpha Night is no exception.
It’s the fourth book in the Psy-Changeling spin-off series
called Psy-Changeling Trinity. It’s again set in Russia, this time with a wolf
pack there. Selenka is the alpha of the pack and Ethan is a damaged Arrow (as
if there were any other kind). The book starts with a mating bond forming
between the two at the first sight, and takes the romance from there. Obstacles
on their path rise from Ethan’s mental damage that can only lead to death, on
top of which the enemies of Selenka’s pack move in on them. And then there’s
the larger plot of the psy-net unravelling, which may lead to the death of the
entire psy-race. There are high emotions and a great reward at the end. All in
all, a perfect romance novel.
The Graveyard Shift by Darynda Jones
It’s not the only book I’ve read since my last blog post. Darynda
Jones published a short romance set in her Charley Davidson world. The Graveyard Shift takes place a few years after the final book in the series and
features Garrett Swopes, a PI friend of Charley’s who has one task: keep
Charley and Rey’s daughter safe. And then she disappears. Out of options, he
seeks help from the mother of his son, whom he resents for various reasons.
It’s an opportunity for a second chance romance for them. However, the book is
curiously thin on romance—though there’s of
course a happily ever after ending. The main focus is on Beep, the daughter,
and what happens to her during her absence. Basically, the book sets up the
next phase in the series. So, even if the romance is a bit dull, the book is
essential reading for anyone who wants to keep reading the series.
The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole
The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole is a delightful love story between two people who are both recovering from an
accident that has affected their memories, but with a twist—revealed in the title—that
one of them is a biomechanical human, basically a replicant from Blade Runner.
It’s set in somewhat dark future, after WW3. America is run by an organisation
called Hive that controls people, or at least its employees with AIs, robots
and fear. The focus is on the love story though, emphasised by the fact that
the two never leave the apartment complex where they live. There’s a mystery
unfolding on the background that upends both their lives when its revealed,
done well-enough that I never even suspected it. Quite a lot was left
unexplained in the end though, so I assume there will be a series focusing on
other characters mentioned in this book. I’d read them.
Firelight by Kristen Callihan
Firelight by Kristen Callihan was a
disappointing historical fantasy romance that I gave only three stars
to. Two people with curses they want to keep hidden from the world and each
other fall in love and then have to save the world from the Big Bad. There was
a bit too much artificially forced secrecy between the two, and the falling in
love seemed to happen outside the narrative and was simply given to the reader,
but the plot was interesting and the solution to the curse was unique. I liked
Archer and Miranda, didn’t instantly guess who the baddy was—or why—and approved the way the day
was saved in the end, but the narrative dragged and the outside threat to the
couple never felt immediate. The main character of the next book was introduced
in this one, but I didn’t like him and I probably won’t read his story.
Changeling by Molly Harper
Another historical fantasy I read is
Changeling by Molly Harper. It’s a delightful middle grade story of a servant
girl who learns she can do magic in a society sharply divided to haves and have
nots based on their ability with magic. It has everything such a book needs: a
rags to riches story, adventure, making new friends in a boarding school for
witches, and even a little romance. Sarah/Cassandra is a good-hearted girl who
learns to survive in her new reality with the help of a magical book and her
two new friends. I’ll definitely read the next book too.
Elven Doom by Lindsay Buroker
On top of these romances I read Elven Doom by Lindsay Buroker, a fourth book in the Death Before Dragons urban
fantasy series. It’s yet another solid four star book from her: action packed,
funny and romantic. Val and Zav’s romance should’ve moved to a new level, but
things are ruined by Zav’s sister. Also the dark elves are ready to destroy the
world. The book has a slight wrapping-things-up feel to it despite leaving
much unsolved, but I hope this isn’t the last we hear from these characters.
Things are just getting interesting. I also read a collection of short
stories and scenes written from Zav’s point of view called The Forbidden Ground,
which was a nice addition to the series. I’m not sure if it’s on sale yet, as
it was a newsletter gift from the author to her readers.
These books were joined by three I
received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And, honestly, two of
them weren’t anywhere near being published yet. Calypso’s Heart by M.C. Solaris
resulted in my first ever one star review on Goodreads (I usually never write a
review if it’s going to be that bad) based on the eight chapters I managed to
read before giving up in rage. Paradise Rising by P.G. Shriver got two stars,
but only because I actually finished it. Into the Black was a fairly
interesting sci-fi mystery/romance I gave three stars to. Nothing terribly
wrong with that one, but it failed to properly engage my interest. You can read
my Goodreads reviews by clicking the name of the book.
All in all, a busy and interesting
month of reading. NetGalley has definitely broadened my reading habits with
books that I might not otherwise choose to read. If I’m not always happy with
them, I at least learn a lot from them for my own writing. And that can only be
a good thing.
I’ve somehow managed to avoid updating my book blog this
summer. But I haven’t stopped reading. I’ve read ten books since my last post,
but since I don’t have the energy to write a post for each, you’re getting one
big post. The books fall neatly in three categories, contemporary romances, historical
romances, and urban fantasy, so I’ll lump them together that way.
Beard science by Penny Reid
First up, the contemporary romances. They’re from one
author, and belong to one series: Winston Brothers by Penny Reid. I introduced
the series in the previous blog post where I reviewed Truth or Beard, which I
loved. I skipped the second book—and didn’t miss anything—to the third book,
Beard Science. It was every bit as wonderful as the first, as was the third in
the series, Beard in Mind, though I had some issues with that one, namely that
there weren’t enough chapters in the heroine’s point of view. We only had her point of view when she visited her therapist. It defined her through her mental illness, which was the opposite of what the book tried to achieve.
Beard in Mind by Penny Reid
What made these three books so charming where characters
who, after finding someone to love, strived to become better persons because of
that. Each book had secondary plots too, to add some spice into the
love-stories, but nothing to distract from the main story.
Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid
However, the fourth book in the series, Dr. Strange Beard,
was a great disappointment. I would’ve given it two stars, but refrained from
giving any. It had nothing of the charm of the previous books. The characters
were selfish and didn’t strive to become better, and their love-story suffered
greatly for it. I didn’t root for either of them individually or as a pair. But the
worst part was that there was a totally unnecessary five year jump to the
future. During that time, interesting things had happened to the characters of the previous books,
and I felt left out—a feeling which didn’t disappear the whole time. And the
secondary plot that had been building in the previous books was abandoned
completely. The book was so bad that I gave up on the series altogether.
It's Getting Scot in Here by Suzanne Enoch
Next up, the historical romances. It’s Getting Scot in Here
by Suzanne Enoch was a solid but unexciting Regency romance that I gave three
stars to. She’s digressed far from the books of her early career where plot
twists made my stomach ache in anticipation. But it wasn’t a bad book. Three
brothers are pawns in their parents’ bad marriage, and try to organise their
lives despite. I’ll keep my eye on the next books, but I’m not sure I’ll read
them.
The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
The Governess Game by Tessa Dare is a second book in her
Girl Meets Duke series. The first book was great, but this one was barely ok. I
gave it three stars anyway, as it had some humour, and the characters weren’t
your everyday aristocrats. But there were too many plot-fillers and
out-of-the-hat events that weren’t foreshadowed and which ended up meaning
nothing. But the sample chapter to the next book in the series seemed
promising, so I guess I’ll read that one when it comes out this month.
Lucifer's Daughter by Eve Langlais
And finally, the urban fantasy, which is a more eclectic
bunch. I started with a steamy paranormal romance, Lucifer’s Daughter by Eve
Langlais, the most prolific indie author that I know. There’s a new book every
month. In her customary style, the book was funny, steamy and over the top. And
while it was a first in a series, the ending was satisfying enough, and I don’t
feel the need to continue with it.
Brave the Tempest by Karen Chance
Brave the Tempest by Karen Chance is book nine and the
latest in her Cassandra Palmer series. I think the books keep getting better in
the sense that the author has gotten better at writing them. They used to be
mad dashes from one plot to another, which often left the poor reader behind.
But in the past couple of books, there has been slower sections too that allow
for reflecting the plot and, in case of this one, all the previous books too,
which was much needed. In this book, Cassie finally turns into an active
operator in her life, instead of being pushed this way and that, and that made
the story more enjoyable too.
The October Man by Ben Aaronovitch
The October Man by Ben Aaronovitch is a shorter book in his
Rivers of London series, which I love. This one I almost skipped though,
because it’s set in Germany and doesn’t have Peter Grant or any other familiar characters.
But it was a good, solid detective story in the style of the other books. Tobi
was much like Peter, and the plot was familiar in its oddity. There were even
some rivers involved. I’m not sure if the author will continue with these
characters, but perhaps there will be a cross-over book later.
Reticence by Gail Carriger
Reticence by Gail Carriger ends The Custard Protocol, her third Parasolverse
series. It’s been very uneven four books, with the first
being good, and third a horrid disappointment in all respects. But this fourth
book was a charming ending to it all. Percy, the hero, has been my favourite
throughout the series, and Arsenic, the new addition, was a good match to him.
The plot was fairly simple—as opposed to some of the earlier books—and the
love-story was satisfying, although it developed so slowly that I was sure
there wouldn’t even be a kiss before the book ends. As it was a series ender,
most favourite characters from throughout the books made an appearance, which
was nice.
Angelfall by Susan Ee
Angelfall by Susan Ee was a new book to me, but it was
published already in 2012. It’s marketed as a young adult book, and the age of
the protagonist, Penryn, matches. But the hardships she faced and survived made
me often think that she must be twice the age she was.
It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world. Angels have come to
earth and destroyed it completely. The few survivors have soon learned that nothing
is off-limits when it comes to survival. Penryn has to look after her paralysed
little sister Paige, and her mother who is schizophrenic and violent. Having learned to survive with her mother,
Penryn has an advantage when it comes to coping with this new world. And then
the angels steal Paige, and in order to get her back, Penryn teams up with a
wounded angel Raffe.
Though the plot is fairly straightforward, the things Penryn
has to go through to achieve her goal aren’t your everyday YA. The book is fairly
violent, and the imagery, especially towards the end of the book, is somewhat
disgusting even. The romance, which has become a hallmark of YA, is almost
absent. But the gritty style works, and carries to the end. I instantly picked
the second book too.
So this was what I’ve read this summer. I try to return to
regular service from here on. Stay tuned.
The other day, I read a Guardian post about how readers sometimes become addicted to authors.
Georgette Heyer was mentioned and I immediately realised I’d been an addict too.
Heyer (1902-1974), an English author of over thirty Regency romances and as
many historical novels and detective stories, has definitely been, not merely one
of my favourite authors, but my addiction too.
The addiction built
slowly. When I first discovered her books, I could only read books in my own
language and just four or five of her Regency romances had been translated to
it. I read them so many times I practically knew them by heart, but I didn’t consider
myself addicted, or Heyer as a favourite author. Once I began reading books in
English, I found a couple of more of her books, but that was all my local library had.
This was before
Internet, I should mention, specifically before online bookstores. My addiction
was unleashed after I discovered them, or – actually – after Amazon was founded.
I became an Amazon customer solely in order to buy all Heyer’s Regency novels.
Well, I meant to buy only one or two that sounded the best, but … well,
addiction.
It took me a while to buy all of them. I was
studying at the time and didn’t really have that much money. The books were out
of print and were being issued anew so I had to wait for them to show up on
Amazon catalogues. The books shipped from the US to Europe, an excruciating
four to eight weeks wait for each book. And every single book was worth it.
I’ve tried to analyse
many times what makes Heyer’s Regency romances so great. They have the spirit
of Austen with more modern sentiments. Her heroines are more likely to go
against the society’s dictates than in novels written in earlier times, but with such finesse that they don’t feel analogous. Her
heroes are dashing, often rogues who are redeemed during the course of the
novel, but not solely. She has a couple of particularly delightful young
heroes, like Freddy Standen in Cotillion (1953), who are good-natured and somewhat
clueless. Equally, she has heroines who are silly and not always likeable. She
regards all of them with an amused but beginning smile that allows the reader
to smile understandingly with her and root even for the silliest of them.
Her books are full of
historical details, too, that offer endless information without being dull. To
this day, most of my knowledge about Regency England comes from her books – and
I have a degree in English history. She made all the details in her books seem perfectly plausible and,
what’s more important, alive – something most modern authors of Regency
romances fail at.
I have my favourites
among her books, those that I have read more often than others – and I’ve read
them all more than once. They’re too numerous to bring up in detail here,
however. There simply isn’t a weak book among them. Even the dullest, either The
Toll-Gate (1954) or April Lady (1957), are good and worth reading again.
The book I’ve reread
most often is perhaps Regency Buck (1935), a story of brother and sister who travel to
London to force their reluctant guardian to bring them into society – a theme
of many of her books. It has everything that is perfect in her Regency novels,
a beautiful heroine, a dashing, slightly roguish hero, a lot of society
nonsense and a mystery to boot.
Another great book is
the aforementioned Cotillion, a delightful book I often read simply to feel
good. Venetia (1958), The Grand Sophy (1950) and Devil’s Cub (1932) are among the top ten too, as
are Arabella (1949), Lady of Quality (1972) and The Convenient Marriage (1934) – a book that has a
heroine who stammers, only one example of many among Heyer’s heroines who
aren’t utterly perfect and thereby lifeless.
My addiction subsided
eventually. I had all the books that I wanted – I have never been interested in
her detective stories – and had read them many times over. I haven’t stopped
loving her books, though. She is still my go-to author, the one I pick up when
I have nothing to read. It doesn’t matter which book I choose, or whether I
read all of it or just parts, I’m guaranteed a wonderful time. I’m even
considering buying all the books I already have as e-books. Partly because the
Arrow imprints I bought in the 90s were such poor quality that the pages fell
off after only one reading. Mostly, however, so that I would always have her
books with me.
Do you have a
favourite Heyer book, or hero or heroine? Please, share in comments.
Some romances are so romantic
that I read them over again, even though I know the plot – and the gratifying
happy ending – by heart. A favourite of mine among these has always been The Blue
Castle by L. M. Montgomery (1926).
The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
Unlike her more famous
books, like Anne of Green Gables, The Blue Castle is written for a grown-up
audience. The heroine Valancy Stirling is twenty-nine, plain, and a spinster,
much to the unhappiness of her (very unlikeable) family. She is unhappy without
knowing what to do with her life, and she wouldn’t be given any leeway to
change her life even if she did know. She only has her books and her daydreams.
At the beginning of
the book, Valancy is given only a year to live, which makes her realise she’s
never really lived. Liberated by the impending death, she takes the charge of
her life, much to the horror of her relatives. She moves away from home to take
care of a dying friend, ostracised by the society because she has borne an
illegitimate child.
She also strikes a
friendship with Barney Snaith, an odd, recluse man the whole town is convinced
is a criminal. When Valancy’s friend dies, unwilling to return home, Valancy
proposes to Barney, telling him she only has less than a year left herself and that she
would want to live a little before she dies. He agrees and brings her to his
home, the blue castle of the title, an old house in a remote island.
The romance between
Barney and Valancy is sweet, a friendship turned to love with misunderstandings
keeping the pair apart. There are plenty of hidden or mistaken identities, and
letters lost and misplaced. And the romance is achieved without a kiss exchanged. Quite a lot is needed before the two can have their
happily ever after, which being one of the sweetest endings I won’t give away.
Read the book yourselves.
For years, I simply
went to the library whenever I wanted to read the book and borrowed it. It was out
of print and, anyway, old books like that don’t show up on bookstores all that
often. But then I stumbled on it in a second-hand bookshop and I immediately
bought it. Finally the happy owner of The Blue Castle, you’d think I’d read it
at least once a year ever since, but I have to confess that owning it has been
enough. I haven’t read it since. Maybe I’ll pick it up again one of these days.
Perhaps you will too?
Here is the proposal scene:
“There is something you can do for me,” she said, evenly and distinctly. “Will you marry me?”
For a moment Barney was silent. There was no particular expression on his face. Then he gave an odd laugh. “Come, now! I knew luck was just waiting around the corner for me. All the signs have been pointing that way today….But why—why?”
“For two reasons.” Valancy was still a little breathless, but she looked Barney straight in the eyes while all the dead Stirlings revolved rapidly in their graves and the living ones did nothing because they did not know that Valancy was at that moment proposing lawful marriage to the notorious Barney Snaith. “The first reason is, I—I”—Valancy tried to say “I love you” but could not. She had to take refuge in pretended flippancy. “I’m crazy about you. The second is—this.” She handed him Dr. Trent’s letter.
Barney opened it with the air of a man thankful to find some safe, sane thing to do. As he read it, his face changed. He understood...”
