For many years, I have been deluding myself into thinking that I no longer spend as much money on buying books like I used to. One, because I no longer trawl through book websites looking for the next thing to read; and two, because I have not been stalking any of of my favourite authors for new releases. I have a few books strewn about the place that I started reading, but have not finished, which is something I rarely do. And equally, I have books which I know I have finished, but I can't remember anything about the plot or characters or even how it ended.
However, in my periodic bouts of cleaning and organsing, I went through my book receipts for the past 2 years which I keep in a file on the off chance my tax claims are audited. It seems that I have, on average, been buying 2 books every month. Most are works of fiction, one or two are reference books for my studies. And here I was deluding myself into thinking that it's okay buying expensive face creams and splashing out on massages every month, because I was no longer spending large amounts of cash on books instead.
So today, I think I should do one of those "This month's list" that I used to do, in honour of all those books that I forgot I bought. And also, since I haven't been able to write for a long time, what better way than listing things down in order to sharpen my rusty skills.
So here goes...
Books
1) Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb
How can I do justice to the literary works of Robin Hobb? She is that rare author that can take ordinary words and arrange them into sentences describing ordinary things and yet make them seem like the most profound thing that you have ever read. So much so that I want to laugh, cry, sigh and despair that I will never write anything so beautiful in my entire life.
However, she is only human and she did not hit the mark in her last two efforts (the Soldier Son trilogy and The Rain Wild Chronicles) and I looked elsewhere for other authors who could write the way she wrote and make me feel all the wondrous things I felt when reading her books. No luck there, and I did not think Robin Hobb would be writing anything new so soon (well, not so soon, but it felt like it) after Blood of Dragons came out in 2011. But my good friend, Zakiah (a fellow Hobb fan) messaged me about the impending release of a new Hobb book. Not just any book but a continuation of the story of my favourite fictional character in the whole world, who I pretty much thought she closed the chapter on 11 years ago.
So what can I say about the return of FitzChivalry Farseer, a character whose story I have followed since he was six? I was so pleased and excited, followed by dread, because of how dull Hobb's last 2 book series were, and also if Fitz is back, then he is definitely in for more 'adventures'. Otherwise, why else would she write a new book about him?
Oh pretty much half of Fool's Assassin was really lovely, although there did not seem to be any particular plot, which is pretty normal for Hobb, but again 'nothing happening' is never boring the way Hobb writes it. And for so beloved a character as Fitz, his journal of everyday things in his life was just balm to my soul. It was so wonderful to read about him being in love and content and healthy and have his happy ending with his wife Molly. I have to admit though, that at the end of the Tawny Man trilogy, I really thought that he should not have gotten back with Molly. To me, their time was over. They were in love when they were young, and whatever feelings they have now that they have reunited as adults, are just memories of their love. But reading through Fool's Assassin, Hobb has managed to sway me into agreeing with her, and loving all that she has planned for her characters.....until the final parts of the book.
For God's sake, Robin Hobb, why do you have this need to torture your characters, and consequently torture me, with this horrid twist that you just smack in, right after making me warm and cosy inside? Oh, I should have known this was coming, it was already building up in the chapters preceding it, that sense of dread and impending doom. I was in denial of course. And based on all the shitty stuff that you have put your characters through and how I cried buckets at the end of every single Fitz book, I should have known this was coming. Fool me once, fool me twice, fool me every single time...... but I keep coming back for more you.
So now, I have to wait till next September, I suppose, for the next installment and more torture.
2) To Sir Phillip, With Love - Julia Quinn
There were a few times in my life when I would not admit to reading romances. Once, because I was still a teenager, and I thought it would horrify my mum to know the stuff that I was reading. And later, because I became a book snob and I would not sully my mind by reading such trash. But the older I got, the less I cared what others thought, and being an adult meant having the freedom to read anything you want, be it high-end literary fiction or the book equivalent of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
The romance genre has some very appalling writers but having read some work by some good romance authors, such as Julia Quinn, I appreciate that writing a good and satisfying romance is no easy feat. This book is about Eloise Bridgerton and her letter-writing romance with the eponymous Sir Philip. I've been reading through the Bridgerton series (revolving around the lives of the eight Bridgerton siblings in the Regency era), and have generally found it amusing, and most-importantly, non-irritating. Plus, Quinn makes her characters feel like warm, believable people that you can actually like. Of course, there have been times where I rolled my eyes at the implausible situations that the hero and heroine find themselves in, but a good writer can make you agree to suspend your disbelief, and just go along with it.
3) Reaper Man - Terry Pratchett
Nothing like re-reading some old Terry Pratchett. Very sad to hear that he is suffering from a form of Alzheimer's.
Music
I'm really feeling the Brits this month. All these songs came out in 2013. I am as usual, late to the game, but what an antidote they are to all the ear-splitting, vacuous shit that is on commercial Malaysian radio nowadays.
1) Another Love - Tom Odell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A-Y0DFUQNI
2) London Grammar - Hey Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQcj4A_DlbA
3) James Blake - Retrograde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6PcFFUm5I
So today, I think I should do one of those "This month's list" that I used to do, in honour of all those books that I forgot I bought. And also, since I haven't been able to write for a long time, what better way than listing things down in order to sharpen my rusty skills.
So here goes...
Books
1) Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb
How can I do justice to the literary works of Robin Hobb? She is that rare author that can take ordinary words and arrange them into sentences describing ordinary things and yet make them seem like the most profound thing that you have ever read. So much so that I want to laugh, cry, sigh and despair that I will never write anything so beautiful in my entire life.
However, she is only human and she did not hit the mark in her last two efforts (the Soldier Son trilogy and The Rain Wild Chronicles) and I looked elsewhere for other authors who could write the way she wrote and make me feel all the wondrous things I felt when reading her books. No luck there, and I did not think Robin Hobb would be writing anything new so soon (well, not so soon, but it felt like it) after Blood of Dragons came out in 2011. But my good friend, Zakiah (a fellow Hobb fan) messaged me about the impending release of a new Hobb book. Not just any book but a continuation of the story of my favourite fictional character in the whole world, who I pretty much thought she closed the chapter on 11 years ago.
So what can I say about the return of FitzChivalry Farseer, a character whose story I have followed since he was six? I was so pleased and excited, followed by dread, because of how dull Hobb's last 2 book series were, and also if Fitz is back, then he is definitely in for more 'adventures'. Otherwise, why else would she write a new book about him?
Oh pretty much half of Fool's Assassin was really lovely, although there did not seem to be any particular plot, which is pretty normal for Hobb, but again 'nothing happening' is never boring the way Hobb writes it. And for so beloved a character as Fitz, his journal of everyday things in his life was just balm to my soul. It was so wonderful to read about him being in love and content and healthy and have his happy ending with his wife Molly. I have to admit though, that at the end of the Tawny Man trilogy, I really thought that he should not have gotten back with Molly. To me, their time was over. They were in love when they were young, and whatever feelings they have now that they have reunited as adults, are just memories of their love. But reading through Fool's Assassin, Hobb has managed to sway me into agreeing with her, and loving all that she has planned for her characters.....until the final parts of the book.
For God's sake, Robin Hobb, why do you have this need to torture your characters, and consequently torture me, with this horrid twist that you just smack in, right after making me warm and cosy inside? Oh, I should have known this was coming, it was already building up in the chapters preceding it, that sense of dread and impending doom. I was in denial of course. And based on all the shitty stuff that you have put your characters through and how I cried buckets at the end of every single Fitz book, I should have known this was coming. Fool me once, fool me twice, fool me every single time...... but I keep coming back for more you.
So now, I have to wait till next September, I suppose, for the next installment and more torture.
2) To Sir Phillip, With Love - Julia Quinn
There were a few times in my life when I would not admit to reading romances. Once, because I was still a teenager, and I thought it would horrify my mum to know the stuff that I was reading. And later, because I became a book snob and I would not sully my mind by reading such trash. But the older I got, the less I cared what others thought, and being an adult meant having the freedom to read anything you want, be it high-end literary fiction or the book equivalent of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
The romance genre has some very appalling writers but having read some work by some good romance authors, such as Julia Quinn, I appreciate that writing a good and satisfying romance is no easy feat. This book is about Eloise Bridgerton and her letter-writing romance with the eponymous Sir Philip. I've been reading through the Bridgerton series (revolving around the lives of the eight Bridgerton siblings in the Regency era), and have generally found it amusing, and most-importantly, non-irritating. Plus, Quinn makes her characters feel like warm, believable people that you can actually like. Of course, there have been times where I rolled my eyes at the implausible situations that the hero and heroine find themselves in, but a good writer can make you agree to suspend your disbelief, and just go along with it.
3) Reaper Man - Terry Pratchett
Nothing like re-reading some old Terry Pratchett. Very sad to hear that he is suffering from a form of Alzheimer's.
Music
I'm really feeling the Brits this month. All these songs came out in 2013. I am as usual, late to the game, but what an antidote they are to all the ear-splitting, vacuous shit that is on commercial Malaysian radio nowadays.
1) Another Love - Tom Odell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A-Y0DFUQNI
2) London Grammar - Hey Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQcj4A_DlbA
3) James Blake - Retrograde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6PcFFUm5I
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