Book Reviews – Page 109 – Carol's Notebook

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

June 1, 2019June 18, 2019 by Carol6 Comments

To be honest, I had never heard of We by Yevgany Zamyatin, but I was looking for a classic in translation and Sci Fi June was on my mind, which led me to We. I found it on a list of 23 Best Non-English Science Fiction Books at Best Sci Fi Books.com. We was first published in 1921 and is one of the grandfathers of the satirical futuristic dystopia genre. Zamyatin, born in 1884, was heavily influenced by the turn-of-the-century Russian revolutions and push for industrialization. His is a history of controversial and critical writings, leading to a series of arrests and exiles: first by the Tsarists in 1905, 1911, and 1914; then by the Soviets in 1919 and 1922; and ultimately in 1931 through a self-imposed retreat from Bolshevik censorship. While We does not directly criticize the Soviets, it was unsurprisingly denied publication in Russia and received the dubious honor of being the first book to be banned by...

The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

The Montalbano series is not one I read/listen to in order. When I'm between books and one is available at the library I pick it up, which is how I ended up listening to The Overnight Kidnapper. It's pretty typical for the series. We have some random, brief kidnappings that Montalbano is looking into, along with an arson, but, in true mystery book style, it's all connected and much more serious than it seems at first, when it turns into a murder investigation. Montalbano is his usual self, amusing and charming in his own way. I think the narrator does a good job with him. We've got the usual sidekicks and I love the way his housekeeper/cook, Adelina, deals with a break-in without losing track of her pasta. I guess I just like the feel of these books, the characters, the setting, the food. The actual mystery in this one was fine, if a little odd. Who kidnaps a woman for just an...

Accessory to War by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avis Lang

May 28, 2019May 24, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

My non-fiction reading really has little rhyme or reason to it. I pick up books that grab my attention or that I've seen other people love. I have to admit I don't really have a huge interest in space exploration or military history, but Neil deGrasse Tyson is a big name and I've seen a show or two on tv and at a planetarium that he's hosted, which is why I picked up Accessory to War. At times Accessory to War is just fascinating. For me, that was mostly when it was discussing the history of astrophysics and how its beginnings affected armies and explorers and merchants. I also found the parts about how current countries approach space interesting. It's well-written. It doesn't talk down to those of us who don't know much, but it also wasn't over my head. It was conversational and easy to follow. Unfortunately, there were other parts that were dry and boring. Lists of treaties...

Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 by Carol7 Comments

First off, I love the covers of the Noodle Shop Mysteries. I'm not usually much of a cover person, but these just look delicious, are bright, have a bit of humor, I think, with the soy sauce (?) pouring into the skull shape. Dim Sum of All Fears is the second in the series. It could probably be read as a stand-alone, but I'm glad I read the first beforehand. It gives you a better picture of the family relationships and the people at the Asia Village shopping center. This time around, a good, if new, friend of Lana's has been murdered, along with her husband. Turns out there was a lot Lana didn't know about the couple, but still wants to see the killer brought to justice. Since their success in solving the last crime, she and her roommate, Megan, decide that they need to do some digging around. There are several suspects, turns out the husband was not only...

Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien

May 21, 2019May 21, 2019 by Carol11 Comments

Death by Dumpling has been sitting on my Kindle for longer than I'd like to admit. I know why I picked it up originally. The cover is great, it's set in Cleveland, and it sounds like a fun mystery. I am so happy I finally got around to reading it. Lana is just quirky enough. She's a bit down on her luck and has been moping around her apartment a little too much, but there's nothing like being a potential murder suspect to get you out of the house again, at least if you've decided you need to solve the case before you or a friend is found guilty. The Ho-Lee Noodle House is in an Asian-themed shopping center. They're are plenty of regulars at the restaurant and most of the staff at the various shops all seem to know each other. It's like a little community, and a lot of the folks are connected, friends, family, so when one of...

Miss Buncle’s Book by D.E. Stevenson

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 by Carol6 Comments

Miss Buncle's Book is delightful. Barbara Buncle needs to make some money and decides that writing a book is the perfect solution, much better than raising hens, but all she knows is her small town, so the people she sees every day become the characters, simply re-named. Miss Buncle sees her neighbors quite clearly, though, and not everyone is happy with their portrayal. Happily she wrote under a pseudonym, otherwise, her life would be miserable. Miss Buncle's book, Disturber of the Peace, is also charming. She takes this regular English town, and introduces her Golden Boy, and the townsfolk allow themselves to follow their passions, marry the neighorbor women, leave their husband, go off on an adventure. And some of the actual people find themselves doing the same things, more or less. So her fiction imitates life which then imitates fiction in the most enjoyable way. I loved Miss Buncle. It's a light read perfect for this time of year. It's funny...