Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

I am not going to go on my Neil Gaiman spiel for the umpteenth time. If you are a new reader please feel free to click on the "NeilGaiman" tag and that will take you to previous posts! What I will say is that when I found out he was coming out with his own retelling of his favorite myths, I was very excited and also unsure of what to expect.

I know very little about Norse mythology. There are bits of it in other Gaiman books and bits of it in the Marvel universe and so on, but that is where the knowledge stops. I have spent more of my life interested in Greek mythology and thus have more knowledge of its tales. So after finishing Norse Mythology, while I enjoyed it, I felt that I would have enjoyed it that much more if I actually knew about the tales he was retelling. Because to me this book just read like any other mythology book, including my favorite Mythology by Edith Hamilton; which is to the book and Neil's credit of course. Sometimes telling a tale simply can be harder than telling it on a grander scale. So I enjoyed seeing Neil work wit this kind of storytelling and excel at it. I am sure his passion for these myths is what helped him do that.

Even though I did not feel a deep connection with this book, I did read it very quickly. And I particularly loved the myth "The Mead of Poets". Each myth had some deep wisdom within it, as well as a touch of Neil Gaiman. So devouring this book came from ease and enjoyment and not from a need to finish it so it could be over.

Norse Mythology is not a book I would recommend as an introduction to Neil Gaiman The Author. Rather, it is a book I would recommend if you love Norse mythology or myths in general, or if you have read other Gaiman books. It is a book I would recommend for you to take on a short trip or read when you need to forget about other things going on in your life. Overall, this book will make you smile and think and want to learn more if you don't already have that knowledge. This book is a beautiful reminder of simpler times and simpler tales and why those tales are so important.

Our Revolution by Bernie Sanders

My cat, Poppet, feeling the bern.

This blog is not about politics, but for this post it will get a bit political. I love Bernie Sanders. I have from the moment I heard about him and his campaign and I supported him throughout. I was heartbroken when he pledged his support for Hillary Clinton last year and I have continued to follow what he does since. Thus, I was very excited when I heard he was coming out with a book outlining his ideas for a better America, titled Our Revolution. I was given the book for my birthday from my in-laws (thank you!) and dove right in.

The book is split into two sections. The first is autobiographical. A little bit about Bernie's life and a lot about his campaign. I loved getting to know more about him and how he got involved in politics. I also enjoyed hearing so much about his campaign trail and all of the moments that touched him. It was a great beginning to the book instead of throwing the reader right into the dense meat of what is wrong with America and how to fix it The second section is about his ideas. What I loved about this section is that he not only says what he thinks needs to be done but he gives plans for how everyone can help make these ideas realities. Bernie backs up everything he says and cites multiple sources for his points. The philosopher/sociology lover in me adored this part of the book. It made me feel hopeful and at times gave me goosebumps, just like when I would watch Bernie's speeches.

There is a lot in Our Revolution. At times I felt hopeful and at others, utterly hopeless. But at the end Bernie really drives home the importance of everyone participating with one another to make these changes. "Transforming America is more than just elections. It's about changing our culture...The future is in your hands. Let's get to work."

Woven throughout his stories and ideologies is Bernie's great sense of humor. I laughed out loud at many points. I love that he is unafraid of what others think and is just straightforward and honest. This also helped the more dense sections feel lighter and accessible.

Overall, I loved this book. It is one I will probably pick up a lot in the next four years and beyond to learn and remind myself of what I can do to be a better citizen. It gave me hope. It reiterated why I love Bernie Sanders so much and it made me love and respect him more. If you are someone who supported at least some of his ideas, read this book. If you disagreed with him but are curious about the details behind his political stance, read this book. If you just want to learn, read this book. I guarantee most of you will feel the bern by the end of it. 

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

I just finished reading Neverwhere for the third time. I have not only read the novel but I also own the graphic novel and have listened to the BBC radio version of the tale (which I highly recommend). So all in all I guess this was my fifth time with the story. It is not my number one Gaiman book, but it is in the top five. It is one I cherish because it is full of wonder and mystery and allegories. It is a book I come back to because it is an adventure I love to go on. I don't recommend Neverwhere as someone's first Neil Gaiman book. But I always recommend it as their second or third.

Neverwhere tells the story of London Below, a place like London Above except not. It follows Richard, an ordinary man, and Door and the Marquis de Carabas, not so ordinary people, as they try to find out what happened to Door's family. That is all I will say so as not to ruin the intrigue of the story. The villains are some of the most entertaining I've encountered. And Door is my favorite heroine in any Neil Gaiman novel. I took a silly internet quiz that said she was the Gaiman character I am most like and that made me very happy.

The thing about Neverwhere that, for me, makes it so great is that it is a all of my favorite stories in one book. It is Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz but with a Neil Gaiman twist. The lessons taught throughout the book are archetypal and profound. These elements combined are what showcase Neil Gaiman's talents as a writer and storyteller. This post may have been short and sweet, but don't let that fool you. I just don't want to give away too much about a book that needs to be experienced. Neverwhere is pure Gaiman fairytale and that is why I love it.

First Post of 2017: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

I first heard about The Red Tent a few years ago on Facebook. I did not know much about it, only that it had to do with womanhood. I later found out it was a sort of retelling about the biblical story of Jacob. Only the focus was on his daughter, Dinah. It is a book I have had in the back of my mind for a while but not one I have ever bought or picked up to read. Then a few weeks ago I saw it on the bookshelf of a friend and claimed it as my own for some time so that I could finally read it.

I devoured this book. The simple telling was poetic and intuitive. The narration was beautiful and to the point. I love the voice of Dinah and the telling of her story. I love that she claims her story and wants to share it with the world. This is a rich novel filled with history and ritual and wonder. I found myself not only drawn to Dinah as a person and character, but also to the culture of womanhood that she was surrounded by. The stories of her mothers and the red tent and all that comes with being a woman were captivating. I found myself wanting to be in better touch with those parts of myself and to honor the fact that I am female. I appreciated as well that the stories did not always focus on menstruation and birth, but also on miscarriage and stillbirth, as those are parts of the female narrative that are often overlooked.

The Red Tent is split into three sections and I definitely enjoyed the first two more than the third. However, I did still want to know what happened to Dinah and the third part had some beautiful moments in it as well. I just felt that the book went from being this large scale narrative about the women in her family to being just about Dinah and that took me some time to get used to. In the end I loved the novel as a whole. It is a very complete story and one that resonates on many levels.

I would recommend this book to everyone. Even though its focus is on the rituals of being a woman, Dinah's narrative focuses so much on the importance of one's own story. The book is full of small lessons and reminders. It is full of beauty and appreciation. Although it is based on a biblical story it is not overly biblical in any way, thus people from all walks of life and beliefs can enjoy and appreciate it. This book felt very personal and I am glad it was the first book I read this year. It came to me at the perfect time as well, as books often do, and has left me with much to think about but also with a profound peace. I think the best books do this. They are rare, but The Red Tent is one of them.

End of Year Review

Hello! Happy almost 2017!

I am sorry that I've neglected this blog for the past two months. It has been hectic with the holidays and my new job, but things are winding down now. I only finished one other book this year since my last review and that was The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. I was not a fan but did not have the heart or energy to write about why. I am currently reading Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis by Anne Rice, but like all Anne Rice books I am taking my time and savoring slowly. That will probably be my first review of 2017.

I thought it would be fun to do a Top 10 list to end the year. I did not start this blog until March so some books on the list did not get a review, but I will link to the reviews for the books that got one! These are in no particular order, but here goes.

Heidi in Bookland's Top 10 of 2016
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds (Also Redemption Ark from the same series)
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (There are reviews for books 3-7, just search the Harry Potter tag!)
The Dharma of Star Wars by Matthew Bortolin
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Honorable Mention: I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young

A few of the books on my list were books that I reread this year. I debated on whether or not to include them and decided that because they were so enjoyable it was alright to include them here. Harry Potter was by far the most fun I had reading this year. If you followed my journey you know that this was the first time I read the entire series from beginning to end and I loved it. I will remember these books most when I reflect on my reading life this year.

My Goodreads goal was to read 52 books. According to the site I read 45, but according to my own list where I write a book once I have finished it, I read 48. Either way I did not reach my goal but I did come close! I am lowering my goal for 2017 to 48 books in the hopes to at least maintain that level of reading or maybe even surpass it.

I did not finish the Reading Challenge that my husband and I were doing. I believe it contained 40 categories and I did not fulfill 11 of them. Close again, but not close enough. (Although I do believe I beat my husband in the challenge!) We have decided not to do the challenge next year, fun as it is. There are a lot of books we end up setting aside that we want to read so that we can read books for the challenge and neither of us was happy about that this year. So next year will just be a "follow your heart" kind of reading year and I am so much looking forward to that.

I wish you all a wonderful new year and I hope 2017 is filled with many wonderful books!


"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

 

I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.

And for this year, my wish for each of us is small and very simple.

And it's this.

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever."

 

- Neil Gaiman

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by JK Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne *contains spoilers*

This review will be a little bit different due to the fact that Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is a script and not a novel. Thus, it will be difficult to critique it in the same way since it is mostly dialogue. Don't get me wrong, I love Shakespeare and a good play will garner a shining review from me any day, but this was not Shakespeare. I should have heeded my husband's warning and stayed far away.

When Harry Potter and The Cursed Child was announced my husband swore he would never read nor see the play because it was only based on Rowling's idea and not written by her. I defended the play saying that she would not have put her name to something she did not stand behind or believe in. Plus, if the ideas were hers and just written by someone else, what could be wrong? (I now remind myself that this is exactly what fan fiction is and that does not always turn out well.) After finishing the Harry Potter series I was dying for more and so I went out to purchase the play. I read it within two days. During that time I went from enjoying the play, to loving it, to absolutely hating it.

My biggest issue with the script was that it did not really answer as many questions as it presented. There was a lot of lacking description and, while I initially thought this was okay and chalked it up to the medium in which is was presented, in the end there was too much that I did not understand. One of the things I, and so many others, love about the Harry Potter series is that the world has logic. Everything in it makes a certain kind of sense and is explained fairly well. So to have various questions about the logic of the play come up and then never be explained, was very frustrating.

Some of these questions had to do with the massive amount of time jumping. There were inconsistencies with the time as well as how it all worked. I was wondering how all of this time jumping wasn't screwing up the minds of the people doing it. I was also frustrated by the portrayal of the old characters. Ron was made out to be some complete buffoon who only showed up for comic relief and had no real substance, which made his relationship with Hermione seem even weirder than it already was. Malfoy was believable and so was Hermione. Harry seemed overly whiny and heroic, more so than normal. There were odd moments where it felt like a Harry Potter novel and then even more odd and bigger moments where it felt like weird fan fiction. The sad thing is that I loved the two main characters of Albus and Scorpius. If Rowling herself wrote something about them I would definitely be up to read it.

Another disappointment was that the whole play focused on Cedric Diggory's death, which seemed like a weird focus. This was coupled with a strained father/son relationship between Harry and Albus which did not seem like a genuine problem and more a plot device. Not to mention the fact that Albus and Scorpius should have ended the play as boyfriends and then didn't, for reasons unbeknownst to me. And then there was the whole Voldemort having a daughter thing that was hardly explained at all and thus made no sense. Overall, it was a disappointing read.

If the play makes its way to America and I have a chance to see it, I will more than likely go. But do I see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child as true Harry Potter canon? No. If anything, it is a decent attempt at believable fan fiction that completely failed. Not only am I disappointed with the script overall, I am disappointed Rowling put her name to it. While her ideas may be fine, the interpretation of them did not do her world justice. I'd say skip this script and stick to the old Harry Potter books, that is where Rowling and her ideas shine brightest.

The Foundation by Isaac Asimov

My husband and I recently started a small book club with some friends focusing on sci-fi and fantasy. We decided a great beginning book would be one of the classics, The Foundation by Isaac Asimov. We were wrong. This was a book that dragged on and on, seemingly without a point, and then just ended.

This book was set in space but so little of it actually focused on that aspect. It was just a bunch of politics with cheesy lines like "Oh great galaxies!" thrown in every now and then. None of the science fiction was explained. The planets that were traveled to were not described. The book is split up into five parts but each part jumps into the future with a new character and does not explain what happened in the time between. Thus there is no character development whatsoever and no point in getting attached to any characters because they are cardboard pieces thrown away as soon as their respective part has ended.

I know all of this seems harsh, but I am someone who has always tried to read classic literature. Even if I do not enjoy a novel I can usually discern what it is about the book that made it classic (with the exception of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but that is another story). So I did try to look at The Foundation from all angles to see what it was that made this a cornerstone of modern science fiction, and I just could not find anything. There was no real plot, no rising action or climax or resolution, no character development, and not very much science fiction at all.

The comment was made that perhaps this book is so important because of the series it is a part of, or at least the original trilogy. This may be true, but I think that books need to be able to stand on their own to be considered "good" or "classic". So maybe Asimov's Foundation series is what most look at as a "foundation" for science fiction, but I do not intend to continue reading to find out.

In conclusion, there are much better science fiction books out there. If you are looking for a classic I hear that Dune is really good. I always love Alastair Reynolds. Even the Star Wars books I have read are better than The Foundation. Does this mean I will never read a book by Asimov again? Not necessarily. I have heard great things about I, Robot. I also know that Asimov began this series when he was twenty-one, so perhaps this book is just an example of immature writing and Asimov gets better. For now, I will be exploring other books, but maybe one day I will return to Asimov's world.