thirty-two/fifty-two

I was sitting there trying to figure out how to get to the next book in the Otori series without losing my momentum, when a huge Duh Lightning Bolt hit me and I checked out the library's catalog. They have both of the other books in the trilogy, although book two is categorized as YA and book three is not, which I find kind of weird.

So I've now finished Grass for His Pillow, also by Lian Hearn, and while it dragged a little in some spots, I still liked it a lot. I've seen a few complaints over the switch in voice -- from first person for Takeo's parts to third person for Kaede's parts -- but it doesn't really bother me.

Okay, in this one Takeo is trying to figure out how to fulfill all his obligations -- to the Tribe and as an Otori -- and he's also mooning over Kaede, of course. And Kaede has returned to her father's home to find everything completely effed up. The parts that drag are mostly the parts where Takeo is travelling somewhere; unfortunately, that's, like, half of his part of the book. Or it seemed that way, anyway. I just ended up skimming those parts, I'm such a lazy reader.

Hearn still kind of glossed the surface of Takeo's motivations and abilities, etc., but it kind of fits his (Takeo's) voice, so I'm not minding that so much, either.

I got about halfway through the book before anyone glanced over ironically. Then it was like Hearn had to make up for not using the word until then. Ach, I just find it funny now instead of being annoyed by it. Everyone needs a tic, right?

thirty-one/fifty-two

See? Told you I was still reading. But you didn't believe me, did you? I can't say I blame you.

Treinta uno: Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori, Book One) by Lian Hearn (that's a pseudonym, by the way). All I have to say about this one is niiiiice.

The story is a historical fiction/fantasy/adventure mix set in an alternate-universe feudal Japan. The main character, Takeo, is pretty interesting, but he could be fleshed out more. The plot is pretty basic (for a fantasy novel, ha): Takeo is out to seek revenge from an evil warlord-type both for himself and on behalf of his new adoptive father. He has some special magical skills that aren't explained too well, but I'm hoping everything that was kind of glanced over in the first book will be drawn more deeply in the next two.

I liked the writing, too. The only thing that bothered me -- you know there has to be something -- was the overuse of the word "irony." I understand that it went well with the tone of the writing but by the end I was rolling my eyes everytime someone glanced over "ironically" or used an "ironic" tone of voice. But hey, I use certain words to the point that they keel over half-dead every time I post, so who am I to talk?

Before I was finished with this book, I was already trying to figure out the best way to acquire the next two in the trilogy. So yes, niiiice.

thirty/fifty-two

Still reading. Just ignore my snail-ishness.

Sarah Vowell's The Partly Cloudy Patriot is a collection of her essays; most of them have a political or historical bent. They were enjoyable; I didn't LOVE the book, but it was good.

I don't really have a lot to say about it, which is so evil of me, I know. I mostly read this because it was sitting on my TBR shelf and I was hearing so much about Assassination Vacation that I wanted to find out what Vowell's voice was like. I like her (writing) voice a lot, actually, she's very accessible without dumbing it down, and she's geeky without trying to hide it. Plus, sarcasm. Nothing bad there.

My own geek moment came when she mentioned that one of her friends was named Doug and worked on "Buffy" and I immediately knew who she was talking about. NERD!

Anyway, a good book, if not a life-changing book. I'm going to try out another of her collections, I think.