Books read in December 2018

[nou]

As per usual, by default I’m just stating whether I’d recommend the book (yes/maybe/no), whether I decided not to finish it (DNF), whether it’s a re-read, and whether I can remember there being any content that needs to be warned for (cw). I’m happy to expand on the reasons for my opinions if anyone is interested though — just comment and ask.

Definitely recommend:

• The Comfortable Courtesan, volumes 1–12, L A Hall (re-read) (cw: racism, racial slurs, anti-semitism, colonialism, rape, violence, murder, animal death, forced institutionalisation, miscarriage, child death)

Maybe recommend:

• The City Of Brass, S A Chakraborty (cw: slavery, torture, racism, genocide, violence, possession, mutilation)
• Convenience Store Woman, Sayaka Murata (cw: misogyny, ablism, emotional abuse)
• Rickshaw Boy, Lao She translated by Howard Goldblatt (cw: coercion to drink alcohol, implied rape, misogyny, child death)
• The Stopping Places: A Journey Through Gipsy Britain, Damian Le Bas (cw: racism, racial slurs)

Wouldn’t recommend:

• After The Party, Cressida Connolly (cw: anti-semitism, POV fascists, fascist apologism, animal death)
• Just One Damned Thing After Another, Jodi Taylor (cw: violence, voyeurism, animal death, pointless heterosexual drama)
• Mr Fox, Helen Oyeyemi (DNF) (cw: murder)
• The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway (cw: animal death)
• Onyx & Ivory, Mindee Arnett (DNF)
• Swordspoint, Ellen Kushner (DNF)

I also tried to read State Of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang (cw: child abuse), but by the time I got to the end of my sample it had become unavailable in the Kindle store! Maybe one day it will come back.

What have you recently read and enjoyed? (Feel free to point towards posts on your own journal.) Do you have any opinions (good or bad) on the books above?

Comments

[fred_mouse]

The only one of your list I recognise is the Comfortable Courtesan, which I adore.

[nou]

I love it so much. Even though the main story is finished, I’m very eagerly anticipating future volumes.

[fred_mouse]

all the bits and bobs that she keeps writing. I'm waiting for the current one to finish so I can read it all in one sitting!