Close Enough, Better than a Cigar

Continuing on my Succos reading spree, we have Lauren Willig's first stand-alone.  I finished the Pink Carnation series during my summer reading and then went back to the stand alones now.  As you may recall, I've found the Pink Carnation series to be less satisfying than it used to be.  The writing somewhat too flippant, even anachronistic, the romances too similar / not angsty enough, the plots a distraction.  I was ready to move on, and I think so was Lauren Willig, which is why she started on this (even before the series was finished).

The first stand-alone, The Ashford Affair, was written a few years ago, and, while there were lots of updates / teasers when it was written, some of them aren't fresh in my mind.  I think it was supposed to be inspired by Out of Africa, which I haven't read, and the Mitford sisters, which I have (at least The Pursuit of Love).  It *strongly* reminded me of the latter (like I think it deliberately followed the plot line of a poor but practical cousin and belle-of-the-ball debutante who runs off with husband after husband), and reminded me, too, of other books / plots that I couldn't even bring to mind. I knew exactly what would happen, not just because the book didn't keep it a secret, but because you just know that's the type - happy-ish ending but not without some tear-jerking.  It actually bothered me how familiar it all seemed, still not sure if that's only because of the Mitford / Downton Abbey side, or whether I really have read more in the same vein.  So much for the familiarity of the setting  / plot.

What about what really matters? Well, first of all, this was, like all of LW, a "time slip" novel, where the modern-day heroine learns about her ancestor's past.  My initial thought was that this device is unnecessary and distracting, the historical plot was enough and the modern story could not be fleshed out enough to be enjoyable. But I was wrong.  It was actually quite enjoyable and well told, and quite a good romance.  There was definitely a little bit too much melodrama about the discovery of Grandma Addie's past (not to mention that it was difficult to reconcile the dignified old woman Clemmie knew with the historical Miss Addie Gillecote).  But thoroughly enjoyable romance novella.

Back to the historical story, other than being shades of the Mitfords and mostly predictable, was it good? For one thing, it was not written in the, frankly, a bit silly style of the PC series, but in a more serious tone, in keeping with the more serious story.  I think it was a good trade-off. I don't need the seriousness of complex relationships and the shadow of WWI, orphans, and influenza, but the writing was a pleasure.  And I guess I really do just like historical England, because even though it was not my time period and there was all that serious stuff, I was still totally happy to read it.  The romance was also not my type (star-crossed lovers, not will-they-won't-they) but still satisfying in the end I guess.

In the end of the day, it wasn't my *ideal* setting or story, but it was close enough to both to be thoroughly enjoyable, due to the excellent execution.  Definitely looking forward to the next one (and the one after that, already published, and the one after that, still to be published :))

Verdict: 4/5

Storms In The Teapot

And now on to the main (or more interesting I think) event - yet another AMS.  He must be the most prolific author on this blog - of this series alone, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, I've reviewed one a year since I started, so I think I'm up to my third already.  But I'm not going to go back and read old ones, so you'll get this on its own merits only :) Anyway, what I love about this series is the amazing sense of peacefulness and well-being they manage to convey, no matter what's going on.  That's accomplished largely by keeping the personal issues of the main characters somewhat on the DL and never in too dire straights.  But that does sometimes result in a *bit* of plodding, where it takes a while for me to get into the rhythm of the book.

So The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection was actually somewhat of a departure from this.  A departure in that personal issues really took front and center - and they mattered.  I suppose Mma Potokwane's orphanage isn't really directly related to the mains, but Mma Ramotswe certainly feels her pain sharply enough.  And of course Fanwell's trials and the suspicious circumstances of Mma Makutsi's house are closer still.  So the mood is just a little more... I don't know dark, but definitely more serious than usual.   With that still, we know everything is going to be alright (well we know that, because AMS was not about to write a tragedy) - but we *feel* it's going to be alright too.  Maybe that's because the book is actually fast-paced enough to deal with all this in pretty swift fashion.  In fact, it almost feels at times like a a real detective story :) In the way the action moves along and clues are discovered.  But don't worry, not too much action, at least I didn't feel that way.

So some of the charm of the earlier books wasn't quite as present here as usual. And I'm not sure I'd be a fan of many books in a row where all this happened.  But certainly, it was a good read this one time.  And Clovis Andersen's appearance was definitely an added bonus! All in all, all remains good in Botswana.  Not bad for number, was is it? 11? 12?, AMS.

Verdict: 3.75/5

Journey Once More to Far Off and Fairytale Lands

Just in time for my one year anniversary, I've got yet another AMS to review.  I think I've done one from each of his series already (No. 1 Ladies, Corduroy Mansions, 44 Scotland Street, Isabel Dalhousie, and also one independent), and since it's been a year, he's back with another No. 1 Ladies.   This was comes with some additional excitement for me, since I just went with Aunt Sarah and the lovely Sp girls (all except Ah!) to see the author in person.  It was an NPR-sponsored event, so not free of, what was to me, intrusive liberalism, but the man himself was delightful, just delightful.  He was polite, well spoken, quite amusing... I must say, more likeable than some of his characters :)

Anyway, I wouldn't say more likely then Mma Ramotswe., though.  She's quite a lady, that one.  I think I mentioned that I thought she seemed a little full of herself in the last book (only at times, of course)  but I really didn't get that feeling at all this time.  I don't know if it was my positive association with the author, if it was genuinely better than the last one, or if I was just in the mood for some light fiction after the fairly heavy fare of this past month :).   I can ask the Sp.s was their take is, as they are coming for Pesach (I'm journeying home on the Megabus right now myself).  But whatever the reason, I found The Saturday Big Tent Wedding to be as thoroughly enjoyable as any of the series.  Mma Ramotswe was wise, very wise; her talents in negotiating all matters of the social and emotional labyrinths were in demand and well showcased I thought.  Sometimes, I agreed with hers decisions, others I sat back and admired her ingenuity.  Of course, it's fiction, but I can still recognize a good woman when I see one :)

So Mma Ramotswe shines as always.  Mma Makutsi was her usual self as well, not as admirable, but not unlikeable all the same.  All was well with these two characters, though there were some pretty serious matters brought up in the course of the book, one in particular, I felt quite serious (involving Charlie).  But they were resolved without pain, and fairly quickly, by Mma Ramotswe (so funny how i never knew how to pronounce that before now :)) - quickly because the book was fairly short, not something I often complain about :) (especially when there's little plot to compel drawing out the narrative, as is the case here as with all the No. 1 books).  And other than the small matters, what was there... I felt less philosophy than usual.  Much made of the differences between men and women, as usual, but I think I noticed it more because AMS pointed it out as an important theme in his books (he does write a lot from women's POV, and does a fair job of it I think - maybe because he himself appears to be a quite a refined  person).  A lot about Botswana, especially old Botswana.  I don't necessarily agree with all the gender discussion (I mean, I'm not a feminist, but I think I have more equality in my relationships with men than they do), but that's definitely colored by my position as a working woman in the US (and of course frum, where our women, contrary to some's belief, really do wear the pants - metaphorically, of course ;)) rather than one in the more "traditional" nation of Botswana.  AMS pokes fun at those of us who view Africa as a huge backward continent, but his books, show that, while they may have cars, and phones, and internet, in many ways they are, if not backward, quite different and closer to the old rural societies of a century ago.

At least that's what his books say, in their praise of traditional Botswana.  It is an admirable country, whether real or romanticized (it is of course, admittedly, at least somewhat romanticized).  But AMS does such good job, not only of potraying Mma Ramotswe's love for the ways of her country, but drawing us into its bucolic charms through every aspect of the novel - plot, characters, and especially the spartan yet smooth and gentle language.  It really is a cup of red bush tea :) (That is a consummate treat, simple to procure, wholesome, and delicious to the senses - at least if you ask Mma Ramotswe :))

Verdict: 4/5

Two Reviews of No 1 (cute, isn't it? :))

At long last, my adoring public, the wait is over: I have finished a book! To be more precise, I have finished the latest No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Double Comfort Safari Club.  The truth is, I'm not sure how much I have to say about it... I can't even decide on a title for this post, so I'm going to go back and add it later.

Remember how I said I could have done this review before I read the book? Well, that's somewhat true- so let me first tell you what the advance review would have said - I love Alexander McCall Smith for two -well actually three - reasons that I can think of. 1) he's a really good writer- I don't tend to encounter sentences that make me wince at all and he's really quite lyrical. 2) travel! Scotland and Botswana, of all places - I realized that if there's one genre other than romance I reliably will pick to read, it's probably books that take place in foreign places (but not war books) 3) peaceful.  All those criteria apply in spades to this series, so no wonder I like it.

The main thing I think stands out about these books is the sense of peace AMS creates.  He writes about this country which is basically fictionally - the people aren't all good, but even the bad ones are sort of comically villainous - they tend to be unintelligent and easily outsmarted.  Sometimes the books start out slow, but I think that might be intentional.  There's this mood of kind of sluggardlyness, the kind you'd have in a desert country where there's not much going on.  But the people are good, and likeable and good things happen to good people.  And most of all, in the end, everything is always resolved satisfactorily.  And actually, even more, the really bad never touches the main characters - it's always Mma Ramotse's poor clients, but she herself never experiences more than minor discomforts, with a little heartache thrown in occasionally.  Whatever it is, when I close one of these books I just shake my head, lie back, and smile - they are just happy books.

So that's my review before reading - does it still apply? To some extent, of course, yes.  But... well the number one issue is I must admit I was kind of distracted because I kept thinking, what am I going to post? and of course, most of what I was thinking I promptly forgot - though I knew I was going to post about how I kept thinking about what I was going to post... anyway, I really need to stop doing that or I'm going to be  bad reviewer :( but besides that, I really think this book didn't have quite the same immersive effect as many of the previous ones, and I don't think it was just my perception.   The book actually moved pretty fast, but it almost read like a book of short stories.  Actually if you want to know what it really reminded me of, at one point it popped into my head- George and Martha! The are hippopatamai, which are mentioned at some point  in the book, they are therefore "traditionally built" :) like Mma Ramotse, they speak in simple complete sentences (because it's a children's book) and
everything gets resolved in a few pages, only to get pushed aside by the next crisis/story/whatever.  That sounds pretty negative, but I like George and Martha and I liked this book too - it kind of had that same kind of tongue-in-cheek humor at times.  And the stories were interesting.  Oh and guess what  - in the end, there was a somewhat surprise (well not surprise, but not instantaneously resolved) resolution to one of the story lines... so that's something :)

What else? well I did enjoy the pearls of wisdom as always - they are always obvious truths, but I always say it's good to hear obvious truths once in a while :)
and one more thing - I felt this book kept emphasizing how kind Mma Ramotse is, which was a little weird - the truth is, i always think of her as kind of vain - with her "traditionally built"ness and "it is well known" and her red bush tea.  I forgot how in the earlier books she's almost saintly, what w/ her father and losing her baby, etc. - but being told how kind she is doesn't really convince me.  She comes off as nicer than Mma Makutsi, but not as nice as Mr. JLB Matekoni - but then, who is? :)

I can't decide if this book is disrespectful to Africans, since it potrays them as these pretty simple people living in this happy land that I don't think really exists - Bostwana is one of the poorest and has one of the highest AIDS rates in Africa... but I think AMS definitely sees it as a mark of respect and love - and since I never thought one bit about Botswana before, I'd say it's made a positive impression on me at least - totally on my list of places to travel!

So what's the bottom line? I definitely enjoyed it, but I kind of felt it was lacking the lullubatic (I know that's not really a word, but I can't think of the one I want) tone of the other books - on the other hand, if those are a little slow for you, this one does move a little faster... but if you need fast, you shouldn't be reading these so... 3/5

EDIT: so I was looking for a picture of George and Martha on google and it did the autofill and it was George and Martha Washington! don't think I've ever made the connection before - but I have to say, I kind of like it - phlegmatic but loyal - works, no? :)

Interim Post - hang in there :)

So.. I know all you 53 viewers (or is it even more :)) are just desperate for new content... I am unfortunately rather preoccupied with my paper at the moment, but I will hopefully have time to read on Shabbos (though we are having very exciting guests, so  I guess we'll see...) but if all goes as planned, you should see a new post on motzei shabbos on at least one of:
A Winter's Tale - by Mark Helprin, one of these great American books but I think it'll be pretty good - I read the first two chapter last shabbos
Howl's Moving Castle - recommended by the crowd on badforshidduchim who inspired this blog in the first place (couldna done it without them :)) (not really) - so I got all three out, though I probably won't get through more than one
and... most exciting and most likely... The Double Comfort Safari Club (I think that's what it's called) the BRAND-NEW AMS that I got today and it was actually at the library yesterday, the day it came out! yay! anyway, I could probably write the review in advance... (see La's Orchestra for what my opinion of AMS) but I'll wait :)