From October and part of November.
The Sleepwalkers, by Scarlett Thomas: I was aghast – generally in a positive way, for the book and writing if not the characters – by the events in this novel. Thomas does an impeccable job demonstrating how trapped the narrator feels and how easy it can be to question your own perceptions.
North Woods, by Daniel Mason: I started this, got bored, wasn’t ready to call it more than a conceit/excuse to write in different styles – but after restarting it I found it really took off after the first third or so. I’d like to read it again, actually, now that I know the scope of the whole story (though I might skip the hunting songs and odes this time).
Under the Bridge, by Rebecca Godfrey: I had tried watching this on Hulu, got distracted, decided I would rather read the book (definitely the right decision). I’m still curious about the entire plot-line they added to the show, but not sure I’m curious enough to keep watching. This was a baffling crime (or not, as Godfrey spends the book explaining the circumstances…nope, still baffling) and sad to read about.
Ascension, by Nicholas Binge: Alas, this was a dud on all counts – plotting, writing, dialogue.
The Singularity, by Dino Buzzati: This, on the other hand, is an amazing example of early science fiction dealing with artificial intelligence, deceptively funny and also incredibly modern feeling. The eeriness Buzzati captures is affecting.
