Posted by Sari
Huh, back to English…
Been reading again:
Anne Perry is a prolific mystery novelist whose books usually take place in Victorian London. Death of a Stranger is one in a series featuring a private detective William Monk and his wife Hester solving mysteries. I read around four or five of these in States, but though they were well enough written and I liked the "Law and Order" like structure which followed the cases through all the way to the courts, they were more than usually repetetive. I picked up this one mainly because the blurb at the back promised me that Monk who has been suffering from amnesia from the beginning of the series, would finally get his memory back. And it was on sale. Unfortunately, the novel seemed a bit plodding, and the unremitting focus on the immorality and duplicity of Victorian morals was rather heavy-handed. So I think this will be the last Perry novel for me.
(And I did not know this when I started reading her few years ago, but there is a six-degrees type rather morbid link to Tolkien. Do you know what? And googling is cheating…)
I also finished another mystery, Liza Marklund’s superhit Sprängaren (The Bomber), her first novel about crime journalist Annika Bengzon. This I liked quite a bit. It was fast moving, well plotted and interesting mystery. And compared to Perry, the feminist issues were much better handled. Defenitely a keeper.
Which is something I can’t say about Michael Moore’s rant against the Republican America, Stupid White Men. I can see why it was a hit, there is something liberating about just reading a moderately clever rant against something you are also against. Just lock away all critical faculties and enjoy the feeling of outrage for a bit. I mean, the other side has had their populists, so people like Franken and Moore are doing nothing new. But honestly, as an analysis it leaves a lot to be desired and the relentless partinsanship gets a bit tiresome at some point.
Next up, Russo, more Arden and Ranulph Fiennes writing about Captain Scott.
Oh, and Jukka has his first check-up since January on monday, bloodtests, CT-scan, the works. Fingers crossed…
Eating Muffins 