Wulf C. Krueger
In diesem Band ist Tim auf der Suche nach dem namensgebenden Arumbaya-Fetisch und reist dafür nach Süd-Amerika, wo er zunächst auf dauer-putschende Militärs in zwei fiktiven Ländern stößt, um dann auf der Flucht auf die indigene Bevölkerung zu treffen.Immer gehetzt von zwei Kriminellen, die ebenfalls den Arumbaya-Fetisch an sich bringen wollen, findet er schlußendlich eine Werkstatt, in der der vermeintlich einzigartige Fetisch in großen Stückzahlen produziert wird.Eine eher langatmige Abenteuer-Geschichte mit sich wiederholenden Motiven. Wenigstens aber zumindest weniger rassistisch als die vorherigen Bände, obschon auch hier “black-facing” als Verkleidung genutzt wird und am Schluß buchstäblich ein paar “schwarze Teufel” einen kurzen “Auftritt” haben. Alles in allem: Vergleichsweise harmlos, aber eher langweilig.Drei von fünf Sternen.Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
What a curious coincidence! Immediately after finishing “[b:The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas 92625 The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Ursula K. Le Guin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389866872l/92625.SX50.jpg 89324]” I picked up “[b:Traditions 25837403 Traditions Michael J. Sullivan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435852504l/25837403.SY75.jpg 45700097]”.Written in Michael's world of Elan, it features Annie, a girl who's about to be sacrificed to a monster for the continued well-being of her village.Presented by her boyfriend with an opportunity to flee together, she rejects his plan but decides not to play by the age-old rules but to try and determine her own fate.Thus, she walks up to the lair of the monster and confronts it. The monster, an old, basically invalid dragon tries to talk her out of killing him by presenting the possible catastrophic consequences if it becomes known that the dragon “protecting” the village is gone. That all the sacrifices for a very long time have been for nought. In contrast to the people of Omelas, Annie decides not to play by the rules: She does not accept the potential consequences as a given. She does not sacrifice herself for the greater good.Instead, she changes the rules and when she leaves the cave, a new dawn is rising. Let's not accept rules just because they are rules. Let us question the rules, let us change them together instead of complacently accepting the torment of others.Let us also not become complicit as Le Guin in Omelas by stating “rules are rules”. We make the damn rules and, if need be, we can bend or even break them.Three out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
STEM Ph.D. candidate Olive meets Adam Carlsen, Ph.D., fake-dates him, inevitably falls in love, almost loses herself in the web of lies she spins - until she finally gets a grip and starts telling the truth. Happily ever after begins.Sounds familiar? Of course. The fake-dating trope is a road very often taken. And, yet, I've rarely - if ever - enjoyed the story this much.Not much is new in this story - even the primary conflict is something you might have read about before and, sadly, it's not uncommon in either academia or industry.Olive is nerdy, insecure, impostor syndrome-prone and, looking back, very, very relatable in many ways. She's also intelligent, witty, a tease and always trying to treat people fairly.Adam - our dark, brooding hero - has been pining for Olive since he first met her years ago and, thus, quickly agrees to help both Olive and himself by taking part in their fake-dating charade. Meanwhile, he makes his students cry and is widely considered “an ass”.So, it's all in the execution; the way Hazelwood tells her story and that is where this book takes flight: The writing is engaging - I really didn't want to put this down. The characters, mostly Olive and Adam but also her friend Malcolm and Adam's friend Holden are hilarious and the “chemistry” between all of them is great.Also, the night Olive and Adam spend together at the conference... Very nicely written, sensitive and forthright... Ah, well, perfect smut!At times, of course, as with pretty much any romance, I rolled my eyes at the inability to actually talk to each other and just plainly state the truth which would have spared Olive and Adam a lot of crap.When I found myself whisper-shouting at my Kindle “Finally go tell him, stupid!” I knew, though, I really enjoyed this book.Recommended to anyone reading romance and five out of five stars for the enjoyment this novel brought me!Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Die deutschsprachige Wikipedia definiert Glosse folgendermaßen: »Unter einer Glosse (von altgriechisch γλῶσσα glóssa, „Zunge, Sprache“, über lateinisch glossa) wird ein meist kurzer und pointierter, oft satirischer oder polemischer, journalistischer Meinungsbeitrag in einer Zeitung, einer Zeitschrift oder im Fernsehen verstanden.«(Quelle in der Fußnote)Mit “[b:Die Anomalie 58515679 Die Anomalie Hervé Le Tellier https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625753756l/58515679.SY75.jpg 84339980]” liefert [a:Hervé Le Tellier 4622980 Hervé Le Tellier https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1373842895p2/4622980.jpg] ein Werk ab, das mich über weite Teile an eine Glosse erinnerte, aber vom Umfang her dieses Genre “sprengt”. Nun könnte dies ja auch etwas Gutes sein; ein Novum oder, Entschuldigung!, eine Anomalie.Leider aber ist dem hier nicht so, denn “Die Anomalie” ist nur quantitativ eine solche - aber eben keinesfalls qualitativ.Die Prämisse ist interessant: Ein Flugzeug mit über zweihundert Personen an Bord gerät in eine Notlage, übersteht diese, wird aber jedoch durch die titelgebende Anomalie dupliziert. Fortan gibt es alle Menschen an Bord also mehrfach.Was der Autor zu erzählen hat, könnte als Essay, als Kurzgeschichte, als Gedankenspiel anhand beispielsweise einer Person interessant sein. Auch eine längere Erzählform wäre vorstellbar, böte dies doch die Gelegenheit, die philosophischen und ethischen Aspekte der erzählten Geschichte näher zu untersuchen.Angesichts der vielen Personen, die wir aber im vorliegenden Roman begleiten, verliert sich die jeweilige Geschichte einzelner (z. B. das des krebskranken Piloten oder des mißbrauchten Kindes) in der Beliebigkeit der Vielfalt. Eine wirkliche Nähe auch nur zu einer der Personen kann auf diese Weise gar nicht erst aufkommen.Gleichzeitig aber wirkt diese Mannigfaltigkeit aber auch umgekehrt: Durch die Zerfaserung der Gesamterzählung in viele kleine Teilbereiche, gibt es nur eine minimale “Rahmenhandlung”; die verschiedenen Theorien zum Ursprung der Anomalie werden nicht “zu Ende gedacht” und obschon mit dem buchstäblich letzten Satz eine (unbefriedigende) Auflösung gelingt, bleibt diese Auflösung hohl und ohne wirklichen Erkenntnisgewinn.Meines Erachtens wäre ein offenes Ende - ohne Gewolltheit und mit Brachialgewalt herbeigeführten “Knalleffekt” - hier interessanter gewesen. Das letzte Viertel, in dem dann endlich doch etwas spürbare Emotionen sichtbar werden, in dem es Le Tellier tatsächlich gelingt, sprachlich wie inhaltlich noch etwas Echtheit in seinen ansonsten eher “gekünstelt” wirkenden Roman zu bringen, versöhnt ein wenig mit dem Rest des Buches, jedoch wird dies zunächst durch einen radikalen Akt einer Figur und kurz darauf durch einen ebensolchen des Autors wieder zunichte gemacht - schade!“Die Anomalie” ist für mich sozusagen ein “Denkmal der verschenkten Möglichkeiten” - aus einem guten Ansatz weiß der Autor nicht wirklich etwas zu erschaffen. Seine Figuren bleiben blaß und - in vielerlei Hinsicht - unwirklich und holzschnittartig. Einige Figuren gar, z. B. der US-amerikanische Präsident, werden als Karikaturen ihrer selbst dargestellt und erinnern somit weniger an ihre realen Vorbilder (im vorgenannten Beispiel ist es ein überaus plump “kaschierter” Trump), sondern vielmehr an simpelsten Slapstick.Am Ende bleibe ich enttäuscht zurück: Im Persönlichen der Charaktere überzeugt der Autor mich nicht und “das große Ganze” versinkt in der Beliebigkeit der Möglichkeiten.Zwei von fünf Sternen.Quelleangabe zum Wikipedia-Zitat:Seite „Glosse“. In: Wikipedia – Die freie Enzyklopädie. Bearbeitungsstand: 14. August 2021, 02:43 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Glosse&oldid=214747640 (Abgerufen: 25. Januar 2022, 16:24 UTC)Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
I'm not sure what this was supposed to be: A mystery? There's nothing really mysterious here apart from the fact who Westing and his ex-wife might be. The “bomber” (whose motives I never fully understood)? That's just plainly revealed at some point.The writing itself might be a mystery because at times I felt like I read in some truly foreign language because the story as told by the narrator was interspersed with thoughts of the respective person we're told about. It made for an immensely confusing and rather annoying reading experience.The perspectives change all the time between the way-too-large cast of 16 (!) characters whom the author instils with the depth of a cardboard cut-out. If at least one or two of these had been likeable, interesting or at least relatable in some way but, no, they all remain shadowy at best.In addition, there's latent racism, defamation of people with disabilities and many other issues that can be attributed to the time this was first published - in 1978. None of that feels intentionally offensive but all of it adds to the general feeling that this book has aged really, truly badly.One out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
»And here in the Library, even if our outer layer is order, we have an inner heart of chaos. We read too much for it to be anything else.«When I first encountered “[b:The Invisible Library 21416690 The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library, #1) Genevieve Cogman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1416823893l/21416690.SY75.jpg 40717845]” I was intrigued: A library beyond space and time; an autonomous realm that sends out its spies to “acquire” unique books in order to safeguard the balance between chaos and order not in just one world but all worlds!Dragons, Fae, Librarians - what a premise! Adventures abound! As someone who loves every single “ingredient” here, I simply had no chance but to read the first book - and, ultimately, the entire series.Don't get me wrong: The premise is perfect whereas the actual execution isn't always. Nevertheless, I loved reading every single instalment and it was with eagerness and a dose of sadness that I went on reading this “season finale” as Cogman calls it.And what a finale this was! Sent out on a seemingly impossible assignment, undercover and under the guise of having gone rogue, Irene - supported by Kai (of course!), Vale (the local manifestation of Sherlock Holmes), and her apprentice Catherine, a Fae, goes on to try and get rid of Alberich for good, to solve the mystery of entire worlds disappearing and one that lies at the heart of the Library itself...Since this time the stakes are so high, Irene not only reluctantly accepts but embraces the help of her friends. That pays off not only in terms of the eponymous “Untold Story” (now, paradoxically, told!) but also in allowing us to get even more insight into Kai, Vale and Catherine and each of them gets their respective chance to shine bright which was a delight to read.»‘All right,' Irene said, accepting [Catherine's] decision. And may God have mercy on my soul for dragging her and Kai and Vale into this.«Many characters from previous books make an appearance and - in the light of the threat of annihilation - actually cooperate. Cogman expertly plays with archetypes, the resistance to work together and how each character overcomes their inhibitions towards the “other side”.The entire book is fast-paced but intrinsically plausible. No plotholes occur, all the loose ends are picked up and brought together in a furious, brilliant, dramatic and astonishing final showdown.Personally, I could go on reading about Irene's exploits for many more books but I think it's a smart choice of Cogman to - at least temporarily - leave her beloved characters to their own devices. Many authors' heroes overstay their welcome to the point that we don't even want to read about them anymore.Some authors (cf. [a:Elizabeth George 1402383 Elizabeth George https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235518043p2/1402383.jpg]) milk their literary “cows” to the bitter end, others wisely and sensitively dispose of them entirely (cf. [a:Henning Mankell 22339 Henning Mankell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1336761478p2/22339.jpg]'s Wallander).Just leaving them at the top of their game is, in my (rarely humble) opinion, a great choice: No need to complicatedly “resurrect” the hero (cf. [a:Arthur Conan Doyle 2448 Arthur Conan Doyle https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1495008883p2/2448.jpg]'s Sherlock Holmes) or kill them.Just let them enjoy prolonged (or possibly even infinite) holidays!»Stories are like that. They'll wait for you until you can come back to them.«I've loved every minute I've spent with being told the “Untold Story” - it was like revisiting a beloved place. Its ending provides much needed closure but opens up new opportunities and, thus, I'm definitely looking very much forward to reading whatever else [a:Genevieve Cogman 119888 Genevieve Cogman https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1402702877p2/119888.jpg] is coming up with.I rarely know how to actually rate a book in terms of stars before I write its review but after having finished this book late last night in an almost desperate attempt to know how it ends (and in a race against sleep!), there was no doubt about it (and writing this review only reinforced it):Five out of five stars.»‘There are no limits to self-sacrifice when we're doing our jobs,' Irene said wearily.« Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Phew... After the disappointing book 12 I was afraid I might have had a fatal overdose of Josie Quinn. This thirteenth book in the series was firmly on-track again, though, and mostly free of the overbearing ghost of you-know-who.In fact, despite the fact this is a mass-produced series, the premise is interesting enough (notoriously good girl vanishes, her and her family's dirty laundry comes to light, piece by piece...), the plot keeps thickening and while I did see the twist at the end coming, I enjoyed how it was handled.All in all, a very Josie Quinn'ish book and a worthy instalment in the series.Four out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Josie whines about her dead granny.Josie finds a body.Josie whines again about her dead granny.People vanish. Joise: “My poor dead granny!”Josie is in the morgue, sees a body and, yes, you guessed it...And so forth till the very end.(Don't get me wrong: Practically everyone from previous generations of my extended family are dead. Four during the last three years alone. I know grief but I've never wallowed in it like Josie does.)This book is a mess... - Murder by carbon monoxide poisoning which occured in about 3 ‰ (per mille!) of homicides during the 20th century according to a quick research. (I couldn't find data for the 21st century that did NOT include murder-suicides...)- A bus driver who might or might not have been tricked- Organised crime killing small-town fences for not coughing up money- An abundance of hardly-believable characters- Even harder-to-believe what-ifs - and not only hinted at but constantly repeated literal “if only, if only”s- Drugs, sex - just no rock'n'roll- Lots of plot holes and loose ends- A Josie Quinn who basically permeates between bemoaning the death of her granny and somewhat accurately working on the actual caseTwo stars out of five because despite all that I finished this turd. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
An isolated, hidden house in the woods, half a family murdered, a cancelled wedding, lots of suspense, a major personal loss...“[b:Hush Little Girl 56336058 Hush Little Girl (Detective Josie Quinn, #11) Lisa Regan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618340227l/56336058.SY75.jpg 87772449]” is one more mystery/thriller from Regan's production line - she writes three to four books in this series per year. Thus, it cannot really surprise anyone that while these books are fairly entertaining, they're all derived from the same formula.If, by now, you like Josie Quinn and her team you won't be disappointed by this instalment either. Apart from one rather disruptive (and overly drawn-out) change in Josie's personal life nothing ever really changes in this series either, though.For the entertaining but utterly forgettable book it is: Four out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
In this final instalment of the Alex Verus series, we accompany Alex on his “farewell tour” and the final siege that will decide the fate of all mages - Dark and White - in Great Britain.Over the run of the previous 11 (!) books Alex has had a formidable run: From a former Dark apprentice and shop owner he has risen to become a major force among mages in Britain. He has made a few friends (most of whom we encounter in this book) as well as many enemies (most of whom we also encounter in this book).His girlfriend Anne has been possessed by a Djinn and needs rescuing, his former master, Richard Drakh, wants to use him for purposes unclear so far and, last but not least, Alex - who bonded with Fateweaver by making it a replacement hand - finds himself being “overtaken” by his artificial hand.So, a lot of issues and unless you've read the previous few books at least, this won't be a book for you. Furthermore, it has to be said that “Risen” can be divided into two major parts: In the first one Alex revisits people and places important to him in the past.In the second part, we witness a prolonged siege inside a shadow realm; a battle, one might say, necessary for “ascension”: Not only Alex' abilities have greatly expanded but also his methods have changed - shop owner Alex never would have resorted to what Richard rightly calls an assassination. The Alex we see in “Risen”, though, has truly risen in many regards but he knows full well that he's on a dangerous path...Thus, the way things are resolved and the ending make sense for this series which I enjoyed greatly and would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone enjoying urban fantasy.While neither this book nor the series were perfect, Jacka found and refined his voice, his story telling rhythm and has grown along with his creation. I'm curious to see (and sure to read!) what he's going to come up with next.Four out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Well, this was a fairly mixed bag of a read... A school for kids learning to control their magic, surrounded by hostile creatures and even the school making life as hard as possible for its pupils. Pupils who are left entirely on their own - no teachers, hardly any protection and a deadly competition for resources, power and the arcane...It sounds all so well and, indeed, I was drawn into the book fairly quickly: We're accompanying Galadriel (El) during her penultimate school year which she passes by scolding the local hero Orion Lake (yes... the rest is silence...) for almost desperately trying to get on her good side. Sadly, El's “good side” is something she strongly tries to hide by playing bad ass...»Meanwhile I was well on the way to successfully making myself violently, instead of just modestly, hateful to every enclave kid in the place, probably before the end of term at my current pace.«... and almost to this reader as well. Her treatment of Orion, her social awkwardness, it all felt so very, very young adult (and I'm not sure about the “adult” part in that) that I frequently got annoyed and rolled my eyes at so much fumbling.There's also not much of a plot - gather information, get attacked, make friends, fix a major problem, get the guy - that's pretty much all there is to be found story-wise.The characters are also rather bland and shallow - the in-kids are pretty much only annoying with few redeeming qualities, Orion Lake is the archetypal white knight who comes to everyone's rescue (but with special fervour if a damsel in distress is involved!) and even El and her two friends are about as shallow as a puddle.The writing is adequate for that and, thus, serves its purpose.And despite all that, I still enjoyed “A Deadly Education” - the setting of a magical school somewhere out of the normal realms, an isolated population scheming, some really interesting ideas about monsters and the dark side of magic as well as the showdown at the end; it all appealed to me and made me read on.I might even pick up the next book in the series as well.(Barely) four stars out of five.P.S.: No, El is not Murderbot. They play in entirely different leagues. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
»(Vielleicht wirkt diese Beschreibung irritierend oder abstoßend, oder sie mag als geschmacklos empfunden werden. Etwas erlebt zu haben, egal, was es ist, verleiht einem das unveräußerliche Recht, darüber zu schreiben. Es gibt keine minderwertige Wahrheit. Wenn ich diese Erfahrung nicht im Detail erzähle, trage ich dazu bei, die Lebenswirklichkeit von Frauen zu verschleiern, und mache mich zur Komplizin der männlichen Herrschaft über die Welt.)«[a:Annie Ernaux 56176 Annie Ernaux https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1227023667p2/56176.jpg], seinerzeit 23-jährige Studentin, wurde 1963 im damals erzkonservativen, katholischen Frankreich ungewollt schwanger und vom Vater des ungeborenen Kindes de facto im Stich gelassen. Keiner der Ärzte, die sie aufsuchte, half ihr in nennenswerter Weise und so bleibt ihr nichts übrig, als sich in die Hände einer sogenannten “Engelmacherin” zu begeben. »Beim Schreiben muss ich manchmal dem Drang widerstehen, in einen wütenden oder schmerzerfüllen Lyrismus zu verfallen. Ich will in diesem Text nicht tun, was ich im echten Leben nicht getan habe oder nur ganz selten, schreien und weinen.«Das gelingt Ernaux mit Bravour: Sachlich und nüchtern, ohne zu dramatisieren, zu beschönigen oder mit etwas “hinter dem Berg zu halten”, erzählt sie von dem fürchterlichen Spießrutenlauf, den sie hinter sich bringen mußte, um einen - damals illegalen - Schwangerschaftsabbruch in Frankreich an sich durchführen zu lassen.Dabei ist sie so schonungslos offen, daß ich hier keine entsprechende Zitate aufführen möchte. Durch aber genau diese Offenheit, so werden z. B. die Initialen der wichtigsten Personen genutzt, wirkt der Text vollkommen ehrlich und hat mich stellenweise tief berührt.»Mit dem Auftreten des Bereitschaftsarztes beginnt der zweite Teil der Nacht. An die Stelle einer reinen Erfahrung von Leben und Tod treten Zurschaustellung und Verurteilung. Er setzte sich aufs Bett und packte mein Kinn: »Warum hast du das getan? Wie hast du das getan? Antworte!««Es ist vollkommen anmassend, widerwärtig und geradezu pervers, Menschen durch Kriminalisierung bzw. Stigmatisierung von Schwangerschaftsabbrüchen in eine derartige Notlage zu bringen. Damals wie heute.Denn bis heute ist in Deutschland der Schwangerschaftsabbruch nach den §§ 218 ff. des Strafgesetzbuches strafbar und sowohl Schwangere als auch Ärzte werden mit Freiheits- oder Geldstrafen bedroht. Dies ist ein Skandal, den wir den Kirchen und den konservativen alten Männern zu “verdanken” haben, die noch im 21. Jahrhundert meinen, selbst Aufklärung zum Schwangerschaftsabbruch sei als “Werbung” dafür zu ahnden.1999 geschrieben und erst in diesem Jahr (2021) in deutscher Sprache veröffentlicht, hallt das Grauen, das in diesem Buch so unemotional beschrieben wird, auch fast 60 (!) Jahre später noch nach und weckt, zumindest bei mir, um so stärkere Emotionen. Daß wir noch immer über Schwangerschaftsabbruch diskutieren müssen, daß dieser immer noch in unserem Land unter Strafe gestellt ist, ist eigentlich unerträglich.»Ich bin nun damit fertig, das in Worte zu fassen, was mir eine allumfassende menschliche Erfahrung zu sein scheint, eine Erfahrung von Leben und Tod, von Zeit, von Moral und Tabu, von Gesetz, eine ganz und gar körperliche Erfahrung.«Fünf von fünf Sternen (ein Urteil, das mir beinahe anmaßend vorkommt) und eine dringende Leseempfehlung (es ist ein sehr kurzes Buch) für alle. Insbesondere für Männer, ganz besonders für Politiker... Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
I've long been a fan of [a:Louise Penny 194243 Louise Penny https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1591027995p2/194243.jpg]'s series about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Satisfyingly, Penny is more than capable of writing thrilling mysteries but additionally she has never been shy to address the major topics of our time (this book being no exception...).Then there is the almost mystical village of Three Pines in which most of the novels play out and which features some rather unique characters - from the gifted but struggling painter to the grumpy crazy poet, the “Asshole Saint” and everything in between.These factors still make me look forward to each new novel. Even after 16 prior books!»“And for your information,” she told Gabri when he'd shown up with gardening gloves and a trowel, “I like weed.” “Weeds, you mean,” he said. “Maybe,” said the old poet.«In this seventeenth instalment Gamache investigates the attempted murder of professor Abigail Robinson and the murder of Robinson's assistant, Debbie, on New Year's Eve. In this book's setting, the COVID-19 pandemic is, of course, mentioned (and actually features in a few details) but, thankfully, over. (And lest anyone worries: None of our friends have perished!)Robinson promotes an agenda of mandatory (!) euthanasia and eugenics and a friend of Gamache asks for him personally to protect the controversial professor during a speech. Being the grandfather of Idola - the child of his second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and Gamache's daughter - who has trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and, first of all, a decent human being, Gamache is strongly opposed to Robinson's inhuman agenda.»It was Sunday afternoon. The next morning Armand Gamache had an appointment with the Premier of Québec. To show him the files. And to let him know, quietly, confidentially, that if there was any move to adopt mandatory euthanasia, or anything vaguely smelling of eugenics, those files would go public. It was, he knew, blackmail. But he and his conscience could live with that.«Like a recurring theme or even a mantra Penny uses the phrase “Ça va bien aller.” or its English translation “It's going to be fine.” throughout the book even though this is not actually certain this time around.Especially since a new side character, Haniya Daoud, who fled rape and torture in her native Sudan and went on to build a movement for social justice is introduced. At several important points in the book, Daoud - nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize - serves to add an additional point of view; and her views are often rather bleak...In this novel I also first learnt about Canadian scientist-gone-torturer, Ewen Cameron, who actually managed to torture patients using, drugs, poisons (!) and electro shocks until as late as 1964 without their prior knowledge or consent.So, there are, admittedly, a lot of issues that Penny is tackling in the aptly titled “[b:The Madness of Crowds 56269078 The Madness of Crowds (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #17) Louise Penny https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1621844032l/56269078.SY75.jpg 87659635]” but she does so extremely well and engagingly. As Penny mentions in her acknowledgements, she also reflects on “What happens to tip people over into madness?”.To any current fan of this series, this instalment is highly recommended as we return from the rather mediocre “[b:All the Devils Are Here 49127539 All the Devils Are Here (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #16) Louise Penny https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582597966l/49127539.SY75.jpg 74580851]” and Paris to where this series belongs.Anyone who wants to get acquainted with the series should take a look at an earlier book, e. g. the excellent “[b:How the Light Gets In 17167084 How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #9) Louise Penny https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1364312402l/17167084.SY75.jpg 23594240]”.Five out of five stars.Oh, and I certainly enjoyed the last tongue-in-cheek sentence of the acknowledgements: »All this to say, if you didn't like the book, it's their fault.« Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
I was approached directly by the author, [a:Riham Adly 8106489 Riham Adly https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], who told me about her collection of “Flash fiction” - something I hadn't heard about before.In Riham's own words: “Flash is so flexible, it sometimes reads like a traditional short and sometimes like a poem with a narrative arc and sometimes it's very experimental; it lends structure from other forms like menus, lists. It's a new experience.”My interest immediately rose. A new form, a new voice! From Egypt! How could I resist that? So, first of all, Riham, thank you for the chance to read your collection! I really appreciate it.Riham quickly convinced me that she is in full command of her chosen language. Sadly, I couldn't warm up to the Flash fiction form she chose and (some of) the content. Many of the short stories presented in this collections were confusing to me and, oftentimes, felt rather heavy-handed:»I beat in the flour. Too much force −like when a man beats inside a woman against her will− is no good.«We're in agreement that any form of (sexualised) violence is completely unacceptable; I just believe that there are better ways to express that.Then again, there were stories that - in part at least - felt like mad ramblings:»Aloneness is a lotus not a rose, that neither blooms, nor withers. And here we go again, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.....«There were some funny stories interspersed that made me read on, e. g. “Re-ham” certainly made me smile. A few others at least captured my interest like “Gretel's Bread” but left me wanting.I have had fair “warning” by Riham from the very beginning, though: “If the first story or two don't interest you, then don't bother with it.” So I'd like to suggest a slightly different approach: From each section (e. g. “The Changelings”, “The Blues”, etc.) pick one or two stories and read those. If you're unconvinced, stop reading.If you're still interested, though, keep reading - you're giving a new voice a chance and you might find something new for yourself to like. For me, it will have to be three stars out of five with encouragement to keep writing! Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Aufwühlend, bewegend, anstrengend, schwer „verdaulich“, unbedingt lesenswert und wichtig!»Es braucht klare Ansagen, wenn die, die ihre jahrhundertealte Meinungshoheit verlieren, diesen Verlust zum Ende der Meinungsfreiheit erklären.«Ursprünglich aufmerksam auf “[b:Blaue Frau 58747947 Blaue Frau Antje Rávik Strubel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628667844l/58747947.SY75.jpg 92478145]” wurde ich durch die Vorstellung des Buches und dem Interview Denis Schecks mit [a:Antje Rávik Strubel 19032690 Antje Rávik Strubel https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] in dessen Sendung “Druckfrisch”.Erst jedoch als ich Strubels in mehrerlei Hinsicht emotionale Dankesrede zum gewonnenen Deutschen Buchpreis sah, rückte dieses Buch sofort an die Spitze meines Stapels ungelesener Bücher.Antje Rávik Strubel erzählt in “Blaue Frau” die Geschichte Adinas, einer jungen Tschechin, die während eines Praktikums in Deutschland sexualisierte Gewalt erlebt. Dabei arbeitet sich die Erzählerin durch Zeit und Raum und die verschiedenen Ebenen und Perspektiven ihrer Figuren.Gerade im ersten Teil empfand ich dies teilweise als anstrengend und verwirrend - manchmal wurde mir erst im zweiten oder dritten Satz klar, wo und wann wir uns befinden. Die Autorin nötigte mir äußerste Aufmerksamkeit ab, legte dafür aber vorsichtig und behutsam nicht nur ihre Geschichte, sondern auch ihre Figuren schichtweise frei, ohne letztere dabei jemals bloßzustellen.Was Adina er- und widerfährt, erzählt Antje Rávik Strubel überaus berührend, aber nie sentimental. Sie erzählt nicht von Gefühlen, sondern versteht es meisterhaft, diese mittels ihrer über weite Teile geradezu poetischen und gleichzeitig überaus präzisen Sprache lebendig werden zu lassen.Dabei zielt Strubel nie auf Mitleid ab, sondern auf Miterleben und resultierendes Mitgefühl und das gelingt ihr - insbesondere ab etwa dem zweiten Drittel von “Blaue Frau” - wie sonst kaum jemandem.Die Geschichte von Adinas Odyssee aus ihrem Heimatort in Tschechien nach Berlin über die Uckermark und schlußendlich nach Helsinki hat mich zeitweise vollkommen in ihren Bann gezogen. Förmlich eingesaugt in das Geschehen, bemerkte ich kaum, wie ich “plötzlich” von der Hälfte auf die letzten Seiten dieses Romans gelangte.Die Einschübe, während derer die namensgebende “Blaue Frau” auftaucht und mit der die Schriftstellerin Zwiesprache hält, erlauben es nicht nur, das vorher Gelesene zu “verdauen” (was für mich nicht immer leicht war), sondern helfen auch bei der Reflexion desselben und tragen maßgeblich zum Verständnis bei. Nicht zuletzt waren sie mir auch stellenweise eine willkommene “Entschleunigung” und Befreiung aus dem Sog des Geschehens.Durch Adinas Zusammentreffen mit Leonides Siilmann, einem estnischen Politikwissenschaftler, erfahren wir zudem scheinbar am Rande und doch wichtig für die Geschichte, über die doch sehr unterschiedliche Erinnerungskultur in Ost und West: War für das damalige West-Europa mit dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges die Zeit der Diktatur beendet, so waren doch die Jahrzehnte von 1945 bis 1991 - dem Untergang der Sowjetunion - für Ost-Europa, hier vertreten durch Estland, durch eine Diktatur unter anderem Vorzeichen geprägt.»Erst, wenn eine Französin, wenn ein Deutscher bereit sind, zu sagen, der Gulag ist unser ureigenes Problem, so wie Auschwitz unser ureigenes Problem ist, steuern wir nicht mehr auf ein westliches, ein östliches, ein mittleres Europa, also auf den Zerfall Europas zu!«Es ist ein weiteres großes Verdienst Antje Rávik Strubels, die selbst in der zweiten deutschen Diktatur gelebt hat (wir erinnern uns: 1989 erst fiel die Mauer, die Wiedervereinigung beider deutscher Staaten war 1990), uns unaufdringlich auf die daraus resultierenden Unterschiede aufmerksam zu machen.Mit der in achtjähriger Arbeit entstandenen “Blauen Frau” hat Antje Rávik Strubel einen Roman von existentieller Kraft und Wucht geschaffen, der völlig verdient den Deutschen Buchpreis 2021 erhalten hat. Mich hat “Blaue Frau” in ihren Bann gezogen, eingesaugt mitten in die Wirklichkeit des Romans und nicht mehr losgelassen.Mich freut das auf vielerlei Ebenen: Für mich persönlich, denn das endende Jahr 2021 bescherte mir noch einen literarischen Paukenschlag und ein weiteres Buch, das sich augenblicklich zwischen meinen absoluten Favoriten wiederfindet. Zu so unterschiedlichen Autor_innen wie [a:Thomas Mann 19405 Thomas Mann https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1430109860p2/19405.jpg], [a:Marion Gräfin Dönhoff 518038 Marion Gräfin Dönhoff https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1361829081p2/518038.jpg], [a:Siegfried Lenz 45787 Siegfried Lenz https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244128159p2/45787.jpg], [a:Mechtild Borrmann 6595910 Mechtild Borrmann https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] und [a:Kristin Hannah 54493 Kristin Hannah https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1517255843p2/54493.jpg] gesellt sich mit Antje Rávik Strubel eine offen “queere” feministische Persönlichkeit. Das sorgt - hoffentlich noch für Jahrzehnte - für Diversität in der Literatur und neuen Geist in (nicht nur) alten Köpfen.»Es gehörte zur Würde des Menschen, mit seinem richtigen Namen angesprochen zu werden, dachte Kristiina, auch wenn manche im Korrekten eine Doktrin sehen wollten, die sie dann verunglimpften.«Die Vielschichtigkeit betonend und feiernd, beendete Antje Rávik Strubel folgendermaßen ihre anfangs bereits erwähnte Dankesrede:»Rávik und ich sind Schriftstellerinnen, nicht Schriftsteller, und als solche manchmal ausgezeichnet mit einem Sternchen. Vielen Dank!«Von mir sind es - und das fühlt sich geradezu vermessen an - fünf Sterne. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
This is the second time I'm reading “[b:When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit 54283 When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Out of the Hitler Time, #1) Judith Kerr https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339840922l/54283.SY75.jpg 1877851]”. The first time was when it was compulsory reading at school more than 30 years ago. I don't remember much of my reading experience back then but that I felt with Anna, the protagonist and narrator, who had to leave Pink Rabbit back in Germany when her family emigrated to escape the rising Nazism...Now, at 45, I'm impressed for different reasons: First moving from Berlin, Germany, to Zurich, Switzerland, then Paris, France and, finally, London, United Kingdom, both Anna and her brother Max are relatively quick to adapt to their new surroundings.While it's rarely easy for either of them, their resilience in the face of difficult circumstances and optimism is deeply inspiring.Nazism always looms in the background; be it through German tourists who prohibit their children to play with Anna and Max for the sole reason of them being Jewish or the Paris concierge.Both children picture Hitler as personally enjoying the toys they had to leave behind - the eponymous Pink Rabbit and a games compendium - and, thus, make the darkest period in Germany's history ascertainable.The book ends abruptly in a cab in London, shortly after Anna thinks...»“What a pity,” [Anna] thought. “I'll never be famous at this rate!”«Dame Anna Judith Gertrud Helene Kerr, Officer of “The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, wasn't too far off the mark: It would take her children's prodding about her childhood to make her publish this semi-autobiographical novel in 1971. This publication and the two following novels laid the foundation for Kerr's fame that she had dreamt of as a child.The Kerr family had escaped Germany just in the nick of time - a day later and they would have been arrested by the Nazis who went on to burn Alfred Kerr's books. Alfred Kerr died 1948 by suicide, aided by his wife, shortly after visiting Hamburg, Germany, for the first time after the war. His wife Julia died in 1965. Judith Kerr wrote children's books and illustrated them, married in 1954 and stayed married for more than 50 years.Judith Kerr died in 2019 at the age of 95. She had outlived the Nazis who wanted to extinguish the entire family by almost 75 years. Poetic justice.Five out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
In this modern spin of “Sleeping Beauty” we meet Zinnia “Zin” Gray who is suffering from a rare condition which usually leads to death before the 22nd birthday - and Zin has just turned 21... Since Zin is obsessed with the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” her best friend, Charm, throws her a themed birthday party during which Zin pricks herself with a spindle. As this is a modern spin, she doesn't quite fall asleep but rather through the “multiverse” and in a trance-like state meets lots of other “Sleeping Beauties” until she steps out into one world in which she goes on an adventure with the resident “Beauty”, Princess Primrose, to, ideally, lift both their “curses”.Fortunately, this was a quick, short and amusing read because there's simply not enough substance to either the story told here or the characters to sustain a longer novel. The one-hundred pages of this novella pretty much flew past and I was willing to overlook some questionable explanations about Zin's condition, the mystery of full cell phone coverage in “Princess Primrose of Perceforest”'s fairy tale land and quite few other (minor) issues that I simply chose to ignore because I had a blast reading this fast-paced adventure.If you're willing to suspend your disbelief and/or are looking for a quick filler, maybe some literary fast food, you likely won't be disappointed.Just don't expect something like “[b:Uprooted 22544764 Uprooted Naomi Novik https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550135418l/22544764.SX50.jpg 41876730]” or “[b:Spinning Silver 36896898 Spinning Silver Naomi Novik https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513872748l/36896898.SX50.jpg 58657620]” both of which “play” in an entirely different league and are hereby highly recommended!Should Harrow decide to publish more “Fractured Fables” I'm going to read those as well - despite some reservations about a price tag of about ten Euros (roughly 12 US-Dollars) for such a slim book...Four out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
This is one for the fans of [a:Ben Aaronovitch 363130 Ben Aaronovitch https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1569267834p2/363130.jpg]'s “Rivers of London”. This novella firmly establishes Abigail as an important character in that reading universe.Abigail investigates the (temporary) disappearance of teenagers (including a friend of hers!) and in the course of said investigation finds a mysterious house in which something has been left over...Sadly, the entire House thing is just ok'ish: It made some sense but I didn't really like this part of the mystery. Amusingly, though, as central this detail should be, the “remainder” of the novella, is much more important to me and by far outweighs the mediocre House part.Abigail's friendship with Simon feels right and made her very likeable. Her interactions with the foxes (especially, of course, Indigo!) made me both grin and admire Abigail in equal parts for their cleverness, the mutual respect and general enjoyment.»‘Real talk, Abi,' says Sugar Niner. ‘The air went greasy and the Nightingale blew a hole in the pavement. I was bare prang and no mistake.' ‘Believe it, fam,' says Indigo.«Also, the resolution of it all was really truly satisfying and, thus, this is how Abigail became a favourite character of mine within the short span of a short story and a novella!Four out of five stars! Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Vor vielleicht einem Jahr kam meine Tochter auf mich zu und fragte, ob wir eine Ausgabe von Schlinks “[b:Der Vorleser 233858 Der Vorleser Bernhard Schlink https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1483809171l/233858.SY75.jpg 23684]” besäßen. Sie brauche es für den Deutsch-Leistungskurs in der Schule.Ein Vierteljahrhundert vorher war Schlinks Roman gerade erschienen und machte Furore. Meine damalige Freundin schenkte es mir 1995 zum 20. Geburtstag und ich habe es verschlungen und geliebt.Mir war ein wenig bange, als ich das Buch zurückerhielt und durchaus nicht zu Unrecht, denn für meine Tochter überwog die Kritik. (Und außerdem: Ein Buch, das heute in den Lehrplänen steht? Das ich als junger Mann geliebt hatte? Konnte das heute noch etwas sein?)Ich hingegen hatte einen großartigen Roman über Schuld, Pflicht und Verbundenheit im Hinterkopf. So pirschte ich mich kürzlich mit etwas flauem Gefühl in der Magengegend an eines meiner Lieblingsbücher nach so langer Zeit erneut heran. In Wahrheit allerdings hat die Geschichte mir aufgelauert, mich harmlos-scheinend geködert und dann wie einst überfallen, mitgerissen und völlig eingenommen...Michael Berg, beim ersten Zusammentreffen gerade einmal 15, begegnet zufällig Hanna Schmitz und wird fortan nie mehr wirklich frei von ihr sein.Schnell entwickelt sich zwischen beiden eine eigenartige Routine: Vor allem anderen liest Michael Hanna vor.»Vorlesen, duschen, lieben und noch ein bißchen beieinanderliegen – das wurde das Ritual unserer Treffen.«Doch diese Treffen nehmen ein jähes Ende als Hanna ohne ein Wort verschwindet. Für lange Jahre verschwindet sie aus Michaels Umfeld, aber nicht aus seinem Kopf. Er legt sich einen Panzer aus Arroganz zu, um nur nicht wieder derart verletzt zu werden, denn er hat »die Erinnerung an Hanna zwar verabschiedet, aber nicht bewältigt«. Ausgerechnet im Gerichtssaal eines Prozesses gegen Wärterinnen des Konzentrationslagers Auschwitz trifft Michael als Jura-Student erneut auf Hanna, die dort angeklagt ist. Schnell wird klar: Hanna ist schuldig.Für Michael wird aber auch klar, daß Hanna Analphabetin ist. Im Laufe des Verfahrens versteht er: Hanna wird jede Strafe auf sich nehmen, will aber um keinen Preis ihren Analphabetismus bloßgestellt wissen.Michael kann die Bilder, die er von “seiner” Hanna mitnahm nicht mit denjenigen der KZ-Wärterin in Einklang bringen. Zeitweise verschwimmen beide gar miteinander.Hanna wiederum weiß um ihre Schuld, sie bestreitet nicht die Fakten, aber während des Prozesses versteht sie dennoch nicht, wie es dazu kommen konnte.Letztlich wird Hanna zu lebenslangem Gefängnis verurteilt und verschwindet somit wieder für Jahre aus Michael Bergs Leben - bis dieser beginnt, laut zu lesen und dies aufzunehmen. Die so entstehenden Kassetten-Aufnahmen schickt er Hanna ins Gefängnis - über einen Zeitraum von zehn Jahren. Noch immer ist Berg gewissermaßen gefangen in ihrem Bann und ist einerseits stolz auf sie, weil sie Lesen und Schreiben gelernt hat, gleichzeitig aber »traurig über sie, traurig über ihr verspätetes und verfehltes Leben«.Als Hanna nach 18 Jahren im Gefängnis begnadigt wird, bereitet Berg “draußen” alles für sie vor und besucht sie im Gefängnis. Doch wiederum bekommt sein Bild von Hanna Risse; er hat sie als “immer frisch” riechend in Erinnerung und trifft auf eine Hanna, die, neben ihm sitzend, wie eine alte Frau riecht.Hanna, die spätestens nach diesem Besuch weiß, daß das Vorlesen nunmehr wirklich zu Ende ist und sie sich letztlich auch von Berg nichts versprechen kann und darf, nimmt sich daraufhin das Leben. Ihre Beschäftigung mit dem KZ-System, dessen Bestandteil sie war, kann sie nicht rehabilitieren. Auschwitz kann man nicht vergeben und darf es nicht vergessen.Auch Michael Berg wird nie wirklich von der gemeinsamen Geschichte frei sein. Er ist und bleibt gefangen in der Ambivalenz seiner subjektiven Geschichte mit Hanna.Ich wiederum kann diesem Buch nicht gerecht werden. Was auch immer ich schreibe, bleibt hinter meinen eigenen Erwartungen zurück. Auch 26 Jahre nachdem ich es zum ersten Mal las, bleibt es mir ein unvergeßliches Meisterwerk.Fünf von fünf Sternen und eine unbedingte Lese-Empfehlung.»Die Schichten unseres Lebens ruhen so dicht aufeinander auf, daß uns im Späteren immer Früheres begegnet, nicht als Abgetanes und Erledigtes, sondern gegenwärtig und lebendig. Ich verstehe das. Trotzdem finde ich es manchmal schwer erträglich.« Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Blythe, mother to Violet and Sam, comes from two generations of dysfunctional families: Blythe's mother, Cecilia left her husband and her child when Blythe was eleven. Blythe only ever saw her mother twice later on and never in a positive way.Cecilia's mother Etta (»born on the very same day World War II began«) - Blythe's grandmother - suffered from a severe psychological disorder (possibly depression) that rendered her completely unable to care for herself and her family. In 1972, in her early thirties (roughly around the time Blythe must have been born), Etta took her own life.When Fox Connor met Blythe during their late teens he's immediately “smitten” and doesn't hide it. From the very beginning Fox knows he wants to start a family with Blythe because he »love[s] what a good mother [she]'ll be one day« whereas Blythe is sceptical about motherhood from the start.»She tried very hard to be the woman she was expected to be.A good wife. A good mother.Everything seemed like it would be just fine.«(About Etta, right after we get to know about Blythe's feelings...)Nevertheless, Blythe and Fox marry each other and, indeed, »Everything seemed like it would be just fine.«. Ok, so, Blythe's parents are absent from her wedding but that's just a tiny thing. A small crack at most, eh?Marriage at 25, set up for a happily ever after, pregnant with the first child, Violet, only a few years after (around 27) with Blythe »pretending I was perfect for you for years« (Fox being the “you”).And this is how it starts... Blythe desperately tries to get rid of her absent mother Cecilia who still looms in the back of her mind. Cecilia, who had no chance to be a mother, whose own mother, Etta, born on the brink of the worst breach of humanness of the 20th century, who must have waged her own war against herself. Neither Etta nor Cecilia had a chance. Regularly switching the perspective from Blythe's - who delivers her side of the story as our narrator - to Cecilia's and Etta's in the past, we witness how the past subtly and almost invisibly helped shape current-day Blythe. Blythe is haunted by her mother's spectre, trying to fulfill a role, wanting to be anyone but her mother while having »thoughts most mothers don't have«. Mirroring Etta, Blythe, too, develops small issues - like imagining a seven-months old Violet deliberately pushing her away.Those small issues erode Blythe; one small droplet after another they wash away Blythe's “substance” until a chasm, an abyss has been created that insurmountably separates Blythe from both her child and her husband.Obviously, having another child - Sam - must be the solution... And things surprisingly do seem to get slightly better. Until something happens to Sam...While at times we uncomfortably witness the issues of a mother who tries to be the best she can, from that point onward, things quickly erode. The short chapters make for a feeling of a fast pace even though Blythe's unravelling, her true descent into something we like to call “madness” because it makes things easier for us, in truth it's slow.Only late in the book, barely before a certain revealing and unusual switch of perspectives, I suspected the truth of the matter...It's an eerie story, Audrain tells us. All the more frightening for its plausibility and its implications about all of us. About you and me.There's just one thing that mars this great book and that, of all things, is its final sentence. The healing that had begun can only come to a screeching halt after this. That sentence almost invalidates what came before it and only serves the author and not the story. And yet: Five out of five stars. P.S.: Thanks for the recommendation, Marta! Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
I was actually wary of reading this - I don't generally enjoy short stories and, even worse, the latest instalment in this series, [b:False Value 45016688 False Value (Rivers of London, #8) Ben Aaronovitch https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564222811l/45016688.SY75.jpg 69684460], was a severe disappointment. Thus, I was happy to find out that these short stories feature the same dry humour and sarcasm that made especially the first books such a joy to read. »I've actually done controlled laboratory experiments that indicate that he can detect magical activity up to ten metres away, although false positives can be generated by cats, other dogs and the remote possibility of a sausage.«(About Toby, the supernatural police Wonder Dog) The writing is Aaronovitch at his best; in my favourite story “A Dedicated Follower of Fashion” his fantasy literally overflows, blooms and flowers and simply explodes in the best of ways: »I, on the other hand, found myself increasingly drawn to the cellar door. Especially when it started to flower. It started with a spray of cotton around the door frame, overlapping triangular leaves of white and navy-blue cotton that stuck to the bricks of the wall as if they'd been glued in place.« We also get to meet Abigail again whom I'd already found to be a very enjoyable addition and who proceeds to cement this position in “Favourite Uncle” by completely being herself. »Still I traded the make up at school and keep the case to house my specimen collection kit. And some of the Mac cosmetics that Bev gave me later.« With the “Moments” - short stories so short (and uninspired) they couldn't stand on their own - an unfortunate exception, all the stories are truly fun, sometimes relatable but always surprisingly enjoyable. This is not one of those collections of short stories to squeeze out another few cents out of us but pure, delightful Folly - with all the full authentic vibes. Five out of five stars! »Then the children's section had been moved upstairs and the poor little deity started to feel unloved. ‘Just one of those things,' I said. ‘But what am I supposed to do about it,' he asked. ‘Sacrifice a goat?' ‘About once a week somebody has to sit down and read it a book,' I said. ‘What kind of book?' ‘It's not the book that's important,' I said. ‘It's the reading.'« Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
I rarely read this kind of “professional career guide” type of book. They're all too often fairly dry, are strongly dependant on the cultural and social environment they're based upon (e. g. US/Europe) and, honestly, range from “difficult to apply” to “impossible to adapt”.Luckily, this book is completely different! David Marquet tells us in plain words how he metaphorically “turned the ship around” from one of the worst to one of the top performers. I would never have believed that the military of all organisations was actually able to apply a culture of “thinking out loud”, (constructively) questioning orders and, generally, turn a culture of classic “command & control” into something much more open and productive.Marquet doesn't ever preach, though, but expertly demonstrates each of his already simple-to-grasp (but not necessarily easy-to-implement!) points by telling us about how he actually implemented them on a nuclear-powered attack submarine.Not only does he display good general insights...»You may be able to “buy” a person's back with a paycheck, position, power, or fear, but a human being's genius, passion, loyalty, and tenacious creativity are volunteered only. The world's greatest problems will be solved by passionate, unleashed “volunteers.”«... but turns those into useful ideas which he is able to communicate clearly:»My definition of leadership is this: Leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.«He also does away with some well-meaning but annoying misconceptions by some leadership approaches like “empowerment programs”:»Additionally, it seemed inherently contradictory to have an empowerment program whereby I would empower my subordinates and my boss would empower me. I felt my power came from within, and attempts to empower me felt like manipulation.«There are a whole lot of inherently simple ideas that Marquet drives home clearly and in a very well-structured manner while not forgetting about us, his readers, who usually appreciate a well-presented big picture. He writes clearly without frills and yet engagingly. I actually found his writing strangely attractive and pulled in.To actually put some of the ideas presented to the test, I “sneakily” applied some of the easier ones at work and was pleasantly surprised how well that turned out.When all is said and done, this is a really well-done book on leadership which I highly recommend for any kind of leader!Five out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
Well, this was a light read, indeed. The pages flew by and I felt entertained but, sadly, on a very, very shallow level despite the topics of racism, privilege and “class” differences. After a rushed ending, it feels like the author simply bit off too much for her debut novel.Emira, our black protagonist, came across as devoid of any ambition, drifting mostly with the flow. She works for white influencer Alix Chamberlain and her husband, Peter. Yes, she loves her charge, young Briar - Alix' and Peter's first child - but even with Briar, Emira mostly remains strangely indifferent.Alix' and Emira's girlfriends are also rather nebulous figures who seem to merely exist as inconsequential side-kicks of the respective protagonist. They could have taken clearer roles in this novel but as it is, they remain “filling” material and mostly merely reflect their friend.The self-deceiving schemer Alix is written to be annoyingly over-the-top: While her actions still remain this side of plausibility, her motivations and justifications are way beyond - her “ruined” senior year is sixteen years in the past.In Alix' self-perception she would long have risen above Kelley Copeland: a career, a merry band of adoring and cheering girlfriends at her beck and call, a very white husband, two children (one of whom she likes...) - in Alix' bubble that would allow her to just write a Kelley Copeland gracefully off.All in all, “Such a Fun Age” was an amusing read but it's leaving a rather bland taste because from all the ambitious topics nothing is truly looked into and, thus, the real issues remain unresolved.Three out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram
This completely forgettable shortstory has Bruno in it but he's not even near his beloved Perigord. He's out to catch oyster thieves and for some bizarre reason Isabelle actively engages in this tiniest possible case as well.Just skip this. I only read it for completeness' sake.One star because there are words in this. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram