Wulf C. Krueger

Oh, well, I've tempted my reading luck with another classic - and didn't like the experience. “[b:My Man Jeeves and Other Early Jeeves Stories 12862238 My Man Jeeves and Other Early Jeeves Stories P.G. Wodehouse https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1374004224l/12862238.SY75.jpg 46242656]” is a collection of short stories by English humorist [a:P.G. Wodehouse 7963 P.G. Wodehouse https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1198684105p2/7963.jpg], first published in 1919. That alone should have been a red flag...The book contains eight stories in total, with four featuring Jeeves and four featuring other characters. This is the first and smallest gripe of mine: While Bertie Wooster and Jeeves were mostly tolerable, the other characters felt out of place and their inclusion in this collection mistaken.The stories are set in London and New York City, and they often involve misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and romantic entanglements. Typical “ingredients” for this rather slapstick-y kind of comedy. The stories themselves I found to be disappointing and frustrating. While I can appreciate the clever wordplay and humour in some of the stories, the overall tone and structure of the book left me feeling bored and unimpressed. Near the end, I quick-read some stories because, and that's my main issue, their structure is nearly always identical:In each story, a problem arises, Jeeves presents a plan, the plan works for a while, but then something goes wrong and the plan backfires. Jeeves then conceives a new plan, which sets things straight and everything works out in the end. While this formula may have been fresh and exciting when the stories were first published, it feels tired and predictable now, and it makes the book feel repetitive and monotonous.Furthermore, some of the stories in the book contain offensive language (N-word, in a very negative context to boot) and attitudes that are unacceptable by modern standards. The use of racial slurs and stereotypes is particularly troubling, and it detracts from any enjoyment that might be derived from the humour in these stories.I was also mildly annoyed by the excessive use of dated terms and language: Words like “chappies” and “Johnnies” may have been commonly used in the first half of the 20th century in British English but nowadays also contribute to the dated and out-of-touch feel of these stories for me at the very least. »“Well, I'll be popping. Toodle-oo!”- “Pip-pip!”«Overall, I found “My Man Jeeves and Other Early Jeeves Stories” to be a boring, disappointing, frustrating and at times annoying read. While I can appreciate the historical literary value of Wodehouse's writing, the issues I mentioned ultimately made this author and his work uninteresting to me at best.One out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

It has been a very long time since I've had this much fun with comics! The story follows Alana and Marko, two former soldiers, now deserters from their opposing armies, who got married and went on to found a family. We see their daughter, Hazel, growing up on the run with her parents in a (mostly) hostile universe in which they encounter new friends and enemies alike.

And this is where Saga shines beyond any other comic I've ever encountered: Our fugitives meet a broad range of people who more often than not want to either capture or kill them. Unless there's no other way, Alana, Marko...



... and their very diverse rag tag group of friends...



...and great sidekicks...



...will treat people with respect...



...kindness and the kind of simple decency I wish all of us would apply...



There are certainly very adult topics and scenes but they're very obviously not included to “disturb” or “provoke” but they're sensible parts of the story. This might not be something you want your kids to see but it's part of our adult lives so why exclude it?

The story deals with issues such as war, racism, and sexuality in a thoughtful and nuanced way. It never feels preachy or heavy-handed, but rather adds another layer of depth to an already complex narrative.

The world-building (or rather: universe-building!) in general is brilliant: Vaughan has created a rich and complex universe, filled with different species, cultures, and technologies. The attention to detail is impressive, and I found myself fully immersed in this fantastical world.

The characters are also incredibly well-developed. Alana and Marko are complex and flawed, but ultimately relatable and likeable. Their love story is at the heart of the narrative, but the supporting characters are just as important. From the ghost(ly) babysitter Izabel to the bounty hunter The Will, each character has their own distinct personality and backstory.

The artwork by Fiona Staples is stunning. Her style is unique and dynamic, and she brings Vaughan's imaginative world to life with vivid colours and intricate details. The character designs are also impressive, with each species having their own distinct look and feel.

At times, the artwork feels slightly psychedelic, adding immensely to the overall enjoyment.

I only regret that I managed to get started on yet another unfinished series - and that cliffhanger at the end of “Compendium One” is just plain cruel!

If you have even the slightest interest in comics, graphical novels, epic space operas and/or science fiction, read this!

Five out of five stars!

“[b:Sea of Tranquility 58446227 Sea of Tranquility Emily St. John Mandel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1626710416l/58446227.SX50.jpg 92408226]” by [a:Emily St. John Mandel 2786093 Emily St. John Mandel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1576606299p2/2786093.jpg] was my first book by this author so I was completely in the dark about what to expect. What I definitely didn't expect was the author taking a generous helping of common science fiction tropes and mixing them all up.First of all, there's time travel which leads to thoughts of reality actually being a simulation and for good measure Mandel unoriginally throws in a pandemic...With several timelines and narrative threads, jumping back and forth, the story became convoluted and hard to follow at times. I found it difficult to fully engage with the characters or their predicaments; especially since some were never fully developed (e. g. Edwin or, even worse, Thalia). There are moments where the characters seem to exist purely as vehicles for the story, rather than as fully-realised individuals.Mandel's writing was fine but, mostly, nothing out of the ordinary. There were moments - for example when describing the Canadian wilderness or, late in the book, our lonesome protagonist watching the sky - when the writing soars high above its previous “serviceable” quality. Those are rare occasions, though.The story itself was lacklustre to me: The anomaly was mildly interesting but never exciting and the resolution as predictable as anti-climactic. The pandemic part, well, we've just emerged from one and the descriptions of empty streets, lockdowns, etc. are nothing special. The time travel concept never goes beyond the most basic problems (“Don't modify the timeline or things might happen!”) and, lastly, the non-issue of the “reality as a simulation” theme is easily deconstructed by the book itself:»this is what the Time Institute never understood: if definitive proof emerges that we're living in a simulation, the correct response to that news will be So what. A life lived in a simulation is still a life.«So, here's to living and reading better books! Three out of five stars for this mediocre one.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Mein Leben lang versuche ich bereits, wenngleich auch nicht zu verstehen, so doch zumindest nachzuvollziehen, wie Hitler und seine NSDAP in Deutschland an die Macht kommen konnten - wie konnte ein verkrachter “Kunstmaler” zum Diktator werden? Wie konnte ein Bierkeller-Agitator Millionen in seinen Bann ziehen, sie geradezu verführen, fanatisieren und in den Untergang treiben? Was bringt einen Menschen dazu, sechs Millionen Menschen jüdischen Glaubens, Sinti und Roma, Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen und viele weitere Personengruppen systematisch zu verfolgen und zu ermorden? Was treibt einen Menschen an, einen Weltkrieg zu entfesseln?Was also liegt näher, als sich mit Hitler selbst und seiner Biographie auseinanderzusetzen? Bullock, Fest, Kershaw - ich habe sie alle gelesen und obschon sie alle ihre Stärken und Schwächen hatten - keine Biographie war so umfassend, detailliert und tiefgreifend wie die vorliegende “neue” (der vorliegende Band erschien 2013, der zweite Teil 2018) Biographie von Volker Ullrich. Hervorragend in geschliffenem hochsprachlichem Deutsch geschrieben gelingt Ullrich die Darstellung von Hitlers Aufstieg ausgesprochen gut. In unterschiedlich langen Kapiteln berichtet er weitgehend kapitel-intrinsisch chronologisch, mit kurzen Vor- und Rückgriffen, über die verschiedenen “Etappen”, z. B. beginnt Ullrich mit “Der junge Hitler” über “Die Wiener Jahre” bis hin zu “Die Berghof-Gesellschaft”, “Im Kampf gegen die Kirchen” und beendet diesen ersten Band mit “Auf dem Weg in den Krieg”.Etwas “überrumpelt” war ich vom Umfang dieses Bandes - auf meinem Kindle immerhin 2000 Seiten. Dank der für mich perfekten Detailtiefe ergibt sich jedoch ein bemerkenswert klares Bild von Hitler und es gab schlicht keine “Längen”. Anzumerken ist, dass “nur” ca. 1300 Seiten das eigentliche Werk ausmachen. Die restlichen rund 700 Seiten bestehen aus dem exzellenten Quellen- und Literaturverzeichnis sowie den Abbildungsnachweisen.Dies ist auch insofern wichtig, als Ullrich erfreulicherweise mit sehr vielen und qualitativ hochwertigen Quellen gearbeitet hat - darunter auch solche, die früheren Biographen nicht zur Verfügung standen, sodass hier auch tatsächlich neuere Erkenntnisse eingeflossen sind.Auch mit diesen früheren Biographen setzt sich Ullrich immer mal wieder auseinander und erklärt, warum und auf Basis welcher Quellen er partiell zu anderen Einschätzungen gelangt. Wenig überraschend beginnt die Biographie mit der Kindheit und Jugend Hitlers und zeigt, wie seine Erfahrungen und Enttäuschungen in seiner frühen Lebensphase seine spätere Entwicklung beeinflussten. Ullrich geht dann auf Hitlers Versuche ein, in Wien als Künstler Fuß zu fassen, bevor er schließlich in die Politik eintrat. Der Autor beschreibt Hitlers frühe politische Karriere als Mitglied der Deutschen Arbeiterpartei und seine Beteiligung an dem gescheiterten Putschversuch von 1923.Ullrich analysiert insbesondere auch detailliert Hitlers Nutzung der Rhetorik und Propaganda sowie seine schauspielerischen Fähigkeiten, um die Unterstützung des deutschen Volkes zu gewinnen. Der Autor beschreibt auch die politischen und wirtschaftlichen Bedingungen in Deutschland, die Hitler und der NSDAP den Weg zur Macht ebneten.Was mir an dieser Biographie besonders gefallen hat, ist, dass Ullrich nicht nur Hitlers Leben und Karriere beschreibt, sondern auch die politischen und gesellschaftlichen Ereignisse, die im Hintergrund abliefen und Hitlers Aufstieg überhaupt erst ermöglichten. Der Autor zeigt, wie Hitlers Ideologie und Rhetorik in den Kontext der politischen und wirtschaftlichen Bedingungen der Zeit passen.Ullrichs Schreibstil ist klar und prägnant, ohne jemals trocken oder langweilig zu werden. Die Verwendung von Zitaten und Anekdoten aus Hitlers Leben verleiht dem Buch zusätzliche Tiefe und ermöglicht es dem Leser, sich ein lebendiges Bild von Hitlers Persönlichkeit und Ideologie zu machen. Häufig greift Ullrich hier kritisch auf die Goebbels-Tagebücher zurück, nutzt aber auch die Tagebücher von Luise Solmitz und weiteren Zeitzeugen.Insgesamt ist “Adolf Hitler: Die Jahre des Aufstiegs 1889 - 1939 Biographie” von Volker Ullrich eine faszinierende und umfassende Darstellung von Hitlers Leben und Aufstieg. Ullrich bietet eine sorgfältige Analyse von Hitlers Aufstieg zur Macht und zeigt, wie er die politischen und gesellschaftlichen Bedingungen seiner Zeit nutzte, um seine Ideologie zu verbreiten und eine breite Unterstützung zu gewinnen. Eine beeindruckende Meisterleistung, deren zweiten Band ich ebenfalls im Laufe dieses Jahres lesen werde.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“My author owned lots of calendars!”, said the mole. “He cut them all up, collected all the calendar sayings and compiled them into one book.”, he added.The fox excitedly added: “He chose a font that makes the reader work to decipher it so that there's a feeling of accomplishment!”“I did the drawings!”, the boy exclaimed. “They may not be pretty but they're mine. They'll make Charlie money, money, money because it's funny!”“Wow”, said the fox, “and people actually buy that book?” “Yes, fox, they're daft like that! Not that anything is totally wrong about these ‘pearls of wisdom'; they're just so trite that nobody should pay money for this stuff!”The horse was neighing: “»Tears fall for a reason and they are your strength not weakness.« - they actually think that's “profound”. Or so amazingly cute. Just because we're anthropomorphized animals and we look good on Insta!”One star out of five!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Nine people are invited to stay at a luxury resort in the Canadian wilderness. One of them doesn't even depart with the others and then there were eight... When they arrive, they find out there's no resort but a remote derelict old lodge with no power in the middle of nowhere, there's a storm brewing, bears and wolves around, no phone signal and a killer among them - and no way home.Sounds enticing? To me at least, that's an irresistible premise and, indeed, for about two thirds of the novel the execution held up all my expectations: Things escalated quickly and satisfyingly for the reader (not so much for the characters...). I was already beginning to formulate a review that would praise this book as an exciting, suspenseful and thrilling work!Sadly, this wouldn't hold up: First of all, I would have loved to read continuously about the developments in and around the lodge. After all, it's a great setting and almost part of the cast itself. The narration about the lodge which tells of the end of October, though, is regularly interrupted by jumping either to early November and the search and rescue party which is alerted to the entire affair by finding a crashed plane with a body inside.These interruptions while making some sense severely disturb the sense of urgency that builds up during the time at the lodge. Also, during the search two of the protagonists feel drawn to each other but one of them is still bound to their spouse who has been in a coma for 14 months at the local hospital. There's no reason for said spouse to even exist story-wise apart from preventing those two people who feel a strong mutual attraction to act upon it. Meh.Due to the large cast of characters in this book - the nine people, the search and rescue party, some cops, some children, etc. etc. - in combination with the constantly switching perspective I had some difficulties keeping track of everything happening.The ultimate let-down, though, came after those first two thirds: At that point, we entirely leave the people struggling to survive at and around the lodge and stay for most of the remainder of the book with the search party. Right when dramatic things at the lodge were happening, we moved elsewhere. Yes, the perspective of the search party has its own appeal but it was a jarring departure from people I really started wanting to die! Shortly before the end, we return to the survivors' perspective but it's too late because we already know the basics of what happened and too little as well because White needs an entire chapter to actually untangle the complex web of connections she spun. The final niggle that cost this novel the fourth star it would otherwise have gotten is Stella's ultimate fate (which I will not spoil for you, of course!). It's a cheap and often-used narrative device which I'm tired of. All in all, for two thirds, this was a truly good read but it went downhill quickly. Amusingly, the mathematics are with me: 66% of 5 stars are 3.3 stars which I'm rounding down to three out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

»In the most surprising ways, the victims continued to live, because that is what nature did to death, it transformed abrupt endings into a thousand new beginnings.«I've absolutely no idea now “[b:The Island of Missing Trees 56587382 The Island of Missing Trees Elif Shafak https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620048257l/56587382.SY75.jpg 88381372]” by [a:Elif Shafak 6542440 Elif Shafak https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1395322919p2/6542440.jpg] made it on my to-be-read list but, wow, am I glad it did! I wanted to embrace it.I was, of course, aware of the conflict about the Mediterranean island of Cyprus but, like so many other conflicts, I had a basic intellectual understanding of it. What this novel added is the perspective of two young lovers: Defne is a Turkish Cypriot and Kostas a Greek Cypriot. Both grow up in the capital, Nicosia, where they meet and, ultimately, deeply fall in love with each other.»‘I missed you,' she said.In that moment Kostas Kazantzakis knew the island had pulled him into its orbit with a force greater than he could resist and he would not return to England any time soon, not without her by his side.«This is not a romance, though; it is far from it although including elements of one. Most of all we get a close look at the fate of one family, Defne, Kostas and their child, Ada. Also playing an important role is a fig tree that once flourished in a bar on Cyprus which served as Defne's and Kostas' safe haven in an environment that would condemn their love for each other purely because of their respective nationality and religion - despite primarily being islanders.»Christian cannot marry a Muslim, it offends the eyes of Our Lord.«(There is no god but this - and much worse - is what you get for believing in one.)We accompany our cast from Cyprus in 1974 to London in the late 2010s. The novel opens in London and we get to know that Defne has died, Kostas has retreated into his work, his memories and himself. Ada, their child, is struggling at school and with life in general - where does she come from? What are her roots and what about her extended family - because there was no one around for Defne's funeral. »[Ada] knew in her gut that she was the child of the type of love that rose from the bottom of the ocean, from a blue so dark it was almost black.«From this premise, we switch between the past (mostly 1974 in Cyprus), the present (the late 2010s in London) and the early 2000s in Cyprus. The narration is broken up by the unlikely interjections of the fig tree mentioned earlier. These parts often connect (and sometimes reconcile) the past with the present and add important additional aspects from an uncommon but entirely sensible perspective.»'I disagree,' said Defne into her wine glass. ‘There are moments in life when everyone has to become a warrior of some kind. If you are a poet, you fight with your words; if you are an artist, you fight with your paintings ... But you can't say, “Sorry, I'm a poet, I'll pass.” You don't say that when there's so much suffering, inequality, injustice.'«I have to admit, I was irritated by the fig tree's appearances at first but after intentionally suspending judgement on this issue, I was quickly and completely gripped by this wonderful story. In fact, this was the first book in a long time that made me read deep into the night. Whereas I was, at first, hesitant to pick this book up again, the more I read the more hesitant I became to put it down.I also very much enjoyed the way Shafak weaved together the personal and the political. She shows how the conflicts that have ravaged Cyprus over the years have had a profound impact on the lives of its people, and how the wounds of the past continue to shape the present. At the same time, she also shows how individuals can make a difference, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.What sets this book apart is the tenderness of its narration. While I read it, I also felt the joy, the pain and so many other emotions that were not even told but pretty much triggered. And while there's a lot of sadness to be felt here (I'm actually crying right now), the primary subject here is love and it permeates the book.I especially liked sharp-tongued, quick-witted and struggling Ada who begins healing by interacting with her aunt Meryem. Her obvious intelligence coupled with her deep empathy made her struggles all the more challenging to read.»Ada stopped asking questions then, not because she agreed with anything her aunt said but because she had sensed, once again, underneath all the spirited talk and assertive personality, how timid and vulnerable the woman really was.«Everyone from our protagonists to their friends Yiorgos and Yusuf, the gay couple owning the bar in which so many important incidents happen, down to their parrot Chico, feels like a believable, plausible being. Another aspect of the book that I particularly appreciated was the way Shafak used nature as a metaphor for the human experience: The island itself, with its beautiful landscapes and diverse ecosystems, is a character in its own right, and serves as a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all things.Or, as Shafak puts it: »I also wanted to honour local folklore and oral traditions. But everything here is fiction – a mixture of wonder, dreams, love, sorrow and imagination.«At that, she utterly, completely succeeded.These are the easiest five out of five stars I've awarded this year so far!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Good one, read it. Nuff said!

The premise made me read this but it's very, very short and one major aspect all too forcefully driven home, so... meh.

“I would love to read more about Jazz!”, were my immediate thoughts after finishing Riley's novel. After a string of novels which mostly were readable at best, I couldn't really find fault with this one and, in fact, found it actually hard to put down.Detective Inspector Jazmine “Jazz” Hunter, our protagonist, was - to me - a highly likeable person. Jazz is recovering from a difficult marriage and having retreated from London to the Salthouse Marshes of North Norfolk is asked to (at least temporarily) come back to investigate the death of a pupil at his boarding school.This premise is already pretty much exactly a setting I've loved for decades - a harsh landscape, a boarding school and murders. This is certainly not new but it somehow managed to feel fresh. The cast was large but due to Riley's great job at creating not only a vibrant backdrop but also very likeable and plausible characters (although, yes, some may lean a bit to stereotypes), it was easy to understand the relationships between them and what made them “tick”.Especially the dynamics between the investigators (apart from the intruding ex-husband) were highly enjoyable. Jazz and Miles were a bit like Lynley and Havers or Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James (before they became an item!). As for the story itself, I very much enjoyed how cleverly Riley managed to intertwine past events with the crimes in the present. From early on, I felt like just reading on and on. At one point, I actually managed to read till falling asleep while stubbornly trying to read just one more page...And I really, truly loved the hopeful, happy ending. For what it is and within its genre, this murder mystery in the best tradition of British crime fiction garners five out of five stars from me!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Yet another hyped and totally overrated novel... Daniel “Bear” Simmons is a freshly graduated lawyer with no courtroom experience and 150.000 US-$ in college debt. His wife, Hannah “Buzz” Simmons used to be a teacher who has now moved on to almost fanatically follow her path to mother of four.The novel starts with Hannah in hospital after giving birth to their first child, Lilly. Something has gone wrong postpartum, though, and Hannah is suffering from bleeding and infections. Shortly after, Daniel is handed the pro bono case of a prisoner who sues his prison for not properly supplying him with his required medicines.These double premises are the fundamental problem of “Confessions”: It can't really decide what it wants to be - courtroom drama or pregnancy drama. Consequently, it miserably fails on both levels.The courtroom drama is short-lived, undramatic and its resolution, both in court and beyond, obvious from the very beginning. I was wondering if the author would be bold enough to take a different path entirely from the one well-trodden and known to everyone by now. Or if at least he would introduce a twist but, sadly, Stockham took the exact same way as countless others before him. So, if you've read one proper courtroom drama, you don't need to read this one.As for the pregnancy drama, we need to take a closer look at both Hannah and Daniel: Hannah has pretty much given up on anything in her life but her husband and is almost fanatically obsessed with having four children. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it all started feeling somewhat weird when it became clear it would have to be her biological children... After life-threatening medical issues at the end of the first pregnancy, both Hannah and Daniel are rightly told “there are many ways to become a parent these days” and their only reaction ever is “The perfunctory nature of his tone pisses me off.”.Now, let's remember neither have a dollar to their respective name but he has a 150k in debts. Hannah's immediate reaction is to just look at her husband and expect him to come up with a solution like maybe finding a cash cow or a goose that lays golden eggs...Daniel's reaction is doubly curious: He starts working even harder, in the process neglecting the family he has in favour of the child that might (or might not) be. Also, he “prepares” by ordering as many credit cards as he can.Then both proceed to hurl themselves into fertility treatment, IVF and further deep debt... And, of course, both ante- and postpartum much more drama ensues. Call me heartless if you must but with the courtroom drama gone sour (and the prisoner portrayed as a saint) and all that fertility and marriage drama, this entire novel failed to make me care for anyone, estranged me from its protagonists and becomes another entry into my “Hall of Meh!”.Generous three stars out of five because I did want to finish it.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

For ten years, I've been reading this great series by [a:Deborah Crombie 43691 Deborah Crombie https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1390326755p2/43691.jpg] of novels about British police detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, first colleagues, now married with children and a glorious, complex patchwork family. The series follows the personal and professional lives of Duncan and Gemma as they solve complex murder cases in London and sometimes beyond. The novels explore the rich culture and history of England, incorporating elements of mystery, suspense, and romance to create a captivating and engrossing reading experience. I really liked the believable personal interactions...»Taking a sip, he closed his eyes for a moment as the warmth spread through him.When he blinked, he saw that Gemma was watching him, her expression concerned. “Start from the beginning,” she said.«... as well as the wholesome (despite not trouble-free) family life:»“He says maybe I can come up for a couple of days over the Christmas hols.”“Not until after the ballet,” Kincaid said, raising his brows in mock horror.“No way.” Kit grinned and shrugged himself away from the doorjamb he'd been leaning against. “Well, back to maths.”«(Well, maybe a bit too wholesome if a kid goes voluntarily back to learning maths!)With its well-developed characters, intricate plot lines, and atmospheric settings, this series has become a beloved staple of the crime fiction genre for me. This holds especially true since despite the usually grim subject matter there's no gore or excessive brutality in these novels. I consider them an excellent blend of police procedural and “cosy” crime fiction.»He sent a text instead, saying he was passing if Kit was ready to go home. The answer was swift.- Helping Otto until closing.Kincaid felt an unexpected sense of loss. But a moment later, his mobile dinged again.- But thanks, Dad. See you later, okay? A row of smile emojis followed.He walked on with a lighter step.«And this newest instalment is no exception to this: A young doctor is murdered in a busy square in London with just a young boy as a witness. Soon a complex web of intertwined stories unfolds and we're following all the protagonists from earlier novels: Of course there are Duncan and Gemma (especially the latter having to juggle responsibilities towards her job and family!) but Doug, Melody and, a “secret” favourite of mine, Sidana are around. All of them are well-established characters by now but they're also easily “accessible” to anyone new to this series. The credible and relatable way everyone is acting (within the constraints of complex character) made me, once more, feel connected to each and every protagonist. Consequently, the switching points of view were commendably clear, well executed, cleverly placed and never confusing.I have only two very minor niggles: The ending, while truly well constructed, exciting and suspenseful (I actually felt worried about those involved!), came a bit too early. The mystery's pieces went in place logically and sensibly but I wouldn't have minded a bit more to read. Secondly, there are interjections in italics (I can't say more to avoid spoilers). Those don't really add to the story and could easily have been left out.All in all, a great mystery novel that easily garners four out of five stars!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis is a powerful and moving graphic novel that tells the story of the author growing up in Iran. I was pleasantly surprised the graphic novel form succeeded at telling complex and nuanced stories in a highly accessible way.For readers like myself with limited prior knowledge of Iran, the book provides a valuable and accessible window into the complexities of life during this historical period in a country that I for one only associate with the “Axis of Evil” and the brutal oppression of any kind of opposition to the regime.One of the strengths of Persepolis is the way that it makes the experience of living through the revolution and the war tangible. It presented me with a sense of the everyday challenges and fears that people faced, as well as the more profound philosophical questions about identity and beliefs. The book feels so real, so true to life, that an important part of history becomes approachable and more understandable.The story of Persepolis is told through the eyes of Marjane herself, and it follows her journey from childhood to her initial departure from Iran at the age of 14. She experiences the upheaval of the “Islamic Revolution” and the Iran-Iraq War. Throughout the book, Marjane grapples with the complexities of life in post-revolutionary Iran, including the restrictions placed on women, the political repression and violence that she witnesses, and the challenges of navigating her own identity and beliefs.However, it is also important to note that Persepolis is written from the point of view of a privileged girl. Satrapi comes from a well-educated and politically active family, and her experiences growing up during the revolution are heavily influenced by her family's status. While this does not diminish the power of the story she tells, it is worth considering the ways in which her perspective may be different from that of others who lived through revolution and war.On the other hand, it is doubtful a less privileged voice would have had both the opportunity and means to tell this story in such a powerful way. It seems much more likely for this story to never have been told had it been experienced by someone else.Satrapi's art style is simple, yet effective, and the black-and-white images complement the story perfectly. The use of the graphic novel format allows her to convey information and emotions in a way that would be difficult to achieve through text alone. For example, the scenes of political repression and violence are particularly powerful, and the images of Marjane's family members being arrested and executed are both haunting and moving.Despite the serious subject matter, Persepolis is also filled with moments of humour and satire, which help to lighten the mood and provide a respite from the often-heavy subject matter. A very interesting graphic novel that garners four stars out of five. The second instalment is already waiting to be read.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“Agnes” von Peter Stamm war eine eher ungewöhnliche Lektüre, obschon der Inhalt wenig überrascht: Der namenlose Ich-Erzähler, ein Schriftsteller, trifft bei Recherchen zu einem Buch auf Agnes, eine Physikerin.Nach einer kurzen Zeit der Annäherung finden beide zusammen. Fasziniert vom Geschichtenerzählen bittet Agnes ihren Partner um eine Erzählung, die sich fortan als roter Faden durch das gesamte Buch zieht. Dabei kommt es immer wieder zwischen wechselseitigen Beeinflussungen der semi-fiktionalen Geschichte und den im Buch behandelten Erlebnissen.Genau diese Verflechtungen bilden einen Teil des Reizes dieser kurzen, lakonisch-distanziert erzählten Novelle. Es ist keine wirklich außergewöhnliche Geschichte, die hier erzählt wird und ihr Ende wird bereits mit dem ersten Satz des Buches vorweggenommen. Dennoch gelang es Stamm, mein Interesse dauerhaft aufrecht zu erhalten.Zweifellos hilfreich dabei waren die kurzen, prägnanten Kapitel, die sich meist in zwei bis drei Minuten “weglesen” ließen. Obwohl “Agnes” kein “pageturner” im klassischen Sinn ist, war es auf seine ureigene Weise fesselnd und interessant. Weithin offen ist es zweifellos in seinen Interpretationsmöglichkeiten und so bin ich nicht überrascht, daß es in einigen deutschen Bundesländern als Pflichtlektüre für das Abitur eingestuft ist. Für einen Deutsch-Lehrer zweifellos eine “Goldgrube”!Vier von fünf Sternen.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Hm... This was the grimdark version of an Alex Verus novella, I'd say. There were some rather brutal scenes and the protagonists became ever more unlikeable with the lacklustre story progressing.Worst of all, though, one major character from the series becomes less likeable due to their actions in this novella. That actually made me slightly sad and I will pretend this novella doesn't exist and this series really ended with “[b:Risen 56358066 Risen (Alex Verus, #12) Benedict Jacka https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1654268010l/56358066.SY75.jpg 87821781]”.Still, my Stockholm syndrome says I have to award three stars out of five. ;)Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Georgie, 28 years old, in spite of being highly successful at her job as a personal assistant has recently been let go by her latest employer. She takes a break and comes home to her rural hometown due to feeling like huge parts of her are simply “blank”. She finds an old notebook she created when she was 13, shortly before entering high school. So what's a successful 28 year old to do? She decides to do what her thirteen year old self considered great ideas: Like jumping into a river from a dock that was probably “safe enough” some 15 years ago but has been neglected since... What could possibly go wrong, eh?In the process, Georgie meets Levi and proceeds in her teenage rampage with him - including heavy petting and extensive dry-humping on her parents' couch... I could certainly relate to that - not at 28, though.Then there's Levi. For most of the book, Levi “who is very nearly in [his] midthirties” is brooding, angsty, anxious and insecure. He, too, has come a long way: From local troublemaker to local dock builder, Levi rose to many occasions - just not confronting his toxic father and, thus, he's also estranged from his siblings for no good reason at all.Yes, I get it, it's certainly possible to deeply and thoroughly internalise parental abuse but Levi is in therapy and yet never addressed his daddy issues?! Sorry, that's hard to believe...Also, dear Levi acts immensely immature at a certain point. That scene was so mind-numbingly stupid I could hardly believe what I had read. The “big reveal” about the “blankness” Georgie feels was another major let-down; the explanation of it all is so ridiculously simple that only our 28-year-old going on 13 could come up with it.At several points I wondered how those two people had even made it alive to 28 and mid-thirties respectively...Thankfully, there are some redeeming qualities: Once everyone starts actually talking with each other, things start making some sense at least. A certain scene between Levi and his brother actually felt real and believable.All in all, this read like a shallow “dramedy” rather than the romantic comedy I expected but this novel failed to realise its potential.A generous three stars out of five. Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“Slow Horses” by Mick Herron was excessively true to its name - it's a very slow, half-dead horse that gets beaten and bogged down by its own limping pace. And I considered myself in danger of dying from boredom.The entire first quarter consists almost exclusively of introductions to the characters and their world. Until half the book was behind me, a person had been kidnapped and that was pretty much all. Lots of foreshadowing happens, e. g. “x is going to happen”, “y is going to happen”, etc. etc. and, yes, that's usually technically true but also entirely irrelevant for the story and the entire novel. Also annoying were the excessively long chapters - the aforementioned 25% of the book are only three chapters... The pace very slightly picked up during the final third of this novel but it was way too late and by far not enough to keep my interest. It also didn't help that I didn't care about any of the characters at all. Only once did I actually sympathise with our wanna-be hero River...»River had a sudden image of darkened rooms all over the country, all over the world; heads bent over monitors, studying iPhones, watching nothing happening, slowly.«... because I also felt like that when reading this novel!Two stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

In a post-apocalyptic time and space, mankind is practically extinct due to a time war. At the end of time a sole survivor - a former soldier - sits and gleefully murders any stragglers. In order to remain alone and to prevent another rise of humanity and, thus, another war, he also travels back in time and happily commits genocide or whatever it takes to eradicate the survivors' communities as well.Yes, murder and genocide for good fun. And as if that wasn't enough in itself: I didn't find it funny in the least. When this novella wasn't about (mass) murder, it was about the cheapest kind of trolling.One disgusted star out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Für Denis Scheck war bereits nach der Lektüre des ersten Satzes klar, daß er “[b:Über die See 61982766 Über die See Mariette Navarro https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660561410l/61982766.SY75.jpg 92284815]” von [a:Mariette Navarro 13797988 Mariette Navarro https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] lieben würde.Ich hingegen dachte, “Oh, oh...”:»Es gibt drei Arten von Menschen: die Lebenden, die Toten und die Seefahrer.«Es geht um die Kapitänin eines Containerschiffes, dessen Mannschaft beschließt, sie würde gern einmal mitten auf dem Meer baden gehen. Darum gebeten, willigt unsere Kapitänin zu ihrer eigenen Überraschung ein und löst damit ein verworrenes Spiel um (Un)gewißheiten und vieles mehr aus - das Schiff verhält sich merkwürdig, die Kapitänin auch...Und das ist nur der Anfang; es wird zunehmend verworrener und verwirrender und dieses Buch war auf diese Weise ein ganz und gar merkwürdiges Lese-Erlebnis. Geprägt und getragen wird “Über die See” von Navarros merkwürdig abstraktem, geradezu metaphysisch anmutendem und leicht ins Esoterische abgleitenden Erzählstil. Ich bin mir insofern nicht sicher, was ich da eigentlich gerade gelesen habe. Mehr noch: Dennoch fühlt es sich irgendwie richtig und schlüssig an. Trotzdem frage ich mich: Bringt mich das irgendwie weiter? Lerne ich dadurch etwas? Und falls ja: Über wen oder was? Ich bin wirklich verwirrt. Nun könnte man meinen, daß das vielleicht gut und gewollt ist - manche Bücher sind so einzigartig, daß sie für sich allein “aufragen” und somit quasi eine Klasse für sich darstellen. Ist “Über die See” ein solches Buch? Ist es gut genug, dass ich es einfach so stehen lassen kann? Meine Antwort ist ein klares “Nein”! Drei schlagende, lebendige Sterne, die mir vor Augen tanzen und mich ganz kirre machen, von fünf.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Meh! I was so looking forward to reading “[b:The Housemaid 60556912 The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1) Freida McFadden https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646534743l/60556912.SY75.jpg 95443525]” by [a:Freida McFadden 7244758 Freida McFadden https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1668621694p2/7244758.jpg] - a supposedly psychological thriller involving a mysterious housemaid, an eccentric rich couple and a huge mansion. What could possibly go wrong?!And at first, things were looking good: Ex-convict Millie gets hired by Nina whose sole occupation seems to be being wife-to-Andrew. During the first part of the book Nina comes across as one part weird, three parts excessively psychologically cruel and two parts unhinged.Mille, who has supposedly recently been released after 10 years (!) in jail is in dire circumstances, living in her car until she becomes Nina's live-in maid/victim. Still, instead of being pretty much broken she unrealistically comes across as a pretty happy person...Cecilia, Nina's child from a one-night-stand, is inconsistently portrayed as petulant and entitled in the first part but makes a miraculous and totally unbelievable “recovery” later on.Part one consists completely of Millie's point of view and consists of short, punchy chapters that definitely achieved their goal of keeping me pretty much glued to my Kindle. Just one more chapter - till deep into the night!After about a quarter of the book I thought this was an exciting, suspenseful, easy and light read, well on the way to a five-star review.Sadly, though, when one character mentioned “danger” I immediately saw a major twist coming... Ok, true, much of part one was already a bit on the wild side and somewhat over the top but still enjoyable.Along came part two which is mostly from Nina's point of view. Here's where the cookie started crumbling: With the twist revealed here already anticipated, I wasn't exactly surprised by the story.In part three, I also wasn't surprised to see a somewhat bizarre and grotesque revenge fantasy evolve. Things became even more shallow and lurid. Where the story was going became pretty much obvious and even more predictable than before.Yes, just like McFadden intended, I sympathised with Millie's course of action but considering her fears, I had a rather hard time believing she would really be doing what she did. It was still worth my reading time although the book started feeling really, really flimsy. What finally and definitely cost this novel the fourth star I might still have awarded was the final scene with Nina's mother-in-law (intrinsically, it made sense but it just wasn't from this world anymore...) and the epilogue (cringeworthy to the highest degree or simpler in German: “Fremdschämen”; borrow that one, English language!). Both these scenes were both so deeply nuts and entirely predictable at the same time that I'm going to avoid this author for the foreseeable future...If you want to read a quick throw-away thriller devoid of real substance, this might still work for you.Three out of five stars - at least this mad revenge fantasy of a novel was somewhat entertaining. Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Oh, well, here we go again - just when a mostly-meh year has ended and a new year begins, it begins with yet another meh novel...I usually like [a:Lisa Regan's 6443334 Lisa Regan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589563239p2/6443334.jpg] Josie-Quinn novels a lot - they're usually very well paced, engaging and suspenseful. Josie and the entire team are interesting and everyone gets some time in the spotlight, e. g. in a recent instalment we learned a lot about Josie's ever-angry boss. At another time Mettner, her colleague, fell in love with the press liaison, Amber, and so on.This time around in “[b:The Innocent Wife 62973163 The Innocent Wife (Detective Josie Quinn, #16) Lisa Regan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1671008848l/62973163.SY75.jpg 98795433]” (what a cheesy title!) by [a:Lisa Regan 6443334 Lisa Regan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589563239p2/6443334.jpg], there's nothing but the plain murder mystery - and that is, indeed, rather plain. And bland, and boring. For about 80% we just follow Josie and colleagues around on a wild goose chase after the killer. Sadly, that chase is neither very interesting nor is the eventual reveal much of a result of police procedure but much of it is plain old luck - and a healthy dose of deus ex machina.Usually, these books are page turners for me and I'm always looking forward to the next instalment because I've come to rely on my yearly (some twice yearly!) dose of Josie Quinn.There's lots of police procedure here but hardly anything else. Yes, there are some far-fetched scenarios about adultery in combination with a brain-damaged person, children born out of wedlock, complicated, almost incestuous feeling affairs among the crew of a TV show, a person whom you peg immediately for a killer - or are they?As if all that mess wasn't bad enough in itself, even after they finally solve their case, there are lots of loose ends, many questions remain unanswered and one that is central to the entire mystery is not even addressed in any way.The worst surprise, though: The actual book ends at a mere 89% - all that remains are 11% advertisements...Still, this is not a bad book - just one that is seriously mediocre. I'm still looking forward to Josie Quinn no. 17! Three out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I wanted a holiday romance and with “[b:Lovelight Farms 61280442 Lovelight Farms (Lovelight, #1) B.K. Borison https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1655115097l/61280442.SY75.jpg 93652295]” by [a:B.K. Borison 21951491 B.K. Borison https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1640721788p2/21951491.jpg] I got one - but it was slightly weird and unusual. Friends-to-lovers has never been very interesting to me but in this case, it's more like platonic-lovers-to-lovers.»He meets me in the living room, extending a hand to help me from my crouched position on the floor. There's no jolt of electricity when our skin touches, just the sweet, settling warmth I always feel.«For nine years, Stella and Luka have been in love and everyone knows it but themselves. Not a single person in their small hometown has told either of them - they opened a betting pool instead. Both Luka and Stella individually know they're in love with the other but neither actually does anything about it until Stella takes part in the contest of an influencer and lies that she owns her Xmas tree farm together with her boyfriend...They've basically been faking being friends for nine years. Thus, there was not the slightest doubt how this book would end. The only real issue being Stella's fear of abandonment which leads to a (thankfully) short-lived mini-conflict.My second minor gripe is something more personal: My birthday (23.12.!), Xmas and the end of the year have always been a time of family (re)union: My siblings are quite a few years older than me and they moved out early. They mostly came home for my birthday and Xmas and while those days never were untroubled, some of my favourite (and worst) memories involve that time.When I grew older, I would drive home myself - and when I married (it will be 23 years tomorrow) and we founded our own family (my oldest child is 22 :) ) we kept celebrating as a family. This Xmas my daughter (she moved out this year

I felt thoroughly bored for most of “[b:Remarkably Bright Creatures 58733693 Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1651600548l/58733693.SY75.jpg 90375164]” by [a:Shelby Van Pelt 21374195 Shelby Van Pelt https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1655745759p2/21374195.jpg] and at no point does it really get any better. Everything is extremely predictable, stories like these have been told a gazillion times, everyone (down to their cat) is annoying and things are so unbelievable, only pure stubbornness made me finish this one.If you want the details, read on but beware of the huge spoilers ahead!Cameron, whiny man-child of 30 years, cannot hold a job for more than a few days, gets thrown out by his girlfriend Katie (whom he will later despise for moving on - which is exactly what he did, too), gets a loan by his aunt and goes on a wild goose chase for his father whom Cameron believes is a hot-shot millionaire and whom he intends to “milk” thoroughly for years of “abandonment”...But wait for it, it gets better yet... Once Cameron arrives in Sowell Bay (the author seems to have refrained from more aptly calling it “Sobwell Bay”) he meets Ethan, proprietor of the local supermarket, creatively named “Shop-Way”. Ethan is the local gossip mill and sends our hapless hero to the local aquarium to try to get a temporary job as a cleaner there.At the aquarium, Cameron meets Tova who doubles as Ethan's love-interest upon whom Ethan would never make an active move. Tova ultimately goes on to triple-star as Cameron's long-lost grandmother whose long-lost son Erik (drowned in the eponymous bay!) rests with the eels. Whereto Marcellus is going as well in order to rest as Tova's “adopted child” with her biological child...Then there's Avery, Cameron's love interest, who once talked Cameron's mother out of suicide and potentially enabling Cameron to meet Avery in the first place... In the “supporting cast” we find the “Knit wits” (aptly named!), Terry, the ever-distracted head honcho of the aquarium and, of course, Marcellus, the Giant Pacific Octopus, who can't resist meddling in human affairs: Marcellus is so smart (he can read English!) and self-aware he'd proudly blubber “Cogito, ergo sum!” if only Descartes's book was water-resistant!Two out of five stars!Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

»A tale of demons and witches, hidden rooms and unexpected saviors.Of Fate both cruel and kind.«“[b:A World of Curiosities 60899502 A World of Curiosities (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #18) Louise Penny https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660936424l/60899502.SY75.jpg 96053091]” by [a:Louise Penny 194243 Louise Penny https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1591027995p2/194243.jpg] is another brilliant entry into a series that has long ensnared me with its curious mixture of crime, mystery and thriller in combination with true emotional depth. The almost mystic village of Three Pines and its cracked and sometimes broken inhabitants also plays a central role in this instalment.Gamache no. 18 grants us insights into the past of Armand Gamache and how he came to join the homicide department of the Sûreté in the first place. Even more importantly to the story, though, we finally learn how both Armand and Jean-Guy Beauvoir first met each other which is enticing on its own. Around this old case of murder and corruption, the story in this book evolves as the victims of the past re-emerge in Three Pines. A secret room, an old grimoire, a spellbook, a curious painting “The Paston Treasure” (nicknamed “A World of Curiosities”), a witch of old (and Ruth), an old nemesis - they all play a central role in this suspenseful novel.»Jean-Guy Beauvoir, lashed to the mast, would sink or swim with this man. Their fates were bound together, as the winds howled, and the storm descended, and they traveled deeper into Hell.«Not only are the old friends and foes back, though, but new friends take the stage as well: Myrna's niece, Harriett, as well as Agent Amelia Choquet. The latter proves not only to be an indispensable part of the team but also a true friend... The only person conspicuously absent was, sadly, Isabelle Lacoste who's on vacation and only cursorily helps towards the end...This novel has a strong focus on the mystery and is, at times, very, very suspenseful. I read at almost every possible moment, chasing pages and chapters! Every night I was sad to go to sleep but also looking forward to resume reading this excellent novel again. It is very slightly less focussed on moral, emotional or intellectual aspects than some of the other novels in this series but this in no way diminishes its literary value.And it still touches upon important topics...»They didn't need proof. All a woman had to be was alive. Just being a woman was, in the church's eyes, evil.”“But there must've been a reason,” said Gabri.“Is there a reason gay, lesbian, and transgender people are attacked?” asked Ruth. “Is there a reason Black men are shot? Is there a reason women are raped, abused, refused abortions, groomed and sold as sex slaves?”“Murdered,” said Myrna, looking at the bouquet of white roses on the kitchen island.«Since “A World of Curiosities” explores all the background and the past to the extent needed to enjoy the novel, it could even be read on its own or serve as an introduction to Armand Gamache.As is the case with most of Penny's novels this one also has a central idea which permeates everything. As always, though, this is rather subtly done by Penny so I won't mention it here but maybe you'd like to find out for yourself? Because just like our world, this novel is, indeed, in the best sense “A World of Curiosities”...Five out of five stars!»I honestly don't feel I can take full credit for the books. There is, finally, an element of magic, of inspiration that seems to come out of nowhere. I have my own theories about where it comes from. I wanted, at the end of this, the eighteenth novel, to make it clear that in writing the Gamache books there is more than meets the eye. And always has been.«Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

In stark contrast to Keegan's “[b:Foster 8143909 Foster Claire Keegan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328146652l/8143909.SY75.jpg 12942254]” I couldn't connect as much with this novella, “[b:Small Things Like These 58662236 Small Things Like These Claire Keegan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627655660l/58662236.SX50.jpg 86476810]” by [a:Claire Keegan 274817 Claire Keegan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1309920304p2/274817.jpg]. This may very well be because - as often - I went into this novella not knowing what it was about.Once more we're in Ireland in 1985 and we're following Bill Furlong, our protagonist, around doing his deliveries, preparing for Christmas with his family, etc.. It felt slow and, sadly, not very interesting.Only when he accidentally meets a desperate girl at the local convent do things get somewhat interesting. I sympathised with Furlong's courage to help the girl at the end and finished the book somewhat disappointed.The author's note on the text first introduced me to the “Magdalene asylum” (read: child abuse) system (instituted, of course, by the Christian churches) that existed into the late 20th century.Hundreds of girls and women died while being abused, forced to do hard labour and generally mistreated without payment. And people seem to have known because Furlong is being warned not to get on the wrong side of the nuns... Furlong's uneasy feeling, his inability to share the truth about it even with his wife and his initial reluctance to help which he overcomes - probably at no small cost to himself, his wife and his girls - as a completely ordinary bloke somewhat reconciled me with this novella.Still, for pure literary merit, I would have awarded two stars; having learned about yet another atrocity committed by the churches, the safe haven for paedophiles and other (child) abusers, I add another star.Thus, three stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam