Wednesday Reading Meme
Oct. 9th, 2024 06:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosanicusThis is the first time I've had enough reading built up for this specific post format and I'm EXCITED.
What I've Just Finished Reading
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, On Zionist Literature by Ghassan Kanafani and Murder by Air by W.E. Johns.
I picked up Piranesi at the charity shop near work on Monday and then read all of it yesterday, including about sixty pages during silent reading time (which I extended much longer than usual out of a selfish desire to keep reading Piranesi... forgive me). It's such a gorgeous book, surprising nobody, and I absolutely loved the narrator and the way he engaged with the House on a religious and personal level. He's so empathetic and careful and deeply traumatised, many things I enjoy in a character, and the fact the entire book is epistolary caused me extreme joy. I knew I was going to like this one, but I'm very pleased by how much I loved it - a five star reading experience for sure.
On Zionist Literature was a very interesting text on the history of Zionist thought as viewed through the form of the novel in the Western world and beyond, from the early 1800s up to the date of publication in 1967. It came up as a PDF on Tumblr a few days ago and I thought, ooh, that looks interesting, and ended up reading it over the course of two evenings! I do think that reading it in translation made some of the author's points a little unclear, especially with how some academic terms were translated, but overall I was really engaged with it in a way that academic texts rarely draw me in. I thought the section about the early 19th century was particularly effective, although I wasn't always convinced by the author's arguments on specific texts. I'll definitely seek out more work by Kanafani, but might look up reviews to check whether the translation is more accessible.
Finally, the obligatory Johnsiverse book. Murder by Air is the third Steeley book and objectively the best plot so far. There were so many twists and turns which were always well thought out, engaging and thrilling. I really liked the Count as an antagonist and especially Helene (both of her!), another example of W.E. Johns' blase attitude towards crossdressing in the pre-war period. He engages with it as if it's the same level of disguise as, like, a false moustache, and I enjoy it! Obviously in my heart Constantino got his egg cracked by this experience and then miraculously escaped the plane crash at the end so that she could turn over a new, transgender leaf. Fingers crossed!
What I'm Reading Now
This is always a complete crapshoot but AT PRESENT, I am working on Blood On Satan's Claw, which is the very late novelisation of one of my favourite horror films of all time. The pastor has gone on a short walk and stumbled upon the future site of some rather nasty satanic rituals, but it's clearly already a Place Where Terrible Things Happen... all mysterious and etc., I'm enjoying it but because the original film is quite atmospheric the book is relying heavily on narration and setting description, which could become quite a slog if the pace continues as it has so far.
What I Plan To Read Next
Possibly yet another crack at Biggles Follows On. I also bought a slim volume by Ernest Shackleton which I believe to be a long extract from South!, which I will dive into when I feel like reliving polar agonies but don't feel depressed enough to rewatch The Terror.
What I've Just Finished Reading
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, On Zionist Literature by Ghassan Kanafani and Murder by Air by W.E. Johns.
I picked up Piranesi at the charity shop near work on Monday and then read all of it yesterday, including about sixty pages during silent reading time (which I extended much longer than usual out of a selfish desire to keep reading Piranesi... forgive me). It's such a gorgeous book, surprising nobody, and I absolutely loved the narrator and the way he engaged with the House on a religious and personal level. He's so empathetic and careful and deeply traumatised, many things I enjoy in a character, and the fact the entire book is epistolary caused me extreme joy. I knew I was going to like this one, but I'm very pleased by how much I loved it - a five star reading experience for sure.
On Zionist Literature was a very interesting text on the history of Zionist thought as viewed through the form of the novel in the Western world and beyond, from the early 1800s up to the date of publication in 1967. It came up as a PDF on Tumblr a few days ago and I thought, ooh, that looks interesting, and ended up reading it over the course of two evenings! I do think that reading it in translation made some of the author's points a little unclear, especially with how some academic terms were translated, but overall I was really engaged with it in a way that academic texts rarely draw me in. I thought the section about the early 19th century was particularly effective, although I wasn't always convinced by the author's arguments on specific texts. I'll definitely seek out more work by Kanafani, but might look up reviews to check whether the translation is more accessible.
Finally, the obligatory Johnsiverse book. Murder by Air is the third Steeley book and objectively the best plot so far. There were so many twists and turns which were always well thought out, engaging and thrilling. I really liked the Count as an antagonist and especially Helene (both of her!), another example of W.E. Johns' blase attitude towards crossdressing in the pre-war period. He engages with it as if it's the same level of disguise as, like, a false moustache, and I enjoy it! Obviously in my heart Constantino got his egg cracked by this experience and then miraculously escaped the plane crash at the end so that she could turn over a new, transgender leaf. Fingers crossed!
What I'm Reading Now
This is always a complete crapshoot but AT PRESENT, I am working on Blood On Satan's Claw, which is the very late novelisation of one of my favourite horror films of all time. The pastor has gone on a short walk and stumbled upon the future site of some rather nasty satanic rituals, but it's clearly already a Place Where Terrible Things Happen... all mysterious and etc., I'm enjoying it but because the original film is quite atmospheric the book is relying heavily on narration and setting description, which could become quite a slog if the pace continues as it has so far.
What I Plan To Read Next
Possibly yet another crack at Biggles Follows On. I also bought a slim volume by Ernest Shackleton which I believe to be a long extract from South!, which I will dive into when I feel like reliving polar agonies but don't feel depressed enough to rewatch The Terror.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-09 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-10-09 09:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-10-11 06:33 am (UTC)And I fully agree with you on Constantino, she's definitely off living her best life somewhere.