The books I read recently:

[avrelia]

Theoretically I like the kind of books that are dubbed “chick lit” in bookstores. I hate that title, but I tend to gravitate to those books with cartoonish girls in cheerful colours on them. So I go there and look, and more often than not I got disappointed.

I don’t buy these books, I take them from library, so the disappointment isn’t heavy.

So, the last week disappointment – Sophie Kinsella “Confessions of the Shopaholic”. After all that hype I was quite curious about it, I placed the hold on it in the wonderful Toronto Public Library. While I was waiting I picked up the newer book by S. Kinsella – “Can you keep a secret?” I liked it – I read in one day, and the next day I couldn’t remember anything about it, but it was a nice reading. So, I got this one, and halfway into second chapter I got to the description of the future love interest – which was exactly the same as in the first book. Not word by word same, but the same pattern – so I lost interest momentarily.

What else have I read? Arbitrage Procedure Code of Russian Federation.

Jo Walton (papersky) “Tooth and Claw” – a wonderful, very original fantasy, I wouldn’t ever known about if not for LJ.
It is about the dragons and their world – which is strange and different, and amazing, and makes the kind of sense that is not our sense. It also has a beautiful flow and is a comfort read – in the same way as comfort food. I would gladly buy it if I could find it in a bookstore. On the other hand, I haven’t look in the bookstore for the lack of money.

Now I am reading a book I cannot recommend you – though I’d love to. It is in Russian, a very fine fantasy – I am enjoying every minute of it, especially since I haven’t read any Russian fantasy – good or bad in a while. But this one is very good, a chain of interwoven stories about a guy - witch-doctor I guess the right translation who wanders in the Central Europe – Carpathian, Balkans for no more clear purpose than to find himself; there were old legends, historical events, familiar and unfamiliar tropes and the nice slow rhythm of the story where the words are luring me in the world as no book in English can so far.

Comments

[gobi-rex.livejournal.com]

What's the Russian fantasy book? Our univ.library may have it,it's impressively well-stocked. I haven't read any fantasy literature until few years ago, and never in Russian.... except for one pretty good spoof/parody novel. I don't remember the author, but I can find it on the bookshelf in the library (I'm weird that way).

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

Дмитрий Скирюк "Осенний Лис"

If you cannot find it in the library, there are several sites where you can read it on-line or download. I am really liking it.

http://books.rusf.ru/unzip/add-on/xussr_s/skirud02.htm
http://www.litportal.ru/?a=931&t=5996
http://www.fictionbook.ru/en/author/skiryuk_dmitriyi/juga_1_osenniyi_lis/
http://spintongues.vladivostok.com/AutumnFox/AutumnFox1.html
there are a lot of current Russian books on-line, I just prefer to read them in a book form - I spent too much time with computer even without them.

[gobi-rex.livejournal.com]

The library doesn't seem to have it, but I'll definitely check out the download sites. It's not as convenient to read on the computer, but it's better than nothing. Well, I shouldn't be complaining, after all I've spent hours reading novel length Buffy fics ;)

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

yeah, but fics don't exist in the other way - so we have no choice (and print them out is inconvenient, too)

if you have a Palm or a Pocket PC, you could download it there, it usually works better, then reading from a monitor.

BTW, have you read Анджей Сапковский? he is Polish, and his novels (fantasy) are translated into Russian, but not English.

[gobi-rex.livejournal.com]

Yup, I can download his work from the Russian site I use. Is there anything specific I should look for?

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

His novels about Geralt. First one is the best, the last two seem rushed, not as well thought out, and give the impression that the author got tired with the characters, but couldn’t leave them hanging in the air (plus, publishers’ pressure)

Still, all of them are very good read – much better than many fantasy novels here. Not fluffy, though – occasionally scary and gory and jaw-droppingly not nice. Elves are not benevolent – still pretty though. ;)

Lots of familiar fairytales turned upside down.

[gobi-rex.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It sounds interesting and I tend to like not!fluffy fantasy. I'll definitely check them out after I finish my 780 pages of "Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrell." I'm on page 700 right now. The fairies in this novel are rather nasty creatures as well.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

I am waiting for "Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrell" from the library. I am 390 out of 800, but after all those recs, I cannot miss it.

[molly_may]

I *want* to like more chick lit, but so much of it is bad and repetitive. I thought Bridget Jones' Diary was funny, and I also liked Why Girls Are Weird by Pamela Ribon.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

I liked Bridget Jones' Diary, and I'll look into the other book you mention, and i'll be looking more, but those books that get more hype in the media... With the pitch that I should love them - they are very disappointing. I remember hating "Devil Wears Prada" after first two chapters, honestly wasn't being able to understand why would I care about anything that's happenning there...