In Which We Discuss Books I Read in my 28th Year, Week 2/52

Four books this week - 20th to 26th August.

I picked up The Girl with all the Gifts after reading an article in a local newspaper, calling for extras to play the zombies. The movie – which was written at the same time as the book – is being filmed near here.

The book was interesting – I loved the method by which they became zombies – but very sad. Since I’m about to begin a genetics degree, Caroline was an interesting character. In her place, would I go that far? Probably not….

Career of Evil is the latest in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling). Not as intriguing as, for instance, Sophie Hannah’s mysteries, but compelling enough. And, again, it does lend some legitimency to picturing Harry Potter the Auror as a hard-boiled detective!

The Last Girlfriend on Earth is one of my favourite short story collections. I’ve read it quite a few times over the last few years, so there’s not a lot to add here. It’s just a really well-written collection based on an interesting idea.

Finally, Men at Arms. It’s a shame about Cuddy, though it does begin to establish Detritus, Angua, and all the other characters who become the backbone of the Watch.

In Which We Discuss Books I Read in my 27th Year, Week 35/52

Only three books last week - 7th to 13th April - and two of those were audiobooks.

Thief of Time is one I first read as a teenager.  It's a Discworld novel which explains any lack of continuity in the main series in a way which is rather genius.  The auditors show up again, along with Susan.  Very enjoyable.

The Cuckoo's Calling is the first in JK Rowling's Cormoran Strike series.  I like to imagine that Harry Potter's life as an auror is something like this.  The fact that JK Rowling wrote a hard-boiled detective novel makes this fanfic, where Dudley grew up to be a gay social worker and Hermione is a wizard social worker, while Harry is a grizzled old cop, more legitimate.

Pretty Little Mistakes is a choose your own adventure book.  It has a branching plotline, so each branch is rather short, maybe seven entries at most.  I like the way that 'good' choices don't always work out, and you're not always punished for bad choices - that's what life is like.  Sometimes you're gay, which is another nice choice.