What're you reading?

[sweet_sparrow]

I'm curious, what's everyone reading right about now?

I'm currently doing some more of my university course prep reading because "Read this small section of the book" means "read the whole book" to me. (I mean, if you're not going to read the whole thing, what's the point?)

I've recently finished up Two Medieval Outlaws by Glyn Burgess, which translates two romances about outlaws and which was a lot of fun. I've also finished up The Alliterative Morte Arthure, which just proves, again, that I don't get along with medieval texts and am staring at The Stanzaic Le Morte Arthur before delving into Malory's more well-known Le Morte d'Arthur.

In between I've been reading The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett (well, I was until I finished it. ^-~) It was a lot of fun. Now I know why I've seen comments along the lines of "Austen, but with magic!" and the like. It's, obviously, more nuanced than that (and certainly not like, say, Pride and Prejudice and ZombiesThe Harp of the Grey Rose by Charles de Lint and I also need to reread Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising at some point so I can take notes and figure out if I can get enough out of the book to write an essay on it. And I should really, really pick up Kay's The Last Light of the Sun some time soon. I promised a friend to read it ages ago. >> Plus there's the group read too...

(Oh, and I should be rereading Shakespeare for that course too. I have too many books...)

So... what're you reading this month? ^-~

Comments

[amanda_in_pajamas]

*g* I'm really enjoying viva la repartee. I'm pacing myself with it (one section a day) so that it's not over too soon. I'm a big fan of wit and sarcasm, and this fits the bill nicely.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through The Handmaid's Tale now. I'm definitely less confused now than when I was first starting it. (I didn't know much about the book going in to it, and I avoided looking for more information, lest I spoil it for myself.) I am enjoying the read. I like Atwood's style very much. It's definitely out of my comfort zone where books go. I read very little general fiction, preferring mysteries and forensic thrillers. One of my goals this year is to push myself out of my comfort zone a bit and broaden my horizons. This is fitting the bill nicely. I'm intrigued to find out what happens and how it plays out, even if I am able to put it down at will (something I can't usually do with a mystery).

I've only read one other Atwood book and that was The Robber Bride. I finished it right before starting Handmaiden. I liked it enough to buy my own copy, and start another Atwood. One of the things that I've read about her books is that they are all different. She doesn't fall into much of a pattern with each book coming out of a cookie cutter. I like that a lot.

[sweet_sparrow]

You've more willpower than I...

Oooh, that's a good idea. I think it'd be really easy to ruin The Handmaid's Tale with spoilers. It'd lack a lot of the impact of fitting into the world you're reading about. (But that might be me too.) I'm glad it's fitting the bill in pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and that you're enjoying it! ^-^ Is the style between the two noticably different to you in feel? *curious* I think I have another Atwood book lying around here, but...

[amanda_in_pajamas]

I never used to be able to put down a book (unless it was assigned reading), but that all changed when I had my son. My choice was learn how to deal with needing to put it down w/o ripping off someone's head, or avoid reading all together. I still don't have much will power when it comes to putting down a good book at bed time. My son has been a minor help there as well (how did I give birth to an early riser?), but not completely effective. *yawn* ;)

As for Atwood...yes and no. It's definitely not the same formula recycled, but there are lots of similarities in form/function to give it the same sort of feel. The stories are vastly different, of course, but there is a familiarity in the prose.