Book Haul part two

Remember when I talked about my Germany book haul that I would finish another time? Well, now is that other time.

My friend visited this past weekend and carried back the remaining ten books that I couldn't bring back last time. This is clearly evidence of true love - TEN BOOKS!

Of course we had to do a bit more book shopping while she was here, in order to fill the gaping void in her bag, and so I picked up a few more books there, too.

So, without further ado...

The first book on my shelves is Momo by Michael Ende. It is on my list, but it has been taking second place to Die unendliche Geschichte. Looking at them both, however, I may as well just start with Momo, instead. It's shorter and may well be easier, too. However, they can both wait until I've brought myself through Tintenherz. Momo is about the fight of the young girl by that name to stop the grey 'time thieves'.

Next comes Trix Solier: Zauberlehrling voller fehl und adel (Trix Solier: Sorcery apprenticeship full of error and nobility) by Sergei Lukyanenko of Night Watch fame. I read the first half of The Night Watch, and really enjoyed it, but the second half threw me a bit. The poor book's case wasn't much helped by the poor editing in the edition that I have. I'm hoping that this book will keep a hold of me all the way through. 

Next comes a series of three books. They are together Das geheimnis des Herbstlandes (The Secret of the land of Autumn) trilogy by Herbert Osenger. I picked them up on a whim at the book market. I'm really not sure what to expect from them, but I hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised. They have a secret world type thing going on, which anyone who knows me knows that I love. The first book is called Haus der Türen (House of Doors). Lisa is just looking for her house key but ends up on a long journey to unlock the secret of the autumn lands...

Das Magische Messer by Phillip Pullman follows. I think The Subtle Knife was my favourite of the three books. As said, I love it when someone from one world finds that they've slipped or otherwise travelled into another, so naturally I loved all that happens here.

Then comes Schlachthof 5 oder Der Kinderkreuzzug (Slaughterhouse 5) by Kurt Vonnegut. I read it and loved it in English, and so I couldn't resist when I saw it in the book market.

Then is a bilingual French-German edition of Comment on se marie et comment on se meurt (How we marry and how we die) by Zola. I don't think I've ever experienced any particular desire to read Zola before, but I may well surprise myself. At any rate, it's a fairly slim volume, so if I am not surprised, and least it won't last long. I'm afraid to say that you'll all have to do without a picture of this handsome edition.

Bringing up the rear are two volumes of a manga I really like and have already read in English, Kamisama Kiss by Julia Suzuki which translates to something like 'Goddess Kiss'. It's a fun number about a girl who moves into a temple when her fathers debts mean she can no longer live at home. It's fun, silly, and not very realistic, which is precisely what I like from a manga.







So, those are the books my friend was kind enough to lug around for me for over five hours. Next comes new acquisitions and a borrowed book.

The first was Don't try this at home, a collection of short stories by Angela Readman, published by & Other Stories. I've wanted this book for a while, but have had trouble finding it in bookshops. I put off ordering it online mainly because my shelves are already crammed full of books that I have yet to read. But when I saw it while browsing, I simply couldn't resist and so picked it up and only barely managed to let go long enough for the cashier to scan it. I haven't yet started (see the aforementions shelves crammed full of books; also, my obscenely long 'Currently Reading list). However, as I type this my cousin is sitting next to me, the book open and completely absorbed. I'm taking this as a sign of excellent things to come.

Then, still clutching hold of the above, I came across the holy grail. Of course I mean the edition of Alice in Wonderland as illustrated by Tove Jansson, published by the Tate. Being something of a traditionalist at heart, I am very sceptical of editions of Alice without Tenniel illustrations. Naturally, I have seen certain, non-Tenniel illustrators do amazing things but I've seen others create illustrations that feel like nails clawing across the chalkboard of my delicate soul. Jansson is an exception. I'm almost entirely convinced that everything she touched turned to gold. Or, you know, something close enough that I can't tell the difference.

On the same day, I managed to dig out and purchase Oliver VII by Antal Szerb, published in translation by Pushkin Press. I started reading this sometime last year, but couldn't get my hands on my very own copy, so had to stop a third of the way through. It's extremely absurd and quite funny, so I'm looking forward to diving back in with it.

Finally, I bought my cousin The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey for her birthday, on the condition that she lend it to me as soon as she was finished. I'm nothing, if not generous. This book has been on my 'To Read' list for so long that I have more than once forgotten that it's there. But now it's on my 'To Read' shelf, which is definitely a step. Not necessarily a step up, but a step nonetheless. I was unable to stop myself reading the first few pages when my cousin handed it over to me, but I can't make my mind up on them yet. I'm sure it'll worm its way on to my currently reading list fairly soon, despite my noble intentions to try and get the number of books there under 25 before adding anything more...

This has been a long post, and it has taken me a few hours to write. I could happily toddle off for another month or so, but I have yet another book review coming your way, and I should hopefully get it out within the week. So I'll be back!

Happy reading,
Little Newman

Recension: Cirkeln | Review: The Circle

Jag läste klart Cirkeln av Mats Strandberg och Sara Bergmark Elfgren förra veckan. Vilken bok! Jag kände en hel massor olika känslor när jag slutade boken och förste kunde jag inte samla tankarna för att skriva en recension. Jag är faktiskt inte helt säker på att jag kan göra det nu, men jag ska försöka.

I finished reading The Circle by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmak Elfgren last week. What a book! I felt a whole heap of different feelings when I finished the book and at first I couldn't gather my thoughts enough to write a review. I am not completely sure that I can do it now, but I'll try.

Jag tyckte om denna bok. Huvudpersonerna var intressanta, och det var även deras magi. Det kan vara svårt att skriva sex olika personer med olika personligheter, men jag tyckte att författarna klarade det ganska bra. Det enda jag skulle säga är att Minoo reagerade konstigt vid några tillfällen. Hennes känslor var svåra att förstå – vilket påpekades av Vanessa och Linnéa. Trots deras uppfattning, som visar att författarna var medvetna om denna aspekt av hennes karaktär, tyckte jag att beteendet var överdrivet och det störde min uppfattning av henne och min upplevelse av boken.

I liked this book. The main characters were interesting, as was their magic. It can be difficult to write six different characters with different personalities, but I thought that the authors managed it fairly well. The only thing I would say on that count is that Minoo reacted strangely on some occasions. Her feelings were difficult to follow - which is pointed out by Vanessa and Linnéa. Despite their realisation, which shows that the authors were aware of this aspect of her character, I thought that it was overemphasised and it disturbed my understanding of her as well as my experience of the book.

Jag tyckte om mysteriet. Jag hade en aning om vem mördaren var men jag var inte missnöjd när det avslöjades. Ledtrådarna fanns, men det fanns en del osäkerhet också.

I liked the mystery. I had an idea who the murderer was but I wasn't disappointed when it was revealed. There were clues, but there was also a whole lot of uncertainty.

Magin i boken var intressant och jag ser fram emot att ta reda på hur den fungerar mer i detalj. Jag vill också gärna se Idas tankar i den andra boken. Jag är övertygad om att det finns en anledning till att hennes perspektiv inte hörs i Cirkeln. Hon är säkert inte en särskilt sympatiskt figur men jag tror att hon komma att visa sig som intressant.

The magic in the book was interesting, and I look forward to finding out how it works in  more detail. I would also really like to see Ida's thoughts in the second book. I am convinced that there is a reason why her perspective isn't seen in The Circle. She is certainly not a particularly sympathetic figure but I think she will prove to be interesting.

Vad gäller språk tyckte jag att denna bok var bra för min nivå. Den var inte lika enkel som Stolthet och fördom eller Mio, min Mio, men den är mycket enklare än Låt den rätte komma in, som jag har försökte läsa under de senaste tre år.

In terms of the language, I thought this book was good for my level. It wasn't as easy as Pride and Prejudice or Mio, my Son, but it is much easier than Let the Right One In, which I have been trying to read for the past three years.

This book counts for Sweden for the European Reading Challenge.

Review: The Cyberiad

I loved this. Never before have I so fervently wished that I could speak Polish - and I've been tempted by Polish many a time before. These stories are incredibly playful, but also incredibly critical of the many pitfalls of human ideologies and mindsets. Michael Kandel did an amazing job translating this - providing a hilarious and engaging translation. I will have to seek out more things that he has done (even just essays or editorials).

However, I felt that this collection of stories did have its pitfalls. Some stories dragged a bit. I'm thinking here, mostly, of 'The Tale of the Three Storytelling Machines of King Genius', but all of the last stories fell a bit flat with me after the sheer wonder of the Sallies. In addition to this, some elements included as givens felt odd in a world of robots - the approach to death being one, the extremely patriarchal society being another. This last is somewhat understandable, given the stories' own explanations of how robot society came about.

All in all, though, this was an incredibly fun read, with three stories that particularly stood out for me being the two first Sallies and the third Sally

This counts as Poland for the European Reading Challenge. It is also included in the Mount TBR challenge (my first book!) and the Books in Translation Challenge.

February Wrap Up: Knitting and Travel

This month has been a month of many books, but little reading. As my last post says, I bought a lot of books in Germany, and continued the trend on my trip to Sweden, from which I returned a couple of days ago. While there, I bought four books and my boyfriend gave me a fifth. The books are: Jane Eyre in Swedish translation, 'The Cape' and 'The Nose' by Gogol (also in Swedish translation), Udda Verklighet, by Nene Ormes and Eld, the second book in the Engelfors trilogy by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren, to follow on from the first book which I bought earlier on in the month.

But, no finishing of books has been done. I've read a fair bit, mostly from Cirkeln, which is the first book of the trilogy, and also a LOT of The Cyberiad which continues to be an absolute joy. I have also torn my way through a few Enid Blyton school stories, but I can't count that in good faith.

My fingers have been otherwise occupied. I wanted to finish the second sock I started knitting, but then decided I would rather finish the scarf I've been making since October. Sadly, it is still not finished, although I very well may finish it today. The scarf was far to big to take with me to Sweden, unless I wore it, and I somehow doubt that airport security would be okay with me wondering around with two massive needles attached to my neck. So, I brought the second sock with me instead... only to run out of yarn just before I finished the toe! I set those socks aside, and started on a pair that I promised my aunt. I had managed to misplace my slightly larger double pointed needles JUST before packing them, and still haven't managed to find them, so there I sat trying to knit aran on 2.5mm needles. This didn't go so well. I got a few inches in before realising the sock would be too small, even for me, and I had to rip it out and start all over again. I've gotten a bit further, but I believe the sock will still be too small, so I've put it on hold until I see my aunt again and can measure it against her. Hopefully it goes well. So, I've done a big circle, back to the everlasting scarf again.

I have no travel plans for this month, having blown my budget last month. It would be nice to make it to visit some friends around the UK, but sadly not likely. That gives me much more time for finishing my current knitting projects and starting at least one more (socks for my sister - I'm addicted!), more time for reading and more time for language study. I managed to read 100 pages of The Cyberiad last month - I realised about two weeks in that hoping to finish it was too ambitious, even for my overly ambitious self. I've got a little over 120 pages more to go, so maybe I'll be able to get through that in those two extra days that March brings. Otherwise, I should finish Cirkeln and start a new Swedish book (probably Reser med lätt bagage by Tove Jansson - the book from my boyfriend). I'll also try Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'attendais quelquepart by Anna Gavalda again, although I'm not holding my breath. When I'm done with The Cyberiad, I'll read a bit more of Bone Jack, and maybe start one of the many other English books on my bookshelves, waiting to be read.