Activity Log (Since 2 March, 2017)

[flamebyrd]

As always, feel free to ask me about any of these and I will try to distill my thoughts into something shareable.

Books
The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red - Martha Wells
The Golem and the Djinni - Helene Wecker
The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue - Maggie Stiefvater (in audiobook)

Anime
Bodacious Space Pirates 1x04
The Royal Tutor 1x01-1x12

Live
Figure Skating: Winter Spectacular, featuring Jeremy Abbott and Yuka Sato
Cirque du Soleil: Kooza

No, I haven't seen Wonder Woman or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 yet. Soon.

Comments

[sqbr]

The Murderbot Diaries and The Golem and the Djinni are both on my to read list, so I'd be interested to hear about either of them.

[flamebyrd]

I loved Murderbot, but I tend to enjoy Martha Wells a lot in general, so I'm not a very biased reviewer here.

The Golden and the Djinni is a really interesting book, it has a very strong sense of place (immigrant communities in 19th century New York) and of the myths that form the two protagonists. (Unfortunately I don't know enough to rate their accuracy!) I enjoyed it a lot, although I don't think it'll become a favourite.

[seekingferret]

I can't speak to the Muslim side but as to the Jewish folklore... Well, accuracy is not a thing one can rate when it comes to folklore, but Wecker manages to do exactly none of the things that usually make me throw a Golem story across the room, which is a testament to how careful and skillful her storytelling is. And her early 20th century Lower East Side felt very real to me as someone whose grandparents grew up there.

[flamebyrd]

Oh, that's really good to know. On both counts, but particularly on the golem one because I know that's a sensitive topic.

[seekingferret]

It's really easy to conflate the Golem story with the Frankenstein story- they have a similar basis, but the underpinning themes are very different and if you tell a Golem story with Frankenstein themes it's going to fall down for me. Golem stories are about creating life in imitation of the God the Creator with the Creator's approval, not in defiance of God's law as in the Frankenstein story.

[sqbr]

Thank you!