Month: September 2022

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

I loved this. It really helped relax me during a very bad weekend. I love the use of East Asian fairy tales and iconography. There was not enough of the dragon character. I liked all the characters. I also loved how the author subverted one particular fairytale staple. Very fun. I can’t wait for the second book coming out later this month. I already have the author’s first series lined up on my bookshelf.

Read July 31-Aug 1, 2022.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book is a bestseller. I had heard good things from members of my book club. I liked the old Hollywood era and know about it from my love of old movies. I really liked the characters and the romance. The writing is also really clear. There is something really straight forward in Reid’s prose which makes her novel so easy to read. I have Daisy Jones and the Six on audiobook so I will get that next and read her other works too.

Read Aug 2-5, 2022.

Dirt: Adventures, with Family, in the Kitchens of Lyon, Looking for the Origins of French Cooking by Bill Buford.

I read Heat many years ago and remembered vaguely liking it. This one was much longer and I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author. I didn’t warm to Buford’s narration for the first few chapters, but I came to enjoy the stories of his working in the French kitchens and all the characters he meets. Sometimes the book meanders on the origins of the French Cooking without much definition. The best part to me was the reflections and connections on the history in the region. While I have not been to Lyon, I have actually lived in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes so I could picture the landscape. It made me miss France and the French language which has become very rusty in the last 6 years. Not necessarily a memoirs that I would recommend unless one really likes French food and history.

Listened July 30-Aug 11, 2022.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

This was different and engrossing even though there were definite moments where I was annoyed with the two leads. It features too many characters and was a bit slow to start, but it’s a fascinating look at class and coming of age in 1950s Naples. Not hard to read but not easy either because I grew to appreciate both the leads. The book ends with a wedding but it’s not a happy one. I have all the novels in this quartet and will make my way through them slowly.

Read August 16-18, 2022.

The Girl From The Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 10

This volume has background on the main character and a revelation. The background was good but the revelation at the end makes me think the ending won’t be satisfying.

Read August 28, 2022.

The Girl From The Other Side: Siúil, A Rún, Vol. 11

The ending was confusing and odd. It’s bittersweet. Not sure how I felt about it.

Read August 31, 2022.

“Emma” (2020) – This was okay. The Romola Garai 2006 mini series is still the best. I think Anna Taylor Joy can act but her and the script did not make her Emma sympathetic enough at the start. Emma is very annoying in the book but you still get a sense of how much she loves the people around her. This one showed her as a tad too manipulative of Harriet. Everyone seemed more miserable and they played it laughs which I did not find as funny. There was too much crying in the second half. I liked the supporting actors like Bill Nighy and Miranda Hart. The movie did look good with its costumes, settings, and decor.

“Call my Agent! / Dix Pour Cent” Season 4 – I really like this show and I’m glad I caught up. My French is so rusty now! In any case, this was was suppose to be the final season and there seemed to be great character development with all the characters. We am cancelling Netflix for awhile but maybe I’ll get it back for this in the future.

“Running Man” (primarily 2010-2013) – I have watched a couple of eps of this show before and it’s unavoidable if you know East or South East Asia media. I never really got into it until now. The Yoon Eun Hye teasing was one of the reasons I wanted to try the earlier episodes. I’ve seen a number of episodes in the last couple weeks. I’m still in the sub 200 ep range. I will not watch everything and there are resources to tell me the best eps thankfully. It’s been a fun journey.