Books - July 2025
Jul. 31st, 2025 05:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbit6 books this month, bringing my total for the year to 44, so on target.
Silence by Shusako Endo
Read for my (zoom) book club. It's the story of a Jesuit priest who goes to Japan in the seventeenth century. While the priest initially comes over as arrogant and ready to die for his faith, since Christianity is outlawed with severe penalties for those who disobey, the story deepens and because thought-provoking as it continues. Outside my usual range of reading, but I'm glad I did read it.
Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out by Ryan Love
The story of a grandfather, who comes out just before his 80th birthday and his grandson who struggles to make the same decision. I liked Arthur, and while the story piled on too many twists and turns, I was always rooting for him. I became tired of the grandson and didn't like the way his story ended.
Tour de Force by Christianna Brand
Runner up for the Shedunnit 'set in a holiday resort' read. I tried the winner, read three chapters, the end, and took it back to the library. I did finish this book, as I've never read any Christianna Brand, but wasn't impressed - I guessed 'whodunnit' about two-thirds of the way through. And I didn't like her detective, who she seemed to be making unlikely - why do that?
Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett
Quite fun, but lacks my favourite characters so not up with my top ten.
Karolina, or the Torn Curtain by Maryla Szymiczkowa
Set in Cracow in 1895 this is an entertaining read, with a good mystery. The amateur detective is the wife of a university doctor, who has plenty of personality and determination. It's a great look at Cracow society at the time, and some of the issues there were. This is the second book in the series, but sadly the later ones haven't been translated from Polish.
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner
Recommended some while ago bybadly_knitted this is aimed at older children, with two children as the main protagonists. I rarely read fantasy, but the story was enjoyable and didn't read like a 'kid's book'. I suspect if it had been written purely for adults the timing of the last few chapters would have changed, but it remained entirely believable in its universe.
And so I've finished my Book Bingo for this year. I used my two substitutions, but only the central Free square. The full list can be found here
Silence by Shusako Endo
Read for my (zoom) book club. It's the story of a Jesuit priest who goes to Japan in the seventeenth century. While the priest initially comes over as arrogant and ready to die for his faith, since Christianity is outlawed with severe penalties for those who disobey, the story deepens and because thought-provoking as it continues. Outside my usual range of reading, but I'm glad I did read it.
Arthur and Teddy are Coming Out by Ryan Love
The story of a grandfather, who comes out just before his 80th birthday and his grandson who struggles to make the same decision. I liked Arthur, and while the story piled on too many twists and turns, I was always rooting for him. I became tired of the grandson and didn't like the way his story ended.
Tour de Force by Christianna Brand
Runner up for the Shedunnit 'set in a holiday resort' read. I tried the winner, read three chapters, the end, and took it back to the library. I did finish this book, as I've never read any Christianna Brand, but wasn't impressed - I guessed 'whodunnit' about two-thirds of the way through. And I didn't like her detective, who she seemed to be making unlikely - why do that?
Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett
Quite fun, but lacks my favourite characters so not up with my top ten.
Karolina, or the Torn Curtain by Maryla Szymiczkowa
Set in Cracow in 1895 this is an entertaining read, with a good mystery. The amateur detective is the wife of a university doctor, who has plenty of personality and determination. It's a great look at Cracow society at the time, and some of the issues there were. This is the second book in the series, but sadly the later ones haven't been translated from Polish.
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner
Recommended some while ago by
badly_knitted this is aimed at older children, with two children as the main protagonists. I rarely read fantasy, but the story was enjoyable and didn't read like a 'kid's book'. I suspect if it had been written purely for adults the timing of the last few chapters would have changed, but it remained entirely believable in its universe.And so I've finished my Book Bingo for this year. I used my two substitutions, but only the central Free square. The full list can be found here
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Date: 2025-07-31 05:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-07-31 05:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-01 07:32 am (UTC)And Alan Garner is from my neck of the woods😊
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Date: 2025-08-01 08:14 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2025-08-01 11:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-01 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-01 06:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-01 11:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-02 07:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-14 06:40 pm (UTC)Congratulations on the book bingo!
The Polish book sounds like it will be perfect for one of my own bingo squares ("a recent book translated from a foreign language"). Thanks for the rec!
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Date: 2025-08-14 06:49 pm (UTC)