Into the Forest discussion

Happy New Year Everyone!

Susan wrote: "Finished, but still writing updates on, The Modern Fairies (somewhat speculative but largely fact-based fiction about famous 17c French fairy tale authors. Recommended!

Holiday re..."

Modern Fairies looks like something I’d enjoy!

I just finished The Backyard Bird Chronicles

Amy Tan has been one of my authors for many years and this non-fiction book was a pleasure to read. She’s also an impressive artist. I had a few issues with it, mainly that she spent thousands of dollars feeding wild birds in her backyard, but overall, enjoyed it.
Now I just started Silvia Moreno-Garcia newest book The Seventh Veil of Salome

Jalilah wrote: "Now I just started Silvia Moreno-Garcia newest book The Seventh Veil of Salomei..."

I need to read that one!

Scout's Training by Henry Vogel

Stumbled on the newish translation of Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley and thought it would make a great first read for 2025 and for the challenge--is swampland considered fresh water, I wonder?

Susan wrote: "Stumbled on the newish translation of Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley and thought it would make a great first read for 2025 and for the challenge--is swampland considered fresh wat..."

I really enjoyed her translation!

Swampland is freshwater. :)

One of the French comics about Astérix. Asterix the Gaul :) . Classics in Europe.

Actually, I was testing the waters to see whether my French became good enough to allow me to read simple comics but… nope, still level of 2/3 years old 😂. On the bright side, I can include Astérix in the challenge :)

Susan wrote: "Stumbled on the newish translation of Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley and thought it would make a great first read for 2025 and for the challenge--is swampland considered fresh wat..."

I liked this a lot- you might want to check out her retelling The Mere Wife too

A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber

The Teller of Small Fortunes - currently listening to it on audio - the narrator is doing a good job. I like it so far, but... I keep feeling like it lacks something.

Love the cover!

Ozsaur wrote: "The Teller of Small Fortunes - currently listening to it on audio - the narrator is doing a good job. I like it so far, but... I keep feeling like it lacks something.

Love the co..."

Yes, I had a similar feeling with that one. It was sweet, but I kept having to force myself to stop daydreaming, and even when I stopped paying attention, I was easily able to tell what was happening. It was like I picked up right where I left off. There's not much story, I guess, or narrative tension? Not sure.

Here are the fairytale-themed books I've read so far this year:

The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo: a retelling of Bluebeard.

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq: a memoir of an Inuit throat singer, imbued with her Indigenous mysticism.

Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin: a middle grade fairytale retelling

Folklorn by Angela Mi Young Hur: a contemporary fantasy about a Korean American scientist dealing with intergenerational trauma and mental illness while researching her mother's folktales.

Fingers crossed that my reading slump is over :). I finished:

The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon - it's a novel set in USA of 60s about two artists, black/mixed singer Esther and songwriter/producer Benito/Benny of Italian descent. There is a lot going on. Lamento's mafia ties due to his family's past , racism, social movements, a tiny bit of romance, and the best part music making :). For me it was a strange read. I've never been much invested in lit set in 60's-80's era, but Amy Hamon has really nice style.

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei - the book didn't work for me, but I wouldn't be able to put my finger on whys. It made me want to read some older classics, though :)

Currrently I'm reading Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany

Started the year with two great books:

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami - a literary multi-perspective mystery in a California desert town

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Private Rites by Julia Armfield - a beautiful climate dstopian about three queer sisters

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 13 by Kamome Shirahama

Spectrum by Sergei Lukyanenko - if I am not mistaken this novel is not translated into English. It is a kind of sci fi fantasy. People cross gates to travel to other planets, but before they even start their journey, they need to impress the stewards of the gates with their storytelling :).

Asaria wrote: "Spectrum by Sergei Lukyanenko - if I am not mistaken this novel is not translated into English. It is a kind of sci fi fantasy. People cross gates to travel to other planets, but bef..."

I looked and it doesn’t look like it’s translated into English. His series starting with Night Watch is. I only read the first but liked it very much

In typical style I'm jumping on a hyped book a decade after the hype with Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. It is a god example of Fantasy YA of that era which (despite its faults) I prefer to the new trend of Romantasy

Fairest of All: The Graphic Novel by Sarah Mlynowski

I read North Is the Night by Emily Rath, a fantasy adventure about Finnish folklore. It was okay.

I also read Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival by Trina Rathgeber, and really enjoyed it! Middle grade nonfiction survival tale, with some Indigenous folklore.

The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Jalilah wrote: "I looked and it doesn’t look like it’s translated into English. His series starting with Night Watch is. I only read the first but liked it very much"

I think this book wouldn't fly well with English audience or at least with women.
(view spoiler)[ Great ideas as usual for Lukyanenko, but there is a short scene, barely two or three lines, when one of the side characters in his 40s/50s sexually harasses a teen girl and no one react/comment on that, not even the omnipresent narrator. I don't find many tropes triggering but even I felt uneasy while reading that part. (hide spoiler)]

Asaria wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I looked and it doesn’t look like it’s translated into English. His series starting with Night Watch is. I only read the first but liked it very much"

I think this book wouldn't fl..."

I can see this would be troubling. With me it often depends on the time period. I don’t expect literature from other time periods to be up to today’s standards in terms of treatment of women, racism etc. but Lukyanenko is a current writer.
Some years ago we read Isabel Allende’s Eva Luna. There is one scene that I found strange when I read it many years ago, but when I reread as a more mature person found extremely disturbing

Jalilah wrote: "Asaria wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I looked and it doesn’t look like it’s translated into English. His series starting with Night Watch is. I only read the first but liked it very much"

I think this b..."
If it was an old book, it wouldn't have bothered me as much as it did. Different cultural and social norms in various periods are expected after all :). Part of my discomfort also came from Watch series and Lukyanienko's take on male-female relationships.

(view spoiler)[ Anton was afraid Svetlana, whom he married, would outgrew him and distance herself from him once her full potential was realized. Their solution was Svetlana's resignation from career/weakening her and turning into a full fledged stay-home wife. Basically, power imbalance in relationship should always tip in favor of man. (hide spoiler)]

Asaria wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Asaria wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I looked and it doesn’t look like it’s translated into English. His series starting with Night Watch is. I only read the first but liked it very much"..."

Hasn’t this author also been saying horrible things about Ukrainians, even before the war started?

I’m starting the new year with historical fiction, no fantasy Granada: The Complete Trilogy. I read the first in the trilogy many years ago before the other two books were translated. Now all 3 are translated and I’m loving them! It takes at the time of the place of the Reconquista, when the Christians took over Spain and follows an Arab Muslim family that stays and converts to Christianity. It’s a compelling read with interesting characters.

Jalilah wrote: "Hasn’t this author also been saying horrible things about Ukrainians, even before the war started?"
He has had long before the war, actually. It's not as obvious in works from late 90s but in 00s and onward his political and personal views bleed into his books more and more. I've heard the final tomes of Watch series are unbearable for that reason.

Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski

Asaria wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Hasn’t this author also been saying horrible things about Ukrainians, even before the war started?"
He has had long before the war, actually. It's not as obvious in works from late ..."

Too bad! I actually really liked the first book in that series! I appreciated the fact that although it’s urban fantasy it was not like the typical ones where the lead character gets beaten up every chapter.

If the Shoe Fits by Sarah Mlynowski

Sink or Swim by Sarah Mlynowski

Dream On by Sarah Mlynowski

Bad Hair Day by Sarah Mlynowski

Cold As Ice by Sarah Mlynowski

I am re-reading House of Leaves for a group re-read on Facebook, I've read it several times but not for many years- it's strange coming back to it now! Wondering if it will count for the 'city' part of challenge as L.A features heavily in the Truant sections of the book...

Rose wrote: "I am re-reading House of Leaves for a group re-read on Facebook, I've read it several times but not for many years- it's strange coming back to it now! Wondering if it will count for t..."

I just check it out and absolutely it fits! It looks really good! Is it scary?

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Listening to Listen to Your Sister and its amazing! The writing is so good, and the narrators are excellent.

Beauty Queen by Sarah Mlynowski

Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

I finished Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey today. It's lovely. I see it has been tagged as romance. That is a mistake lol. It is similar-ish to her other books in tone, though not a historical fiction. It's set in the Alaskan tundra, so could count as a tundra read for our challenge.

Jalilah wrote: "Rose wrote: "I am re-reading House of Leaves for a group re-read on Facebook, I've read it several times but not for many years- it's strange coming back to it now! Wondering if it wil..."

Its scary in a weird unsettling way, not gory as I remember. It's not a super easy read because of the fragmented layouts and multiple narratives...but definitely worth it, if you like meta weird fiction! There are also a lot of links to Greek mythology, one very central that is not named in the book, Norse mythology, Dante, and a LOT more, as satire on academia is also a vibe.

Once Upon a Frog by Sarah Mlynowski

Genie in a Bottle by Sarah Mlynowski

Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods by Grace Lin

Sugar and Spice by Sarah Mlynowski

Mary wrote: "Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods by Grace Lin"

I loved that one!

Margaret wrote: "Mary wrote: "Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods by Grace Lin"

I loved that one!"

Oh, yeah, that's a good one.

It was particularly amusing to read the tale about the tea and notice it had the same story as the central part of The Three Little Birds

Two Peas in a Pod by Sarah Mlynowski

Seeing Red by Sarah Mlynowski

I finished The Prisoner’s Throne, and now I think I'll have to reread the folk of the air trilogy :P
Sorry everyone, my adolescent self is taking over now.