Around the World discussion

I don't usually add Australian books to my journey, but I have to make an exception for this one, as it captures the locale so well - The Dry by Jane Harper.

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

Andrea wrote: "I don't usually add Australian books to my journey, but I have to make an exception for this one, as it captures the locale so well - The Dry by Jane Harper.

https:..."

Glad you liked it so much! It's on my tbr list.

I have been in ancient India with Avishi by Saiswaroopa Iyer. It's a novel about a woman who fought with an iron leg mentioned in the Rig Veda. It's also deals with democracy in ancient India.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've been in England (Norfolk, specifically) with #2 in the Ruth Galloway series, The Janus Stone. I really like this series.

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

I was in Japan with Yukio Mishima's The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. I was disappointed. Not one character's thoughts, actions or behavior made sense. A kitten was murdered, then dissected. The ending was violent and pointless. And I'm waiting for the fallout from my 2-star review. "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, ...?

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

Yukio Mishima was a very strange man.

I have returned from the U.S. and Japan with Japantown. It's a good thriller.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Val wrote: "Yukio Mishima was a very strange man."

There's that :) I cling to the hope that I picked the wrong starting point.

In the near future, I have been to the U.S., Luxembourg and a place that doesn't exist called the Anatolian Kurdish State. In prehistory all the locations were in the vicinity of the Black Sea. The book is The Matriarch Matrix, the first novel of Maxime Trencavel. I had issues with this book but I loved Zara, the contemporary female protagonist.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I was in Hungary, or more accurately for the time of this novel, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with Embers by Sándor Márai. My review is available here:

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

I was in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico withKill the Ámpaya! The Best Latin American Baseball Fiction. There's a really powerful story dealing with a U.S. World Series baseball game and Rwandan genocide.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I was in England with Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. It is a book selected by my IRL book club. Truly one of the most painful reading experiences I've had in more than a year. I lack the Christie Appreciation Gene.

My review is here.

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

I've been around the world a bit more than usual lately.

I recently finished The Sister Queens. This book took me to France and England. I always enjoy hearing about regions of France/ Spain before they were actually part of France/ Spain. I wasn't a big fan of how it was written, but if there was a sequel I'd read it.

I went to Italy in Pompeii. Robert Harris does a brilliant job of tying together the themes of water and fire.

Last but not least I was Canada in The Summer is Ended and We Are Not Yet Saved. This was pretty meh for me. The first 50 or so pages were okay, until the bible camp. The lack of plot bothered me. I do not recommend this book if you are squeamish with blood, murder, and all of the above + children.

I have been reading Ecuador whilst in Ecuador, but in the end I decided I couldn't invest the time in 100% Love Guaranteed. Shelved at 25%, therefore not rated or reviewed.

I finished Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing just a few days ago. I really liked the early sections dealing with colonial Ghana, and the format (brief, related segments of various family members' lives) reminded me of Edward Rutherfurd and Steven Saylor's historical fiction.

My super brief review is here.

I'm in France with Mistress Mine by Gabrielle Dubois and the French original of Mistress Mine, Sous les eucalyptus which is the first book in French that I have read in some time. I am undertaking to compare the original to the translation.

I see that I put my original post about Mistress Mine in the wrong thread. Well, now I have returned from my journey to France, Tahiti and Australia with this book.

It wasn't quite what I expected. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A quick little trip to Iran with Good Muslim Boy, which I enjoyed more than I expected to.

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

I have returned from a trip to 19th century England with Enchantress of Numbers: A Novel of Ada Lovelace
by Jennifer Chiaverini.

I liked this book, but especially the last half in which Ada became a scientist. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

I have returned from a very sad trip to Afghanistan with The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya. I thought it was a powerful Antigone retelling.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I was in Japan with Audition by Ryū Murakami. My 4-star review is here:

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

I was in Thailand (Bangkok) with Timothy Hallinan's For the Dead. I gave it 3 stars but remain a fan of Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series, and am eagerly anticipating the latest novel, to be released this December.

My review is posted here:

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

I was in the U.S. with Electric Arches, a debut book of poetry, by Eve L. Ewing. I had high hopes going in, but it was a 2-star read for me. I enjoyed the prose offerings greatly and would like to read Ewing's next book or her scholarly publications.

My review is here:

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

I also read The Front Seat Passenger by Pascal Garnier, a new author for me. it took place in France, predominately Paris. The description and back of the book blurbs comparing Garnier to Simenon led me to believe it was a mystery. It is difficult to describe without major spoilers, but a mystery it isn't. It is, on the other hand, a delightful, quick, light (but dark humor) read, particularly if you can smile at running across "dodgy" in a French novel, thanks to the British translator.

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

Renae Pérez wrote: "I finished Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing just a few days ago. I really liked the early sections dealing with colonial Ghana, and the format (brief, related segments of various family member..."

I rated it the same as you, Renae. It started well but somehow it didn't sustain my interest as much as I thought it would. I expected more based on the rave reviews it was receiving.

I finished The Shell Collector - I enjoyed it, but be warned, you'll need to deploy your willing suspension of disbelief. The guy can write!

I've just finished Sleeping Giants, the 4th book Mark Gillespie's series. Set in London, a dystopian London cut off from the rest of England. This one is darker than the first three in the series, but I enjoyed it as much as the first three.

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

I've been a bit all over the shop.

To Egypt with The Yacoubian Building. Which was an interesting look into the changing Egyptian life, dealing with so many conflicting issues and cultures. Some of the storylines made me a bit uncomfortable though.

Nigeria with Things Fall Apart, looking at the impact of Europeans into tribal life. A quick, yet powerful read.

Breath, Eyes, Memory took me to Haiti, with another uncomfortable read. Beautifully written but again, just subject matter that made it like an ill fitting jumper.

Currently in Ireland with The Likeness which while is fantastically and tensely written, I feel like it's an Irish version of The Secret History. Which I did enjoy immensely. I have 100 pages to go though. She could, and probably will, blindside me.

I have read the first three of those and agree with your comments.

I have returned from England, France and Germany with The Alice Network which was a very good read for me with slight reservations.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Was in Greece with The Illegal Gardener - I surprised myself but enjoying it - simple, touching and still topical issue although the book was published five years ago. I'm a sucker for books set in Greece too! - 4 stars; was in Italy with Fontamara set in the 1930s with the working class farmers rebeling against the haves - 3 stars; and was in Nigeria/U.K. with Little Bee - complex, well-done, great with great character development - 4 stars.

I've been in Sydney, Paris and Colombo this week with The Life to Come. I really liked it - but I reckon Michelle de Kretser's shopping lists would be worth a read, too!

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

I'm sorry I don't recall which member brought this book to my attention early last year, but I'm happy to say I have now read Pocket Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Not Visited and Never Will. Fascinating!

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

I have been to alternate 21st century probably part of Switzerland, alternate Canada and alternate U.S. in CARINA by Alison Morton.

There was a scene I really liked. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I was in England during the 1890's with The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I recommend it if you like "mad science" stories and classics. I will definitely read the next one.

I went to North Korea, South Korea, and China with In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom. I have been wanting to read a refugee/immigrant story from North Korea for awhile now. I rate it a 5/5 and encourage everyone to read it. Yeonmi escaped from North Korea at 13 and is currently 24. She is human rights activist delivering speeches all over the globe.

I was in alternate England and Normandy in 1066 with 1066 Turned Upside Down, an anthology in which the events associated with that significant year are changed in a variety of ways. There were four stories that stood out for me. I discuss a couple of them in the GR version of my review which you can find at
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have returned from 20th century Poland and the fantasy Land of the Dolls with the children's historical fantasy The Dollmaker of Krakow by R. M. Romero. I loved it because it was moving, historically authentic and contained wonderful magical/folklore elements.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have just returned from Jamaica, France and England with Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker. Rochester from Jane Eyre was sympathetically portrayed but I am ambivalent about the wife in the attic.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished Here Comes the Sun, set in Jamaica in the late 90s! Haven't reviewed it (might later), but in short: I liked it.

I have returned from Iceland with The Legacy: A Thriller by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. It was a 5-star read for me.

My review is posted here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa, which is set in Puerto Rico across several generations.

My quick review (and Readers' Advisory) is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished A Boy in Winter WW 2 in the Ukraine and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - current day Scotland with Eleanor’s struggles. Both just ok - 2 stars for both.

Finished Mood Indigo by Ed Ifkovic, the ninth installment in the Edna Ferber mystery series. It is an historical mystery occurring in 1932 NYC. The period details were fabulous. My 3-star review is here:

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

I have returned from near future US and 15th century France with Smoke City by Keith Rosson. This is an urban fantasy with a historical dimension that involves reincarnation. I ended up liking it due to character growth.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished The Moon in the Palace by Weina Dai Randel, a RITA-winning novel about Empress Wu Zetian's rise to power in 7th century China. I loved the author's attention to detail and the complex drama inside the court.

My 4 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished The Alphabet of Heart's Desire by Brian Keaney, a literary historical fiction novel taking place in 1800 - 1802 London.

My 4-star review is available here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have returned from ancient Egypt,the U.S., WWII Denmark, alternate Palestine and alternate Scandinavia in People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy an anthology ed. Rachel Swirsky and Sean Wallace.

There were a few memorable stories. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have come back from 1920's U.S. and England with Crossing the Horizon by Laurie Notaro which I won from a GR giveaway earlier this year. It deals with three women who wanted to be the first to fly across the Atlantic. Only two were pilots. The third was a narcissistic irritant. Although I loved the female aviators, the book lost a star due to the superfluous character who should have been jettisoned for keeping the plot from soaring. I think there are good reasons why narcissists are not amusing to most Americans now.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

On the last day of the year I finished reading The Last Hours (14thC England), which I really enjoyed and gave 4.5 stars - a good way to end the year! I didn't have time to review it properly though, so will get back to that later.

I returned from 1920's Japan with In Black and White by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. Here's a link to my 3-star review.

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