New-ish Release: From the Mouth of the Whale

Ever since hearing about The Blue Fox, I've wanted to read something by Sjón (a.k.a. Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson). There's just something unique about Icelandic literature and From the Mouth of the Whale is a perfect example of it. Set in 1635, it is the story of Jónas Pálmason, also known as Jónas the Learned, whose education also ended up being his downfall when he angered a local magistrate. This book contrasts the structure and order of natural history with the unpredictability of man.

Different from other Icelandic books I've read, there's almost no reference to the gods of old but, instead, this novel touches on one of the more recent religious conflicts of the island nation -- the change from Catholicism to Lutheranism in the mid sixteenth century. Though there are some horrific events in this ever-shifting story, overall it's a magical book.

Treasuring hearth and home,
K

Fire and Hemlock Read-Along Discussion

I'm so excited to have a chance to trade ideas about Fire and Hemlock with some other readers! It's a complex and somewhat confusingly-ended book that is completely awesome. For those of you who haven't read the book and intend to, this post isn't for you. Spoilers will be plentiful. Instead, go get a copy of the book, devour it quickly and then come back and discuss it with us! If you haven't decided if you want to read the book yet (you do) or if you haven't heard of it (really?), here's a brief synopsis --

Nineteen year old Polly is cleaning out her room, about to head back to Oxford, and is reading an old book of hers when she starts thinking that years ago, when she first read the same collection, it possibly had a different title, different authors and even different stories in it. Slowly, that feeling spreads as she notices more things in her room that seem out of place in her current memories until she starts recovering an entirely different set of memories from when she was ten years old. How could she have forgotten Thomas Lynn, the cellist that she met when she gate-crashed a funeral on Halloween? How did the eerie photograph titled Fire and Hemlock that is hanging over her bed get there? And more importantly, what happened four years ago that made her forget all of it?

Doesn't that sound awesome? Well, it is. So, get out, buy the newly re-released book and get to reading. For those who have read it, let's discuss!

Here are some recent(ish) posts from Iris, Teresa, Jenny, Kerry, Amanda, Jean ... (more will be added)

* * * * *

I know we will all have different things that stood out or that didn't make sense for us so here are a few of mine. Feel free to answer all or none of my questions and add more of your own below.

First, I read many versions of both Tam Lin and Thomas the Rhymer in preparation for this reread. It definitely enhanced the experience of reading this time through when I could actually catch a tidbit and know why it was there. Have you read either ballad or a related story? Is F&H a retelling of Tam Lin or is it far too original to be called that? Side question: Did it bother you that the quotes at the beginnings of each chapter from the ballads didn't really match up with what is happening in the story at the time? I kind of feel now like those could have been left out.

Second, what was the deal with the necklace? It was protection (how?) and then it wasn't. How do they start using it against her? Is it a tracking device?

Third, was Thomas musically gifted before Laurel or did she give him that talent? I know that the horse couldn't help him at the end because it wasn't "truly his" -- it came from the gift of having things come true. But why didn't the cello work? Did he become a world class player because he believed he would?

I think that's a good start. Those are the things that I thought about for more than a few minutes anyway -- well, besides the confusing anywhere/nowhere/somewhere word play at the end -- but I don't even know how to put together a coherent question about that!

And we're off,
K

Mistborn Read-Along: Chapter 16 through Chapter 25

the hardcover cover

This has been a crazy busy week for me and still will be going forward. I barely finished the reading for this week in time to post! So, here are my very brief answers to this week's questions ...
(Update: I forgot to mention that the questions come from Grace this week!)

Please note that this post may contain spoilers.


1. During the past week there's been a lot of speculation as to the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Now that we finally know the answer, does it change anyone's opinions of the Lord Ruler?

I honestly think it makes him worse -- because he used to be a normal man and he used to have at least somewhat good intentions. But now he's an awful murderer and oppressor. Although he always seemed to be a bit off-kilter. I would really like to know more about what he's like now. I wonder if we will even meet him in this volume.

2. What did you think of Elend's group of subversive nobles? Do you think that Kelsier is right to dismiss people who could be potential allies, or is this another case of his anti-nobility biases showing?

I think it's hard to trust the nobles even if they are willing to rebel because they have a lot to lose. Could you trust them not to give you up, not to give the movement up if they are found out, not to be pressured by friends or family into backing off? I understand why Kelsier is wary.

3. What's your favorite part of the book so far?

I think my favorite part is probably just any time Kelsier's team is together -- with their plotting and their banter. It was nice to finally see a scene of it where Vin is starting to relax and join in. When she accepted that glass of wine from Kelsier, that was a really big deal!

4. Now that Kelsier's plan has hit some major stumbling blocks, what do you think will happen next? Do you think he can still succeed in defeating the Lord Ruler?

Well, the fact that there are two more books in this series was a strong hint that things weren't going to go smoothly. So, I think that I have the same amount of faith in this group that I did before. If anyone can defeat the Lord Ruler, it's these guys (and gal).

Sticking with Team Kelsier,

K

Thomas the Rhymer: A Survey

As in my Tam Lin post last week, I was able to read a couple of sources to become more familiar with the story of Thomas the Rhymer. Here is a link to the Child version of this ballad.

Unlike Tam Lin who was taken against his will for many years and then rescued from the Fairy Queen right before he was to be sacrificed to Hell, Thomas the Rhymer, an adventurous minstrel/harper by trade, goes willingly with the queen after meeting her on the Eildon Hills and getting a kiss from her. She takes him to Elfland for seven years during which time he is unable to speak, bound only to be an observer and the Queen's lover. At the end of seven years, he is released and he is given the gift of true speech.

Syne they came on to a garden green,
And she pu'd an apple frae the tree:
"Take this for thy wages, True Thomas,
It will give the tongue that can never lie."

 It appears the ballad is not always continued past the point where he returns to the world of man but, when it is, it turns out that his "true speech" is the power of prophecy. He uses this power across the land and lives a comfortable life until the Fairy Queen sends two messengers--two white deer--to fetch him back to her for good and even this time he goes willingly.

I read a brief version in Barbara Ker Wilson's Stories from Scotland and then the illustrated version in The Book of Ballads (text by Sharyn McCrumb, illustrations by Charles Vess). I don't think my library system had any picture book version of the story but it makes sense because this is basically the story of a human who sees the beautiful fairy queen and decides that it's worth seven years of his life to be her lover.

After I read both of those, I read Ellen Kushner's novel Thomas the Rhymer. To be honest, this book is more of what I thought Tam Lin would be -- taking the original ballad and making a full story out of it. I really loved reading this one!  It is told from four different points of view, one being Thomas' during his time in Elfland. It has a romance added in but I didn't think that took away from the original ballad at all. This was such a bittersweet story and the reader is obviously meant to fall for Thomas. And that's where this story differs so much from Tam Lin -- because Tam Lin is obviously about the strong and independent Janet, despite the title, but Thomas is about a man who can take care of himself.

I can't wait to discuss these two ballads in the context of Fire and Hemlock on Friday!

Under the spell,
K

Read-a-Thon Update: Calling It a Night

Well, I made it through Hour Twenty-One which would seem like more of an accomplishment if I had read more today! I only got through about 350 pages -- half of Thomas the Rhymer and half of Fire and Hemlock. But, as they say, such is life. I hope that everyone that participated had a great time and I know I will be much more successful in October when there's not a beautiful sunny day that is calling my name and shiny new birthday presents to look at.

I will be taking F&H off to bed with me now and I'm sure I will read for at least a while longer because I don't want to put it down!

Until I fall asleep with my finger between the pages,
K

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Twenty

Midnight. I'm here with my diet citrus green tea, a Genius playlist based on This Old Machine by Coconut Records and the wonderful Fire and Hemlock. I'm on page 111 and I feel like the book is going by way too fast. It is so ridiculously good this time through!

I'm a little tired but not bad. I should be okay for at least another couple of hours so you'll hear from me at least once more!

With a good book that is worth staying up for,
K

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Seventeen

Yeah, I'm totally sucking at the Read-a-Thon today! I've had a book with me almost all of the time but just haven't been able to read because of noise and distractions. Z is going to be staying up a little later tonight because of the meteor shower but in a couple of hours it will be completely quiet here and I can hopefully get a bunch more reading done.

Anyway, I did finish Thomas the Rhymer finally and took Fire and Hemlock to start at dinner time. But then these really annoying people sat behind us and I couldn't think straight. So now I'm finally getting into it (I'm on page 40) and I know that I'll be able to read the whole thing before bed if I don't get too distracted because, as expected, it's really good on second read! The Tam Lin and Thomas the Rhymer reads are already making a difference.

Stepping up my reading game,
K

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Eleven

Well, this has not been a super productive Read-a-Thon so far but I did open my birthday presents a day late and got a beautiful new camera (an Olympus PEN Mini for you camera buffs out there) and some books!

In four hours I've only read 100 pages of Thomas the Rhymer but I'm getting toward the end of it and I think my next read will go better -- especially if I find a quiet place to read that doesn't have a fidgeting, chatty kid in it! I'm still tweeting regularly if you're interested in more updates than this.

Downgrading this to a "kind-of-reading-a-thon",
K

Read-a-Thon Update: Hour Seven

So, I might have slept in longer than intended but I needed the sleep and I'm up now and it's a gorgeous day in Seattle so I might even get to do some reading outside later today! Yay!

I'm starting with a short stack --

Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner (already on page 88 of 247)
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente

And I haven't had anything to eat yet but I was considering a bit of my carrot cake birthday cake from last night and some strawberries to start the day.

I'll mostly be posting updates on Twitter (@webereading) so come chat with me over there or check my sidebar for my latest updates. I'll post a couple of big ones on here -- probably with some photos!

And she's off,
K

Read-a-Thon Kickoff!

Okay, so it's really not much of a kick-off when I'm just posting to tell you that I'm still asleep and won't be joining the Read-a-Thon fun for a few hours yet. But, I swear that I will show up eventually so please, save me a comfy seat! And in the meantime, enjoy this penguin ...

photo by k

These are the usual questions/answers for those of you who may be new to our blog --

1)Where are you reading from today? A suburb of Seattle (yes, on the Eastside).

2)Three random facts about me… I always try and come up with something new for this question so here goes: I did 70 (non-consecutive) hours of observations of sea otter behavior at the Seattle Aquarium for a college class, I hate shoes and socks and go barefoot as much as possible, and I have been known to eat breakfast foods for all three meals in a day.

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I'm going freeform today! I need to finish Thomas the Rhymer and I want to finally finish going through the Dickens Bicentennial book. Otherwise, we'll see. I will probably read my Mistborn chapters for the week and it's likely that I will read Fire and Hemlock for the read-along discussion that starts in a week.

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? I don't have any specific goals. My goal is always just to have a good time and to read more than I usually get to on a Saturday. I also love having an excuse to take a book out to a restaurant for dinner.

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time? Get up and walk around to get your blood moving, especially as the hours hit the double digits. Otherwise, it's easy to doze off and get an unplanned nap. Of course, a planned nap is good advice too. :)

I'm guessing I will show up around Hour 4 or 5 so I'll update you then with what I've decided to eat and read! Have a great morning, fellow -thoners!

Getting rest so I can sit around all day,

K

The Best Thing About Today ...

The best thing about today is not that it's 4/20.
The best thing about today is not that it's the 111th day of the leap year (though that's kind of cool - it would be cooler if it was my one hundred and eleventieth birthday - yes, I'm a nerd).
The best thing about today is definitely not that it's Hitler's birthday.
The best thing about today is not that it's two days before Earth Day.

photo by k

The best thing about today is that it's my 37th birthday (and George Takei's 75th birthday)! I'm off enjoying the last day of Z's Spring Break with him and getting ready for the read-a-thon tomorrow (snacks are ready!) and hopefully having a generally wonderful day.

Older and wiser,
K

Tam Lin: A Survey

The Fire and Hemlock Read-Along discussion is at the end of next week but I thought I would write about the Tam Lin readings I've done in preparation. Then I can just discuss the tale in the context of F&H next week. I ended up reading five retellings and the original Scottish ballad and none of them were identical.

If you aren't familiar with the ballad, here is a great place where you can read Tam Lin (Child 39A version) and it has translations for the Scottish words on the side (very helpful!). The basic story is that a Scottish lass named Janet (or Jennet or Margaret) is warned away from a place called Carterhaugh --

O I forbid you, maidens all,

That wear gold in your hair,

To come or go by Carterhaugh,

For young Tam Lin is there.

She goes anyway because her father owns the land where this shadowy glen is and there she picks a rose, which summons Tam Lin (or Tamlane or Tam-a-Lin). He was once a man but then he was captured by the fairies and has lived with them for a very long time. However, they have a custom that, every seven years, they make a human sacrifice to Hell to preserve their way of life and he is the chosen one this time. It also happens though that Janet falls instantly in love with him and becomes pregnant with his child. She returns home and is shamed but defiant and so she returns to Carterhaugh. Then Tam Lin tells her that there is one way that he can be saved from sacrifice. On Halloween night, she must be there to see a procession and, when he passes, she must pull him from his horse and hold on tight. The fairy queen will change him into all sorts of terrifying animals and finally a burning torch. If Janet persists and then dunks the torch in the well, her love will be human again (and naked). All goes to plan and the fairy queen is angry but defeated and Tam Lin and Janet can be together.

First, on a nice sunny day, I sat on the front porch and read the picture book versions from Susan Cooper (illustrated by Warwick Hutton) and Jane Yolen (illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak) and a brief version in Barbara Ker Wilson's Stories from Scotland. They covered a wide range of variations on the story. The Susan Cooper version added in more backstory for the heroine. The Jane Yolen version added a castle in Carterhaugh. But I certainly came away from these three retellings with some basic thoughts on the ballad --

One, the female is the heroine of the tale. She not only brashly sets off to a forbidden land, but she bravely deals with an out-of-wedlock pregnancy and holds her ground when confronted with all of the terrors and physical pain that the fairy queen sends her way.

Two, this is definitely a ballad full of symbolism -- from the roses to the serpent that Tam Lin briefly becomes.

Three, the only part that nobody seems to want to change in the stories (or the illustrations) is that Tam Lin was naked after all of the transformations.

Next, I read Pamela Dean's Tam Lin, the only book I initially intended to read before F&H. I know it's a favorite for many but I was kind of disappointed with it. It's a 450 page book and the actual Tam Lin part is only in the last 50 pages. The rest was a play-by-play of Janet Carter's time at a small liberal arts college in Minnesota. Having to sit through discussions about which classes to take next term, classroom discussions about literature I haven't read and Janet's constant bitching and eye-rolling about every person on campus was a bit tiring. I was not an English major in college so maybe that would have made a difference. Maybe I could have related to the story more. But Janet's ineptitude in the one physics lab she took just made me roll my eyes because it was so stereotypical. I was also a little put off by how Dean had to point out everyone's race and color so often. And, honestly, the diversity at the college seemed a bit unlikely for the Midwest in the 1970s. I am not sure about that though. It was interesting to read about the first birth control pills and their awful side effects. My mother-in-law tells me horror stories about them every once in a while.

If you're interested in reading this book, I suggest going and reading other blogger's thoughts on it (good and bad) -- here are some from Jenny, Rhinoa, Ana and Heather.

Finally, I ended with the version of Tam Lin put forth by Elaine Lee and illustrated by Charles Vess in the beautiful Book of Ballads. This one was WAY out there, making Tam Lin's rescue more of a spiritual one as his soul went into Janet's unborn baby and he was saved by being born to his own lover (naked, of course). I assume then that all of the pain and monsters were actually labor and childbirth. By the way, this is not a volume to share with your children if you don't want them seeing a high level of nudity and anguish.

Now that I have a firm grasp on Tam Lin, I will continue with Thomas the Rhymer (in Stories from Scotland, The Book of Ballads and Ellen Kushner's novel). Hopefully I'll get all of that done before the read-a-thon on Saturday because I'd really like to read F&H then!

(And this reading all obviously qualifies for the Once Upon a Time Challenge.)

Call me Janet,
K

Mistborn Read-Along: Chapter 7 through Chapter 15

the cover from the Nook version of the trilogy

I'm still greatly enjoying my Mistborn read. The story is really compelling and I have no idea which direction it's heading in. I'm sure that I will read the two remaining books in the trilogy before the summer is out!

The questions for this week come from TBM -

Please note that this post may contain spoilers.

1. The nobility, the skaa, and the Lord Ruler have integral roles in the novel and yet we haven’t really interacted with them much. Do you think there is a reason for this? Have you formed an opinion about them?

I'm not sure that the nobility or the skaa will have an integral role in the story -- especially since Kelsier's plan seems to be more about some mysterious "other" motivation than the skaa rebellion. I do think that there is a reason we haven't seen the Lord Ruler yet. I think it's all about fearing what you don't know. Although, based on what he did or had done to Kell the first time they met, it sounds like he's still very much in power and will be quite menacing and scary when we finally get to see him.

2. Religion plays a vital role in the story. What is your opinion about the role of religion under the Lord Ruler? What do you think of Sazed's role as a Keeper.

I think that the role of Keeper is a fascinating one. The fact that Sazed not only remembers every religion that existed before the Lord Ruler but also believes them all is as bewildering to me as it is to Vin. It makes sense that the Lord Ruler would have the most control over the world by combining government with a compulsory religion. This makes him the one and only authority figure. It will be interesting if he is indeed overthrown what will happen with religion going forward and what role the Keepers will play.

3. Are you for/against/or ambivalent about Kelsier’s plan to overthrow the Lord Ruler? Do you think his heart is in the right place or is it just revenge?

I'm sure it's a mixture of revenge and something else that we don't know about yet. I don't think he necessarily cares at all for the skaa other than disliking seeing anyone giving up on their lives. I can't say I'm against the plan except that I think there will be a lot of casualties tied to it. But I do think that the misery of everyone in this world means that the overthrow must happen.

4. Vin and Kelsier are the main characters of the novel, yet there are many characters. Is there a certain character who intrigues you more than the others?


Elend Venture is probably the most intriguing character right now. I can't wait to see if he's really rebelling against the nobility or if he's onto Vin's deception from the start, especially since Vin seemed to have an instant connection with him. I also enjoy Breeze for some strange reason. I know he's cocky and he drives Vin crazy but maybe he's working some of his magic on me!

Until next week,
K

More Bedtime Tales With Z

I am amazed that Z and I are still reading together at bedtime! In fact, we read every single night or else he whines and complains, even after I've left the room. And, to be honest, I am loving almost every minute of it. Sometimes he's a bit squirrely and obviously still wound up from the day but he still doesn't want me to stop. Here are the last three books we read at bedtime --

I'm taking my time with this series because I think that some of the scenes are still a bit intense for Z (he's eight in just under a month). So, we finally picked up Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and he seemed to really like all of it except for the actual basilisk fight scene. I think there was a bit too much blood for him. And yet, when we finished, he immediately asked if we had Prisoner of Azkaban. I showed him that we did but told him that we might read a few other books first. I hope that the voices that I worked so hard to make consistent come back to me when we pick it up!

As I promised, I read Earwig and the Witch with Z as his first DWJ read and he really liked it! I'm itching to read another one of her books with him. I just have to decide which one would be best -- maybe Enchanted Glass or Castle in the Air. And, on second read, I felt even more that this was going to be the start of a series. If I was a writer, I might try my hand at the further adventures of Earwig!

The last book we finished was Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes. I had never read this one before so it was fun for me too. It's a collection of classic fairy tales--Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, etc.--told in verse form and with slight twists that make them have less-than-happy endings. I don't know that any of them were revolting per se but some of them were kind of funny. Others were just strange. Z and I both seemed to find it to be a hit-or-miss volume. But, we liked it enough to continue on with Roald Dahl and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as our next bedtime read.

Having a new adventure every night,
K and Z

A Hefty Journey Through Modernist Cuisine

This may not be the most appetizing imagery when discussing a cookbook but Modernist Cuisine has blown my mind. I meant to have this review done over a month ago but I just couldn't skim these amazing books after all. I ended up reading most of this 50 pound behemoth, my mind whirring with all sorts of revelations and notions. Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young and Maxime Bilet have created something that cannot just be called a cookbook. Yes, there are recipes--mostly in volume 5 and 6--but I found the first four volumes to be where the real meat of this series was.

Each volume has something different to offer. Volume One is "History and Fundamentals" and it delivers. There's not only a history of cooking itself, from cooking fires to fast food, but also tidbits of food safety and some good, old-fashioned debunking of common kitchen/food myths. This volume will appeal to students of history and science. It explains what modernist cuisine is ("a new, intellectually motivated cuisine ... [with] a trend toward general appreciation of the scientific basis for cooking", pg. 1-52) and it has a few pages about how this book came to be. My BFF would be happy to know that there's a large section called "Microbiology for Cooks" that discusses various foodborne illnesses and the best ways to avoid them. This was an incredibly full volume and I wish I could share a list of all of the things I found fascinating but I would probably end up typing for hours. (P.S. MSG isn't actually bad for you and grilled meats might not increase your risk of cancer.)

Volume Two is "Techniques and Equipment" and it appears to be the largest volume in the set. The title is pretty self-explanatory as well. It covers classic and modern cooking techniques and talks about some of the equipment that you would find in a modernist kitchen. The most important technique seems to be "sous vide"-- cooking food in a water bath for even temperature distribution and control. If you ever wanted a better understanding of how each cooking technique (eg., boiling, broiling, sautéing) actually works, this is the place to look. Because of the large amount of information overload, the only thing that I took away from this volume is that when we go grill shopping this summer, we will be looking for a non-dome-shaped charcoal grill -- avoiding the uneven heat distribution of the dome and the flavorless cooking of a gas grill. I wish I could have absorbed so much more from this one!

Volume Three may be the most detailed volume though it is simply called "Animals and Plants". The first half--Animals--presents what the authors believe are the best ways to prepare many of the edible animals out there, from shellfish to duck. I have to say that it was a bit disturbing to see a picture of a live octopus that mentions its "curiosity, cleverness, and mischievousness" (pg. 3-24) on the opposite page from a mention of the many techniques to tenderize their tough flesh. But if you are looking for techniques for anything from squaring a large cut of tuna for sashimi to making sausages, it's probably in here. And then there are the Plants, fruits and vegetables, but this part of the volume is much smaller -- leading me to believe that either the authors are satisfied with many of the existing cooking and presentation methods for them or that they are not as central to modernist cuisine as meat is. Although, it could also mean that the techniques and preparations shown can be used on a wide variety of plant foods and don't need to be repeated in every iteration possible. After reading this volume, I definitely added a vacuum sealer to my kitchen wish list for quick marinades.

Volume Four is called "Ingredients and Preparations" and this is another highly interesting volume. From curing to gels, this volume covers all sorts of daunting techniques. I got a bit lost among the many specialized ingredients used to create gels, emulsions and more. But I now know (theoretically) how to make the perfect cup of espresso. In Seattle, this is a much-coveted skill!

Volume Five finally brings everything together into Plated-Dish Recipes. This is the only volume that I really skimmed. It appears that I'm more interested in the theoretical side of cooking than in the practical side. I guess this is where I admit that I'm much more adept at baking that cooking and that my techniques tend toward the simple, one-pot variety. Still, to see all of the possibilities out there makes me feel just a bit more adventurous and one day I might try a true modernist plated dish.

There is also a final volume--Kitchen Manual--that does not fit in the case but is spiral bound, something any cook will appreciate. This is the volume that most resembles a standard cookbook but without any of the 3500 pictures that grace the other five volumes, as it is the practical companion to the others. If I was to copy out one recipe to try later, it might be the Cantonese Fried Rice, now that I know the true role of high heat in a stir fry. Then again, it might be the Meyer Lemonade -- if I happen to have some fructose, citric acid and gum arabic around. Of course, it could be the Flank Steak Sous Vide with the Sweet Potato Fondant and a Salted Caramel Apple Puree for dessert. Or I could just hire a personal chef. Yes, I think that's the solution.

Modernist Cuisine contains some amazing and revolutionary photography including many "cut-away" shots -- like this one of a pot roast in a dutch oven under coals. I wish I could share more of the photographs with you. They are part of the reason that I took so long getting through these volumes. They are truly works of art in their own way. And I have to say that the authors are surprisingly not snobbish about food at all. They are just as interested in making the perfect burger and fries as they are in the perfect fois gras. This made for a much more enjoyable reading experience than I expected.

I would like to thank Intellectual Ventures, Nathan Myrhvold's tech company, for the chance to borrow these volumes for review. I have only two wishes now. One is for six hundred and twenty five dollars so that I can own my own set of these books (only $450 on Amazon!) and the other is for a kitchen lab like the one above so that I can get to trying out some modernist techniques. In the meantime, I will have to be satisifed with the online Recipe Library, the Modernist Cuisine blog and my tiny, poorly-stocked kitchen.

Cooking up plans,
K

Mistborn Read-Along: Prologue through Chapter 6

the paperback cover

Today is the first posting day for the Mistborn: The Final Empire read-along, hosted by Carl. I didn't really have free reading time but I've been wanting to try another of Brandon Sanderson's novels after really liking Warbreaker a couple of years back. So, here I am and, I have to say that this book is off to a good start! We read the Prologue (an unnumbered first chapter) and then six more chapters -- about 115 pages. Carl wrote the questions for this week and I think they cover most of my thoughts about the reading so I'll just answer them --

Please note that this post may contain spoilers.

1. This first hundred or so pages was packed! What things are standing out for you in the story thus far?

What stands out most are the descriptions of the major city, Luthadel. I can picture it perfectly from the towering, metal-roofed houses of the nobility to the three-story wooden abodes of the skaa. Strangely, though, I don't have much of a mental picture of the main characters of the story. There just aren't many personal descriptions except for clothing. I'm not sure if there's anything physical at all that separates the skaa from the nobility or if they are just recognized by their dirtiness, simpler attire and general defeated demeanor. Are they two classes or are they slightly different species? They can obviously interbreed so I'm leaning toward classes but it hasn't been specifically said. The other thing to stand out is that there are some terrifying baddies in this novel (like the as-yet-unrevealed koloss) and I'm sure there will be some points where I'll be reading with all of the lights on!

2. What are your thoughts on the magic system that Sanderson is unveiling in this novel?

I think allomancy is really inventive and I like the way that it's slowly explained and reinforced for the reader. There's never a "copper is for x, zinc is for y, tin is for z" list -- which wouldn't have stuck with me at all. Instead, we start with a couple of metals, find out what powers they imbue by "seeing" them used and then move on to a few more in a later scene. It's really well done, especially describing how Kelsier moves between metal objects. I hope we find out more about the physiological basis behind the ability to use metals. Right now it's just "the Lord Ruler gave some people this power" but I'm guessing that's just the legend and it's more than that. The Steel Inquisitors are creepy and I hope we find out more about why they can sense allomancy.

3. Kelsier and Vin have held most of the spotlight in these first 6 chapters. As you compare/contrast the two characters, how do you feel about them? Likes? Dislikes?

I can't help but really like Kelsier. A hero who smiles constantly in a world full of grim faces is bound to win hearts. And the fact that he smiles in the face of the loss of his wife years before shows he's either enlightened or crazy. I'll be waiting to find out which one! Vin is a much more obvious product of her environment and it's easy to see her motives (because we keep reading her internal dialogue). I'm not sure about her because, since she's been raised to be untrusting, I'm worried that she will betray Kelsier or others in their group. It will be interesting to see how she progresses as a character when she's taken out of her thieves' den and becomes a "noblewoman".

4. Finally, how would you assess Sanderson's storytelling abilities to this point?

I think that one thing that Sanderson excels at is grabbing your attention right from the first pages of his books. Even in the middle of the prologue, I had to know what was going to happen going forward. Also, Sanderson uses a lot of "fantasy speak" but somehow it's not as daunting and confusing as in other high fantasy novels. He picks names and words that still sound sort of familiar somehow. I'm really looking forward to moving on in this story and, presumably, the entire series!

Burning carbs, not copper,

K

DWJ March (in April): Castle in the Air

I had one last Diana Wynne Jones read from last month that I mentioned finishing in my wrap-up post -- Castle in the Air. This was my second read of this "companion" novel to Howl's Moving Castle and, as is dictated by Jenny's Law, I thought it was better than on first read! I didn't even remember much of what would happen to Abdullah, the young carpet merchant, and his magic rug, so it was almost like reading it again for the first time. But I found this to be a solid story and I will definitely be revisiting it regularly!

On a magic carpet ride,
K

"It's still my favorite book in all the world."

Praise be to the Once Upon a Time Challenge. I have finally read The Princess Bride! And what did I think of William Goldman's, a.k.a. S. Morgenstern's, "classic tale of true love and high adventure"? Well, to be honest ... it made me want to watch the film again (which I promptly did). There were things I loved in the book that weren't in the movie (The Zoo of Death scene with Inigo and Fezzik) and things that I was hoping to read that just weren't there (the word "putrescence" ... you know where it is!). I couldn't help but see all of the book characters in my mind cast as the film characters. The only one that ended up not working for me was Humperdinck -- I had to recast him based on the book description. But the meta format of the book was fun -- even more so than Peter Falk and Fred Savage in an 80's kid bedroom.

So thank you to Heather and her list of books she couldn't live without. This was number one and I can see how, if you picked this book up at the right time, you could easily fall completely in love with it. I wish I had seen fit to pick it up about 20 years ago. Instead, I'll always have fond memories of sitting with my friends at a GT (a "get-together", for anyone not familiar with that term) shouting "anybody want a peanut" or rolling down a large grassy hill at the park screaming "AS YOU WISH" at the top of our lungs. This story will always be a favorite no matter the format.

Happily ever after,
K

April Read-Along: Fire and Hemlock

There was a lot of interest in a Fire and Hemlock read-along during Diana Wynne Jones Month but, since it is being re-released this month (YAY!), I decided to wait to schedule it so that the book was easier to get. The release date is April 12 in the U.S. and I wanted to also work around Carl's Mistborn read-along and work with the Once Upon a Time Challenge and Dewey's Read-a-Thon on April 21. What a busy month!

I was thinking that we could start the reading on or around April 19th and start our discussion on Friday, April 27th (and likely continue it through that weekend). We're lucky to have a couple of Fire and Hemlock devotees that are planning to join in the discussion too! I'll probably be asking each participant for a question or discussion topic because I think this will work best if each participant can get opinions and thoughts on their own nagging questions. This is a book that leaves many readers a bit confused!

Since this is a re-read for me, I wanted to expand the experience a bit and hopefully have a more informed experience with F&H. Because the story is based on two Scottish folk tales--Tam Lin and Thomas the Rhymer--I plan on doing some preliminary reading during the first half of the month. If any of you would like to join me for that, please do! These are the books I got from the library --

Tam Lin by Susan Cooper (picture book)
Tam Lin by Jane Yolen (picture book)
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean
Stories from Scotland by Barbara Ker Wilson (Oxford Children's Myths and Legends series)
The Book of Ballads by Charles Vess

If you want to join in the read-along, simply leave a comment below. I'll have a list of participants below. If you want to discuss the book on Twitter before April 27th, use the hashtag #fireandhemlock. This is definitely a book that benefits from having reading buddies!

Participants:
1.

Preparing for an adventure,
K

DWJ March: And The Winner Is ...

Thank you again to everyone who participated in Diana Wynne Jones month. I feel like I've already rewarded you all with a great read and hopefully some new entries on your TBR lists! But one of you also gets a $20 USD gift certificate and that person is ...

Ana of Things Mean A Lot

Congratulations! I'll send you an email and you can choose your bookstore.

Hooray for great reads!
K

Wrapping Up Diana Wynne Jones Month

art by yellowcrayolacrayon - used with permission

Is it the end of Diana Wynne Jones Month already? Boo! I still have books sitting here waiting to be read! I could honestly keep going for a few more months, just reading DWJ books. There's such a wide variety of plots and characters and reading levels that it doesn't feel like reading the same stories over and over.

Let's see what I ended up reading in March --
Earwig and the Witch
Aunt Maria (reread)
The Magicians of Caprona (reread)
Eight Days of Luke
Enchanted Glass (reread)
Dark Lord of Derkholm (reread)
Witch Week (reread)
The Game (reread)
Castle in the Air (reread - just finished late last night)
Earwig and the Witch (reread - started with Z last night)

And this is what you read --
Teresa of Shelf Love read Howl's Moving Castle
Amanda of Ramblings read The Time of the Ghost
Ana of Things Mean A Lot read House of Many Ways, Archer's Goon and Eight Days of Luke
Jenny of Stone Soup Books read Unexpected Magic
Esther read Magicians of Caprona
Jenny of Jenny's Books read Archer's Goon
Iris of Iris on Books read Fire and Hemlock
Tif of Tif Talks Books read The Game (post scheduled for April!)
Kerry read Dogsbody and Cart and Cwidder
Gertrude read Deep Secret
Memory of Stella Matutina didn't get a chance to read with us this month but she did post a DWJ Retrospective today.

If there are any more DWJ Month readers out there, you have until the end of today to enter your reads in the form for the chance to win a $20 bookstore gift certificate (one entry per book - open internationally!) and then I'll do a drawing tomorrow. I'll add your links to the list here too so be sure and include them.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined me for this celebration of a life ended too soon. I can only imagine what stories Diana still had in her to tell and I'm sad that we'll never be able to read them. Luckily, we have all of these beautiful books to enjoy.

Since I can't actually bring myself to stop just yet, I'll be posting in a couple of days about the Fire and Hemlock read-along for this month. I wanted to run it after April 12 so that people who need to can have a chance to purchase the book. And it's a title that definitely works for the Once Upon a Time Challenge so if you still need a book for it, join us for this one. I'll even overlap it with the Read-a-thon too. There's no reason not to join in!

A little choked up but still celebrating,
K