This week, I continued to read the series Murderbot Diaries and Flavia Albia novels.
I'm almost caught up with Lindsey Davis' series about detective (called informer) Flavia Albia set in ancient Rome. A Comedy of Terrors, by Linsey Davis, takes place at Saturnalia, a Roman holiday that feels like Christmas. There are greens, presents, family get-togethers, and, of course, murder. Davis paints a full-orbed picture of Rome--a big messy city populated with diverse, comical characters that sometimes kill each other.
Davis has written over 30 books--about a book a year--and they do not disappoint.
Network Effect, by Martha Wells, is a full-length novel about Murderbot. He is a construct of biology and technology. He reminds me of a cyborg, but is likable. Previous books were novellas about 150 pages long, but Network Effect is 350 pages, but it doesn't hinder Well's brisk pacing. Reading through the series, I can see Murderbot maturing in his capacity to care for and connect (See what I did there?) with others. I hope there will be a Netflix (or similar) series. It has the right ingredients: superpowers, a desire to be autonomous, seeking a purpose in a strange world, aliens, evil corporations, and adolescent angst. All good stuff.
I'm not sure what drew me to The Six: The Lives of The Mitford Sisters by Laura Thompson. It is a biography of six British aristocratic sisters who came of age during the 1930s and World War II. Thompson educates the reader about the political extremes of the time: Fascism, Socialism, Nazism, and Communism. In the face of twenty percent unemployment, many of these ideologies were vying to be the prevailing policy in Great Britain. The times were divisive, and opinions were firmly held. One sister became a fervent Nazi and friend to Adolf Hitler, one's husband was the leader of the British Union of Facist, and another a dedicated Communist. Their lives and marriages were tumultuous and enthralling. It was an entrance to an eye-level understanding of Britain during this time and a chance to read some juicy life stories. Thompson called the sisters the Kardashians of their time. 😉
What I do for history!
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