Reading works translated from other languages is stimulating. My understanding of story and character grows as I encounter authors who don't have English as a first language. The Silver Bone, by Andrey Kukov, translated by Boris Dralyuk, is a mystery that takes place in Kyiv in 1919. The protagonist is practically drafted into becoming an investigator when he comes to lodge a complaint about two Red Army soldiers who have moved into his apartment. There is much going on in this book, mystery, murder, romance, and magical realism against the backdrop of a turbulent time of the region changing hands, causing food scarsity and disrupted services. Andrey Kukov lives in Ukraine, and his writing feels timely.
🔎👂🪆💘🦴
I have heard of the book The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. It both followed a predictable path and also was unpredictable. The main character is an eternal unicorn who suspects she is the last unicorn in the world, and to find out, she leaves the safety of her forest to search for other unicorns. A writing teacher once told me every story starts out either with going on a journey or a stranger coming to town. This journey changes the unicorn and the world around her. It squarely lives in the fantasy category: unicorns, magic, curses, and witches, but it also feels literary as it explores accepting who we are instead of who we want to be. I found it to be a thinky-thinky book, and that was unexpected. I also read two other Peter S. Beagle stories that are novella sequels--Two Hearts and Sooz-- to The Last Unicorn. Several characters continue their adventures in The Way Home. They wrestle with loss and loyalty and love in a not everyone-lived-happily-ever-after.
🦄👑🧙♂️🏰
My book club's travel book for June is Better Than Fiction by Alexander McCall Smith, a compilation of famous authors' true travel tales and what I thought I borrowed from Libby. However, I actually borrowed Better Than Fiction by ALEXA MARTIN. So close. I started listening and wondered why it sounded so much like a romance book set in Denver, Colorado. Turns out, because it was a romance book set in Denver, Colorado. I enjoyed it as a romance book and it did make me interested in going to Colorado. It sounds beautiful, with terrific food, amazing views, and bookstores. I love a good bookstore.
📚⛰️🏔️💖
No comments:
Post a Comment