Thursday teaser ;)

Yeah, you read it right - it is Thursday and I decided to tease you because, being sadly behind of everything, I am not finished with my current read:

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Here is one excerpt:

"You asked for the diagnosis of my affliction, and I spoke truthfully there is none, for I cannot afford the services of a physician. I, a doctor myself, who has sacrificed his well-being upon the altar of altruism, am forced to suffer a humiliating end because I refused to worship the golden calf!"


What do you think?

Review: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Book info:
Form: e-pub file
Genre: fantasy, Arthurian legends
Target audience: adults 

Synopsis:

The magical legend of King Arthur is vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. I could have written much more but there is really no point of it. I bet you have heard about King Arthur, his unfaithful but beautiful wife, Gwenhyfar, his best friend, Lancelot, who was also his wife’s lover, his Knights of the Round Table, the Graal, Escalibur etc. You will find everybody and pretty much everything in this book. Do not expect to recognize these character and items, though.

What I liked:

- the logic

I’ve never read a more logical version of the Arthurian legends. You know, they tend to contradict each other as they were added throughout the ages, time and again, refreshed, bent to the current literary tastes, sanitized or made more gory etc. Ms Zimmer Bradley tells the Arthurian legends in a way which makes you think “gosh it could and SHOULD have happened this way!” (of course as long as you're willing to suspend disbelief enough for the magical elements of the story).

- the main female lead

It is our old, good Morgaine la Fey but presented in a way which I have never experienced before. She is usually shown as one of the villains. Here everything seems to be different, with her being a priestess of the Old Religion of Druids, oath-bound to perform certain rituals and defend her faith…such explanation was so brilliant in its simplicity and so watertight that I could forgive Morgaine anything – even incest and leaving her own child in the tender care of her not so tender and virtuous aunt. You might cringe but still you understand why.

- the way women are presented

I must say I clearly see why some people say that Zimmer Bradley broke new grounds with this book, in terms of feminist re-imaginings of the classics. She didn't just put Morgaine la Fey or her auntie Morgause in leather bustiers, and have them shoot sex arrows at men around. She changed the form itself, using a new language to utterly subvert the ideas of women's literature, in which the heroine was usually shown as a silly pretty thing, sitting in a kitchen or in a living room and chatting about others all day round. Gwenhyfar is the closest to that model and she is hardly a positive character here, not with her religious bigotry, blind obstinacy, lack or strategic thinking or any thinking at all.

- the baddies

You know, I love three-dimensional villains and here I didn’t have to look for them long and hard – in fact EVERY character of this book could be called a villain at some point, even Morgaine or Arthur, not to mention Lancelot, Mordred, Morgause and Gwenhyfar. Sir Mordred, the Arthur’s killer was shown as an incredibly handsome young knight with a sense of humour (a bit skewed but still) and a great chip on his shoulder (well, you can imagine how big only when you find out who his parents were). Even if you hated him sometimes (he was hardly a saint because it is a book about people, not saints) you still couldn’t admire him a little bit for his force of character and cunning. Overall the lines between good and evil are much blurred; all the characters are well-drawn in depths both good and bad, flawed and noble, completely and ultimately human.

- the religious conflict

I’ve always missed that theme, which I find very interesting – how Christianity overcame the old pagan beliefs. Here it is shown in full and if it is not true it is at least well-told. Once again I found it impossible not to root for Morgaine's Avalon, not only because I knew it was destined to recede into the mists forever, but because it was matriarchal, and so much more comforting to me than the narrow-minded and mysoginistic version of Christianity prevalent during those times. One is sure - Romans didn’t improve things for women spreading Christianity, not in the slightest. On the other hand both Morgaine and Gwynhefar you could fairly describe as religious fanatics, willing to kill for their beliefs and they both struggled with what they had to give up to push their agenda.

- the celtic mythology...

What I loved the most was the portrayal of the rites and powers of Avalon based on the beliefs on ancient Druids... and the way the land of Avalon could only be found by certain people (sometimes by accident!) in the mists. It simultaneously occupied the same island as Glastonbury, where nuns and priests lived, but was somehow on the other side of a veil....and eventually became "lost" to time.


What I didn’t like:

- the sheer length of this book

It was one long read and I suppose it would have been loads better if it was shorter. There were whole sections which I found simply boring. Who needs a full description of a long day spent on singing, spinning and embroidery? Especially with Gwynhefar as a host? A good editor should have intervened.

- prevalent sadness

It is not one of these novels which will cheer you up, make you smile and jump with joy at the end. I had many sad, pessimistic thoughts, swirling round my brain like autumn leaves in a dark, windy, rainy evening. Some chapters were so nostalgic that I had to stop reading for a while and get a grip on myself. The life of most characters was difficult, full of sorrows and pain; nobody seemed to get what they want and even if they were happy for one moment, then next moment usually made them utterly devastated. I must admit that after a while it started to chafe. Still I managed to finish the book so perhaps it wasn’t that bad…what do you want, with the Celts…

- sex

Haven’t I written time and again that sometimes less is more? It seemed to me that the author tried to cram too much of those scenes to emphasize the fact that sex is nothing bad and should be enjoyed rather than punished, especially if both parties are consenting adults (well, more or less adults, you know, we deal with the Middle Ages here). Whereas the message is more than right I think I could have got it without half of that hot content, especially when a rape and incest was involved. The author, in my humble opinion, took sometimes too many liberties with the original story. Arthur pushes Lancelot and Gwynhefar into bed together and once even takes more or less active part in their frolics…Lancelot admits that sometimes he is not sure who he loves better, his queen or his king…not to mention Morgause who has as many lovers as it pleases her till the very end...and somehow nobody suffers from these tell-tale embarrassing diseases. Well, the book was written in the 80’s that explains a lot…

Image via Wikipedia

Final verdict:

I would NOT recommend this book for someone looking for an Arthurian tale sensu stricto but if you like old legends presented with a modern twist and told in a coherent, logical way you will like it for sure, despite the size and the sadness of the whole novel. I really enjoyed reading it as an adult, as a teen I think I would have just loved it.

Monday Can Be Fun (but usually isn't) # 4

Hi everybody!

It's Monday, how are you? 

I want you to spend a lot!!!

In the frozen foods department of our local grocery store, I noticed a man shopping with his son. As I walked by, he checked something off his list, and I heard him whisper conspiratorially to the child, "You know, if we really mess this up, we'll never have to do it again."

A Dog`s Rules For Christmas

1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.

2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.

4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: 

a. Don`t pee on the tree

b. Don`t drink water in the container that holds the tree

c. Mind your tail when you are near the tree

d. If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don`t rip them open

e. Don`t chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree

5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part:

a. Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans

b. Don`t eat off the buffet table

c. Beg for goodies subtly

d. Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa

e. Don`t drink out of glasses that are left within your reach; however if you must do it discreetly

6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important:

a. Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people`s houses. (4a is particularly important)

b. Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house

c. Tolerate children

d. Turn on your charm big time

Yes, you can do it - let's hope you'll survive again!

Silent Sunday

photo courtesy of my brother

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take.


 This week the prompt was posted a bit late so I consider it a perfect excuse to continue my story from the previous week, shamelessly ignoring the pic. It presents a fallen angel. Not my favourite fictional creature to say the least of it. You might understand my aversion if you look at..ehem...her:

I would have to murder her so let me continue the story of Thera Jones, a teenage girl who wanted to trifle with a handsome librarian and found out soon that a library might be not the safest place for such pranks. The first part you can find here.

Thera woke up. She thought her head must have swelled to the size of a watermelon; additionally it was stuffed full of barbed wire. The bad taste in her mouth reminded her of the stench of a burning rubber tyre on a hot summer day mixed with a rotten carcass of road kill...She swallowed and started to toss from side to side, trying to find a position in which her head would hurt rather a fraction less than more. After a while somebody put a straw into her smelly mouth. When she was drinking wonderful spring water she heard the voice of her mother.

"Easy, kid, drink and don't move; you will be ok soon."

Oh great. Was she at home? How did she get there? And what was her eternally busy mother doing by her side? Didn't she have any ward duty or something? As if she could read her mind, her mother added:

"You are in the hospital, Thera, but I will take you home soon. A colleague agreed to cover for me this evening."

Hospital? How come? Thera started to remind herself the events that led to her being taken to a hospital for the first time in her life and simply couldn't remember anything. Then she thought about her book and the library guy...ok, so she was supposed to go there and somehow weasel out of paying a fine but whether she succeeded or not she didn't know - it was like a black curtain. Gosh, she even didn't remember if she talked to him or to somebody else...great, first the hospital then a memory loss, perhaps even a brain haemorrhage or paralysis...her panic rose again and she started moving restlessly  her limbs just to prove herself she could.

Somebody opened the door to her room and entered inside. Thera opened one eye and focused on a man in a white overall. Her mother started to thank him for coming - apparently it was a doctor. He brought a handful of papers  and handed them to her mum, still flustered and babbling her thanks in a less and less cohesive manner. Thera has had enough. She sat on her bed. The effort made her dizzy but it paid off -  her mother finally went silent. The doctor looked at her.

"Great to see you are feeling better, Miss Jones. Could you tell me what happened to you at school?"

"No, I can't. I don't remember anything apart from the fact that I wanted to return a book to the library."

Thera tried to keep her voice as matter-of-fact as possible. She was a bit ashamed of her mother. The doctor eyed her thoughtfully.

"What did you eat for breakfast, young lady?"

"Breakfast?" Thera almost snorted. "I don't eat breakfast, sir. Bad for my stomach"

The doctor cocked one brow. Thera couldn't fail to notice that he was quite handsome. Men, even in a form of handsome doctors, can be so disgustingly dumb, though...

"Bad for my stomach - it makes it less flat, you see. Distended. Bloated. Flatulent. Unaesthetic," she explained in a patient tone of  somebody who must spell slowly the simplest truths and do it in a respectful way.

Now her mother was blushing.

"Thera how come you failed to mention to me your little...er...breakfast problem?" she asked before the doctor had time to react.

Thera gave her an insolent stare.

"Tell me mum, do you eat breakfast?"

Her mother blushed deep crimson and couldn't find the answer for a moment or two. The doctor looked at Thera again, clearly amused by the whole scene.

"Oh well. From now on, however, Miss Jones has to eat her breakfast and perhaps also wear more loose-fitting clothes to hide that ugly, bloated stomach of hers. The results of her blood tests seem to be in perfect order so I suppose it was just a temporary indisposition. But if she faints again we will have to keep her in hospital bed longer and examine her more thoroughly."

In your dreams, thought Thera, smiling angelically. She was definitely feeling better.

Image by dhobern via Flickr

***

When they got home, Thera's mother took an officially looking sheet of paper out of her bag and signed it.

"Here," she said, handing it to her daughter with a smile, "your parental consent form. I never knew you liked books so much to apply for a two-month library internship. To tell you the truth the librarian looked surprised as well but I must say I am glad. A good decision. Let's hope you are finally getting wiser."

Thera almost fainted again. Her memory returned.

Review: Unraveled by Courtney Milan (Turner #3)

Book info:
Form: Kindle e-book
Genre: historical romance
Target audience: adults


Synopsis: 

“ ‘Well’, Miranda said. ‘It’s a sweet tale about kittens and puppies and rainbows and love.’ “

If I were cruel I would leave you only with that quote (loc. 4736) which is great, true, cynical and deceptive at the same time. Officially it is a romance novel but it also reminded me of Eugene Sue and Jane Austen – not bad authors to be compared to!

Miranda Darling is a gifted girl like no other. She has been raised among actors and had a fairly happy childhood. Unfortunately she was soon left alone because her father couldn’t get over the death of her mother. Not only alone but also burdened with another child, Robbie, abandoned by an actress and left to her tender care.

Now they try to survive in Bristol’s slums watching each other's back. Miranda sew and make wigs but it is hardly enough to make the ends meet. She is under the paid protection of a shadowy crime master called the Patron - in return she must use her acting talents whenever they are needed. For example in a court. There she catches the eye of Smite Turner, one of the magistrates with total recall, a sense of justice and a logical mind which is like a knife all blade (Rabindranath Tagore, I owe you!). You can figure out the rest…their romance will be not only inevitable but also very funny…wait, I almost started the next section without being aware of it!

What I liked:

The sense of humour. I found it the biggest asset. I really laughed out loud at least several times reading this one, you must admit not a mean feat for a romance book. There were plenty of highly entertaining scenes – let me just list the best ones: the first visit to a theatre with a mistress in tow, a night in a country inn with the same mistress who pretends to be your wife (Mr and Mrs Dashwood – any Austen fan will howl with laughter!!!), a ‘date’ in a prison and a supper afterwards…overall whenever Miranda showed her freckled face and her mop of red curls things immediately got interesting – well-done! Not to mention an underestimated, humble punctuation mark which here was tantamout to love...or lack thereof. I will try never to forget a comma any more!

All in all the above-mentioned lead female character (ladies first) was sensible, clever, resourceful and as level-headed as I like. In fact Miranda Darling is currently my favourite romance heroine. Why? She speaks her mind. She knows what she wants. She uses every opportunity to get it. No stupid secrets, no hasty decisions, no hysterical regrets or useless crying the morning after, when you cannot change anything anyway. She knows when to say ‘no’, she knows when to say ‘yes’…that’s my girl!

Smite Turner was a perfect Introvert who’s been through a lot and has to deal with it. In my humble opinion the author rendered his character in a great way, making him a really three-dimensional romantic nerd (no kidding – his sentimentality quota are the best proof!). If only there were more of such romantic heroes I would read these books more often…

Now perhaps you wonder: what about the baddies? I am proud to say that the baddies here are…not exactly bad. They are human and sympathetic (I can’t say more without spoiling you so let’s stop here) so closer to real life than you could reasonably expect in such a novel. Once again I was very pleasantly surprised.

The narration was so good that I devoured the book during one evening – not because I wanted to know what would happen (it is a romance book with a  pretty much predictable plot – they fall in love/lust/ go to bed/ have some troubles/ reunite and/or marry) but because I was so entertained that I didn’t want to stop.

Let me add that, aside from a number of hot and heavy make-out scenes, there is also unexpected depth and emotion in this story. These characters are layered and feel very real so this book pushed a number of buttons for me.

Finally the research behind the book (it is a historical romance from the 19th century) was flawless – the ship, the petty court records, everything fitted. Ms. Milan – I truly appreciate!

Cover art

The dress and the colours are nice, I love this deep emerald -blue, but I doubt Miranda would appreciate a portrait of her when about 3/4 of her face are invisible...

What I didn’t like:

Well, you know me. I am yet to find a flawless romance book but this one came very close indeed. One negative remark - the ending could have been a bit more bitter-sweet but still it was very amusing, mainly because of the cynical Miranda.

Final verdict:

I actually had to design a new button for this one. Let it speak for itself.

About Introverts and myths...so a bit about Anachronist

This entry will be a bit revealing. It is an excerpt taken from The Introvert Advantage (How To Thrive in an Extrovert World), by Marti Laney, Psy.D. According to the book, only about 25% of people are Introverts. A section of Laney’s book tries to explain that phenomenon and it maps out the human brain. It seems that  neuro-transmitters follow different dominant paths in the nervous systems of Introverts and Extroverts. If the science behind the book is correct, it turns out that Introverts are people who are over-sensitive to Dopamine, so too much external stimulation overdoses and exhausts them. Conversely, Extroverts can’t get enough Dopamine, and they require Adrenaline for their brains to create it. Extroverts also have a shorter pathway and less blood-flow to the brain. The messages of an Extrovert’s nervous system mostly bypass the Broca’s area in the frontal lobe, which is where a large portion of contemplation takes place.


Here are a few common misconceptions about Introverts (with my personal comments - enjoy!) :

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

In my case - 100% true. Small talk is like a chore to me. A very unpleasant chore bordering torture.I never seem to know the right things to say.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

I used to be horribly shy in my teens but now I am closer to that description. Indeed I don't interact just for the sake of interacting and smarmy politeness makes me wary more than anything.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Once again - 100% sure in my case. I've had very unpleasant experiences concerning this aspect. I tend to avoid bigger family gatherings and such - now you know why.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Well, definitely true. I hope so at least.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Recharging is as quintessential as breathing to me. 

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Right again. Daydreaming...I've been told off for this since I remember. Now it is less noticeable - I can pretend better. ;p

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Definitely true. I've never followed any trends, not even as a teen. NEVER. You can imagine where it put me - I've been an outcast through and through.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Right again but only up to a point.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Public places wear me down thin...but I do know how to relax. 

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

I am not sure about my IQ, sometimes it tends to get lower, but I definitely cannot change myself sufficiently to pass for an Extrovert. Sorry.