Read: Three Fires by Denise Mina ★★★★☆ 📚
Lightly fictionalised account of Girolamo_Savonarola‘s life in Renaissance Florence. Radical & powerful social reformer, anti-semite & inspirer of bonfires of the vanities.
Tag: ★★★★
Read: Real Tigers by Mick Herron ★★★★☆
Third I read in the series, most enjoyable so far, I chuckled out loud a few times. A bit too much shooting. I couldn’t read the next one until I read other things, but feel the pull.
Read: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin ★★★★☆📚
Engrossing, the game programming context kept out of the way & I let the characters shine.
Read: Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead ★★★★☆ 📚
More Harlem corruption, criminality, horror & fun. 3 linked episodes across the 70s. Wanders into back alleys & backstories in an engaging way.
Read: So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan ★★★★☆ 📚
Very short, disturbing & moving tale.
Read: The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston ★★★★☆ 📚
I read this decades ago and was not disappointed by this re-read.
Read: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker ★★★★☆ 📚
Murder mystery with arms & legs. Despite the rather unbelievable teenage, character, the twists and convolutions kept me reading and engaged. A nice distraction.
Read: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell ★★★★☆ 📚
Enjoyed the dip into the strange world of the 1500s Italy. Not quite as absorbing as Hamnet but I was engrossed, even though the murder is announced at the start I had my hopes up.
Read: Antarctica by Claire Keegan ★★★★☆ 📚
After reading Small Things Like These and watching Foster I was surprised at some of the more dramatic turns and unpleasantness in some of these stories. They have a similar quiet, clarity & almost terseness.
Read: I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait ★★★★☆ 📚
dysfunctional family story, that was in turn rather funny and quite serious. I enjoyed the fun and though the description of psychosis was good.