New books thirty-two and thirty-three

[tigerfort]

32) 44 Scotland Street (Alexander McCall Smith). I actually read this way back at about the same time as the Myth books (22-24); you can tell how much of an impression it made by the fact that I'd forgotten about it until now. In the words of shimgray, "people who like this sort of thing will find it the sort of thing they like", but while this had all the leisureliness of the Precious Ramotswe books it completely lacked their charm. The first couple of those I found fairly enjoyable in a laid-back sort of way, but this was just boring.

33) The Time of the Ghost (Diana Wynne Jones). I definitely prefer DWJ's silly books (Chrestomanci, Wizard Derk and family, and the Howl series) to those that - like this one - are essentially serious in tone. Probably the least-enjoyable thing of hers I've read (competing for the title with "Black Maria"); not actually bad, but definitely not brilliant, and probably not one I'll re-read.

Which brings me to about 8pm yesterday evening, and thus the end of March. OOI, would people prefer that I put these behind a cut?

Comments

[pellegrina.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about 44 Scotland Street. I spend most of it feeling I was missing the joke due to insufficient familiarity with posh Edinburgh. I preferred The Sunday Philosophers Club but never read any more of that because I could see the soap opera element getting on my wick. I do have a massive backlog of No.1 Ladies (like, most of them).

No cut for me. I love book posts. Cuts just delay the enjoyment.