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alexiscartwheelThe books that I have to read for my classes are all tragically boring. I thought Silas Marner was dull back in high school, but now I've got gems like Introduction to Cataloging and Classification and Build Your Own Database. If I really want to put myself to sleep, all I have to do is study The Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.
To make up for the extreme dullness of my assigned reading, I've been reading (and re-reading) a lot of novels, which brings me to today's random book recommendation: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig. It's part historical romance and part spy caper, set during the Napoleonic wars. The protagonist, Eloise, goes to England to research the Purple Gentian and the Pink Carnation, famous English spies and colleagues of the Scarlet Pimpernel, for her dissertation. (The Scarlet Pimpernel, incidentally is another good read!) Eloise discovers the papers of Amy Balcourt, which she thinks will lead her to the true identity of the Pink Carnation, and uncovers a few surprises.
My paperback copy has 426 pages, but it's really a quick read. Most of the narrative stays with Amy, who runs off to France under the auspices of visiting her elder brother, but really dreams of becoming an invaluable member of the League of the Purple Gentian. There's plenty of random literary references, if that's your sort of thing. It's light, it's funny, it's got sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Actually, minus the drugs and rock and roll, but with spies! With capes and masks!
And ford4ni, a sample passage. I will be highly surprised if you can't identify the literary reference. (Hint: Everything in literature is either an allusion to Shakespeare or Christ symbolism... ::rolls eyes at high school English teachers::)
"My lord!" Amy hastily stepped back, this time banging into a bust of Brutus that wobbled ominously on its marble pedestal. Amy grabbed at Brutus before he could take a suicidal leap of the stand. "I didn't... that is..."
It's sooo obvious. :D Hah. Anyway, there are currently two sequels: The Masque of the Black Tulip and The Deception of the Emerald Ring. Both the sequels are equally frivolous and fun. They're great anytime, but especially if you need a nice break from your boring job, midterms, real life, or just The Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.
ETA: The fourth book in the series, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, is scheduled for publication in January. It has both "seduction" and "crimson" in the title, so it must be good!
To make up for the extreme dullness of my assigned reading, I've been reading (and re-reading) a lot of novels, which brings me to today's random book recommendation: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig. It's part historical romance and part spy caper, set during the Napoleonic wars. The protagonist, Eloise, goes to England to research the Purple Gentian and the Pink Carnation, famous English spies and colleagues of the Scarlet Pimpernel, for her dissertation. (The Scarlet Pimpernel, incidentally is another good read!) Eloise discovers the papers of Amy Balcourt, which she thinks will lead her to the true identity of the Pink Carnation, and uncovers a few surprises.
My paperback copy has 426 pages, but it's really a quick read. Most of the narrative stays with Amy, who runs off to France under the auspices of visiting her elder brother, but really dreams of becoming an invaluable member of the League of the Purple Gentian. There's plenty of random literary references, if that's your sort of thing. It's light, it's funny, it's got sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Actually, minus the drugs and rock and roll, but with spies! With capes and masks!
And for
d4ni, a sample passage. I will be highly surprised if you can't identify the literary reference. (Hint: Everything in literature is either an allusion to Shakespeare or Christ symbolism... ::rolls eyes at high school English teachers::)"My lord!" Amy hastily stepped back, this time banging into a bust of Brutus that wobbled ominously on its marble pedestal. Amy grabbed at Brutus before he could take a suicidal leap of the stand. "I didn't... that is..."
It's sooo obvious. :D Hah. Anyway, there are currently two sequels: The Masque of the Black Tulip and The Deception of the Emerald Ring. Both the sequels are equally frivolous and fun. They're great anytime, but especially if you need a nice break from your boring job, midterms, real life, or just The Anglo-American Cataloging Rules.
ETA: The fourth book in the series, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, is scheduled for publication in January. It has both "seduction" and "crimson" in the title, so it must be good!
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-10 12:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-10 12:48 am (UTC)No, actually, your conjecture is correct. But I thought you hated smut almost as much as you love Brutus!
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Date: 2007-10-10 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-10 01:00 am (UTC)Incidentally, Shakespeare is today's featured article on Wikipedia.
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Date: 2007-10-10 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-10 02:46 am (UTC)I don't think I could actually write a novel though. And if I did, it'd be to finish my super awesome Maison Ikkoku/Ranma 1/2 crossover. It really deserves to be longer than one chapter.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-11 02:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-11 02:52 am (UTC)However, I could possibly be persuaded to share some of the writing prompt stuff I've been doing at the Quill... though Harry Potter is not nearly as exotic as Evil Zone. Of course, Rumiko Takahashi crossovers aren't exactly rare either. :D
"Oh m'god!"
I'm such a big dork.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-11 03:04 am (UTC)