far and away

A “Reluctant” Beginning

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

July 23, 2019 by KatSings Leave a Comment

Welcome to Bingo, where I finally start playing catch up on my stack of unreviewed books I’ve read this year! For Bingo counting purposes, they count as follows: A Princess in Theory is Far and Away. Not only does Prince Thabiso rule the fictional African nation of Thesolo, but the back third of the book requires our heroine, Naledi, to follow him there. Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is Own Voices. Alyssa Cole is a brilliant black woman […]

A lovely middle grade fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

July 21, 2019 by Malin Leave a Comment

#CBR11 Bingo: Far and Away (book set in fantasy version of historical China) Official book description: In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life’s questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask […]

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

July 17, 2019 by octothorp Leave a Comment

The depths of the Pacific Ocean, native home to many of the octopuses that we encounter in the aquarium profiled by Sy Montgomery in this book, is about as alien an environment as I can imagine while still being on the same planet. Montgomery doesn’t restrict herself to the octopuses in the tanks in her exploration of aquatic life, and goes scuba diving to see the cephalopods and their dens in the wild. Montgomery is an interesting author for exploring another world as she does […]

Change Waits for No Man

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

July 15, 2019 by blauracke 2 Comments

This is the story of Okonkwo, a member of the Ibo people in the lower Niger delta in pre-colonial Nigeria. He is the head of his family which consists of three wives and numerous children, a highly respected leader and warrior in his village, and a staunch supporter of the old ways and traditions. When Christian missionaries arrive, everything he knows and understands is threatened. To have the impact of European colonialism described from the perspective of the people being colonised is incredibly powerful and […]

What is it to Live? What is it to Love? What is Freedom, in the End?

The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

July 5, 2019 by Lisa Bee Leave a Comment

CBR11 Bingo: Far and Away Although this novel could be used for a number of different bingo squares, I chose it for Far and Away, as it is far away from me in not just physical location, but also in time-period and culture. The Bird King takes place in 1491 Granada, at the end of reign of the last Sultan on the Iberian peninsula, as the Spanish Inquisition closes in on the once large, but now dwindling empire. The main focus is on the journeys […]

Claudia Ivanovna was a silly old fool.

The Twelve Chairs by Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov

July 4, 2019 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

CBR 11 Bingo – Far and Away This is a 1928 post-Soviet revolution novel by two young writers. In a significant way, this novel is a lot like Don Quixote, which is not to say it’s a quixotic novel per se, but a novel in which a man who is blinded by illusions about the reality of the present is trying to live with his head in the past. We meet Ippolit Matveyovich, a fallen noble (post-revolution) who is scrabbling in the new regime for […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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