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tuberculosis, sex
Apr. 28th, 2007 11:08 amBehold the Many - Lois-Ann Yamanaka. Yamanaka's books are always heartwrenching, & this is no exception. It's Hawaii in 1913, & Anah & her two sisters have been taken away from their home & put into an tuberculosis orphanage for children whose families can't afford treatment. Eventually, Anah's sisters die, & she lives the rest of her life fighting off their bitter, angry hauntings. Sometimes magical realism is hard for me to sink my teeth into (odd considering how much fantasy I read), but this was amazing: disturbing & compelling & upsetting. Yamanaka always gives a real window into poor, multicultural communities in Hawaii. I love the other books of hers that I've read (& I don't think Blu's Hanging is anti-Filipino--I don't think anyone in that book gets off lightly), but this one might be the best.
Kissing Sin - Keri Arthur. And now for something completely different! This is the second in a series, & not much of a departure from the first (Full Moon Rising): slightly ridiculous plotlines, lots of smut, & too many beautiful people. Still, this is fun, if fluffy. Riley Jenson is half-vampire, half-werewolf, which makes her really attractive to scientists trying to genetically engineer super-creatures. Plus, in this universe, werewolves have a massive sex drive. Hence, danger! Sex! Danger! Sex! I don't mind the "werewolves must have lots of sex" world-rule from any sort of moral basis--I think it's neat to have a female protagonist who argues that sex can just be sex, for fun, & there's nothing immoral about it. But it still seems a bit silly in how it's deployed in the plot, even if it makes for lots of steaminess. Whatever, I'll keep reading, although I probably will never reread this series.
Kissing Sin - Keri Arthur. And now for something completely different! This is the second in a series, & not much of a departure from the first (Full Moon Rising): slightly ridiculous plotlines, lots of smut, & too many beautiful people. Still, this is fun, if fluffy. Riley Jenson is half-vampire, half-werewolf, which makes her really attractive to scientists trying to genetically engineer super-creatures. Plus, in this universe, werewolves have a massive sex drive. Hence, danger! Sex! Danger! Sex! I don't mind the "werewolves must have lots of sex" world-rule from any sort of moral basis--I think it's neat to have a female protagonist who argues that sex can just be sex, for fun, & there's nothing immoral about it. But it still seems a bit silly in how it's deployed in the plot, even if it makes for lots of steaminess. Whatever, I'll keep reading, although I probably will never reread this series.