I finished Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin tonight, and have mixed feelings about it. Parts were too graphic for me and the first half setting up things was too slow moving. The last half was exceptionally well done though and in many respects made up for the inertia of the beginning.

The time is 1171, Cambridge, England. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar is a Mistress of the Art of Death, a doctor trained in forensics. The dead speak to her with their mute bodies. She is on loan from the King of Sicily to King Henry II to find out who is killing the children of Cambridge. Adelia is an orphan that was found by her adoptive parents exposed on a hill side as an infant, raised by them, her adopted father a doctor saw no reason a woman should not be a doctor, if she had the talent. And talent aplenty she has.

There is danger, romance, and mystery. Why didn't I like this book more?
First of all the beginning was too formulaic for my taste. You could see exactly what was going to happen before it happened, the obligatory female side-kick for Adelia, the obligatory love/hate relationship with her....no, can't say, that would be telling.

In any case, the latter part made up a great deal for the first section, but not completely. This is the first of a series, and this is one series I don't think I will be pursuing.
But don't hold me to it, the wind can change.

I finished my reread of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander this morning.

I first read it, oh, I guess about 17 years ago, it came out in 1991, but I first read it in paperback, one bought from a local grocery chain. So it must have been at least a year after it came out.

It's the first of a series about a time traveling, reluctantly so, woman, a nurse that has just survived World War II. She is vacationing in the Scottish Highlands with her husband when she accidentally passes through the stones, to approximately 200 years earlier.

What a ride! There are six books in the series, so far. The seventh is coming out September 22 of this year.....at last! Ms. Gabaldon writes slowly, and writes other books in between, darn it!

The saga of Jamie and Claire move from the Scottish Highlands, to France, then to America smack dab in the middle of the uprising of those obnoxious Colonists.

But that hardly even begins to describe the intense love story contained in these pages, and the machinations of all the inhabitants of Gabaldon's Saga.

Phew! Now I guess I'll have to reread all of them. Again.

I've put aside Andre Dubus's Dancing After Hours for the time being. It's a series of 14 short stories, and while they are extremely well written and well done, I find them, at least some of them a bit on the depressing side. I'm just not in the mood for that.

I'm rereading the Outlander/Voyager series by Diana Gabaldon in anticipation of the new one coming out this month, so am at present reading the second in the series, Dragonfly in Amber.

I'm also starting our selection The Last of the Mohicans after searching, and searching I finally found my paperback copy, right under my nose.

LOL... I was wondering how the reading of 'Last of the Mohecan's ' was going with everyone. I'm coming to a close on it, and have to say I am slightly disappointed. More on that in the correct thread though later on I'm down to read Outlander book after next in my pile. I can't describe the feeling of having books yet to read. Full of excitement, anticipation, escapism and imagination running wild. Books allow me to be totally free. That's why I guess we all love them so much

I've been lagging behind. First because I knew I had a paperback copy here of Mohican's, and then because I got caught up in the Outlander series. I read the first 4 of that series, and then the new one came out and arrived...and then...life caught up with me.

Soon. Soon. /ducking/

lol you don't need to duck Katherine I'm sure Durga is having problems reading it too with everything else going on. It'll get done sure as eggs are eggs.

I do And what makes it somuch worse is that i just can't appreciate the narrative in this book I can't wait to finally finish it

Well, the Library Sale is this weekend, but we've purchased a few on sale at Barnes and Noble.

The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
The Pyramid by Henning Mankell
and from Amazon,
The Tamarind Seed by Evelyn Anthony
The Case for God by Karen Armstrong *

*She's an interesting author, extremely articulate, and seems sensible.

I've not been able to read as much as usual, due to certain life events.

Durga, I have Mohicans sitting right here, I've only read a few pages, and what with everything going on, I haven't been able to get into it. I've read other books during the interim. . . . . . . I just absolutely Had to read the new Gabaldon, and that even took me ages and ages. /sigh/
I'm slightly mollified by the fact that y'all have had trouble with it as well. Best intentions and all that rot.
I Will Read It. /determined look/