I went to the Vancouver Fringe yesterday with an old friend, Meha ("old" in the "I have known her for several years" sense, not "elderly") and we got to talking about books. Strangely, we were both reading historical fiction books, but while Meha was reading new and exciting books, I was forced to admit I was actually re-reading books I've already read. Pope Joan, Life Mask, Creation - an historical fiction greatest hits, if you will. Which doesn't seem like that big a deal, but I've already read these books several times and it's a little embarrassing.
I think it's partly that I enjoy the familiar and fear change, but also partly because of shit like this:
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett There were many interesting things about this book and from a historical research perspective, it was super, super cool. But there was a lot of rape (haha - not my fave) and the good guys in the book basically get kicked in the nards OVER and OVER until the last four pages or so. And it's, like, an 800 page book. Thanks, Ken.
The Other Queen by Phillippa Gregory It takes a great author to make you wonder if a story you already know - in this case, the story of Mary, Queen of Scots - might end differently. But of course it doesn't end differently because it's history and really, you're just watching Mary, Queen of Scots, pull one dipshit move after another and ruining the life of the one character who's got her shit together. Smooth move, Queen of Scots.
The Thrall's Tale by Judith Lindbergh I bought this book because there were three chicks on the cover and I thought it might be a Norse girl-power kind of deal. It wasn't. The main character gets all raped and stuff and then the daughter she has is all evil and screws everyone over. Basically, everyone gets kicked right in the box. Vikings!
I'm not saying that I won't read books where bad things happen to good people. That would be stupid. But I'm certainly drawn to books where adversity is overcome - where there is redemption of some kind - where despair does not actually win - where people manage to get their shit together and move on. Life-affirming books, shall we say.
So I'm looking for some new books. Obviously I enjoy a little historical fiction and, as some of you may know, I'm a gay and like things that are gay. But I'm happy to read non-gay, non-historical books! So please - PLEASE - leave the name of your latest favourite book in the comments and help a creampuff out. Because once I'm finished this latest round, it's back to Anne of Green Gables again and we all know where that leads.
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