The Remedy

I started reading this novel, then put it down to read Committed, and now I've just finished it. I have to say that, after a bit of a slow start in my opinion, I really enjoyed the novel and even was a bit surprised by it.

The Remedy is set in Venice and London of the late 18th century, and I think one of the things the author does best is capture the sense of both of those cities. The places and characters feel very real and of of-the-moment, without feeling stereotyped in any way. The characters who most concern us are Mimosina Dolcezza and Valentine Greatrakes, a Venetian actress and a London underworld businessman, and their interesting and convoluted relationship.

Of course Mimosina isn't JUST and actress, and that isn't her real name, and she's got quite a bit more of a past than Valentine is aware of, and there's his ward, Pevanche, daughter of his murdered friend Tom, getting in the way of things, and well... it's all very complicated. The author also has alternating sections told from the perspective of Mimosina and Valentine (and Pevanche gets a say too), and that adds to the sense that we aren't sure who is being totally honest and who we can really trust. And that makes for a fun and intriguing story.

I sort of had an inkling of the mystery that's revealed at the end, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. I also liked how the author shows that the "commoners" can be the higest minded people, and the "aristrocats" can have the lowest inclinations. It was an enjoyable - if long - read.

The Remedy: A Novel

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

Any of you who have been reading this blog for a while - all 3 of you (thanks!) - know that I am a Liz Gilbert fan. I loved Eat, Pray, Love. So when I got the notice that my hold was available I put down the other book I was reading so I could read this sort-of-sequel to EPL. I'm glad I did.

Liz and Felipe are in love, and want to spend the rest of their lives together. They don't particularly want to get married though. But then the Department of Homeland Security gets involved, and they learn that in order for Felipe to live with Liz in the US they will have to be married - but only after the US government decides that it's okay. So Liz has some time to come to terms with the idea of remarrying, and she uses it wisely.

Like EPL, this is a really well-written book about Liz's travels around the world - mostly in Asia - meeting people and talking to them about the the things that concern her, in this case, marriage customs. But unlike EPL, Liz does a bunch of research too, on stuff like the history of marriage. So the book is a nice blend of feelings and facts. I learned, for instance, that the Christian church was totally against marriage at its inception: we were all supposed to commit to Jesus, not to other people, and new Christians came through conversion, not birth. But now marriage is a holy sacrament, and Liz explains how that came to be.

Anyway, this is just a really good book. I'm not saying it's necessarily going to change anyone's mind about marriage, but it might make you think about why we get married, and what kind of relationship we want to have with our spouse. I would recommend it to all Elizabeth Gilbert fans, and to anyone who is engaged to be married.

Committed: A Love Story

I See Rude People

First, a hat tip to my friend Shari for lending me this book. I basically read the whole thing on a plane from Vegas to DC. REALLY amusing but also quite interesting, and also really well-documented.

Amy Alkon is a syndicated advice columnist and blogger, who seems to have made it her mission in life to take down rude people one at a time. She is (it seems) not afraid to confront anyone about their rude behavior, and does so in some clever ways. For instance, she often takes notes on loud cellphone talkers and either calls their phone and leaves them a message (amazing the number of people who shout out their cell numbers in public places), or posts the content of her notes on her blog. She also takes pictures of rudeness and posts those on her blog. She's courageous, if a little intense.

There's a lot to like about this book. First, Alkon has a really warm, approachable voice - she writes like she's talking to you, which I really like. She's also very funny and self-deprecating. And I like that she backs up her stories with research. For instance, she explains why hearing just one side of a conversation is much more annoying and invasive to us than hearing both sides. She also, to be honest, does a lot of stuff that I totally applaud (she bills telemarketers for interrupting her at home!).

This was a good, quick read, and I went back through the book after I finished it to write down some web sites and other info that I want to check out. I'm also going to check out Amy's blog. So I'd say I really enjoyed this book.

I See Rude People: One woman's battle to beat some manners into impolite society

What Would Jane Austen Do?

This is a really cute novel. If you like Regency romance, time travel, and Jane Austen, this is the book for you.

The main character is Eleanor, a costume designer traveling in the English countryside. At her inn she encounters the ghostly Cracklebury sisters and soon finds herself transported back to the time of Jane Austen. There she meets the living Cracklebury sisters, their family, and the very sexy Lord Shermont. She also gets to meet the real life Jane Austen! Although Eleanor has no one to guide her in the manners of the period, she is luckily a huge Jane Austen fan so, when faced with a dilemma about how to act, she simply asks herself, "What would Jane Austen do?"

I really liked this book, particularly the couple of plot twists as the end that I really didn't see coming. I'll definitely look for more books by the author, Laurie Brown.

What Would Jane Austen Do?