A somewhat ironic title as this collection of short stories really doesn't change anything about Valdemar or add anything really significant. The storA somewhat ironic title as this collection of short stories really doesn't change anything about Valdemar or add anything really significant. The stories vary wildly in quality and in adherence to the traditional Valdemar tropes. A couple, including one set in Kentucky, seem wildly out of place, while others, such as Midwinter Gifts fit well into Valdemar. It's not a bad collection for fans, and I discovered a couple of authors who I want to track down some of their other writing. I don't recommend it for the casual Valdemar reader or as an introduction to the world. It's just okay overall. ...more
This is a fast-paced, entertaining YA novel about a family of wizards, a princess hidden from birth, assassins, witches, and an evil necromancer. I haThis is a fast-paced, entertaining YA novel about a family of wizards, a princess hidden from birth, assassins, witches, and an evil necromancer. I had avoided reading them for quite some time because I thought they were just Harry Potter knock-offs. I was entirely wrong. Sage's writing is funny and compelling. Her characters are real and complex. They story moved along briskly and it has a nice mix of high adventure and absurd humor. Highly recommended. ...more
This is an excellent collection of short stories - not written by Sedaris but selected by him. It definitely showcases his love of stories about tenseThis is an excellent collection of short stories - not written by Sedaris but selected by him. It definitely showcases his love of stories about tense human interactions. Over all, I enjoyed the stories. A couple of them I wasn't thrilled with the ending. My only serious complaint is that it is a very, very short collection. More, please?...more
To understand and appreciate the Beats, I think you need to be exposed to their work. This work is really about the personalities involved in the moveTo understand and appreciate the Beats, I think you need to be exposed to their work. This work is really about the personalities involved in the movement. As such, I think it fails as an introduction to the Beats. If you are already a fan, it will probably also fail as an in depth study of the artisits, though it does a nice job of show casing artists other the Ginsberg, Kerouac, and Burroughs. As a work of art, though, I really enjoyed the book. The writing is concise and the the graphic novel medium is excellent for capturing the boundary bending and experimental genre. ...more
This is an excellent book. It is an excellent mystery. It kept me guessing about not only who the killer is, but also who the victim is. At the same tThis is an excellent book. It is an excellent mystery. It kept me guessing about not only who the killer is, but also who the victim is. At the same time, it is a feat of writing that had me dusting off terms from my old English classes: irony, mood, setting, unreliable narrator... It's a rich literary work. I keep wanting to discuss it with someone, but haven't found anyone else who has read it. In reading the description on Good Reads, I discovered that this is a debut novel. Amazing! I will definitely be searching out more of Walters's novels. ...more
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