Vacation!

Ah, vacation. J is on break between quarters and I've taken the short week off to be able to spend time with him. We spent the first two days running around, starting Christmas shopping (mostly for his family), catching up with friends. Today I hope to make further progress on some of the craft gifts I'm planning. And catch up a bit on to do's around the house.

A couple of books from a bit ago:

Book #17 (sigh, one of these years I'll get to 50. Doesn't look like I'll even hit 30 this year):
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. I loved this! At first you are struck by the differences in the bred-to-be-freaks that are the Binewski children. By the grotesqueness of the concept. I've had friends squirm as I start to describe the premise. Then you are pulled in. By Arturo's philosophy that "norms" and the beautiful are tormented and cannot fully reach their potential without becoming freaks themselves.

I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy. Each of these innocents on the street is engulfed by a terror of their own ordinariness. They would do anything to be unique. - Arturo Binewski

By the marked isolation of the Binewski's and its impact on their worldview and their ability to even consider functioning outside the Fabulon.

Our contact with norms outside the show was in dashes and flashes. Overheard phrases unconnected to lives. Outsiders weren't very real to me.

Overall, Dunn has a gift for wonderful turns of phrase and descriptions. The story is quite moving and holds your attention. I wasn't as happy with the end because I don't think it had to be that way and still question why.

Book #18: Rhapsody: Child of Blood by Elizabeth Haydon. This gets a big MEH. There are portions that are not very interesting or character forming that drag on and on and on. That said, threads came together enough towards the end that I did change my mind about reading at least the second in the trilogy, but will get it from the library and not pay for it.