ambivalence

[erastes]

Big Bang Theory - oh sigh. It continues to be as witty and as much fun as ever. Oh Sheldon how I love thee.

TRUE BLOOD COMING TO CHANNEL FOUR TODAY!!!!! whee!!! Can't wait!

I've been reading Night Watch by Sarah Waters and although I admit it's well written (although I know a good handful of writers on my flist who can do every bit as well) it's got a load of flaws as far as I'm concerned. I'll be doing a cross post review on Speak Its Name and Bosom Friends because it’s not just a lesbian story, there’s a strong gay plotline too.  But what annoys me is the entire lack of conflict – and the fact that at 500 pages of hardback it needs a damn good red penning. But hey. What do I know.

i also wish people would not write about Ireland when they obviously haven’t a bloody clue about the place. The book I’m reading for review now is the second one in a month which illustrates this fact and it’s so wrong I can hardly bear it.  Catholic boys in 1919 who “aren’t accustomed” to sharing a bed. Someone bicycling from Cork to Limerick and back in an afternoon!!!  The Black and Tans on the streets a good year before they actually were. No mention of CHURCH. At all. GAH.  People!! The Irish War of Independence is not just a fun time to set your gay romance in.  Don’t fuck around with it if you don’t know or don’t care about the people, the culture and the mind-set.  *kicks it*

Does America have a gender?  I know Germany is a Fatherland and Russia is a Motherland, and England is a woman, but what about America?  It’s referred to as a She in this book, and it’s not something I know.

Comments

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

The Irish thing really annoys me, because every time I see a gay historical set in Ireland, I'll think "ooh, lead me to it!" And then it turns out to not be recognisably Ireland at all, and I'm extra disappointed because I'd been looking forward to it so much.

Is England a woman? I know Britannia is, but is that the same thing?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It's unbelievably bad. I don't know how I'm going to be polite about it. That being said, it's not as bad as the last one I reviewed, but factually I want to kill it.

Hmmm. I always thought England was - supose i was getting muddled with Britannia - I took the symbol as a whole, I guess.

[gaedhal.livejournal.com]

What about John Bull?

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I thought that was a polite and balanced review, and it made me want to read the book. And then I read what he had commented underneath and decided I had better things to do than buy books by people who thought it was OK to be that rude just because of a slightly less than glowing review. I'll buy 'At Swim Two Boys' instead, because I haven't tried that one yet.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

i didn't read the comment. I make it a habit never to do so when an author comments, it's bad for my blood pressure!

At Swim is amazing. Don't be put off by the first 2-3 chapters as they are very Joycian and almost put me (and Gehayi) off from continuing with it. I actually had an email conversation with O'Neill, who was really really nice where I thanked him for the book and asked him about the first few chapters and he said that he's been asked about them all over the world and he's made excuses and whatnot, and now he just has come to the conclusion that "they are what they are." which is sensible!

Perhaps review it when you read it - I haven't dared attempt a review. too much in awe. still crying.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Very wise. Suffice it to say that there's an author whose books I won't be trying for a while.

Is it me or is there just too much good stuff out for me to afford at the moment?! I think I'll be asking for book tokens for Christmas :)

[mrs-norrington.livejournal.com]

I know when we discuss colonial America and the Revolution, we tend to call England the mother country but I don't know where we get that from.

It's an interesting question, particularly since Britannia is a woman, but we also know England as John Bull too.

Then there's Uncle Sam but Lady Liberty...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Very true! Very annoyingly confusing.