Seasonal Plume

Lately I’ve just put down Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and I have to say that it was brilliant — I loved the fully-realized political and spiritual backdrop for the tale, and Elphaba was certainly a character. She’s the title character, but it was so well written that you actually feel and know her to be an outsider. The outsider? In her own book. Hence the politics and the spiritual/religious backdrop aren’t really a backdrop after all, but they’re pretty much the meat and core of the tale.

Being the hopeless sap that I am, you’d probably guess what my favorite part is. Spoiler alert, for those of you who don’t want to be spoiled ;) but Elphaba and Fiyero’s ultimately-doomed relationship was a treat. I was half expecting her and Boq to end up together — the other half was that I didn’t feel like I wanted her to be in a relationship. But when Fiyero and she did end up in a rather complicated relationship, it was a suprise, a good surprise, a treat. She was a little “closer” then, not so much an outsider, while it lasted.

I think I’m definitely picking up Son of a Witch now, which I had read a bit of in a bookstore back in the Philippines. It’s definitely an intriguing read.

I brought two new books this week, both of which I have high hopes for:

• Janet Fitch’s Paint it Black has been on my to-read list for some time, because I loved her White Oleander. I love her prose and writing style.
• Gregory Maguire’s Wicked is intriguing (some hate it, some love it) and I had once leafed through his Son of a Witch and was suitably intrigued (I didn’t let myself get very far into the latter since I’d probably be lost, having never read Wicked).

Meng at Booklisters told me that the third person perspective doesn’t work for Janet Fitch’s style. I haven’t started reading it yet, but I’m hoping it doesn’t disappoint too badly.

When I browse books, though, I always write down in a list the books that sound interesting, that I want to read reviews of before I decide to get. Some of these I’ve written down quite some time ago and I’m almost positive I won’t see these books again, but never mind that. I wanted to share the list I have, just in case anyone had read it and can offer a personal recommendation (or warning!). For some of them, I don’t even remember anymore what the book is about!

1. The Brontë Project, Jennifer Vandever
2. Memoirs of a Muse, Lara Vapnyar
3. The Truth About Ruby Valentine, Alison Bond
4. Notes on a Scandal, Zoe Heller
5. Windflower, Nick Bantock
6. The Republic of Trees, Sam Taylor
7. Pemberley, Emma Tennant
8. The Sultan’s Seal, Jenny White

I’ve also posted about this in Booklisters, which might possibly also yield a few recommendations/warnings. :)