I'm in literary nirvana. I am concurrently reading and listening to two of my favorite books. I am reading Graceling by Kristin Cashore in anticipation of the companion novel Fire, which was just released this Monday and I'm super excited to start.
And I have returned to my favorite series of books of all time... Megan Whalen Turner's Attolia books. I am currently listening to the second book, the Queen of Attolia, on CD and I'm reminded why I adore these books so. The writing is simply wonderful: descriptive and creative without being too wordy or overindulgent and laced with acerbit wit. It's so subtle; every time I read the books I catch new hints or smart little tidbits squeezed in. The characters are well defined with very distinct personalities and the protagonist, Gen, is easy to love. And the plot... oh the plot... with its unexpected twists that are woven in early on but you don't realize it... it makes these books lovely to re-read.
It's not often I find a book I enjoy more on CD than on the page... I think I have found one. At first, I really wasn't sure I would like the narrator, but oh, he has proven himself. He brings so much to the characters and allows me to savor in this book instead of race through the pages because I'm enjoying my read so much. Even the ample pauses between sections and chapters are almost long enough to be annoying, but stop just short and allow me to take a deep breath and think, "Damn, that was good..." before he moves on. I find myself smiling, aching and laughing out loud at the recording. This is good stuff right here.
Which perhaps makes me even prouder to say that Megan Whalen Turner, or MWT, well, we're kinda besties. Yup. She sent me a note. And talked about me in a bunch of emails. I have proof. Reason #572 why I adore my bf? Because after seeing how much of a drooling geek I become when I met TA Barron, he wrote to MWT... he WROTE TO MWT... and she wrote back. And they talked about me... and she sent me a note. And now it is framed and sits on my bedside table. Man, I love these books!
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