book reviews

pre-vacation book reviews! Some of the best kind ...

Erle Stanley Gardner, The Case of the Restless Redhead. Not a bad entry in the Mason series - the plot moved along nicely, was relatively convoluted, and you certainly couldn't guess who the bad guys were. None of the characters was particularly memorable, however, and Mason's legal shenanigans were a bit closer to the line than usual for him. I'd say this one was solidly middle of the pack.

Jean M. Auel, The Clan of the Cave Bear. I remember reading this for school, and I remember thinking it was pretty good. I also, however, remember thinking it was fairly well researched and historically accurate (so far as it could be). This time through, I found the book a disappointment. Ayla, the human girl, is less like an early human and more like a 20th century woman dropped into a cave filled with neanderthals. The neanderthals themselves possess secrets and wisdom that mankind wouldn't have for thousands of years after this book was set. The characters were interesting, but overall, it just wasn't quite good enough, and certainly not as good, or as respect-worthy, as I remember.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Roman Dusk. I find Yarbro's Saint-Germain books fall into one of two categories - compellingly well written, or overly complicated and dull. This one didn't achieve either extreme. It was pleasant, it was interesting, but it failed to truly grab me. I'm keeping it for the amazingly detailed glossary and gazetteer in the back, not because I expect a year from now to remember what happened in it.

Louisa May Alcott, The Journals of ... Truthfully, I found these a bit disappointing. You hear so much about Alcott's journals, and her family's habit of reading and commenting on each other's journals, and I found Alcott's journals to be very Jo March-like: businesslike, largely unsentimental. They were interesting, but less so than I had expected.