Three literary females

Right now I should *I will, I am, promise, just ponder a bit over the perfect wording* - be writing job applications. I'm doing this and trying to convince myself not to get too bored out of my wit and approaching it in a salesman-way *that's SO NOT me*;

Every "no, thank you" is a step closer to a yes, yes, yes!

And I really, badly need a break from thinking-like-a-salesman...

So what can be better than to think wordly thoughts on what really pleases me, that certain something that fills me with joy and warm-hearted thoughts, that paint the whole world with pink happiness - well, sort of, mostly - that certain something that goes by the name book.

And yes I did promise I'd review a few books, mainly giving you the name of my newfound favourite writer - at least I hope she'll be, that the rest of her books will be equally amazing... - but I'll get to her in due time. First out will be another newfound writer, namely

* Jacqueline Winspear - Maisie Dobbs is a female private detective in London in the 1920ies. She's been a nurse in the WW1 trenches and the full extent of her experiences there isn't revealed until the very last pages - that's a really neat way to keep the interest going!

And yes, I guess that if I wasn't eagerly awaiting that, I'm not sure if I'd continued reading the book all the way to the end... The first third of the book was showing so much promise, but then there was a flashback to her childhood and how she took her first steps towards enlightenment. And really, that was described in such an irritating fussily way I squirmed every time I turned a page...

The last third of the book picked up, but that middle third part had partly ruined the reading experience and yes, my overall impression of the book is FUSSY and sort of patronizing. And lo and behold, what a surprise, the ending and the plot was a really slapdashjob.

I love the paperback cover though. And well, yes, these kind of nice, sapient detective stories almost always give me sleuthic ideas of becoming one myself... Which is of course completely ridiculous... Isn't it...? Pia-mark: 2-3/5

* Marian Keynes gets me Further under the duvet. I'm not really sure why I continue reading her books, I think she repeats herself again and again and again AND again... But I suppose it's a rather entertaining repetion, in smaller doses. Even if the stories are but meager.

Since the Keynes-dose in general absorbs through one eye and sort of evaporate through the other, i e it's hard to even remotely remember what you've read after a minute or two, you can start all over again and convince yourself you've never read someting like it before... Sort of. Well, in parts she does write very entertainingly and humorous - but in parts her writing really bugs the * out of me.

And yes, you're allowed to indulge in your passion for shopping, shoes, cosmetics, HANDBAGS as well as being a concerned consumer with a conscience *I think*, but sometimes all that just goes a bit excessive in her books, for my humble taste... And this book only basically being previously published magazine-articles, well... Pia-mark: -2/5

And now the piece de resistance;

* Ensemble, cést tout by Anna Gavalda, with the lovely translation into Swedish being "Together one is less alone" (and the English translation for some unknown reason being "Hunting and gathering"...??). After one page of the book I was in tears. After a few more pages I was deeply in love. And having finished it - with many underlines! - I have a certain feeling of undeniable loss.

It is just that kind of book you both fervently want to finish, want to see the very last sentence of, want to absorbe in full as well as wanting to savour every piece of, every syllable of, every letter of for ever and ever... Truly, madly, deeply loved every page of it! Pia-mark: +5/5

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