Back home again

[altogetherisi]

The sky is grey. I must be back in the UK.

Actually, I got back late on Thursday, but spent most of Friday sleeping and surfing tinternet while half asleep. Then I spent the weekend in London visiting my gran and two of my cousins, one of which, along with my uncle, her father, were only in the country for a couple more days.

But, here I am again, getting comfortable again in my corner of tinternet.

I have a million things to say about the books I read on holiday. This year, I was REALLY STRICT with myself over rationing the amount I was allowed to read each day, and therefore technically did not run out of books to read! For the first time in living memory! OK, there were quite a few moments/hours when I felt kinda restless, itchy palms urge to read more, but on the most part I controlled myself.

The books I read were How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Lebalestier, Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, Company of Liars by Karen Maitland, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, Tithe by Holly Black, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Also copious re-reading of The Book Thief and The Demon's Lexicon.

So maybe later, or someone asks, I will write more detailed opinions on these books, but for now I will try to just make these brief comments:

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Lebalestier was cute but left me wanting to know so much more about the world she had built rather than about the characters so much. So I don't know whether I would want a sequel or not. Maybe a sequel with different main characters. Maybe Steffi's riends from Ravenna. Hmm. Also, I think that going to Sports High would be my personal hell.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella was ok, again, cute chick lit, but not her best. Maybe because I adore a couple o her others so much, but I didn't think it was special a all. But that's ok.

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland should get some kind of award for the most creepy child. Argh. Normally, I delight in creepy children. I myself am one. I love magic, witchcraft, superstitions, and I love runes, I love witches and creepy children, so I was expecting to revel in the creepy girl in this book, to laugh mwahahaha at her creepyness, perhaps to defend her and be on her side. Perhaps also because I am so used to liking bad/evil/morally grey characters. Anyway, those feelings didnt last long. Before halfway through the book, I was like "Kill her. Will someone please kill her?! SHE'S EVIL, SHE NEEDS TO DIE." I loved the book, loved the selection of characters that make up the company, and from a more cold, analytic point of view, I love Narigorm, the creepy child. But being involved emotionally in the book = KILL HER. Bury her alive surrounded with iron and then drive an iron stake through her. Do it now. Again, from an analytic view, I was pretty impressed at how I effectively dropped some more 21st century ways of thinking and let myself get swept up in the superstition and paranoia of the period. Anyway, I loved the book overall, although I didn't at all like everything that happens in it, and the creepy child is really freaking creepy.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith was funny, but pretty much just made me want to read actual Pride and Prejudice, and probably a whole bunch of those kind of books, so I probably will now. Because while the zombie stuff was particularly funny at the beginning, more and more I kinda wanted it to go away and I've rather move back to the actual plot stuff. And when we got to the weird description of Pemberley, a little bit inside me actually kinda cried. Also, my brother thought it was funny but commented that he found the Austen style writing kinda weird and difficult, but I love love loved it. So clearly I must read more such things.

Tithe by Holly Black was cool. I really liked how it started out, and then something happened, I dunno, about a fifth into it, that had me rown because that wasn't how I had expected it would go, but then once I'd kinda shrugged and got on with it, it got really cool again. I had a moment of pause near the beginning, because one of the main characters is called Roiben, and I was a little concerned it would be too much like Robin, the name of one of my OCs at the moment. In the bookstore I remember completely rejecting a book because its protag had the same name as one of mine. But I calmed down, because it isn't the same, and oh yeah, the chaacters are so completely different, and I'm glad because liked it. Hope to get the sequel Ironside soon.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood freaked me the fuck out. I had to put it down for several hours because I genuinely couldn't stand it. I'm glad I went back to it, because it got better and less awful as it went on. I mean, the writing was not at all awful, the writing was great, and to inspire such a strong reaction in me was generally appreciated. But yes. I don't think I ever want to read it again. Because, I don't know. I don't regret reading it, and I kinda enjoyed it. But I don't really ever want to think about the subject matter again. Although, I mean it was good. But yes. It freaked me out, the beginning particularly.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath was phenomenal. I don't know why I was surprised, because I love Sylvia Plath and think she was absolutely brilliant, but I guess, maybe because there wasn't really a blurb and I wasn't sure what it was going to be about. It was also slightly wonderful/creepy, because she is so like me, I identified so much. There's this line in the History Boys, and I'm paraphrasing because I can't be bothered to look it up, when Hector talks about literature being like someone reaching out and holding your hand, and thoughts you thought were just yours being expressed by someone else, and this book was like that, so so much, sentence after sentence after sentence, whole chapters, I'd read a paragraph, think, god, this is just like me, and then the next one would be as well, and the next, and the next. Well. It was amazing. Having said that, it did then disturb me mildly later on in the book, because I can be incredibly empathetic, and since I was already so deeply into this character, being her and she was me in so many ways, I was a tiny bit concerned it might trigger me or something, which it didn't thankfully. But yeah. Absolutely incredible, definitely one of my favourite books ever. And woohoo, I can admit to it! I was so sad that it was her only novel, I wish she had written another and another and another... but I will return to her poetry.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan was very interesting and I liked it, though I started reading it on a boat so that it begins with her protag wondering whether the ocean exists was a little odd to me, but also, that idea made my heart wrench. My element is water, and I have such strong feelings about the sea and the ocean, and just this concept, which again interested my more cold analytic side, horrified my water element self. The actual book was very good, I particularly adored the relationships, the pain and confusion and frustration and love and rejection. Gorgeous, really striking chords. Can't wait for the next one.

Also, I have decided that it is OK and inevitable that I need to be writing more than one thing at a time. So I calmed down and thought about it, and so have currently two novels I actually want to write, two I'd like to plan in the future, and (excitingly) two ideas that have cautiously suggested they be short stories. Hopefully some progress will be made still on Imlie's Garden but at the moment my main focus in still on this more recent idea. Also, I have decided that if I go to Cardiff for uni I will try to pick up some of my credits from outside my department on a creative writing course if possible. Because I love it, and I should take every opportunity I am given, and because it would be great to do something different from normal academic study.

And, I am now stepping up my thinking about buying a laptop to actually, where can I buy a laptop thoughts.

At the moment, the mini laptop I really want in the Asus Eee PC 1005HA, pretty much because it is shiny and has a decent battery life. Other contenders include the 1000HE and the 1008HA. But while before I spent ages agonising before about brands, somehow I have come to this decision at least. I want an Eee. I want an Eee.

When I was still at school I was watching my friend T [E] using her Macbook, which was quite nice but I don't like Macs much, and we were chatting, and I said I was getting an Eee, and she said "Damn!... That's the only thing cooler than the Macbook." And she is always correct, of course. Duh.

So, I'm looking at these models, comparing specs and prices and actually trying to find out where you can bloody buy them from, and thinking about the small chance, but growing, that I might be able to get both a mini and a proper laptop. I won't have much money when I'm actually at uni, but it would be some awesome if I could have some lovely shiny tech to keep me happy. Anyway, I decided that on the mini I want Linux rather than Windows, so of course absolutely everything says "Windows XP pre-installed" Which was about the moment I realised Windows had named it XP so it can mock at laugh at those looking for Linux instead. But there was somewhere that was like, you can return it to  factory settings, and I wonder whether ther XP is being run by the Linux, and maybe there might be a way to turn it of? Or on? Or something? IDK.

Comments

[elixer-of-life.livejournal.com]

Welcome home :)

[pigrescuer.livejournal.com]

Your book list is a list of books I have read and books I want to read and books I am currently reading. ^_^

I've nearly finished P&P&Z and I'm finding it quite amusing. But I agree, it's making me want to read all the Austens again.

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Have you read The Handmaid's Tale yet? Because if you haven't, I'll reiterate once more: it freaked me the fuck out.

I don't know whether I'd actually recommend someone not read it, because I guess if I'm fair it is fascinating, with interesting characters and really is well written. It just horrified me. Anyway, I guess I wish someone had warned me first, so here you go.

On the other hand, maybe you have already read it and weren't as freaked as me... I honestly don't know whether I want to discuss it or pretend I never read it at all.

Not just the Austens; I've been intending to read a whole of "that lot" ie period drama fodder classics and the like for ages, so now maybe I'll stop making excuses and finally get around to it :D

[psycho-llama.livejournal.com]

Welcome back to you too!

But yes. I don't think I ever want to read it again. Because, I don't know. I don't regret reading it, and I kinda enjoyed it. But I don't really ever want to think about the subject matter again. Although, I mean it was good. But yes. It freaked me out, the beginning particularly.
Ugh, yes. We had to read this in school and I have hated it ever since. People ask me if I've read it and I shudder. It's well written and interesting, but I think it's a book you can only read once.

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

I am so relieved that you weren't asking me what it was about. There was a point when I had put it down and was, I don't know, whining to my brother how awful it was and how I hated it, and he was like, "what's it actually about?" and aside from not thinking I would be able to explain properly I really didn't want to even say it out loud.

Also, I think a little bit of me was scared that he wouldn't get it. Which might be even more horrifying.

I'm really glad you hated it too and I wasn't just being all hysterical and paranoid. Ack. So, so awful. Shuddering is definitely my reaction now.

I don't know what I would have done had I been made to read it - that I was choosing to read it was probably the only thing that let me keep going. To be forced into reading about that sort of things is just. Argh. Not good.

And I feel bad, because the writing is good, and I can recognise that the strength of my revulsion is a sign that the author is doing well and I am not totally messed up myself, but still.

Sheer revulsion beats out any appreciation in this case I think.

[eternal-vows.livejournal.com]

You're evil. You've influenced me. -_- I have never heard of an Eee pre-Chat, and now I'm saving up for one. It's like, uhhh...? I also don't know a single thing about technology and therefore will probably bug people in Chat. And now I need $21 from my mum because I forgot to bring $5 for my planner and had to borrow a friend's money. And the rest is my Grade Money that I haven't yet collected. Must do so tonight. (Also, I am wondering why I'm practically putting up a whole LJ entry on YOUR journal. Heh heh. Oops.)

Books: I've read Tithe and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Not my favourite books, but...mm...didn't kill me. I have stacks of books I haven't read over the summer. I must return them to the library this Saturday. I used to be a bookworm, but once my dad gave me the password to his laptop, my checked-out books have become somewhat dusty.

I just read this whole article: http://www.tysto.com/articles05/q1/20050324uk-us.shtml about UK and US spellings. I understand it a bit more, but I still mess up. Like above, I still put "favorite" instead of "favourite". I fixed it though. That counts for something, considering I wasn't Properly Educated for my whole life.

See you around in Chat soon. School starts Monday. :( But I still get to make everyone mad with my half-UK English and half-US English. (I still haven't got the hang of it. Someone has to throw words at me for to convert.)

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Yes I am, yes I have, and you love me for it! Mwahahaha!

I've wanted my own laptop for ages - there was a point when I would have got one automatically from my school, but then I left so I missed out. So now, I am going to uni, and the government is giving me some money, and I'm going to treat myself. If if going to live as a poor student for three years and in debt for god knows how many others, I'm determined to have a gorgeous piece of tech to help me :D Hope your mum pays you back appropriately - you'll have one too soon :)

The amount of new books I have read in recent years that haven't been for school have dwindled unfortunately, something I really want to correct. I mean, some because I keep reading fic instead, and some because I actually had work, and some because I started writing quite often instead as well. But holidays are good times to read a whole bunch, and I don't feel guilty about reading books that aren't quite literature either. Oh, and I'm absolutely awful about returning library books.

Tithe and P&P&Z weren't the best, but I generally liked them, Tithe more than P&P&Z. I liked the characters in Tithe and how they interacted and it pretty much ticked a bunch of boxes for faeries and fantasy generally with me. It wasn't groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it and would like to read the sequel.

Your picking up and pretty much conversion to UK English absolutely delights me! Seriously, it's brilliant. I hope you don't get into trouble when you start spelling things wrong properly at school :P

[devilfish101.livejournal.com]

Ahem.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

The keyboards are tiny - have you tried one out to make sure you're ok with it?

If the keyboard doesn't take your fancy (as it didn't with me and my Unfeasible Manhands), the Samsung NC10 is rather nice, and has 92% scale keyboard. And you can just install some distro of Linux over XP, or dual-boot it.

But then again, NC10 just isn't as jubilant a name. Eee. Eeeeeee.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Feels good.

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

I have now ordered one, the 1005HA that I really wanted. I have tried out a different model, I think one of the 900 series before, and while the keyboard felt a bit weird it was ok and I was typing about the same speed. But then, I have tiny hands; I knew they'd be useful for something!

And yes, you should use LJ more. Keep up, my good man.