No, it isn’t the snazzy name of my new law firm. Barbery, Brennan, and Grossman are the authors of the three books I picked up for my birthday, which I’ve finally finished reading.
- Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery. This novel is set contemporaneously to Barbery’s previous and wonderful novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog; however, it didn’t quite live up to its predecessor. The main character is a dying French food critic who searches his memory for the perfect flavor, something to have made his life worthwhile. His musings are layered with mini-portraits of him given by his family, friends, acquaintances, and even his cat. While the lofty, fluid prose gives off a savory aroma, the bite and swallow of the novel(la?) didn’t seem to match. 7.5 / 10.0.
- Warrior by Marie Brennan. Twin fantasy assassin witches. Need I mention that I won’t be picking up the sequel? 5.0 / 10.0.
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman. This novel has been receiving quite a bit of critical attention. Quentin Coldwater, a normal New York teenager, is obsessed with the children’s fantasy series set in Fillory (read: Narnia). The narrative is fantasy on two levels: First he is invited to Brakebills, a college for magicians in another dimension overlapping New York. Fine so far. But after Quentin graduates, he and a coterie of friends find to their surprise that Fillory is a real place too. This metafantasy, for me, tends to fall apart. I would have wanted either Brakebills or Fillory, but not both. Nevertheless, the story and characters are exceedingly compelling, and the story holds together (though only just). The interesting bits far outweigh the overdone bits, so I’m willing to give the novel a second chance sometime in the future. 8.5 /10.0.
And with a gift card, I just picked up The Best American Short Stories 2009 to read on the bus. And a cookie. But I already ate it. Happy Birthday to me!
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