Review: The First Horseman

The First Horseman by John Case
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was almost more interesting as a period piece than a contemporary novel. Considering it was written well before COVID, it is very interesting to see what an author would write about the Spanish flu and a new pandemic before all the politics came in (not once did the author assume people would be anti-mask). 

Having said that, I found quite a few issues with it. First of all, I know it was the 90s, but how naive can people be? If I’m a journalist investigating a cult that is suspected of kidnapping and killing people, and I spot some lady breaking into my car and quickly going away, and then find a slimy substance on the steering wheel, I’d probably be a tad suspicious. Likewise, if I wanted to subvert this whole conspiracy I’d probably try to formulate a plan, or something, rather than waltz into their headquarters on spec and just take it from there. It’s a miracle he survived any past assignments, let alone this book. 

Also, did people really not know what DPRK, FEMA and WMD stood for back then? I mean, I guess neither had been in the news much yet. 

Regardless, the novel was fast-paced, despite being a tad unbelievable and having cardboard cutout characters. I also liked that it took place in DC during the late 90s, since that’s where I was during that time (I could’ve been one of those drunk AU students he drove by). The author could’ve skipped the romantic interest since it seemed like an obligatory afterthought. 

2.5 stars

View all my reviews

Some lessons from Skiing for the first time after 30 years

I recently went skiing for the first time in over 30 years (the last time was January 1994). In case anyone wants to know what it feels like:

Muscle memory works. At first I was afraid I wouldn’t even be able to snow plow, but by the end of a couple runs I could turn with no issue. By the end of the second day I think I was pretty much at the level I left off. I’m sure a lot of this was due to:

Very different skis. They are much shorter and more symmetrical than they used to be. So they felt much more manageable than I expected, but still very stable.

Helmets are in! Pretty much 100% of the people had helmets. It just seemed accepted now. Teenager me would probably have made fun of this, but 40-something-year-old me cares about my noggin’, so I was glad.

Restaurants on the slopes are still my fave. The meal always feels earned.

Review: Goodbye Tsugumi

Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Banana Yoshimoto is always a pleasure to read. This story was less surreal than some, but the tone was fittingly nostalgic throughout.

Tsugumi is a frail girl who is constantly sick. So she is constantly looked after and, in part due to this, in part probably because she feels helpless, she acts spoiled and entitled. However, you quickly realize there's more to her than that. At least, the narrator does.

Regardless, an excellent read. Among my favorite Yoshimoto stories.

View all my reviews

Review: The Woman in the Purple Skirt

The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes I thoroughly enjoy a book because the message it conveys is loud and clear. This wasn’t one of those times. I did thoroughly enjoy it, but I’m not really sure what its point was. 

It deals with obsession, voyeurism, work drudgery, the rise and inevitable downfall of an employee, and various other topics. But I can’t really say I understood the ending. 

Still, it was written very well (kudos to the author as well as the translator, Lucy North) and kept me interested throughout. 

View all my reviews

Review: The Ditch

The Ditch by Herman Koch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my first Herman Koch book. I was told to read the Dinner, but, for good or bad, I chose to read this book first.



I started off really enjoying it. It reminded me of Saturday, by Ian Mcewan, with the prolonged inner monologues (ramblings?), but that's where the similarities end. This narrator is the mayor of Amsterdam and, between suspecting his wife of having an affair, his elderly parents who wish to pull the plug (is it that easy in the Netherlands?), his wife's family from an (annoyingly) anonymous country, plus a couple of side stories dealing with wind turbines, the meaning of the universe (featuring Stephen Hawking!), and the appearance of a female thrush, it all got to be a bit much. The fact is, in the end, there doesn't seem to be much of a conclusion at all. Or maybe it was all too subtle for me. However, reading other reviews I see that I'm not the only one.

Regardless, I'd give this 3.5 stars.

View all my reviews

Review: Dead Center

Dead Center by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was perfect as a light mystery novel. I forgot how much I enjoyed the Andy Carpenter series. Dry New York (New Jersey) humor combined with a fast-paced detective novel, keeping things up in the air until the end. I admittedly sort of figured out who the killer was early on, but I still enjoyed it. 

4.5 stars

View all my reviews

Review: The Village of Eight Graves

The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not sure why but I didn't enjoy this as much as the other Kindaichi novels I read. 

The story annoyed me in the sense that the two lovers could have run away (as they finally did) earlier. And why didn't they run away together? 

I thought I liked how the narrator told his own story and Kindaichi just popped up here and there, but in the end I'm not sure it really worked well. 

Anyway, too bad. I'll be taking a break but I'll probably read another Kindaichi mystery at some point. 

View all my reviews

Review: Chinatown

Chinatown by Oh Jung-hee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some interesting stories. The first one, Chinatown, is depressing in a way, but also different and unique to its time. Also it felt a bit open ended. 

Wayfarer was probably my favorite. Without giving too many spoilers, it had to do with a woman who went through a breaking and entering and, due to its being a male-centered society, was blamed for it. 

The Release was very short, but also a good story about dealing with grief as a woman. 

View all my reviews

Review: The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-40

The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Alone, 1932-40 by William Manchester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It never fails to amaze me how far the appeasement policy went during WWII. Hitler was able to take over the Rhineland, Austria, Sudetenland, and the rest of Czechoslovakia before even meeting resistance. It was only going into Poland that he actually had to battle, and even then Chamberlain wanted to sign a deal with him. 

So this book is riveting, not just for what Churchill did, but for everything going on in Europe at the time. I can’t wait to read the 3rd volume. 

View all my reviews

Review: Silenzi

Silenzi by Luca Brunoni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book starts out slowly, but then it shifts in the second part and suddenly fills in many gaps by switching the point of view from Ida to the villagers. It actually worked quite well and, just when I thought the pace was much too slow for my taste, it went into overdrive. 

I was honestly surprised it didn't take place in Ticino, but in the Swiss German part (close to Thun). So, maybe it was just me, but I kept confusing the characters (Arthur and Theodore and even Wolfgang) probably because I kept expecting it to be Ticino and kept thinking (the guy with the German name). So, yeah, it was probably just my issue.

Apparently the author was inspired to write this book after having read "Anime rubate. Bambini svizzeri all'asta", which I have now added to my wishlist. 

View all my reviews