Night Watch

Night Watch
by Terry Pratchett

Blurb:

'Don't put your trust in revolutions. They always come round again. That's why they're called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes.'

For a policeman, there can be few things worse than a serial killer at loose in your city. Except, perhaps, a serial killer who targets coppers, and a city on the brink of bloody revolution. The people have found their voice at last, the flags and barricades are rising...

And the question for a policeman, an officer of the law, a defender of the peace, is:

Are you with them, or are you against them?

My Reaction:
(This was a shared read-aloud with Donald, as usual with Pratchett, Wodehouse, and anything I read for the 372-Pages podcast.)

We read this in bits and pieces. It served as a stop-gap when we were caught up on the 372-Pages reading assignments and waiting for the next podcast episode.  That reading method isn't the best when you want to remember every detail of the plot, but fortunately for us, I think we mostly appreciate Pratchett for humor and general style.  

I'm not sure how much of it is the book and how much is "real life" bleeding into my entertainment, but this book felt sadder and more serious than I usually expect from Pratchett.  

The events of the latter part of the novel (especially from finding the lilac and on until the second time-travel) seemed a bit skimmed over, but on the other hand, I rarely enjoy descriptions of action/battle scenes, so that was probably a good thing! 

The social commentary (about revolutions, rioting, and the plight of law enforcement) was particularly interesting and timely to read in 2020!

Sleeping Murder

Sleeping Murder
by Agatha Christie

Blurb:

In Agatha Christie’s classic, Sleeping Murder, the indomitable Miss Marple turns ghost hunter and uncovers shocking evidence of a perfect crime.

Soon after Gwenda moved into her new home, odd things started to happen. Despite her best efforts to modernize the house, she only succeeded in dredging up its past. Worse, she felt an irrational sense of terror every time she climbed the stairs.

In fear, Gwenda turned to Miss Marple to exorcise her ghosts. Between them, they were to solve a “perfect” crime committed many years before.

My Reaction:
I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie's work on TV and film (though some adaptations are better than others).  However, I haven't read many of her novels (maybe three others, besides this one), and I thought I'd try to remedy that, especially since some of the adaptations take great liberties with the original material. That combined with my Swiss cheese memory might make some of the mysteries feel almost new to me.  

I've seen one or two TV adaptations of this novel before, and at least one of them must have made an impression, because I remembered the identity of the murderer very early in the book.  It's not quite as entertaining to read a murder mystery when you already know who the murderer is, as well as most of the key points of how s/he did it and tried to cover it up.  It was still fine, but I did lose my motivation to read quickly.  

This is a great whodunit, especially if you don't go in already knowing the answer!  

Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun
by Stephenie Meyer

Blurb:

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?

My Reaction:
This was a shared read with Donald, for the 372-Pages podcast/book club.  It completely slipped my mind to write a review right after we finished it, so these aren't my freshest reactions...

It's been a long time since I listened to the audiobook of Twilight. (I don't believe I ever read it, just listened to the audiobook.)  I remember finding it entertaining for what it was-- a young adult paranormal romance, part of the vampire-and-zombie-obsession / cultural phenomenon that I'll cheerfully admit I enjoyed. 

So yes, I thought Twilight was fine.  I'm not sure what my opinion would be if I read it today, but I suspect I'd still think it was at least "okay".  This, on the other hand, drags.  It's unnecessarily lengthy, painfully repetitious on some points, and generally-speaking, it lacks charm.  A super-fan might enjoy reading the same story less skillfully told from Edward's point of view, but the casual reader won't enjoy the experience.  Edward doesn't come across well, the plot is thin and slow-moving, and there are even a few instances where you may have trouble following the story if you aren't already familiar with Twilight.  

It's more or less what I expected.  No real surprises.  

Reading Midnight Sun reminded me of why I'm not a fan of "reunion shows" or new seasons of old TV shows.  There's a reason why I still haven't watched the "new" episodes of Gilmore Girls.  You can't go back, and if you try, the results are almost always depressing.  Everyone looks so much older.  Some of the actors have died.  That makes me feel older and sadder, too.  That ineffable something that you loved about the original is missing, never to return.  You can't bring it back, and no attempt to recapture the past can ever truly succeed.  It's really better not to try.  

But hey, at least we got some laughs out of it with the 372-Pages podcast!