The Shadow of Books

I'm on the verge of finishing "The Shadow of the Wind", and, despite the reasoning of two of my friends, I like it. It's fascinating - admittedly full of tiring italics and summaries -, and from what I've sensed, the ending is just as bleak as I like them (I'm hoping the Russians will prove the masters of bleak endings I've been promised). I balked at a few clichés along the lines of people shedding a single tear, but it is, none the less a beautiful story. And things do happen, they are just not close to the scope of the events Brown dishes out.

Entirely unrelated, I was reminded by Gina of "Violin", and I skimmed parts of it. I impersonated Freud, and I think I know why I liked it: the antagonist - it is the only term I can think of that fits - is a beautiful, dead Russian violinist, who adored Beethoven and answers to Stefan. Note that his name is nothing of that silly Swedish sort, with the long -e, and ridiculous sound. It's the delightful russian version, with the characteristically long -a ("Stefaan"). Not only am I week for fictitious Russians, but for the name Stefan in particular. Him being the apprentice of my favorite composer does not hurt, either.

And this summer's reading-list is growing. It currently encompasses what works of the Russians I can get my hands on, Proust, Joyce, French grammar and general glossary and the history of Norwegian literature. I should perhaps also try to expand my English vocabulary, I don't think I know all the words in my dictionary yet. I have a lot of lost time to make up for.

The Shadow of Books

I'm on the verge of finishing "The Shadow of the Wind", and, despite the reasoning of two of my friends, I like it. It's fascinating - admittedly full of tiring italics and summaries -, and from what I've sensed, the ending is just as bleak as I like them (I'm hoping the Russians will prove the masters of bleak endings I've been promised). I balked at a few clichés along the lines of people shedding a single tear, but it is, none the less a beautiful story. And things do happen, they are just not close to the scope of the events Brown dishes out.

Entirely unrelated, I was reminded by Gina of "Violin", and I skimmed parts of it. I impersonated Freud, and I think I know why I liked it: the antagonist - it is the only term I can think of that fits - is a beautiful, dead Russian violinist, who adored Beethoven and answers to Stefan. Note that his name is nothing of that silly Swedish sort, with the long -e, and ridiculous sound. It's the delightful russian version, with the characteristically long -a ("Stefaan"). Not only am I week for fictitious Russians, but for the name Stefan in particular. Him being the apprentice of my favorite composer does not hurt, either.

And this summer's reading-list is growing. It currently encompasses what works of the Russians I can get my hands on, Proust, Joyce, French grammar and general glossary and the history of Norwegian literature. I should perhaps also try to expand my English vocabulary, I don't think I know all the words in my dictionary yet. I have a lot of lost time to make up for.