I don’t often read thrillers, but I always enjoy David Ignatius’ writing, so I picked this one up at the suggestion of Mr. Luxury. Here’s the summary: There’s a new super-duper-secret CIA unit that is trying to buy peace with America’s enemies, specifically those in Pakistan. Young, intrepid Sophie Marx joins this super-secret unit because it gives her the chance to do spy things instead of just sit in an office in Virginia. Soon, unfortunately, their super-undercover operatives start showing up dead, and Sophie is […]
Your bangs are curled, your lashes whirled, but still the world is cruel.
This book was tough for me to rate. I didn’t really NOT like it, and the plot was good, and it was an easy read. But I have notes. I liked the plot: Vimbai, hairdresser in Harare, Zimbabwe, enjoys local fame as the best hairdresser around until an unknown (male!) hairdresser comes in and steals her thunder. Her old loyal customers are won over by this new hair magician and she, of course, is overcome with jealousy. Gradually, we learn her story: she’s a […]
Morning in Angola
Book 4 of 10 African novels! The author, Ondjaki, is quite prolific, and I’d never heard of him before specifically seeking out African authors! In my search for African authors and novels, I’ve found it’s pretty easy to find novels about the immigrant (Africa-to-US) experience, but harder to find accessible (and English!) novels by Africans who still live in and write about their home country. So I was glad to find this little novel, which is unlike any other Africa-related books on my list. This […]
There’s magic just beyond…
Well, this was just fun. I saw the movie years ago, before I knew who Neil Gaiman was, and I went in with no expectations. I remember being surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie, and that’s about it. A few years later, I picked up the book after finishing Gaiman’s American Gods, without realizing that this was the book the movie was based on. And now after reading the book, I want to watch the movie again. The story has all the elements […]