A Man Called Ove is about a grumpy old man (he’s not really that old) surpassed by time and the society around him. He is a misfit and always has been. His constant grumping, stubbornness, and antagonist behavior make you wonder why you are sympathisizing with him. But indeed, it is impossible not to.
Each story features Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they go about Victorian England solving crimes and mysteries, often in parallel with the incompetent Scotland Yard.
They are light, quick to read stories but for today’s audience, I think their main attraction comes from their historical insight into a society with much more obvious class barriers than that of ours today.
City of Thieves by David Benioff City of Thieves recounts Lev Beniov’s experience of the siege of Leningrad. The 17-year-old protagonist is caught outside his residence building after curfew and is labelled a looter. For this crime, as for many others in the wartime city, the usual punishment is death. Lev is thrown into prison for the night where he meets Kolya, an arrogant, educated, and smooth-talking deserter who becomes his friend over the following days. Though the two expect to be executed, they are spared by a senior NKVD officer who takes their ration cards in exchange for a… Read More »City of Thieves
The “Eye of the World” starts in the sleepy village of Emond’s Field in the Two Rivers region. You are introduced to a handful of villagers on the day before the yearly Bel Tine celebration (more or less spring equinox.) These villagers become the main characters of the series. Everything is idyllic and tranquil, even with the hard winter just ending. And then, suddenly, the lives of everyone are upended by a surprise attack. The villagers’ expected life trajectory is pulled away from them and their stories become much more interesting.