No Time, No Time ...

I really hate it when I have "no time" to read. "No time" is of course relative. I have been able to do some reading ... just not as much as I want. Two books in a four week period is just not enough. It doesn't matter that I have been doing all manner of other fun things like traveling, spending time with friends and family, etc. (notice I didn't include blogging since I have been noticeably absent from blogland). I want it all. I want to do those things AND have the reading time I desire.

I'm happiest if I get to read at least a book a week. How about you? What is your minimum reading threshold?

BOOK REVIEW: Still Life by Louise Penny

I found this book while browsing the shelves at my public library. I've got towers of books to read at home, so what was I thinking when I checked out this book?? Whatever the reason, I'm glad I brought it home to read.

Still Life is a mystery cozy featuring a small Canadian village in Southern Quebec called Three Pines, eccentric characters, and, of course, a murder.

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called upon to solve the death of Jane Neal, a beloved and elderly member of Three Pines. It is inconceivable to the residents that anyone would murder Jane, though, curiously, it appears that one of them is the murderer. Chief Inspector Gamache and his team must invade the privacy of these villagers in order to find out the who and why of the murder.

Much of the interest of Still Life lies in the characters themselves. Peter and Clara Morrow, both artists, struggle with hidden jealousies and marital communication; Ben Hadley, Peter's life-long friend, harbors a secret desire for Clara; the teenage Phillipe Croft has recently given in to an unexplainable surliness and withdrawn from his family; Ruth, an elderly embittered poet, is cruel and abrasive and may have been responsible for the death of one of Jane's friends; Yolande, Jane's niece, appears to be the sole recipient of Jane's estate and has an unhealthy attitude of entitlement along with a husband whose major talents are criminal behavior and sneering at others.

While the Chief Inspector sorts through the various undercurrents of village life, he also contends with an insecure and arrogant new detective, Yvette Nichols. Gamache takes his role as mentor seriously and is a patient teacher who offers Yvette many opportunities to learn and grow.

A major theme in many mysteries is redemption. Not only does the reader want to see the crime solved and justice served, but we expect to see the redemption of characters that we don't like. Mysteries of the cozy variety tend to deliver a tidy ending that allows the reader to place characters in either a good, bad, or redeemed category. Louise Penny doesn't follow this pattern. Several of her characters continue in their unlikeable actions and attitudes despite the helpful hand that is held out to them ... much like real life. I believe the title of the book describes this lack of redemption. A still life can refer to a life that is ended (e.g. Jane), but it can also refer to a life that doesn't move, a lack of growth and maturation ... a lack of character redemption.

Still Life is Louise Penny's debut novel. It is written and plotted well. The characters are well drawn and memorable. I look forward to reading the other two books in this series ... soon!

Also reviewed at:
Thoughts of Joy

What's in a Name

Found via BookNut

1. Your rock star name (first pet, current car): Midnight Bimmer

2. Your gangsta name (fave ice cream flavour, favourite type of shoe): Coffee Naot

3. Your Native American name (favourite colour, favourite animal): Pink Kitty

4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Lynn Toledo

5. Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Bogte

6. Superhero name (2nd favourite colour, favourite drink): Blue Juice

7. NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): Ernie Jack

8. Stripper name (the name of your favourite perfume/cologne/scent, favourite candy): Coco Chanel Milkyway

10. TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Gordon Georgetown

11. Spy name (your favourite season/holiday, flower): Winter Iris

12. Cartoon name: (favourite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Cherry Denim

13. Hippie name (What you ate for breakfast, your favourite tree): Bagel Spruce