Two, new reviews.

I’ve been a little slow in getting these up, but here are a couple more reviews. Today I added a review of Panic, by David Marr, which (being the diligent lefty urbanite that I am) I enjoyed, in the main. The other review is of a book called Lady Almina and the Story of the Real Downton Abbey, by a real chatelaine, Lady Fiona Carnavon, and was not nearly as torturous as the cover would suggest. Not that anyone really judges that way, do they?

Much more exciting news in the review department. THIS:

How excellent. I had a taste of this at the beginning of the year. I was given a book of short stories, mostly grim, some not, based around the concept of climate change. (I’ve put the blasted thing down somewhere; when it appears again, I’ll let you know what it’s called.) It was in aid of the organisation 350.org, a very worthy org indeed. Adam Johnson was in fine company, alongside David Mitchell (literary crush alert!), Margaret Atwood, and others. Johnson donated an excerpt from this very novel, and it was mighty fine.

And that’s all I’ll say about The Orphan Master’s Son, save a confession:

I get so bloody excited when I start an obviously excellent review book, that I have to slow down my usual reading pace. And enjoy it.

I felt like this with Salvage the Bones, and with The Lonely Polygamist. That last one is a gem I reviewed a few years ago. I am yet to put all those older reviews up here. One day… Until then, get thee to a bookstore and say in your most loud and proud book buying voice,

“I’m here to buy The Lonely Polygamist, by that über-talented Mormon writer, Brady Udall.”

Make it an independent bookstore. They order stuff in and all.