The Books I'm Reading Now
I'm reading A Restless Truth, the second book in Freya Marske's historical fiction fantasy mystery duology; I'm reading Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt's novel about a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus; and I'm listening to How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur (creator of The Good Place), nonfiction that explores how to be a "good" human being and what duty to our fellow persons might look like in various situations.
What are you reading these days, bookworms?
01 A Restless Truth (Last Binding #2) by Freya Marske
A Restless Truth is the second in Freya Marske's queer fantasy mystery Last Binding series that began with A Marvellous Light.
A Marvellous Light was full of Edwardian England detail, gay love, mystery, magic, wonderful dialogue and banter, and plenty of heart. I adored it.
In A Restless Truth, the irresistible character of Maud Blyth expects plenty of adventure when she agrees to serve as companion to an elderly woman on an ocean liner (so she can help her beloved older brother resolve a magical mystery decades in the making).
But when her charge drops dead on day one, Maud must identify the murderer, try to get her hands on a magical object essential to untangling the mystery at hand--and try to survive the voyage without being murdered herself.
02 Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures centers around a widow who makes an unlikely friend.
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at her local aquarium as a custodian. She's always felt that keeping busy helps her cope--she tried the same approach when her son disappeared on a boat in Puget Sound decades earlier.
Then Tova forms a connection with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who heretofore has been unwilling to cooperate with his captors.
Is it possible that Marcellus holds the key to finding answers regarding her son's mysterious disappearance?
03 How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur
In How to Be Perfect, Michael Schur, the creator of Parks and Recreation and The Good Place, uses 2,400 years of morality and ethics thinking to craft this guide to how to behave in the world.
What does being a "good" person mean? What do we owe to each other? What's our duty to our fellow humans in certain situations?
With sections read by stars of The Good Place, Schur's How to Be Perfect is funny, interesting--and a heartwarming reminder that there are thoughtful, kind, well-meaning people out there spending time reflecting on how best to be a human in today's world. That in and of itself is a comfort.