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james_davis_nicoll
james_davis_nicoll
james_davis_nicoll
andrewduckertamaranth
... he will cry out against Frieda if she dances in the wind with her scarf flying above her like a banner. She dances for pure joy, but the war does not recognize that kind of dancing. It knows that she’s twirling her scarf in a prearranged signal to the U-boats lying out offshore, waiting. [p.128]
This was Helen Dunmore's first novel, and some of her tropes and traits are visible: sexual tension within the family, arresting images of the natural world, the inexorable force of gossip and rumour. The setting is Cornwall in 1917, a village near Zennor: D H Lawrence and his German wife Frieda have taken a cottage there, and Lawrence is trying to farm, and to maintain his anti-war stance.
The focal character, though, is Clare Coyne, only daughter of Francis Coyne: she keeps house for her widowed father, paints illustrations for his book on wild flowers, and spends what time she can spare with her friends Hannah and Peggy. As the novel opens, the three girls are eagerly awaiting the return of John William, Hannah's brother and Clare's cousin, who's on leave from the trenches because he's going to be made an officer. ( Read more... )
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andrewduckertamaranth
"...in effect, you must paint what you see, and not what you know to be there. Because what we see and what is there are not always the same thing. I suppose it is important to learn that." [loc. 2026]
My initial mini-review is here: I reread the novel for this full review and can confirm that it is still an utter delight.
Titus Pilcrow is a colourman, a maker and supplier of paints and colours for artists. As the novel opens, he is in despair, because his landlord (also his ex) is evicting him. By a stroke of fortune, ( spoilers below )
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vampwillowtamaranth
“Regardless of how we're born, we get to decide who we are and who we want to be.”
Lorel has always wanted to be a witch. Growing up in her small village, and helping her mother run the stables, is not the life she wants. But there's one problem: she was born in a male body, and there are stories of what the witches do to men who try to infiltrate their ranks.
Luckily her friend Lane, promised to the witches from birth, is determined to be a knight instead ( Read more... )
redbirdminoanmiss. While I was there, a couple of people talked about Ny, and read poetry. I disconnected after listening to one song, because listening to people sing over Zoom feels thin. There were some great photos of Ny, smiling.james_davis_nicoll
Which of these look interesting?
Demonology for Overachievers by Lily Anderson (September 2026)
13 (26.5%)
All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan (May 2026)
17 (34.7%)
The Faith of Beasts by James S. A. Corey (April 2026)
7 (14.3%)
FIYAH Literary Magazine Issue 38 published by FIYAH Literary Magazine (April 2026)
15 (30.6%)
House Haunters by KC Jones (October 2026)
8 (16.3%)
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee (May 2026)
18 (36.7%)
A Wall Is Also a Road by Annalee Newitz (October 2026)
24 (49.0%)
There Are No Giant Crabs in This Novel: A Novel of Giant Crabs by Jason Pargin (November 2026)
21 (42.9%)
A Kiss of Crimson Ash by Anuja Varghese (May 2026)
8 (16.3%)
Teddy Bears Never Die by Cho Yeeun (May 2026)
7 (14.3%)
Some other option (see comments)
1 (2.0%)
Cats!
35 (71.4%)
james_davis_nicoll
james_davis_nicoll - Bundle of Holding: Fellowship (from 2020)james_davis_nicoll - Five Stories About What Happens After We Get to the Moonjames_davis_nicoll - O Maidens in Your Savage Season, volume 1 by Mari Okada & Nao Emotoandrewducker - Interesting Links for 15-04-2026tamaranth - 2026/054: Zennor in Darkness — Helen Dunmorejames_davis_nicoll - The Sleepless (Sleepless, volume 1) by Jen Williamsandrewducker - Interesting Links for 14-04-2026tamaranth - 2026/053: How to Fake it in Society — K J Charlesjames_davis_nicoll - Bundle of Holding: The Perilous Voidjames_davis_nicoll - Five Vintage SF Works About Travelling to the Moonvampwillow - Three score and ten...andrewducker - Interesting Links for 13-04-2026tamaranth - 2026/052: The Sapling Cage — Margaret Killjoyjames_davis_nicoll - Vance Effect Works Againredbird - memorialsjames_davis_nicoll - More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeonandrewducker - Interesting Links for 12-04-2026james_davis_nicoll - Books Received April 4 — April 10andrewducker - Photo cross-postjames_davis_nicoll - The Double-Timer by Thomas M. Disch
