"The Eagle of the Ninth" by Rosemary Sutcliff

This month I decided to pick up a couple of books about Roman Britain. The first of these is a modern children's classic by Rosemary Sutcliff called The Eagle of the Ninth.  In it, we follow a young centurion Marcus Flavius Aquila, who soon upon arrival in Britain is forced to leave the service due to an injury received in a skirmish with local tribesmen. Marcus has a much more personal connection to Britain than most. His father was a cohort commander of the Ninth Legion which disappeared without a trace during a march to Caledonia (modern day Scotland). During his stay with his uncle, Marcus hears of a rumor that the Eagle born as the standard of the Ninth Legion has been sighted in one of the druid places of worship. Marcus decides to embark on a mission to recover the Eagle and finally learn what happened to the four and half thousand legionnaires who marched under the Eagle of the Ninth.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It does a great job re-creating the atmosphere of the second century Britain. Where it falls a bit short is in character development. In particular, Marcus' slave-turned-friend Esca lacks complexity. As a rule, I do not like the trope of a native becoming a sidekick to a conqueror. I think Esca's motivation to help Marcus could have been explored a bit more. Nonetheless, this was a very enjoyable read, and I will continue with Sutcliff's other novels in the Dolphin Ring Cycle.

"The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" by Stuart Turton

This book was one wild ride. I saw someone describe it as a cross between Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey. I couldn't agree more. The setting is a long-abandoned estate located deep in the woods and far from any civilization. Lord and Lady Hardcastle host a large party to celebrate the return of their daughter Evelyn who had for many years lived in France. The party is held on an anniversary of their son's death who was murdered at a lake near the estate almost 20 years ago. The same guests who were present at the time of his death, are re-assembled here now. But on the night of the party, the guest of honor Evelyn will die.

Now comes the Agatha-Christie-with-a-twist element of the story: Aiden Bishop has 8 days to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. He will relive the day of the murder 8 times, and he will do so while inhabiting 8 different guests present at the party. This book is unpredictable, action packed, creepy and unputdownable. Even though I zoomed through certain sections of it, it is quite a chunker at over 500 pages, and took me over a week to read.

If you are someone who likes murder mysteries, I highly recommend this one. It is original, and very well and realistically written. I could not guess who the murderer was, and there are so many twists and turns that you have to hold on to your seat to the very end. 5 out of 5 stars from me. I cannot wait to see what else this author has in store!

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley. The novel will officially come out in the US tomorrow, September 18th, 2018.

Reading Autobiographical Essays: Chabon and Sedaris

I recently discovered a new genre that I enjoy: autobiographical essays. I first ventured into the genre when I picked up David Sedaris' Calypso which came as part of my Book of the Month subscription. This book was delightful. Sedaris reflects on everything from tracking steps on his Fit-Bit to talking to strangers to our inevitable mortality. Some of the essays in this book are laugh-out-loud funny and some tend to be more introspective and melancholy in nature. The stories are interconnected and the same characters re-appear over and over again. So by the end of the book,  you feel like you really got to know Sedaris' family. He makes poignant observations and captures essential details of others' personalities and quirks. I highly recommend this book.

The second essay collection that I just recently finished on an audiobook was Pops: Fatherhood in Pieces by Michael Chabon. The book begins with an account of a conversion Michael Chabon had in his youth with an unnamed famous writer, who advised him not to have kids if he ever wants to be a successful author. Well, Chabon has fathered four children and according to him, was the most prolific in putting out novels while enjoying a happy family life. His essays focus on the lessons he's learned about being a parent, on his relationship with his children and the love he has for his own father and the memories he cherishes of spending time with him now that his dad is no longer here.

I highly recommend both of these books. They are fairly short but pack an impressive punch. I will definitely be reading more from both of these authors. 5 out of 5 stars to both collections.