contemplativeI felt kinda meh about volume 9 - it was mostly a Nick Fury story, not a Spider-Man story, and it felt like an interruption - but 10 got back in the groove. Love Spidey when he's fighting indignant.
(80-81/200, 48-49/100)
Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra, by Greg Rucka et al
Solid plot, good characterization. The context is so VERY late-90s-earnest-college-feminist, and so carefully depicted, that I occasionally had to put the book down until the (mostly good) memories settled down.
(82/200, 50/100)
Ultimate Elektra, by Mike Carey et al
The tone and flavor of this one were a lot different, especially how Elektra thinks and what she chooses to do. I told my husband, "Wow, it's like a Sin City character is running around in a 4-color universe or something". He snorted. Frank Miller was the first one to write her. Learn something new every day. And, I guess, Mike Carey must've done a great job channeling the original character concept. *grins*
(83/200, 51/100)
Underground, by Haruki Murakami
I really struggled to finish this book, and to pay attention to it while I was reading it. Not because it was poorly written, or uninteresting, but because the experiences recounted are so horrible - Murakami transcribed dozens of interviews with survivors of the sarin gas attacks committed by members of Aum Shinrikyo in 1995. Reading all those slightly different accounts of fear and suffering was rather dizzying, but I do feel like I understand what happened and how the survivors were affected much better than I did before. Also, Murakami has some insightful things to say about the tragedy, and about Aum (he also interviewed a handful of Aum members, and those interviews are included).
(84/200)
A Posse of Princesses, by Sherwood Smith
I need something light and wholesome after the heartbreaking repetitions of Underground, and this was exactly that. I find Smith's YA less complex and less challenging than her adult work, but equally charming.
(85/200, 52/100)
Last Watch, by Sergei Lukyanenko
Epically satisfying conclusion to my favorite urban fantasy series. Wry and dark and biting, but with plenty of cracks where the light gets in. I love these novels. A person should, of course, start not here at the end, but at the beginning, with Night Watch.
(86/200, 53/100)
