The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped In An IKEA Wardrobe by Romain Puertolas [Paperback, Little Shop of Stories, $17]

Recommended by the staff at LSOS, this is a short, but entertaining romp of a novel. The blurb on the cover describes it as a “comic strip of a novel”, and that seems appropriate.

An Indian Fakir contrives to go to France to buy an IKEA nail bed (I’m not sure if it’s naive to assume that doesn’t exist or that it does), and the situation gets away from him.

Full of coincidences, but that’s okay. Well-written, even though translated from French.

Worth a read, but perhaps $17 was a bit much. I read it in my 2 hour flight from Phoenix to Sacramento. A two hour movie costs $10. Usually, I expect the hours of entertainment/cost ratio of a (non-graphic) novel to be much higher than a movie. But, oh well.

Books to Weeks ratio: 19/12 = 1.6

Undermajordomo Minor by Patrick DeWitt [Little Shop of Stories, Hardcover, $19.82]

This was recommended at Little Shop of Stories with one of those handwritten signs by one of the employees. I always lend credence to those recommendations, as they work in a book shop, and probably read a fair number of books. I can’t remember being disappointed, and this time is no exception.

The best way to describe this novel would be eccentric and witty. The time and setting is vague… there are small towns, castles with Barons and Baronesses, trains… The author was very careful to give a sense of atmosphere without pinning it down too tightly as to specifics.

The dialogues are especially witty, and are reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse’s best.

A good, albiet short, read.

52 Book/Year Challenge
Week: 8
Book/Week Ratio: 2:1

The Magician’s Land By Lev Grossman

This trilogy was great. I really enjoyed the whole shebang.

I can’t put my finger on *what* exactly I liked about these books, except to say that there’s some good world building, some competent writing, and good humor. Also, some interesting and realistically flawed characters.

Highly recommend!

The Magician King by Lev Grossman [Paperback, Little Shop of Stories]

The sequel to The Magicians, this is another sharp fantasy novel. It continues to be a blend of post-graduate Harry Potter and Narnia. Couldn’t put it down.

There was one scene that was difficult to read in its darkness, and it gives me hesitation to recommend it to my almost-13 year old because of it. But… it does succeed in being seriously dark and gritty fantasy as a result.

I’ve already got the next one on hand to start. No break in continuity!

The Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell [Paperback, Little Shop of Stories]

This is a fun little graphic novel about a hapless monster who’s just not up to terrorizing his town like the townsfolk would like.  The kids got this from Santa Claus, but I’m sure he won’t mind that I borrowed it.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman [Paperback, Little Shop of Stories]

First book of 2016!  A friend recommended this trilogy to me, and having finished the first, I can’t thank her enough. For me, this was one of those books where real life becomes an annoying inconvenience keeping you away from the next chapter.  The Martian and Seveneves were the other books like that in 2015.

The best way I can describe it is to throw the whole Harry Potter and Narnia series into a blender, and then filter it through a screen of gritty reality.  The result is a well-written, R-rated roller coaster of a book.

I’m heading over to Little Shop of Stories as soon as I can to pick up the next one. Let’s keep this party moving!