Elections

So elections in Taiwan are over (kind of). I don't really know what to think -- my parents and most of their friends are firmly on the KMT side, my friends are mostly DPP. I personally don't support reunification with China at all, what with the still rather totalitarian rule. Plus, on the practical side, Hong Kong isn't doing so well after reunification, so what would happen to us?

I don't actually know why I am making this post, but I feel I should be documenting this. I wish I were back there now. Well, kind of, because everyone will be talking politics (not my strongest suit) and there will probably be tons of angry people in the street.

Well. Hopefully the next four years will not end up with us having the crap bombed out of us. That would be good.

Alias 3x16 Taken

Read with caution (i.e. I have unpopular opinions re: a ton of stuff in Alias)

ETA: Spoilers for future episodes in the comments...

( Warning: Spoilers for episode and promo )

Carla Kelly, The Wedding Journey

So, it looks as though I'm starting to glom Regencies as well.

I fell for Jesse Randall in about the first page, because I am a complete sucker for heroes who fall for the heroine first. I get kind of sick of the pining heroine. And he's just so earnestly good and kind and nice, even though he doesn't quite think he is.

The plot centers around his marrying Elinore Mason to get her out of marrying a scumbag because her father's in debt, and the horrible army retreat that follows when the scumbag takes offense. I had some problems with Kelly's prose... it felt a little clunky to me, especially in some of the dialogue, but that could be because I am not used to real Regency style dialogue, or just... I don't know.

I really loved the characters and how Elinore managed to be one of the saintly type heroines without ever seeming twee or precious or unbearably holy somehow. It probably helped that the hero wasn't a rake who was see the light and reform his wicked ways once he touched the innocent. And it was just interesting watching the two be good while trying to not hurt the other.

I also appreciated a non-romantic look at the Napoleonic War that didn't involve glamorous things like spies or traumatized war heroes. Jesse's a surgeon, and Kelly isn't afraid to show the poor conditions of the time. Plus, he was just so nice -- it's hard to say it without making him sound boring, except I adored the fact that he worried about things like Elinore's burdens, his own ability to save the patients, his ability to lead the retreat, etc.

Links:
- gwyneira's review