Home...

My flight was delayed for an hour in O'Hare, but I'm home now. On the flight from Chicago to SF, I somehow managed to get an Economy Plus seat in the business section that apparently the flight attendants sit in, and they fed us the same food as the business section. I need to check my credit card to see if I inadvertently paid for this, but I'm pretty sure I didn't select an upgrade...

I'm rather exhausted from being socially on 24/7; that said, OMG people I met I love you all and am so glad I got to see you. I know the con still has many problems and many moments of fail, but I felt so much safer and surrounded by allies this year. Much of this is because I have mostly only been going to panels with people I know and limiting a lot of my social interactions, and it helps that I have not been involved in Internet imbroglios lately, so people do not really randomly talk to me, thank goodness.

Also, sparkymonster's flight was delayed, so she ended up camping in our room and was on my flight to Chicago! Much giggling was had by all.

In conclusion: PRINCESS UNICORN!

Asian Women Carnival deadline approaching!

Just a reminder that deadlines for submitting to the second Asian Women Carnival is June 1, in your local time zone. The completely optional theme is "Inter/intra/transnationality," and I'm so happy about what's already been submitted and really looking forward to more.

Submit your link here.

Thomas, Sherry - Not Quite a Husband

I realize it is a very stupid idea to try and catch up with book posts while also trying to catch up from Wiscon, but nevertheless, that is what I am doing! Also, a ton of this is from chatting with coffeeandink, so I may be stealing a lot of her insights.

Four years ago, Bryony Asquith proposed to Leo Marsden, dazzled by the younger man's self and thinking that his marrying her would prove to the world that she was worthwhile. But a year later, their marriage has been annulled, and Bryony has been going around the world to escape London. Leo has just found her in India and convinces her to return with him to England, and together, they have to get through the wild landscape and past a dangerous rebellion (oh Sherry Thomas, why did this have to be set in India WHY?).

I read the prologue and bits of the first chapter back when Delicious came out and have been looking forward to it since: icy cold female doctor! The book itself both completely surpasses what I wanted and undershoots at the same time. Many parts of the characterization are completely off or do not make sense, the setting in India is pretty much as bad as I thought, and although the ending is not as tacked on as some of Thomas' other endings, the way the romance is partially resolved midway through the book left me bored and puzzled.

The structure is much like Thomas' previous two novels, although the flashbacks are few enough that they can be contained in italicized sections, as opposed to alternating chapters. I personally am a giant flashback fan, so this did not bug me, but I know other people do not like it.

First, the bad. As previously mentioned, this is set in India, starring white people. We all know how this goes, yes? I don't know if it's good or bad that there are no speaking Indian parts. I hate that non-white people are erased and made into dangerous rebels or lackeys, and yet, I am fairly sure if they did get a larger role, it would be made of fail. Also, as mentioned, Bryony and Leo get caught in a local rebellion in Swat Valley. Oh Sherry Thomas, why must you remind me that the heroes are actually the villains? I tried skimming the India sections as quickly as possible to avoid massive FAIL, but given how much plot the fighting takes, it was difficult. It is hard reading a romance novel when you are siding with the people trying to kill off the hero and thinking, "Die, British Raj, die!"

Also, Leo basically rapes Bryony in her sleep in the flashbacks—she tells him she does not want to have sex with him when she is sleeping, but he does it anyway. Sadly, the book does not find it problematic. There are sleeping-sex scenes in the present day as well, which I am conflicted about, as Leo clearly does not mind Bryony doing it to him. Still, it makes me nidgy.

Finally, the characterization.

( Spoilers )

And yet, all that said, some parts of the book make me so happy! I love icy brittle Bryony and her affinity for scalpels and diseases even as she dislikes people, and oh, Leo. Leo is wonderful.

( More spoilers )

Another bonus point: Bryony cannot conceive and... NO MIRACLE BABY.

All in all, I am not sure this would work for people who do not have my same love of Leo, Bryony, and microscopes. Still, I am glad there were moments of squee in there, although there was a lot of unevenness as well.