A Certain Slant of Light

What I’ve Just Finished Reading

When Mrs. Spring Fragrance first arrived in Seattle, she was unacquainted with even one word of the American language. Five years later her husband, speaking of her, said: ‘There are no more American words for her learning.” And everyone who knew Mrs. Spring Fragrance agreed with Mr. Spring Fragrance.

For a long time I’ve been meaning to read one of Sui Sin Far’s short stories, and this week I finally read Mrs. Spring Fragrance. Sui Sin Far was the penname of Edith Maude Eaton, daughter of an Englishman and a Chinese woman who had been adopted as a child by English missionaries; she wrote short stories about the Chinese immigrant experience in America, and if this story is any example they were charming stories (stylistically very characteristic of the time) with the occasional well-planted barb about American immigration policies toward China and attitudes towards Chinese immigrants.

I also read W. E. Johns’ Biggles in the Baltic, a World War II adventure in which Biggles and company operate out of a SECRET ISLAND BASE in the Baltic, which they manage to keep secret for less than a week, which their CO cheerily tells them was longer than anyone expected, actually! We really thought you’d all die out there! Ready for your next mission? THANKS COLONEL RAYMOND. GLAD TO HEAR IT.

And I finished D. E. Stevenson’s Winter and Rough Weather, in which James and Rhoda settled into their farmhouse at the end of a borderline-impassible road. This road came up so many times I was convinced was going to become a plot point, probably involving Rhoda giving birth in the middle of a thunderstorm which would make it impossible for the doctor to get through.

In fact, Chekhov’s Road never washes out at a plot-important point. This is a quiet yet absorbing book about ordinary people living mostly pleasant lives. I always enjoy Stevenson’s character dynamics: they seem so real and well-observed.

What I’m Reading Now

A Coalition of Lions, the sequel to The Winter Prince. Remember how we spent all of The Winter Prince establishing Medraut’s undying loyalty to Lleu? PSYCH, both of them died before this book even started, so none of that matters!!!

Actually no one saw Medraut die so I’d lay strong odds that he’s alive, and I wouldn’t be exactly surprised if it turns out Lleu is alive too… But wow! A startling transition for sure!

What I Plan to Read Next

littlerhymes has sent me an omnibus of Biggles Flies East AND Biggles Flies West!