The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

I finally finished it last night. I don't want to say too much before the meeting, but wanted to make a brief record here. It wasn't the worst book I've ever read but definitly the worst thing I've read in ages. It was such a terrible narrative style, there was no different voices for any of the characters, but the worst part was the "historical research", her use of "historical sources" and her definition of a good historian! I think I finally know how doctors feel when they watch medical dramas.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Last night I also finished Frankenstein which I LOVED. Unfortunately Pandora's Breeches had given me the basic story arc but it was still nice to see it played out. Having read that first it was also interesting to see the relationships between the men and their largely unseen female counterparts. THe plot was so unlike any hollywood production, so many extra characters, so much traveling and despair.

I'm not really interested in ethics but I am really interested in psychology, what makes people people and how and why they behave. This book was just a fantastic enquiry into the nature of man. I found the writing to be beautifully articulate, I loved how eloquent everyone was, including the monster. For me it was a very visual book, I could picture the hovel cottage on the remote Scottish island, and the boat stuck in the ice. I can't believe that I waited so long to read it. I'm sure I'm going to end up reading it again several times. It was just really really good!