Book Review: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer:

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 1) by Marissa Meyer

Originally Read: February 9, 2012 (Not Reviewed)
Completion Date: January 30, 2015
Length: 390 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

I remember buying this book when it first came out. We were at Walmart and it caught my eye. I read it almost immediately and promptly added her to my auto-buy list. Fairest, a novella in the series, was recently released and I knew it was time to revisit Cinder and finally read the rest of the series. I really enjoyed this reread. Cinder is young, so she bugs me sometimes, but it is nice to see a series of books essentially centred around strong women and rewriting the damsel in distress stereotype. And, Marissa does it so well. She makes Cinder 'different' and looked down on by society so that it tackles prejudice and discrimination without coming right out with how it can relate to our own society. She just makes Cinder's story that much better because she has further to rise. Obviously there is more to Cinder than meets the eye, but I was very happy that I decided to go back and reread this one before moving on to the rest.

Strongly recommended!

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 2) by Marissa Meyer

Completion Date: February 1, 2015
Length: 452 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Moving on to Scarlet. I started this book when it first came out, but it just didn't call to me at the time and I put it aside until now apparently. I read it very quickly this time around, so I am glad it clicked with me finally. Frankly, Scarlet tries too hard to be a 'tough' girl and she annoys me. She got better as the book got going, but she is older than Cinder and does things that I find myself rolling my eyes about. She just didn't click with me at first. In the end I felt that the series grew in this book and I enjoyed seeing how all the stories were going to come together. It definitely turned into a page-turner of a book. I am glad I decided to undertake this journey through the series. This book made me even more excited about the series as a whole and I couldn't wait to see what happened next in Cress.

Strongly Recommended!

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 3) by Marissa Meyer

Completion Date: February 8, 2015
Length: 550 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Then I moved on to Cress. It took me a lot longer to get through this one than the first two books. It wasn't because I liked it less, it was more time constraints and the fact that I am not good at reading books by the same author in a row. So, I slowed down... I still really enjoyed the book, though, and I was so proud of myself for finishing it and catching up on a series. Cress is exactly what you would expect from a girl that has been isolated and locked up. She is a bit naive and innocent, but there is a backbone there. I enjoyed getting to know her better because she only sort of lurked in the first two books. This was her time to shine and come together with the other characters. I will enjoy seeing how things play out in the next book and how she grows as a character. In Scarlet, the characters were in a group for most of the book, but circumstances pushed them apart in this one so we got a chance to spend time with them individually before they started coming back together again. I am really enjoying them all individually and as a group. I am really excited to see how it all plays out in the final volume later this year!

Strongly Recommended!

Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 3.5) by Marissa Meyer

Completion Date: February 8, 2015
Length: 222 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall 

Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Okay, if I had been paying attention I probably wouldn't have bought this... I was behind on the series and the new book always comes out at the beginning of the year, so I just grabbed this and didn't pay attention to the fact it was a novella and the last book wasn't out until later this year. When it arrived I couldn't be bothered to send it back, so I read it instead. And, I am glad that it exists. It is the story of Levana. She is the Lunar Queen that has played a role in all of the other books, but we never really got a chance to know her. Now that I do... All I can say is 'Wow!'. Marissa has definitely come up with a very interesting back-story for the Queen. And, let's face it... Sometimes I feel bad for her, but other times she got what she deserved. I will be interested to see how this will influence my reading of Winter when everything will come to a head.

Strongly Recommended!

And that concludes my rambling post about this series...

Thursday's Tales - Week 3

Fables and Jack of Fables - A Catch-up Post

Jack of Fables - Volume 9: The End by Bill Willingham and Company

Completion Date: July 17, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

Jack Frost seeks to kill a dragon, unaware that it’s his own father. Jack Frost has just set upon the greatest quest in a long and distinguished career of great quests: To kill a dragon. Of course, he is not aware that the dragon in question is in fact his own father. Meanwhile, the Page Sisters find a new purpose in life: restoring the Great Library. This volume includes JACK OF FABLES #50, a special issue that includes appearances by everyone who’s ever shown up in the series.

When I first started reading this series, I would have been hard-pressed to pick a favourite between it and Fables, but then it went off in a direction that didn't really work for me. I enjoy the idea of Jack of Fables, but Fables will always be my first love. I am still sad that this is the end of the series, though. This will probably be filled with spoilers with it being the last book in the series, so if you don't want anything ruined you probably should skip down to the next review. In the earlier Jack of Fables, that was Jack of Beanstalk, Giant, etc fame. Now it has passed on to his son Jack Frost. I like Jack Frost, but his father was much more entertaining. He has been turned into a dragon and only makes periodic appearances now. In this edition, though, they have brought everyone back together again for a very interesting end to the series. The art was wonderful as always and I have overall enjoyed reading this series. If you want to know the details, you should read it yourself. It is no fun if I ruin it for you!

Series:
The (Nearly) Great Escape
Jack of Hearts
The Bad Prince
Americana
Turning Pages
The Big Book of War
The New Adventures of Jack and Jack
The Fulminate Blade (review)

The End

Fables - Volume 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham & Company (reread)

Completion Date: July 25, 2011

Reason for Reading: I never reviewed some of the books in the series.

When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown. But when Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Fabletown's sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf (Bigby Wolf), to determine if the killer is Bluebeard, Rose's ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber.

In 2009 I bought this book and its direct sequel with Christmas gift cards. I have been hearing about the series off and on for years, but I don't generally buy graphic novels. Let's just say that by the end of 2009 I was pretty much caught-up with the series and I do not like to think about the money that took. It was fun going back and seeing the start of the series. I had been regretting that I only reviewed some of the books in the series, so I figured with a reread I could at least have something written down for all of them. A lot of people have been comparing this comic to the television show Once Upon a Time. There are similarities, but I think there are enough differences that it is not really the same at all. I have to admit that I would have loved to see a television show of Fables, but I am also enjoying that instead there is something fresh to enjoy. In 2009 when I reviewed this book for the first time I had this to say:

It was great! This is an awesome idea for a series. I am so excited to read more from it. I can safely say that something from Fables will be on my Best of... list for 2009!

Two years later I still consider this one of my favourite series and I am looking forward to reread the rest of the books.

Fables: Volume 2 - Animal Farm by Bill Willingham & Company (reread)

Completion Date: November 3, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the rereads.

Collecting FABLES #6-10, the second story arc of the fan-favorite, critically acclaimed VERTIGO series. Travel to upstate New York, where the non-human Fable characters have found refuge on a farm, miles from mankind. But all is not well on the farm — and a conspiracy to free them from the shackles of their perceived imprisonment may lead to a war that could wrest control of the Fables community away from Snow White. Starring Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Plus, a sketchbook section featuring art by Willingham, Buckingham and Jean.

I consider to enjoy this series and the rereads. It was nice to be reminded of little details that I had forgotten since reading this book for the first time in 2009. With the series there are lots of fairy tale and bookish connections. There are many that I am sure have gone right over my head, but in this instance I had actually read Animal Farm by George Orwell and could compare the two easily. It was surprising how easy it was to do, too, because there really is a farm of animals from popular fairy tales that were unable to live in Fabletown. They are unhappy with the way things are, though, and begin acting out a scene very similar to the popular novel. After I finished this book in 2009 I was in a huge hurry to move in the series. It just keeps getting better and better. The art is once again wonderful and well-worth checking out.

Series:

Legends in Exile (review)
Animal Farm (review)
Storybook Love (review)
March of the Wooden Soldiers (review)
The Mean Seasons (review)
Homelands (review)
Arabian Nights (and Days) (review)
Wolves (review)
Sons of Empire (review)
The Good Prince
War and Pieces
The Dark Ages
The Great Fables Crossover
Witches (review)
Rose Red (review)
Super Group (Forth-coming)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Completion Date: July 10, 2011

Reason for Reading: Received a review copy of the 20th Anniversary Edition.

In Outlander, a 600-page time-travel romance, strong-willed and sensual Claire Randall leads a double life with a husband in one century, and a lover in another. Torn between fidelity and desire, she struggles to understand the pure intent of her heart. But don't let the number of pages and the Scottish dialect scare you. It's one of the fastest reads you'll have in your library.

While on her second honeymoon in the British Isles, Claire touches a boulder that hurls her back in time to the forbidden Castle Leoch with the MacKenzie clan. Not understanding the forces that brought her there, she becomes ensnared in life-threatening situations with a Scots warrior named James Fraser. But it isn't all spies and drudgery that she must endure. For amid her new surroundings and the terrors she faces, she is lured into love and passion like she's never known before.

I was lame and sore in every muscle when I woke next morning. I shuffled to the privy closet, then to the wash basin. My innards felt like churned butter. It felt as though I had been beaten with a blunt object, I reflected, then thought that that was very near the truth. The blunt object in question was visible as I came back to bed, looking now relatively harmless. Its possessor [Jamie] woke as I sat next to him, and examined me with something that looked very much like male smugness."

Gabaldon creates characters that you'll remember, laugh with, cry with, and cheer for long after you've finished the book.

Another reread! I don't reread a lot, so this is impressive. I had the chance to get the 20th Anniversary edition of this book from Random House Canada, so I decided now was the perfect time to revisit the book. I originally read the book back in 2006 and posted a review. That means it has been just over 5 years since I read the book last. I enjoyed my experience with it once again. It is not my normal sort of read to begin with, but there is enough other elements that I enjoy. I still have never read on in the series. I thought maybe after finishing the book for the second time I would feel compelled to; but I still think the first book ends satisfactory and have no burning desire to read on.

I am not even sure if there is much point saying much about this book. It has been around for 20 years and I have heard my fair share about it. I was happy to discover through my reread that while I remembered the basics of the story, there were still things that I felt like I was reading for the first time. I also had a different experience with the book this time. The first time I read it, I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting myself into. I am not a big fan of romance novels and that is pretty much what this is. I was a bit intrigued by the historical aspect, though, and the idea that there was time travel. This time, I knew that I loved it before and I was a bit worried it wouldn't hold true this time around. I am happy to report that I loved this book all over again and am excited I will have the 20th Anniversary Edition to read again in the future.

If you are one of the about 10 people that haven't read this book, you really should give it a try. It makes me wish I reread more often, but I know that will only last until I see a new book and my attention is drawn off into that direction. I still might read on in the series one day, but I am happy to have just read this book and loved it as much as I did.

My thanks to Random House Canada for sending me a copy of this book!

You can read an excerpt from this book here.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Completion Date: June 28, 2011
Reason for Reading: Fun!

When Henry meets Clare, he is twenty-eight and she is twenty. Henry has never met Clare before; Clare has known Henry since she was six. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. Henry and Clare's attempts to live normal lives are threatened by a force they can neither prevent nor control, making their passionate love story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable. The Time Traveler's Wife is a story of fate, hope and belief, and more than that, it's about the power of love to endure beyond the bounds of time.

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been feeling a bit disconnected from reading and blogging lately. I thought a good way to change things up a bit was to go back and reread some favourite books. I am also rereading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This might be the year I read beyond book two in the series! This also might be the year I finally read Her Fearful Symmetry by Niffenegger. Anyway, I think this is my third time reading The Time Traveler's Wife. I read it when it was brand new, so before blogging, and then reread it in 2009. I want to say I have reread it another time, too, but now I am not so sure.

When I read this book for the first time it was complete whim. I was browsing the bookshelves at the store and my eyes fell on this book. At the time I hadn't really heard anything about it, but I liked science-fiction and decided to give it a try. When I finished I was so excited and lent it to a bunch of my friends. They gave it back and told me they didn't get why I loved it so much. That book has been lent out more than any of my other books, but I don't think anyway I have lent it to has enjoyed the book quite as much as me. That made me sad and was one of the reasons why I was so happy when the book started to get a lot of attention and then I met blogging friends that also loved the book. This is the main reason I stick with blogging even when I get a bit dispirited.

This book was enjoyable with another read through. I still love it and look forward to reading it again in the future. I find with the book that I fly through the first part, but since I know how the book ends I tend to read a bit slower. The whole book is good, though. It is just a sad book for a while there. When I read it the first time it was all a surprise. When I read it now, though, I know the story pretty well. I forget some of the details, though, so it still reads well with every reread. I still am baffled with my love affair with this book. I was drawn to it in the first place because of the science-fiction aspect, but this is also a romance novel at the same time. I am surprised that aspect of the story didn't turn me off every time I read it, but it all works together to make an enjoyable read. I won't rehash the story because it has been reviewed forever, but I will say that I love this book and think everyone that STILL hasn't read it, should read it!

All Families are Psychotic by Douglas Coupland

The story is set in Florida, USA, and is about a dysfunctional family. The plot is supposedly about Janet Drummond, a divorced sixtysomething with three kids, Wade, Sarah and Bryan and an ex-husband Ted who's taken up with a younger woman. It's all set around Sarah's Space Shuttle flight, an event which brings the family together in one place for the first time in years - and then things start to unravel.

Today is another buddy review! Today is with Darren from Bart's Bookshelf. We have been trying to do this buddy review for days now, but things kept coming up. I am glad we finally managed to get it done!

1. Did you have a favourite character?
I have been thinking of this question over and over again because how can you not have a favourite character in a book, but honestly, I didn't! I liked all of the characters in the book and they all add something fantastic to the story. They were all so dysfunctional and flawed. They are written really well and interact so off-the-wall that you never know what is going to happen next. Coupland wrote really well!

2. The plot occasionally (well more than occasionally if we're honest!) could be described as 'out there' :) Did that detract or enhance the book for you?
It enhanced it! It is so fantastic! I love the craziness of it all. You never knew what was going to happen yet. This was actually my very first Coupland novel and it lead to me reading mostly all that he has to offer. I think this is why I love Coupland so much. You get tired of the same thing over and over again. Coupland gives you something different to look forward to every time one.

3. I know you've read a few of Douglas Coupland's other books, how does this compare/rate with those.
When someone asked me what my favourite Coupland book was, I always said this one. I think part of that is because it was my first one. If I hadn't read it then I wouldn't have read all of his others. It is hard to compare Coupland's books to one another because with a few exceptions, they are all so different! I think when I read it the first time I had never seen anything like it and was in love with how different it was.

4. While this was a first time read for me, I know that you said it'd be a re-read for you, what was your experience of the book second time around?
I hardly remembered this book at all. It was like 7 or 8 years ago that I read it. It was almost like the very first time I had read it. Things came back to me as I read it, but otherwise it was like an entirely different book. I really liked it this time around, though. It reminded me of why I wanted to read it again so many times and just didn't get around to it.

Thanks, Darren! I look forward to our next one! Be sure to head over to his blog to read his answers to my questions.

Mercedes Thompson Series - Book One - Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Books Completed: 13
Date Completed: January 10, 2009
Pages: 304
Publication Date: January 31, 2006

Reason for Reading: I was in the mood for some Mercedes Thompson. I love the series, this was a reread, and I am impatient for the new book!

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself...and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

My original review of this book was back in August of 2006. You can read it here.

Rereading is not something that I have done a lot of over the last few years, but I decided to try and reread at least a couple books this year. I selected a little pile that I wouldn't mind rereading (all of which are series, for the most part. Even when I reread I start series!). Patricia Briggs is sort of a given. I really need to read some of her backlist, but I am loving her new series. The only complaint I have is the covers... They are eye-catching, which I am sure is the point, but they do not represent the books very well. I hate that marketing scheme. I really think the covers should show that the person that drew them actually knows what the book is about, but apparently that is not criteria.

Moon Called is the story of the werewolf community in Mercy's town. She lives in a community that is not exactly what you might expect just by looking at it. Briggs has chosen to write a novel with lots of different supernatural characters all interacting together. I have read several different authors takes on the paranormal, and I have to admit that I enjoy how they can be so original while tackling the same topic. In this book, the leader of the local werewolf pack has been attacked and his daughter has been kidnapped. In an attempt to find her we get a look at the vampire community, a gremlin, a brief appearance by a troll, and some witches. The different species are built on with each successive book. I think that I might reread the other two before the new comes out, but we will have to wait and see. Part of the reason I was so caught up in this book is that I hadn't read it in over two years, so I didn't really remember what was going on at times. The other two I have read a bit more recent.

I still love this book! Patricia Briggs is a fantastic writer, and I really hope that I can get to the rest of the backlist this year, because I am sure there are lots more treasures that I haven't had a chance to enjoy yet! As always, I totally recommend this book! It's a great series, and lots of other people agree!

The Series:
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed (forth-coming)

(People are wondering how many series I have on the go... I don't actually know myself! Guess I will have to see what 2009 brings and do some counting!)

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Books Completed: 7
Date Completed: January 6, 2009
Pages: 536
Publication Date: June 29, 2004

Reason for Reading: Nymeth reviewed it, Sci-Fi Experience, and just because I wanted to!

Audrey Niffenegger's innovative debut, The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The Time Traveler’s Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals -- steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

I am always worried when I go back and read a book for the second time that I might not like it the next time, and then I am left disappointed. This was not the case at all with this book! When I read it the first time, in about 2004, I loved it. I finished it and I wanted to start it all over again. I was in university and I was getting near the end of the book. I ended up reading the last fifty pages or so in my Medieval Literature class. I just loved the book so much that I didn't want to put it down! I think if I had been a blogger when I read it the first time, I would have been worried that I could not do this book justice. I find myself worried about that all over again. I am shocked that I reread it in a little over a day; and when I closed that last page, I wanted to start the book all over again. I am so happy that this book has stood up to being one of my favourite books of all times.

This is the story of Henry and Clare. It is in many ways a romance novel, but that is not why I read it. I read it for the first time because of the time travel aspect. I was still reading science-fiction back then, so I was intriuged by this mainstream novel that had time travel written in as natural. I really thought I wasn't going to like it. It's a love story and I am just not a love story kind of person. In the end, though, I loved it! I can't even say why. I have tried, believe me! I lent it to a few people back when I read it the first time and I could never get into words just what it was about this book that captivated me so. I think I love everything, that's the problem. Even with a second read through I cannot remember a single thing that I didn't like. If I actually rated books on here, it would receive a perfect five out of five!

I won't rehash the story on here. The book first came out in 2003, so that is almost six years of reviews. If you haven't read it yet, you probably have still seen countless reviews of it, so most people are well aware of the story. It is just a book that I cannot recommend enough. You really should give it a chance! I won't tell you that you are going to love it, though, because the two people I lent it to back when I read it the first time didn't like it! That sort of made me stop recommending it, but still, do give it a try! It might become a favourite for many years to come.

An Excerpt...

Nymeth and Chris (and a lot more people, but those two came to mind right away) both read and reviewed The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I have read it before, I consider it one of my favourite books of all time, but it was before I started blogging. I have picked it up to reread it before, but something else would always end up catching my attention. Earlier today, I sat down, though, and read 200 pages. I love this book! Even though I know what is going to happen, I am still just as captivated. The worst thing, for me, is explaining to people why I like it. When I picked up today, though, and read these lines I was left thinking: 'Who wouldn't like a book that starts like this!'

Clare: The library is cool and smells like carpet cleaner, although all I can see is marble. I sign the Visitors' Log: Clare Abshire, 11:15 10-26-91 Special Collections. I have never been in the Newberry Library before, and not that I've gotten past the dark, foreboding entrance I am excited. I have a sort of Christmas-morning sense of the library as a big box full of beautiful books. The elevator is dimly lit, almost silent. I stop on the third floor and fill out an application for a Reader's Card, the I go upstairs to Special Collections. My boot heels rap the wooden floor. The room is quiet and crowded, full of solid, heavy tables piled with books and surrounded by readers. Chicago autumn morning light shines through the tall windows.

That quote is the opening lines from Chapter 1 (page 7 in the paperback edition I have). See, that is a beginning... Off to spend more time with Henry and Clare!\

Oh, and the worst thing of all is I was gathering clothes together to do a load of laundry and I think I put the book on a wet towel because now the edges are wet! (Yeah, I know, so minor in the world, but enough to make me mildly freak out...)