Oct. 13: Columbus Day Monday

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Miss Peregrine is extremely well-written, but it doesn't quite live up to its opening promise: it starts as a truly unsettling fantasy/allegory, but then slowly* turns into yet another y.a. fantasy in which the first volume is just a lead-in to the next, which I'm not intrigued enough to read. Throughout, Riggs's writing is sharp, original, and detailed, but overall, I'm a bit disappointed. Once again, perhaps if I were actually a young adult, I'd find the book as excellent as its writing.

*possibly, the fact that it took me a solid month to read the novel is to blame for its seemingly draggy plot.

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Well, one of my goals for this weekend was to finish both The View from Penthouse B and Miss Peregrine: DONE! I also got the first twin stocking done to the toe (which I hope to complete tonight, celebrating two days of school-but-no-classes: parent confs. and testing), made streusel topped apple cake and coconut pumpkin bisque, AND emptied the cat box. AND made Nate's bed, as he is due to come home for his long weekend on Wed., and we had never made it since he left! We did have a lovely weekend with Nate at Bates's Parents' Weekend, staying at Mom's. The most moving part, besides seeing our younger boy thriving in his very own element, was seeing my father be raved over by a lot of people: one woman told her daughters, both of whom go to Bates, "This is him! This is Professor Leamon, my favorite professor!" It was just great. Nate said to me later, "I didn't know Grandpa Jim was so famous." And, as a long-time teacher myself, I know how incredibly affirming it is to be told one has made a difference. So nice.

My next two audiobooks are Margaret Allingham's first two Campion novels: Black Dudley Murders and Mystery Mile. I have read both, I think, but a long time ago, and I only remember that Allingham can do some very creepy stuff. . . . I'd like to read Elinor Lipman's newest novel, and then I think I will see if I can get Amy Poehler's new one as well. So. Onwards! Stocking toes call. . . but first, there's an apple cake that is just cool enough to slice, I think!