October is a strange month. On the one hand, it always feels like something new to me. I celebrate my birthday (quietly, I don’t like to make a big deal out of it) and look toward the next year, excited to see what will come. At the same time, fall in Duluth gets cold quickly and October very much means The End, the point where we all go hibernate until April. It’s confusing, is I guess what I’m saying. Climactic and temporal confusion are fine, though, if I get to read. And read I did. It was magnificent.

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The Book of the Month:

The Hands of the Emperor, by Victoria Goddard

The Hands of the Emperor is one of the most remarkable books I’ve ever read. It is hugely long. It is far too repetitive. It is also wonderful, a beautiful exploration of friendship, family, belonging, and trauma. Goddard’s writing is lovely and this story of a civil servant taking his emperor on vacation is exactly as wholesome as it should be. I won’t say anything else, other than that you should rush out and track down a copy as soon as you possibly can. If that doesn’t convince you, take a minute to read Alexandra Rowland’s incredibly enthusiastic praise for the book over at Tor.com.

The Rest:

White Cat, Black Dog, by Kelly Link

An incredible collection of deeply weird fairy tales by Kelly Link, who is incredible at rendering entire worlds in her short fiction. Read this.

Knot of Shadows, by Lois McMaster Bujold

One of my favorite Penric and Desdemona books. A solid mystery, some thinking about what it means to live in a community, and not longer than it needed to be. A delightful little book all around.

The Assassins of Thasalon, by Lois McMaster Bujold

An entire Penric and Desdemona novel, not just a novella like the other 10! All of which I wish I could go back and read again for the first time! This one was fun, but I’m not sure it entirely earned its length. Still, McMaster Bujold clearly enjoys these characters and I don’t mind spending time with them. Magic, demons, and intrigue? I don’t think I could ask for more.

The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Lahiri’s first novel, The Namesake is just plain beautiful. It takes everything I loved about the short story collection Interpreter of Maladies and goes widescreen, rendering an expansive vision of an Indian immigrant family and, in particular, their son. The plot doesn’t matter. What matters is Lahiri’s writing, which is gorgeous. I am so looking forward to reading the rest of her work.

Beautiful World, Where Are You, by Sally Rooney

For my money, a better book than Normal People, which was Rooney’s second novel. This one, which follows a group of young Irish adults, is more than a little self-indulgent. One of the characters is a successful author bothered in part by her success and the necessity of going on book tour. But! But! The self-indulgence is what makes the book great. The letters written between two of the characters are fantastic, bouncing around huge ideas at the drop of a hat. When Beautiful World was published, some critics complained that the book isn’t interested in finding solutions for the political problems its characters toss back and forth. So? It’s a novel. Sometimes all the pleasure is in the tossing and the thinking, not in the solutions.

Spear, by Nicola Griffith

With Spear, Nicola Griffith presents a wonderful spin on Arthurian legend. Barely longer than a novella, Spear is a riveting read, putting women firmly in control in the middle of King Arthur’s decline and failure to look toward the preservation of his kingdom. I devoured the book in a single sitting and I so wish there was more.

Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher

A very good little fantasy novel about a princess who completes impossible tasks, overcoming dark magic and a villainous prince with wit, flair, and a group of faithful companions. Kingfisher’s book doesn’t do anything new, exactly, but it does it with such charm that I have to recommend it. I won’t spoil anything, but I will tell you that I have rarely spent so much time thinking about chickens while reading fantasy. A tremendous delight.

The House at Sea’s End, by Elly Griffiths

The third of Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mysteries. This one starts to tinker with the formula a bit, pulling away from the mysterious letters and Roman mythology of the first two novels and adding in a World War II connection. Very Foyle’s War, though set much later. For my money, the best of the series so far, with a good helping of archeology, class, and (gasp!) a bit of romance.

The Janus Stone, by Elly Griffiths

The second of Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mysteries. I liked it less than either the first or the third — it repeats too closely the events of the first novel — but Ruth remains a very fun character and the archeological bent to the mystery is wonderfully compelling.

Women & Power: A Manifeso, by Mary Beard

I really liked this short volume by Mary Beard, but I found myself wishing that she done more to expand the essays on offer here, which originated as lectures. The author reads the audiobook, which is very good and comes in at barely more than 90 minutes. A worthwhile listen.

Minor Mage, by T. Kingfisher

Very cute! A darling middle grade-ish book about a young mage who sets out to find water for his village, accompanied by his armadillo familiar. A bit violent at times for some members of its target audience, but absolutely the kind of thing I would have loved as a young reader. Highly recommended.

The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe, by David M. Perry and Matthew Gabriele

A short history of medieval Europe with an eye toward rejecting the idea of the Dark Ages as a time when Europe was isolated and backwards. Maybe too short to cover the amount of time it covers? Still, a perfectly cromulent popular history. The audiobook, which I listened to, is read by Jim Meskimen, who does a fine job.

Ordinary Light: A Memoir, by Tracy K. Smith

Poet Smith’s memoir, framed around the death of her mother, is moving but slight. It lacks the power of her (astonishing) poetry, which means that I would probably give it miss in favor of one of her collections of verse if I were picking a place to start with her work.