112

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112. ^*Simplexity by Jeffrey Kluger (309)

This was a LibraryThing Early Reviewer book.

The anecdotes and bits of data that make up this book are intriguing and very interesting to read. I've heard about some of them elsewhere - the "wisdom of the crowds" idea, that a large group of people guessing the answer to an impossible question (how many marbles does it take to fill up a car, that sort of thing) will average to near the right answer, even though most of them individually get it very wrong, for instance. The discussion about why traffic happens the way it does was also fascinating. I especially liked the chapter that compared the function of cities to the function of bodies.

But that's all it seems to be - a collection of interesting stories. Which, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading. I do find these things quite fascinating. But there weren't any any connections made between them or any overarching theories coming to light, so as much as I enjoy the stories, I don't really understand the point of the book.

113 / 150 books. 75% done!

53 / 75 *new books. 71% done!

4 / 10 ^non-fiction. 40% done!

30779 / 33000 pages. 93% done!

113

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113. *The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (386)

It's no surprise that I liked this book. A Little Princess, also by Burnett, has been one of my favorite comfort reads for many years. I loved the movie of The Secret Garden growing up, and I have seen and frequently listen to the sountrack of the musical.

No, the surprising thing is simply that I've never read it before.

As with A Little Princess, The Secret Garden is a sweet book, with lovely writing. Even what could be major disasters - the cholera in India, Mary's bad manners and temper and Colin's as well - are written so beautifully that there's no real sense of menace. The store is moved along by little mysteries - can Mary adapt to her new life? Can she find a way into the garden? What is the crying she hears and why doesn't anyone acknowledge it? And so on.

It was great to read the book having just listened to the musical. There are lines, especially dialogue, that are pulled straight out of the text, and although there are minor differences in the plot (for example, in the book, Mary's father is Mr. Craven's wife's sibling, and in the musical it is Mary's mother), the musical captures the story well.

113 / 150 books. 76% done!

54 / 75 *new books. 72% done!

4 / 10 ^non-fiction. 40% done!

31165 / 33000 pages. 94% done!

114

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114. *Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce (312)

The latest book set in the Circle universe. I tend to prefer the Tortall books as a rule, but Melting Stones doesn't have the issues that annoy me about most of the Circle books. There is only one main character in this book and one important setting, and there is one main event/disaster happening. Therefore the story doesn't keep jumping from place to place and person to person like most of the Circle books do, and Evvy's story gets more of the depth it deserves and requires.

Evvy, the young stone mage that Briar found in a previous book, got in trouble back in Winding Circle and is forced to travel with their teacher Rosethorn to try and figure out what is causing plants on a distant island to die inexplicably. Not surprisingly (because otherwise what would the point of the book be?) it turns out that Evvy's special talents are required to save the day.

Evvy is one of the most human characters that Pierce has ever written. She's self-centered and rude. She's damaged and yet cares deeply about some things - but because she's a stone mage, most of the things she cares about are stone. She recognizes (some of) her faults and, when she thinks it's necessary, tries to overcome them. She makes some huge mistakes and has to deal with the consequences.

114 / 150 books. 76% done!

55 / 75 *new books. 73% done!

4 / 10 ^non-fiction. 40% done!

31477 / 33000 pages. 95% done!