What I read this month: November 2024

 

November nearly got away from me because coming back from vacation and diving into a new job took all my attention and energy, but toward the middle of the month I remembered I still had a couple books on loan on my Kindle. Let's dive in!

I've found that starting the month with a Gaslight Mystery is a great way to keep the habit going. They're  easy and quick to read and fairly low-stakes, which I appreciate because I don't love when my escapist hobby stresses me out.

Murder on Wall Street by Victoria Thompson

In this installment of the series, reformed-gangster Jack Robinson seeks Frank's help in proving he didn't murder an investment banker. I loved seeing some favorite tertiary characters come back in this one, and although I figured out the murderer before the big reveal, the final act was still full of surprises.

I'm getting toward the end of available books in this series, so I am trying not to binge them. Reading one a month will get me through the new year, at least.

Slewfoot by Brom

After reading The Child Thief a few weeks ago, I wanted to give Brom another shot, and I just happened to have Slewfoot on my Libby wish list. This horror novel takes place in 1666 in a Puritan colony in Connecticut. Within the first couple chapters, I knew this one would be a struggle. The story was immediately interesting and engrossing, but the misogyny was hard to get through.

I read the first third of this novel in little sips here and there, but by the time I neared the halfway point, it was much easier to read in bigger gulps. Slewfoot follows Abitha, who owes a debt to her deceased husband's brother, who is trying steal her farm. As she struggles to farm her homestead alone, she gets some supernatural help.

This novel explores the concept of god and the devil and righteousness vs. evil. The final act was incredibly satisfying. I felt like The Child Thief lost its way toward the end, so it was nice to see this author carry a story to a satisfying and fitting conclusion.

Throughout Slewfoot, there's a lot of discussion around needs and desires, and how wielding religion with the purpose to subjugate and oppress not only turns people away from the "light", but can also lead them to embrace the "dark". This is a lesson that applies not just to religion but to any system of belief; hitting people over the head with your message isn't really the best way to draw them in, is it?

Like in The Child Thief, Brom's study of Puritan culture presents a thesis that what some people see as righteousness, others see as unadulterated evil. It was hard to read at times, but I enjoyed watching some of the characters find the gray areas and break free from their blinders...and the vengeance wreaked upon those who deserved it was very nice to see too.

Ali