Month: January 2021

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

First line: I could not have written a more perfect man.

Summary: Agatha Christie, one of the most famous mystery writers of the twentieth century has gone missing. A widespread manhunt ensues looking for the missing author. Meanwhile, her husband is hiding secrets of his own. As time progresses and Agatha is not found more suspicion is placed on Archie. Then suddenly after eleven days Agatha reappears with no recollection of what happened or where she had been. What happened during these days? It is a mystery that is still yet to be uncovered.

My Thoughts: Several years ago I remember hearing about the disappearance of the Agatha Christie. It sounds like one of her stories but was actually true. I was really excited when I saw that Marie Benedict was going to bring this piece of history to life. Benedict does a great job of giving voice to historical women who time has forgotten. Even though Christie is famous, this part of her life was not as well known.

I liked the alternating time periods and perspectives. We see the beginning of the romance between Agatha and Archie. We see the progression of their lives together. But then we see how Archie deals with Agatha’s disappearance. I kept having to stop myself from Googling the case in order to avoid how the author’s reappearance happens. I liked that it was a short novel that was quick to read and gives a little more insight into such a prolific writer. I now have to read more of Christie’s novels starting with The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

FYI: Perfect for fans of Melanie Benjamin and Agatha Christie, of course.

Xochitl’s Book Thoughts: The Calculating Stars

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

First line: Do you remember where you were when the meteor hit?

Summary and Thoughts: This science fiction book is set in an alternate timeline during the Cold War when a meteor struck the United Sates and sent the world into a forever cloudiness and accelerating the change of climate. Elma York, a military airplane flyer and mathematics doctorate, is with her husband Nathaniel York, head engineer of NACA, the book’s equivalent to NASA, in a cabin in the woods when a meteor hits and wipes out the east coast of the United States. The result is the climate rapidly changing to where the Earth becomes inhabitable, meaning humans must find a way to leave the planet quickly. But during an era where both women and people of color are still looked at as beneath men who were white, even as the main focus should be coming together for an important cause, this means that the characters have to go beyond to prove themselves worthy of being in the space program and even astronauts.

As far as plot and characters go, this book was unique. Even if this book focused on how racism and sexism do hold back innovation and societal progression, women and ethnic characters were not just their identities, though the hardships they faced do help shape them. I liked that the women felt like real heroes you can read in history books. I did get frustrated at how the main character behaved at times, but I felt like the behavior I didn’t like from her was justified in many of the situations Elma was placed in. I also loved how Kowal wasn’t shy about writing about women being medicated for issues such as anxiety back then. Elma York’s anxiety was written so real and not romanticized, I can feel good about recommending this book to people and not have to worry about the issue of am I doing a disservice to those with anxiety. This book was a comforting and inspiring read, I would recommend this book to people looking for some motivation to overcome difficult obstacles.

FYI: There are strong references to sexual acts as well as characters dealing with racism and sexism.

What’s Ashley Reading?: A Year in Review

This year has a been a strange one for everyone, myself included. I spent a lot of the year in a reading funk. I just couldn’t find books that appealed to me or that kept my interest. Even with my slump I read 106 books in 2020! Below is my top 10 books of 2020.

If you have a book that you loved during 2020 or that got you through this crazy year let us know in the comments! And I will be starting 2021 off with Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie.