This year I gave 5/5 stars to only eights books, which is almost half of 2011’s 14. Apparently not a very good year, but I’ve the feeling there’s more 4/5 and less “mehs”. I’ll only know for sure when I put together my usual geekish post with all the stats, facts & figures.
As last year and the year before, Dorothy Dunnett and Patrick O’Brian make a mark. These are my most reliable authors and I’m making both the House of Niccolo and the Aubrey/Maturin series last as much as possible, only to be picked up when a sure win is needed.
Two in list are re-reads, which really supports my decision to do more of those in 2012. Three are fantasy, three historical and, a big surprise for me, two are short-stories.
Tigana de Guy Gavriel Kay (re-read, audio)
Probably my favorite stand-alone fantasy novel of all time and this time around the experience was enhanced by the voice of Simon Vance. It was as intricate, emotional and beautiful as I remembered.
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (re-read, audio)
Another great re-read, also in audio version read by one of my favorite narrators, Davina Porter. The most fascinating thing about this experience was to compare what I focused on 15 years ago and now. Must re-read it again in another 15.
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
One of the big surprises of the year. I was completely hooked by these stories about the employees of an English newspaper based in Rome. Thank you bookclub!
The King of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief #3) by Megan Whalen Turner
I was enjoying the series, but this one made me a card-carrying fan. The book is an ode to clever plotting and I loved every line of it.
Tea with Mr. Rochester by Frances Towers
The surprise of the year. I can’t tell you how touched I was by this collection of short-stories. There’s a wonderful contrast between the small and enclosed places where the stories happen and the deep and mysterious inner lives of the characters. I’m surprised it’s not a more popular Persephone.
H.M.S. Surprise (Aubrey/Maturin #3) by Patrick O’Brian
Best of the series so far. Can it get better?!
Scales of Gold (House of Niccolo #4) and The Unicorn Hunt (House of Niccolo #5) by Dorothy Dunnett
If I had to choose the best of the best of 2012 it would have to be Scales of Gold. This adventure though deep Africa of the 15th century ticked all my boxes. The Unicorn Hunt was also very good, but possibly my least favorite of the series so far. It says something about DD that even the least good is still good enough to make it to the top list, right?
Honorable mentions
- Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman (audio) – I’m still unsure if this is a 5/5 or not.
- Gone Girl by Gillian FLynn
- Polina by Bastien Vivers (graphic novel)
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (non-fiction, audio)
- The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
17 comments
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January 4, 2013 at 7:52 pm
sakura
I really must try Tigana – it’s been on my radar for so many years now. And The Imperfectionists. So many interesting titles on your list of which I’ve only read The Mists of Avalon (I loved it!)
January 4, 2013 at 8:25 pm
Claire (The Captive Reader)
I cannot wait to read Tigana! I know I am going to love it, having loved everything else I’ve read by GGK. I just ordered Tea with Mr Rochester from Persephone yesterday because everyone I know who has read it has adored it.
January 4, 2013 at 8:26 pm
Teresa (@teresasreading)
I have been meaning to read The Mists of Avalon for years after my husband suggested it to me. Why have I not thought to try it on audio?
January 4, 2013 at 8:41 pm
gaskella
I too have been meaning to re-read The Mists of Avalon – it’s been about 25 yrs! I read Tigana when it first came out – I can’t remember anything about it though other than I enjoyed it! Some other great titles in your list too.
January 4, 2013 at 8:43 pm
wolfshowl
I had a lower proportion of 5 star reads this year too. Maybe it was just an off-year?
January 4, 2013 at 8:58 pm
Larissa
You really made me want to try Tigana! As for Mists of Avalon, I should reread it myself. And I’m glad you liked Polina.
January 4, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Andre
I suppose you can consider War and Peace as a double honorable mention given its considerable size!
Looking forward for those stats!
January 5, 2013 at 3:24 am
nrlymrtl
I love Guy Gavriel Kay’s stuff. I have the hardest time picking which is my favorite. I think, ‘Ah, Tigana is my favorite,’ and then someone mentions The Lions of Al-Rassan and I think the same thing until someone mentions The Sarantine Mosiac, etc.
I’ve been meaning to read The Mists of Avalon forever… well, since I was 13. Which was a few decades ago. Hmm….maybe i should work a little harder on that TBR mountain in the living room.
January 5, 2013 at 4:10 am
jessmittens
I enjoy these kinds of posts as it gives me some ideas for books to add to my own ever growing ‘to read’ list. I’ve been meaning to write one of these posts myself, but 2012 was kind of a disappointing reading year for me I haven’t really wanted to. I don’t think I handed out any 5/5’s.
Thanks for this!
January 6, 2013 at 1:58 am
Shannon (Giraffe Days)
I LOVED Tigana too!
I could never read The Mists of Avalon. A friend gave it to me in college (when I was 16 or 17, that is) because she loved it, but I just couldn’t get into it at all. And I hated the font it was set in, that kind of thing has always impacted how I read things. But at the time it really upset me, how women were treated, so I didn’t get far and I’ve always thought of it as a boring book. I did read most of Bradley’s The Firebrand though, which my friend also gave me – I nearly finished it too. I still have both of them but I haven’t had any urge to read them.
I liked Tea With Mr Rochester but I didn’t love it. I have Gone Girl still unread, as well as the first book in the Queen’s Thief series – someone recommended it to me years ago now. I’m interested in reading The Imperfectionists but I had completely forgotten what it was about! Don’t have a copy of that one yet. And congrats for reading War and Peace!!
January 6, 2013 at 8:31 pm
Helen
I’m glad to see both the Dunnett books on your list, even if you didn’t like The Unicorn Hunt as much as Scales of Gold. I’m planning to start the Aubrey/Maturin series after I finish the House of Niccolo and am really looking forward to it. And I’ve been meaning to read something by Guy Gavriel Kay for such a long time – Tigana sounds wonderful and I’m sure I’d enjoy it if I could just get round to reading it!
January 8, 2013 at 2:07 am
Vasilly
The Mists of Avalon is such a good book! I’m going to add Polina to my reading list.
January 8, 2013 at 3:28 am
Kailana
hm, I wonder what I would think of Mists of Avalon in audio. It has been ages since I read this!
January 9, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Charlie
I have Turner so it’s good to hear the books are great. That you believe you had so many 4/5 reads makes the lesser number of 5/5 better 🙂
January 17, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Joanna @ CreateYourWorld
I finished The Mists of Avalon and LOVED it. Oh so much. The review is coming but I have so much to say that it’s taking a while to write.
I added Tigana to my list, along with several others.
And I read The Peach Keeper last week and really liked it, though not as much as Garden Spells. Probably as much as the one about the candy. Although I did love the female solidarity aspect. How does The Girl Who Chased the Moon compare? I still haven’t read that one.
January 18, 2013 at 5:31 am
Melissa
I can’t believe I’ve never read The Mists of Avalon. I really need to get on that.
April 22, 2014 at 11:16 am
Patryk
Hi Rena what a fabulous laoyut ! Very summery , gorgeous colours and a great photo of your son. Thank you for your continued support at Get Creative and also for your kind words on my blog.Mariehave a great weekend