14 Comments
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Kate G's avatar

Great review and I loved Prue Leith as your final GIF. This sounds way too dense for my currently overheated brain, so I’ll pass. I need to read lighter fare until the summer. Hi to Donna!

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Books on GIF's avatar

Thanks, Kate! Hope all is well with you!

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Natalie McGlocklin's avatar

I’m so very into speculative fiction in this vein, so this sounds super interesting. Excited for Solvej and where that little Sci fi adventure takes us

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Books on GIF's avatar

I'm excited for our Solvej adventure, my friend! Let's goooo!

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Amy Armstrong's avatar

I don’t think I’d be into this book, but the review is solid gold.

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Books on GIF's avatar

Thanks, Amy!

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Jam Canezal's avatar

Loved that you guys went to the actual locations in the book!

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Books on GIF's avatar

Thanks, Jam! It was a really unique experience!

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Martha's avatar

This novel sounds so cool - absolutely want to read it. I LOVE that you read it in tandem with your holiday, it makes the reading experience so much more special! If only we could all the time travel to the places the books we read are set... would be incredible.

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Books on GIF's avatar

I agree Martha! It's a rare thing indeed to see a place so vividly rendered in a book while being there. Many books are set in New York, for example, but often I find it feels like a backdrop rather than a real place. Once in a while, though, an author will capture the feel of the asphalt, the congestion of the streets, the loneliness of the bars, and it's great. That's what happened here for Belize, I think.

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Maren Kyle's avatar

Sounds like such an interesting book (you had me at JC Superstar movie fans, lol). I'm really excited to hear your thoughts on Solvej Balle. I just finished book 1 and am waiting for a copy of book 2 from the library.

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Books on GIF's avatar

Thanks, Maren! That movie is so great, and it's always wonderful to encounter another fan. I'm excited to dive in to Balle. I've heard good and also daunting things.

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Al's avatar

I immediately am adding this to my TBR. This does remind me of You Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro Enrigue. It is about the day Cortes enters Tenochtitlan. I have never been to Mexico City and don't much about Mexican history and I found it totally gripping.

I am not going to call it lighthearted, but its definitely shorter and while dealing with colonialism etc I found it SUPER readable so would recommend it. It's definitely one of my favorite more recent reads.

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Books on GIF's avatar

Thanks! I will definitely check that out. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy The Actual Star!

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