I have never met another person that shares my name even though I was named after a fictional character from quite a popular serialized French novel of the mid-nineteenth century. (That's the only clue you'll get!) I quite like my name.

Just finished reading this. It was my kind of book, sad and dark. The review is spot on.

Oh, I've been meaning to read Lexicon. I keep hearing good things about it. It's on my Kindle….along with about one hundred other books. Sigh.

That is a very tough decision you have on your hands. I was going to encourage you to read Cloud Atlas then realized how much I love Catch 22. Good luck!

There was one major plot point that was not used and could very well be used next year to good effect.

I was very disappointed by the final book in the trilogy. My advice: don't bother. However, you'll probably read it. It's what we readers do. I'd really like to know what you think of it after you finish.

A shame you can't read it in the original. An amazing modern novel.

You need to read the Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer. It fits the bill.

Glad you got that out of your system. No need to read further or you'll end up feeling….soiled. Ugh.

Oh, you will love Thousand Autumns. The way each chapter subverts expectations is simply amazing. Hell of a good story too.

Just finished Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar. The mystery is fascinating. The author's focus on himself is sort of amusing. Or silly. Or stupid. Or something. A quick read and Eichar's possible solution to what actually happened is thought-provoking.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Just started The Magician's Land.

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson.

Hannibal. I suppose it's not "new." Okay, then. True Detective.

I just LOVE Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell but I can NOT for the life of me get anyone else interested in reading it. I myself resisted it for a while and thank the gods I had been given a gift certificate and the paperback was the only book I was even mildly interested in that fit the bill (as it were). Very…

Went over to Amazon and read the synopsis. Sounds intriguing and, since it's David Mitchell, will fulfill its promise.

Yes, Last and First Men. It was written in the 1930s (if memory serves) and is best read with that in mind. Very interesting in that respect. If you are into that.

I absolutely loved Hawaii by Marco Berger. It's from last year but I only saw it a few months ago; hope no one minds. A beautiful film about two childhood friends who meet again as adults and what happens after that. Highly recommended if you like films focused on character. And so, so beautifully filmed.

Oops! My comment above was meant to be here. I'm so ashamed.