Snow, by John Banville

Set in 1950s rural Ireland, Snow follows a murder investigation in one of the remaining Houses of the era. Ballyglass House, full of secrets is where the body of a priest is discovered. Even the characters are struck by the irony of it all. In the Library, one exclaims!

I feel the author is trying to be clever, and show us he is aware of his cleverness by highlighting it to show he's only half serious, but the tone of the book leaves no room for humour elsewhere, so it feels like he's just showing off.

Its not a long book, but it is a long read, tedious at times, and not very interesting. The main character, Strafford with an r, is utterly insufferably boring. The crime itself, while gory and apparently motiveless, takes back stage to the self pity and droning on of most of the characters.

The motive reveals itself through a flashback to be one of the most clichéd, lazy pieces of writing I've read in a long time.

The author writes beautifully, and the scenes he paints are vivid and stunning, like painting with words, but sadly all that fails to elevate the story, which simply isn't great.

The coda goes a way to give closure, but feels it would have been better explained in the main narrative rather than 10 years later when all the characters have already moved on.

Sadly disappointing. 

Witch Bottle, by Tom Fletcher

Set in the grim north of England, this book follows the daily grind of Daniel, a man who's milk round is interuppted only by the occasional visit to a cage and its enticing owner.
The book opens with a scene of such visceral imagery I will admit it took me a day or two to process it and return to the book. And I am very glad I did. The plot is simple enough but beautifully told in exquisite language. Daniel begins to see a ghost haunt him and his dreams to the point where he can no longer sleep. Many of his milkround customers also begin to see visions of dead loved ones. Enter the cafe owner, Kathryn, a witch, who provides solutions in the form of the titular witch bottle. But not every one is happy with the bottles, and the very sinister Fallen Stock men soon begin to threathen everything.
Excellent secondary characters and descriptive passages litter the pages of this book which is, on the face of it, a ghost story
But as you read on, the levels to the writing subtly reveal a commentary on depression and anxiety. Throw in a failed marraige and a dead baby sibling, Daniel struggles with his mental health throughout. The ghosts, and human-flesh-eating giant that threatens to invade this world are well drawn allegories for the fears and worries of Daniel, but also for the world at large.
The book feels like a deeply personal story, and all credit to Tom Fletcher for writing it in such a way.
Terrifying yet moving, this is a truly great story. 

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and Jo Fletcher Books for a free copy in exchange for this honest and fair review.

The Sentinel, by Lee and Andrew Child.

The newest in the long series of Jack Reacher novels. This time with a difference. Lee Child, the author of the previous 25 books is stepping down, or stepping away. But before he does he is keeping Reacher alive by handing over writing duties to his brother. They intend on collaborating on a few before Andrew takes over full time, and this is the first in the transition period of two authors.

The beauty of these books is the simplicity of them. Reacher rocks up to a small town somewhere in the great expanse of middle America, he runs into someone and stumbles upon a grave injustice. Which he deliberates over getting involved in for a time, before turning into a human wrecking ball on a mission to restore order and put the bad guys in their place. Whether that place is prison or a grave, Reacher doesn't really care.

What follows is a good old fashioned mystery with a good dollop of fight scenes which are wonderfully written. Big fists crashing into wide stomachs and brittle noses, roundhouse kicks knocking guns flying and skulls cracking. What's not to like?

The transition is seamless but you can almost sense an evolving of Reacher, breaking some of his own rules, making exceptions, and as he says himself, sometimes they all worked out OK.

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

 

Neil Gaiman is one of those authors whose books have always been on my radar, but always kind of at the periphery for some unknown reason. I loved Anansi Boys, and devoured American Gods, but that's it. I've dipped in and out of Sandman, but its sheer size has intimidated me slightly. 

When I found this in my local library I had no excuse. And I'm so glad I did.

Its a wonderfully dark little tale, with a unique voice and sound throughout. Whimsical and lyrical in its prose, its so easy to get lost in the pages. Bod is a great character, always wanting to do the right thing while always aware of the fact that he is different to those around him. A quite lovely little parable for children who find themselves different, but loved nonetheless, and the challenges that this can bring.

Bod's strength and ability to overcome and fight his demons comes from his time in the magical world of the graveyard. As a child he is given the rather vague and nebulous freedom of the graveyard, which gives him certain magical abilities such as Fading and Haunting. We meet him as an orphaned baby and watch him grow so by the time the last pages come up on us we are really invested in his life and hope to see him to do well beyond the confines of this story. 

The Prisoner of Heaven, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Book 3 of the superlative Cemetery of Forgotten Books. This one focuses on one of the secondary characters of the first book, Fermin Romero de Torres. It sheds light on his back story, how he came to be in the lives of the Sempere family, and what makes him the enigmatic man using a nom de plume making enemies of the state police. 

A shorter book than the rest of the series, but so concise and tightly told its still a marvellous book. All the charm and atmosphere of the previous two is present here, with Zafón's fluidity of prose evident as well. 

Characterisation is key to making a story real, making characters you care about and want to know more about. Here we discover more about one of my favourites and also meet a new one, the despicable Valls, the mysterious governor of the hellish Montjüic prison. Dripping with menace and intent, Valls exists in the shadows making moves with apparent foresight. 

This one is a self contained story like the rest, but this has the added bonus of feeling like a prequel to the first as well as the next. 

A shorter read than the first two in the series clocking in at slightly less than 300 pages. But each page is beautifully composed, not a word wasted, not a sentence included that doesn't need to be there.

A beautifully complex tale, setting up the next installment which I can't wait to read.

The Devil and the Dark Water, by Stuart Turton

A supernatural mystery set on a ship sailing from Batavia to Amsterdam, with a Sherlock Holmes type detective on board. What's not to like? Turns out, not very much at all, as this is a really clever, well plotted story with great characters, so many of them with various reasons and apparent motives to keep you guessing right to the very end.

It's a stand alone story, but I would read the hell out of prequels detailing the adventures of Sammy Pipps and Arent Hale, and the fact that they have such a rich history adds to the fullness of their characterisation. Sammy Pipps is a problematory, a detective with almost preternatutal skills at uncovering the truth of things, and Arent is his giant framed bodyguard. His Watson, but with extra muscle, for revealing and accusing murderers and thieves is a risky game.

Sara, Lia, and Creesjie are all strong female characters, esch with a destiny and a will of their own to survive and prosper despite the male attention they attract and which obviously in the timeframe wants to dominate them.
Set in 1634, aboard a Dutch merchant ship, the time is vividly portrayed as a dangerous place for women, who do what they're told and should be submissive. On the surface this appears to be the fate our three ladies are resigned to, but over the story we discover this couldn't be further from the truth.

I hadn't read this author before, but will certainly be checking more of out his work.

I was provided with a free copy by netgalley.co.uk in exchange for a fair review. 

The Angel's Game, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The follow-up to The Shadow of the Wind, this is the second book of the spanish author's masterful Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. While not as strong as the first, it evokes the same sense of nostalgia for a Spain and Barcelona of days past, of a time when danger lurked behind every gothic balustrade and overarching narrow cobbled street.

The words of Zafón, almost poetic in their construction, lure you into this world, and make you want to wander with the characters, through their streets and through their lives. 

The story meanders like the calles and avenidas, branching out and around you like vines which surround the mansions and houses of the story. Barcelona and her streets and houses are as much characters as David and his elegant and mysterious boss, coming to life with a purpose and agency that defies their being. 

As with the first, a book about books, this novel gives books a power rarely felt, how a strength within the pages of a well crafted story can consume the reader and twist their beliefs to the author's will. The power this imbues throughout the novel simmers at the heart of it, creating an unforgettable story.

More complex than its predecessor, it suffers from its overcomplicated plot ever so slightly but its still a magnificent book, by an immensely skilled writer.

The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig

This book has one of the most interesting concepts in a book I've come across in a long time. That there is something between life and death, an in-between state where you can re-do your life, to an extent. You get a series of what-ifs to live through to see if they fit better. An infinite number of second chances.

The book transitions slightly into a question of quantum mechanics and a discussion with another slider (the term given to people who can hop from life to life in that in-between period) around the many-worlds theory doesn't really go anywhere. 

I would have liked to seen this area explored more, the experience and the universe of the characters that exist here. For example, who are the people that exist on the cusp of life and death, why are they there, does everyone who dies spend time there, or are only some chosen, and why? This would have been a great way to learn more about the peripheral players.

But this element of the plot seemed to be shoehorned in to give some sort of scientific basis for the way the book was shaped. Like many of the characters, not fully developed, and more set dressing than real life people with their own agency. Even Nora, the main character was poorly drawn. Maybe because we spent so much time with her when she wasn't actually her, all we learned about her for most of the book was what she didn't want to be, not who she actually was.

It felt like the author was trying to write a small story about big ideas, about depression and how it informs us, but fell short of making something truly important, and never quite manages to pull it off.

The ending was as predicable as I'd feared, but strangely enough was the best part of the book. It was delicately written with real warmth and a feeling of hope just pored through the final pages. Just about redeemed the whole book.

The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman

 A really wonderful book. Brimmed full of life and vitality, with characters who jumped off the page and into your living room. Osman makes living in a retirement village sound like something everyone should look forward to.
The Thursday Murder Club, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, meet, not coincidentally on Thursdays in the jigsaw room to discuss cold cases forgotten by the police. It passes an hour for them, and gives them an excuse (not that they need it) to enjoy a glass or two of wine!
Everything is going as it usually does, slowly but contentedly, until a real life murder on their patch thrusts them into the middle of a live investigation.
What follows is a glorious romp across the Kent countryside, with a detour to Cyprus thrown in for good measure. With a little help from the real police, and a Polish builder, the intrepid septuagenerian foursome follow the clues in their own, unique way.
Gangsters, drug dealers, and former professional boxers complete the cast of miscreants who come under the miscroscope of the former spy(?), nurse, union leader and physiatrist.
Definitely not a Pointless read!

I was provided a free copy by netgalley.co.uk in exchange for a fair review.

The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

I'm not sure what else needs to be said about this book. But I will add my two cents, for what its worth.
This is a book about books, and the sense of love the author has for the written word pours out of every page. The elegance of prose, the ease with which descriptions are drawn, and characters are created is beyond wonderful. The city of Barcelona is so alive, and my heart yearns to visit it again, to retrace Daniel and Julián's journey through the Calles and Avenidas of Catalonia's capital.
At once a mystery novel in the classic gothic sense, and a comedy, and a tragedy, and a story simply about people, and their relationships.
The way the story reflects itself in the stories of Daniel and Bea, and Julián and Penelope is so clever and heartbreaking, and ultimately fulfilling. The contrasting personalities of Fermín and Fumero are reflections of each other, bound to Daniel and Julián respectively, like angels and demons on their shoulders, advising and stalking throughout with a real purpose. Not a single character is unnecessary, nor a single event or incident included without purpose.
Quite simply, my favourite book, and the best I have ever read. Onto the rest of the series.

The Baltimore Boys, by Joël Dicker

The follow-up to The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair is a prequel of sorts, a tale of the same narrator's childhood. The style of the previous book is apparent here, and borrows from the structure too. The story takes place across many years, and the book switches timelines frequently throughout.

The premise is a oft referenced "tragedy" which looms over the book like the sword of damocles. Every character is presented as a before and after version of this tragedy. And some of these characters are just awful. Awful people, completely self absorbed and unable or unwilling to see beyond their own privileged lives.
While the story was somewhat engaging, and the book easy enough to read, there were a few issues, perhaps in the translation. Dialogue was just simply ridiculous, sentences uttered that wouldn't pass the lips of a real person. The narrator, as unreliable as you could imagine, presenting events as a matter of fact, when he couldn't possibly know what was happening in certain moments, was honest to a fault. From his horrid jealousy, to his shame directed at his "poor" parents, to his almost stalkery behaviour towards the Mary-Sue who illogically represented pretty much everyone's love interest. Peripheral characters weren't much better, seemingly only there to fill pages, and could easily have been purged by a less forgiving editor, who could have chopped the page count by half and not lost any of the essence.
A decent enough book, but unfortunately these quibbles mean it is considerably less than its predecessor which suffered from many of the same problems. It seems Dicker didn't improve in the intervening years, and perhaps the translation of his books will not survive to another effort.

Klopp, Bring the Noise, by Raphael Honigstein

A really great read, a little insight into the man who has turned Liverpool's fortunes around. Seamlessly meandering back and forth, ebbing and flowing across Klopp's career, highlights and bitter lows, this presents a picture of a determined, and sometimes difficult man. But a man whose main overriding goal is improvement. To improve himself, and those around him. To win is important, but the journey to the win equally so.

Beautifully written, much better than a lot of sports biographies, which can be dry and formulaic. Some exquisite turns of phrase such as: "over a lunch of pasta and bittersweet memories.", "This was football defootballised, not concerned with the how, only with the wow.", and "There's nothing beautiful about Liverpool's game on a bitingly cold, pitch-black night that descends on the visitors like a mist made of pure dread."

Fans of Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and FSV Mainz 05 will undoubtedly be more predisposed to enjoy this book, but the chapters which focus on Wolfgang Frank, Klopp's mentor at Mainz, and how both he and his protégé worked on systems and styles and tactics are informative for any fans of the beautiful game.

Well worth a read.

Dead If You Don't, by Peter James

Book 14 in the Detective Roy Grace series. The first one I've read. Maybe this impacted my enjoyment, I don't know, but I felt it was very by the numbers.

Det. Grace didn't feel like a real person to me, but an amalgam of what the author feels a good copper should be. I failed to discern even a semblence of personality, which may have been explained and elaborated upon in previous volumes.

The story itself was decent, with all the elements you would want in a thriller. A kidnapping gone wrong, ruthless Albanian gangsters, and a race agaisnt the clock at the end. But somehow, it felt, lacking.

I enjoyed it enough to not be put off reading more, but perhaps I would be better starting at the beginning and getting to know Detective Superintendent Roy Grace as he evolves. Presuming he does.

The Girl and the Stars, book 1 of Book of the Ice, by Mark Lawrence

That ending. Wow. So many questions, like where do we go from there, and why don't I have the next one already!?

So, as with all Mark Lawrence's books, the prose is undeniably beautiful. He writes with an eloquence of voice that is unparalleled in modern fantasy. His characters have a tendency to ruminate in the middle of action scenes, but it seems to take you further into the story, rather than an abrupt exit, as it might be in the hands of a lesser writer.

This is the first volume of a trilogy set in Abeth, a world he introduced in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy. Where that series was set in the green interior belt around the world's equator, this takes place in the North, on a frozen wasteland where tribes discard the weak to prevent them becoming a drain on resources. This discarding takes place in the Pit of the Missing, essentially a giant hole in the ground where children deemed Broken are thrown by a priest. A harsh world, populated by harsh peoples, and it is on the way to the Pit we meet Yaz, our heroine.

Yaz is possibly Lawrence's purest character. None of Jorg's brutality, nor Jalan's arrogance, Yaz has one mission, and strives toward that goal throughout. Her journey takes her to many others, and her mission evolves, but never diminishes. Goodness flows from her, and she always sees the best in people. As she herself says, she is Broken, but over the course of the book she puts herself back together and becomes more than the sum of her parts.

It is in this that Lawrence reveals ourselves too, we spend our lives being broken by tiny degrees and constantly putting those pieces back together. We'll never be exactly the same, but a version of ourselves, changed by circumstance and experience. The very best books do this, and this is one of the very best.

Wars of the Roses, book 1, Stormbird, by Conn Iggulden

 This has clearly been meticulously researched, paced and plotted. Deviations from the historical record were small but necessary to keep the plot moving forward. Iggulden states as much in his historical notes section at the end. Some characters were invented to replace apparent historical figures lost to time. Derry Brewer, the spy, for one, Thomas Woodchurch, an archer who leads a peasants revolt in France another.

There were many things to like about this book, the story itself, obviously, is gripping in its complexity, the characters fully realised and utterly believable. The settings were richly described and vividly brought to life.

But there were a few issues I had too. If you felt Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire had a load of characters to keep track of, Iggulden takes that idea and raises to a new height. Granted, historical fiction is bound by the players invloved, but there are so, so many here it does become quite a chore constantly flipping to the five (yes FIVE!) pages of family trees at the beginning of the volume.

Another issue was every character (bar Margaret of Anjou, but as the Queen of the King of England, she doesn't really count as French for most of the novel) was English, which not in itself a problem, but with so much of the book set in France, with the conflict between England and France front and central, we got no sense of the French POV. Every character was, according to the narrative, righteous in their anger at being asked, or forced, to leave France. Despite living on French land, stolen from French landowners by English soldiers. There was no opposition to this, just a portrayal of English invaders pissed off that their sojourn in the French sun was coming to an end. This just rubbed me the wrong way.

I still want to read the rest of the series, which is testament to Iggulden's prose and way of framing a story, so I guess those little foibles aren't enough to put me off.

Clash of The Titans, director Loius Leterrier

Having recently read Stephen Fry's Mythos & Heroes books on Greek Mythology I had been looking for movies and TV shows to further my knowledge, or at least bring some of the stories I have just read to life.

This movie does none of that. It is a very poor effort, changing the story of the Hero Perseus in so many ways so as to render it unrecognisable from the traditional story told for countless generations. Being aware that myths are not facts, and a little creative license is allowed and even encouraged to bring to the silver screen, this goes so far past that it changes the core of the story.

Andromenda was Egyptian, not from Argos, Perseus never rode Pegasus, Medusa certainly didn't reside in the underworld requiring a trip on Charon's pleasure cruise. Pegasus was a unique horse, not merely part of a herd of impossible to tame flying horses. Perseus did meet Pegasus, when he beheaded his mother Medusa upon which time the winged horse sprung from her neck and flew off into the world where he eventualy met and be tamed by Bellerephon. 

Taking away the terrible changes to the myth, and the title (this takes place eons after the Titans were deposed by the Gods), this just isn't a good movie. Poorly acted, sloppily directed, some of the CGI is truly awful, the dialogue grates, and the less said about Liam Neeson's Zeus the better.

The only saving grave is Ralph Fiennes, who is wonderfully macabre as Hades, even though he plays no part in the story of Perseus in the original telling of this hero's story. Shoehorned in as an antagonist and steps up, but shouldn't be within a million miles of this nonsense. Fiennes and his underworld ruling counterpart.

Avoid if you can, and if you can't, may the Gods (not the Titans!!!) have mercy on your soul.

A Purple Place for Dying, John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee, #3)

This was not a good book. 

In terms of story which it was ok. Just ok, but nothing unique or groundbreaking. A tale of revenge, family, lust and ultimately hearbreak.

What made it bad was the tone, the casual violence towards women, one in particular, and the attempts by so many characters to not only justify it, but to blame this woman for it. She deserves a beating, deserves every slap she gets. I get that its a product of its time, but its hard to read with modern sensibilities.

One particular instance early on when McGee meets this ladies' husband who describes slapping her and beating her for trying to leave him. He'll basically beat sense into her until she realises she's essentially his property. McGee ends this meeting with the enlightened thought that he liked him a lot better than his wife!

I'm sticking with this series because I've been assured that this changes, but this one feels like a step back from books 1 & 2. Since the three were all released in 1964 only months apart (as was book 4) this may not be foretelling of the series as it progresses.

McGee remains a great character, trying to be the righteous avenger, the hero for the downtrodden female. With tough love and honest appraisals he forges a bond with the ladies he's helping which always seems to end with an intimate encounter, which evidently bores him in the end. Not a very likeable man thus far, but I'll persevere for I'm nothing if not a glutton for punishment, and a completist. And as a wise man once said "I've started so I'll finish". 

The Big Bang Theory

I watched this religiously when it first came out, maybe the first 6 or 7 seasons, then kinda drifted out of it for a while. Not really sure why as I didn't stop liking it, maybe life got in the way, I had a baby around that time! Anyway, I've been catching up with it again, and finally finished it this week.

The first thing I'll say is Howard is an awful character, a stereotype of so many bad tropes and a bully with it. His behaviour towards Sheldon is, at times, beyond cruel and crosses a fairly severe line.

Sheldon is the most sympathetic character in the show because while he can be mean, abrasive, and disrespectful its true to him and you're always aware that he does seem to be trying. Like Pinocchio, and another of my favourite characters, Lt. Cmdr. Data from Star Trek: TNG, he wants to be a real life boy.

The female characters aren't treated well to begin with, but each of them gets plenty of time to shine in their own way, and grow as people. For a sitcom this is fairly good form.

Yes, the show has issues with stereotypes across the board, jewish, indian, geek, etc, but by the end of the series the characters have all grown past their introductions and the last series (the last 5-6 episodes in particular) has more heartfelt scenes then the previous 11 seasons combined.

The show has come under fairly intense criticism in the past for its depiction of geeks and nerds, and I understand that. I feel, however, its not deriding geek culture, but celebrating it. This show, this group of characters embody what it means to be a geek, what it means to be part of a fandom of something, be it Star Trek or Star Wars, comic books or sci-fi novels, there's something for all of us here. It allows us to be proud of that, to get the in-jokes between Sheldon and Wil Wheaton and sit smugly while others don't. This is a rare thing for us and I welcome it.

With repeats on television constantly, it has the potential to be like Friends and continually gain new fans and viewers over the years, and I hope many get the same satisfaction from it as I ultimately did. And you never know, I might even learn to like Howard.

Highfire, by Eoin Colfer

 This is the first adult fantasy novel by the writer of the massively successful Artemis Fowl series of children's/young adult stories. And it captures the same sense of wonder at a world just close enough to our own to be both believable and magical.

 Its been a few years since I read the Fowl novels, which I remember loving for the most part, and I read 'And Another Thing...', Colfer's Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy book, and wasn't impressed, so I came into this a little apprehensive as I wasn't sure which version of Colfer I would get here. I needn't have worried, this is quite a wonderful book.

 It centres around a self-confessed delinquent called Squib and his run-ins with the local constable, a corrupt cop with lustful designs on Squib's mom. These travails are made more challenging by the fact that Squib meets and befriends the last dragon on earth, (Wyvern Lord Highfire, or Vern for short), and interrupts and threatens the cop's extracurricular activities.

 What follows is a glorious romp through the Louisiana swamp and New Orleans' French Quarter, with dragon fire and rocket fire both expended frequently.

 Humour throughout, and with heart and soul in abundance, this is a fantastic story of unlikely friendships and dogged determination to become better. 

 Peppered with wonderful characters, you will root for some, and be horrified by others, but you will remember them all, long after you turn the last page. 

 Looking forward to reading more about this Netflix-binging, vodka-guzzling, Flashdance T-shirt-wearing bi-pedal fire-breathing Lord Highfire. If Mr. Colfer graces us with a sequel. 

 My fingers are crossed.

Mythos & Heroes, by Stephen Fry

I feel Mythos is the stronger of the two, the characters detailed within are better and more interesting. 

Dealing with, as Fry does here, Gods and Titans, and demi-gods and humans and everything in between, I felt the focus on the humans was a little, well, boring at times. Each character was focused on in swift fashion, moving from escapade to escapade, without really getting to know them. 

With the Titans and the Gods in book 1, that was fine as they are more abstract ideas than fully formed consciousnesses. 

But when telling stories about humans, about people, we want to know the people, what drove them, more than a couple of lines about their ancestry and why their father/uncle/wife/whomever wants them dead. And why the god of the day has seen fit to favour them or smite them. 

Not to say Heroes is a bad book, it is still incredibly well written and eminently readable. I just preferred the first one. 

I would, however, read the hell out of a third one focusing on the Trojan War!

Nightmare in Pink (Travis McGee no.2) by John D MacDonald

Read this one on the back of just finishing the first in the series. Travis McGee is a compelling, if not very likable character. He seems to want to do the right thing, but some his attitudes especially towards women are, to put it politely, of his era and not acceptable today. This can be a little jarring, reading it as I am in 2020, but from reading other reviews it appears he does change as the series progresses. And I can see the evidence even from book 1 to book 2, so here's hoping.

The books themselves story-wise, are fairly simple and formulaic. Trav meets girl through some convuluted means, she's in a pickle, and for half the take he agrees to help. He beds her, gets himself in a spot of bother, through sheer masculinity and super intelligence he gets out and solves the whole thing.

I'm reading the re-released series with a foreword from Lee Child, and its clear Reacher was influenced by these books. There's a very similar vibe between the two, although I've read more of Child's books so I'll refrain from drawing too many comparisons here. 

Suffice to say, the two I've read are quick, pulpy reads, and while I doubt they'll stay with me for long, I'm enjoying them so far.