double dose of canada

In the past month I have finished #9 and #10 in my Canadian Reading Challenge list.  Both have been sitting on my shelf for over a year, and I'm glad I finally got to them (that's the beauty of this challenge - I actually get through the books that are piling up).  One thing is for sure though, as much as I may be reading through this pregnancy, I'm having a hard time reviewing what I read.  My knitting comparisons are definitely one step too far for my meandering brain...as are decent reviews.  I'm into very, very condensed versions.

First up, The Line Painter by Claire Cameron.  I appreciated the Toronto and Northern Canada references, but for some reason I was suspicious of the "thriller" aspect all along.  I didn't know if the suspense was building to something or whether the story would just quietly play out.  In the end the novel landed somewhere in the middle, and therefore I found it mildly satisfying.  That's not to say I wasn't engaged - I just wasn't able to get lost in the story.  I was very conscious of every move the whole way through, but I had no problem finishing the novel, and I am someone who will abandon a book if I'm not enjoying it.

In contrast, Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb swept me off my feet and transported me into another world.  Someone had mentioned that it took them about 70 pages to get hooked, but I loved this novel from the very first page.  In short, I devoured it.  I enjoyed the regular shifts in time and location, because it always kept me wondering how the main character ended up where she did.  And the characters were full and fascinating, and I really appreciated the insight into Islam, and its differences geographically.  I think almost everyone on the reading challenge has chosen this book, and it is no surprise why.  It just may be my favourite pick this time around.

And now the baby is kicking (or more so, scraping my insides) and my concentration is shot.  Better luck for #11, I hope.