Robin's Updates

Robin's Updates en-US Sat, 10 May 2025 07:25:03 -0700 60 Robin's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9408473631 Sat, 10 May 2025 07:25:03 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin wants to read 'Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's Invisible Life']]> /review/show/7557732848 Wifedom by Anna Funder

Robin wants to read Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's Invisible Life by Anna Funder
]]> ReadStatus9408470810 Sat, 10 May 2025 07:23:59 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin wants to read 'Wise Women: Myths and stories for midlife and beyond']]> /review/show/7557730852 Wise Women by Sharon Blackie

Robin wants to read Wise Women: Myths and stories for midlife and beyond by Sharon Blackie
]]> ReadStatus9395173026 Tue, 06 May 2025 14:28:39 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin wants to read 'Someone Like Us']]> /review/show/7548595109 Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu

Robin wants to read Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu
]]> ReadStatus9395163266 Tue, 06 May 2025 14:25:47 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin is currently reading 'The Eye of the World']]> /review/show/7548588350 The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Robin is currently reading The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
]]> ReadStatus9395155236 Tue, 06 May 2025 14:23:31 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin is currently reading 'Happy Place']]> /review/show/7548582803 Happy Place by Emily Henry

Robin is currently reading Happy Place by Emily Henry
]]> ReadStatus9395153928 Tue, 06 May 2025 14:23:09 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin finished reading 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls']]> /review/show/7399502969

Robin finished reading The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
]]> ReadStatus9323550968 Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:47:33 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin finished reading 'Snowblind']]> /review/show/7484557111 Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson

Robin finished reading Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson
]]> ReadStatus9303053998 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 02:26:58 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin started reading 'Snowblind']]> /review/show/7484557111 Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson

Robin started reading Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson
]]> Review7464686018 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 02:04:32 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin added 'Gabriel's Moon']]> /review/show/7464686018 Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd

Robin gave 2 stars to Gabriel's Moon (Hardcover) by William Boyd
A clueless writer inadvertently becomes a spy (sort of). As the novel progresses, we discover Gabriel Dax is creepy, obsessive, and has stalker tendencies. The reader is supposed to just accept his behaviour and continue rooting for him. He is also classist, arrogant, self-absorbed, and not half as clever as everyone in the novel says he is.

It was very slow for an espionage novel. I kept waiting for something interesting or surprising to happen. There’s a twist at the end, but I found it hard to care. This novel just wasn’t for me. ]]> Review7313955240 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 02:04:12 -0700 <![CDATA[Robin added 'The Instrumentalist']]> /review/show/7313955240 The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable

Robin gave 2 stars to The Instrumentalist (Hardcover) by Harriet Constable
I enjoy historical fiction and wanted to like this book. It had an interesting premise. I’d never heard of Anna Maria before and was curious about her extraordinary talent. Women’s achievements are so often forgotten historically, and I wanted to learn more about this intriguing person. The way she’s imagined here isn’t very convincing though.

Vivaldi is my favourite classical composer. He’s portrayed as a monster in this novel. While it’s true that he taught music to orphan girls in Venice, there’s no solid proof that he stole musical compositions from them. I also wonder if he abused his position and sexually harassed some of the girls?

I found every character in this book unlikeable. I couldn’t connect with any of them. The sub story about a fellow orphan’s pregnancy was ridiculous. Overall, not much happened as this story dragged on. I found it incredibly boring and was relieved to finish it. ]]>