Because I suck at making up my mind!

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

HELP ME OUT, capeandcowl?

I absolutely suck at decision making and I thiiiiiiiiiiiiink I want another character in game aside from Jenny but, yet, am not 100% sure.

So, I leave it to you all to help me make a decision! Pretty please with sugar on top?


[Poll #1529184]


(Because, clearly, I need two socially inept characters.)

Comments

[origamiguardian.livejournal.com]

I am really enjoying them overall. Some main things:
- It is important to go in NOT expecting Bones-like stories. Totally different setting, totally different characters, Brennan herself is quite different (certainly still a brilliant woman with a dry sense of humor, but older and much more acclimated to pop culture; does not have the obsession with rationality, etc.). I really LIKE Book!Brennan but it's just important to understand that she is not a lot like TV!Brennan.

- The stories are darker and scarier--the first book (based largely on something Reichs herself went through) gets very graphic with a lot of "triggery" material (sexual violence, horrible things psychopaths do, etc.). The descriptions are never gratuitous, however. The stories ARE about homicide investigation--the subject matter is realistic, not overdone.

- Obviously with her background, she writes the scientific parts extremely well--without ever being too dry. I like crime procedural stuff and she gets into the nitty gritty of what forensic anthropologists do without ever being boring or excessively expository.

- On the other hand, at least in her early books, her sex/romance scenes are kind of embarrassing. I'm on her third book and I notice, however, that overall her narrative style and flow improves with time, so I can only hope that also extends to the intimate scenes as well.

- If you're into anthropology and don't mind the dark side of homicide investigation, you will probably really enjoy the stories, as for obvious reasons, everything is touched by both the narrator's knowledge of forensic anthropology (and the author's) as well as other "expert" characters who are cultural anthropologists and other social scientists.

- Some characters are really well described, others tend to run together. This is something else that gets better as the books continue on. Most major/recurring characters are really well written. (Ryan, closest analogue to Booth; her daughter Katy, Inspector Claudel, etc.)

- A little knowledge of French is helpful (a lot of things take place in Montreal) but not necessary.

And that's more than you probably wanted to know! (MY area of scholastic study was literature, so I have a habit of babbling about books when the mood strikes me.)

[truthin-bones.livejournal.com]

(Babbling about books is completely all right. I tried one lit course in college and just never really saw the point in it. I was much more content with my biology and anthro stuff.)

But that review is very helpful. I have heard repeatedly that the books are not like the television show and that the Brennans are very different. As someone with a science background, I do appreciate well written science in literature so that wouldn't be a problem. It certainly sounds interesting and I definitely appreciated your review. It's probably the most detailed one I've gotten so far.

Thank you!

[truthin-bones.livejournal.com]

Oh man. I so didn't mean it to come out like that. One of my best friends was a lit major and I do think it's awesome that people can break down books like that.

It just wasn't my thing, was what I was trying to say?

I'm sorry if I offended you. I really, really didn't mean to. Again: so, SO sorry.

[origamiguardian.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the clarification. "Not your thing" is something I can totally understand. :)

[truthin-bones.livejournal.com]

Thank you, too, for understanding. :)

[origamiguardian.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. I'm not sure why the backhanded comment about my preferred academic focus was necessary, however.