Hey! Mod 3 replying to this one (if the other 2 mods have read it please do
chip in). Sorry for the late reply to this, but I wanted to finish the first
book before replying to you. I’d be happy to discuss all three once I’ve
finished them, which should be soon.
So, two things that influenced my review of the first book, The Monogram
Murders (I’m reading the second one, Closed Casket, right now.)
Spoiler free for the most part apart from one pertinent bit that doesn’t really
surprise anyone paying attention:
First thing: I want to thank you for sending this message, because I
initially saw these books a few years ago, and just… ignored them. They
weren’t something I’d have picked up – ever since reading the irritation that
was Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Foulkes, I tended to sneer
at any ‘new plot/new author’-published works, like the various Sherlock Holmes
sequels or Bond stories that various authors have published. I’d consider them
basically fanfiction, and the way I saw it, I’ve read excellent fanfic online,
so why should some fanfic get published because the author’s voice was bigger,
or they were the ‘right’ kind of fanfic writer, or they had connections to
the original estate, and some fanfic not? (Like I said – JATW was a seriously annoying book for me, and influenced how I saw these others. It
literally has Jeeves trying to marry Wooster off, it’s annoying and
heteronormative as hell) I shouldn’t have ignored these. They’re so much fun.
I’m actually sad that I left these so long without reading them, just because I
pre-judged them.
Second thing – I made the mistake of reading some of the reviews of some
very… uh, traditional Christie fans towards the first book. And
specifically, their reactions to the fact that Sophie Hannah has created an OC
to be Poirot’s sidekick, Hastings obviously still being in Argentina in this
timeline. And their rage – or at least one of their rages – was centered around
the implication that this detective sidekick, Edward Catchpool, might *gasp*
be gay. Not even living it large with lots of boyfriends, or even one
boyfriend, or having dastardly gay sex on every other page. He merely alludes
to not fancying women and has an internal discussion about a crisis of love.
And their homophobic rage just drips off every review. And so, I decided to
stan for these books out of sheer spite. At first I merely liked them as a fun
yarn – now I’ve decided to insist they’re the bee’s knees, the cat’s pyjamas,
solely because of some asshole homophobes who decided they were the gatekeepers
of what constituted “true” detective fiction. Spite-stanning, it’s a thing. (EDIT: having now finished Closed Casket – someone who ships Gathercole and Catchpool come talk to me)
Anyway – the actual review. This book is not Christie. It’s not
like her voice, and this is a good thing. The problem with fanfic is it
often tries to cleave to the original author’s voice too strongly,
and this leads to it coming off as fake, offputting. You can never truly
imitate someone else’s writing style, so any little discrepancy will send the
story into the literary equivalent of uncanny valley. Sophie Hannah doesn’t
even try, but instead makes a choice to concentrate more on making it in the ‘style’
of the original author, to conjure up the atmosphere of interbellum London. And
that seems to have enraged a lot of Amazon reviewers, who seemed to expect
actual Christie. For my part, I think this choice works. Catchpool isn’t
Hastings. He’s a character of his own, and despite a shaky start you do grow
fond of him, and he works well as a narrator for this new, retired Poirot.
I initially found his character a bit annoying – without giving too much
away, he’s a bit wet at first when confronted with three bodies, and is
supposed to be a novice inspector… but even for a novice he does do some dreamy
stuff. You get the impression this is a character on the verge of growth – in fact,
this is lampshaded by Poirot when he says he wants to make a good inspector of
Catchpool and therefore won’t just spoon-feed him the way he did Hastings… but
by gods, his character development does take some time. He isn’t completely
dim, which is good because as ever this kind of character is meant to be a
stand-in for us, the audience, and it’s nice to not have everything overexplained.
I hope he continues to become a better policeman in the next two books.
The story switches between Poirot’s and Catchpool’s perspectives, and it’s a
risky move that pays off. You do get the feeling that this is an older, retired
Poirot, more genteel and slowed down, but the pace of the book is still great.
The twist-upon-twist at the reveal was done really well, and just when you finally think you know the murderer, it
twists again… and you’re left unable to put the book down. Which is what
Christie would have wanted, I think. This aspect seems quite influenced by the
David Suchet TV adaptations (that guy can’t be the killer, there’s still 15
minutes left of the show!) but it works in book format, too.
I also really appreciate that this stuck to one cardinal Christie rule –
everything used by the detective to solve the murder HAS to appear on the page
at some point before. Even if it’s just a vague mention. You find yourself
going back frantically to recheck tiny details. The plot itself is original
enough, and though I started yelling at the page really early on about a
certain theory in the book when a crucial difference was remarked upon (cos you
know, there’s some tropes you just know when you read a lot of detective
fiction) but besides that, I was pleasantly entertained.
The author commentary on social issues is sparse, but just as with the
original Christie there’s a few lines, underlining that Poirot is a foreigner
in England, and that has got some social implications, and people do behave in
certain ways. It’s subtle, but good.
Tl:dr version – I liked these books. They’re not exactly Christie’s style,
but they stand well enough on their own. I’d actually even read a spinoff (I
guess original fiction) with this sidekick, as he grows up.
The autobiography of Malcolm X (a friend has been using this one in her class and its popped up in some non-fic reading i’ve been doing this year)
The Landmark Herodotus (the maps convinced me to go for this version)
The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol 2
9 From The Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Fangirl (Collector’s edition) by Rainbow Rowell
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
The Serpent’s Secret ( Book 1) by Sayantani DasGupta
Pip Barlett’s Guide to Sea Monsters ( Book 3)
Muse Of Nightmares ( Book 2) by Laini Taylor
Wildcard ( Book 2) by Marie Lu
I would really like hard copies of Pastel Spells and Of Witchcraft and Whimsy by @orriculum , and then I’d also like a copy of the Poetic Eddas. And then any of @thegreenwolf ’s books. :3
Edit**
Oh, and the Beyonders series, because if I never get around to reading them @vaiyamagic might launch me into space.
Hello my dear, thank you for such an interesting question, and
sorry it’s taken me ages to reply, a cold and not being anywhere near my laptop
did not assist!
So, I’m a very bookish person and so this is going to be
rather book-centric! The books I own that I associate with my Druidic practices
– other than the CDs and booklets provided by the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
(OBOD) when I took my Bardic course – are as follows:
What Do Druids Believe? – Phillip Carr-Gomm
Anam Cara – John O’Donohue
Trees of the Goddess – Elen Sentier
Elen of the Ways – Elen Sentier
Following the Deer Trods – Elen Sentier
Horns of Power – Sonia d’Este
Celtic Rituals: An authentic guide to ancient Celtic Spirituality – Alexei
Kondratiev
DruidCraft – Philip Carr-Gomm
The Druid Way – Philip Carr-Gomm
Kissing the Hag – Emma Restall Orr
Ritual: A Guide to Life, Love & Inspiration – Emma Restall Orr
The Isles of the Many Gods – Sorita d’Este
& David Rankine
Finding Elen – Ed. Caroline Wise
The Old Straight Track – Alfred Watkins
Turning the Wheel – Kevan Manwaring
The Ancient Paths – Graham Robb
Ogam: The Celtic Oracle of the Trees – Paul Rhys Mountfort
Druid Magic: The Practice of Celtic Wisdom – Maya Magee Sutton & Nicholas
R.Mann
Blood & Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain – Ronald Hutton
Witches, Druids and King Arthur – Ronald Hutton
The World of the Druids – Miranda
J. Green
Exploring the World of the Druids – Miranda J. Green
As you can see these are mix of books written specifically
for modern day Druidry, history books looking at what Druidry might have been
like at the time it was first practiced (I especially recommend the Ron Hutton
ones, which are incredibly well researched and, at least to me, very readable),
and quite a few other, slightly tangential, books that follow interests of mine
that sprang from my foray into Druidry. Although not sold as books, I also find
the companion books to my Druidcraft Tarot and Druid Plant and Animal Oracles
invaluable – especially the Oracles – for understanding the importance specific
flora and fauna have to the Druidic path.
I also have a shelf full of history books about the original
time period which have, in the background as it were, informed my understanding
of what Druidry might possibly have been like. I won’t list them all but
hopefully this picture will suffice:
In respect of the books on Modern Druidry (and, in fact, in
respect of all the OBOD information), I want to make it clear that I do not
agree with all of it and would not never suggest that anyone accept point blank
everything that is written in them. For example, whilst Emma Restall-Orr’s
Kissing the Hag really helped me accept aspects about myself I had struggled
with for years, there are parts of it that I reject outright, and I also have
trouble with how she often comes across as if she believes hers is the only way
to practice, which is simply not the case.
Likewise, Phillip Carr-Gomm, who is currently head of OBOD,
is a very knowledgeable and writes very accessible books (I recommend the
little “What Do Druids Believe?” book to anyone who wants to get a fast but
accurate feel for Druidry as practiced by OBOD) he is working within his own
paradigm and subscribes to quite a lot of Wiccan law. His book Druidcraft
combines Wiccan Witchcraft with Druidry and is a very interesting read,
although again, I’ve taken from it only what sits comfortably with me.
The Old Straight Track by Alfred Watkins, whilst not
actually related to Druidry directly, is tied into the land and to
understanding its magic. Likewise the books on Elen of the Ways, Trees of the Goddess,
Ogham and the Gods of the British Isles were bought as I sought to find more of
the magic in the earth, to some degree or other, and they have formed a part of
my overall understanding of how I fit in the world and how I interact with the
earth.
And now I’ve wandered off from the original question quite a
lot. Apologies! I have a tendency to waffle, and that tendency this is not
something I’m good at curbing. Anyway, you specifically asked what my essential
druidic reference was:
Well, the thing I refer to most isn’t either a book or a
website, but a small poster that OBOD sent to me when I enquired about how they
worked. It was the thing that made me think their approach to Druidry was one I
could work with and it says the following:
Druidry … encourages
us to love widely and deeply.
It fosters: Love of
the Land, the Earth, the Wild – reverence for Nature.
Love of Peace –
Druids were traditionally peace-makers and still are: each ceremony begins with
Peace to the Quarters, there is a Druid’s peace prayer, and Druids plant Peace
Groves.
Love of Beauty –
The Druid Path cultivates the Bard, the Artist Within, and fosters creativity
Love of Justice –
Druids were judges, and law-makers. Traditionally Druids are interested in
restorative, not punitive, justice.
Love of Story and Myth
– Druidry recognises and uses the power of mythology and stories.
Love of History and
reverence for the Ancestors – Druidry recognises the forming power of the
past
Love of Trees –
Druids today plant trees and Sacred Groves and study treelore.
Love of Stones –
Druids today build stone circles, collect stones and work with crystals.
Love of Truth – Druid
Philosophy is a quest for Wisdom.
Love of Animals –
Druidry sees animals as sacred, and teaches sacred animal lore.
Love of the Body –
Druidry sees the body and sexuality as sacred.
Love of the Sun, Moon,
Stars and Sky – Druid Starlore, embodied in the old stories and the stone
circles, teaches a love for the Universe.
Love of each other
– Druidry fosters the magic of relationships, of community.
Love of Life –
Druidry encourages celebration and full commitment to life – it is not a
spirituality that wants us to escape from life.
This pretty much covers how I want to fit in the world and is
also written openly enough to allow me to interpret the words in a way that
suits me best – for example the Love of the Body line means, to me, that I need
to take care of myself and keep myself healthy and that all sexualities are
sacred and to be included in my understanding of the world. When I needed it
most, OBOD’s type of Druidry gave me a framework to think around and to build my own
personal spirituality and craft on, which is why it remains a huge part of my
life.
If you do read any of the books above, I hope you find them
interesting and useful. If you don’t, apologies! Regardless, come and tell me what
you think of them – I love to chat about what I’ve read.
I’m at a loss for words 💚 890% funded. (I guess you really wanted those stickers 😛 4th stretch goal unlocked! I’m really looking forward to designing these!!)
When I started working on this book I had no idea that it would gain so much interest.There were moments, especially in the weeks before launching the project, when I wondered “Who am I kidding, is this even going to work?”.
You see, I am no stranger to the feeling of otherness. The idea of creating a book in which I could infuse my passions, and spice it up with obscure histories, folklore, and quirky anecdotes made me feel over the moon – but there was always that voice in my head, that said “Sure, weirdo. You love this stuff, but what about other people?”
Well, thank you for proving that silly voice wrong 🙂 Working on the upcoming illustrations will be even more exciting, now that I know that I will be able to share them with all of you. I will be posting regular updates on my social media and more in depth posts on Patreon, if you want to follow along!
🌿 In other news, for those of you who didn’t manage to grab a copy, preorders are now open on my site! Due to Kickstarter policies I couldn’t include this in the campaign, but with the direct preorders I can: with each book bought you will donate £1 to the Woodland Trust, and help them plant trees and protect wildlife habitats🌳.
Spitfire Alice A Gra 
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