Starting a blog was a spontaneous decision for me. I'm not one to share my life with the world, but I do enjoy sharing the little things in life that make me happy. What's going to follow, I hope, is a chronicle and/or collection of the little things I love, complete with opinions and commentary.
So, without further adieu:
Today's book: The Secret History by Donna Tartt
I absolutely adored Tartt's other novel, The Little Friend, and I had high hopes for this one too. I was not disappointed. The novel tells the story of five students at an elite New England liberal arts college. All of the students are tremendously, unusually devoted to their studies, and this devotion leads them to tragedy as they murder first, an outsider, and then one of their own. The fact of the murders is not the suspenseful part of the plot. Indeed, the murder of one of the group's own is revealed on the first page. Rather, the interest, intrigue, and suspense comes in how the students cope with the knowledge of what they've done. Their suspicion, fear, and even some remorse wreak havoc and lead the group to an even more tragic climax. The main characters in this book are Classics students, and indeed, the book itself reads much like a Greek tragedy, with precipitous decline, and knowledge thereof. Donna Tartt is a phenomenal storyteller. She creates plots that are deep, rich, and complex. Much like The Little Friend, The Secret History is a highly psychological book. I was absolutely gripped by this book from beginning to end. kkkkk (that's 5 stars with a bizarre symbol)
So, without further adieu:
Today's book: The Secret History by Donna Tartt
I absolutely adored Tartt's other novel, The Little Friend, and I had high hopes for this one too. I was not disappointed. The novel tells the story of five students at an elite New England liberal arts college. All of the students are tremendously, unusually devoted to their studies, and this devotion leads them to tragedy as they murder first, an outsider, and then one of their own. The fact of the murders is not the suspenseful part of the plot. Indeed, the murder of one of the group's own is revealed on the first page. Rather, the interest, intrigue, and suspense comes in how the students cope with the knowledge of what they've done. Their suspicion, fear, and even some remorse wreak havoc and lead the group to an even more tragic climax. The main characters in this book are Classics students, and indeed, the book itself reads much like a Greek tragedy, with precipitous decline, and knowledge thereof. Donna Tartt is a phenomenal storyteller. She creates plots that are deep, rich, and complex. Much like The Little Friend, The Secret History is a highly psychological book. I was absolutely gripped by this book from beginning to end. kkkkk (that's 5 stars with a bizarre symbol)
Today's smelly thing:
Glasgow, a perfume oil by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is without question my very favorite perfume company ever. I love lots of perfume, but for sheer number, originality, and consistent hits, I'd be hard pressed to find anything else that lives up to BPAL. The perfumier, Beth, is a genius. Her renditions of so many smells, from daisies to dandelions, dirt to October leaves, are nothing short of astonishing. BPALs catalog numbers somewhere around 400-500 scents, and there are constant limited editions, meaning that Beth has created literally thousands of scents in just a few years. She, and her company are amazing (did I mention that I love them?) Anyhoo, on to the smelly thing. One of the scents I got in my very first order of six imps (sample vials to the uninitiated) became one of my all-time top five favorites. That would be Glasgow from the Wanderlust collection: scents developed in honor of places, some real, some imaginary or mythical. The Lab describes Glasgow as follows:
The rich scent of wild blackberry breezing over gentle rosy heather.
And that's how it really smells- rich, juicy blackberries complemented by light floral notes. I can also smell a hint of the cool, Scottish wind. Love it. May I never run out.
Today's pretty thing:
Northwest Rain (Seattle), a pendant by Wyrding Studios
Northwest Rain is perhaps my favorite of the many pieces of jewelry I own from Wyrding Studios, the showpiece of master-wirewrapper Kythryne Aisling. Kythryne makes amazing jewelry with wire, various stones and objects. Her creations are sparkly, unique and get TONS of compliments. I got hooked on Kythryne's work approximately two years ago, and in those two years I've managed to build up quite a collection. Northwest Rain came from Kythryne's American Nomad collection- a collection of jewelry inspired by all the wonderful places she visited on a cross-country trip. I was thrilled to score the Seattle piece because it's beautiful, but also because I'd just moved to Washington State, and this pendant is part of making Washington my home. Indeed, the copious flowers are one of my favorite things about living here. Some good has to come of all that rain!
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