tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post7929883232288299138..comments2024-03-28T14:38:25.395-07:00Comments on Bitter Tea and Mystery: The Shortest Way to Hades: Sarah CaudwellTracyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-13230752087334032992019-04-25T21:21:40.189-07:002019-04-25T21:21:40.189-07:00You might enjoy them, Col. You would certainly und...You might enjoy them, Col. You would certainly understand the humor more than I did. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-731059666353447742019-04-24T22:19:27.914-07:002019-04-24T22:19:27.914-07:00I have these on the pile, compulsively purchased i...I have these on the pile, compulsively purchased in a moment of weakness (there been more than a few of them over the years). I wonder if I will ever read them.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-13154336980371788832019-04-22T22:06:29.779-07:002019-04-22T22:06:29.779-07:00And that is why I love the internet and blogging, ...And that is why I love the internet and blogging, to be able to share reading thoughts and learn about books. I do have all the books, Moira, and will be reading the next two eventually. And I may go back and read the first one again, since I did not enjoy it properly the first time.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-53524421357397969882019-04-22T06:04:27.630-07:002019-04-22T06:04:27.630-07:00I read all these books as they were published (no ...I read all these books as they were published (no internet, no reviews, no blogs) and thought I was being stupid because I wasn't sure about Hilary! No-one to discuss it with back in those days. I love this series, but none of them, in my view, matches up with the first one, which is one of my all-time top 10 detective stories. I do love the characters and their jokes and relationships: it was so sad that she died young and didn't go on to write a long series about them.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-88272895656182575522019-04-19T22:03:59.111-07:002019-04-19T22:03:59.111-07:00Had I just read the books back when they were firs...Had I just read the books back when they were first published, without access to lots of reviews, I probably would not have noticed that Hilary's gender was never specified. As you say, John, I am sure it was hard to pull that off. And you are right, when reading this one I worked hard to picture Hilary as male but usually did not succeed. I do plan to read the other two.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-57726455650293067522019-04-19T11:31:18.057-07:002019-04-19T11:31:18.057-07:00I enjoyed most of these. I think the third one is ...I enjoyed most of these. I think the third one is less memorable than the first two. I read three of them then stopped. I still have her last book <i>The Sibyl in her Grave</i> (published posthumously) to read and then I'm done with this short-lived series. Julia is the best part of the books. The Hilary gimmick is sort of silly. Caudwell should have just made Hilary a man and be done with it. To me Hilary comes off as a pretentious gay guy. Isn't it odd how we all interpret the character differently? But I guess part of the fun is reading and envisioning Hilary as both male and female all at once. All the wannabe gender iconoclasts involved in the "non-binary" movement would appreciate these books. It must have been difficult to avoid using specific pronouns when writing about Hilary in these books. When I read SIBYL... I'll pay very close attention to that aspect of her writing.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-47864720016027843222019-04-18T18:35:00.599-07:002019-04-18T18:35:00.599-07:00I agree, Bill, I think you would appreciate them, ...I agree, Bill, I think you would appreciate them, and I would love to hear your opinion on the legal issues.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-32296797417145870282019-04-18T18:34:17.193-07:002019-04-18T18:34:17.193-07:00Margot: Even now, knowing that I enjoy humor more ...Margot: Even now, knowing that I enjoy humor more in books than I used to, I always resist a series that I know is humorous. Except for Donald Westlake, I like any style he writes.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-31910520206798707612019-04-18T18:33:49.906-07:002019-04-18T18:33:49.906-07:00TracyK: I have known of Caudwell's books for a...TracyK: I have known of Caudwell's books for a long time but never read any. I think it is time I took a look for the series.Bill Selneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17268006369157307593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-30660993063094680302019-04-18T18:32:33.427-07:002019-04-18T18:32:33.427-07:00This series is worth a try, Kay. I lot of people l...This series is worth a try, Kay. I lot of people love it. I don't know if it is better to know about Hilary going into the book ore not. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-86794016149387909102019-04-18T09:34:58.056-07:002019-04-18T09:34:58.056-07:00I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Tracy. The s...I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Tracy. The series might not be to everyone's taste, but the characters are interesting, and I think Caudwell did create some solid mysteries. I know what you mean about there being a little too much wit in the story for your taste. But I think Caudwell did do the wit effectively. It may not be a novel to read when one's in the mood for a deep, thoughtful sort of book. But it is, as you say, worth the read, and I think it's an intelligent novel.Margot Kinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08599589137890528065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-10990809404156478062019-04-18T05:52:14.145-07:002019-04-18T05:52:14.145-07:00I remember this series being mentioned on Dorothy-...I remember this series being mentioned on Dorothy-L many years ago. I never tried it, but I'm now interested again. Funny about the 'Hilary' angle - male, female - I assumed Hilary was a female name too, but I guess it could also be a male name. Kayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13495669354860191042noreply@blogger.com