vivdunstan

Bit late in posting my first version of this for 2026. I'm not reading as many books as a year ago. But I have now finished a fair number.

1. The Hobbit: Graphic Novel by JRR Tolkien, illustrated by David Wenzel
2. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
3. Stone & Sky (Rivers of London) by Ben Aaronovitch
4. A Venetian Bestiary by Jan Morris
5. Doctor Who: 1001 Nights in Time and Space by Steve Cole and Paul Magrs
6. Everything Will Swallow You by Tom Cox
7. Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal: My Adventures in Neurodiversity by Robin Ince

Of these books The Hobbit graphic novel, Hamnet and A Venetian Bestiary were all 5-star reads.

The graphic novel version of The Hobbit was quite enchanting and engrossing in its approach, though it took me a few pages to get used to how the characters were depicted visually. Bilbo in particular had an extremely pudding bowl haircut!

Hamnet is one of the most astonishing novels I have read for a long time. I wrote a fuller review of it here a few weeks ago.

And A Venetian Bestiary was a gift for any lover of Venice, myth and legend, and animals and more fantastical creatures.

The Tom Cox novel was a 4-star read for me. A strange book to describe, a mix of life story and magical realism, set in the West Country. A lot felt autobiographical, knowing the author's life, e.g. the setting and frequent references to old vinyl records. Also the travails of living a peripatetic renters life, and difficulties finding a place to rent with pets. But it's also remarkably imaginative, and moving too. And very, very strange, while still being refreshing in its approach. Recommended.
 
The Rivers of London book, the Doctor Who collection and the Robin Ince book were all 3-star reads for me.

The Rivers of London book had an original Scottish setting for a change, in Aberdeenshire, but felt rather scrappy in its plotting and storytelling, and the relocation of Peter and so very many of the other core "cast" to from London to Scotland also felt forced and unrealistic. I also found some of the storytelling too predictable, especially nearer the end of the book.

The Doctor Who book is presented as a storyteller telling folk tales, but is more retellings of Doctor Who adventures from the past. Many of these retellings were fresh in their approach, but not nearly enough of them. And it didn't work so well for me if I didn't recognise which TV story it was retelling, especially when I struggled to visualise some of the creatures described.

And the Robin Ince was an interesting read about neurodiversity, but not general enough for me. Though I appreciated a lot of the insights into ADHD (which Martin clearly has) and anxiety (which I have - generalised anxiety disorder) particularly. It was just too tied to the author's own life story, and framed through that, in a way that wasn't generally applicable enough for me.

Ordered me some books with Christmas money. They arrived today. Utterly delighted with two of them, but the third is extremely disappointing. The paperback copy doesn't reproduce the Venice artworks well, at decent size, or in situ in the text. I need to get the hardback instead. To be fair I should have known better, but the paperback is still a very disappointing presentation of the same art history material. Martin's going to take it into Waterstones Dundee for me for a return in the shop and refund (it was ordered online, and sent from Waterstones Glasgow Sauchiehall Street), and I've ordered a hardback replacement.

Newly framed art print, waiting to go on the wall when Martin's back home again. A4 art print from Blockforest.co.uk. There are just a handful left of this limited edition design. Frame from Frames.co.uk in Manchester. The frame has a really nice wood grain effect cushion moulding, which to be fair you can't see so easily in this photo! I found they had a great range of frames to buy, and was able to get just what I wanted. I will also be ordering a poster frame from them later this week to finally put my large James Cauty Lord of the Rings art poster into.

Just finishing the book Forgotten Churches: Exploring England's Hidden Treasures by Luke Sherlock. A quite magical book, a mix of architecture, travel and history. Also exploration of place. With evocative illustrations throughout from Ioana Pioaru. Thoroughly recommended.

I mainly read it on my Kindle for disability reasons, but also had the hardback book, which is better for appreciating the gorgeous illustrations. It's a quite compact hardback book, not too large, but just right. I was just tormenting Martin over tea with questions about "Do you know X?" re X places in Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset! But also had fun showing him some of the fantastic pictures I enjoyed in the later sections of the book. He's a lapsed bellringer, and in his younger days rang bells in many churches in southwest England.

Book haul from Monifieth Library (4 books from elsewhere in Angus, found in the library catalogue and transferred over to Monifieth for me) plus a small book about the Greek Myths I'd ordered from our local bookshop in Broughty Ferry.

Doing another quick reading, drawing 4 cards at random, and arranging them from top to bottom in order of how much I connect with them. With the option to ignore or reduce in applicability the card I place at the bottom. Then some personal reflections on the topics raised by the cards drawn tonight, and how I feel about them.

I'm using my new in hand Venetian Tarot deck this time. Not only is the art gorgeous - Renaissance Venice inspired - but it's also fantastic to hold in the hand, great to shuffle, and gold gilded edges. Just lovely.

My first reaction was "Aarrgghh! I've drawn the Hanged Man!" But thinking more, it's the card in today's random draw that resonates with me the most. I'm currently in a state of transition, in more ways than one. I recently got some big work-related things finished, and am moving on to focus on other things. And I'm also seemingly starting to slowly come out of my latest 3-month neurological flare. And want to have fun. Meanings associated with this card can include all of sacrifice, release and new perspective. And I honestly feel that's on point.

Alongside that the Seven of Cups and Knight of Wands both fit in with this state of transition and where I'm moving to. The Cups card is often associated with romance, but also with new ideas, adventures, passions more generally. And I'm very much feeling that I want to pursue things I'm passionate about. Likewise the Knight of Wands brings up ideas like impulsivity, action and determination. And again ties in so strongly with how I'm currently feeling.

I placed the Ten of Swords at the bottom in my arrangement today. This is one of the more bleak cards in the Tarot deck, associated with despair, trauma and feeling rock bottom. I just don't feel that, though I do feel the hope this card can conversely be associated with. But yup, not really the card for how I'm feeling today.

That was so much fun. And wow, these cards are just stunning.

Bit shocked how wobbly I am now, and how dangerous it felt today going upstairs in Waterstones to the cafe - it felt as though I was about to fall on the stairs several times. Martin was coming up behind me. But overjoyed to have managed a rare midweek afternoon outing with him, during the summer too. For once I was awake enough during the day, and he was free - still using up holidays urgently before August. Really pleased how far I managed to walk into the Dundee University Botanic Gardens, even if it was very slowly with two sticks, and I sat down an awful lot! So nice to be sitting out among the plants and trees. I had fun sketching in various places in the garden. Martin was all over photographing plants, birds (especially that jay he was over the moon to see) and butterflies. We couldn't park near enough to Vintage Strings music shop on Perth Road to nip in, so headed to Waterstones instead. Where I was able to look at and buy one book I'd really fancied. And bought another I have been tempted with for a year or two. Getting to the cafe upstairs was extremely hazardous for me today, but we had a lovely sit down and drink/eat there. Then home. I will be very wobbly tonight and probably tomorrow too. But it was absolutely worth it. Oh and while out we also returned a library book that we'd not got back to the university library before today. Again I sat sketching while Martin scooted off to the library with my book.

The pictures show (1) a birder in action in the Botanic Gardens, (2) one of his jay photos (we are so pleased with these!), and (3) my book haul from Waterstones.

Got me some art supplies in (the pencil case is full of a good range of grades of graphite pencils etc.). I used to love drawing as a teenager. Especially in O'Grade Art and Design, when being sent out into Wilton Lodge Park on our own to draw the landscape and wildlife was just the best thing ever! I'd like to return to drawing, though I won't be able to get out much. Considered using my iPad, but for me, I think, analogue would be better. Wish me luck!

I'm going to be using this for self reading properly soon, but was just having a look through it, seeing the style, and also assessing the package as a whole. I bought this deck some years ago, after I discovered it existed. Erin Morgenstern designed this Tarot deck at the same time she was writing The Night Circus book.

The theme is Victorian / gothic / whimsical / magical, though based firmly on the Rider-Waite-Smith standard ideas and designs. The art is painted in black and white acrylic, with many greys. There are often animals on the cards, especially cats and dogs. Numbered cards have full designs. The overall feel will be familiar to readers of The Night Circus.

The card stock is very thick, possibly overly so, making shuffling the cards in the hand harder than it might be. The deck comes in a well designed and practical box, complete with a guidebook. The guidebook includes many interesting ideas for spreads, as well as guides to the meanings of the individual cards.

A nice package, and I'm looking forward to trying this deck out properly for readings.

P.S. I had looked at this deck briefly a year ago, but am now more familiar with Tarot card meanings, and in a better position to use the cards properly.

Was a bit shocked the other night to find I didn't have a Ninth Doctor icon already here. Added one, based on Alice X. Zhang's fabulous comic art. And now just added a Tenth Doctor one, ditto. Which given he's my favourite Doctor ever - even beating the mighty Tom - I should have good use for! Not least because I plan to rewatch Ten's Doctor Who stories. I've recently been rewatching Eleven and Twelve, and expect to go on to Thirteen. Should give Nine and Ten another look too.