Roll up, roll up! For the reading of August

[Queen]

The Underground Railway,
Colston Whitehead

Possibly the best thing I've read this year, certainly so in terms of generating emotion.

It's a re-imagined history of slavery in the Southern States of the US - with the railroad made real, as in trains and tracks. It's brutal at times but always in context. It's a mix of Homer - in terms of the episodes and trials the protagonist goes through - and Gaiman in terms of the magical realism.

I wanted to get to the end to find out what happens to her, but also was afraid to get to the end and find out what happens to her.

[Queen]

somehow forgot this one


A Cold Case in Amsterdam Central
Anja de Jager

It's a murder mystery, with a pile of bones found in a locker in Amsterdam Central Station.

There are three dead bodies and I solved two of the mysteries. Some of the signposting was a bit obvious but it was fun to read something set in Amsterdam.