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The Knight of the Burning Pestle, Francis Beaumont. Play readaloud. I'd heard multiple people rave about this odd, metatheatrical play, and it is in fact as fun as it was hyped up to be. A grocer and his wife attend a performance of The London Merchant, which would be a mostly forgettable play if not for the grocer's insistence that actually his apprentice should be the star of the show as the titular Knight of the Burning Pestle. The grocer and his wife (who has never seen a play before) are absolutely delightful as they continue to share their opinions on the play and what should happen next, to the continual dismay of the cast. The play has a bunch of songs in it, and I thought it would make a fun musical, so I was happy to learn that there was a musical version with songs by Peter Schickele (of PDQ Bach fame), and you can hear the songs on youtube.
The Earl Who Isn't, Courtney Milan. Third and last in Milan's Wedgeford series, set in a late Victorian town largely settled by East Asian immigrants, which has been steadily deconstructing the genre of "romance with nobility". The plot, particularly in the first half, hinges on lack of communication for reasons that feel realistic but still mildly frustrating. The female protagonist is neuroatypical-coded in a way that I found somewhat relatable, and I was interested by the note at the end mentioning that Milan had intentionally written her as having rejection-sensitive dysphoria.
Knights of Wind and Truth, Brandon Sanderson. I've now made it through day four of ten, the flashback chapters have started, and the plot thickens. Still not sure where it's going.
The Earl Who Isn't, Courtney Milan. Third and last in Milan's Wedgeford series, set in a late Victorian town largely settled by East Asian immigrants, which has been steadily deconstructing the genre of "romance with nobility". The plot, particularly in the first half, hinges on lack of communication for reasons that feel realistic but still mildly frustrating. The female protagonist is neuroatypical-coded in a way that I found somewhat relatable, and I was interested by the note at the end mentioning that Milan had intentionally written her as having rejection-sensitive dysphoria.
Knights of Wind and Truth, Brandon Sanderson. I've now made it through day four of ten, the flashback chapters have started, and the plot thickens. Still not sure where it's going.