These reviews were originally posted on Goodreads.

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

There’s not much I can say about Ann Patchett’s Commonwealth that smarter and more critical readers haven’t already said. It’s really good.

Patchett’s writing is a delight to read. She incisively describes things, people and relationships in a way that will make you feel victoriously seen, so you jab the page and say “Yes! Exactly!” and then look around for an unsuspecting family member to read the passage out to.

I can’t remember if anyone in book club had any beef with this book. I think we were all very happy with it. It’s a good book club not because it’s divisive, but because there are lots of interesting subjects to discuss: siblings, blended families, neglectful and self-absorbed parents, who owns stories. And the book provokes conversation about our favourite characters and relationships, and which parts of the book would make an excellent book in their own right. (We agreed that we would all read a YA series about the summer adventures of the four siblings.)

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi

(Spoilers ahead.) I don’t really know why I keep reading science fiction books. To stay connected to my roots, maybe. Because I am so interested in science fact? Because people I like read science fiction? To impress boys? Who knows.

Anyway, I picked this book up because it seems well-regarded and like a decent “if you only read one science fiction book this year” choice. And also John Scalzi hangs out with some people who used to hang out with some people I used to hang out with on the Internet, so we are basically besties.

It’s a good book and I read it fast, but it was frustrating for me because it seems that John Scalzi doesn’t think about the same things I think about. The conceit is that old people’s minds get enhanced and downloaded into new, enhanced bodies. The characters are given a week to play around with their new bodies and explore their capacities before they go off to war. Scalzi writes about the sexy sex they have for several pages, and hardly writes anything about their improved ability to play musical instruments or learn languages. Which is fine, but as I say — not what I think about. A different author would have gone in a different direction with the same concept.

Anyway, fine book, rollicking plot, decent twist.