Among Others

 Among Others is about a girl who loves sci-fi and fantasy.  Nerd Alert! More books get referenced than a dissertation.

This has the "I've been sent to a British boarding school and it sucks" thing, the "coming of age as a massive geek thing," and the "my mother is a psychopath that is mentally-ill" and/or a "my mother is a psychopath that has magical powers" thing. Granted, that last one is a little strange but it reminds me of Grimm's fairy tales. Mmmmmm, house made out of candy...now that I think about it, why did the witch want to eat the children when her whole house is made out of gingerbread and candy?  Then I figured it out: Paleo Diet.

This whole story is told from our narrator's diary. The fact that she can talk to fairies and do magic is very matter of fact but I suppose a cavalier attitude is a 15 year old's forte. This book is really a love letter to SF geeks, librarians and disaffected youths.  Didn't The Smiths do a song "Stop me if you've think that you've read this Le Guin before."  This book is geek level 11 so that joke was necessary.

Comic Book guy would love this: "Um, excuse me, but um, you could read this but you cannot enjoy it on as many levels as I do...(*sigh*)"  I didn't get half the references myself. I guess on the geek continuum I'm just not there.  We all know those people that are uber-geeks, such that they become "difficult" sometimes and not in a funny way, but in a pedantic and creepy way. If you are an uber-geek, keep it light even if Han shot first. It's cool, Jeez.  Anyway, this is a fantasy coming of age story (which I like) with, frankly, a few too many Sci-Fi book references, but overall, enjoyable.

Our narrator hates all drinks but water....really? Ok, fair enough, why not something light and low-alcohol so you don't make a fool of yourself with your boss at the office Christmas party...White Noise Spritz: 1&1/2 ounces Cocchi Americano Bianco (I think Lillet would work too), 1 ounce St-Germain, 2 ounces club soda. Fill a tom collins glass with ice and add the Cocchi and St. Germain. Top with the club soda and serve with a grapefruit twist.