Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Oracle Glass

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You never know quite how a favorite book is going to enter your life. Sometimes it's a friend's recommendation, or a book club selection, sometimes a fancy display in a bookstore or a slick promotion attracts your attention, or perhaps you were asked to participate in a blogger book tour. Sometimes it's as simple as grabbing an eye-catching cover out of the sale bin outside your local bookstore.
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I found Judith Merkle Riley's The Oracle Glass in a $2 bin outside the bookstore when I was looking to grab something to read on a plane. With it's gorgeous, and very red, cover it was bound to catch my eye ("bound" to catch my eye, get it?). When I flipped it over and saw that it was a story of witchcraft and decadence set in France during the reign of Louis XIV, with a feisty and independent young girl as the protagonist, and best of all based on a series of true scandals that had rocked 17th French society, I knew that this was the one that would be coming home with me. It didn't disappoint either. Riley is a gifted storyteller, creating such vivid portraits with her words that you can almost reach out and touch the sights and sounds of 17th century France. I've read this book over and over again, it's one of those comforting, familiar friends that I can just pick up whenever I crave some easy familiarity, sometimes starting from the beginning and proceeding through to the end, other times just jumping in mid-stream and letting the story carry me away.
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And of course with its ruby red cover it is also an obvious choice for a Ruby Tuesday post, don't you think?
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24 comments:

Gemma Wiseman said...

Love the perspective you have taken of the book cover! The angle seems to symbolise a new branch of thought on an old story! Great pic!

Anonymous said...

Nice angle for the shot. Thanks for your visit. Yes, there was Budweiser as well as Guiness at the Guiness brewery! Same group now?

Anonymous said...

Nice shot of the book.
Happy Ruby Tuesday :)

Nancy said...

Nice shot indeed AND the book sounds good. I was just thinking I need a book for my airport sitting when I fly later this week. Thanks for the suggestion =)

Ruby Tuesday, good Rolling Stones song.

Leora said...

Great shot. Love how she's staring at us.

If I see the book at our local library, it's coming home with me. Thanks for the review.

MumbaiiteAnu said...

Nice shot.
Happy Ruby Tuesday.

thank you for visiting my red mosaic.

Anonymous said...

Hi Robin,
That ruby cover really does grab your attention! Have a great week...

Preethi said...

Love the cover and the oracle!!! Should look for the book

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Ooh, that DOES sound like something up my alley. I'll go add it to my wishlist now!

Karen Coutu said...

Books with red covers always attract me . . . I don't know why though.

Karen of the MomDot Street Team
www.MomDot.com

Raven said...

Great photo, superlative pun. Think I'll add this book to my list. Did you ever read Pope Joan? I read it years ago and loved it. You might enjoy it. And if you haven't read Anne Rice's vampire books, I recommend them too. They are incredible explorations of good and evil and the human psyche.

Marilyn said...

That sounds like a book I would love.

Dianne said...

I could spend hours sifting through book bins.

Love the cover shot, beautiful. The book sounds interesting.

Terri said...

Going to go look for this book online right now. I love books like that.

Anonymous said...

Obviously the book was bound to be a subject for Ruby Tuesday. Good one.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for your kind words about kitty yesterday. They meant a lot.

As for the book I'm going to add it to my Amazon wish list. Sounds really good.

anymommy said...

Really cool picture and I love the sound of the book itself. I'm a huge Ann Rice fan and this sounds similar!

storyteller said...

Your copy is CERTAINLY an excellent choice for Ruby Tuesday. MINE, however, is NOT this color. I read this book quite a while ago … found in an interesting read … but could never get my ‘book club’ to take it on for some reason.
Hugs and blessings,

Anonymous said...

that would be a great grab for leisure reading. :)

nice red too.

Phyllis Sommer said...

great picture but i'm even more excited for a great book recommendation!

Anonymous said...

I like the picture! Now, I have to find the book. You certainly made it sound good.

Unknown said...

i'm always on the lookout for a good book recommendation! thanks!

TorAa said...

I feel I must read this book.
Thanks for sharing

Claremont First Ward said...

Going to reserve it from my library now!