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Indlæser... Sourdough (udgave 2017)af Robin SloanUtterly delightful and deeply readable! I loved Lois's adventures with her sourdough starter and the Marrow Market; it's so weird at times but also somehow very relatable. This book also prompted me to look up various food processes, places, and people, and I ended up going down several Google rabbit holes of San Francisco farmers markets and cheese cultures and a bunch of chefs - there was so much in "Sourdough" to take in but it was never overwhelming, just a total literary feast! I think Lois (much like Clay in "Mr. Penumbra") was the perfect main character for this story and I'd love to see more of her. (Speaking of Clay, I got a dopey grin out of his New Bagel cameo) Also, I now have the problem of having read both of Robin Sloan's novels, his short stories, the novella, and even his tap-to-read Fish app...and there's nothing left?? I can't WAIT to see what he comes up with next! This one goes fast! Started last night and finished today! Lois is a young computer programmer who accidentally befriends the owner of a peculiar and wonderful sourdough bread starter. When she takes ownership of the starter her life changes is mysterious ways. From a robot factory to an underground farmer’s market’s wise old goat farmer this story is like a modern fairytale warning us away from things too good to be true or that we don’t understand. I fell like this book has no middle ground, you’ll either love it or hate it. I liked it. 4 stars may be a bit too much, but since GR doesn't do half stars, I'm rounding up. I had expected and hoped that this would be a bit more cosy, with all the bread baking and such. It did have its moments, but there was also something colder and at times a bit creepy about it, especially towards the end. The whole thing with the lembas felt a bit much to me. I liked some of the tech jokes, although it was a bit artificial at times. I liked the Lois club. I liked the spicy soup guys and the bread. I guess there were a whole lot of messages that someone who felt like doing a serious review could talk about, technology vs tradition, ambition, etc. But I'm just writing down a few notes to help me remember, so I'll leave that to someone else... This book is charming; the author has an almost travelogue-y gift for bringing his quirky worlds to life without falling inexorably into self-indulgent whimsy. Sloan's preoccupations as a writer oddly mirror my own biography, and I was prepared to have Strong Opinions about the novel's exploration of food systems. However, this book is not really about farmers markets or agricultural efficiency or Technology vs. Man. Its thesis is Pollanesque in its simplicity: food is fun to make, and food tastes good. Everything else is a capitalistic power struggle masked as an ideological squabble. This is cynical, and a bit facile, but perhaps not far off from the truth. (That said, I will observe that "food is fun to make, and food tastes good" is perhaps not the most helpful mission statement for a food entrepreneur. From that perspective I find Lois's unexamined decision to find a career in this industry, coupled with her unexamined technological positivism, a bit irritating. But hey, we all need to make a living.) In addition to being a novel about a quasi-magical farmers market, this is a novel about culture and identity. The Mazg subplot exceeded expectations but still confounded me at times. I enjoyed the evocation of a cosmopolitan ethnic subculture that operates under the radar, and Beo's desire to forge a different relationship with his culture. I did not enjoy the suggestion that when minority cultures become visible they replicate white imperialist culture and are too dangerous for this world. I mean, sometimes? But the novel's treatment of this theme is tone deaf and unsatisfying; it feels weirdly uncoupled from real world experiences of assimilation and appropriation. Nevertheless: a vaguely tech broish novel about foodways that did not make me want to throw my Kindle across the room is a feat indeed. If you like the 'Penumbra' books then throw this on your reading list and have at it - more of that Robin Sloan style for you to enjoy. If, however, you've come across this book because you're into sourdough baking and expect a story to read that reflects the real challenges and difficulties etc., of baking your own sourdough breads - then you'll probably want to read something else.... ....but, conversely, if you've come across this book because you're into sourdough baking and can put aside your strict 'sourdough nazi' expectations for a while to read a fun story about a magical and strange starter and it's journey and exploits, then you just might really enjoy a good read and become another Robin Sloan fan like the rest of us. This book was unexpected. It was unexpectedly slim. When I picked it up from the library hold shelf I was surprised at its petite girth. Its author is unexpectedly male. It wasn't until I was about 100 pages in that I realized Robin wasn't a woman's name (in this case). This doesn't have much bearing on the story, or my impression of it, really. And it is unexpectedly sci-fi. I want to put all kinds of labels on this story. At first I labeled it hipster. The protagonist is a millennial programmer who unexpectedly (aha!) comes into possession of a mystical substance-- sourdough starter-- bestowed upon her by a pair of mysterious brothers of unidentifiable ethnicity. What unfolds is a sort of contemporary dystopic scenario shot through with a kind of magical realism, comprising something resembling an allegory, but subtle, not preachy. I liked this book, though it wasn't what I expected. I was entranced by Sloan's 'Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore' and had high expectations for this novel of his. A somewhat intelligent yeast is an interesting idea, and the underground market had its charm, but the details of baking did not draw me in. Still, I wouldn't have wanted to miss this well-crafted story. A fan of Robin's "Mr. Penumbra", I expected this story to be fun and it most definitely was. The Lois club in particular was unusual as were the various names of characters from all parts of the story. Living in the Bay area, I couldn't help but think the character who surprises us in the end was in some ways Alice Waters, the founder of Slow Food and Chez Panise, though he did a spin on her that's fun and unusual. Thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it for something light and fun This book is light, short, funny, and quirky. While not deliberate, but most likely subconsciously influenced, I did bake bread while listening/reading this book. Though doing so did make me a bit sad I had let my quarantine sourdough starter die and had to settle for just a regular dead/dry yeast recipe. :( I have noticed that books/movies/shows/etc that take place in the Bay seem to have developed a somewhat cliché tone, and style in regards to how big tech and startup culture is poked fun at. This book is weird in such a charming way. ‘Sourdough’ is the story of a young woman who finds herself the owner of a very unique sourdough starter. She soon discovers that not only is the bread it makes fantastic, but it also comes with its own increasingly disturbing oddities. I loved the writing in this book, and the story was both unique and fascinating. It is a short book, and therefore sometimes you don’t get as much of certain scenes as you might like, but on the whole, this is a weird, charming, and wonderful book. This book is weird in such a charming way. ‘Sourdough’ is the story of a young woman who finds herself the owner of a very unique sourdough starter. She soon discovers that not only is the bread it makes fantastic, but it also comes with its own increasingly disturbing oddities. I loved the writing in this book, and the story was both unique and fascinating. It is a short book, and therefore sometimes you don’t get as much of certain scenes as you might like, but on the whole, this is a weird, charming, and wonderful book. Lois works at a robotics company in San Francisco. The majority of her life revolves around her work, so she doesn't get out much and often resorts to portable, quickie food. One evening she orders from a take-out menu and continues to order from the same place on an almost nightly basis, becoming addicted to their spicy soup and sourdough bread, meanwhile developing a casual relationship with the owners (a pair of brothers), and soon she is their best customer. But not soon after, their visas expire and they must pack up and leave the country. Lois is devastated, but before they depart, they leave with her their mysterious sourdough starter and encourage her to bake her own bread. The bread starter takes on a personality of its own, and soon she's baking and sharing bread with everyone around her. Encouraged by the bread's popularity and success, she eventually branches out and is invited to take part in a mysterious, experimental farmer's market. But what exactly is she getting into? I don't know how to describe this other than saying it's a quirky little book. It's got an odd story line, but yet it pulled me in and I found myself quite enjoying it. I never thought I'd get into a book about sourdough starters and robot arms, but yet there I was, curious to see what was going to happen next. There were parts of the story that were more engaging than others, and I'm not sure how I felt about the ending, but it was a quick read -- odd but enjoyable. |
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