Unraveled, Week 12/2022

I noted in my journal last night that despite the fact that I'm not really on vacation, it feels enough like I am that I'm having a little difficulty keeping track of what day it is. But I've confirmed that it is, indeed, Wednesday, which means it's time for my weekly link-up with Kat and the Unravelers.

I have been doing a TON of knitting so far this week. Remember how little my sweater yoke looked on Monday morning? Here it is now, about five rounds from sleeve/body separation:

The circumference of the knitting is obviously larger than the length of my needle at this point, so it's a little hard to visualize, but I think you get the point. I'm hoping work will be quiet enough today to get me to the split and that by the next time I share an update on this project, I'll be modeling it rather than laying it on the floor for a photo.

I'm working on Rainbow's socks as well and have just finished the heel, but I'll refrain from sharing another photo for now.

Reading has been pretty good this past week. I finally had some time to read for an extended period toward the end of last week, and of course I've gotten a lot done since we've come down to Florida.

It took me longer than it should given how short the book is (120-ish pages with illustrations), but I finally finished A Spindle Splintered last week. I had preordered a hard copy of this novella last year without knowing anything about it other than that it was by Alix E. Harrow, and I was trusting I would like it because I've loved her two novels. I really enjoyed this one as well. It's a modern take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, with some magic realism twists. It was a little disappointing to me only because it was short and I would have liked more, but Harrow's characters are so enjoyable and her writing is excellent. I'm glad I have a hard copy of this to keep on my bookshelf because it's really a beautiful book to look at as well as to read. I gave it 4 stars.


Around the end of last week I also reread a book that I had first read on audio earlier in the year. Assembly was a very short listen, but the format is a bit unusual and there's a lot packed into very few pages, so I wanted to reread it with my eyes to make sure I really got it all. I didn't change my rating, but I will say that I appreciated it even more on the second read. I also made a bunch of notes and highlights, which you can see here if you're interested.

Finally, after trying to get through it but not having enough time to read for a number of days, I finished The Arsonists' City on Monday. This was one of two books I had not yet read from those on the Aspen Words Literary Prize short list and one that I'd been wanting to read even before the short list was announced. This is a book that is not a particularly fast read, but that's mainly because it's a very expansive story of a family that spans decades and continents. Beirut (which is, presumably, the city meant by the title, though that's never made completely clear) is the center of all the family stories, and the book addresses a number of big issues: relationships, nationality, political strife, sexual orientation, colonialism, etc. I really enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars.


I'm currently waiting on a number of library holds and am reading The Blue Castle in the meantime as a more lighthearted break from the heavier, "chewier" stories. I also brought Braiding Sweetgrass down with me and hope to spend some time with it by pool this weekend.

What are you making and reading this week?