Yarn Along is a wonderful link-up -- hosted by the Small Things blog every Wednesday -- about two of the best things in life: reading and knitting!
Knitting: Last night around 10 p.m. I got the hankering to knit something. I'm still putting off finishing up my BlueSand Cardigan like a total lazy bum, so I decided to take a quick browse on Ravelry and what do I find but the Woolly Wormhead 2015 Mystery Hat Knit-Along?! I've participated once before and got one of my favorite hats out of the MKAL.
I dug around in my stash and found a gorgeous skein of Malabrigo in Azul Profundo. The pattern intro mentions an optional pompom, and I've really been lusting after those faux fur pompoms popping up everywhere this fall. I thought the beautiful dark blue yarn would just go perfectly with one of those fur poms. Since it's a MKAL, I can only show you the yarn, not the progress on my hat. This week is clue 1, so all I've knit so far is the brim.
Reading: "Lair of Dreams" by Libba Bray, the second book her Diviners series. This is a long book -- over 600 pages -- and it's taken me some time to get into the story. The first book came out a couple years ago and I only have the vaguest memory of what happened. I was having a hard time feeling interested in the characters, but now I'm about a third of the way through and the plot is picking up. It's a young adult book (sort of in the paranormal realm, with dreamwalkers and object readers and talk-to-the-dead-ers, set in 1920s New York City), so hopefully it'll go fast from here.
I've never done a mystery KAL but I know people who have made their favorite things with them. That yarn is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteMy questions about Libba Bray's Diviners series: You say it's set in 1920s New York City and I wonder if it has all the richness of 20s NYC (a la The Great Gatsby) or if that's just a backdrop for the narrative? Do you feel immersed in the setting and story or is it more about plot and character than what's around them? I'm debating whether or not to pick up the series so I'd love to know..
Hi! Sorry it's taken me so long to respond... I was pondering your question as I finished the book. I do think that the era comes through a lot in the story; it's in the words, the mannerisms, the clothes, the news and happenings of the day. But overall it's still a young adult book, which I feel rarely capture the atmosphere adult books do. And to be honest, I didn't like "Lair of Dreams" nearly as much as "The Diviners" and I'm not sure I'll continue the series. "The Diviners" was a pretty quick and easy read, so you wouldn't be losing too much time if you read it and it isn't what you were hoping for.
DeleteI think you should definitely try a mystery knit-along! I love the anticipation of getting a new clue each week and following along with everyone else's progress on Ravelry! They're a blast!
No worries, I appreciate a thought-out response. :)
DeleteHmmm.... I think maybe I'll get The Diviners from the library and see if I want to continue the series. I agree that atmosphere doesn't always shine through as brightly in YA as it does in adult literature.
I checked out some newer mystery knit-alongs on Ravelry and I'm thinking I might dive into a shawl KAL after Christmas when I have more time to dedicate to it. Thanks for the encouragement. :)