Recent Readings
A few quick updates on books that I've recently finished.
The Dark River by John Twelve Hawks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A wonderful continuation of the themes and characters established in the first book. At times the book felt predictable but still spun an engaging David versus Goliath tale.
The Golden City by John Twelve Hawks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A fitting conclusion to the Fourth Realm Trilogy. The themes introduced in the other books reach a logic but not entirely satisfying conclusion, with multiple doors left open for future story lines. The solution outlined to combat the Vast Machine at times felt like the author trying to start his own movement, but not explored in enough detail to be convincing.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Compelling portrait of the family and history of the woman whose cancer inadvertently created one of the most widely used medical research tools in use today. Touching on issues of privacy, informed consent, medical research, and complex ethical situations this isn't just a biography but a view into an ongoing debate about medicine. The book doesn't delve into the science around HeLa cells that much as that is widely covered and instead focuses on the family and their storied history with the cells.