Mr Midshipman Hornblower, by C. S. Forester

Awwww my wee babby Hornblower, he's so CUTE and EARNEST and GREAT. He's all shy and awkward and lonely and prone to some pretty terrible depression and with the worst self-esteem, and he's also very intelligent and capable and oh so honourable, and basically it's the BEST.

This book (and I am going to assume the rest of the series) is, um, rather dramatic and unrealistic, but entirely charming.

I can't help but compare to Patrick O'Brian (OF COURSE, books set during the Napoleonic war centered on a British officer at sea) and like, it's nowhere near as good? But it's a different kind of enjoyable to read. Forester isn't as good at characterization as O'Brian, but who is? And I kept getting lost in Forester's fight scenes, which doesn't happen to me in O'Brian. And Forester doesn't give me those moments of just basking in a perfect turn of phrase or amazing idea, or giggling with delight over something that just happened. But Forester is enjoyable and ridiculous and fun and above all not stressful. I definitely need to read the rest of the series.

Something I appreciate in this book: despite being a book set almost entirely at sea in a male profession, it still managed to have a great (though brief) female character role. Aww Kitty Cobham you're wonderful.

Chalice, by Robin McKinley

( ...I think I have to cut the ENTIRETY of this post for spoilers. Usually I like to start with a bit of a leadup but apparently not this time. )