Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: First in a new fantasy series: 'The Killing Moon'

Looking for an inventive new work of epic fantasy? N.K. Jemisin's new book The Killing Moon is the first in the planned Dreamblood series, in which priests are tasked with policing their territory through the use of healing dreams. When one priest is sent to collect the dreams of a diplomat from abroad, he is pulled into a web of intrigue from which he will not easily escape. The book's desert setting, loosely inspired by northern Africa and the Middle East, is part of a larger trend in fantasy fiction. Try Kingdoms of Dust or Desert Spear for more books that draw on the desert for inspiration.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

First in a new fantasy series: 'The Killing Moon'

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