Fine: A Comic About Gender

Fine: A Comic About Gender by Rhea Ewing

Author Rhea Ewing interviewed over 50 people about the topic of Gender, then organized their statements into 15 subject chapters and illustrated them into graphic novel format to make an outstanding book that explores this complex and often misunderstood topic. The approach can be daunting as people talk about this most intimate side of themselves and you see them through the eyes of the author's expressive cartoons. At first, I had to take this book in a few pages at a timebecause the content is so raw and emotional. As I read on I began to see the broader picture and could read through to the end.
If you want to know more about Gender beyond the simple binary male/female, this is a great place to start. No philosophy or theory, just the direct words of over 50 people who are living with the question in their own lives organized into meaningful short statements under broad subject categories like adolescence, hormones, changing pronouns, bathrooms, feelings about your body, and other topics.
This book is powerful and comes with a lists of Content Warnings, places to get more information, and further readings.

The Italian Secretary: A Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes

The Italian Secretary: A Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Caleb Carr

Caleb Carr takes on the challenge of writing a further adventure of the famous 19th century detective Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr. Watson. He follows a traditional format with the story starting in London at the Baker Street home of Sherlock Holmes with Dr. Watson visiting and Mrs. Hudson in attendance. Here Holmes presents Watson with a telegram from his brother Mycroft Holmes asking him to come to Scotland to work on a case.
It seems Holmes is being asked to investigate a real life ghost story that is said to haunt the HolyRoodHouse castle of Mary Queen of Scots. It seems that Mary's husband, suspecting her of infidelity with her Italian secretary, had the man pulled from her rooms while they dined and repeatedly stabbed by a group of assassins. His ghost is said to haunt the castle down to the present day.
In the story, Queen Victoria uses the castle as her official residence in Edinburgh, and has commissioned an architect to restore the Queen Mary's tower. However, the architect and his assistant are murdered in the same manner as the Italian secretary. The local people think the ghost is taking revenge on his murderers, but Mycroft, suspecting political intrigue and worried for the safety of the queen, calls on Holmes to investigate.
I enjoyed reading the book although I didn't feel that the author was able to capture the style of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the characters. An important detail for a book that adheres closely to the original author's format. He does write of the 19th century well and the plot is sufficiently interesting for a murder mystery. So, while I enjoyed the book, I do not think it one of the better additions to the works about the famous detective.