reading (Dear Miss Demeanor)

I finished "Dear Miss Demeanor" on Sunday. It was what I've come to expect from Hess, a mystery plot sprinkled with a thin layer of characters. This one moved along pretty well.

Hess' portrayal of Substitute teaching seems a bit thin. I mean, I've had plenty of substitute teachers. If you don't direct kids they'll serve you up on a spit and roast you alive by the end of the first period. To give them free reign for several days running would cause chaos which would make anarchists wish for the good old days of fascism. I'll prepared I've seen, but it is in the best interest of the rest of the staff to make sure no one drowns.

Not a bad day at the beach, but not one you need to keep on the bookshelf you can reach quickly.

12. Joan Hess "Dear Miss Demeanor"

reading (Asimov's March)

I finished the March issue of Asimov's on Thursday I believe. I found "Whatness", the shortest short story in the issue, very amusing and spot on. "Slow Stampede" had some interesting worldbuilding, but I found the plot to be too sensational to be tolerable. The plot of a pubescent boy's dreams are best not brought out into the light. "Intelligence" was pleasantly twisty. "Getting Real" contained a lot of current socio-economic commentary. Some of the bits are very timely for the current activity in Washington.

13. Asimov's March 2009