Back to work after a long relaxing weekend.

The boyfriend and I went and saw the Matrix sequel this weekend and I have to say that I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I was sort of indifferent on the first movie - while I admired the concept and story I was wholly annoyed by the dialogue. Every time the character's opened their mouths a big hunk of cheese fell out. I still crack up laughing every time I think about Lawrence Fishburne reverently muttering "He Is The One."

Now with The Matrix Reloaded the screenwriters hit upon a nice formula - lots of cool action sequences, little dialogue. There was one highly improbable moment that had me choking back giggles, but generally speaking it was well worth the price of my matinee ticket.

Also went out to the bar with my best friend Sunday night and had entirely too much fun. Needless to say I was nursing a bit of a hangover Monday morning - nothing a pot of tea and a 3 hour nap couldn't fix.

I also finished up Point of Honour by Madeleine E. Robins, which I ended up really enjoying. Sent a review of it off this morning and it should be posted within the week over at The Mystery Reader.

WooHoo! Long weekend coming my way! One of the perks to this whole public librarian gig is definately the holiday time. General rule of thumb - when there is no mail delivery I typically have the day off.

And let me just say how happy I am to have the long weekend. I have hardly been reading at all lately, and it's beginning to annoy me. Why? Because I'm reading a rather intriguing historical mystery - Point of Honour by Madeleine E. Robins.

The heroine, Miss Sarah Tolerance, is a "Fallen" woman in Regency London. The daughter of nobility, Sarah has the nerve to run off with her brother's fencing instructor. When her lover dies - Sarah is left with nothing. Everyone figures she should just get it over with and become a prostitute (young noble women tend to have no other marketable skills), but our fair heroine is too smart for that. She instead goes into business for herself as an "agent of inquiry." Think private investigator and you'll get the idea. Her wealthy clients come to her because she gets the job done while being painfully discreet.

Miss Tolerance is hired to track down an antique fan that was once given to a courtesan. Seems like a simple enough task, except her client isn't being entirely truthful with her. For one thing what is so blasted important about a fan? And for another, why are so many people interested in finding it?

Sarah appeals to me as a heroine because she is very intelligent, unconventional, and is great with a sword (thanks to her lover). She kicks butt, deduces with the best of them, and isn't afraid to lurk about in darkened, slimy corners.

This story is also oh-so-proper English in tone, which appeals to the Anglophile in me. Nobody actually comes out and says what they want or feel because good lord - what of their reputations? The Victorians always appealled to me because underneath all those manners I get the feeling they were quite "naughty." Robins is depicting Regency London in much the same way.