This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

ivytwine

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I haven't read her books but from the odd article here and there and a TV interview or two I can't say I'm a fan of Moran. Leaving aside how she pronounces her names, she seems like the sort that preaches the "it's okay for a woman to be told how to live/think/be as long as it's by another women" kind of feminism.

Not a fan of Moran for that exact reason, she's also extremely glib and pretty much only cares about white middle class women.

I enjoyed the memoir parts of How to be a Woman, but wasn't a fan of her manifesto.

I'm reading A Song of Ice and Fire at the moment, on book 2 and love it. I also recently read Animal by Sara Pascoe (a far more intelligent feminist book, and hilarious) and Spill Simmer Falter Wither, which is heartbreaking.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I've had SSFW on my "to read" list for ages. It's ways on loan from the library, might just have to buy it.

Arghus

His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrame Burnet - Longlisted for this year's Booker prize, HBP tells the sad and misfortunate tale of the life, crimes and trial of seventeen year old Roderick Macrae. A impoverished crofters son from a forlorn part of the highlands of Scotland during the 1860s, he is arrested after commiting a triple murder which leaves the majority of a neighbouring family of his dead.

It's an unusual book in terms of structure. The conceit is that instead of a narrative work of fiction we are actually reading a series of documents pertaining to the case; eye witness accounts, Roderick's account of his life (the majority of the novel), corner reports, newspaper clippings and so on. It is though entirely fictional, but a reader could be pretty easily and impressively fooled.

Despite the slightly jarring shifting between formats the novel is consistently absorbing. The actual crime at the heart of it is about as clear an open and shut case as you're likely to find, but it's evocation of a time and a place is fascination enough to keep reading. And the novel does a good job of underlining all the complex forces at play - kinship, religion, economics, education - that shape the world and the actions of the people within it.

All in all, an impressively sustained bit of historical fiction, which does contain the odd bit of incongruous gratuitousness and a few contrivances here and there, but not to the overall detriment to it's readability. Recommended.

IvyTheTerrible

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I've had SSFW on my "to read" list for ages. It's ways on loan from the library, might just have to buy it.

What does SSFW stand for?

quickbeam

Spill Simmer Falter Wither

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

What does SSFW stand for?

quickbeam wrote: »

Spill Simmer Falter Wither

Yeah, it was mentioned in the post above, thought it would be clear. Should have put a ^ in.

Vayda

In between some GoT books I got a few new ones in the post this week.

Read "Paper Girls" graphic novel in under an hour and thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next.

In the pile now is the 50th anniversary ed of "To Kill A Mockingbird" as I've been meaning to re-buy for ages.

Decided to go for "A Little Life" also as I've heard wonderful things for a while about it. Plenty to read!

Ipso

I read Agincourt by Betnard Cornwell, ruddy great stuff. I'm now resding Conn Iggulden's War of the Roses series, they are good but I prefer Corneell's writing.
Has anyone read Iggulden's Genghis Khan series?

Slideways

A read "A Man Called Ove"

No idea how I came to have it on my kindle but I absolutely loved it. It made me laugh, cry and think about people still here and some who have departed.

Belle E. Flops

Slideways wrote: »

A read "A Man Called Ove"

No idea how I came to have it on my kindle but I absolutely loved it. It made me laugh, cry and think about people still here and some who have departed.

Read this recently aswell and loved it. I laughed and cried. A few times he reminded me of my Dad when he was giving out about certain things.

Gonzovision

Ipso wrote: »

I read Agincourt by Betnard Cornwell, ruddy great stuff. I'm now resding Conn Iggulden's War of the Roses series, they are good but I prefer Corneell's writing.
Has anyone read Iggulden's Genghis Khan series?

Yep, enjoyed the whole series, his Caesar series is also worth a read.

Callan57

The Betrayed by Christy Kenneally

diograis

Nearly finished The Glass Castle, would recommend to a friend 10/10

Fathom

This is where it ends, by Marieke Nijkamp

Xofpod

The Snapper, Roddy Doyle

holy guacamole

Finished 'End of the world running club' by Adrian J Walker which is a post-apocalyptic story set in Scotland of all places.

It follows a handful of survivors as they try and make their way through a decimated Great Britain in time to reach boats leaving for safer lands. It differs from most post-apocalypse tales in that it's somewhat light-hearted and not nearly as grim as most in this genre.

It clips along at a fair old pace and is perfectly entertaining without ever being gripping. But it's let down by some fairly implausible plot-holes and a protagonist who's difficult to warm to.

Would have liked to see the theme of people in the western world coping as refugees explored in greater depth but the author steers clear of that and other deeper issues.

Fathom

The Nix by Nathan Hill

Callan57

The Moment by Douglas Kennedy

Belle E. Flops

I haven't had a chance to do much reading over the last few days but I've gotten really sick of the Caitlin Moran book so it's been put to the side for now.

I'm still working my way through Romeo and Juliet. It's not a very long book but I find I'm slower reading it because I have to concentrate a bit harder, but enjoying it.

I've also started the first Poldark book. I'm only a few pages in but I like how it's written so far.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I've been reading Jamarach's Menagerie by Carol Birch.

It's about a young boy in Victorian London who ends up going to sea on a voyage to capture a "dragon" for a private collector. I'm a little more than half way through and I'm liking it so far. The writing is really captivating and even in parts where very little is happening it keeps your attention. It starts out like a kind of adventure story but it's just started to take a bit of a dark turn. Really enjoying it so far.

Gonzovision

Think it's time for a re-read of 'The Shadow of the Wind'

Wyldwood

Finished Haruf's Eventide & Benediction. Absolutely loved Eventide, was really invested in to old McPheron brothers. However, I was disappointed in Benediction, it didn't grab me at all.
Tickle_me_Elmo, you're spot on when you say it's not related to Plainsong and Eventide. Just one mention of the brothers and that's it. Don't understand why it's advertised as Book 3 in the series

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Wyldwood wrote: »

Tickle_me_Elmo, you're spot on when you say it's not related to Plainsong and Eventide. Just one mention of the brothers and that's it. Don't understand why it's advertised as Book 3 in the series

Yeah, it really shouldn't be. I'm fairly sure all his books are set in the same fictional town, so they're all connected in that way but it's like saying Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are a series of books because they're both set in Victorian London.

Spanish Eyes

An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, John O'Farrell.

Very informative, quite amusing, and a cracking read.

Also A man called Ove. It is great too.

One book for the bus, another for the bed!

Paddy Samurai

Xofpod wrote: »

A couple of people have recommended this to me and it's in the pile. Strikes me as maybe too similar to The Stand though.

If you like the stand ,you might like Swan Song by Robert McCammon

Paddy Samurai

Gonzovision wrote: »

Yep, enjoyed the whole series, his Caesar series is also worth a read.

Yep both were great series.Christian Cameron is very good as well.His Ill made Knight series is turning out to be top notch IMO.

Fathom

The Light between Oceans, by M. L. Stedman

SarahBM

Just finished the Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. Gorgeous book!

Next is Dune, which is for cinema book club. I'm not sure I like Sci Fi books. I haven't really liked any other ones I have read, but sure I'll give it a go.

Xofpod

Jerusalem, the long-awaited new novel from Alan Moore, is going to the top of my to-read list as soon as I pick up my copy.

Birneybau

'A Hologram For The King' - Dave Eggers. Not bad so far.

'Blood on Snow' - Jo Nesbo, not great.