It took me over six months to read this book, but not because it was boring or tedious or just plain bad. No, it's the opposite. This book is so wondeIt took me over six months to read this book, but not because it was boring or tedious or just plain bad. No, it's the opposite. This book is so wonderful that I never wanted it to end. Also, at some point I was so scared of what would happen next that I couldn't read on. Tonight, I finally read the last page and while I'm sad that I will never be able to read this book again for the first time, there will always be the second time. And the third. And whatever comes after that.
This is a beautiful, beautiful book and I love it more than most of the other books I've read.
(I also read this at the best time possible; I'd started reading it once before, years ago, but back then I wasn't in the middle of falling in love with comic books and everything. So that's another thing.)...more
I had been seeing this on recommendation lists all year, but previously I always hesitated to start, because I wasn't sure I was in the mood for a warI had been seeing this on recommendation lists all year, but previously I always hesitated to start, because I wasn't sure I was in the mood for a war novel.
Then I spotted it at our local library and gave it a try, and found it difficult to stop reading. Yesterday, I almost missed my tram stop - that hasn't happened in a while.
It's both a love and a war story, and the war part is as heavy as you probably imagine it to be. Still, Alice Winn has a good sense for when to allow readers to take a break, and so it never was overwhelming for me.
I can see why it was on all those recommendations list, and I can add my recommendation as well. ...more
A worthy successor to "Underground Railroad" and a necessary and important book.
I had to gather my courage before reading this, because while "UndergA worthy successor to "Underground Railroad" and a necessary and important book.
I had to gather my courage before reading this, because while "Underground Railroad" was undoubtedly very good, it was also very difficult to read. And "The Nickel Boys", set in a "reform" school in the US South during the Jim Crow era, wasn't an easier read. It is, however, a very good book. Whitehead's writing is calm and collected, but never removed. I am very bad at describing that sort of thing, but some sentences slash like blades while deceptively simple. I appreciated how he wrote about the abuse - clear enough to not be merely an allusion, but never gratuitous.
What I find especially remarkable is how Whitehead can tell the history that needs to be told without letting it "just" be history. His books very much make clear that it isn't enough to condemn what crimes and cruelties white people committed towards black people - this is still going on today, if only in a different disguise. He also doesn't grant the reader any respite - it's something that I felt while reading "Underground Railroad". It does make reading difficult, but there are books that are worth that, and this is one of them....more
This isn't the first story of its kind that I've read, but it isn't less worth telling it - and Besson writes in thBeautiful, heartbreaking and true.
This isn't the first story of its kind that I've read, but it isn't less worth telling it - and Besson writes in this matter of fact way that does a poor job of hiding the depth of feelings underneath the story. (By "poor job" I don't mean that it is badly written - I don't know how better to capture the way you try to say something that matters a lot in a way that tries to hide that. I don't know if I'm making sense.)
Not for the first time I'm struck by the... tragedy? unfairness? cruelty? Something more active than tragedy, definitely - of society and its expectations and how considering how rare and beautiful love is, how much we have to struggle with anyway - sickness and death and whatnot- I don't understand why people can't love who they want. (At this point I am pretty sure I cannot get across what I mean anymore. Blame the fact that I am literally sobbing.)
In any case, this is not a happy book, but one that catches the heart, like a sleeve is captured in a seemingly smooth surface. I wouldn't have read this if I hadn't come across this on Goodreads - the German translation somehow completely passed me by - so I am really grateful I discovered this....more
Here’s an idea for the publisher: maybe don’t print the final twist on the cover. You’d have to have never read a book with a twist before not to notiHere’s an idea for the publisher: maybe don’t print the final twist on the cover. You’d have to have never read a book with a twist before not to notice it. That pretty much spoiled the book for me. I’m not usually a spoiler-phobe, but we’re talking Sixth Sense kind of twist here, so.
(I checked the Japanese cover and it’s a lot more vague.)
While I’ve only ever seen the movie of “Geständnisse“, I‘d still say this one is the weaker book. There is an interesting tension here, and it has that odd sense of calm-with-something-beneath-it that Japanese crime and horror stories have. It was an interesting read, but with a different cover it would have been even better.
As for the translation, it was pretty underwhelming. There were several inconsistencies, and I wish the shift in perspective had been indicated by italics - with no special formatting I’m still not sure whether the shift from 3rd to 1st person was on purpose or a mistake....more
I've been meaning to read this for ages but somehow never got around to doing so. The German translation coming out in August seemed as good a reason I've been meaning to read this for ages but somehow never got around to doing so. The German translation coming out in August seemed as good a reason as any, and I'm certainly glad I finally took the time.
Basically, if you like Greek myths, this is a fantastic book. Like "The Song of Achilles", this is a retelling of known stories that manages to keep the essence of myths while delving deeper and showing them in a different light.
"Circe" is about women and the way female stories are told. If I have one complaint it is that it spells that out a few times, by making it obvious how the stories we know are often shaped by men and thus the women in those stories are the way men would like them to be. I could have done without those bits - I don't like it when authors feel like they have to show me what their book is about, and that message would have come across without those bits. The translation has a few bits I wasn't a fan of, using words that felt too modern for my liking, but overall it was good.
Personally, I liked "The Song of Achilles" a bit better - it had a more poetic feel to it that resonated more with me. But "Circe" is an excellent book as well, fun to read and food for thought, exactly the kind of thing I love....more
This wasn't quite what I expected - somehow I had hoped for a happier story. But this story about love, friendship and grief is beautifully told and iThis wasn't quite what I expected - somehow I had hoped for a happier story. But this story about love, friendship and grief is beautifully told and indeed "dripping with tenderness", as Matt Haig is quoted on the cover. It pretty much turned me into a sobbing mess several times, but it was the quiet understatedness that did it, not any big emotional scenes. I really liked this one....more
I loved "The Sparsholt Affair" for a lot of reasons, not all of which I will be able to put into words.
First of all, Alan Hollinghurst's writing justI loved "The Sparsholt Affair" for a lot of reasons, not all of which I will be able to put into words.
First of all, Alan Hollinghurst's writing just is *it* for me. Style and language are very subjective things, but you know how people say certain narrators could read the phone book and they'd be happy? I suspect Alan Hollinghurst could write the phone book and I'd be happy. And no, I don't care that that doesn't make any sense.
Apart from the sheer beauty of his writing, what I really appreciate is the way he manages to capture that feeling of being the outsider. Not necessarily in the sense of being an outcast - I mean the feeling of being the only one who doesn't know what to say or do in a certain situation. And the thing is, he portrays that feeling so subtly. I don't know how that works.
Now, if you're someone who prefers books to be straightforward, I suspect that "The Sparsholt Affair" can be somewhat frustrating. The title itself has several meanings, and the main affair is never explained in detail. Like David Sparsholt, it's mostly at the edge of vision. But the thing is, the details of the affair(s) isn't the point, what's the point is the effect they have on others.
It also stretches from the 1940s well into the 2010s, with the changing Britain as backdrop. It was funny how after spending most of the books reading about people phoning each other or writing letters, it was almost disorienting to read the words "iPhone", "Tumblr" and "Grindr".
In a way, the book feels like what you get when you ride the bus and get glimpses into people's lives. It's as much about what happens in the spaces between what we're being told on the pages. For example, there isn't a lot shown about Johnny and Pat's relationship, but what is said is enough to picture their life together. In a way it's like a light sketch that still lets you see the finished, fully realised picture without actually seeing it. It also feels like this novel has several other unwritten novels in it.
Yeah, I think that's it.
And while the novel you write for them in your head may not be the "real" novel, Hollinghurst also has shown there is no such thing as a objective truth to a story, so the story you write about Evert and David the is just as real as what Evert remembers happening.
For me, it was a superb novel, and I actually could go on and on talking about this book. I liked it even better than "The Line of Beauty", possibly because it felt more connected to the present. It was pure pleasure reading this book, and it's one that I'll be thinking about for quite some time....more
Reading “Bleak House” after “Oliver Twist” was an absolute relief. Even though it was more than twice as long, it felt much, much shorter, and you canReading “Bleak House” after “Oliver Twist” was an absolute relief. Even though it was more than twice as long, it felt much, much shorter, and you can tell from the beginning of “Bleak House” how much Dickens had grown as a writer when he wrote it.
Yes, there are times when it drags on - or seems to drag on - just like the never-ending Chancery case, but truth be told I was never bored. I highly suggest reading it in the installments it was published in. That way you end up reading about fifty pages per day, and get a sense of the cliffhangers whole you read it. I only went over that limit towards the end, when I absolutely had to know what happened next.
While I am not sure I like it better than “David Copperfield”, “Bleak House” is most certainly the better book. The way he threads the different narratives together is amazing, his social commentary is razor sharp and hilarious , and while the characters possibly lack the fame of some of Dickens’ other books, I came to care for them very much. I think from a reader’s perspective, “Bleak House” is a little more work than “David Copperfield”, but to be honest I doubt any one of Dickens’ other books can replace “David Copperfield” for me, for personal reasons. Ultimately, while more work I think “Bleak House” is probably the more rewarding reading experience. I’m very glad I read it and more excited about my reading project than ever, because it is fun to see how an author’s skill can change and grow over time.
One thing, though - this was the first time I found the notes in the Penguin edition absolutely ridiculous and patronizing. They also had a major spoiler for the book, which really made me angry. ...more
This was a great read, full stop. Everything about this book makes you believe in „Daisy Jones & The Six“, starting with the amazing cover and the lyrThis was a great read, full stop. Everything about this book makes you believe in „Daisy Jones & The Six“, starting with the amazing cover and the lyrics in the back, and I swear I could almost hear the songs as they were being written. The way it’s composed from fractures of „interviews“, with people contradicting each other, works very well, and it doesn’t take long for you to see the characters as real. That was really well done, and it’s the kind of book I can see myself recommend to many people, even outside my job, because it’s a fun, smart read.
I suspected before I started that this wouldn't end up my favourite Dickens (I have vague memories of trying to read this before and not liking it allI suspected before I started that this wouldn't end up my favourite Dickens (I have vague memories of trying to read this before and not liking it all that much), and for the most part it was a bit of a struggle. (It didn't help that I started reading "War and Peace" about one week after I started reading "Oliver Twist" - most books are sure to pale in comparison to the former, and "Oliver Twist" most certainly did.) It's biggest failure for me was that once Oliver reaches London I found it impossible to care much about him. The bad guys in this book have the advantage of being at least somewhat interesting, but I wasn't invested in any of their fates, or in the book as a whole. The beginning is definitely the best part - there are some very cutting remarks on the system of workhouses and so-called charity, and the way Dickens shows his anger at the status quo is one of my favourite things about him. That mostly gets lost after a while, though, and I had trouble maintaining my interest. I still think this is a worthwhile project, exactly because it shows me what I appreciate about his writing and what I don't. And at least it was under 500 pages, so I didn't suffer too long....more
This is the kind of book that I can appreciate both for its subject matter and the way it is written, but I can’t say I enjoyed it very much. AlthoughThis is the kind of book that I can appreciate both for its subject matter and the way it is written, but I can’t say I enjoyed it very much. Although that is too simplistic a statement - it’s a book that made me reflect, which I enjoy. But that doesn’t change the fact that the main character’s behavior is shitty and depressing as hell, as is the world that makes him behave like that. There’s not much hope in this book, is the thing. It’s a book worth reading, though, and I’m glad I finally read something by Baldwin. Probably won’t be the last thing I read by him....more
This was excellent! I get why it would be compared to "Love, Simon", but honestly I liked this a lot better.
Jack is a 17year old gay boy who likes seThis was excellent! I get why it would be compared to "Love, Simon", but honestly I liked this a lot better.
Jack is a 17year old gay boy who likes sex and is open about it. Not everyone likes that, however - and after he begins writing a sex advice columns, he starts getting notes from a secret "admirer" that become creepier and creepier.
I liked how sex positive this was, and how sensible and enlightened. It's another great example on how easy it is, really, to write (and talk) about consent, and a wonderful book about being yourself. It's funny, and felt more genuine to me than "Love, Simon" (which sometimes felt too full of "Buffy"-like quips). As a bookseller, I would expect some parents to get weird about the sex parts, but I do think it's a great way for young adults (16+) to read about the different ways to approach sex and sexuality.
I usually avoid YA because I feel like it's really not for me, anymore, but one sentence really resonated with me- well, no, actually it was two. The first is Jack's "It could be worse," and the way it's dealt with does a great job at revealing the many things LBGT people (and other minorities) still have to face. Like, even if you're not being beaten up or insulted, even if you have the same rights on paper, that doesn't mean you cannot be hurt by the majority in many different ways, some on purpose, some maybe by accident.
The second sentence is connected to that: "Straight people are the worst." Taken by itself, I suspect the sentence might make some people feel really defensive, but in the context of this book (and in the context of life), it does ring true sometimes. I think this resonated with me especially because I went on a date with a straight guy today and while he seemed smart and educated, he had that typical lack of awareness that comes with privilege sometimes. I don't want to go into a deep discussion of this, but sometimes straight people and their straightness are exhausting.
But anyway, to go back to the book! I didn't actually mean to read the whole thing today, but I literally only stopped reading because of the unsuccessful date. It's very difficult to put down and such a delight. I'm so happy I read it, and happy that such a book exists....more
This was a book that lived up to the promise of its first pages in every way. The writing is gorgeous, but what struck me most is that there is space This was a book that lived up to the promise of its first pages in every way. The writing is gorgeous, but what struck me most is that there is space in this book. Space to weave in your own thoughts, space to work with the book rather than the book doing the work for you. I think this is a concept I like - the idea that great books are great because you can find a place inside them to figure things out, work out your own position, rather than being told what your position is....more
I found “A Tale of two Cities” a lot more difficult to like than “David Copperfield” - at least in the beginning. For me, it doesn’t really pick up unI found “A Tale of two Cities” a lot more difficult to like than “David Copperfield” - at least in the beginning. For me, it doesn’t really pick up until the second half (or the third part) of the book, when the characters arrive in France. Still, that part made up for the slowness of the beginning, and I suspect it’s a book that benefits from rereading. I read on a Twitter thread that one of the books weaknesses is its lack of comic characters, and I would agree with that. I doubt I’d have stuck with it if it wasn’t for my little project - but then that’s exactly the point of it, to have some extra incentive to keep reading. As it is, I’m glad I read it - I didn’t take to the characters as I did to those in “David Copperfield” (except maybe towards the very end), but it was interesting to read his views on the French Revolution. And there are some really good lines in here, too. It’s a book worth reading, if only to see what comes after one of the most famous opening sentences of English literature....more
This was an interesting read, not least because it made me realize how little I actually know about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Told entirely frThis was an interesting read, not least because it made me realize how little I actually know about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Told entirely from the pov of an 18 year old girl, the book is basically one 350 page block of text only very rarely interrupted by line or chapter breaks. When it won the booker, there were complaints of it being too difficult, but I'd disagree with that. Certainly, if you've only read mainstream fiction (which isn't meant to be disparaging!), it takes some getting used to, but it certainly isn't Ulysses. The way it's told does a good job getting across the way life must have been during that time in Belfast, and the way people treated - maybe had to treat each other back then. It also shows the different forms violence can take, especially taken by men against women. It's also quite funny at times. I honestly can't say that I *loved* it - it's the kind of book I can appreciate, but not really love - but I'm glad I read it....more
“Maurice” is a novel that I’ve been wanting to read for ages, but never *quite* got around to doing so. Well, until now.
It’s rightfully famous for bei“Maurice” is a novel that I’ve been wanting to read for ages, but never *quite* got around to doing so. Well, until now.
It’s rightfully famous for being one of the first pieces of modern gay literature and Forster’s insistence of it having a happy ending (and of it not being published during his lifetime). There were many things I found impressive - not least the way Maurice becomes aware of his own nature. And while certainly things have improved for the LGBTQ+ community in the last hundred years, it’s amazing how relevant so much of what is mentioned in this book still is. For example Maurice’s realization that “there always have been people like me and always will be, and generally have been persecuted.” There’s hardly a week goes by that some idiot doesn’t try to pretend that “our community blinked out of existence after ancient greece and only popped back up for the AIDS crisis”. (https://mobile.twitter.com/entoncesal...) I admit I was surprised to find Forster’s observations on class just as interesting as Maurice’s love affairs, but I think I was surprised by most of the book, if I’m honest. I liked it a lot better than I expected to while also enjoying its quality (yes, those are different things). It’s definitely worth reading if you’re interested in queer history or English literature. ...more
Yesterday evening I suddenly was struck by the urge to write a short essay about the first sentence of "David Copperfield". When I first told my co-woYesterday evening I suddenly was struck by the urge to write a short essay about the first sentence of "David Copperfield". When I first told my co-workers about my Dickens challenge, one of them said he'd expect one, but that certainly isn't why I wrote it. It's just that while I was reading it, and having fun, my subconscious (I suppose) was thinking about it and finally errupted. Or something.
I won't bore you with the essay, but I have some thoughts about classics I want to put in writing. Another co-worker confessed to me she had never read anything by Dickens, and I replied that was fine. Because I honestly don't think you have to read Dickens. There's no need to read any specific book - but I would argue it doesn't hurt to pick up a classic every now and then. Classics to me are books (or poems) that answer or pose questions that are still relevant to us today, and thus form a connection to the past. Case in point, David Copperfield's description of his courtship of Dora in all its ridiculousness, which amused me to no end because literally nothing has changed there.
What makes a classic a classic? And what makes a classic worth reading? Obviously the so-called canon is perpetually changing, which is a good thing. Literary canons have been dominated by white male writers for way too long, and it's necessary to re-evaluate what we call classics in order to better reflect who we are as a society now. I'll pick queer writers as an example because I am queer and feel more comfortable speaking about my own experience in this case, but the same is true for writers of colour. It matters to be able to point at history and to say, "We have always been there and we have always mattered". And that is why it's silly to say you have to read Dickens, or Austen, or Brontë, or Melville specifically. (I do think there are exceptions - reading Goethe as a German student or Shakespeare as an English student is important because of their influence on the language itself.) But for me there is something powerful in picking up a book that is hundred or more years old and finding things that resonate.
I'm going to stop rambling now. "David Copperfield" is the only Dickens book I've read thrice, and re-reading it reminded me why. It's just really fun to read....more
This actually had me laughing out loud on the bus. It's hilarious, but more than a mere parody. If you're in the mood for something silly (in the bestThis actually had me laughing out loud on the bus. It's hilarious, but more than a mere parody. If you're in the mood for something silly (in the best possible way), I highly recommend this....more
I bought this on Sherry's recommendation, and I am very glad I did, even if it meant lots of ugly sobbing this morning. It's a lovely book, especiallyI bought this on Sherry's recommendation, and I am very glad I did, even if it meant lots of ugly sobbing this morning. It's a lovely book, especially if you have ever been a cat owner. It made me miss my cat :( It's not a subtle book, but a very touching story that I am very glad I read....more
Loading...
