This is a slow burn of a book. I'm a patient reader but at times even I was frustrated, but as much with the painfully real limitations of Stoner as aThis is a slow burn of a book. I'm a patient reader but at times even I was frustrated, but as much with the painfully real limitations of Stoner as a human being, and of life in general, depicted here with such clarity and power, as with the tentative pace of it. Absolutely worth reading. Some moments of such great wisdom I found myself repeatedly jotting down quotations from it....more
Riveting and wonderful in places, deeply distressing in others. Adichie gets under the skin of her characters like few other writers; but I felt this Riveting and wonderful in places, deeply distressing in others. Adichie gets under the skin of her characters like few other writers; but I felt this lacked fluency she later found with 'Half of a Yellow Sun'. Well worth a read....more
This is a short book but it feels long...a little slow and measured, but very elegant and very witty in places; an interesting portrayal of the declinThis is a short book but it feels long...a little slow and measured, but very elegant and very witty in places; an interesting portrayal of the decline of the aristocracy in Sicily after the unification. Some spot on, blistering character portraits; some moments of real wisdom to impart....more
A strange little fantasy tale for older children, which I did enjoy; but it's written in the impersonal style of a Greek myth or a fable, so it's hardA strange little fantasy tale for older children, which I did enjoy; but it's written in the impersonal style of a Greek myth or a fable, so it's hard to love the characters or get really caught up in the story. Although the prose is original and vivid in places, Mitchison gives very little physical description of her characters - even the dragons - which is OK for adults suppose, but might make it less fun for children. There are three male human characters who are important in the latter half of the book, and I have no picture in my head of any of them. But - good fun for all that....more
A book to get lost in for days, long but ultimately rewarding. This is about a life and a philosophy rather than a rushing plot. Beautifully drawn. I A book to get lost in for days, long but ultimately rewarding. This is about a life and a philosophy rather than a rushing plot. Beautifully drawn. I loved it, but The Little Friend remains my favourite of Tartt's three excellent novels....more
Another magical read from Garner who tells his story in his own unique way - not easy to unpick, not instantly understood, but slowly casting its spelAnother magical read from Garner who tells his story in his own unique way - not easy to unpick, not instantly understood, but slowly casting its spell over the patient reader....more
Oh my word. It took me a bit of a while to get immersed in this, but once I was, I was totally gripped. And it is a heart breaking read; just unrelentOh my word. It took me a bit of a while to get immersed in this, but once I was, I was totally gripped. And it is a heart breaking read; just unrelenting in its depiction of the tragedy befalling its characters, and the inefficacy of any amount of hard work or spirit or decency to improve their situation. They ask themsselves over and over what the answer is, what are they supposed to do in the face of the unrestrained capitalist amalgamation of farming, prejudice and persecution, and there is no answer. The book is as much a hymn to the power of the human spirit, to the willingness of people who have nothing to do whatever they can to help each other, to the pyschology of community and family, as it is a vibrant snapshot of a particular time in American history. Particularly interesting to me to note to parallels between what was going on in the American west then and what was going on in 1921 in Southern Italy, which I am currently writing about - the poor getting poorer, the rich getting richer, and how. Without doubt the most powerful book I will read this year....more
One of those books that's been such a best seller I was braced to be disappoined as I picked it up, in case it didn't live up to its billing, but thisOne of those books that's been such a best seller I was braced to be disappoined as I picked it up, in case it didn't live up to its billing, but this is a wonderful book. Warm, sad, funny, moving, with one of the most human and endearing heros I've read in a long time....more
Never having seen any screen adaptations of this book, I somehow thought it was going to be a farce/satire about the upper classes between the wars, lNever having seen any screen adaptations of this book, I somehow thought it was going to be a farce/satire about the upper classes between the wars, like'Vile Bodies', rather than something more sombre and elegiac in tone - as Waugh himself states in the introduction, it's a eulogy for a way of life that didn't in fact die out, as it had looked likely to do. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but found it frustrating to have been lured into caring so much about Sebastian Flyte in the first half of the book, only to have him pretty well vanish from the second half....more
Beautifully, beautifully written - some really stunning prose and an interesting approach to exploring the effects of war, grief and parental neglect Beautifully, beautifully written - some really stunning prose and an interesting approach to exploring the effects of war, grief and parental neglect on a father and son. I've only lopped off a star because, for some reason, I just didn't fall in love with this book - by the end, I still didn't feel emotionally involved with the characters at all - they remained just people I was reading about. But, that said, a wonderful, evocative, vivid piece of writing....more
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