Shannon's comments

Shannon's comments from the Reading from the Best Books group.

Note: Shannon is no longer a member of this group.

Marsha wrote: "Oooh, Three Men in a Boat! Love it!"

I will have to dust that one off again. I keep starting it and then getting side-tracked. Thanks for the reminder.

Two unannounced arrivals in my home are The Photograph by Penelope Lively and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Oh and Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian which is great because it is one of those books that I have been picking at for a very long time and really should have returned the copy that I was reading ages ago. Apparently others want me to read this book since it has arrived twice!

Just finished The Photograph which was a quick engaging read with unique form and a gentle hand at carving out her characters and their growth throughout the book.

Oops, I should have put the above in the what I have finished stream.

I am currently reading Wolf Hall and about to start another Canadian novel Midnight at the Dragon Cafe.

Shelley wrote: "Shannon wrote: "I am reading Lullabies for Little Criminals A Novel for my in person book club."

Shannon- How are you liking it? I have heard mixed messages about it..."

Well, I didn't finish Lullabies for Little Criminals and was glad for a reason to put it down. It didn't capture me as I had hoped. Having said that, I think that if I had stuck with it and read to the end I may have really liked it. (Everyone in my in-person book club that finished it seemed to really like it).

For me, I got it with a only a few days before our book club met and just didn't have the time. I got half way through and apparently it starts picking up about the time that I stopped.

Some things I really liked about the book and some things I didn't. And they are related. I liked her metaphors but didn't like that each time she used one she used two or three in a row to describe the thing, feeling, whatever. I didn't like that the author kept telling us that "it was just really sad". Some in the club felt that it added legitimacy to the voice of the 12 year old (or 14 year old remembering). I had thought the narrator was much older than that. If the narrator really is that young then some of the metaphors didn't work for me as they were too sophisticated for someone that young (I apologize I do not have the book in front of me so cannot provide examples).

I liked the transitory nature of the characters as I felt that was "real". It is a sad book and I am told that the ending is quite good. I had to return the book to the library and will probably not return to it. Having said that, I do not think it was a waste of my time and I would have read it if I wasn't on such a time limit. The others in my club (who I respect their opinions) all would give it 4 stars.

Emily wrote: "I'm also reading Frankenstein. Not really liking it so far. "

I read this back in University and although it was pretty simplistic I really enjoyed it. I hope it picks up for you.

Shelley wrote:
Shannon- How are you liking it? I have heard mixed messages about it..."

There has been so much going on lately that I am really not very far into it yet. What I can say is that a) it is not a book that I would have picked up of my own accord and b) it is pretty easy reading and although so far not much plot there are lots of interesting vignettes. When I finish I will post my thoughts in the what have you finished thread for you.

I am reading Lullabies for Little Criminals A Novel for my in person book club.

I am currently reading Sweetness in the Belly set in London and Ethiopia. So far so good.

Vonney wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Julie wrote: "I am reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane."

Let us know what you thought when you finish. I read it about 3 weeks ago."

Shannon and Julie, I finished tha..."

No spoilers here either. I liked the idea of the book and definitely enjoyed the historic bits but found the main character to be too stupid to be believable. That wrecked it for me. I wish there was more about the Physick book and how it was passed along etc. Then I could have overlooked our heroine's shortcomings. (She was a PHD candidate afterall).

Julie wrote: "I am reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane."

Let us know what you thought when you finish. I read it about 3 weeks ago.

Lindsay wrote: "For me Lovely Bones is like a pop song, good premise, catchy beat but not much underneath. For it wasn't a bad book, but its not the greatest novel of all time. I think I read just before the hyp..."

Ditto.

Fiona wrote: "Yeah vote for Grotesque! I've been reading so much Historical fiction in October I want to move onto some gruesome Japanese crime!"

Fiona, have you read Out fits the bill of gruesome Japanese crime (perpetrated by regular people). Not my cup of tea but might be yours (our bookclub was very divided by it).

I will toss a nomination into the ring: Cloudstreet A Novel I love books by Tim Winton and haven't read this one yet.

Just finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle love much of the writing but serieously needs editing. Ended up giving it 2 stars but with good editing could have been a great read. I would read another book by this author.

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Just finished the great Five on a Treasure Island - Enid Blyton. Will now carry on reading The Armada Boy - Kate Ellis."

My son and I love Enid Blyton. Great vocabulary for young children and an opportunity to talk about the changes in gender roles and childhoods since they were written. My son and I both miss the freedom of childhood in days gone by.

Having a hard time finishing books again so I have put down Saving Fish from Drowning A Novel and started reading a GR giveaway Evenings at the Argentine Club and for my real person bookclub The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I think I will be able to finish both of these.

Lauren wrote: "I finished The Behaviour of Moths earlier today. Quite good but dull in places and the ending was just plain silly."

A concise summation. I was disappointed so "quite good" was better than I gave it. Parts were quite good for sure but the sum of the parts was weak. Thanks for sharing Lauren.

Lauren wrote: "Reading The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams. "

Let me know what you think once you are done. I read it a few months ago. (I say no more at the moment).

I'm reading Saving Fish from Drowning A Noveluntil The Story of Edgar Sawtelle comes in (the second one is for my in person bookclub).

Just finished The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane and have to say I was pretty disappointed. Main character was really dumb (especially considering she was supposed to be a PHD candidate), more about the book itself and how it passed from generation to generation or was used would have been much more interesting. The story was pretty predictable and the characters were rather like caricatures. Oh well. You win some and you lose some. (But I did read it right to the end)