Matthew Ted’s Comments (group member since Sep 02, 2020)

Matthew Ted’s comments from the The Obscure Reading Group group.

Anne reminds me of Austen too, which is disappointing as I'm not a huge Austen fan. Though Tolstoy was writing a little later, I think it is amazing to see how incredibly modern and fresh his writing is in comparison, though that could be down to the translations--sadly I can't read Russian. Dostoevsky is closer to Anne's time, and feels easier and more compelling to read, also.

I've been reading a lot of 19th century fiction this year but this one isn't doing much for me thus far. I thought it would, I loved the start but it quickly went downhill from there. The idea of her being a painter is right up my street, but it hasn't been massively touched on yet.

I found the child-raising discussion very interesting and ahead of its time too. Though I don't feel I'm in a position to comment, as I can't imagine I'll be having children, if ever, for many years still, I did feel as if Mrs Graham had a flawed view of it. Then again, I also found her ideas about not raising boys and girls differently very interesting.

It reminded me of my auntie, who I suppose, is a little like Mrs Graham in this situation. She refuses any mention of animals when her children are eating chicken, for example, not to tell them, or remind them, that what is on their plate was once clucking around. Also, I was scolded for playing Hangman with them, because it is, apparently, too violent.

However, I do think Mrs Graham's ideas were also, in a sense, modern, even by today's standards. There's a lot about how men are raised coldly and expected to become masculine, and how this affects mental health; rather, now, it seems more people are becoming aware of men and how they should, or can be, more sensitive, and above all, "allowed" to cry.

Indeed! I suppose many English rivers are rather picturesque and lovely looking (the kind my parents would adore to picnic on) but the Thames was a different beast. I imagine it was no worse than any other river, in reality, but that was the horrible reputation it had earnt itself. Even in Dickens' time the Thames was something rather dark and gross. I often dread, as an adult, to think what is in any body of water though, as you say.

A rather crude story but I was in the scouts for many years as a boy and every year we camped on the Thames and went swimming/sailing/kayaking on it. We all used to say, as a generally understood and agreed statement, that the only thing dirtier than our bottoms was the Thames itself--we always bitterly remembered this as we clambered out, dripping wet, and knowing full well that we had swallowed great mouthfuls of it.

I have an old Wordsworth edition with a blue spine that I found for 99p in a charity shop a long time ago; it cites it as "Complete and Unabridged" on the cover. Looking at Goodreads though the other editions are all around 500/600 pages and my edition is only 383, which is quite the change in length. I suppose the writing is fairly small... but 200 page difference!

I thought it was a good novel, on finishing, and fairly readable despite its size. Some bits dragged a little too much for me, but I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would and adored the closing sentiment. Eliot has some great wit. Earlier this month I finished War and Peace though, and as big books go, Middlemarch did pale slightly in its wake. I'm yet to read Mill on the Floss, but now my interest has been piqued... Look forward to the Bronte discussion.

I'll be finishing Middlemarch today hopefully, as the rain has turned the south downs to slop, removing any chance of a morning walk: then I'll get stuck in.

Ken wrote: "Me, I'm holding off until Jan. 23rd for a start. I like books fresh as a loaf of sourdough bread out of the oven when I have to discuss them.

Which is a nice way of saying I don't trust what PBS w..."

I'll be starting around the 20th too. And I do love a loaf of sourdough.

I'm very eager to get reading as a group again, nothing like some companionship to go with a good book. I look forward to Feb, hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!

Ken wrote: "S'OK, Sandra. We'll catch you next time!

Not sure if I'm the only one here, but I'm missing reviews and comments from GR friends because my UPDATES FEED froze two days ago.

I contacted the gurus..."

Hi Ken, a couple of weeks ago I went through a horrible period of about 2 weeks where I received no notifications at all for anything, be it private messages, likes or people commenting on my reviews. It just fixed itself after an irritating period of dead-time. Must be a big issue they're having!

Sounds great. I too am trying to fill in some 19th century gaps in my reading. (I say that as if there are not several million gaps elsewhere across every century.)

It is a little unbelievable, definitely. On the other hand, Bub is only young, and may not directly connect the fact that he is in there because of Jones, or rather that Jones got him in there. Let's not forget that Bub believed he was working with the police, anyway, and doing the right thing.

If he had realised Jones' evil motives, and spilled the beans, then Lutie could have got him out, Jones faces the consequences and what, they go back to the same street anyway, and live "happily ever after"? In that respect, the Jones arc is resolved but she would end up in the same place with no more money than she had when the novel began; then I would feel like it was all a waste of time, if all the events happened and still lead to the place she was in the beginning. At least this way, something happened, even if it is dramatic and unbelievable.

Ken wrote: "Matthew, to pick up the Kung Fu sidebar that sprung up in THE STREET discussion, I have to add that this new book caught my eye this week: Be Water, My Friend.

I have no interest in Kung Fu, but m..."

Brilliant find, Ken. I'd love to read too. I am very interested in Zen Buddhism and lots of Chinese philosophy which I have learnt through my Kung Fu training as it is a philosophy as well as a fighting style - there's a quote for a car sticker or something. Maybe a fridge magnet.

Ken wrote: "Wing Chu? I didn't know Kung Fu had different wings. Then again, I've never seen The Karate Kid or any of its sequels (including something on TV now that features Kobra Khan ... sp maybe)."

I don't care for any Kung Fu movies either, funnily enough. Kung Fu is the umbrella term for the Chinese martial art, but it has many different styles under that umbrella. I practice Wing Chun (or Tsun, depending on translation), which is a Southern Chinese form. One of the few, actually, said to be created by a woman, hundreds of years ago.

Ken wrote: "Matthew wrote: "I will also investigate the story, thanks Kathleen. I have a day off teaching, speaking of teaching, though sadly not literature. Or maybe for the best, I could just talk and talk a..."

My job, surprisingly, as a skinny 23 year old, is a Wing Chun Kung Fu instructor. It is rather unlike the whimsical reading and MA Creative Writing side of me. But there we go.

I will also investigate the story, thanks Kathleen. I have a day off teaching, speaking of teaching, though sadly not literature. Or maybe for the best, I could just talk and talk and talk...

It was almost a four star for me, but actually bagged a 5. For me, if a book lingers in my brain for a while after closing that final page, it is a good sign. Also, though I agree with the points made about the weak ending, ultimately the emotions were still there from the rest of the book to earn it, I think.

Very interesting! Though I didn't like the fact it was a murder, the ending for me just screamed desperation; I felt all the struggles in the novel finally just came to Lutie at once and she lashed out like kicking off the duvet in frustration on a hot night, angry and rash. And leaving Bub was awful, but for me that was her just giving up and perhaps seeing her own flaws, or because of the flaws of the world around her. She isn't a wholly likeable character, I think she is naïve and selfish, but she did try. Everything unravelling at the end was a little rushed, but I didn't mind it. Interesting to see so many hating it!

I do agree with the comments on the ending but perhaps it wasn't so damaging to the rest of the novel. The murder was almost predictable as soon as she was "trapped". The leaving of Bub, I found very emotional, and was quite upset by it. Jones was left by the wayside a bit, and Min's exist very smooth. There certainly are flaws, but the novel as a whole impressed me.

Surprised at the comments so far, but understand them too! I thought it was a brilliant novel, wonderfully written and plotted. Though the murder slightly bothered me (murder in fiction always puts me off a book because it is often so cliched), the result of the murder was really what Petry was driving for - the sadness and anger I felt by the ending was the emotional climax for me that caused all the other pieces of sadness and anger from the rest of the novel to come shunting into the back of me like train carriages, one after another. The plot was really only the vehicle to get the feeling across, as it always is, in a way, and I felt Petry did that. I am both disgusted and angry with all men, and have been all day...I've even questioned myself as a potential enemy.