Michelle’s Comments (group member since Dec 08, 2021)

Michelle’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

We can't behave like people in novels, though, can we?”
― Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

#135 Buried Deep and Other Stories. A collection of short stories by Naomi Novik many of which take place in the settings of her novels. These were delightful. I think I enjoyed every one of them. If you enjoyed any of her novels I would highly recommend this book. 4 dragons and Austen stars. Audiobook. Fiction-Short Stories

#136. The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton’s tale of tragic romance amid the restrictions of high society New York. Wonderful and romantic writing but dark commentary on the power of society over the individual. 3 it just isn’t done stars. Audiobook. Fiction-Classic.

#137 Whalefall. A highly improbable but strangely fascinating book about a young diver accidentally swallowed by a whale and his MacGyver-like attempts to free himself before his air runs out. 3 Squidbeaks, batteries and old socks stars. Audiobook. Fiction-Thriller.

#138. Cutting for Stone. Riveting tale of the lives of identical twins. Beautifully written. I would highly recommend. 5 still reeling from this one stars. Ebook. Fiction

138 books/14485 pages

Current:
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and FlyingClub. Audiobook
Of Human Bondage ebook.

“What always felt brutal to Jay about the natural world now feels like its most elegant design. We all eat each other, like Hewey said. That's why we live forever.”
― Daniel Kraus, Whalefal

You live it forward, but understand it backward.”
― Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone

Cut to the bone by Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

This was a saga which spanned a lifetime making it difficult to give a good synopsis. The tale begins with the fraught birth of identical twins. Raised in a mission hospital in Ethiopia by parents who were both doctors, both boys chose medicine as their calling. For one fate leads him to the United States to train as a surgeon while the other stays behind to treat the patients he feels most called to serve. Circumstances separate them both physically and emotionally but then bring them full circle back to where they began.

I don’t know what prevented me from reading this for so long but I’m so glad this list made me pick it up at last. From the first words I was drawn into this story. There were many parts of this book that were truly unputdownable. I think I read the last 100 pages or so like the first 100 pages in one greedy sitting. This one truly does belong on a list of books that everyone should read. If you haven’t yet don’t be stubborn like I was, go find the book and get started.

5 unforgettable cutting for stone stars.

Quotable:

The world turns on our every action, and our every omission, whether we know it or not.”
― Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone

We are all fixing what is broken. It is the task of a lifetime. We'll leave much unfinished for the next generation.”
― Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone

We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death which, lest we forget, is the common lot. I grew up and I found my purpose and it was to become a physician. My intent wasn't to save the world as much as to heal myself. Few doctors will admit this, certainly not young ones, but subconsciously, in entering the profession, we must believe that ministering to others will heal our woundedness. And it can. but it can also deepen the wound.”
― Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone

“It was as if nothing I’d ever done in my life prior to this counted. As if my past life was revealed to be a waste, a gesture in slow motion, because what I considered scarce and precious was in fact plentiful and cheap, and what I counted as rapid progress turned out to be glacially slow.”
-Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone

Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "GR has stopped sending email notifications. I was upset about it too. In order to get notifications to your phone you have to go into your settings and select which groups you want..."

Apparently there was but I missed it too. My notifications reopen at approximately where I left off though. Maybe there is an adjustment in settings you could make?

Great month Lea! Congratulations on officially finishing your 2024 list. Now you have 2 months to relax and read.

Way to go!!!

Only four to go but the year end is coming up fast.

Closing in on the end of this challenge with The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

Wharton paints a grim picture of the upper-class society of turn of the century New York. Behind the wealth and privilege, society rules with strict requirements any who strive for acceptance. A young man on the cusp of marriage suddenly realizes that his life is limited by the restrictions and expectations of the society in which he lives. He struggles against but eventually accepts the life that society has dictated for him.

I enjoyed the story due to Wharton's excellent writing. Her commentary on human nature and society still stands the test of time. This is only the second book by Wharton that I have read but from these two I would say she writes about the hold of any society on the individual and the futility of struggling against the norm. Well written but the tone is not a happy one. Romantic but terribly sad.

3 stalwart gentlemen and ruined ladies stars.

Quotable:

“His whole future seemed suddenly to be unrolled before him; and passing down its endless emptiness he saw the dwindling figure of a man to whom nothing was ever to happen.”
― Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

“The real loneliness is living among all these kind people who only ask one to pretend!”
― Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

“Each time you happen to me all over again.”
― Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

You can also click on the Notifications symbol ( the bell) on the bar at the top of the page and it will show you any new unread Notifications. That is after you set up the notifications in your settings or click notify me on a particular thread.

Thanks for the good review on this one. I'll be adding it to the TBR. I attended a talk by T.J. Klune at the Southern Book Festival in Nashville last weekend and decided I need to up my game where his books are concerned. This one will be added to the TBR. He was just as fun, quirky and passionate as I would have imagined him to be after reading The House in the Cerulean Sea. Nice when that happens.

Congrats on finishing the list Jami!

Ioana wrote: "Has anyone else stopped getting GR email notifications? I used to rely on these emails to know what all of you are reading, when there was an update to your challenge posts ....but they have stoppe..."

GR has stopped sending email notifications. I was upset about it too. In order to get notifications to your phone you have to go into your settings and select which groups you want notifications from. You can also scroll to the bottom of a thread like this one and click the box that says Notify me when people comment. Then you will receive notifications on your phone (assuming your settings allow) and in the app. I did both for threads that I really wanted to be sure not to miss. It is working ok but like you I would very much prefer the email notifications.

Finishing up Cutting for Stone and listening to The Age of Innocence. Getting very close to the end of the challenge.

Lillie wrote: "Michelle wrote: "A Master of Djinn Audiobook. I think Lillie recommended this author. She was right."

I'm finally catching up with this group on everyone's reads. It's been a long few months but n..."

I did enjoy A Master of Djinn Lillie. I never would have found it without you and I'm glad I did. Don't hesitate to recommend! I'm hoping my library will come through with more by this author soon.

All the ones you added to your TBR were definitely TBR worthy. Blonde Identity will be perfect for when you want something fluffy to read. Slow Dance and Mrs. Quinn will steal your heart. Shutter was really good although, warning, it was gory. So maybe save it for the right time. I'm also hoping my library comes through with the sequel to that one soon.

Happpy reading Lillie!!!!

4, 32, 36, 37, 42, 43, 47, 57, 59, 60, 61, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82, 85, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 98

Alondra wrote: "Wow! I can't believe it won!

I am too excited for you guys to read this! I know the book is long, but the journey is great."

Alondra is right as usual. I have read this one and it is a great book and a great fantasy series.

“I remember that I'm invisible and walk softly so as not awake the sleeping ones. Sometimes it is best not to awaken them; there are few things in the world as dangerous as sleepwalkers.”
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

#132 Invisible Man This book carries such an impact and is so well written. It is the type of book that broadens your mind and increases your understanding of others. The kind of book we all need to read from time to time. 4 reading cures invisibility stars. Audiobook. Fiction-Classic

#133 Here One Moment Liane Moriarty always hooks me with the unique premise of her books. This one was not an exception. A woman walks down the aisle of an airplane in flight and predicts the age of death and cause of death of every passenger on board. The passengers disembark and then the deaths start. 4 who controls your fate stars. Audiobook. Fiction-Contemporary.

#134 We Solve Murders The first in what is hopefully a series by Richard Osman. I think I liked this better than his Thursday Murder Club series. Just as funny, great characters but better plotted. 4 framed for murder stars. Audiobook. Mystery.

134 books/13786 pages

“You never know what your last words are going to be, so try to choose them all wisely.”
― Liane Moriarty, Here One Moment

“La vita va veloce: this life goes fast, much faster than time.’ ”
― Liane Moriarty, Here One Moment

“I never take offense,” says Tony. “Saved me a lot of time over the years.”
― Richard Osman, We Solve Murders

Ioana wrote: "Another big LOVE for Cutting for Stone, I hope you end up loving it too.

On a separate note, great reading progress and some very good books. I'm trying to resist adding more books ..."

I am loving Cutting for Stone Ioana. What was I thinking when I decided not to read this? It has given me an idea for next year's list if I'm brave enough. All those books that everyone told me were so good I had to read them and based mainly on that I decided not to. I read them after everyone else has finished them and I end up loving them. The Kite Runner was one of those for me. How could I call myself a reader if I had missed that one? I would like to think that I won't be able to get enough books together to make that list but I'll bet if I go back far enough I will.

Also go ahead and add to the TBR. Life is short. Why hold back?

Patricia wrote: "I loved Cutting for Stone as well. Hope you do too!
I believe the tenth book of Flavia was to be the last, and I think that might have been a good idea. Still, I'm sure I'll read the..."

Thanks, Patircia! I think it might have been better if the tenth book had been the final one for Flavia but that doesn't seem to be the direction we are going. The plots are becoming more and more implausible, but I think I could handle that if Flavia could grow up a little. The insufferable preteen attitude needs to fall by the wayside. I'm sure the author could come up with another way to convey Flavia's spirit.

I am well into Cutting for Stone and it is amazing! I should be able to finish up this list but it's going to be close.

Finished another heavy hitter Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.

The story follows a young black man in 20th century America through his journey of self-discovery. A journey that is both brutal and significant throughout which he believes himself invisible because he is unseen.

This is such a difficult review to write. This book was so well thought out and written. It spoke clearly of the feelings of its protagonist as well as the brutal events he experiences and witnesses. It is a truly amazing piece of writing. I would like to say our country has grown to a point that this book is no longer relevant, but I fear that is not the case. If there is any value in writing books or reading them, it is that there are books like these that can allow readers to understand the reality of others.

4 this really is a book everyone should read stars.

Quotable:

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

“Whence all this passion towards conformity anyway? Diversity is the word. Let man keep his many parts and you will have no tyrant states. Why, if they follow this conformity business, they'll end up by forcing me, an invisible man, to become white, which is not a color but the lack of one. Must I strive towards colorlessness? But seriously and without snobbery, think of what the world would lose if that should happen. America is woven of many strands. I would recognize them and let it so remain.”
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

“Some things are just too unjust for words, and too ambiguous for either speech or ideas.”
― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man