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

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

Ioana wrote: "Great update, I think you'll hit 100 books by the end of this month. Does The Will of the Many end in a cliffhanger? I want to read it, but the next one is not ready until next year..."

I guess you could call it a cliff hanger. It was more of a reveal that set up the next book. The story in this book is more or less complete the ending just leads to more questions. I liked the MC and the story arc. This was old school fantasy. I would recommend it.

“Reading isn’t a privilege, sir. I believe we all have the right to leave our problems and escape into another world, if only through the written word.”
― Chris Whitaker, All the Colors of the Dark

#92 A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier The memoir of a boy soldier who survived the civil wars of Sierra Leonne. The author set just the right tone for his story. It was moving and readable. 4 no more child soldiers stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-Memoir.

#93 One Hundred Years of Solitude The story of the rise and fall of the small town of Mercado and its leading family. This book was gorgeous and disgusting, truthful and unbelievable, entralling and tedious. Confused so am I. This book was as brilliant as you have heard it was and also as difficult to read as you have heard it was. 3 one hundred years is how long this story seems to last stars. Audiobook. Fiction-Magical Realism.

#94 The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession This wasn't horrible but it seemed more of a psychoanalysis of an art thief than the true story. It appeared that most of the book was based on secondhand information. Also, I didn't feel that the thief or his mother who ultimately destroyed millions of dollar's worth of irreplaceable artwork really deserved the publicity or the excuse this book provides. 2 true crime that could have used more about the crime and less about the psych eval stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-True Crime.

#95 The Will of the Many Loved this traditional fantasy in a Roman Empire like world with a magical pyramid scheme. A young man is recruited to infiltrate a school and reveal its secrets but can he do that before his own secrets come to light. 5 good world building, good story arc, no romantasy stars. ebook. Fantasy.

#96 All the Colors of the Dark This was a great book but I can't begin to give you a synopsis. The story begins with a child abduction and records how that day affected the lives of everyone invovled. 4 every time I thought I knew where this book was going it changed on me stars. Audiobook. Fiction.

96 books/9957 pages

Current:
The Night Watchman Audiobook. I always enjoy Louise Erdrich
Selected Storiesebook. Trying to make some progress on this one before it goes back to the hold list.
Somerset Maugham - Of Human Bondage, & The Moon and Sixpence ebook. Mostly ingnoring this one but determined to get back to it.

“A fair system only works if there’s an unbiased means of assessing merit. When there is no pride or selfishness involved.” He gives a soft snort, shaking his head. “Which means that fair systems cannot exist where people are involved.”
― James Islington, The Will of the Many

So good to hear from you Martha! Take care of yourself.

Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Glad you liked AtSB Alondra. S. A. Cosby has become a must-read author for me. Great southern grit lit!.."

I loved it! I also picked up Razorblade Tears, so, it's ..."

Razorblade Tears was probably my favorite. Enjoy!

Alondra wrote: "Completed: All the Sinners Bleed



4.5 Stars

Well-written thriller set in a small Virginia town.

After an officer-involved shooting wit..."

Glad you liked AtSB Alondra. S. A. Cosby has become a must-read author for me. Great southern grit lit!

Yes Alondra. Timing will be everything with this one and be ready to suspend disbelief. Most importantly don't be discouraged by anything you have read here. It is an amazing book in many ways. Well worth the read.

Patricia wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I finished and came to terms with One Hundred Years of Solitude.

This book details the establishment, rise and fall of a se..."

I think you're looking for a support group to help you read this one not a group read. You will need encouragement.

Lea wrote: "Haha, no it wasn't your imagination, everyone does have the same name in this book!

The book is brilliant. But although it is one I appreciated for its sheer brillancy, I also disliked it because..."

I was so proud of myself for finally connecting with this book that I allowed appreciation to color my rating of 3 stars. I didn't hate it. It won't make my 10 worst books of all time list. I do understand what all the hoopla is about. I won't ever read it again (well maybe if I'm in solitary confinement or something). But mostly I'm just glad that the next time I read one of those Best Of lists I can check this one off.

Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "There are some books that are classics and you read them and think "What is the point of this? Why would anyone even write this?" That was me for about the first two thirds of the ..."

No worries Ioana. I actually wouldn't recommend anyone read it if they didn't really want to. Understanding why it is considered brilliant is different from really enjoying the story and we should keep in mind that I listened to the audio. I don't think I would have made it through the entire thing in print. It was too frustrating. I actually included the first quote above because I thought it was a good example of both the good and the bad in this book. By the time we got to that one it actually made me laugh. While the writing is gorgeous the story is preposterous and so very tedious.

I finished and came to terms with One Hundred Years of Solitude.

This book details the establishment, rise and fall of a secluded village and its founding family. Gabriel García Márquez uses magical realism and his considerable descriptive skills to impart the history of Mercado and its inhabitants.

There are some books that are classics and you read them and think "What is the point of this? Why would anyone even write this?" That was me for about the first two thirds of the book. It was both detailed and vague, beautiful and disgusting, believable and complete fantasy, mind numbing and enthralling but overall just seemed pointless and not in a good way. Then I was thinking about this little town and this crazy family and suddenly I got it. Or at least I got something. I was raised in a large multigenerational family in a small town. At one point I reflected that all the fantastical aspects of the book reminded me of some of the outlandish stories I have sometimes heard, especially those I heard as a child and probably didn't completely understand. Storytellers use humor, exaggeration and fuzzy details to make their story more acceptable, more memorable, less horrible. Gabriel García Márquez does the same thing in this book using magical realism to impart a truth. No, it is not a factual history of the town or people but it still imparts truth, giving us a big picture view that is accurate (more or less). In that sense Marquez's book is every bit as brilliant as it is supposed to be. That doesn't mean I was less bored or frustrated through the last third of the book but I appreciated it more.

3 was it my imagination or did every character in this book have the same name stars.

Quotable:

A trickle of blood came out under the door, crossed the living room, went out into the street, continued on in a straight line across the uneven terraces, went down steps and climbed over curbs, passed along the Street of the Turks, turned a corner to the right and another to the left, made a right angle at the Buendía house, went in under the closed door, crossed through the parlor, hugging the walls so as not to stain the rugs, went on to the other living room, made a wide curve to avoid the dining-room table, went along the porch with the begonias, and passed without being seen under Amaranta's chair as she gave an arithmetic lesson to Aureliano José, and went through the pantry and came out in the kitchen, where Úrsula was getting ready to crack thirty-six eggs to make bread.

"Holy Mother of God!" Úrsula shouted.”
― Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

“He really had been through death, but he had returned because he could not bear the solitude.”
― Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "This list is completed!! It was a good list. There weren't a lot of barn burners but most of them were consistently good. Since they were all from series that I have enjoyed in the..."

Thanks Alondra! I'm pretty sure I should always challenge myself to read a couple of books a year from some of my ongoing series. I enjoyed getting back into some of them.

Karol wrote: "Michelle, I admire you for reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Just the description of it horrifies me, but it is an important story to at least know something about."

I would just say as difficult as it was Beah was a gifted storyteller who made the book something others could listen to and learn from. Also, one of the important things that reading gives us is empathy. We will never be able to truly understand a story like this one but empathy through the gift of a shared story can possibly help to prevent history from repeating itself.

Alondra wrote: "Belated Congratulations on this list, Michelle. I managed to put a couple on my tbr. LOL

Woot!!"

Thanks Alondra! Glad I could help out with your TBR. I would hate for it to dwindle down to nothing ;)

24 books is a great month. Congrats! I love the way you just charge right through all these series. Such focus.

Lillie wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "“Humans are great at imagining stuff. That’s why their media is so good.”
― Martha Wells, System Collapse

#88 ..."

I don't know but I'm there for it when she does. Love the characters!

Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "“Humans are great at imagining stuff. That’s why their media is so good.”
― Martha Wells, System Collapse

#88 System Collapse M..."

Thanks Alondra! I can't get enough Murderbot!

Ioana wrote: "A Long Way Gone was a difficult read at times, but a good book. Glad to see you liked it too.
I hope you'll like One Hundred Years of Solitude more than I did (and tell me what I've missed)...it wa..."

I was hoping listening to it would make it easier but I'm only about one chapter in and the story is already complicated. Beautifully written but complicated.

Trying to get this list moving. Listening to One Hundred Years of Solitude. Wish me luck!

Finished A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah.

A moving memoir by Beah relating his time spent as a boy soldier in the civil wars of Sierra Leone. When he was twelve years old his village was destroyed by war and his family was lost. He spent the next years of his life as either a refugee fleeing from the war or as a child soldier leaving death and destruction in his wake. He was eventually able to leave that life and be rehabilitated.

This was a quick but sometimes sad/terrible listen. I was struck by the resilience and the strength of this young man to be able to survive and eventually find his way to safety.

4 there just are no words stars.

Quotable:

“This is one of the consequences of the civil war. People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew you became extremely careful about how they related or spoke to you.”
― Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

“Our innocence had been replaced by fear and we had become monsters. There was nothing we could do about it.”
― Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone

“I believe children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.”
― Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone

Looks like you had a good month Alissa. It's nice to hear your thoughts on Throne of Glass. That one has always interested me but not enough to actually start the series.