Matthew’s Comments (group member since Mar 08, 2015)

Matthew’s comments from the Reading List Completists group.

My Review of Love in the Time of Cholera

Quick summary - I did not care for it!

I officially declare this as a battle between Crime and Punishment and Sense and Sensibility. If you voted for another title, please feel free to change your vote to the one of those two titles.

About a week left to vote!

This book has a good core story . . . but it is surrounded by rambling and repetitiveness that I don't really enjoy.

So - I mentioned this is my reading status update last night - but I thought I would share it here too.

This book focuses on odd details somethimes. It is mentioned a few times that the doctor makes sure to eat Asparagus daily so that he can enjoy the fragrance of his urine. The first time it was mentioned, I figured it was just so we could learn more about the character. But when it came up again, I was thinking, "um, okay . . . I guess this must be important!"

Janina wrote: "I don't know how to say it differently .. I like the story, but I hate the writing style and I think the book would have been much better, if it had been cut in half. I don't think the style adds anything to the story except to make it less accessible. But, that's just me ."

I am not sure I would go so far to say that I hate the writing style, but it definitely is the one thing I don't care for. While I like to story, I do feel like I am trudging through the chapters and I tend to get easily distracted because I am not enthralled.

For example, I believe it took me 45 minutes the other day to read 4 pages because I kept daydreaming about other stuff while I was reading.

Lots of interesting anecdotes, but it kinda rambles on at times.

Man, Florentino has tried so hard. I feel bad for him!

A very close battle!! VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!

Jonathan Strange likes to move things around - I enjoyed the part about a new group of people being established in America because he moved an entire European city there!

Daniel wrote: "But that leaves me trying to tie all these stories together into one--I'm not sure what the main "plot" of the book will be yet. I'm guessing this thistle-down hair dude is going to get nasty, and...?"

I am almost through part two and I am not quite sure what the main "plot" will be yet either! ;)

Please vote for our next reading selection - Which THIS and THAT book do you want to read in December 2015?

This and That Poll

Listening to this one. About 8% in and not really a story yet. Lots of interesting anecdotes . . . including a discussion of the doctor's (view spoiler)[powerful urination! (hide spoiler)]

Ha - yeah - so he could make her live, but he could not overcome her "upbringing"!

Yes, it definitely has an old soul for such a recent book.

The mysterious character causing trouble for the King and Strange, as well as encouraging Stephen Black to be the King of England must be John Uskglass - the Raven King himself!

Kirstin wrote: "I loved the visit to the king. Who do you think was calling them into the woods?

I wonder who the third magician is? Someone is impersonating Jonathon and now Walter wants him to disappear into a ..."

I am in the middle of this section now - will comment when I get through it!

I feel like there is rift between Norrell and Strange forming - I suppose things could get ugly.

Of course, as always the chat will be available forever, so if this becomes a 2016 read for some - that is just fine! :)

Discuss our November 2015 group read here.

Okay - so, so far it seems to be two stories: 1. Stephen Black and Lady Pole and the mysterious parties. 2. Strange and Norrell - Norrell grabs up all the books and Strange wants to read them.