Megan’s Comments (group member since Dec 30, 2017)

Megan’s comments from the EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club group.

Good luck Nicole, glad you're in a safe place!

I second Marco’s book, The Zimmerman Telegram. . .

This sounds like so much fun! I'm Ravenclaw.

I nominate Invisible Man
by Ralph Ellison

I second everything mentioned so far: Swann's Way, 1984, The Man in the High Castle, Angle of Repose, Stone, Papillon, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Anna Karenina and Of Mice and Men.

This was one of my favorite classics when I read it in high school. Looking forward to revisiting it with you all! In a side note, my favorite film version is the black and white one with Joan Fontaine and Orson Wells. The more recent one with Mia Wasikowska and Micheal Fassbender is good too, although it starts out with a very confusing flashback within a flashback.

I read this in high school, when it first came out. I remember being impressed with its accessibility. I’ll have to reread it now. 😉

Ove is an adorable grumpy old man!

three down, two to go

Elizabeth wrote: "Megan wrote: "Five of my oldest TBR, based on my home bookshelves and journals, because my Goodreads bookshelves are pretty random, aka, don't reflect how long I've been meaning to read something. ..."

Hey Elizabeth, I really enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities. I learned a lot about the French Revolution and society at the time. I know some people complain about the lack of humor, but I felt there was just enough comic relief to lighten the bleak, heart wrenching stuff.

I nominate When Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury

I second Dracula and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

so many good suggestions! I second Beloved, The Thirteenth Tale, and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

great news! Thanks Marcos and Joanna, for stepping up to help out!

I’m on the last chapter. Hooray!! To warn you, there’s more incest. Why?!!! Why is there so much incest in this book? There are moments when I really like it, but there are more moments when I hate it. Good luck!

I agree with Catherine, listening to the audiobook really helps, and Mariana’s suggestion to treat it like a telenova is great!

I’ve been meaning to read this for a long time, so I’m glad it got picked.

I’m still reading it too, Zainab. It’s slow going for me as well, while some of it is beautifully written, I find some of it tedious. I had to return it to the library before I’d finished and just got it out again. Trying to psych myself up to finish. I can see why so many people like it, with the surreal magical realism and the meaningful political commentary, but the weird family relationships, the pseudo incest and the repetitious names make it hard for me to enjoy.

I'm glad to have finally read this book, or, rather, listened to the audio book, narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who was the perfect narrator for this story. She captures the Esther's youthful enthusiasm. growing discontent, spiral into darkness, and hesitant hopefulness. Plath's writing is brilliantly poetic and evocative. She brings Esther's journey vividly to life, capturing the pettiness under the glamour of the fashion magazine industry, the frustrations of being an intelligent, driven woman in a man's world, the quest for self-identity outside of school, and the harrowing descent into depression. It's one of the most realistic portrayals of depression and mental health issues I have ever read, which made it somewhat slow going, as I had to take breaks. I deal with depression and mental health issues myself, and I had to be in a place where I wouldn't be triggered too much. Her journey is pretty harrowing. The layered way she used the bell jar analogy was very effective. I hated the male doctor she saw first, he's the epitome of so many self-important, "perfect," patronizing, yet clueless doctors. I've had doctors like that. It was such a relief that she ended up in a place with competent staff, with a doctor she clicked with and trusted (and was worthy of that trust). I really enjoyed the mini biography of Plath in the final chapter. She struggled with so many of the same things all women struggle with (particularly writers) and it's so tragic she got trapped in her personal bell jar.

I second East of Eden