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What Members Thought
Oh boy, this one was a bit of a slog for me. I picked it because it fit two tasks in various reading challenges. In the A Book For All Seasons Challenge it fit for "Read a book with a Title or Author's Name Beginning with 'Q', 'X', or 'Z'" and it was also on my public library's challenge for the 50 Best Books of the Last 25 Years. If it hadn't been for that I may have just given up.
The story starts with 46 (47?) year old Archie Jones who has decided to take his own life on New Year's Day. After ...more
The story starts with 46 (47?) year old Archie Jones who has decided to take his own life on New Year's Day. After ...more
a witty book that is all too true at times. A great look at cultures within the UK.
A story of immigrant integration without being talked about, this book follows two families of completely different backgrounds living in modern England. Even amidst the great problems, such as racism and economic hardship, there is room for the small problems between husband and wife and friends. A powerful book that's realism felt a little fake.
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Really interesting. I enjoyed the characters, but sometimes got irritated with the author and the tangents she went off on. It seemed like it was building to a huge ending and I didn't think it really delivered that in the end. I would have liked an epilogue.
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Apr 13, 2007
Omni
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
time100,
1001-books-to-read
Smith's writing has a profound quirkiness that reminds me a lot of Vonnegut's SlaughterHouse Five and Heller's Catch 22.
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Started out funny but I quickly got bored.
Feb 25, 2008
Amanda
marked it as to-read
Apr 04, 2008
Lula
marked it as potential-to-read
Jun 19, 2008
akaellen
marked it as to-read
Dec 19, 2008
Amy
marked it as books-i-own-to-read
Jul 21, 2010
Paula
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-own,
read-in-2011
Mar 01, 2011
Gaijinmama
marked it as to-read
Aug 07, 2011
Amber
marked it as to-read
Feb 07, 2014
Debra Harrison
marked it as to-read
Jan 27, 2015
Kelly
marked it as to-read
Feb 20, 2018
MJ
marked it as to-read
Sep 18, 2019
Lynn
marked it as to-read
Jan 16, 2020
Kathy Jo
marked it as to-read
