Monthly Group Reads: Reading the Poll Losers Instead?

[Dawn]

Well, hard to decide on where to discuss Edward Rutherford. Maybe here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... as it would cover such a vast portion of the book. And The Alienist would be talked about here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... based on it's era.

We don't have specific city folders as we can't really fit them in the era threads.

[[deleted user]]

Finished The Gods of Gotham last night. I was disappointed with the last 100 or so pages. Sitting at 300 pages, I was thinking this would be an easy 5 star rating. Now I'm trying to decide if it's 3 or 4. I'm thinking 4 based on the strength of the first 75% of the book. I'll be very interested to see what the rest of you, who are reading this book, think about the final 25% of the book. Maybe it's just me.

[Bryn]

Derek wrote: "Finished The Gods of Gotham last night. I was disappointed with the last 100 or so pages..."

That's a downer. Makes me curious, though. I'm only at 200.

[[deleted user]]

I hate to be a downer, but that's how the ending seemed to me. A big downer. Who knows? Others may love the way it finishes. I'm curious to find out.

[Darcy]

I'm hoping to finish it at the week end. Have to finish a work-related business book first (boo...hiss)

[[deleted user]]

Darcy wrote: "I'm hoping to finish it at the week end. Have to finish a work-related business book first (boo...hiss)"

Ugh. That sounds incredibly boring, Darcy. Are you going to count it towards your reading challenge?;)

[Jane]

Derek wrote: "Darcy wrote: "I'm hoping to finish it at the week end. Have to finish a work-related business book first (boo...hiss)"

Ugh. That sounds incredibly boring, Darcy. Are you going to count it towards ..."

Why not? It's a book and another one down! Sounds boring to me, as well.

[Jane]

Derek wrote: "Finished The Gods of Gotham last night. I was disappointed with the last 100 or so pages. Sitting at 300 pages, I was thinking this would be an easy 5 star rating. Now I'm trying to..."

I couldn't even get into it; I tried it twice. Maybe that's just me.

[Darcy]

Jane wrote: "Derek wrote: "Darcy wrote: "I'm hoping to finish it at the week end. Have to finish a work-related business book first (boo...hiss)"

Ugh. That sounds incredibly boring, Darcy. Are you going to cou..."

Actually, it's not a bad book. It's not too technical, more social science than business so I'm enjoying. Plus it's a small book with fewer than 250pages.

I can't count it toward my goals because I started it last year. But I'm okay with that. I set my goals low so that I could finish a bunch of books I started in 2013 (or earlier)

[Portia]

I am finding a slower read than I had expected based on the reviews I've read. I should be finished soon, though, and am also looking forward to discussing it with all of you.

[Bryn]

I love the title of this, by the way. I can only think of Batman.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Ha! Yes, me too.

[Bryn]

Getting to like this very much by now but I'm a bit scared. I'll finish today.

[Bryn]

And finished The Gods of Gotham. 3 or 4 stars. I did like the last stretch least, but then I'm not a crime fan. I liked the streetiness of it. Liked the hero, and the kid Bird, and other well-intentioned individuals.

[Simona]

I will start the book in a couple of days. Very enticing discussion here!

[Darcy]

I finished The Gods of Gotham yesterday. I quite liked it. I figured out early that the author doesn't add anything to the story without a purpose and in some cases more than one, so I the issue Derek had with Mercy didn't surprise me so much.
As a related aside, I noticed that there's a link between this story and the title of the sequel, so the author's done it with that as well.

I really did enjoy the characters. They are pretty much all fleshed out and three dimensional. I'm looking forward to Tim Wilde's continued connections with his own band of "irregulars" (for the Sherlockians about), his relationships with the other copper stars and his newly created nemesis.

I think someone else mentioned it before, and I concur. The way the landscape and people are described has a way of transporting the reader to mid-19th century New York. You get a real sense of the time and place.

I get the impression there are nods to influential police/detective/spy stories or real people. The first thing I thought of with Wilde's badge number was James Bond.

I'm definitely reading the sequel.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks Darcy! I plan on reading the sequel too. Regarding Mercy, (view spoiler)[I just thought that it seemed unlikely that Timothy would be so in the dark about her bed hopping. I mean, it was kind of implied by Val that she was known to sleep around with multiple partners. How could he not be more aware of this? That's what I was thinking. I'm definitely nitpicking, though.:) (hide spoiler)]

[Darcy]

Derek wrote: "Thanks Darcy! I plan on reading the sequel too. Regarding Mercy, [spoilers removed]"

Reply to your spoiler (view spoiler)[I think I was okay with it because he was so enamoured by her. For me, I felt that Timothy simply couldn't see any of her flaws (or flaws of those closest to her) and that only by seeing her in the act would he ever believe her to be anything but his unrealistic portrait of her. I reckon that the author really felt that without a huge shock he would never be able to see her for anything other than what he'd imagined. Plus, I think it helped for her (either author or Mercy) to be able to leave the narrative in a way that Timothy would accept. Otherwise, he'd pine over her and I think that would make the following books kinda suck LOL (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Good points. That's why I like getting feedback from others. I hadn't really looked at it that way, but now that you mention it, I think you're spot on about that.

[Bryn]

Since losers can start early, I'm 50% through Of Merchants & Heroes/The Republic of Vengeance. I was about a third through when it began to grow on me in a big way. Before that I was peed by the 'deserves mention with Mary Renault' thing. But by this time it does seem to capture the Classical world for me, in a way that's rare. I see the why of the original title. A rural Roman with a mercantile custodian, whom he despises, aspires to Greek ideals & Greek culture. Though Greece is pretty ratty itself at this stage.

I'm sold.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Whenever I have seen people mention in group that they are reading the book o have read the book, they always speak of it favourably.
I will try and get to it this year.
I bought it so many years ago I HAVE to get to it sooner or later. To assuage my guilt. :)

[Simona]

I started to read The Gods of Gotham and I'm really really liking it. I'm wondering if I will be disillusioned by the last part, as Derek was.
Since I'm at home with faringitis and I'm devouring the book, I'll have the answer in a really short time.

[Darcy]

Yay! Another who is liking it.

[Simona]

So much that I bought Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson, just to avoid withdrawal symptoms! (and because, like Margaret, I'm a little sherlockphile.)

[Darcy]

Let me know how you get on with Dust and Shadow. I'm intrigued by it, but they didn't have it at the book shop when I was there last.

[[deleted user]]

Simona wrote: "I started to read The Gods of Gotham and I'm really really liking it. I'm wondering if I will be disillusioned by the last part, as Derek was.
Since I'm at home with faringitis and..."

I must say that despite being disillusioned by a couple of things down the stretch, I still thought it was excellent. Darcy's spoiler helped me to look at some of the problems I had with the ending in a different light, and then those things made more sense. I'll also be very interested to see what you think about Dust and Shadow, Simona. I want to read more of this author's books. I'm trying to track down Seven for a Secret right now.

[Portia]

Just finished The Gods of Gotham. Here is my review.

The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I expected to like this book much more than I did. The story was good but I felt it was derivative (The TV show "Copper" and the film "The Gangs of New York). The author provides a glossary at the front of the book, but for me it is only half complete. This may be my fault, but I thought I needed to spend too much time with the maps provided on the inside covers. I don't live in New York, but I've been there a few times in my life including to all the places where the story is set and I didn't recognize anything, not like I did when I read The Age of Innocence. Like all cities, New York has its own special essence and I don't think the author conveyed that. I never felt as though I was in New York. I also don't think the awful anti-Irish rants the author used to preface each chapter were fleshed out. They seemed gratuitous, though they did remind me of how our attitude toward immigrants hasn't really changed in two and a half centuries. For me, this book moved too slowly. Perhaps if the pace had been more lively, I wouldn't have had time to notice what was missing here.



View all my reviews

[Simona]

Finished and really loved the book. I've started Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watsonnow hoping to find another book as good.

[Jane]

Portia wrote: "Just finished The Gods of Gotham. Here is my review.



The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I expected to like this book much more than I did. The story..."

Portia, which came earliest? Book? Movie? TV show? I tried it twice but couldn't even get into it--not enough to rate. I took it back to library, so can't check, myself.

[Portia]

Movie, TV show, book. I'll see if it can find the dates for you on "The Gangs of New York." A number of members are fans of the show "Copper", so they can give you better information on it than I can.

[Jane]

Thanks. The movie never appealed to me; and police shows other than Law and Order I have no interest in either.

[Portia]

It was the first movie Daniel Day-Lewis was in after he took a years-long break and he was marvelous in it. He and Leonardo DiCaprio had great chemistry. I will admit that the movie was waaaay too bloody for me. But I knew that going in because D-L's character is "The Butcher." Never feel easy when I open our knife drawer and see that cleaver lying there anymore. :P

[Jane]

Portia wrote: "Movie, TV show, book. I'll see if it can find the dates for you on "The Gangs of New York." A number of members are fans of the show "Copper", so they can give you better information on it than I..."

I think I've found the dates: 2002 movie; 2012 novel; 2012-2013 tv show.

[Portia]

Here is the Wiki link as well for "The Gangs of New York."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangs_of...

[Jane]

Thanks, Portia.

[Erica]

I'm reading Genghis: Birth of an Empire and I'm so glad I decided to read it. I like it as much as I do the Saxon series by Bernard Cornwell, which is saying a lot. It's hard to put down because I can't wait to read what happens next.

[Andy]

Erica wrote: "I'm reading Genghis: Birth of an Empire and I'm so glad I decided to read it. I like it as much as I do the Saxon series by Bernard Cornwell, which is saying a lot. It's hard to put ..."

Glad yer liking it, A brilliant series I thought - the first 3 books especially so & loved Birth of an Empire, one of my favourite reads, for the sheer scope of what he, Genghis Khan, achieved from such simple origins, for good or bad it WAS something epic.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I enjoyed the first two in this Ghengis series. I didn't love it after those two.

my ratings on all the books in the series are extremely diverse.

[Jane]

Terri wrote: "I enjoyed the first two in this Ghengis series. I didn't love it after those two.

my ratings on all the books in the series are extremely diverse."

Because I didn't like his writing style in the first of his Roman series, I do not even want to try any others.

[Linda]

Erica, I'm glad you like Genghis: Birth of an Empire Mr. Iggulden is an exciting and consistently good writer, a real 'find.' Colin Falconer and James Hockey are also 'finds.' Happy Reading.

[Erica]

Linda wrote: "Erica, I'm glad you like Genghis: Birth of an Empire Mr. Iggulden is an exciting and consistently good writer, a real 'find.' Collin Falconer and James Hockey are also 'finds.' Hap..."

Thanks Linda. I'll check out those other authors you've recommended.

[Erica]

Linda wrote: "Erica, I'm glad you like Genghis: Birth of an Empire Mr. Iggulden is an exciting and consistently good writer, a real 'find.' Collin Falconer and James Hockey are also 'finds.' Hap..."

Ahh I bought The Axe the Shield and the Triton a few months back. Didn't recognize the author's name. I'll have to read it soon!

[Linda]

You are quick, Erica. Before I could correct my spelling of Colin Falconer's name, you replied. He will understand.. Had I not been given Nook for Christmas three years ago, I would not know about Goodreads, A&M, many fine writers, and some good friends. I never used my pc for anything connected to reading for pleasure. Just thought I would let my friends know that--seemed like a good day. It is Super Bowl Sunday!

[Portia]

Because Manning was "let go" from his previous team, my emotions want him to win. But I hear Seattle "Really wants this." Should be a good game.

[Linda]

I am moving over to Random Thoughts to continue this conversation.

[Portia]

Good idea :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I am going to try and fit in Iscariot at the end of March once I have finished the two March Group reads.

Anybody else going to read this loser??

[Darcy]

I'm going to try to read it as well. I only have 3 other books (two being the group reads here) so I might be able to. Provided that Uni class doesn't decide to do it too ha!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I forgot to ask you the other day. Did you find out what studies they use The Eagle and the Raven for?

[[deleted user]]

Terri wrote: "I forgot to ask you the other day. Did you find out what studies they use The Eagle and the Raven for?"

Iscariot is the one that appealed to me most. If I can get ahold of it, I plan on reading it sometime in the next couple of months.