Aussie Readers discussion
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What Are You Currently Reading? (doesn't have to be an Aussie book)
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They are completely different plots, and The Messenger it is not written in the unique and thrilling way ..."
Thanks for that, I'll definitely let you know what I think of it!
Marianela wrote: "hi!I am Marianela. I am Australian but born in Chile (from Chilean parents) BUT, Australia is my home
I LOVE reading, I read in English and in Spanish. i have this rule" always read if possible th..."
Welcome, Marianela. You do have an interesting history. Yes, Alexander MS does have nice characters in his books. Laurel
I was interested to read how you enjoyed, The Book of Lost Threads, Marianela. I found it tedious and quite boring. Funny how we all differ.I agree regarding your comment on translations. I avoid them now. The last couple I read came across as being quite soulless.
I'm about a third of the way through Franzen's Freedom. It's fascinating, and I'm taken with his dialogue ticks in particular; so well done. Oddly enough, this is probably the first time I've managed to read a book that other people are discussing; normally I'm about four years behind! (Twilight is still sitting on my shelves, unopened. Sad, I know.)
Lia wrote: "I'm about a third of the way through Franzen's Freedom. It's fascinating, and I'm taken with his dialogue ticks in particular; so well done. Oddly enough, this is probably the ..."
Hi Lia, I read Freedom a month ago, but the impressions are still fresh on my mind. It really is a fascinating on, isn't it! Would love to know your thoughts on the plot, the characters... Maybe we can start a dedicated thread to discuss it? I wonder who else has read the book...
I am reading the 2009 Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel for GR book club that exclusively reads Booker Prize winners and shorlists... It's a historical fiction about Henry VIII's pursuit to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn, which resulted in England breaking away from the Holy See and the founding of the Anglican Church. Interestingly enough, the story is told from the vantage point of an unlikely male character: Thomas Cromwell, initially aide to Cardinal Wolsey but eventually went on to become Henry VII's chief minister.
Elsewhere, particularly in pop novels and movies, he is portrayed as the cruel, cold and corrupt right hand of Henry VIII but here he is portrayed so much more differently - an enlightened, multitalented person with foresight, compassion and loyalty despite his humble beginnings.
I am one third into the book, the present tense writing and the multiple casts and complex dialogues distinctive to the style of its time have forced me to slow down my reading and contemplate a bit, but the story is so engaging, I just can't put the book down!
Adhityani wrote: "Lia wrote: "I'm about a third of the way through Franzen's Freedom. It's fascinating, and I'm taken with his dialogue ticks in particular; so well done. Oddly enough, this is pro..."
Hi Adhityani! I'd love to discuss it with you; I'll get through it as quick as I can. :-)
Just finished reading 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker.I wasn't that into it. Yeah it had its interesting parts, but I wouldn't consider it one of my favourites I've read.. Maybe I just had higher expectations for it..?
Loving Ruby, Lia :-) Unfortunately, I'm so busy this week I'm not getting nearly enough time to dip into it.
Ashleigh wrote: "Just finished reading 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker.
I wasn't that into it. Yeah it had its interesting parts, but I wouldn't consider it one of my favourites I've read.. Maybe I just had higher expecta..."
I read it quite recently, while I did enjoy it, maybe because we are exposed to so many Dracula movies. There are no surprises. On the back cover the description talked about sexual tension, the sexual tension was lost on me. .Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde I have heard. There are no surprises as we know the story inside and out, so the book loses it's impact.
I wasn't that into it. Yeah it had its interesting parts, but I wouldn't consider it one of my favourites I've read.. Maybe I just had higher expecta..."
I read it quite recently, while I did enjoy it, maybe because we are exposed to so many Dracula movies. There are no surprises. On the back cover the description talked about sexual tension, the sexual tension was lost on me. .Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde I have heard. There are no surprises as we know the story inside and out, so the book loses it's impact.
Adhityani "Dhitri" wrote: "I am reading the 2009 Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel for GR book club that exclusively reads Booker Prize winners and shorlists... It's a historical fiction about ..."
I read this book last year and loved it. the style can be a bit confusing and you have to pay attention to who's talking, but it has a wonderful sweep, and the character of Thomas Cromwell is one of the best drawn characters I've ever read.
This was a definite winner for me. Looking forward to the next one!
Am currently reading After You by Julie Buxbaum. Am only up to chapter 5 at the moment so really can't comment yet.
Joanne wrote: "the style can be a bit confusing and you have to pay attention to who's talking, but it has a wonderful sweep, and the character of Thomas Cromwell is one of the best drawn characters I've ever read."The style forced me to slow down and there were some passages where I had to pretty much re-read them before finally getting who was doing what. But I enjoy the dialogues and the portrayal of court politics are fascinating!
I definitely agree with you that Thomas Cromwell the character was well-developed. I am now halfway through the book, but even after the first couple chapters, I got a real good sense on the kind of person he is.
Lia wrote: "I'd love to discuss it with you; I'll get through it as quick as I can. :-)"Just drop me a message when you're through with the book :-)
I tried participating in Oprah's book club online discussion but got dizzy because there were too many people and too many comments!
Just a reminder for newbies that if you're reading and enjoying a book and want to discuss it with others you can start a discussion in the Individual Book Discussions folder. Just click on new topic and put the name of the book and author as the title. Then start chatting! Don't be shy. Someone will surely join in...:)
Jenny wrote: "Loving Ruby, Lia :-) Unfortunately, I'm so busy this week I'm not getting nearly enough time to dip into it."Thanks, Jenny! I know what you mean re: the busy-ness. That's the good thing about books; they don't go off. :-)
Adhityani "Dhitri" wrote: "Lia wrote: "I'd love to discuss it with you; I'll get through it as quick as I can. :-)"Just drop me a message when you're through with the book :-)
I tried participating in Oprah's book club on..."
Will do! I can only imagine the buzz in Oprah's club. My brain would probably melt...
I was referring to Lia Weston's, The Fortunes of Ruby White, Carmel. Not sure with First Tuesday book you were thinking of. Now I'm curious, so if you figure out which one it is, let me know.A question for Lia: I absolutely adore Jasmyn's Empire, so much so I wanna go there! (I don't mind if all is not as it seems.) The Empire comes across as being incredilby well-researched. Is it, or did you make it all up? Either way it works beautifully.
Adhityani "Dhitri" wrote: "I am reading the 2009 Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel for GR book club that exclusively reads Booker Prize winners and shorlists... It's a historical fiction about ..."
Hi Adhityani, I also loved Wolf Hall, I was only disappointed that it didn't go on to the very fast conclusion and absolute mess his execution was. But really good book that I couldn't put down
Jenny wrote: "A question for Lia: I absolutely adore Jasmyn's Empire, so much so I wanna go there! (I don't mind if all is not as it seems.) The Empire comes across as being incredilby well-researched. Is it, or did you make it all up? Either way it works beautifully."Wow, that's a huge compliment. Thank you! The Empire is all my own creation; before I wrote about it, I created a handbook for it - rules and regulations, floor plans, uniform designs, you name it. I think only about 20% of it ended up in the book, but it made it much easier to write, because it felt like a real company. :-)
Lia wrote: 'The Empire is all my own creation; before I wrote about it, I created a handbook for it - rules and regulations, floor plans, uniform designs, you name it. I think only about 20% of it ended up in the book'Well, all that work shows, Lia. Despite how things turned out (finished Ruby last night) I still want to visit Jasmyn's Empire! There was something almost other-worldly about it. Any plans for a sequel?
Carmel: I wasn't planning to read Freedom, but now you've got me interested. Must have another look.
I was in Dymocks yesterday and noticed Lia's book among the new releases. Great to see some of the authors here with their books in the stores.
Jenny wrote: "Lia wrote: 'The Empire is all my own creation; before I wrote about it, I created a handbook for it - rules and regulations, floor plans, uniform designs, you name it. I think only about 20% of it ..."Thanks -- and thanks also for your lovely review; you've made my week. :-)
I originally hadn't planned a sequel at all but have been asked about it enough to be slowly changing my mind. I'll keep you posted!
Gail "cyborg" wrote: "I was in Dymocks yesterday and noticed Lia's book amoung the new releases. Great to see some of the authors here with their books in the stores."Hee - I'm very dorky and take photos when I see it. Then I resist the temptation to say, "I wrote this!" to the person standing next to me... :-)
Lia wrote: "Then I resist the temptation to say, "I wrote this!" to the person standing next to me..."That's really cute Lia! Don't know if I could resist.:)
You know, I think the person would be thrilled to meet the author, I would be.
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Hee - I'm very dorky and t..."
I would be saying it!! :)
The Book of Lost Things - I've seen it mentioned several times on goodreads and finally picked it up for a group read - it's a little odd... or I'm in an odd mood this week... it's going slowly for some mysterious reason....
Lia wrote: "Gail "cyborg" wrote: "I was in Dymocks yesterday and noticed Lia's book amoung the new releases. Great to see some of the authors here with their books in the stores."Hee - I'm very dorky and t..."
No - it's not dorky at all! There's nothing like the thrill of seeing your book on a bookshop shelf! Take photos - I did too!
If you were to write a sequel, Lia, I would personally love to see Jasmyn come back and the Empire rise again, Under a new name, of course. I don't know how you did it, but I actually miss the place. How weird is that! I've never been one to go in for all of those alternate therapies either.
Mandy wrote: "Lia wrote: "Then I resist the temptation to say, "I wrote this!" to the person standing next to me..."That's really cute Lia! Don't know if I could resist.:)"
I would love to meet the author too. congratulations
Laurel wrote: "Mandy wrote: "Lia wrote: "Then I resist the temptation to say, "I wrote this!" to the person standing next to me..."That's really cute Lia! Don't know if I could resist.:)"
I would love to m..."
Heh - OK, I'll definitely say it next time. You guys are lovely. :-)
I am currently reading The Name of the Wind, this is going to take me a while to plough through. I purchased it because I'm currently without my kindle. The print is miniscule, I can't seem to find the font size adjustment. :(
Gail "cyborg" wrote: "I am currently reading The Name of the Wind, this is going to take me a while to plough through. I purchased it because I'm currently without my kindle. The print is miniscule, I can'..."Hey Gail, how are you enjoying your kindle?
Now is not a good time to ask. I had to return it because it wasn't working properly. I'm waiting for the new one to arrive.
Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Now is not a good time to ask. I had to return it because it wasn't working properly. I'm waiting for the new one to arrive."Bugger.....
Sharon (Simi) wrote: "Hey Gail, how are you enjoying your kindle?..."Sharon I have a kindle and I love it. Haven't had any probs unlike poor Gail!:)
I think I was just unlucky. No one else I know has had a problem.
I'm currently reading (and not going very fast!) Nation, Genesis, Lazarus Rising and Guantanamo: My Journey.
Little wonder you are not going very fast Mandy. I'm a one-book-at-a-timer myself. I never enjoy books as much if I try more than one. It begins to feel more like a chore than relaxation.
Just finished Finding Margo. I quite enjoyed this one. A couple of gentle twists and a few good laughs.Now I'm reading The Merry-Go-Round, Donna Fasano. Quite a good read so far - very light, so far looking as though it'll be pretty predictable, but I'm not in a thinking mood today. Too much work yesterday putting the finishing touches on a book. :-)
How did I come to be reading romance books??? *confusion*
Am reading an OUTSTANDING book by a (former?) L.A. Times journalist called Every Man in this Village is a Liar. Poetic, descriptive, very like the letter of a friend who got off a train in an unforgiving environment and is sending news.
Just finished Julia Glass' The Whole World Over. It was well-written but I was disappointed. It was boring and didn't seem to have much of a point for such a long book. I picked it up bcs she'd won the Nat'l Book Award for Three Junes. Did anyone read that one? Now I'm reading a guilty pleasure by Adele Parks: Love Lies...A compulsive read. A rock star falls in love with this girl and we go along for the ridiculously fun ride. I'll probably be done by tonight...The it's on to Wolf Hall...
Lia, what's your book? Gail "cyborg" wrote: "I was in Dymocks yesterday and noticed Lia's book among the new releases. Great to see some of the authors here with their books in the stores."
I am reading Flags of Our Fathers Flags of Our Fatherswhich is not the usual sort of book that I would read, but did it as part of a challenge which I started for another group, which has long since expired, in which I needed to read a book with an American flag on the cover.This book is a war book about the six people who are in one of the most famous war photos of WW11 about the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_...).
It took me a bit to get into it, but it is absorbing reading. I am conflicted reading it, horrified by the description of the battle of Iwo Jima and the reasoning behind it all, the conspiracy behind the flag, the exploitation of individuals involved and using the photograph to obtain obscene amounts of money from the american public to fund the war effort, some of which would have been used to save Darwin/Australia at the time, some (or a lot) to A-bomb Japan.
From the depiction of the battle, I dont know how anyone could come through the battle of Iwo Jima undamaged, physically or psychologically or both.
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Aussie Readers
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They are completely different plots, and The Messenger it is not written in the unique and thrilling way that Book Thief was.
However, I gave The Messenger 3 stars, which in my books means "enjoyable."
But I gave Book Thief 5 stars, which means "Incredible!"
I would still recommend reading it (the first chapter is wonderful), though you must keep in mind it does have a fair bit of swearing/sexual references.
Whilst at times it is a little....odd, gloomy and dull (I know of people who have given up half way though) you should still read it. There are some really "feel good" chapter in there.
Let me know when you get to it, and what you think of it :)