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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
Greg, it is good I tried The Dead. You've got me pegged right when you say, "Not uplifting really but I know that isn't a requirement for you, as it isn't a requirement for me either." I have read The Aran Islands by J.M. Synge, but nothing else by him. I will check out what you have mentioned. I very much enjoyed Synge's language.
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In Italy too, but I have to admit that Larsson gave it the greatest impulse!
Gill wrote: "Jean wrote: "In response to my 3 reviews of Stieg Larsson's novels, Chuck said "Larson is what actually kicked the whole Scandinavian-author thing off. And IMO, he's heads and shoul..."I second the recommendation of Arnaldur Indriðason! Excellent series.
I couldn't quite finish Avenue of Mysteries. No rating since I didn't finish it but here are my comments : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Hunted
- a really exciting fast paced read featuring some very bizarre deaths! My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Greg wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I friend of mine provided a link to James Joyce's short story The Dead. I liked it. My very short review which explains how I felt about it:
https://..."
I liked Dubliners too though the stories were really very depressing.
Here is a wow book: Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I assume you have seen Sally Mann's photos!
Very glad I read this Eyes on You, and highly recommend! Here is my review to have a peek at:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished the second in the historical mystery series by Martin Jensen, Oathbreaker. It is interesting to read a book written by a Dane set in England -- the setting is fascinating to me and the mystery is well done as well. 3.5*
I finished At Swim-Two-Birds. I'm glad I read it. The writing was good, the premise and the execution of the story was good. Sadly, a lot went over my head. I followed along but missed a lot. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. 5 well deserved stars!What an amazing book with lots of history about India: from the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to the Emergency period. And on this background we have the story of Saleem (a guy born during India's Independence) and his family starting from his grandparents.
Not an easy read, but really worth!
I've added some more informations in my reading-thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Thanks Gill and Leslie. Yes, those are two authors I may well read. I actually think a great deal of Stieg Larsson's appeal is the fact that he nails his moral colours so strongly to the mast. I can't fault those of course. Plus his strong heroine is a breath of fresh air, even though she is a bit comic-book.
Having read the trilogy, I can't see that it can be the quality of the writing which makes Goodreads readers rate it so highly. All those sandwiches. All that coffee. All those Billy Pan Pizzas *Yawn*
What is a "Billy Pan Pizza" anyway? And how come I can still remember the name? Is is product placement, or am I just being cynical now?
As part of the AAB Readathon I re-read a book by one of my fave authors: The Moment by Douglas KennedyMy review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
@Jean Billy Pan Pizza, see link https://translate.google.com/translat...It seems it is part product placement, see link http://mikebanks.blogspot.com.au/2010...
From that blog: "But--oh, the product name-dropping! Larsson waved brand names in front of the reader to the point where it disrupted the reading. IKEA, Macintosh, 7-Eleven stores, MSIE, Billy's Pan Pizza--products of all sorts are firmly branded, over and over. In the typical popular novel, a character fires up her unnamed laptop when she needs to do a little hacking. It might be singled out as a Mac if the author is enthusiastic about Macs, but just once. She might pick up frozen pizzas at the minimart, or occasionally at a King Kwik. A motorcycle might be distinguished as a Kawasaki, and a car as a Camry, to help give the reader a picture. But when every market is a 7-Eleven and every snack is a Billy's Pan Pizza, and so many brand names are overemphasized by repetition, it wears on the reader.
At least, it wore on me to the point where I went looking to see whether Billy's Pan Pizza--which Bloomqvist and Salander seemed to live on--was a made-up product. It is real. I posted an image of the packaged product above. The maker is Gunnar Dafgård AB, and they crank out 80,000 rectangular pizzas a day. And then I went back to reading the novel."
Jean - for once I disagree with you. I thought The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was absolutely superb. I bought it as soon as it came out, having seen the early reviews. Not really caring one way or another about Larsson's motivations, and not having read any other Scandinavian crime novels, I was drawn into the mystery from the start, right through to the end. A sure-fire 5 star for me!
@John I'm with you. The mystery, the drama, the twists and turns, the intensity, the characters, wow, what a trilogy it was. I was riveted from the first page. I think we know we're not reading Shakespeare or Tolstoy here and we don't expect it, it's just the constant hook which gets you in and keeps you riveted; well, it was for me anyway. I'm eager to read book four.
John - well there you go :) Vive la difference - the essence of Goodreads. Presumably you'll be reading the 4th one, which also has good reviews, even though it's by someone else.I wouldn't want to stop anyone reading these, but I think I said in my third review that you need to be prepared to invest quite a bit of time in the project, and my personal opinion is that the books are only average.
Bette - I shall go out right away and campaign for square pizza in Britain! Oh, wait a minute, we have it already! ;)
I love the blog you posted! LOL! Thank you for confirming my cynical suspicions :D
Leslie - Forgot to thank you for those names, all of which sound vaguely familiar but none of which will stick in my English brain! :(
Jean wrote: "I wouldn't want to stop anyone reading these, but I think I said in my third review that you need to be prepared to invest quite a bit of time in the project, and my personal opinion is that the books are only average...."This is how I feel about the wildly popular A Game of Thrones! So true what you say about "vive la difference" :)
And, Jean, I'm going to send you a recommendation for the first Martin Beck mystery - I think that this series is one you will like.
Thanks Leslie - I'll keep an eye out for it :)
dely wrote: "I finished Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. 5 well deserved stars!What an amazing book with lots of history about India: from the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to the ..."
I read that a few years ago, and came away with the impression I would have gotten a lot more out of it if I had known a bit more about Indian history. Glad you enjoyed it.
I finished The Gilded Life of Matilda Duplaine. 3 stars . My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tom wrote: "I read that a few years ago, and came away with the impression I would have gotten a lot more out of it if I had known a bit more about Indian history. Glad you enjoyed it. "I agree, it's important to know Indian history to read and fully enjoy this book (also Indian mythology and culture). I'm sure I wasn't able to catch a lot with the political characters of Pakistan and Bangladesh because I don't know them.
Infinity Gauntlet Omnibus 4/5 stars.A great story. 1248 pages just fly off before you know it. As is usually the case with omnibus collections, the issues' quality does vary, but I didn't think any of the tie-ins were actually bad.
I have completed: World's Fair. Lots of fun details, but
Mm review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
@Bette I have the Douglas Kennedy book on my shelves. On that recommendation I might try it after my current read in the hope it will continue to haul me out of my reading slump
@Heather There so much interesting information about East versus West Germany, plus of course the major being of Thomas' life. Kennedy, himself, has spent a lot of time in Germany so he knows what he's talking about. That's the things about his books, you always learn something. For example, The Pursuit of Happiness covers the vile McCarthyism in late 1940s, you get a first hand look into how this affected people and their friends, families, co-workers and how it tore those relationships apart.
Jean wrote: "John - well there you go :) Vive la difference - the essence of Goodreads. Presumably you'll be reading the 4th one, which also has good reviews, even though it's by someone else.Jean, vive la difference indeed.
Your point about follow-ons by different authors. I would generally steer well clear. What is the point? Have any ever been really worth reading?
I can think of three I have tried, or partially tried.
I did read and quite enjoy The Monogram Murders, the Sophie Hannah Poirot, which was generally moderately received, but more out of curiosity than real desire. And P D James' Pride and Prejudice sequel was absolutely dire. As is, I think, from excerpts read, Jeeeves and The Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks, although some think it good.
So, no more for me.
Maybe the message is that the better and more inimitable the writer, the harder it is to continue.
What do others think?
I agree, particularly with regard to Death Comes to Pemberley. Even the BBC dramatisation of it was better than the read, in my opinion! There was just none of Jane Austen's wit.Apparently the 4th Millennium book The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz is a worthy sequel, should you rate the originals. I'll link here to Jeffrey's review, since I always respect his insights - and no, I won't be reading the actual book.
The only "tribute" follow-on book I can remember liking was about Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, by Emma Thompson.
Jean wrote: "The only "tribute" follow-on book I can remember liking was about Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, by Emma Thompson. I've wondered about this type of thing. I think there was a similar thing with VC Andrews. More recently I've wondered about Anthony Horowitz and the continuation of Sherlock Holmes. I've never read a single one of those stories, but I think if I had I'd be pretty interested in the new books he's written at the request of the Conan Doyle estate.
@ Jean: the fourth Millennium book by a different author. I was not aware of that. Thanks for letting me know of it. I loved the trilogy.
I just finished The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. I loved it! Such a gripping read and she really creates the atmosphere for you. I felt transported back to the 1920s.
This was my first book by this author and won't be my last. 5*
This was my first book by this author and won't be my last. 5*
Heather wrote: "I just finished The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters. I loved it! Such a gripping read and she really creates the atmosphere for you. I felt transported back to the 1920s.This was my first book by t..."
I just finished this too!! Didn't realise you were also reading it - and it was also my first by Sarah Waters. I gave it 4 stars as I wasn't so keen on the ending but she's a good writer, I think.
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I liked the ending, I think it was the only way it could end really. Have you read anything else of her? I remember the TV series of Tipping the Velvet so might try that one next
Thanks for Jeffrey's review, Jean. A good reviewer, I sgree. May turn to the book if it comes my way in a second-hand shop. Ta.
Jean wrote: "I agree, particularly with regard to Death Comes to Pemberley. Even the BBC dramatisation of it was better than the read, in my opinion! There was just none of Jane Austen - We had a lively conversation about The Girl in the Spider's Web in the thread 'Has Anyone Read This Book' starting msg #308. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
B the BookAddict - thank you, lively indeed!
Heather wrote: "I liked the ending, I think it was the only way it could end really. Have you read anything else of her? I remember the TV series of Tipping the Velvet so might try that one next"No, I haven't read anything else by her. I'd definitely try another of hers.
@Shirley I read The Paying Guests first which launched me into one of my Author Marathons. I ordered all her other books from the library and read them one after the other. I wouldn't have guessed Waters to be LGBT from her books until someone told me. Naive as I was to that fact, I also didn't know what 'tipping the velvet' really meant.
I REALLY enjoyed Timbuktu. I have already grabbed another book by the author. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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My very short review which explains how I felt about it:
https://www.goodreads.com..."
Wonderful Chrissie! It's great, and it also comes from Dubliners. See what I mean with those stories being very different than his later work?
I actually saw a stage version of "The Dead" once complete with some Irish dancing. It sounds terrible, but it was actually good, not quite as good as the story of course but haunting and very interesting as its own piece.
I don't think you'd necessarily like every story from Dubliners, but I do think you'd probably like a few of them at least.
"Araby" and "The Dead" are probably the most famous short stories from the book, but there are other good ones.
If you liked "The Dead", perhaps you'd like a straightforward haunting play by another Irish writer - so moving. Not uplifting really but I know that isn't a requirement for you, as it isn't a requirement for me either. It's Riders to the Sea by J.M. Synge. For me, crushingly affecting, and so different than other more comic plays by him like The Playboy of the Western World. Hmm, pretty much no humor in Riders to the Sea though - maybe you'd find it too stark?