All About Books discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
General Archive
>
What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
I just finished Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood. It's a weird book to rate because the characters are so flawed and hard to understand. She had a real ear for dialogue (mostly in the vernacular). I guess I would rate it 3 stars as she brought up some interesting questions about religion and how it shapes us. Definitely a dark story, sort of Faulkneresque. I like her though. I'm going to read more of her work.
Diane S.✨ wrote: "Finished You Are Deadhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My husband has a group of friends he has had for over forty years and yes they are like that, why I did find ..."
Well, I have had friends since literally kindergarten, but it's not quite like that. Brothers don't even have the dynamic in my experience. Women aren't even like that IMO.
Different books effect each of us differently. Still need to read the winner, which I own, maybe some time next week.
Diane S.✨ wrote: "Different books effect each of us differently. Still need to read the winner, which I own, maybe some time next week."Yep, they certainly do. I am definitely finding parts of it captivating.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on ABHO7K. I predict you'll either love it or hate it.
I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when the Man Booker judges where deliberating. They said it was an easy decision for them, but I wonder if politics played into it at all.
Sandra wrote: "I just finished Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood. It's a weird book to rate because the characters are so flawed and hard to understand. She had a real ear for dialogue (mostly in the ve..."
Wonderful book, though, wasn't it? It was, as in the comment from Chuck above, like being a fly on the wall in the room of a crazy person.
Wonderful book, though, wasn't it? It was, as in the comment from Chuck above, like being a fly on the wall in the room of a crazy person.
@Ellen... I felt like a lot of it went over my head! Lol. Yeah, everyone was loony-tunes and kind of horrible. It was very unsettling.
Sandra wrote: "@Ellen... I felt like a lot of it went over my head! Lol. Yeah, everyone was loony-tunes and kind of horrible. It was very unsettling."
Oh, it was creepy to the n-th degree.
Oh, it was creepy to the n-th degree.
Ellen wrote: "Sandra wrote: "@Ellen... I felt like a lot of it went over my head! Lol. Yeah, everyone was loony-tunes and kind of horrible. It was very unsettling."Oh, it was creepy to the n-th degree."
Uh-oh, this is going on my TBR for sure!
Flannery has a very distinctive writing style and most of her books deal with religion and various stereotypes from her hometown. She was a great people observer. Hazel Motes is definitely a memorable character.Chuck, someone I work with rated it a three, said it was very difficult to read, the writing style I mean. Still I am curious and may start it tomorrow.
Diane S.✨ wrote: "Flannery has a very distinctive writing style and most of her books deal with religion and various stereotypes from her hometown. She was a great people observer. Hazel Motes is definitely a memora..."
She is distinctive, and, yes, what an observer, that's a great way to put it. Her short stories are fabulous, also, stunning. Nothing easy about her, but that's a good thing, to me. I don't want to be spoon-fed, you know? But every now and then I need to take a break. I tend to be a [lower your voice and read the next four words in a deep and mocking voice] reader of great books. Which can be exhausting.
She is distinctive, and, yes, what an observer, that's a great way to put it. Her short stories are fabulous, also, stunning. Nothing easy about her, but that's a good thing, to me. I don't want to be spoon-fed, you know? But every now and then I need to take a break. I tend to be a [lower your voice and read the next four words in a deep and mocking voice] reader of great books. Which can be exhausting.
I have just finished an outstanding book Visiting Lilly
. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Yep, people react differently to books. THAT is why you never really know if a book will work until you try it yourself....but GR friends DO help.
Mod
:-) It always makes me happy when someone discovers Dame Agatha. I agree with Dhanaraj but this one is a ..."
Exactly the same opinion!
At the moment I'm reading with a group read for English Language The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I'm really looking forward seeing the reaction of the others when we get to the end!!!
In here Dame Agatha really breaks all rule of trust between reader and writer!!!
On my part I've just finished another Australian book: The Transit of Venus. Really interesting!
Diane S.✨ wrote: "Chuck, someone I work with rated it a three, said it was very difficult to read, the writing style I mean. Still I am curious and may start it tomorrow. "I had quite a bit of trouble with the writing style at first, too. IIRC, I was about 300 pages in before I was able to read it like a regular novel. Undoubtedly this will turn a lot of people off. But it's almost part of the brilliance of the novel too because you'll almost feel like you learned a new language or something, lol.
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Simply a brilliant story that slowly tears your heart apart. I've seen the movie of Gone Girl, and I liked it very much (there are similarities between RR and GG, and not just the repetition of title letters). From all directions, I hear I should read both GG and Sharp. Objects. I will.Nakamura Reality
Alex wrote: "Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Simply a brilliant story that slowly tears your heart apart. I've seen the movie of Gone Girl, and I liked it very much (there are similarities between RR and G..."
Revolutionary Road was a wonderful book. I've got another of his in my house, but I couldn't begin to say which. But want to read more.
Revolutionary Road was a wonderful book. I've got another of his in my house, but I couldn't begin to say which. But want to read more.
Suzanne wrote: "Just finished this From Afar which I enjoyed.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
What a good review, Suzanne! I'll have to see if my library has it. (I'm usually disappointed, or have to wait years, but small town!)
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
What a good review, Suzanne! I'll have to see if my library has it. (I'm usually disappointed, or have to wait years, but small town!)
Ellen wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Just finished this From Afar which I enjoyed. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
What a good review, Suzanne! I'll have to see if my lib..."
Thanks Ellen! I always feel bad when my friends want a book and can't get their hands on it. I always want to give it to them as it's just in my nature. But impossible when GR friends a worldwide. Good luck with it. I think I'm quite spoilt as my libraries are very good here.
I have finished The Island of Worthy Boys. 4 stars . My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Unexpectedly read and reviewed this Terrorism last night. Here it is:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West which I thought was better than I expected. My review:http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I finished and would recommend Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien as a whimsical holiday read. It was a four star book for me. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just got done with a book-a-thon of sorts, found I had a lot of extra spare time to read and inhaled 3 books. Two of which are more for young adult readers, they were enjoyable but I found them to be very fast reads; Graceling and The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Both are part of a series which I will continue on as I did enjoy them, gave them each a 3 star rating. Now for the book I would add to anyones must read at least once list: Twelve Years a Slave <--- I absolutely LOVED this book and gave it 5 stars! A truly inspiring story!
Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thanks Lisa Ann, that book sounds great as a Christmas gift for someone!
A couple of day ago I finished Catch-22. Only now have I gotten around to writing a short review. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a book with an important message, but the humor employed by the author wrecked it for me. (Think Mash humor only made 10 times more ridiculous. Remember that TV-series?
If you are at all, even if only a teeny bit interested in Henry Thoreau, then I certainly would recommend The Adventures of Henry Thoreau: A Young Man's Unlikely Path to Walden Pond to you. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lisa Anne, you are in this group now too! Nice. I liked that one by Tolkien too, years and years ago when I read it with my kids.
Finished Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Deltahttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I last read 'Station Eleven' which has received nothing but rave reviews. I was intrigued by the story and it carried me along but I was left less than satisfied at the end!
Dom the blurb for that book gave me chills! Looks great.
Chrissie wrote: "Lisa Anne, you are in this group now too! Nice.
I liked that one by Tolkien too, years and years ago when I read it with my kids."
Thanks Chrissie! :)
I liked that one by Tolkien too, years and years ago when I read it with my kids."
Thanks Chrissie! :)
Heather wrote: "Dom the blurb for that book gave me chills! Looks great."It is I recommend it.
Read that one, Dom. Was pretty creepy.
Diane S.✨ wrote: "Read that one, Dom. Was pretty creepy."I like hte fact that is was told as a diary
There are several of us here in the group reading books by William Gay. I chose Provinces of Night. I ended up liking it, but it was tough in the beginning. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished Wolf Hall. This is a "curate's egg". There's something I liked and something I didn't like about the novel.My Review
Alice wrote: "Finished Wolf Hall. This is a "curate's egg". There's something I liked and something I didn't like about the novel.My Review"
Oh Alice, you nearly got me there with 'curate's egg':)
Mod
I gave him a "second chanche", but I keep my opinion: he knows how to write, but the story is definitly too slow ...
B the BookAddict wrote: "Alice wrote: "Finished Wolf Hall. This is a "curate's egg". There's something I liked and something I didn't like about the novel.My Review"
Oh Alice, you nearly got me there with..."
LOL, not Wolsey's egg :D I only learned this term recently from Jean.
Just finished William Styron's Lie Down in Darkness.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
LOL Alice! I had wondered how the English vernacular had got across to Canada - and apparently Australia now too ... ;)
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
All About Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Red Shoes for Rachel: Three Novellas (other topics)Kindred (other topics)
Kindred (other topics)
Kindred (other topics)
The Promise Girls (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
Marie Bostwick (other topics)
Deon Meyer (other topics)
More...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My husband has a group of friends he has had for over forty years and yes they are like that, why I did find it so believable. I too have a friend that I have had since eight grade and we are still thick as ever even though we don't see each other as often. It does happen