Booker Hit List - Girish and Vimal (feat Syl and Srividya) Showing 351-400 of 1,017

[Srividya]

Am in Part 3 now. The prose is still the same, at times really heart wrenching and at times merely comic. I feel that the character of Fr. Gaunt, although many like him did exist in the past, is kind of excessively caricatured. It is as if a comic artist was given the job of creating the character of Fr. Gaunt. While the treachery that he permeates within the country at that time is quite evil in its nature, its reflection in these pages make me not want to take him seriously. I feel like I am swinging between hating him for his deeds and what he represents and laughing at him for his characterisation. Of course, with respect to Roseanne, his treachery is definitely not laugh worthy but is truly evil.

Another thing this book reminds me of is an onion - slowly peeling the exterior to reveal the interior. I feel that with each chapter or part, a little more is revealed. It excites me, this slow revelation of the truth or what is perhaps perceived as truth by Roseanne and Dr. Grene. Of course, unless there is some dramatic stuff that happens now, I think all important revelations or at least the roadmap as to how and why Roseanne is at Roscommon and is without any visitor is quite clear... Or is it?

Hope to finish it tonight, else won't get much sleep! :P

[Srividya]

I KNEW IT!!!!!! I knew it would be that way in the end! Lol! I agree with you on the end being quite cinematic but I kind of expected it, so I wasn't that surprised as I was vindicated. :)

Finished and quite enjoyed it. I loved the writing, which was beautifully poignant and mysterious, filled with the cultural dynamics of old time Ireland and the whole influence of the Church on the people. While the story and its content did not really surprise me as I have read others with regard to the strong stand taken by the Church etc, it was nevertheless entertaining, for loss of a better word. Even when it was bleak, there was a string of humanness to it that it never lost. Characters were quite relatable or rather identifiable, with all their numerous weakness and strengths and the best part was that there was no black and white in the story. It had its shades of grey, each being portrayed beautifully. Could you fault one person? Maybe you could but given the circumstances and the cultural background of the country and its people, it is quite understandable. Had it been one of a rebellion, I might not have accepted it as in those days rebellions, especially against the Church, were not really many.

[Vimal]

Wow wow. As usual, you've chosen one fine night to say it all :D
Glad that you enjoyed it, and super-glad that it's a 4-star for all 3 of us, like the unanimous Cloud Atlas 5-starrer!

True, theres no black and white in the story. Actually I was a little bit annoyed in the middle when Dr Grene started manufacturing way too many things from his arsenal to grey out the whites and blacks, but after a while I made peace with it,because it definitely suited the dynamics of the story and the setting.

And the ending was really unexpected for me coz like you I had also guessed it at about 30% into the story and so was honestly believing Barry wouldn't adopt it, and would instead go for a twist or two, like how Julian Barnes did right in the last page of the sense of an ending :)

[Girish, The Good cop]

:D I had to control myself from posting comment on your spoiler yesterday!

Good that you loved it! I agree with you this was more realistic in times of church wars. the prose lifted the gloomy mega serialish plot. I felt the memoir had too many insignificant memories thrown in. maybe why I thought it was slow.

reiterating - Read Hilary mantel wolf Hall and bring up the bodies. more fr gaunt pov :D

[Girish, The Good cop]

and sri I agree that it is human nature in shades of grey. but the endurance and the forgiving tone is inhuman.

any thoughts on the unopened letter (or resealed by moisture as Dr.Grene hopes) or the broken clock?

[Srividya]

Sorry for not replying earlier Girish but I was quite busy finishing another book! :P

Unopened or resealed letter - (view spoiler)[I think that was the most irritating part of the story for me. I just couldn't accept it or even decipher why Jack would want to write it. One reason could be that he is dying and just wants to get it off his chest so that his sins are pardoned! *eye roll* I think she couldn't have read it, which is what I feel more strongly because for her they were already gone out of her life the day they betrayed her trust in them. I feel that way because had I been in her place, I would have let them go and not pardoned them for anything at any point in time. I know forgiveness is a virtue but to forgive someone so lame and for his letter which was simply stupid would be a stupidity on Roseanne's part. I hated Jack at that point - it was easy to look at him as a bad guy and one with no feelings but to have him send her such a letter smacked of weakness and that is something that I couldn't tolerate. And the reasons he gave for his actions - that made me so MAD!!!! I literally felt like going into the book and slapping him hard on the cheeks! ;)

Regarding the broken clock - I think it signified time broken or gaps between the events that took place in Roseanne's life vis-a-vis her father. As we come to know later that she does remember only certain parts of her father's life, I think the clock signified that and also signified changes in her life. Her life changed dramatically after her father's death and that was something that she couldn't accept. It could also be the reason for why she painted her father in a good manner dwelling on his strong points rather than his weaknesses. (hide spoiler)]

What do you two think?

[Girish, The Good cop]

Srividya wrote: "Sorry for not replying earlier Girish but I was quite busy finishing another book! :P

The best reason one can hope for on GR :D

My take was slightly different.
(view spoiler)[
The unopened letter, I would assume, she would have enough curiosity to read the letter given she has lost her child. I tend to agree with Dr.Grene, that it could have been resealed from moisture - which also explains why she writes her 'scriptures'. Maybe she sought solace in the fact that William is near her (what with John's son there as well) and why she bequeathed her father's book to him. As for Jack - why he wrote the letter after all those years, I could never guess and I tend to agree with you :D

The broken clock - Interesting take! other than serving to explain her mother's madness as well as the cruelties of rationing, I could not fathom any deeper meaning. Also why her father had to commit suicide immediately after that, left me wondering of there was any significance.

Aside I also found it curious - The episode of rats on fire is only recorded in her history and not in Fr.Gaunt's account. Could it be real or another metaphor?
(hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

(view spoiler)[You know that according to Fr. Gaunt, her father was killed and he did not commit suicide. Could it be that Roseanne wanting to not reflect on that crude death of her father have made it into a suicide? I thought so while reading it as she was a witness to his death/murder and couldn't really do anything about it.

Also the case with the rats on fire, I think it was a metaphor more than an actual sequence in her life. I believe that it may have signified that her entire life was on fire/being destroyed by the people that should have protected her and her family. I believe that just as those girls who died in that fire were innocent, she believed that her father was innocent and yet he was murdered just as her father had inadvertently murdered those innocent children. At least that's what I feel (hide spoiler)]

Re. letter (view spoiler)[Could be what you say but I don't believe she realised or that John Kane even told her that he was John Navalle's son. It could be that she could have guessed it but then why didn't she interact with him? She was always silent and didn't reach out at all. (hide spoiler)]

[Girish, The Good cop]

Talking in spoilers must be a fun thread :P

(view spoiler)[ Maybe I am reading too much into it, but.. The rat episode could also be a reflection of her reality being projected onto her past. She worries about the rats that might feed on her documents and how she must ask John Kane to get rid of them. Also, the line of corpses of innocent children after the fire could also be a reflection of the asylum's state. And she blames her dad for inadvertantly landing her in this

Re Letter: (view spoiler)[ Possible what you say. We would never know. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Srividya]

What you say is quite possible. I hadn't thought of that!

Hahaha, it is also enticing. So if someone were to stop by, they would want to read the book or look into the discussions! :P

[Girish, The Good cop]

People,

We had decided to read Never Let Me Go in June.. Can we start it this weekend?

PS: Luckily, it seems a very thin book and Ishiguro writes easy English *hint*

[Ahtims]

I am joining in. its been in my TBR forever.

[Vimal]

Done! Will clear it up for this Saturday.

[Srividya]

I have already read this one, so won't be joining in! Have fun all of you! :)

[Indrani]

Yep.. I also have read already.. :(

[Girish, The Good cop]

Vimal - Gr8, Saturday it is :)
Manju, you are in too?

Sri, Indrani - No problem. you can contribute in the long spoiler thread after and egg us on if we are found lazing around :)

[Indrani]

Sure thing.

[Srividya]

Unfortunately, I don't think I remember much to even discuss and the worst part is that I can't afford to re-read it now! So happy discussion to all of you while I keep watching it as it flows! :)

[Ahtims]

Saturday it is!

[Ahtims]

Started. Interesting.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Started today.. Kindled my curiosity with seemingly simple narrative..

[Vimal]

Oh no, I'm having a different effect. Seems a bit bland for me, neither sparks much curiosity in me nor impels me to stop reading..But the pages are flying, so no complaints :) 3 chapters done

[Vimal]

Got much better now. Chapter 5 was fantastic with all those fantasy games, bluffs and what not. After a long time finding myself coasting through a book.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Completed Part 1 and I must say the book sucks you in. The book is like playing connecting the dots without the numbering - you can read the broad image in hiding, but every connecting line is a surprise.
Love it so far!

[Ahtims]

am lagging behind.Hopefully will read more today.

[Vimal]

Girish wrote: "Completed Part 1 and I must say the book sucks you in. The book is like playing connecting the dots without the numbering - you can read the broad image in hiding, but every connecting line is a su..."

That's a perfect description. Every connecting line almost reads like a mystery. Top writing this. Just done with part 1.

[Girish, The Good cop]

82% done and the book is so far so absorbing! Have been having an absolute crazy work week and yet the book's almost easy writing is making me sneak pages.

I know, maybe I feel this way about every other good book, but I feel so warm with a book which pulls me through a busy phase :)

[Vimal]

Done with it. Classy ending studded with metaphors. Was an oasis of relief in an otherwise crazy work-week :D

[Vimal]

Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "am lagging behind.Hopefully will read more today."

@Syl, where have you reached

[Ahtims]

I haven't made progress in 6 days. :-(
Shall finish it off today.

[Girish, The Good cop]

Vimal exactly same emotion!! I don't know how I managed to read it amidst quarterly planning and all the pressure but, it was beautiful :)

[probably stretching it a bit but I had this feeling about how the exact same thing can be narrated as POV of most things we take for entitlement]

[Ahtims]

Reached around 20% at NLMG... not getting time to read, as house is full of relatives in view of my FIL's death anniversary functions.
I am getting only snatches of time, which I utilize to update on GR as reading NLMG requires concentration and relative solitude.

[Ahtims]

Reached part 2. More and more intriguing, though the mental cobwebs are slowly clearing.
Karolina has given me the link of Judy Bridgewater song Never let me go, which is quite suitable to the mood of the book. Shall try to add it here, but somehow not able to (with the mobile app)

[Ahtims]

https://youtu.be/4UX6tzE7P44

here it is..

[Ahtims]

Completed. Was disturbing and poignant.

have a few doubts

1.,I never understood how donations worked? considering these are not real humans, why the organs didn't regenerate, and why so much pain and disability?
2. What do initials stand for ? Kathy H and Tommy D? D for donor? but H for what? certainly not human.

very very upset about the futility of Hailsham

[Girish, The Good cop]

I am ready for the next booker whenever you are.

I have the following 4 lined up
1. Possession by AS Byatt
2. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
3. Lives of Others by Neil Mukherjee
4. Notes on a Scanadal by Zoe Heller

If i remember, Possession is the one in the common list.
Vimal, what say?

[Ahtims]

Midnight - count me out :-P
Lives of others - read
rest 2 - open to any

[Vimal]

Great, I'm good for 1,2(my arch-nemesis) and 4.
Will be able to start Possession tomorrow I think.
Another tome, hope its goes well :P

[Girish, The Good cop]

great.. can we do 4 and 1?
4 seems a smaller read☺

[Vimal]

Actually I was about to make the same suggestion, but I don't have 4 at hand unfortunately. Have placed a library hold, but not sure when I'll have it in hand.

[Ahtims]

So is it possession that we are starting?

[Hajarath Prasad]

DNF, why you no read Midnight's Children? -_-

[Ahtims]

DNS, it was not up to my standards. -___-

[Girish, The Good cop]

OK let us start possession then.. and Midnight's children is more a mental block.

Will also get the following 2 books in next one week
1. Harvest by Jim Crace
2. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

[Ahtims]

Fingersmith has been in my TBR. But I dont know whether I will be able to fit it into my schedule as too many BRs and Group reads in Aug.

[Girish, The Good cop]

one Booker to another is a month gap. so we can take it in September

[Ahtims]

Then I am in.

[Girish, The Good cop]

"when a writer calls his work a Romance, it needs hardly be observed that he wishes to claim a certain latitude, both as to its fashion and material, which he would not have felt himself entitled to assume, had he professed to be writing a Novel"

Two chapters in and find it daunting as well as humane (Val)

[Em Lost In Books, EmLo is my Name, PIFM is my Game]

Girish, which book you are reading?

[Girish, The Good cop]

Manju, we just started with Possession by AS Byatt..Given it is a Tome , you can join in any time :)