Slaves of Solitude - Alex, Smith (umm... not us, it is just the title of the book :P)

[Ahtims]

When Sundar aka Alex Supertramp asked around whether anyone is keen to read the above book, Syl aka Smitha aka Shalini aka PSmith aka Skylar readily agreed as she is always on the look out for varying reads, and she can't resist a group /buddy read.
This agreement was a couple of months ago, and in the meanwhile, Syl has accrued 10 half read books. Still, a word given is a WORD GIVEN...
and here we start reading....

Syl may be a bit slow, hope Alex is held up too....


Anyone else who wants can join in.. the more, the merrier.

BLURB

England in the middle of World War II, a war that seems fated to go on forever, a war that has become a way of life. Heroic resistance is old hat. Everything is in short supply, and tempers are even shorter.

Overwhelmed by the terrors and rigors of the Blitz, middle-aged Miss Roach has retreated to the relative safety and stupefying boredom of the suburban town of Thames Lockdon, where she rents a room in a boarding house run by Mrs. Payne. There the savvy, sensible, decent, but all-too-meek Miss Roach endures the dinner-table interrogations of Mr. Thwaites and seeks to relieve her solitude by going out drinking and necking with a wayward American lieutenant. Life is almost bearable until Vicki Kugelmann, a seeming friend, moves into the adjacent room. That’s when Miss Roach’s troubles really begin.

Recounting an epic battle of wills in the claustrophobic confines of the boarding house, Patrick Hamilton’s The Slaves of Solitude, with a delightfully improbable heroine, is one of the finest and funniest books ever written about the trials of a lonely heart.

[Hajarath Prasad]

Off Topic Question :



Syl aka Psmith aka Smitha aka Queen of Akas : When will you read a book with me? *Innocent look*

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

Buddy Harry is an infamous procrastinator. :P

[Ahtims]

Hajarath Prasad wrote: "Off Topic Question :



Syl aka Psmith aka Smitha aka Queen of Akas : When will you read a book with me? *Innocent look*"

Harry aka HP aka Firstborn aka cuckoo buddy aka Infamous Procrastinator, whenever me and you come across a book which we both want to read at the same time :P :P

[Hajarath Prasad]

Manu : -_- I may take time, Bbbut I WILL complete the book, unlike you Manu :/ *goes to check her DNF'd books*

Syl : Done Ma'am! Are you interested in reading Strategic Financial Management : A Commentary by A. N. Sridhar with me? *Innocent look* *hides behind Manu*

Sorry for spamming, readers!

[Ahtims]

I am interested,
a. if it will put me to sleep during my insomnia episodes. :/
b. If I will get an honorary CA degree if I complete it
c. If I be paid 100 per page of reading

-__________________________________________-

[Alex]

:D So Yes, I have started !! :)

[Ahtims]

Alex, what is your first impression?

[Alex]

It's good. Just getting to know about the characters. Slow paced, but good. :)

[Ahtims]

Blurb sounded like my sort of book. Shall start on Sunday.

[Alex]

Tomorrow? Or next Sunday? I am taking it to the exam hall tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a chance to read it during supervision :D

[Ahtims]

I meant today :-)
Good for the lucky students who can cheat with aplomb ;)

[Alex]

Haha, sadly I couldn't. Computers froze frequently and was running around a lot. And yes it was AIIMS entrance exam for MD and MDS, so there's nothing to cheat. most of them were literally sleeping after an hour or so :D :D

[Ahtims]

I remember giving my AIIMS for UG, just gave up after an hour or so, and put my head on the desk and sort of dozed off.
For PG, I didnot even attempt. I knew my limits. :P

[Ahtims]

Am at 20%. I feel like strangling Mr. Thwaite's scrawny neck. Why is Miss Roach so scaredy? I would have yelled at him and thrown a tantrum.

[Alex]

He's trying his best, loved the way Mrs. Barratt and Miss Steele helped her out !! :D

[Alex]

Col, I am done !! Absolutely loved it. Would love to see your review :)

[Ahtims]

Oh, Sundar. Am so sorry. I didn't read it for past many days thinking you've given it up.Shall finish 3 or 4 of my current reads , then complete this one, and will come here and give my views.

[Ahtims]

Good to know that you liked it and I can look forward to it. I have just completed 20 % or so.

[Indrani]

Sounds very interesting. I want to read it now. Adding to my already huge TBR list.

[Alex]

Syl. A.k.a Topo di biblioteca wrote: "Oh, Sundar. Am so sorry. I didn't read it for past many days thinking you've given it up.Shall finish 3 or 4 of my current reads , then complete this one, and will come here and give my views."

That's okay.. I was reading it the whole time. It's just that I was busy with work and couldn't update the progress. :)

[Alex]

Indrani wrote: "Sounds very interesting. I want to read it now. Adding to my already huge TBR list."

Alright, please do let us know after giving it a try. :)

[Ahtims]

I resumed the book, at 54%.
the way they are consuming alcohol, they will die of cirrhosis before the war ends. -__-

[Ahtims]

Am finding Roach sensible. and her Ostrich attitude to war typically mirrors mine to almost all current affairs going on these days. For a moment I sort of saw my soul mirrored in hers.

Regarding Vicki - she is foolish and vain , rather than evil per se

Mr. Thwaite is soo sooo irritating. I would have physically harmed him if I were there in that boarding house.

I love such books where there is lots of importance to characterization.