2017 - Where in the world have you been? (book finished and review linked)

[Rusalka]

I really need to find myself a copy of one of her books.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I've been back in India over the past week, reading A Handbook for My Lover. It was good, but I wanted to like it more than I did.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Claire wrote: "Isn't it great? I read her second novel What Lies Between Us last year and was so moved by it, I got a copy of this, her debut novel, knowing it was going to be brilliant..."

Yes, I'm definitely planning to read the second novel before the year is out.

[Claire]

I've been spending a year among the sand dunes, birds, wildlife, shipwrecks and pounding waves of Cape Cod with Henry Beston's classic of nature writing, The Outermost House.

I've never been there but this book and Rachel Carson's Under the Sea-Wind make me want to see it!

[Andrew]

I loved my visit to Ghana and USA in Homegoing - a wonderful book that deserves all the praise- here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

If you want a little folklore, magic, and deep forests in your Russian historical fiction, I can recommend The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. My review is here.

[Rusalka]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "If you want a little folklore, magic, and deep forests in your Russian historical fiction, I can recommend The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. My review is here."

Do I ever! Thanks Jenny, added.

[Andrew]

I went to Yemen in book form last week with Hurma Here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A fascinating peek into a life I will never come near to experience.

[Rusalka]

Looks interesting... thanks Andrew!

[Rusalka]

This thread is becoming dangerous.

[Lilisa]

I'll add to the danger...I was in Jerusalem with About the Night. Much more than just a love story between two people - one from West Jerusalem and one from East Jerusalem - I really enjoyed it.

[Courtney]

I just read Laurus. I read it during my spare time at work, so it took me about a month a half to read.

It primarily takes place in Russia, but Poland, Israel, and Italy are shown as well. I was expecting this to be more of a "genre" fiction for historical fiction. I think it is more suited for "literary" fiction.

The writing style was unique and I think the author (and translator) did an excellent job of capturing the themes.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Sadly, I can't recommend The Guest Cat (Japan). It was short, so I did finish it, but I only gave it 2 stars. No proper review.

[Val]

Well lets end the (GMT) day on a positive note: Laurus is definitely worth reading.

[Rusalka]

Sorry to hear about The Guest Cat, Andrea.

Added Laurus and, About the Night.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Rusalka wrote: "Sorry to hear about The Guest Cat, Andrea. "

Oh well, you win some, you lose some! Immediately before that I had read my favourite book of the year to date. I wasn't going to include it in my ATW list, but as I read it in the 'set in another country' category for a challenge in a different Group, I've changed my mind. The book is Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Shomeret]

Although Kasper Mützenmacher’s Cursed Hat began with a trip to Germany, I followed the protagonist to the U.S. where he and his family were emigrating. Most of the events in the rest of the book took place in Detroit.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrew]

I've just finished in Baltimore with anne Tyler's retelling of The taming of the shrewVinegar Girland then went to Ireland withA Line Made by Walking, here is my review of the latterhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

Last night I left Greece when I finished A Separation by Katie Kitamura. Here is my 3-star review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Claire]

Just left Nigeria this morning, finishing the thought provoking, engaging Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo, her debut novel that has been long listed for the Baileys Women's Prize for fiction 2017.

[Courtney]

I was reading Land of Love and Ruins. I DNF'D around page 111. It is set in Iceland. It wasn't a bad book, just not a book for me. It was written like a journal with rambling thoughts.

[Lilisa]

I was in Vietnam with Dragon House - it was kinda bleh.

[Andrew]

I really enjoyed my trip to Switzerland withThe Gustav Sonata,a well crafted story and surprisingly i realised I've read few rose tremain novels which i plan to rectify, here is my reviewhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rusalka]

Courtney wrote: "I was reading Land of Love and Ruins. I DNF'D around page 111. It is set in Iceland. It wasn't a bad book, just not a book for me. It was written like a journal with rambling thoughts."

Oh wow, that Bjork recommendation with those exclamation marks is enough to turn me off. Sorry it wasn't a good read for you.

[Rusalka]

Andrew wrote: "I really enjoyed my trip to Switzerland withThe Gustav Sonata,a well crafted story and surprisingly i realised I've read few rose tremain novels which i plan to rectify, here is my ..."

Thanks Andrew. Added.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Andrew wrote: "I really enjoyed my trip to Switzerland withThe Gustav Sonata,a well crafted story and surprisingly i realised I've read few rose tremain novels which i plan to rectify, here is my ..."

I see it's just been shortlisted for the 2017 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, too. I might have to take a look.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Some random reads lately:

Australia, YA title:
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
YA isn't really my thing, but if it's yours, you may be interested. My review is here

Slovakia, translated prize-winner:
Seeing People Off by Jana Beňová
I had a review copy of this, but it is available now. This is a good short read if you need a quickie, and enjoyable and strange prose. My review is

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Korea! I'll spend some time with Pachinko, but made a quick trip with my first read for National Poetry Month - Though flowers fall I have never forgotten you. I found some of the poems to be strangely crass, which I explain in my review.

[Andrew]

Last week I visited Albania/turkey with The Traitor's Niche- nominated for the Man International booker even though written in the 1970's here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

Andrew wrote: "Last week I visited Albania/turkey with The Traitor's Niche- nominated for the Man International booker even though written in the 1970's here is my review https://www.goodreads.com..."

I've looked at this book before. I may have to check this out based on your review.

[Andrew]

Lilisa wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Last week I visited Albania/turkey with The Traitor's Niche- nominated for the Man International booker even though written in the 1970's here is my review https://ww..."
I hope I haven't cursed it! Enjoy if you get hold of it Lilisa.

[Shomeret]

I'm catching up on reviews this weekend. At the end of March I took a trip to France and Germany after WWI with the thriller In Shadowland: A Seth Armitage Novel. It dealt with an investigation into the death of Theodore Roosevelt's youngest son, Quentin, during WWI. I found it very credible.
See my review at www.goodreads.com/review/show/1965693...

[Courtney]

I was in England with The Rook. I didn't review it, but its about a 3.5/5 stars for me. The first 150 flew by and I thought it was going to become a favorite. After the 150 it felt like it was dragged out.

The story itself is quite interesting and would recommend it for people wanting to read Urban Fantasy without the whole "magical detective" trope.

[Shomeret]

At the beginning of this month I took a trip to steampunk England with The Golden Spider. This is a romance with a mystery/thriller aspect. It was a fun read, but I had a problem with suspending disbelief about an aspect that I considered important.
See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

I was in Peru with Claudia Salazar Jiménez's Blood of the Dawn. This is the first novel .I've read from a Peruvian author. It packed a wallop.

My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Shomeret]

I was in England in our universe with a side trip to Italy and a final trip to Ethiopia with Sylvia Pankhurst: Suffragette, Socialist and Scourge of Empire by Katherine Connelly which I thought was inspiring. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Ellen]

A week or so ago, I finished People of the Book, which went all over Europe with side trips to Boston and Australia. Also was in the Paris opera house last month with The Phantom of the Opera, and in medieval England with the Canterbury Tales, both rereads for me.

[Courtney]

I visited Sierre Leon, Panama, and Bolivia in Virus Hunter: Thirty Years of Battling Hot Viruses Around the World. An enjoyable and easy read regarding a virologist whom works with hemorrhagic viruses. The book reads as if it was written by an old war hero.

[Lilisa]

Ellen wrote: "A week or so ago, I finished People of the Book, which went all over Europe with side trips to Boston and Australia. Also was in the Paris opera house last month with The Phantom of the Opera, and ..."

People of the Book is one of my favorite reads from last year.

[Claire]

I've been in Canada and China during the Cultural Revolution with Madeleine Thien's deeply immersive Baileys Prize shortlisted novel Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

My review linked here

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Claire wrote: "I've been in Canada and China during the Cultural Revolution with Madeleine Thien's deeply immersive Baileys Prize shortlisted novel Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

My review linked here"

Thanks for your review. This was one of my favorite reads last year.

[Claire]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Claire wrote: "I've been in Canada and China during the Cultural Revolution with Madeleine Thien's deeply immersive Baileys Prize shortlisted novel Do Not Say We Have Nothing.

My review linked her..."

An incredible and accomplished novel, more than a novel in fact, an immersive, not at all comfortable experience, one that will linger a long time, for sure.

[Claire]

I've finished reading Domenico Starnone's Ties translated by Jhumpa Lahiri and was immediately transported back to the same setting of Elena Ferrante's The Days of Abandonment, intriguingly. Same setting, different voice. My review here:

Ties by Domenico Starnone (Italy)

[Claire]

So after finishing Ties and sensing the obvious link to Elena Ferrante's The Days of Abandonment, I decided to read a collection of her letters and essay-like responses to interview questions about her work, here is my review:

Frantumaglia, A Writer's Journey by Elena Ferrante

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Here's something a bit different. Yesterday I spent an hour or so in Switzerland (and Germany) reading the Stepping Stone edition of Heidi. I've read a few Stepping Stone books lately and I must say I'm quite impressed with this series - perfect for my Nepali ESL kids.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Val]

Man Booker International list so far:

The Traitor's Niche by Ismail Kadare from Albania https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Explosion Chronicles by Yan Lianke from China
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen from Norway
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A Horse Walks into a Bar by David Grossman from Israel
www.goodreads.com/review/show/1954860847

Swallowing Mercury by Wioletta Greg from Poland
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rusalka]

Do you have a favourite out of those 5, Val?

[Val]

I liked "The Unseen" and "The Traitor's Niche" more than the other three, but all of them are good.
Edit: I might have a new favourite in Compass. It is a bit odd, but in an interesting way which makes me want to keep reading on (when I am not half asleep because it is twenty minutes to midnight).

[Lilisa]

I've been in Israel for a long time with To the End of the Land but could not get into it so decided to move on. Maybe someday I'll get back to it but right now it's time to move on to another country...

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "I've been in Israel for a long time with To the End of the Land but could not get into it so decided to move on. Maybe someday I'll get back to it but right now it's time to move on ..."

How far did you get, Lilisa? It's been on my pre-selection shelf for a little while but I've lacked the courage to commit.