What are You Currently Reading?

[Sara]

I've got Station Eleven on hold, but the waiting list is moving very slowly. Black Dove, White Raven is also on my to-read list - can't wait!

[Alicia]

Pamela wrote: "So if you get sick while reading Ghost Map, here's a hint, it is probably not cholera and they will laugh when you go to the ER. ..."

I love that! But it reminds me of a friend of mine who was studying for her medical school exams, and didn't go to the doctor because she thought she was being a hypochondriac and imagining she had the diseases she was studying. Nope - hospitalised with deep vein thrombosis...

I'm reading the Mapp & Lucia books.

[Susan]

Oh Gosh! Mapp and Lucia. I read those a long time ago. So, so fabulous. Also, the PBS show was great. What characters. LOVE

[Bonnie G.]

Katie wrote: "I won't be getting Ghost Map read before it's due, so I'll try it again later. Station Eleven was simply fantastic!!"

About 2/3 through Station Eleven and it is just glorious! I generally do not like dystopian books, but WOW!

[Liz]

Bonnie wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Just started "Orphan Train" and Lena Dunham's book. I've heard mixed reviews on both. I just finished "All the Light We Cannot See," which I really enjoyed. I did find the ending to ..."

My thoughts exactly on Orphan Train Bonnie! I thought the story had a lot of promise but it was reallly cliched in parts and the ending was a total cop out. And several of the characters were total stereotypes with no depth (like the foster mom who doesn't understand what being vegan is and wants to force her to eat chicken?) However it did make me want to read more about orphan trains, if anyone has any recommendations?

[Bonnie G.]

Liz wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Just started "Orphan Train" and Lena Dunham's book. I've heard mixed reviews on both. I just finished "All the Light We Cannot See," which I really enjoyed. I did find..."
Glad I am not alone on objecting to the gimmicky approach taken in The Orphan Train. Everyone in my book club loved it. I said it would have been a hundred times better if they had cut the whole present day story as it was poorly realized and was composed entirely of convenient coincidences, plot devices, and clichés. No one agreed. I did enjoy reading the book because the underlying story was so interesting. I would also love to learn more about the Orphan Trains. Our book club group includes a couple teachers who have taught this topic to elementary and middle students. There were a couple of young reader books they recommended, but no one knew of any books for grown ups. One person mentioned that there was a PBS American Experience about it, but our library does not have it. I hope other GFY'ers know of some good options.

[annabel]

Mapp & Lucia!!!! It's been over twenty years since I first read them, what fun!! I probably still have a big omnibus copy somewhere, shall have to look for that.

[Alicia]

annabel wrote: "Mapp & Lucia!!!! It's been over twenty years since I first read them, what fun!! I probably still have a big omnibus copy somewhere, shall have to look for that."

If you can't find them, there's a kindle version that's all 6 books for 99p!

[Susan]

I have that omnibus copy. I got it from Quality Paperback or Book of the Month when the show was on PBS. So much fun--Georgie!

[Karen]

I just finished reading "Wuthering Heights" for the first time in 25 years. I was really involved, which is what you want in a book.

However, I have a question: Are we supposed to like Heathcliff and Catherine? Are we supposed to think they are the most romantic couple evah? Because I thought they were selfish, self-centered people who actively tried to make everyone around them miserable, even taking into account how Heathcliff was mistreated. I know that popular culture has made them into one of the great fictional romantic couples, but I wonder if Bronte actually intended it that way or whether she was saying something entirely different.

[Susan]

I only read this book for the first time recently. I did not like the book, and I thought all of the characters were horrid. I could not find anything redeeming about Heathcliff or Catherine. I was totally disappointed.

[Emma]

Susan wrote: "I only read this book for the first time recently. I did not like the book, and I thought all of the characters were horrid. I could not find anything redeeming about Heathcliff or Catherine. I ..."

Ditto, to all of this.

On another note, for anyone who is on Netgalley, The Royal We is available! I'm over halfway through and really enjoying it. I could definitely come up with a Fug Nation in-joke drinking game based on it.

[Hayley]

Just finished Outlander #1 - which was nice and silly. About to start The Girl With All The Gifts and keeping The Hollow Crown going in the background - find it tough to continuously read a non-fiction history book, even when it's as well-written as this one.

[Sophie]

Karen wrote: "I just finished reading "Wuthering Heights" for the first time in 25 years. I was really involved, which is what you want in a book.

However, I have a question: Are we supposed to like Heathcliff..."

You aren't supposed to like them. Catherine and Heathcliff are in love, sure, but their love is destructive to everybody around them as well as themselves. For contrast, Emily Bronte makes Cathy and Hareton have a "healthier" love affair. But most adaptations leave out that romance to focus on Catherine and Heathcliff's all-consuming passion.

[Karen]

Thanks, Sophie, I'm glad to hear I wasn't missing something incredibly "romantic."

[Bonnie G.]

Karen wrote: "I just finished reading "Wuthering Heights" for the first time in 25 years. I was really involved, which is what you want in a book.

However, I have a question: Are we supposed to like Heathcliff..."

Disclaimer: I am not a Bronte fan and never seem to connect with any of her characters, so I might be completely missing her intent. That said, I think we are supposed to adore these star-crossed lovers. I suspect Emily had a rather adolescent view of love - she lived with her family all her life and had no friends or lovers- and the thought that you would die of heartbreak if separated from your beloved seemed super romantic to her. I detested both Heathcliff and Catherine. There was an earlier discussion (I think on the thread about books you didn't like) where someone with a literature post-grad suggested we were not supposed to like them. I said at the time that I need to reread the book with that in mind to see if I like it any better, but have not done so.

[Bonnie G.]

EmVic wrote: "Susan wrote: "I only read this book for the first time recently. I did not like the book, and I thought all of the characters were horrid. I could not find anything redeeming about Heathcliff or ..."

So exciting! I can't wait to read it.

[Sandra]

Agree that The Orphan Train didn't really need the modern day storyline. It distracted from the more interesting lives of the orphans. I also read City of Thieves which is a jewel of a book...am hoping he'll do a sequel about the story of his grandmother. Was very curious about her.

[Martha]

I just read Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, which is like We Were Liars for grownups and WAY MORE DYSFUNCTIONAL. I loved it. Wealthy New Englanders being totally nutso is one of my favorite, oddly specific literary subgenres (along with British People Having Family and/or Romantic Problems Before 1945, Girl Sleuths Solving Crimes In Olden Times, and children's lit somehow based on Welsh mythology).

Just started an advance copy of Elizabeth Berg's latest, The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand, which I believe comes out at the end of March/early April, so we'll see how that goes. And I'm also reading the prequel novellas for the Throne of Glass series, a series which I have really enjoyed--solid YA fantasy.

[Bonnie G.]

Sandrq, As soon as Game of Thrones ends Benin ff is doing 2 movies...the second is City of Thieves! After that perhaps a sequel?

[annabel]

Can't remember if I've posted here about Elena Ferrante, but I am reading the third (so far final) book in her Neapolitan series, Those Who Leave and Those who Stay. She is a gorgeous writer, even more so when you consider that these are translated from Italian, but everything in the first two books was just so terrible. Poverty and violence and nothing ever working out the way anyone hoped and everyone being so unhappy. I read most of the second one when I stayed home sick one day a month or so ago and I can't say it made me feel any better, but here I am in the third book. Has anyone else read her?

[Danielle]

I just "finished" Sarah Water's 'The Paying Guests'. To be honest, I didn't really finish it as much as skim the last third of the book. It held my interest til about the halfway mark & then a big, somewhat predictable event happened & I was over it. It was disappointing. Then I moved on to read the new Jem & the Holograms comic & the thrilling Adventure Hour's Sparks Nevada comics. Jem was really good, I have more faith in this comic than in the upcoming movie. If you were a fan in your youth, I would suggest checking it out. It really is a refreshing reboot. The art is fantastic as well.

[Pamela]

Danielle wrote: "I just "finished" Sarah Water's 'The Paying Guests'. To be honest, I didn't really finish it as much as skim the last third of the book. It held my interest til about the halfway mark & then a big,..."

Good to hear I'm not the only one who was not obsessed with it. I listened, so could not skim. At least it was not as predictable as I thought it was going to be, but it could have been much shorter- she took forever to tell things!

On the previous Orphan Train book comments, there's another book about the trains, The Chaperone which was really good.

[Pamela]

Since it lost the vote for GFY book club, I started Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mystery series. It's quite fun reading and different enough from the tv series to still be surprising.

[Maureen]

I just finished Princes at War: The Bitter Battle Inside Britain's Royal Family in the Darkest Days of WWII. A review for this was linked at GFY from the Royals Roundup a couple of weeks ago. It's historically very well-researched, quite readable, and full of scandal!

[Amy]

I'm about 50 pages into "Wolf Hall," (I know... Finally!) which I'm really enjoying. But I fear I won't finish it before the series starts on PBS this Sunday.

[Jocelyn]

I'm so glad I clicked on this thread. I didn't know about the wolf hall mini series!! So excited!!!!

[Susan]

I could not get through Wolf Hall. Maybe I should try the series.

[Pamela]

I shouldn't say it, but I liked the book more than the miniseries. The book is just alot of talking and plotting and it works better in print. There was lots of internal things going on in the books that could not translate to the screen. The miniseries was good (the scenery) but I liked the books more.

Or maybe I was just disappointed in how little Damian Lewis was in the miniseries! What a waste!

[Bonnie G.]

I adored both books and can't wait for the third. I will definitely tune into the miniseries but I can't believe it will measure up.

[Sara]

My latest was All the Light We Cannot See, which didn't quite live up to my expectations, although I still enjoyed it. Before that, I read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which I loved. Now I'm on to a Goodreads giveaway that I won (woohoo!): Girl at War: A Novel.

[Bonnie G.]

Sara wrote: "My latest was All the Light We Cannot See, which didn't quite live up to my expectations, although I still enjoyed it. Before that, I read [book:The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier &..."

I felt very much the same about All the Light. The prose was lovely so I couldn't dislike the book. I ended up giving it a 4 because Goodreads doesn't allow a 3.5. Overall I felt the book abandoned momentum about 1/3 of the way in and I stopped caring much about what was going on. In some ways I think the pretty prose got in the way of just telling the story. The whole magical diamond thing really annoyed me too. Also, and I have mentioned this a billion times in this forum, I love Kavalier & Clay so much! One of my favorites of the last 20 years.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which was great and also (confession time) the first Douglas Adams book I've ever read. I've also started The Once and Future King, which I somehow never knew was actually four books in one. It makes it a little more intimidating lengthwise, but so far it's light and fun. (I was nervous it would be a little heavy-handed in the way that fantasy/Arthurian legend gets, but it's not at all.)

[Juanita]

I'm now reading Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I'm really enjoying it so far.
I'm also reading Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin. It's incredibly well written and so poetic.

[Allie]

Am about 1/3 of the way through Guy Gavriel Kay's "The Lions of Al-Rassan." It's only my second Kay, but I liked "A Song for Arbonne" way better. The story is finally getting good, but I spent the first 50-60 pages so confused as to which character was which and from where … there are so many cities/regions/countries and it's hard to keep them straight, even with the map in the front of the book!

[Melanie]

I'm reading 'The Giver'. Recommended by my son's sitter.

[Halle]

Sara wrote: "My latest was All the Light We Cannot See, which didn't quite live up to my expectations, although I still enjoyed it. Before that, I read [book:The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier &..."

I felt the same way about "All the Light We Cannot See". I thought the language was beautiful, but didn't feel completely drawn into the story. I recently read "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah and loved that one! I have read other books by her and thought they were okay, but this one completely drew me in. I'm now reading "The Stranger" by Harlan Coben which is a good page turner - I'm planning to sit by the pool this weekend and race through it - and "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown for book club. I'm about halfway through and it is fascinating so far. I never thought I'd care so much about a rowing crew!

[Katie]

I've just picked up Above the Dreamless Dead: World War I in Poetry and Comicswhich is collection of poetry from the trench poets of WWI reinterpreted by cartoonists/graphic novelists.Very good so far, and timely.

[Melissa]

I just finished The Giver. AMAZING. And now I am reading The Rosie Project, which is hilarious and enthralling.

[Bonnie G.]

Juanita wrote: "I'm now reading Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I'm really enjoying it so far.
I'm also reading Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin. It's incredibly well written and so poetic."

I have loved the James Baldwin I have read, but never read that book. I am adding Go Tell in on the Mountain to my TBR list. Thanks!

[Sara]

I had two plane flights and short vacation to burn through Girl at War (very good!) and a good chunk of Station Eleven.

The Once and Future King has been on my "I'll read this someday" list forever. Maybe it should be an option for our classics month?

[Naomi]

I just finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and am now reading Oryx and Crake. I think my next book will need to be a light fun book! Perhaps The Royal We will fit that. :)

[Bonnie G.]

Sara, I almost added Once and Future King. It was on my long list. I dropped it due to length (90 pages I believe.) Perhaps near the holidays when we are all busy we can do a novellas month?

[Elizabeth]

I've been lurking for quite some time now, so I guess I should participate. :)

I'm currently reading "Midnight Train to Paris" by Juliette Sobanet. A time traveling train murder mystery. I reads well while not being the greatest literary achievement ever. Regardless, it's a nice break from going through the Game of Thrones books and "Cancer: the Emperor of All Maladies." While "Cancer" is interesting to me as someone who wants to do oncology research, it's still heavy. A light hearted time traveling train book that ignores the laws of physics is a nice change. :)

[Joanie]

Cup of Gold
Just started Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck. It's the story of Henry Morgan. I love the writing. I think we've lost some of the beauty of writing in contemporary fiction. I mean, the descriptions alone are so elegant at times. Almost lyrical.

[Bonnie G.]

Joanie wrote: "Cup of Gold
Just started Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck. It's the story of Henry Morgan. I love the writing. I think we've lost some of the beauty of writing in contemporary fiction. I..."

I've not read this book, but I love Steinbeck's writing so much. I agree there are fewer writers these days I would call lyrical in a complimentary way. I find myself drawn to a lot that is written in a very spare way. (So much that is lyrical is overwritten. Steinbeck gets it right, and Faulkner, and Nabakov, but most writers do not.) If you haven't read Louise Erdrich, I think her prose is lovely. Also Gabriel Garcia Marquez, though less modern is gorgeous.

[Bonnie G.]

Elizabeth wrote: "I've been lurking for quite some time now, so I guess I should participate. :)

I'm currently reading "Midnight Train to Paris" by Juliette Sobanet. A time traveling train murder mystery. I reads w..."

Emperor of All Maladies was too dense for me at the time I tried to read it, though I thought it was objectively incredible. For others like me who don't have to focus to read serious and complicated non-fiction, I am watching and loving the PBS series. Its just amazing. We DVR'd and I am through the first 2 shows (2 hours each) with one to go. Just fantastic.

[Elizabeth]

Bonnie wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I've been lurking for quite some time now, so I guess I should participate. :)

I'm currently reading "Midnight Train to Paris" by Juliette Sobanet. A time traveling train murder ..."

The book is dense. I've been working on it since November, and I'm not even halfway. I've been watching the special, too. Very fascinating. I've been trying to find a way of saying that cancer is my happy place without using the word happy. It ignites a fire in me, I'm very passionate about it.

[Bonnie G.]

Elizabeth wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I've been lurking for quite some time now, so I guess I should participate. :)

I'm currently reading "Midnight Train to Paris" by Juliette Sobanet. A time travelin..."

That is amazing. I have limitless respect for people who work in the trenches. I have volunteered at the AFLAC Cancer Center at Children's Hospital of Atlanta for years, and I am awed by the genius, the tirelessness, and yes, the passion (and compassion) in everyone there.

[Elizabeth]

Hannah wrote: "I just finished Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which was great and also (confession time) the first Douglas Adams book I've ever read. I've also started [book:The Once and Futur..."

Once and Future King is a total delight...I read it as a kid and then again with the boy I nannied for when I was in college. So the opposite of a dark heavy myth.

I've just started The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah, but just finished Dead Wake, about the sinking of the Lusitania. FASCINATING and I highly recommend.