Reading with Style discussion
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SU 21 Completed Tasks
20.5 RtMFruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Set in Bogota
Country: Colombia
Continent: South America
The first sentence of the blurb for this book on goodreads: "In the vein of Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a mesmerizing debut..." though the only magical realism I recognized in this book was merely the imagination and magic of a sheltered childhood. Chula Santiago is seven when her family hires Petrona, a fifteen-year-old girl who grew up in the slums, as a maid. The Santiagos live in a gated community in Bogota, an island of safety in a city plagued by violence and fear. Pablo Escobar was at his height of power and influence and nowhere was it more insidious than in the slums where Petrona and her family live.
This slow-burn of a tale, told in alternating chapters by Chula and Petrona, was well written and had me on the edge of my seat and holding back tears by the end.
+20 Task
+5 Review
Task total: 25
Season total: 700
20.6 RtMMy Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Set in Lagos
Country: Nigeria
Continent: Africa
Korede is a nurse: efficient, immaculate, dependable, plain.
Ayoola, her sister, is beautiful and flighty and doesn't have a job to speak of...and has killed her last three boyfriends.
Ayoola depends on Korede to help her out and Korede always does...until now?
This story was fantastic! The characters were strong and remained believable throughout. The plot was taut and it was impossible to put down. It felt a little like a cross between Dexter and Nurse Jackie and the best unsolved true crime podcast you can think of.
It was funny at times, excruciating at others, but infinitely readable throughout. Four stars (only because it felt a bit rushed at the end and I was left with a lot of questions).
+25 Task
+5 Review
Task total: 30
Season total: 730
20.6 RTMThe Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern Mind by Justin Pollard
City:Alexandria
Country: Egypt
Continent: Africa
Task - 25 pts
10.1 Page CountThe Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupéry (93 pages) AND The Secret Life of Trees: Explore the Forests of the World, With Oakheart the Brave by Moira Butterfield (48 pages)
The Little Prince is a classic book for children. The little prince is from another planet, a very small planet. He leaves, visits other small planets where the grown-ups are engaged in activities that seem to have no point. He visits Earth and meets a plane crash survivor in the African desert. The survivor is the narrator. Life lessons are told.
The Secret Life of Trees: Explore the Forests of the World, With Oakheart the Brave is a beautiful storybook, recently published. It is lap-sized with beautiful illustrations by Vivian Mineker of trees, animals, flowers, etc. Oakheart the Brave is the narrator -- he is an oak tree, about 500 years old. Lessons about nature, biology, ecology interspersed with tree stories from various countries and the story of how Oakheart became "the Brave"---a lovely book. 5*
+10 Task
+5 Review
Task total: 15
Season total: 90
15.4 TDoSNimona by Noelle Stevenson
Shaina => Dave
"Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism!" So reads in bold on the back of the book and it delivers on all fronts.
I laughed out loud several times at this witty, charming tale of Nimona, a shape-shifting teenager who appoints herself sidekick to the realm's super-villain. The ONLY thing I didn't love about it was the fact that this was *it*--no subsequent volumes to seek out, no continuation to the story...I want so much more Nimona! Even if you're not a fan of the genre, I'd recommend this--it has won all of the awards, including a National Book Award. Five enthusiastic stars.
+20 Task
+5 Review
Task total: 25
Season total: 755
20.7 RTMThe Winter Queen by Boris Akunin
City:Moscow
Country: Russia
Continent : Europe or Asia
Task - 25 pts
10.4 page CountMrs. Pollifax on Safari by Dorothy Gilman
223p.
pub. 1976
I enjoy this series of the New Jersey widow who accidentally becomes a spy in her 60s. This time, Mrs. Pollifax poses as a tourist in Zambia...with an assignment to just get photos of the other people on safari.... one of whom is probably an assassin. But as usual, things become much more complicated and her portfolio has expanded....without authorization. This plot line was perhaps more realistic than the previous four that I have read...but there is still a charm to the main character mixed with whimsy, humor, intelligence, and surprise.
Three stars
Task=10
review=5
pre-1996=5 (1976)
Task Total=20
Season Total=320
10.1; .....; 10.3;10.4 .....; .....; .....; .....; .....; .....
20.1; 20.2; 20.3; 20.4; 20.5; 20.6; 20.7; 20.8; 20.9
20.3 Riding the MetroOld City Hall by Robert Rotenberg
City: Toronto
Country: Canada
Continent: North America
I have read/heard many readers say that if they know by the 2nd chapter who the murderer is, it isn't a very good mystery. Sometimes there are other features of such a book that redeem it, but it wouldn't be a mystery. So what do I do when, on page 6 (!) I read "I killed her, Mr. Singh, I killed her." Repeat: this is on page 6 and there are only 360 or so pages to go. The only thing to assume is that he didn't do it. Or that he did and this will be just one of those books that will soon be forgotten. In either case, I kept reading.
Mysteries should have a great plot, of course. I am somewhat of a demanding reader and want better than pedestrian writing together with characters that I can believe have flesh on their bones. All three of those elements are here. This is a very good police procedural. Rotenberg alternates/rotates characters in each successive chapter. I admit that if this weren't a mystery I might want more in the way of characterization. Rotenberg does just enough with his two main characters - Ari Green and Daniel Kennicott - and the supporting caricatures were only a tad more than cardboard cutouts.
Not required, but much appreciated in this, is the setting. I've never visited Toronto and am unlikely to correct that deficiency. I liked what Rotenberg did to give the reader a sense of place. It isn't overpowering, but enough to give the reader a fourth element. And it's sort of silly why I liked the Toronto setting especially. A maternal great grandfather spent some years in and around Toronto on his way from Montreal to Windsor. Yeah, sure, that was nearly 150 years before this novel and the Toronto of then would be nothing like the Toronto of today. Even if it's all grown up now, there was still that feeling of connection.
This is a strong 4-stars. I have already added the next in the series to my already over-burdened wish list.
+20 Task
+ 5 Review
Task total = 25
Season total = 190
20.3 Riding the MetroThe Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith
City: Gabarone
Country: Botswana
Continent: Africa
My goodness, I like this series. It really brings me joy to read these books, so any review I give is as a fan. In this instalment, Smith continues with his gentle tone and once again showcases his (through Mma Ramotswe) love of Botswana. Of course, if you’ve read along to get this far in the series you are very familiar with the various characters and care about them. Here Mma Makutsi is in focus because she has a baby; and her and Mma Ramotswe reach a new level of friendship. 5*
20 task
5 review
_____
25
Running total: 290
15.4 TDoSGlass Houses by Louise Penny
Rated 5* by Katy + Susan
I liked the previous book in this series a lot, but I didn’t connect with this one in the same way. The village characters are very appealing but seem to belong to a cosier mystery than this grim story. In the acknowledgements the author writes that she lost her husband during the writing of this book, and perhaps that explains the mixture. Three stars and I'm still looking forward to the next one.
+20 Task
+ 5 Review
Post Total: 25
Season Total: 235
10.10 PCThe Diviners (578 pages) by Libba Bray
1920s, Manhattan: it all starts with a ouija board and a socialite desperate to have the party of the decade. A haunted ouija board, one supposedly possessed by a malevolent spirit.
Spooky! So excited for a spooky story! One filled with speakeasies and jazz, flappers with moxie and artistic dandies! I loved the setting, both time and place. The lingo was laughable--so: authentic 1920s. The characters were mostly okay, though the main character was irksome and the fact that she ends up in a love triangle upped the "irksome" factor. It's definitely a YA novel (all of the main characters are 18 and younger and act it, what with love triangles/forbidden love, family/parental issues, straddling that awkward boundary between childhood and adulthood), though it does have a gritty side (abuse with allusions to rape, abortion, animal torture). This is the first in a series and I might be tempted to pick up the next one sometime down the line...while the first 3/4 of the book was fantastic, the last 1/4 was pretty meh so I'm in no rush to run out to grab the next installment.
+10 Task
+5 Review
Task total: 15
Season total: 770
10.4: Page Count (200-249pp)Parenting with Theraplay® by Helen Rodwell (paperback edition: 208 pages)
I’ve read more books about parenting and child development than I can remember and this short book is now firmly one of my favourites.
Theraplay is essentially a way of strengthening the relationship between parents and children through playful activities. It was originally developed to help families who had experienced difficulties that affected children’s attachment to their parents or caregivers, but the principles and activities can be used and enjoyed by any family.
The book offers a very accessible and clear introduction to Theraplay. It’s aimed at parents rather than professionals and my one criticism is that some of the chapters oversimplified concepts and theories more than I would have liked. Although perhaps that’s just because I’m probably more interested in this subject than the average reader.
The book finishes with instructions for a huge selection of playful activities for parents to try with their children. The activities are mostly very simple but they’re absolutely perfect at what they’re intended to do, which is to create opportunities for parents and children to connect and enjoy spending time with each other.
+10 task
+5 review
Post total: 15
Season total: 85
15.3 TDoSThe Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
Natalie —> Paula S
The second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy. (The third has yet to be released.). Little is revealed in the “frame”, where Kvothe tells his story to the Chronicler in the present. Much happens in the story Kvothe is telling, including a broader view of this world and Kvothe maturing and learning. Like many second books of trilogies, this fills-in and stretches to the climax. Now, Master Rothfuss, many are impatiently waiting….
+20 task
+5 review
Task total: 20
Season total: 105
10.1 Page Count 75- 150 in 2 or 3 The Wonderful O by James Thurber
and
The Bus Conductor by E.F. Benson
The Wonderful O
I feel like I need more James Thurber in my life. I’ve only read this and Thirteen Clocks by him, but that is enough to make me a big fan. Like 13 Clocks, there is a great deal of wordplay; and to be honest I can’t imagine children liking it that much. Although, it could be very amusing read aloud. This is a children’s story with a political message (borne of the Cold War). 4*
The Bus Conductor
This was a short and amusing ghost story. I like E F Benson’s Mapp and Lucia series a lot, and Thanks to Elizabeth for finding this short gem. This is a short story written well before Mapp and Lucia were on the scene. It is tight and to the point, but not surprising reading it 115 (!!) years later. 3*
10 task
5 review
5 >1996
____
20
Running total: 310
20.3 Riding the MetroThe Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume
I must have found this on a list of good old mystery stories. It has been on my TBR for a long time. I enjoyed it very much. The mystery is well written wih several twists before the killer is ultimately discovered. It is not exactly a detective story because the investigation is subordinate to the story around the mystery but eventually the killer is identified through a series of chance discoveries that are actually a little implausible.
20 pts 20.3 Riding the Metro Melbourne
5 pts Review
5 pts pre 1996
Total task: 30 pts
Total Season: 185 pts.
10.1 10.2 10.3 ... 10.5 10.6 ... ... ... ...
15.1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
20.1 20.2 20.3 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Countries: England, United States, Australia
Continents: Europe, North America, Oceania
10.1 Page CountA Prince Of Bohemia by Honoré de Balzac (48 pgs)
Someone is telling a story to another and consequently every paragraph is in quotes. There is also conversation between the story teller and the listener which is also in quotes. And then, too, the people in the story are supposed to represent real people so toward the end the story names and the real names are used inter-changeable. At least that's what I think was happening. Confusion reigned! In my quest to have read all of Balzac, I'll just say I'm glad this is behind me.
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane (92 pgs)
I was surprised there wasn't more from the point of view of Maggie and she isn't in every scene. On the other hand, I think it is difficult for authors to write realistically of the opposite gender. My biggest problem with this novella is the amount of dialogue. Because this is set in New York's Bowery neighborhood, the dialogue is written in the vernacular. The dialogue very much helps to place the characters in time and place, but I would have preferred a little less of it. I liked very much the paragraphs that moved the story along. Stephen Crane is included in the US Realism writing style, which is a writing movement I am drawn to. I would like to try some of his short stories and will look for a suitable collection.
+10 Task
+ 5 Before 1996
+ 5 Review
Task total = 20
Season total = 210
20.1 Riding the MetroThe Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany
Set in Cairo
Country: Egypt
Continent: Africa
I won't call this a fun read, but it was certainly an immersive and illuminating one. I found the events and language around gender frustrating and depressing, but not inaccurate. Moving from perspective to perspective was great here -- so many (all, really) of the stories were unhappy ones, so moving between them was a little less intense for the reader.
+20 Task
+5 Review
Post total: 25
Season total: 25
10.5 Page Count (250-299)Clock Without Hands by Carson McCullers (256 pages, pub 1961)
Probably my least favorite McCullers, but this is a novel that takes place at a critical moment - the integration of the U.S. South. McCullers deftly captures the small town setting.
The characters here all struggle in their own ways and they all fall victim to their own coping mechanisms. Sherman finds a scapegoat for his (understandable) anger. Jester is too timid to be himself and seems doomed to follow in his father's footsteps. The judge either made me cringe or made me furious every time he opened his mouth. Malone is the most interesting, as he struggles to accept his diagnosis and what it means.
+10 Task
+5 Review
+5 Before 1996
Post total: 20
Season total: 45
10.10 Page Count (500+)Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth (630 pages, pub 1992)
Read this in college (about 2005) and finally got around to reading it again. I don't think I was quite as enamored this time, but it's still a great read.
Erasmus Kemp's intense awfulness struck me as more nuanced this time. I can see his lack of self-awareness, charisma, and self-love as the sources of his rage and self-centeredness. Before I just found him creepy and annoying.
Matthew Paris' story felt more tragic to me on first reading, but this time his arc felt very fitting. The way he talks about the success of his hopes (when ultimately that success was destroyed) makes it clear that he feels it fitting too.
+10 Task
+5 Review
+5 Before 1996
Post Total: 20
Season Total: 65
20.1 - LondonDeath in Ecstasy by Ngaio Marsh
Death in Ecstasy is an interesting little golden age murder mystery in which a murder takes place in the middle of a pseudo-religious ceremony and is witnessed by a newspaperman, who is a sometime confidante of the main character of the series, Detective Inspector Alleyn. Almost everyone who participated in the ceremony has motive, means, and opportunity so the entire book is *who* dunnit – the rest of the details come out within the first twenty or so pages! Again, a fun little piece of brain candy.
+20 task
+5 pre 1996
+5 review
Task total: 30
Season total: 100
15.6 TDoS Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring
5* from Ava Catherine + Rebekah
Well, that was good fun. Once again, I listened to this play and it was a straight narration. The narrator was okay, but not as good as the one for Cat on a Hot tin Roof (these were both produced by the same publisher) – his women’s voices were amusing but not very good. I love the movie, and it was taken directly from the play with minimal (if any) changes. It is a black comedy about two sweet little old ladies and their nephews. One of the nephews lives with them and believes he is Teddy Roosevelt, another also lives and works in Brooklyn; and there is a third ‘no-good’ nephew who shows up unexpectedly and really gets the ball rolling plot wise. 4*
30 task
5 >1996
5 review
_____
40
Running total: 350
10.5 PCThe Assistants (282 pages) by Camille Perri
Tina has been the personal assistant for the richest, most powerful media mogul in Manhattan for the past six years. An accounting mix-up lands Tina in a moral quandary; madcap mayhem ensues.
This was a fine diversion, would have been a pleasant beach read as the story moves quickly and you're engaged in the characters' dilemmas, but the characters themselves are rather flat. It was fine, if utterly forgettable. 2.5 stars.
+10 Task
+5 Review
Task total: 15
Season total: 785
10.2 Page Count 100 pg - 149 pgDeath of a Snob by M.C. Beaton
I needed a light read because the (Canadian) news is getting me down. This definitely fits the bill. According to GR I read this about 5 years ago, but I remembered who did it. However, I didn’t remember all the details, and it’s always fun to spend time with Hamish. It is a short book, but the mystery is not obvious. 4*
10 task
5 >1996
5 review
______
20
Running total: 370
Task 15.01 TDoSShin ==> Kendyl
Mort (Discworld #4) (1987) by Terry Pratchett
Review: Discworld is a collection of 40+ books of lighthearted fantasy. The books do not need to be read sequentially, as they are (mostly) all “set in the same world” rather than sequels. Mort is a good one to start with. There is more world building in this novel than in later novels of Discworld. The premise: the character of DEATH takes a young man named Mort as an apprentice. Hijinks result. 😊 Recommended for those looking for offbeat, fantastical, very British humor.
+15 Task
+05 Published before 1996
+05 Review
Task Total: 15 + 05 +05 = 25
Grand Total: 50 + 25 = 75
10.5 Page Count (250-299 pages)The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
Around 117 AD, the Roman Ninth Legion marched north to deal with an uprising among the Caledonian tribes (in present day Scotland). The Ninth Legion disappeared without a trace. Eighteen hundred years later, a wingless Roman Eagle was dug up at Silchester. The Romans carried their eagle standard into battle, and no one knows how it came to be buried at Silchester.
Rosemary Sutcliff wrote a fictional story about Marcus Aquila, a young Centurion recovering from battle injuries. He wants to investigate what happened to the Ninth Legion led by his father. Marcus and his friend Esca travel into the dangerous wilds of Britain, north of Hadrian's and the Northern Walls, hoping to locate the Eagle and bring it back to the Roman Legions.
"The Eagle of the Ninth" is a riveting adventure story that can be enjoyed by both YA and adult readers. It's a story about loyalty, friendship, and courage. A wolf cub, a beautiful vixen, and a caring uncle round out the main characters. The author, who is also an artist, wrote beautifully so the readers can easily picture the scenes in their minds.
+10 task (294 pages)
+ 5 review
+ 5 published before 1996 (1954)
Task total: 20
Completion bonus: 100
Season total: 275
Round 2 10.3 Page Count (150-199 pages)
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
"The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street" is an engaging sequel to "84, Charing Cross Road." Helene Hanff had been wanting to visit London for years, and she finally turned her dream into reality. She tells of her experiences in a conversational manner filled with delightful humor. Her London publishers and friends showed her the sights, and treated her to wonderful meals. She especially enjoyed visiting places with connections to some of her favorite authors and historical figures. It left me wishing I was able to accompany her for even a small portion of her trip.
+10 task
+ 5 review
+ 5 before 1996 (1973)
Task total: 20
Season total: 295
20.8 RTMYou Can't Get Lost in Cape Town by Zoë Wicomb
City : Cape Town
Country : RSA
Continent: Africa
Task - 25 pts
Oldies - 5 pts (1987)
Task Total - 30 pts
20.1 Riding the MetroUp at the Villa by W. Somerset Maugham
City: Florence
Country: Italy
Continent: Europe
"You know, most of us have had moments in our lives when our happiness was so complete that we've said to ourselves: 'O God, if I could only die now!' "
Love, passion, loyalty, and taking risks are themes running through "Up at the Villa." A beautiful former actress is staying at a villa in Florence when a successful older man asks her to marry him. She wants to think about his proposal for a few days. An Austrian refugee and a wealthy playboy have made big changes to her life by the time he returns. "Up at the Villa" is an intriguing novella filled with psychological tension.
+20 task
+ 5 review
+ 5 before 1996 (published in 1941)
Task total: 30
Season total: 325
10.3 150-199pHangsaman by Shirley Jackson
+10 Task: 191 pages
+ 5 Combo: Before 1996 (1951)
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 90
10.6 300-349pMarilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
+10 Task: 320 pages
Post Total: 10
Season Total: 110
10.10 Page CountRabbit at Rest by John Updike
pub. 1990; 608p.
I have a close friend whose reading tastes usually overlap mine...but Updike doesn't do it for her. I do like his style...and this, the fourth in the Rabbit Angstrom series, I think is the best. Updike uses an all-knowing narrator who informs us of the main characters' streams of consciousness. None of the main characters are admirable people...and yet.... are they really so different from ourselves? Rabbit is now semi-retired, living in Florida while his son runs the family Toyota dealership in Pennsylvania. This is one dysfunctional family...and yet the family stays together. Not going to say anything else about the plot so as not to be a spoiler. This is a well-deserved Pulitzer winner. 5 stars.
Task=10
review=5
pre-1996=5 (1990)
Task Total=20
Season Total=340
10.1; .....; 10.3;10.4 .....; .....; .....; .....; .....; 10.10
20.1; 20.2; 20.3; 20.4; 20.5; 20.6; 20.7; 20.8; 20.9
Task 20.3 Riding the MetroSetting - Caracas
Country - Venezuela
Continent – South America
It Would Be Night in Caracas (2019) by Karina Sainz Borgo translated by Elizabeth Bryer; (Hardcover, 230 pages)
Review: This is Karina Sainz Borgo’s first novel. In her afterward she writes: “Some episodes and characters in this novel are inspired by real events, but are included here for literary purposes, not as testimony.” Karina, like the heroine in the novel, was born and raised in Caracas. The heroine of the novel was present in Caracas when the country descended into chaos and hyper-inflation. Many evil things happened, which the novel describes in detail. The author now resides in Spain (no spoilers on the fate of our heroine). Maybe writing this novel was therapy for the author?? Overall, it’s a very grim novel, more so because it was based on actual events. I gave it 3 stars.
+20 Task
+05 Review
Task Total: 20 + 05 = 25
Grand Total: 75 + 25 = 100
15.1 TDoSRivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Rated 5* 5 stars by Terry and Bonnie B
+15 Task
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 135
10.8 Page Count 400-449pSecrets My Father Kept by Rachel Givney
432 pages
Review
The older I get, the more picky I find myself to be with my reads. Although the past year and a half may have something to do with my taste in reading. I just won't put up with anything that really upsets me and lacks patience with slow paced book or ones where I'm pretty sure I know how it will end. I would usually checked the ending of the book before I DNF'd. I pretty much figured out the 'secrets' in Secrets My Father Kept before I'm halfway through and that's the reason it took me so long to read it. I just didn't have much patience for it after that. I wasn't sure if I was going to keep reading but I did make myself and found that it was totally worth persevering for.
I enjoyed WWII novels as even as we witnessed the horrific things people can do to each other, we also witness the bravery, resilience, and greatness of heart others have. This particular novel is a pre-war setting; 1939 in Krakow. Main characters are Polish with their own set of challenges which mostly are not WWII-related but the upcoming holocaust affected them too. Both characters are intelligent, strong, and easily likeable. Their story is a wonderfully heart-warming reminder of how vast & deep a mother's love can be.
My thanks to Penguin Random House for this paperback copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts
+10 Task
+5 Review
Post Total: 15
Season Total: 385
15.2 TDoSCirce by Madeline Miller
A retelling of the story of Circefrom Greek mythology. This book takes several relatively minor stories and weaves a backstory and detailed characters around them. Circe is a witch who struggles with her life and how she fits between gods and mortals. The characters arewell written, but the story seemed to be a bit too much and slowed down after about the midpoint. It may just have been the point where Circe’s character was fully developed and the other characters were not
20 pts. 15.2 TDoS Rebekah and Susan
5 pts Review
Total task: 25 pts
Total Season: 210 pts.
10.1 10.2 10.3 ... 10.5 10.6 ... ... ... ...
15.1 15.2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
20.1 20.2 20.3 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Countries: England, United States, Australia
Continents: Europe, North America, Oceania
15.4 TDoS5* from Anika and Angelbis
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
I always thought that the little girl on the cover was Charlotte and now I know that her name is Fern and Charlotte is a gray spider. This children's classic was heavier than I thought it would be. Death and fear of death are main parts of the story. Nice story of farm animals and their friendship with each other. I already liked spiders, so it was easy to accept Charlotte's fine qualities of kindness, intelligence, and loyalty. Nice foreword by author Kate DiCamillo and sketches by Garth Williams. I liked this: "Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch. The winter ended at last."
+20 Task
+5 Review
+5 before 1996
Task Total: 30
Season Total: 120
15.4 TDoSSalt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Paula S —> Anika
This is the story of the the sinking of the ship Wilhelm Gustloff. The ship was part of the evacuation of military personnel and civilians from Prussia to Germany as the Russians advanced toward the end of WWII. Sepetys has chosen to tell the story through the fictional experiences of young people evacuating by foot to the port and a young German sailor. I found a few of her characters a little unbelievable. But the authors description of the chaos and horrors of war ring true.
+20 task
+5 review
Task total: 25
Season total: 130
20.2 - Riding the MetroThe Goddess of Buttercups & Daisies by Martin Millar
Takes place in Athens, Greece (Europe)
This novel, which combines historical fiction, fantasy, and good dose of humor, revolves around Aristophanes, greek theater writer in Ancient Greece, who is having issue setting up his play for the Dionisya festival. Moreover, the times are troubled, as there’s a 10-years long war going on between Athens and Sparta. We meet a lot of eccentric characters, some who actually existed (Socrate, a young and penniless poet, Athena, a young nymph and an old amazon, the goddess of bad decisions…), and a lot of funny situations which reminded me a bit of Terry Pratchett. If you enjoy novels that take place during mythological times as Madeline Miller’s and/or british humor, then go for it !
+20 Task
+5 Review
Task total = 25
Season total = 85
10.1 ; 10.2 ; 10.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
20.1 ; 20.2 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
20.3 Riding the MetroQuébec Land by Pauline Bardin and Edouard Bourré-Guibert
Set in Montréal, Canada, North America
+20 Task
Task total = 20
Season total = 105
10.1 ; 10.2 ; 10.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
… ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
20.1 ; 20.2 ; 20.3 ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; … ; …
10.3 Page Count 150-199 pgsThe Wrong Box by Robert Louis Stevenson
The basis for this novel is a tontine. Stevenson doesn't describe this insurance policy very well. For a tontine everyone puts in the same sum of money, the principle is allowed to grow over the years, and the last one left alive gets the pot. Essentially, if you live to be the last old person, you win the lottery. I had the benefit of having read - years and years ago - The Tontine. As I like serious rather than silly frivolous works, I preferred the Costain.
I understand tontines have been outlawed - probably a good thing. As you can well imagine, with a tontine there might be all sorts of shenigans. In this, we learn in the very early pages that there are two men remaining alive. As it happens in novels, the two men are brothers, though estranged. Two nephews have been orphaned and one of the brothers has no issue, so the nephews have been named as heirs. Though there is no murder in this, one of the nephews, Morris Finsbury, thinks his uncle Joseph has done him wrong and so is very anxious to get his hands on that tontine money. Is his other uncle - Masterson Finsbury - even still alive? And what happens when there is a train wreck and a body turns up wearing the clothes last seen on Uncle Joseph!
Yes, it's a silly novel. I think farce is an apt description, though perhaps not quite as broad as that humor. For what it is intended, it is probably rather good. It's just not my thing. 3-stars.
+10 Task (188 pgs)
+ 5 before 1996 (1889)
+ 5 Review
Task total = 20
Season total = 230
20.2 Riding the MetroEnduring Love by Ian McEwan
Set in London
Country: England
Continent: Europe
This is a great McEwan novel. He is so good here at taking a chance occurrence and teasing out it's life-changing psychological impact and complexity. There's a slow burn here on the truth, letting the reader believe and doubt the main character at once, and causing the mind (or at least mine!) to wonder if the distinction between fantasy and reality is as clear-cut as we think.
+20 Task
+5 Review
Post total: 25
Season total: 90
20.2 Riding the MetroThe Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
City: London
Country: England
Continent: Europe
"I often go for days without talking to anyone. Sometimes, when I have to speak . . . I find that my voice comes out in a croak because it's curled up and died in my throat from neglect."
Artist Julian Jessop is lonely, and feels like age has made him invisible. He shares his story in a green notebook, and leaves it at Monica's Cafe in London. Monica finds it, and writes about her insecurities and her dreams, then leaves the notebook in a wine bar. The notebook passes hands several more times. Soon Monica is sponsoring art classes with Julian at the cafe, and new friendships are forming.
While I wonder if many people would be willing to authentically confide their problems and hopes in a notebook to be read by strangers, it's a good premise for a novel. The notebook writers have real life concerns, and it's easy to empathize with them. The warm connections and inclusion among the new friends is heartwarming. After all the social distancing during the pandemic, every town probably needs a cozy gathering place like Monica's Cafe.
+20 task
+ 5 review
Task total: 25
Season total: 350
15.5 TDoSThe Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood
Rated 5* by Ali and Megan
+30 Task
Post Total: 30
Season Total: 690
20.2 - Perth - Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait by K.A. BedfordTime Machines Repaired While-U-Wait is an utterly silly and wonderful book. It’s an Australian version of Dirk Gently, with time machines, a murder mystery, paradoxes, Schrodinger’s cats, and the Bat Cave and all in all, a reminder that trying to go back in time to *fix* things is NEVER a good idea and that being obsessed with the END of time isn’t, either.
+20 task
+5 review
Task total: 25
Season total: 125
15.5 TDoSThe Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Rated 5* by Susan + Sarah
This was not for me, and I struggled to finish it – but did finish it, because no way was I rerouting my TDoS journey for a second time. I didn't get much sense of 1930s/Depression era America, didn't like the characters, and thought too many "issues" were packed in. I did enjoy reading about the horse-powered library, but I wish that theme hadn't been overwhelmed by the drama of so many others.
+30 Task
+ 5 Review
Post Total: 35
Season Total: 270
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Reading with Style
Books mentioned in this topic
The House of the Scorpion (other topics)5 Centimeters per Second (other topics)
Some Kids I Taught & What They Taught Me (other topics)
The World That We Knew (other topics)
A Poem for Every Summer Day (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Nancy Farmer (other topics)Makoto Shinkai (other topics)
Kate Clanchy (other topics)
Alice Hoffman (other topics)
Allie Esiri (other topics)
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Hawkeye, Volume 2: Little Hits (136 pages) by Matt Fraction
+10 Task
Task total: 10
Season total: 675