Start date?

[Laura]

Hi everyone - a discussion space for organizing when we read. I suggested 1st Feb - book read and finished and everyone ready to discuss and comment. But I'm happy to change it.
We could have a start date earlier - 20th January and people can just read and comment as they go. My copy has 312 pages and 8 quite lengthy chapters. I don't see any other divisions.

[SueLucie]

1 February is fine with me. I can make sure I've read the book by then. Wild and wintry weather here means I'll be indoors so much more than usual. Looking forward to our conversation.

[Laura]

Hi Sue - great! It's great to see Robin and Candi wanting to join. We started this discussion on Sara's review of The Past or maybe it was Late in the Day - I forget which one? But yes Sara agreed on a discussion group straight away - so great.!!

[Emmkay]

February 1 sounds good to me as well! I stumbled on the group in my feed via your comment above, Laura, and I’ve been meaning to give Tessa Hadley a go for years, so welcome the nudge.

[Laura]

Hi Emmkay - good you're on board. I used "great" three times in the comment above to Sue ... The idea started back in November - or thereabouts - so I'm pleased there is still some interest.

[Sara]

I have my copy of the book from the library and will start reading sometime this week, Laura. I'll make notes and will wait to comment until others are ready. This will be only my second Hadley, so I am crossing fingers. Hopefully Candi, Mark and Robin will be popping in soon.

[Candi]

I'm excited to read my first Tessa Hadley! For me personally, February 1 would be a good start date (and I hope that I can have most of it read by then.) This is a huge week of transitions for me. I moved my daughter from Toronto to Binghamton for university this past weekend, and this coming weekend I'm moving my son from home to NYC for his first big job after graduating college.

[Sara]

Lots of changes for you, Candi, trying to settle the kids into new lives.

[Laura]

Hi Sara, hi Candi - I haven't started the book either. I'm in the middle of a discussion about a Sybille Bedford book - an author completely new to me. But the next is Free Love - I hope it will be a good discussion book...

[Laura]

Hi Daniel - I see you're in. It's necessary to have a male perspective amongst so many ladies, I think.

[Daniel]

I will try not to be intimidated 😀

[Ilse]

Hi every-one, a lovely initiative! Thank you very much for the invitation Laura. I've only read one story of Hadley so far - which I thought very well written (Funny Little Snake) - and look forward to read a full novel by her. I hope I manage to stay better tuned this time than with the Elizabeth Taylor novels (also in huge transition mode, changing jobs at 1 February).

[Laura]

Ilse wrote: "Hi every-one, a lovely initiative! Thank you very much for the invitation Laura. I've only read one story of Hadley so far - which I thought very well written (Funny Little Snake) -..."

Hi Ilse - please don't feel any pressure. I'm sure all of us would love any comments you put in - and we appreciated all your comments in the Elizabeth Taylor group.

I asked J.C. Milne to join us - but she is deep in Montaigne research - and I think Hadley might be a bit 'light' for her.

[Daniel]

Yes Laura.. JC is reliving her university days and having a great time! The discussion in that group is very lively.

[Sara]

My apologies to the group, but I am DNFing the book. I am just too old to read books I don't enjoy or at least find value in, and this one is definitely in that category for me. Thank you, Laura, for the effort in setting up the site. I do hope you all enjoy it.

[Laura]

Sara wrote: "My apologies to the group, but I am DNFing the book. I am just too old to read books I don't enjoy or at least find value in, and this one is definitely in that category for me. Thank you, Laura, f..."

Hi Sara - I haven't read even the first line of this book. I'm deep in another reading project with a friend. I did suggest this along with Clever Girl and Everything Will Be Alright, as the three books I hadn't read by Hadley and Free Love - met with your approval as it was available from your local library.

Part of me has to laugh because I asked a friend very recently about this book and she said she disliked the main character (I'm going to check her exact comment), although she had previously enjoyed several others by Hadley.

The other half of me feels decidedly cross because Sara you said in your comment above January 14th - I'll make notes and will wait to comment until others are ready. This will be only my second Hadley, so I am crossing fingers.

If I remember correctly you gave 5 stars to Late in the Day

Ok - everyone else who was looking forward to reading and joining in the discussion from 1st February onwards - are we still interested, or should we substitute another book or abandon the group completely?

I honestly have no idea about Free Love - I based my good opinion of Hadley on four other books I had read by her:
The Past, 4 stars, Late in the Day 5 stars, Accidents in the Home 5 stars, The Master Bedroom3 stars - ( 2/3 yrs ago). And also Married Love and Other Stories
So - my apologies for leading everyone down a false avenue. I'm open to suggestions???

[Robin]

Hi all! I read Free Love a few months ago and so will chime in when people start the discussion!

[Laura]

Hi Robin - Great, Lovely - I am very curious now. Have you seen the DNF comment from Sara? I mean I'm not accusing her of anything, just a bit surprised really.

[Laura]

Yes, I checked CR's comment - she said, "I hated the main character. I loathed her."

Now I really am laughing - but I'm hoping we will split.
Maybe some of us will "love" the main character and some "loathe" her! Dive in on 1st FEB folks!

[Emmkay]

I began it last night, still very happy to discuss! I haven’t read enough yet to know what I think, but it’s not a tome, so I have no issue taking a plunge and giving it a go.

[Laura]

Hi Emmkay - GREAT - my favourite adjective. Sometimes reading "bad" books - is also a great way to allow us to see what is good writing. And we also need to separate characters we don't like from not liking the whole book. I read Sybille Bedford's A Favourite of the Gods recently which I thought was fabulous - but the two leading ladies in it were pretty awful. Bedford, I think knew this and deliberately adopted a light-hearted tone, so we are taken into her perspective.

I hope Hadley's book might be something in this area. I'm going to start reading soon . . .

[Candi]

I started it yesterday and am reading very slowly since I’m in NYC at the moment. I like it so far but haven’t finished the first chapter. I know Sara and I have similar taste in books with some exceptions. I also know she is a fair reader so I have no doubt she abandoned this with good reason 🙂. None of us can predict how we may react to a novel, but I’m crossing my fingers mine will be favorable!

[Laura]

Hi Candi - Yes, I love Sara's reviews. She's one of those rare reviewers, who can make me do a retake on my own interpretation.

A Goodreads friend, Canadian Reader had a similar reaction; I invited her to join the Group - and it was a resounding - No way! - We laughed about it, because we often agree on many books, but we also have our differences. I was a little concerned though.

But I have started - and the opening chapter is beautifully written and very funny - it really plays to my British sense of humour - so I'm feeling optimistic. Thanks for commenting. I think there will be some interesting debate. Please feel free to invite someone if you think they will enjoy the book. :)

[Laura]

Ok - so I've finished chapter one - and the writing is so layered and nuanced - incredible actually, that I think I will set up individual threads for each chapter - there are 8 in total.

If you are reading now and would like to comment - then I think we could go ahead with chapters 1-4 perhaps and then I'll set up another 4 threads after 1st Feb. I think the book is worth a detailed approach - and a close examination of the writing - to see all the things Hadley is doing.

I hope this works - it means readers, can put their comments in a specific thread - and if you haven't started or reached that chapter then you will know not to go there etc.

[SueLucie]

I have finished the book and am looking forward to our discussion. Excellent writing and I enjoyed the characters. Some of the plot very frustrating, especially towards the end. To avoid spoilers I’ll start reading again and stick at chapter one at the moment.

[Laura]

Hi Sue - so pleased you enjoyed it. Did you see I have opened several threads, because people are reading - I'd love to hear your thoughts/responses to Chapters One and Two - especially if you are re-reading. Let me know it I should open threads for Chapters Three and Four also?

It's superb !!!

[Robin]

Laura wrote: "Hi Robin - Great, Lovely - I am very curious now. Have you seen the DNF comment from Sara? I mean I'm not accusing her of anything, just a bit surprised really."

Yes, I did see it... I guess to each their own, right? She didn't say why she didn't enjoy it, so it's hard to speculate. It's surprising to me just based on Hadley's quality of writing, but perhaps it's just the story itself she objects to.

I will say that Free Love is probably my least favourite of the three novels I've read by this author (The Past and Late in the Day being the two others) but that by no means indicates that I don't think it's a gorgeous book, and well worth reading and thinking about. I hope others enjoy it!

[Laura]

I'm afraid she has taken offence to my comments - but I don't see why I shouldn't express that she poured "ice-water" over my pleasure in setting up the Group. Oh well!

I agree with you - say why you hate something, say why you loathed the lead character. I'm pretty certain Hadley intends us to loathe the lead lady, if that is what readers have experienced. I'm looking forward to loathing Phyllis Fischer - as I'm sure you know Robin - we have to ask why this reaction. Does she represent beliefs and behaviours we may find in ourself? Is she a little too close to home for comfort?

Or someone else might just find her outright ridiculous and funny - and not be a whiff put out about it. But I'm speaking from a place of great ignorance - I'm at page 60 !!

[Robin]

Maybe I missed the ice water comment? I'm sorry to hear that. As a very zen and wise friend of mine often says, "not every book is for every reader", and if it wasn't working for Sara, I respect that.

I look forward to the discussion. Personally I don't ever need to find a character likeable or agree with their actions, so Phyllis wasn't a problem for me (in fact she fascinated me). It was the later on dramatics (plot-wise) that made this a less than perfect novel in my view. I think SueLucie made a reference to this in an earlier comment.

[Laura]

No worries - it's all forgotten. I've opened the discussion to the first two chapters - maybe you've seen SueLucie's comments there - or perhaps her review? Yes, I understand there are some plot problems later on. I'm looking forward to an energetic discussion and I'm eager to hear all points of view.