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The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins - How are you getting on?
I've bought it, or rather, I've uploaded it as it was free!
I read it a few years ago. I cna't remember much of it lol. I think I'll just have to read it again !
Same here, read it a while back, and look forward to reading it again
Is this the same moonstone there was a TV series of in the 70's? I only have a vague recollection of it, but remember it was good.
My two favourite Wilkie Collins books (and I think that they are the most popular in general too) are the Moonstone and the Woman in White. I did think about the Woman in White as a choice but it is slower to get going - although brilliant once you are into the story. Also, that one isn't free on amazon so people would have to faff around with project guthenburg or other sites to get it. The Moonstone is gripping from the start. I also like the way that Collins tells the story from the view point of several different characters - and writes the narrative in the character of the narrator (I got in real trouble with that sentence and am still not sure it makes sense!!) I look forward to re-reading it.
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I've finished it! Last week, in fact. I started to read it years ago and didn't finish it for some reason or other - can't recall. I enjoyed it. A clear forerunner and inspiration to detective/mystery writer's
PS. I liked The Woman in White more, though both are great.
Steve wrote: "PS. I liked The Woman in White more, though both are great."
I think that Count Fosco from WIW is a fantastic character!
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I think that Count Fosco from WIW is a fantastic character!
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I've always wanted to read this book, so was really glad it came up! I'll be starting it this weekend hopefully
Didn't the film have Val Kilmer in it? *sigh*
Have it in my TBR collection, so this will push me into it!
I have this downloaded and ready to read as soon as I finish A Game of Thrones. It's been on my TBR list for a while now (well not in Goodreads just a mental TBR list) so I'm happy its been chosen as one of this month's reads. All I need now is lots of free time! Anyone got some to spare?
I'm 70% of the way through it now :o) its taking me forever to get through it. Think i'm finding it tough going with the changes in narrator or something or i just haven't had the time to sit down and get into it properly. Still have to read the throwback as well, plus DD's book, sophie's book, 2 books my mother in law bought and left with me last time she was over for a visit so i could read them first, bought a book yesterday which i want to read, not to mention all the paperback i never got round to reading before getting my kindle... I'm just like everyone else on here :o)
Jud you haven't mention the goodreads hits you'll need in between !
It can be a bit off putting if you've enjoyed one narrator and then have to get used to the style of a new narrator. After I settled in to the book, I found that I enjoyed that approach and admired Collins' way of changing to different ways of writing to be in character...
had a short try at this last night after Downton Abbey....not such an easy read as I expected I have to say, will try again tonight though...never give up that quickly!!
Enjoying it so far but I am still on the part of the first Narrator, Gabriel Betteridge. I am not sure if Collins meant it to be funny, but if I read it listening to Betteridge's voice in my head with a gruff Yorkshire accent I find myself laughing a lot.
I'm still on Betteridge too. My battery died! So irritating!
I think Betteredge is intentionally funny....
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Yea I thought Betteredge was funny as well, just a typical kindly, sarcastic, old man.Miss Clack was infuriatingly irritating in a funny way she reminded me of someone but i cant place who. I'm starting to get into it more now. Just had a couple of revelations thankfully its nearly tea break!
and I have a brand spanking new replacement kindle :o) just because i had a couple of wee cracks on the grey cover bit at the corner of the screen I'm so exicted!!
That reminds me that I need to contact amazon about my kindle! The prongs on the official cover have broken a piece of plastic off of my kindle so the cover won't work now - and of course I don't know if it will have weakened the kindle itself now... :0(
I expect they'll send you both a new kindle and cover, Karen. Shame you have to faff with sorting it out, though.I keep checking mine for cracks. No sign of any, touch wood.
Reminds me...I was looking at a friend's games on her kindle the other night. She's American so gets lots of games.
Anyway...I noticed the back cover on her's had come open. I quickly handed it back to her, she gave it a hard squeeze and it clicked back into place. Seems fine now but it was scary for me! I thought I had broken it just by holding it! She doesn't have a proper cover though. She's made a cloth pouch for it for storage but it doesn't protect it much. I'm trying to convince her to get an Oberon cover next time she's home. And one for me!!!!
Patti (P E) wrote: "I expect they'll send you both a new kindle and cover, Karen. Shame you have to faff with sorting it out, though.I keep checking mine for cracks. No sign of any, touch wood.
Reminds me...I was l..."
my back panel bit started popping out but i couldnt get it to click back in thats why i ordered the new one. I could see inside to all the electric bits!!
Jud (judder) wrote: "Patti (P E) wrote: "I expect they'll send you both a new kindle and cover, Karen. Shame you have to faff with sorting it out, though.I keep checking mine for cracks. No sign of any, touch wood...."
Okay Jud, fess up! How many times did you drop it?
New kindle on it's way to me!! Funnily enough, I wasn't happy with my collections - I'd made too many of them and it was confusing - I can start again with simpler collections!
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No - cos the old one isn't broken - it just broke my kindle! Also, my husband bought it for me so it isn't on my account - he'll have to phone to ask for a refund...
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Oh. I thought the prong on the cover had broken off inside the kindle. I see now. It knocked a bit off the kindle...
Patti (P E) wrote: "Oh. I thought the prong on the cover had broken off inside the kindle. I see now. It knocked a bit off the kindle..."
That's right - was very difficult to explain and took ages for me the explain it to the girl from amazon too!
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That's right - was very difficult to explain and took ages for me the explain it to the girl from amazon too!
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anyway I'm just back from lunch and am SO close to finishing the moonstone its getting really good! I know what I'm doing tonight when i get home. Roll on 16.30
just bought it. putting my other novels on hiatus till this is done.
just so happened I re-read this one a few weeks ago. enjoyed the multiple narrators and many of the characters.
I'm still on Betteridge too! Hopefully get to read alot more this week than I got over the weekend :-)
i just finished it YAY!!! Was totally hooked by the end Loved it
I've always wanted to read The Moonstone but I've still got a long way to go on Crimson Petal (all 900 pages of it...!). Hoping to read The Moonstone next though.
I would recommend making sure you have time to sit down and read quite a bit of it in one go when/if you start Caroline! I think thats why i struggled to get into it at the start, was distracted too much! But that was just me.
I've just finished Mr Betteredge's narrative and about to start Miss Clacks.
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The Clack section is great.. I am sure that if she spent any time in my house I would convert to Satanism and attack her with a meat cleaver
Tim wrote: "The Clack section is great.. I am sure that if she spent any time in my house I would convert to Satanism and attack her with a meat cleaver"
Ha ha! The first time that I read this book I was just caught up with the mystery and didn't notice the humour. Now that I know who did it and why - I'm taking more notice of the characters and the way that it is written. I am enjoying it.
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Ha ha! The first time that I read this book I was just caught up with the mystery and didn't notice the humour. Now that I know who did it and why - I'm taking more notice of the characters and the way that it is written. I am enjoying it.
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Just finished!! What a great book. full of humour and suspense and intrigue. Great conclusion. Wish I had read it years ago.
Well done - I'm only just finishing Miss Clack's narrative. Some priceless comedy in there but I'm now finding that I intensely dislike Miss Clack!!
I thought miss clack was funny but i found it difficult to remember she was meant to be 21 she gets on like she's a dotty old woman. No offence meant to Dotty of course
I particularly enjoyed hearing about the charity "to rescue unredeemed fathers' trousers from the pawnbroker, and to prevent their resumption, on the part of the irreclaimable parent, by abridging them immediately to suit the proportions of the innocent son." :0)
Just finished Miss Clack's narrative now - loved her last sentence!!
If you've enjoy the Moonstone Tim, you will probably also enjoy The Woman in White which is Collins' other most popular book. I have read that Collin's writing deteriorated over the years - his four novels which are considered the best are the two just mentioned, as well as Armadale and No Name (I haven't read either of those yet but plan to one day.) The only other Collins that I have read is The Dead Secret which I quite enjoyed but was not as good as Moonstone or Woman in White.
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If you've enjoy the Moonstone Tim, you will probably also enjoy The Woman in White which is Collins' other most popular book. I have read that Collin's writing deteriorated over the years - his four novels which are considered the best are the two just mentioned, as well as Armadale and No Name (I haven't read either of those yet but plan to one day.) The only other Collins that I have read is The Dead Secret which I quite enjoyed but was not as good as Moonstone or Woman in White.
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i really enjoyed The Fallen Leaves but its no where near as good as the woman in white which is my fav.
I've just finished!! Will write a review after I've had time to think about it.
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I'm still plodding through - it hasn't gripped me yet. So I'm reading other things too. Yesterday I finished
and one of my re-reads of my paperbacks. (aka bath books)Hopefully I will speed up through
so that I can start on the other October reads.
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Books mentioned in this topic
Twenty Tiny Tales (other topics)The Moonstone (other topics)
The Fallen Leaves (other topics)
Armadale (other topics)
The Woman in White (other topics)
More...
As if Karen (Kew) isn't busy enough as the group recession busting, free book detective, I asked her to contribute a book for the October selection. I think she has come up with a great choice...
Buy it from Amazon for £0.00 The Moonstone
Then come back here and tell us all how you are getting on.