Book Loving Kiwis discussion

Please leave a comment below if you intend to read The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton during December and January.

Also, use this thread to discuss the book.

Participating:
Angie
Kathleen
Tui
Ella's Gran
Colleen
Phillip
p.d.r
Sharlene
LaVerne
Ann
Sweetp-1
Antony
Joanne
John

I finished it and have mixed feelings. To avoid re-inventing the wheel, let's say I agreed wholeheartedly with Guy Somerset's detailed Listener review which is here:
http://www.listener.co.nz/culture/boo...

I'm in for this one thanks Angie.

I have a lovely hard back copy. So I'm in.
Colleen

I bought a hard copy too, resigning myself to read it in an effort to be a better writer (despite the fact it's not the sort of book I'd usually pick up). Good on Eleanor. She gives hope to all NZ writers. The listener review doesn't exactly fill me with confidence or excitement though. I've given it to my mother an law to read first, given that she grew up in Hokitika. She isn't exactly raving about it yet, calling it 'over descriptive.' I'll probably get to it in January so don't count me in just yet.

I won't be starting it till after Christmas. My friend has read it because her family is from Hokitika and really enjoyed it. I am from Rakaia but in the 70's my father fenced a farm on the West Coast and one of the Priests moved over there so I do know the area. I think it will be fun to read a book based in NZ and your right Philip it must give hope to New Zealand authors. So never give up.

Read it in November and understand its brilliance from a writer's POV.
BUT
I found it disappointing as a reader. Readers do need more than clever writing.

I won't be starting this until late December/early January as my mum is going to buy it for me for Christmas. I'm really excited about reading it.

I've added the names of those who have already read it to the participating list, as I'm sure you'll be keen to discuss it with us.

I have The Luminaries on audible. Will listen to it over the Christmas holiday

Could you add me too please, Angie. I'll be reading it some time after Christmas too. It sure has snuck up on me!

Kathleen, I really wanted to enjoy it but the author just didn't make me care enough about any of the characters. That was my main problem with it. I don't mind the length. Long is good. You get more for your money. But there was just way too much exposition. I know she was trying to capture the writing style of an era. But there are reasons writing styles have evolved since then.
I think this is a very young and promising author who will do great things in the future, but she's not there yet, at least not with this book.

I'm with Tui here. I wasn't looking for a fast read but a thought provoking literary one.

What I got was so much tell, very little show, 2D characters and a hollow plot.

All the beautifully researched language and exquisite prose don't make up for the lack of contact with the reader through the characters and a that dull told not shown story.

Couldn't believe how much "telling" we had to wade through. It didn't make it seem authentic to me. Just made it seem faked. But she will get there in the end though not with this book IMO. I have faith in her future. If I could have achieved a book like that at that age, I'd be laughing by now.

Yes, isn't personal experience a great part of enjoying a book?

I am reading it now. I have gotten through the kindle sample and finding it a bit difficult so far. I hope it becomes more appealing with more pages.

I will join in too but not until January :)

I started reading today and just lovin' it. I have it in print so can only read during the day - rueing not having got the Kindle version now then I could read on into the night on the iPad. (sigh) Will be up at daybreak to resume [g]

Seems one of those books which cause a deep division, loved it/hated it!

Unwrapped my copy yesterday. Trying to get through some library books before starting it in early January. Have heard mostly great things about this book.

Got a text from a work colleague who had requested the book from Santa. She said she had never enjoyed herself so much sitting around all day as she has today with The Luminaries.
Generally she is a bustle about type person, so for me that says something for the book eh?

I was deeply intrigued at the very start when he walked into the bar and when some terrible experience on his recent voyage was hinted at.

But from there on I became less and less interested. I suppose it is impressively clever but at no stage did the book really grab me. Not the way some other books do, books I've really loved. It's a few weeks since I read it and it cast no lasting spell over me as do all my favourite stories. I think it can only really happen when one or other of the characters seizes you by the heart-strings and none of these characters interested me much at all so I just could not get that bothered about their troubles. Gold is always boring to me too.

What really impresses me is the age of this author and the huge promise she shows at that age. When I was that age I was obsessed by sailing - not writing. Imagine what treasures she'll be writing by the time she's forty! But she isn't there yet and you can hardly expect it of someone this age.

She'll get way better in future.

Gosh, and just imagine what she'll be doing by the time she's forty given that she's already won an award that is considered fairly prestigious in the literary world. There are many authors worldwide that have never won any award regardless pf how much or little they've had published.

So far I'm way past the pub stage and more than just her age is impressing me.

I was impressed too, by lots of things, just not enthralled as I have been by many other books.

"The Luminaries"was a (requested) Christmas present from my daughter and I am looking forward to reading it. I'm about 30 pages in - I like the pub scene with its wild west feel and the mysterious consortium gathered. I think the writing is impressive and I've slipped right into it - some may find it bombastic, but I think she was trying to write about the era in the style of literature from that era?

Whoops - I think I may have just intruded on this group with my last comment - I saw it via Tui's feed. Is it alright if I add myself to the particpants?

Absolutely! I'll add your name tomorrow when I get to my laptop.

Dosn't the tell, tell tell, get you down? Doesn't the distance from the inside of characters' heads get you down?

I like as a reader to be part of the story and to have it unfold with me doing part of the thinking work. I do not like being told everything.

Yes, her dialogue is impressively Victorian but it does become boring.

Angie wrote: "Absolutely! I'll add your name tomorrow when I get to my laptop."

Thanks Angie.

Antony wrote, " I think she was trying to write about the era in the style of literature from that era?"
I'm told that this IS exactly what she was trying to do.

I intended to read this book over the Christmas holidays - assuming that some kind family member would purchase a NZ Booker prize winning author's book for an author and avid reader... No, I think they all thought I'd buy it for myself! Outcome - no book, all copies sold out from my local outlet and now I'm on an isolated island for two weeks with plenty of reading and writing to do, but no Luminaries *sigh* Hopefully, I'll pick up a copy when I get home, but I'm not sure how quickly I'll be able to read it once I get back to the 'daily grind'. :D Looking forward to reading everyone's thoughts about this book.

" I think she was trying to write about the era in the style of literature from that era?"


Which is something that agents of historical writers tell us not to do. We are advised to write good plain English, no exact copying and no gadzookery.

P.d.r. wrote: "" I think she was trying to write about the era in the style of literature from that era?"


Which is something that agents of historical writers tell us not to do. We are advised to write good pla..."

That's interesting. When I read she had written in this way, I thought it was a novel idea (pun intended).

I suppose it appeals to readers who enjoy reading about that era in books written in that era (Dickens? Austen? Melville?).

Then she sets it in New Zealand which, to my knowledge, would not have much literature written in this way (set in that period and written in that period) and this would appeal particularly to NZ readers with a penchant for this genre.

If she were aware of advice such as that given by the agents you mention, perhaps she was deliberately breaking those rules.

I'm only up to page 80 - not much to offer in way of opinion yet other than to say that I am still curious and turning pages. There is a lot of telling in the narrative in the form of dialogue, but it is an engaging enough story.

Toni wrote: "I intended to read this book over the Christmas holidays - assuming that some kind family member would purchase a NZ Booker prize winning author's book for an author and avid reader... No, I think ..."

What a shame Toni. That's a double disappointment for you. I hope you do get to read it and discuss it with the group. The thread will remain open beyond January, so do feel free to add to it.

Antony wrote: "P.d.r. wrote: "" I think she was trying to write about the era in the style of literature from that era?"


Which is something that agents of historical writers tell us not to do. We are advised to..."

I'm just a little further ahead of you, but still enjoying the story. I like the way she introduces each new character, their part in the story and the linking to the story so far. Like Kathleen, I see the format as immaterial - I don't particularly understand the reason for it so ignore.
I do just keep reading one more section, then just one more and just ...:)

The trouble with being a writer is that when one reads books one reads as a reader and a writer. So for me I read for the story and characters, then when I've galloped through once I read again slowly to enjoy the story.

This is where my writer's persona pops up with things like 'oh great bit of dialogue' or 'tut! telling not showing', or 'Why do I like this bit?' etc. It doesn't half spoil reading books at first until you get used to wearing two different hats and reading everything twice.

I am contrary and hate being told I ought to read this book or I will love that book, but I did want to enjoy Luminaries. I just couldn't finish it. I skim read the last quarter.

P.d.r. wrote: "The trouble with being a writer is that when one reads books one reads as a reader and a writer. So for me I read for the story and characters, then when I've galloped through once I read again slo..."

In some respects I have a similar problem to you mostly which occurs (dare I say it) when reading indie published ebooks and I come across spelling/grammar errors. Thgis causes me to have to re-read that sentence/section mentally applying the correction. I can cope with a small handful in a book, but if it happens with frequency I tend to metaphorically assign that book to the bin.

I suspect this comes from my previous life as an old secretary. An era when we were taught to proof-read our work at intervals and BEFORE removing work with several carbon copies from typewriter - done for efficiency, but more particularly your own sanity! lol

Yes, I sympathise. My prof's hat comes on too and I tut over research errors and bad grammar.

Sometimes I wish I could read simply for fun like a child.

P.d.r. wrote: "Yes, I sympathise. My prof's hat comes on too and I tut over research errors and bad grammar.

Sometimes I wish I could read simply for fun like a child."

Hahaha - like the typo I've just correct in my #41 post above (shame faced & blushing) [g]

Oh tut! Shocking indeed :)

I can't remember the last time I read a book without an error/errors in it!
The school teacher in me gets very irritated, and it gets me thinking as to whether I should throw away my whiteboard markers and contemplate life as an editor!

And it's not just in books. A court case being reported on Stuff constantly made reference to diary farm/s and the diary cows. After two days of that I emailed pointing out that diaries were manufactured/published 'books' and that milk was also manufactured, and possibly published, by dairy cows on dairy farms. The corrections were quickly made! This is what comes of relying solely on spell-checkers.

The best I've seen is a chalkboard that stands proudly outside a local cafe and states "We make our own sand witche's' fresh daily". I've never had one.

I'm planning to read the book over the new year break or sometime in January. Am i too little too late to join in? :)

Never too late, Joanne. I'll add your name to the participating list tomorrow. Thanks for joining us. So nice to see a new face :)

I have reached part II. I am not galloping through this read, but totally enjoying the story and writing. I really like meeting the characters and, as well as the narrative from the author, having them telling their part in the story. I think the characters are all pretty true to their time in history, and the atmosphere of the Westcoast has been well captured.

I keep hurrying to do the other things I have to (chores) so as I can resume reading.

I'm up to page 175. I started it last night and have been blown away by Catton's talent. Initially, I took my time to read carefully, due to the writing style, but now it seems so natural that I'm chewing through the pages. I'm the same in regards to getting my chores done. Tucked up in bed now. Unfortunately its not a book that's easy to curl up with!!

Angie, if you are quick to spot errors are you happy to read this writer's manuscripts as a copy editor!

It certainly would have been daunting to have had this tome placed on your desk. I'm sure I would have put it to the bottom of my to-do list. I always seem to give priority to the quick and/or mindless jobs. As yet, I haven't noticed any errors. I'm too engrossed in the story maybe??

I'm on page 340, almost to the end of Part I. I'm enjoying it. Normally, with this many characters to keep track of, I find personalities blending, but it must be a credit to Catton that I feel I know them well enough to not have to keep checking the "dramatis personae" at the start.

I haven't noticed any errors in the book - apart from one plot hole that I think is there, but that I won't mention until we've all read it through.

I've posted my review of "The Luminaries" on my blog (it's on here too but easier to read on my site). Warning: it's long, sort of a review/blog entry. Those who have finished my recognise what I tried to do in the structure of it. :)

http://antonymillen.wordpress.com/201...