Around the World discussion

Rusalka wrote: "Finished The Famished Road for Nigeria the other day. Brought me back down to earth with Booker Prizes, after my wonderful experience with the 2013 winner."

I liked this one a bit more than you did, but agree with you that it could have stopped three hundred pages earlier without losing anything.

Val wrote: "I liked this one a bit more than you did, but agree with you that it could have stopped three hundred pages earlier without losing anything. "

I think that was my main problem with the book, and when i was writing the review I was still grumpy at it for that. I was going to give it a 3, until i wrote the review and then I was so annoyed it got a 2.

I gave it a 3.
It was not for this challenge, but here is the review anyway:
www.goodreads.com/review/show/307698465

Rusalka wrote: "...really love magic realism, like really love it, then maybe I would recommend it. And probably, if I didn't like you..."

I've attempted to read the Famished Road twice now, and both times given up in frustration and rage at the seemingly aimless and vague and dreamy happenings. Although from your review it doesn't seem like I missed anything much. Well done for sticking with it and seeing it through.

I was in Ancient Egypt in the time of Alexander the Great as told by Judith Tarr in her Lord Of The Two Lands. I wouldn't say she's a match for Mary Renault, but it was an enjoyable historical fantasy--a light read. Full review linked below:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I did not include my Baltic trio here, only in the 'currently reading' thread, so here they are:

Whitehorn's Windmill: Or, the Unusual Events Once Upon a Time in the Land of Paudruve for Lithuania
www.goodreads.com/review/show/707973356

Yet Icebound Rivers Flow for Latvia
www.goodreads.com/review/show/789244061

The Czar's Madman for Estonia
www.goodreads.com/review/show/694844668

The first is based on a folk tale, the other two on true stories. I liked the Latvian one best, but the Estonian one was more thought-provoking (and gets by far the longest review).

Rusalka wrote: "Finished The Famished Road for Nigeria the other day. Brought me back down to earth with Booker Prizes, after my wonderful experience with the 2013 winner.

If you really love magic r..."

You made me laugh. I totally agree with you about magical realism. I ended up giving it four stars, but only because it made me think long after it was done. In my review, I said it was 200 pages too long.

They look really interesting Val. How did you get a copy of the Latvian book?

And totally agree with your review of The Famished Road. Vicky, if you got to about the 200pp mark, you can repeat pages 100-200 3 more times, and that's the book.

Rusalka wrote: "They look really interesting Val. How did you get a copy of the Latvian book?"
I ordered it from The Book Depository Rusalka. They have quite a good range of foreign books and I have managed to get several from them.

It sounds as if all three of us have broadly the same opinion of The Famished Road, even though we all gave it different ratings.

I've finished Please Look After Mom, my read for South Korea and I really like it.

Check out my review.

Val wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "They look really interesting Val. How did you get a copy of the Latvian book?"
I ordered it from The Book Depository Rusalka. They have quite a good range of foreign books and I hav..."

Ah good old Book Depository. Only way I can get affordable new books over here due to weird Aussie tax laws on books. Will check it out.

Marwa wrote: "I've finished Please Look After Mom, my read for South Korea and I really like it.

Check out my review."

Marwa - I will have to check this out - nice review!

Finished

My 3 star review: I liked this one, but not as much as the first. To be honest I got tired of having to look up the Indian foods, words etc. every paragraph. It made my reading choppy. Still, a series I would recommend overall. Great characters, interesting environment, food ideas.

I was up for a few hours in the middle of the night, and finished The Other Side of Paradise: Life in the New Cuba by Julia Cooke. I had it from NetGalley, and I think it comes out officially in April. It was an interesting read about the new Cuba as seen through the eyes of a younger generation. My review is here.

It's funny, I own two novels set in Cuba but hadn't gotten there yet, so this is my first official Cuban read!

Just came from the U.K. with Me Before You. Thought-provoking regarding life's choices -- My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and also visited Albania with Chronicle in Stone. My review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Judy wrote: "I've heard so many good things about Me Before You..."

It does make one stop to think about choices...

I ventured back to Iceland with Icelandic Poems and Stories compiled by Richard Beck, published in 1943. My review is here, but basically I'm not sure I'd recommend it as your only Icelandic read.

A good roman noir with a tropical African setting
Tropic Moon for Gabon
www.goodreads.com/review/show/679176046

a marital breakdown in the Caribbean, also good
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle for Trinidad and Tobago
www.goodreads.com/review/show/385163956

and this one is set in the UK by an author born in Bahrain (I may replace it with a different book)
A Trick I Learned from Dead Men
www.goodreads.com/review/show/789244519

I was in Tang Dynasty China via Van Gulik's enjoyable The Chinese Maze Murders. Full review linked below:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Was in the Czech Republic with The Lost Wife. I enjoyed it. My review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Took me a while, but i finally wrapped up my stay in Italy with History.

Find my review here.

In a nutshell, great novel, thought the writing and I didn't get along so well.

I was in China, in the middle of a cholera epidemic. Here's my REVIEW.

A schoolgirl memoir:
Weeding the Flowerbeds for Swaziland
which I found rather dull and in need of an editor,
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Historical fiction set during WW11:
The Last Brother for Mauritius
which I enjoyed much more,
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Back from England, both literally and literature-wise:Great Expectations
reviewed on: http://tometravelling.blogspot.in/
and The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories, reviewed on the same site as well.

Now off to ancient Greece with The Penelopiad

I was in Germany for a change: with Uwe Timm's The Invention of Curried Sausages.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have that one on my to-read list Friederike (although my German is nowhere near good enough to read it in the original language).

I also visited Moscow in my mind recently with Hamid Ismailov's THE UNDERGROUND. My review is posted here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Val wrote: "I have that one on my to-read list Friederike (although my German is nowhere near good enough to read it in the original language)."

I will be interested in hearing how you find it. I don't know the translator. If you want to check something out in German let me know.

She has translated several of Heinrich Böll's works.
I was waiting for the book to become available in a kindle version, but it hasn't so I will go ahead and order the paperback.

My trip to Cambodia was very moving with In the Shadow of the Banyan. My review is here: http://coldread.wordpress.com/2014/02...

Just completed a trip to India with The Sleeping Dictionary. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Suzanne wrote: "My trip to Cambodia was very moving with In the Shadow of the Banyan. My review is here: http://coldread.wordpress.com/2014/02..."

Agree and enjoyed the writing style as well. Read it awhile ago and gave it 4 stars.

We've all been reading some great books from around the world and I've definitely benefited from "stealing" from most of you. If folks can take a few seconds to add the book they've read to the Group's Bookshelf, then we all can go back to the Group Bookshelf for ideas when our TBR lists run low...which of course, may never happen. Thanks!

My trip to Greece came to a haunting end The Penelopiad
http://tometravelling.blogspot.in/sea...

Off to Czech Republic now withThe Unbearable Lightness of Being

Judy wrote: "Thanks for the reminder, Lilisa. It is easy to forget to add our books. If anyone needs help adding their books, just holler and someone would be glad to walk you through it."

Judy - I'm like a kid in the candy store, when it comes to books!

Spent some chilling and haunting times in the Soviet Union with the well-done Child 44. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Judy - will you check and see if I did it correctly when I added Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time?

Lilisa wrote: "We've all been reading some great books from around the world and I've definitely benefited from "stealing" from most of you. If folks can take a few seconds to add the book they've read to the Gro..."

Oh cheers Lilisa, I forgot about that part of the group!

Cherie - you got it right - it's on the group bookshelf - yeah. Rusalka - selfishly I want to go browse and add to my list!

Lilisa wrote: "Cherie - you got it right - it's on the group bookshelf - yeah. Rusalka - selfishly I want to go browse and add to my list!"

Best motivation ever ;)

I've been in Dickens' England via his David Copperfield and greatly enjoyed myself--full review linked below:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Sun and Other Stars

I just closed the covers on this book which I loved. There's a lot about soccer, and it takes place in a small town on the Italian Riviera with Ukrainian and, of course, Italian characters--all so appealing.

Suzanne wrote: "My trip to Cambodia was very moving with In the Shadow of the Banyan. My review is here: http://coldread.wordpress.com/2014/02..."

I am reading this book next.

I was visiting Turkey: Anatolian Days and Nights: A Love Affair with Turkey, Land of Dervishes, Goddesses, and Saints. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in the book.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I always feel bad when I have to abandon a book, but my trip to Turkey was cut abruptly short when I gave up on Baudolino. My explanation for the abandonment/review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Suzanne...looks like Turkey struck out for both of us.

Too bad the two Turkey books didn't work out for you both. Have you read Portrait of a Turkish Family? If you haven't and you're looking for another book set in Turkey check it out - I though it was really, really good. It is one of my favorites.

Lilisa wrote: "Too bad the two Turkey books didn't work out for you both. Have you read Portrait of a Turkish Family? If you haven't and you're looking for another book set in Turkey check it out"
I liked that one too, particularly the earlier part when he is describing his childhood. I read it as part of a WWI challenge.

Lilisa wrote: "Too bad the two Turkey books didn't work out for you both. Have you read Portrait of a Turkish Family? If you haven't and you're looking for another book set in Turkey check it out -..."

Thanks for the recommendation Lilisa and Val, I've added it to my TO READ list!

Lilisa wrote: "Too bad the two Turkey books didn't work out for you both. Have you read Portrait of a Turkish Family? If you haven't and you're looking for another book set in Turkey check it out -..."

I'll check it out, Lilisa. Thanks for the recommendation.