Reading with Style discussion

I read The Lantern Bearers for AtA. It is set in 4th century Britain and the characters include Vertigern, Ambrosius and his nephew Artos (Arthur). These characters all appear (to a greater or lesser extent) in The Crystal Cave.

Actually, Liz, i'm not sure why The Colour purple is coming up as a recent read, I am sure the last time I read it was last year.

The Sinbad idea is interesting ... I'm off to google that now :)

I'd like approval to link:

The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal, read for the Spring RwS Challenge, and The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck.

Each book is set in the present, and the main character discovers a work of art which piques his/her curiosity. As a result, each researches the history of their discovery over the same 100 year period.

In the first case, the object is a collection of 264 netsuke, Japanese wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox. Edmund de Waal found them among the possessions left to him by his recently deceased uncle. Curious about their origins, his research led him to discover the rich history of his family over five generations, from the early 1900s to the present.

In the second case, the object is a vintage century-old wedding dress found in a battered trunk at an estate sale. Charlotte had found it when looking for a dress for her own wedding, and the discovery led her to research the origins of the dress, finding it was worn by brides in 1912, 1939, and 1968.

So my links are (1) the discovery of a century old object, (2) research that reveals the history of the object over one hundred years, and (3) each book covers the same span of time. Will that work?

Amanda, I do not think Slaughterhouse Five and the Bridge on the River Kwai are connected enough, nor do I think you can link two books just because they are Dystopian. I am sorry this task is such a tough one for you! Hope Liz's ideas helped!

Sadly, no. I didn't read The Colour Purple last season, don't know why GR has it marked as such, so I can't use that. I googled Sinbad, but the only books I can get are versions of 1001 nights, which my read was an excerpt from.

When looking at the description for Fahrenheit 451 it does link it to both 1984 and Brave New World as " a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity." Is this a stronger link ? I think both of those books are at my parents, as Mum had borrowed them before she passed away, but I can easily get them back.

Coralie, that sounds good!
Theresa, also good!

Amanda, I'm sorry but Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and Brave New World are all classic dystopian fiction worth reading, but they are not linked enough for this task. I see you read The Power and the Glory this spring. What about another book taking place in Mexico in the 1930's, like The Lacuna? Or another book about life in a Siberian labor camp like One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Or another book about growing up in Ireland in the 1960's like Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha?

Thank you Jama! I just bought The Lacuna from an op shop on Friday! That seems to be fate :D

Amanda wrote: "Thank you Jama! I just bought The Lacuna from an op shop on Friday! That seems to be fate :D"

Oh good! I was feeling bad that you were having such a difficult time with my task. I'm glad you found something!

I've got a task in another challenge group that I am having more trouble with, so don't worry! All the books I read are on my own shelves, so sometimes it takes awhile.

How about Call: Pride and Prejudice and Response: Presumption: An Entertainment: A Sequel to Pride and Prejudice

Does it work?

Sounds good, Ismaa!

Ismaa wrote: "How about Call: Pride and Prejudice and Response: Presumption: An Entertainment: A Sequel to Pride and Prejudice

Does it work?"

Phew, finally! Thanks Jama :)

Another one:

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald?

Z is a fictionalized account of Zelda and Scott's relationship, as told by Zelda. Much of the book talks about his work.

Joanna, that works!

What about 18th Century Plays with marriage plots? Should I only link plays with similar stratagems (e.g. tricking the parents, convincing the parents; or the woman tricking the man;)? (There are a lot of plays with marriage plots in the 18th century).

I'm trying to find a task for Gifts by Ursula Le Guin, was wondering if it would work as a response to Sabriel by Garth Nix?
Both books deals with a young person on the cusp of adulthood trying to come to terms with their magical abilities, which both relates to death (Sabriel can banish spirits to beyond death's door and Orrec can "unmake" - destroy/kill). There are no geographic consistencies between the two books.

i'll admit... i'm completely at a loss on this task. the one I tried didn't seem to work out, but i'm thinking of Greatfall: The Complete Novel, since I read the entire Silo series in the spring challenge. would it count since it's the same world, but a different author?

Sorry for the delay in my response. I was on vacation with no internet access.
Ashley, two 18 th century marriage plot plays with similar strategems should work.
Louise, the connections you draw between the two books do not seem to be enough to link them for this task.
Heather, that works.

Jama wrote: "Sorry for the delay in my response. I was on vacation with no internet access.
Ashley, two 18 th century marriage plot plays with similar strategems should work.
Louise, the connections you draw b..."

I don't know what you'd say to this, but i'd see Lord of the Rings as a decent connection to Sabriel and the Abhorsen Trilogy as a whole. common plot points include:

-a great quest to overcome an evil magical entity
-magical item(s) that, unless used properly, can result in the main character's death/undeath/destruction (bells/the One Ring)
-evil magical entity (Kerrigor/Sauron) set on overtaking the known world for his own ends
-a young (based on lifespan) protagonist unprepared and mostly unwilling to undertake a dangerous quest (Sabriel/Frodo)
-enigmatic and sometimes helpful/sometimes harmful companion (Moggett/Gollum)
-'hidden' royalty as love interest (Touchstone/Strider)
- bloodlines as plot point (Abhorsens, Clayr, and Wall Builders/Rohirrim, Gondorian, and elvish)
-created creatures as antagonists (mordicants, lesser dead, shadowhands, gore crows/orcs and uruk-hai, Nazgul, crebain)
-magical items that enable the user to cross to another 'reality' (death/shadow world)
-world loosely based on Europe and the British Isles (the Old Kingdom/Middle-Earth)

common themes are loss of family or close companions, coming to terms with responsibilities, personal sacrifice, and destiny. just a thought, though if you accept it, I might be able to use this one myself. ;-)

Heather, I guess the way I see it, Tolkein has influenced a whole heck of a lot of fantasy literature, but plot similarities really aren't enough to link them unless someone goes and writes a different book taking place in Middle Earth. It is kind of like linking Harry Potter with the whole onslaught of Magical Boarding School books for tweens and young adults available now. Fantasy is all about world building, so it seems to make sense, for this task, that the linked books take place in the same world.

Hi -- I'm reading The Formula for Murder by Carol McCleary, a historical mystery set in the 1890s. Supporting characters include H.G. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Oscar Wilde. Last season I read Love and Mr. Lewisham by H.G. Wells; this season, I am reading The White Company by Arthur Conan Doyle. Is that a close enough connection to count The Formula for Murder for 20.7? Thanks!

Jama wrote: "Heather, I guess the way I see it, Tolkein has influenced a whole heck of a lot of fantasy literature, but plot similarities really aren't enough to link them unless someone goes and writes a diffe..."

makes sense. i'm just trying to get a feel for what will work here.

Heather wrote: "Jmakes sense. i'm just trying to get a feel for what will work here...."

Thanks for your patience, Heather!

Maybe another way to think about it is that the link between two books should be unique -- the common factors linking the two books should only apply to a few books rather than be true of dozens of books in the genre....?

I suspect Sci-Fi/Fantasy is going to be the most difficult to find specific links between two books as different authors rarely use the same time/place/characters. On the other hand there are probably hundreds of novels featuring Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

ETA: As you've read Midnight's Children for the Spring Challenge, you could read another book about India's Independence/Partition:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Liz M wrote: "Heather wrote: "Jmakes sense. i'm just trying to get a feel for what will work here...."

Thanks for your patience, Heather!

Maybe another way to think about it is that the link between two book..."

I might just do that. I read The Satanic Verses for this go round as well. Rushdie is a fascinating author.

another question, just to verify I have this straight: I read The Borgias: The Hidden History for the spring challenge this year. i'm currently listening to Winter King: Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England. Henry VII and the height of the Borgia family are concurrent and intertwined, if somewhat distantly. As the monarch of England, Henry was involved in many treaties. One of said treaties was with Ferdinand and Isabella, who were also politically involved with the Borgia family in Italy. he was also involved extensively with the French court because of their border wars with Italy, which was run for the most part by Borgias and their vassals. would this be enough of a link?

How about
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot and https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... by Cathy Woodman

Both about Vets and their lives

Would this pair work?

For 20.4 - Action/Adventure: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
(On Bloom's canon also)

20.7 - Silver: Return to Treasure Island by Andrew Motion

Heather and Ismaa, those books are not connected closely enough for this task.
D, that works!

Jama wrote: "...D, that works!"

Thanks, Jama!

I just read The Odyssey and would like to follow it with Torn from Troy. It follows along with the same story, but from a different perspective. Would that work?

Tanya, yes!

Jama wrote: "Heather and Ismaa, those books are not connected closely enough for this task.
D, that works!"

i'm not trying to be argumentative, but may I ask why mine wouldn't work? both are about powerful families and their political aspirations in the beginning of the Tudor dynasty in western Europe. not only are they contemporaries, they actually have some interaction, albeit somewhat distantly.

Liz put it better than I when she said the connection needs to be unique. You state that the actual dealings between the Borgias and Tudors are distant, and most of what you are describing that links the two is general. I think any book you read about that time period in Europe, whether it covers politics in Spain or even The Ottoman Empire will reference dealings with the Borgias. Their influence spread widely, and while the two books may inform each other, they are not interrelated enough for this task.

Next try. I think these two have quite unique connections Thornyhold and The Grey Beginning
1. Female protagonists.
2. A move into a new house/home.
3. Both have to struggle with supernatural/magical adversaries or circumstances working against them.
(Also both befriend a young lonely boy who plays a significant role.)

I guess Rebecca would work too, having female, house and supernatural in common but I'm not in the mood to read it again just yet.

And what about The Emperor of All Maladies and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?

I had been looking for Henrietta for some time now, and finally found her in a bookshop today.
(fingers crossed)

Ismaa, regarding Thornyhold and the Grey Beginning, the pairing reminds me of Theresa's haunted inn books. I had told her they needed to take place in the same geographical area, so if they do, go for it.

Your cancer books look like an interesting combo. They work for this task:-)

I am sorry it has been so difficult for you to find something. I am having an increasingly difficult time judging but am trying to do my best to be consistent.

Thanks Jama, I did go a little demented with this task! But no worries now that I have a combo that works :)

Had found a combo with Pride and Prejudice but then didn't want to read them.

And please don't be sorry, its a tough task so more of a challenge :)

How about this pairing of a play and a non-fiction book about the Salem witch trials?

The Crucible by Arthur Miller - Lexile 1320

and Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer - Lexile 1190

D, that works!

Jama wrote: "D, that works!"

Great! Thanks, Jama!

Just want to check this one.
Last season I read Drood which is a horror novel narrated by Wilkie Collins about Charles Dickens. For this task I would like to read The Haunted House which is a book of linked horror short stories edited by Charles Dickens and including stories by Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and other authors, some of whom were mentioned in Drood. Does that sound like enough of a link?

Coralie, that sounds good! Would you recommend Drood? It looks like an interesting book.

Jama wrote: "Coralie, that sounds good! Would you recommend Drood? It looks like an interesting book."

Thanks Jama. I thought Drood dragged a bit and some of the horror was a bit too much for me (I'm not really into horror.) but if you are interested in Dickens it throws some weird light on his later years.

question - would Partials and Pandemic be too much of a stretch?

both are about young adults in the midst of a highly virulent and deadly pandemic (one contemporary and one near future), how they handle losing friends and family, and what they do to find some sort of cure or way to mitigate the damage.

Heather, I do not think they are closely linked enough to fit the challenge. Sorry!

I'm not sure about this one - Kindred and The Root Cellar.

Both begin in the 20th century - 1976 and 1983 - and deal with a female traveling back and forth in time into the 19th century - 1815-1830ish and 1862-1865. Both have minimal control over their time shifts but are tied to a specific male in the past. The first deals directly with slavery; the second deals more generally with the Civil War.

Cory Day wrote: "I'm not sure about this one - Kindred and The Root Cellar.

Both begin in the 20th century - 1976 and 1983 - and deal with a female traveling back and forth in time into ..."

Sounds good!