All About Books discussion

Currently reading This Is How It Ends by Eva Dolan

Started The Science of Discworld

I've started The Enchanted April. It seems good so far.

I'm currently reading The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson. I've almost finished it, but I like it so far. I didn't expect it to be this witty and charming.

I've started An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon. Great, so far!

Charbel, you have been gone so long, Nice to have you back. I assume your studies have been keeping you busy.

Chrissie wrote: "Charbel, you have been gone so long, Nice to have you back. I assume your studies have been keeping you busy."

Very busy. But it's always nice to come back here and partake in the discussions as much as I can.

Charbel wrote: "I'm currently reading The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson. I've almost finished it, but I like it so far. I didn't expect it to be this witty an..."

Hello there!! Glad to see you :)

I found Jonasson's The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared very witty. A lot of fun to read! I will have to add The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden to my TBR.

Me too! I really liked The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared as well.

Dark Angel by Helen H. Durrant

Reading The Things They Carried and Heart Spring Mountain.

My heart is breaking and I’m less than a third of the way into The God of Small Things

Reading now Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham.

Chrissie wrote: "Reading now Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham."

I loved that when I read it -- I hope you do too Chrissie!

I started The French Lieutenant's Woman. I was a bit unsure whether I was going to like this but am glad to say I am so far. I have never seen the movie so the plot was a bit of a surprise to me!

One of the first books my husband bought me, many years ago, when we first started dating, Leslie. Smart man, knew the way to my heart. Hope you continue enjoying it.

Crossed Out by Malcolm Hollingdrake

Leslie wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Reading now Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham."

I loved that when I read it -- I hope you do too Chrissie!"

I need a very good one now! I

Leslie wrote: "I started The French Lieutenant's Woman. I was a bit unsure whether I was going to like this but am glad to say I am so far. I have never seen the movie so the plot was a bit of a su..."

That's good to know, I keep meaning to read that since I read The Collector, which I found disturbing but mesmerisingly good. I'm interested to try some of his other stories and this seems the most well known, though I haven't seen the film.

Finished The God of Small Things, I liked it (2 *). My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished White Chrysanthemum. 5 stars . My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I have begun Martin Eden by Jack London. This morning I thought it was fantastic, but then when I listened to it at lunch I found the language overly wordy. What will I think at the end? It is only semi-autobiographical so I thought it belonged in this thread. Several have read this recently and it has drawn my interest.

Chrissie wrote: "I have begun Martin Eden by Jack London. This morning I thought it was fantastic, but then when I listened to it at lunch I found the language overly wordy. What will I ..."

I await with interest to see what your final opinion will be, Chrissie!

Leslie, no, the writing is NOT wordy. It is hard to put my finger on how to describe it. It is more like London uses a superlative for everything, all of Martin's thoughts and emotions. Maybe that simply reflects how Martin would see the world around him, as he tries to rise himself from one class to another. Martin Eden is different from London's nature books, except we do have the contrast with earlier rough and tumble sailing experiences.

What is going through my head now is, would a person make such a drastic transformation of their goals so rapidly and for a girl? And can a person stuff so much into their head so quickly? I couldn't.

Chrissie wrote: "What is going through my head now is, would a person make such a drastic transformation of their goals so rapidly and for a girl? ..."

I'll wait for you to finish before I give you my opinion on this :)

Leslie wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "What is going through my head now is, would a person make such a drastic transformation of their goals so rapidly and for a girl? ..."

I'll wait for you to finish before I give yo..."

OK, I'll have to be patient, and first figure out what I think, which is of course better.

I've started The Brothers Ashkenazi.

Marina wrote: "I've started The Brothers Ashkenazi."

Good choice! I'm sure you will like it.

dely wrote: "Marina wrote: "I've started The Brothers Ashkenazi."

Good choice! I'm sure you will like it."

Really a great book!!!!

Marina wrote: "I've started The Brothers Ashkenazi."

I didn't like that as much as Laura or dely did; I gave it two stars. Too many characters and for a book of historical fiction a few more dates and facts could have been added.

Chrissie wrote: "Marina wrote: "I've started The Brothers Ashkenazi."

I didn't like that as much as Laura or dely did; I gave it two stars. Too many characters and for a book of historical fiction a ..."

You're right: so many characters; but that's what I love in a book like this!!! De gustibus non disputandum est, as the
Latin said

Laura, I would have preferred fewer characters and more depth for each.

That book is amazing, I would definitely recommend. How are you finding it so far? I have just finished reading My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier.

George (BuriedInBooks) wrote: "Aicha wrote: "That book is amazing, I would definitely recommend. How are you finding it so far? I have just finished reading My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier."

Its great so far, taking me a ..."

Yeah it took me a while too, worth it though. Which part are you at?

George (BuriedInBooks) wrote: "I have just started part two and the bear has just got his armour back. How's the book your reading at the moment?"

Oh fair enough. It was really good thanks, the ending was a bit dark though. I finished it last night and I am struggling to choose what to read next.

George (BuriedInBooks) wrote: "Hi everyone. I'm reading Northern lights by Phillip Pullman. Anyone else read it or reading it?"

I hadn’t heard of the series but it is now at the top of my to-be-read list. Thanks.

Please put in a link for Northern Lights by Pullman. I cannot find the book you re speaking of.

Here Chrissie, but it is ya fantasy Northern Lights: Bolvangar.

Diane S ☔ wrote: "Here Chrissie, but it is ya fantasy Northern Lights: Bolvangar."

Diane, thanks. Probably not or me.

Not for me either, Chrissie.

Reading Munich by Robert Harris

I’m interested in Northern Lights because the author Philip Pullman blurb on G.R. implies it is an alternative to C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia - which I enjoy as a fantasy story but his theology not so much.
So I’m curious about author’s theological spin.

The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances

Diane, I loved An Officer and a Spy, so this new one by Harris I have ben considering.

Chrissie wrote: "Laura, I would have preferred fewer characters and more depth for each."

I can understand your point. Still for these kind of books - family sagas, etc, I like the "viewpoint perspective more than the introspection side.

LauraT, I see your pov.

City of Lost Souls (TMI #5) and rereading the Hungers Games

Joan wrote: "I’m interested in Northern Lights because the author Philip Pullman blurb on G.R. implies it is an alternative to C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia - which I enjoy as a fa..."

From interviews the author seems to be agressively aetheist so I was quite surprised to find the book quite spiritual.

I loved Narnia but when I got older and reread the series the religious overtones in the last two books seemed rather heavy-handed.

I will start re-reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston tomorrow.

George (BuriedInBooks) wrote: "Hi everyone. I'm reading Northern lights by Phillip Pullman. Anyone else read it or reading it?"

Quite a few people seem to be reading and rereading The Golden Compass series as a prelude to reading his newly published La Belle Sauvage.

Esther wrote: "Joan wrote: "I’m interested in Northern Lights because the author Philip Pullman blurb on G.R. implies it is an alternative to C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia - which I ..."

That pairing of spiritualism with aethism is what intrigues me. I think I’ll read them this summer.