Reading the 20th Century discussion

I enjoy a good spy novel occasionally, and just listened to the audio of Ilium. (The audio is not listed on GR.) The thing I enjoyed most is that it's by a woman; before this I'd only ever encountered one other spy novel by a woman, and it was dreadful. This has a few flaws, but worked pretty well for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

That sounds interesting, G.

G wrote: "I enjoy a good spy novel occasionally, and just listened to the audio of Ilium. (The audio is not listed on GR.) The thing I enjoyed most is that it's by a woman; before this I'd o..."

If you like vintage spy novels then Helen MacInnes might be worth a try.

Alwynne wrote: "If you like vintage spy novels then Helen MacInnes might be worth a try."

Thank you, Alwynne. I've heard of her, but I don't think I realized she wrote spy novels. I'll add her to my list.

Re: Mr Loverman BBC TV adaptation


Alwynne wrote:

"I thought Lennie James was great, and the depiction of his character and Marcus's relationship worked really well. But it could be a bit clunky/overstated in places, so did do a bit of fast-forwarding. Lovely story though"


Thanks Alwynne

Looking forward to checking it out once I've finished the novel

How do you feel it compares with the book?

Nigeyb wrote: "Re: Mr Loverman BBC TV adaptation


Alwynne wrote:

"I thought Lennie James was great, and the depiction of his character and Marcus's relationship worked really well. But it could..."

I haven't actually read the book yet! But from your review reckon the book might work better overall. I know that Evaristo was one of the script writers and wondered if that might have been part of it, what works on the page doesn't necessarily work on the screen.

Ah. Interesting. Thanks


The book is so enjoyable and I am looking forward to see how they cast the various characters especially Carmel, Maxine, and Donna

I finished The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty. It was enjoyable and Sally Darling did a good job with the accent. Maybe she's a Southerner.

Have started listening to The Nazi Spy Ring in America: Hitler's Agents, the FBI, and the Case That Stirred the Nation by The Nazi Spy Ring in America: Hitler's Agents, the FBI, and the Case That Stirred the Nation by Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones.

There was a note that both of these books would expire on 10/30 so I thought I'd better listen before they disappeared.

I've now finished...



Mr Loverman

by

Bernardine Evaristo



Five star spoiler free review here....

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

Highly recommended

5/5



Treat yourself to this joyful, big-hearted read from Booker Prize-winning novelist Bernardine Evaristo, part of our Penguin Essentials series which spotlights the very best of our modern classics

'Bernardine Evaristo can take any story from any time and turn it into something vibrating with life' Ali Smith

Barrington Jedidiah Walker is seventy-four and leads a double life. Born and bred in Antigua, he's lived in Hackney since the sixties. A flamboyant, wise-cracking local character with a dapper taste in retro suits and a fondness for quoting Shakespeare, Barrington is a husband, father and grandfather - but he is also secretly homosexual, lovers with his great childhood friend, Morris.

His deeply religious and disappointed wife, Carmel, thinks he sleeps with other women. When their marriage goes into meltdown, Barrington wants to divorce Carmel and live with Morris, but after a lifetime of fear and deception, will he manage to break away?

Mr Loverman is a ground-breaking exploration of Britain's older Caribbean community, which explodes cultural myths and fallacies and shows the extent of what can happen when people fear the consequences of being true to themselves.

'Sublime' Telegraph

'Rip-roaring . . . she says things about modern Britain that no one else does' Guardian

'Brilliant' Independent

Nigeyb wrote: "I've now finished...



Mr Loverman

by

Bernardine Evaristo

I really enjoyed Girl, Woman, Other. Maybe I should add this to the TBR pile.

You really should


Hard to imagine anyone not loving it

I will be reading more by her

I finished prize-winning Japanese author Tomoka Shibasaki's A Hundred Years and a Day: 34 Stories translated by Polly Barton. 34 stories in just over a 100 pages so very compressed. Think the pared-back/stripped-down approach may not work for everyone but worked for me. An intriguing exploration of the flow of time, impermanence, memory and nostalgia.

Link to my review:

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

I have just finished The Accidentals by Guadalupe Nettel, a collection of short stories that show a very different side of her writing from her recent Still Born (recent as in translated into English) - while not spooky, some of them have an uncanny edge that fits Halloween:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6919946787

I finished Korean author Kim Ryeo-ryeong's The Trunk which revolves around a woman whose job is to act as a wife under contract via a shady corporation. I had mixed feelings about this but thought it was worth the time overall. It's billed as a feminist thriller but is more engaged in broader analysis of issues in Korean society. It's also not a thriller but it looks as if the Netflix version of the same name will be - it's inspired by the novel rather than a direct adaptation.

Link to my review:

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

I've finished reading Letters to a Friend by Winifred Holtby, which I've been intermittently reading over a few months. I found it very interesting and really enjoyed it, as Holtby writes so beautifully and shares many thoughts about issues of the time, the books she's reading and her own life and writing, as well as her friendships. But it's a bit frustrating that we only hear one side of her conversation with her friend, Jean McWilliam. Link to my review below.

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

I finished Marisha Pessl's Darkly technically YA but deserves a wider readership. A richly-inventive mystery with a pleasing gothic, Christie-like flavour. It revolves around a mystery tracing back to long-dead Louisiana Veda artist/board game designer. A literal page-turner, once I started couldn't stop until I reached the end. I'm not sure the bizarre character names quite worked and there were some minor flaws but otherwise found this immensely enjoyable.

Link to my review:

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

Alwynne wrote: "I finished Marisha Pessl's Darkly"

I'm sold!

I finished Nick Harkaway's Karla's Choice:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6957609763

Next up is two ARCs I'm excited about: The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica, and Audition by Katie Kitamura.

I finished Liars in audiobook. It was excruciating, the most excruciating thing I've read in a long time. I've been thinking about the contrast between it and Scholastique Mukasonga's Cockroaches, which I read earlier this year. Very different books about very different events, but what it seems to me they share, what brings them together in my mind, is the depiction of erasure by the power structures of society on account of one's identity. Liars, written in the moment, is hot, raw, and angry. It focuses on one woman's experience, but repeatedly ties that experience to the social structures that support it. Mukasonga's book, written at considerable geographical and temporal distance, is more detached. Its prose is almost clinical. It conveys little if any emotion directly. for me, Cockroaches was the more powerful and emotionally difficult read (even if Manguso's was more excruciating in the act of reading), and I've been thinking about this. I think that the effectiveness of Mukasonga's book comes in large part from its clinical tone. I think that gives more space for me as reader to experience a range of emotion and response, whereas the hot anger of Manguso's text drags me by the ear into her experience and says "Here. Look at this. I'm rubbing your nose in my shit." There is a use of force here that I am not comfortable with. I'm not willing to say that my discomfort means it's invalid, but my discomfort makes me want to get away, and I suspect it makes me and other readers less likely to reflect on the bigger problem of living in a society that creates this kind of toxic situation. The very use of psychological force actually distances me from one of the things Manguso seems to be trying to do.
For context, I've been thinking for several years about the writing of witness: when and how is it effective. I also recognize the limitations of comparing Manguso and Mukasonga here. The fact that Mukasonga is from Africa means there are many layers including race and the history of colonization that do not apply to Manguso. But this is what I wound up thinking about as I was processing Liars.

Here's my review, which focuses on something else entirely:

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

I enjoyed your thoughtful musings, G, though it sounds like I have more sympathy for Manguso's book than you.

The porosity between 'life' and 'art' is always pliable, though it seems it's more often women who are deemed to be writing thinly-disguised autobiography as a fault - even though e.g. Fitzgerald, DH Lawrence, Waugh all arguably do the same but are more often talked about as 'transmuting' life into art.

Female anger is still an emotion problematised by our culture though I don't remember Liars to be raging - it may just not be my biggest takeaway.

And the lies are also the cultural lies we're fed about marriage, motherhood, women's work and priorities etc. Thanks for reminding me of that book.

Roman Clodia wrote: "I finished Nick Harkaway's Karla's Choice:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6957609763

Next up is two ARCs I'm excited about: The Unworthy by [author:Agustina Bazt..."

I'm looking forward to the Kitamura too, was too cowardly for the Bazterrica sounds a bit bleak.

Alwynne wrote: "... was too cowardly for the Bazterrica sounds a bit bleak."

If it's even half as shocking as her Tender Is the Flesh, bleak will be a mild adjective.

I finished Argentine author Marina Yuszczuk's award-winning Thirst An intriguing variation on a vampire narrative and a moving exploration of anticipatory grief and loss which sometimes reminded me of de Beauvoir writing about the death of her mother in A Very Easy Death It also ditches the simplistic good versus evil morality found in classic vampire fiction for the more complex philosophy of life and death found in the work of nineteenth-century Decadents. As a novel it rewards patience mostly because the second half radically reframes the first. Yuszczuk's ambition doesn't always pay off, and there are sections that are too languid and where the writing/translation are awkward/clumsy but when it works it's incredibly powerful.

Link to my review:

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

I am a bit disappointed with The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica - her writing is still gorgeous but this feels like a 'lite' return to the standard tropes of dystopia with a twisted cult-like organised religion set against ecological disaster:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6959036678

I just finished Butter by Asako Yuzuki. While I liked the themes it was trying to tackle, I found the book to be too long with meaningless detours that diluted the messaging.

Also, at times it felt as if some situations were created just so that a character could comment on it or deliver a monologue. One of the major aspects of the novel is about how the protagonist, Rika—a journalist—grows and evolves as her interviews with the serial killer Kajii progress. But the irritating part was that each incident or twist in the novel was arranged to result in some sort of epiphany. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Rika's journey of self discovery didn't seem to evolve organically and appeared orchestrated.

I did enjoy all the descriptions of food even when they slowed the book down.

I guess part of my issue with this books comes down to clunky and awkward translation as well. I read the Polly Barton translation.

Roman Clodia wrote: "I am a bit disappointed with The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica - her writing is still gorgeous but this feels like a 'lite' return to the standard tropes of dys..."

I've only read Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird and there were some great stories but overall not enough to make me desperate to try more of her work. I think Monica Ojeda's a much more exciting writer even when she doesn't quite succeed.

The last of my Halloween reads was The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey: Rare Drawings, Scripts, and Stories which would make a great gift for any Gorey fans.

Link to my review:

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

I abandoned The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Volume 1 lovely cover but terrible writing, Junji Ito meets the Scooby Gang and manages to miss out any of their respective plus points.

I also read another Japanese healing narrative The Chibineko Kitchen aka The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen which was decent of its kind but follows the usual formula.

Link to my review:

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

Thanks for that - I have Ojeda on that (near mythical!) TBR!

I did wonder if there were allusions I wasn't picking up in The Unworthy: sadistic lesbian nuns must have a pulp literary history that I'm not aware of! There are definitely parallels with Lowood School in Jane Eyre crossed with Renaissance 'pornography' like The School of Whoredom plus The Handmaid's Tale and more recent eco-apocalypse fiction, as well as throwbacks to slavery narratives.

It might have worked better as a (long) short story but there are still some arresting images throughout.

I finished an ARC of the new Katie Kitamura, Audition - not one for readers wanting realism in their fiction but a dazzling performance:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6926015432

I love discovering vintage books and was pleased to find that Penguin Modern Classics have now republished a classic of Thai literature by Siburapha Behind the Painting an author who moved from commercial fiction to more politically-motivated work - he spent much of his life abroad and/or in exile because his social justice activism and anti-militaristic beliefs marked him out. This is a variation on a love story that hinges on social and cultural divides. The translation could be more fluid, and it doesn't do justice to the underlying subtleties of the piece but still found it worthwhile and fascinating as a portrait of life for upper-class Thai women.

Link to my review:

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

Although I see that GR is playing up again, likes listed on notifications but not on the actual review, and finding yet again that books I shelved ages ago showing up as new additions which then throws off the system because I appear to have reviewed them before adding them!

Oh and presumably affecting others but R. C. your reviews aren't showing up on my feed, only realised you'd posted some because you listed them here. Checked my settings and no reason why they shouldn't appear, so presumably another glitch. Might be worth recirculating your last three at some point.

Alwynne wrote: "Oh and presumably affecting others but R. C. your reviews aren't showing up on my feed"

Thanks for pointing that out - I'm getting niggly glitches with notifications at the moment, so good to know.

I've just started She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark - enjoying the snarky, knowing first story about women, eating and our troubled relationship with body image.

Roman Clodia wrote: "I've just started She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark - enjoying the snarky, knowing first story about women, eating and our troubled relationship with body image."

Now finished: www.goodreads.com/review/show/6983977426

I skim-read Parable of the Sower ahead of reading the sequel, Parable of the Talents, with my IRL book group:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6993667278

Amazing prescience for a book published twenty years ago but a bit too 'religious' for me.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Roman Clodia wrote: "I've just started She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark - enjoying the snarky, knowing first story about women, eating and our troubled relation..."

I have to finish this one soon, glad you liked it!

I really enjoyed Tetsuya Ayukawa's award-winning, classic crime novel The Black Swan Mystery a gripping combination of puzzle and sensitive social commentary - particularly convincing on the lingering aftereffects of war, the position of women in 1950s Japan. Look forward to more of this series being translated.

Link to my review:

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

Roman Clodia wrote: "a bit too 'religious' for me..."

It's a very American book!

Ben wrote: "Roman Clodia wrote: "a bit too 'religious' for me..."

It's a very American book!"

It certainly is!

I just read The Book Game - a fun middle class soap opera of a book, ideal for lazy or holiday reading, I'd say:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/6999065685

Roman Clodia wrote: "Ben wrote: "Roman Clodia wrote: "a bit too 'religious' for me..."

It's a very American book!"

It certainly is!"

Agreed, had similar issues with A Wrinkle in Time just too much in-your-face religion for my taste.

I finished The Brothers Grimm: A Biography Ann Schmiesing's an academic who's written around representation in the fairy tales but this is aimed at a general readership. A bit dense, dry in places - a lot of detail about the historical context - but deeply compelling in others particularly in relation to the reception, editing, production of the fairy tales, future legacy. The Grimms' fairy tales are huge sellers worldwide still and seemed weird I knew so little about the work or their originators. I was particularly interested in their afterlife would love to read a cultural history covering that. Also never knew how popular these were in nineteenth-century England, an edited-down, illustrated translation did so well here - better than in Germany - that it actually made the Grimms' publisher agree to try a new edition/reissue back in Germany.

Link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished Marilyn Chase's Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa a decent but not outstanding overview of the life and work of Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa. Worth it for the illustrations which include reproductions of many of the iconic photographs of Asawa and her work taken by modernist artist Imogen Cunningham.

Link to my review:

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

Finally read Gentleman Overboard, a different, excellent read

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

Lady Clementina wrote: "Finally read Gentleman Overboard, a different, excellent read"

Wow, 'Wodehouse meets Sartre' is quite the puff in the blurb!

Lady Clementina wrote: "Finally read Gentleman Overboard, a different, excellent read

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

I keep hearing about this, your review's very persuasive, think may finally have to take the plunge!

I had a blast reading Day of the Jackal - a brilliant page-turner and so much better than I'd expected:

www.goodreads.com/review/show/7010403920

A while ago I read a brilliant sample story from Eliza Clark's She's Always Hungry now I've finished the collection. Uneven but compelling these range across genres in their exploration of themes centred on gender, the body, climate change and speciesism great for fans of writers like Sayaka Murata, Camilla Grudova, Heather Parry and/or Mona Awad.

Link to my review:

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

Alwynne wrote: "A while ago I read a brilliant sample story from Eliza Clark's She's Always Hungry now I've finished the collection."

Fabulous review (as always) - there are some standout stories, for sure.

If anyone is wavering over reading The Day of the Jackal, stop wondering and jump in - I loved it!

www.goodreads.com/review/show/7010403920

I just finished Louise Penny's latest Gamache book- The Grey Wolf. I read the ebook but my turn at the library for the audio book just came today, so I think I'll give it a listen while walking. There's an awful lot that I didn't completely get. Convoluted plot.