poppyshake Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe Well the book jar has thrown out another book I've tried before and abandoned (mind you .. that might be the case with quite a few in the jar ) .. this is a universally admired book so I'm not sure why I didn't get on with it. Possibly I just laid it aside thinking I would come back to it .. not sure. I didn't hate it .. it wouldn't still be in the house (because .. it hasn't a lovely cover ) so possibly I'll be fine. Hope you can forgive me Kylie for not including the apostrophe when I wrote it down ... things did get a bit fraught Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Are you sure you didn't write it in and it just got accidentally cut off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Are you sure you didn't write it in and it just got accidentally cut off? Pretty sure .. it's after the Rotters Actually I have no idea why it's there (which is probably why I didn't notice it ) I know nothing about punctuation. So much for book learning I've only just started putting an apostrophe in Waterstone's .. just in time for them to take it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Violet to Vita: The Letters of Violet Trefusis to Vita Sackville-West Synopsis: The passionate love affair between Violet Trefusis and Vita Sackville-West ended in 1921 with their forced separation and return to their respective husbands and families. This collection of Violet's letters explores her part in the affair and provides details of the other principals involved. Review: Oh Lord!! What a collection of letters I felt physically drained by the end as Violet became more and more desperate. She started off fairly genial .. and she is wickedly funny at times but gracious what a hornet's nest the two of them stirred up. There are no letters included here from Vita (Violet burnt the more incriminating ones and her husband Denys destroyed the rest) but you can tell from Violet's letters that she (Vita) was inclined to blow hot and cold. This infuriated Violet whose passion, once stirred, was eternal .. the more Vita procrastinates the more Violet is pushing her to commit. Whilst Vita was still very much beloved by her family and friends even as the scandal became known .. Violet was ostracised by almost everyone. Her father left the room if she entered it, her mother was outrageously rude and threatening and her husband seemed to be always in a state of either acute anger or distress. I felt quite sorry for him, she was absolutely appalling to him but then he seemed a bit of a pathetic creature .. I couldn't quite work him out but this is only from Violet's account of him which probably can be taken with a pinch of salt. She was the most outrageous liar/exaggerator. You can't really like Violet .. her behaviour is abominable but I did feel compassion for her and also admired her writing. She's highly intelligent and extremely passionate. If she loves you, then she loves you to the end of time and she will trample on anything and everyone to be with you. She cares nothing for the opinion of the world or even her nearest and dearest though she does suffer greatly when cut off from all society and company .. she hates being alone and that, for a time, is what she's consigned to. These letters .. which were sent almost daily .. must have been a bit of a trial at times to old Vita (understatement of the year) .. she wanted to have her cake and eat it. Amongst the recriminations though are Violet's, extremely touching and beautiful, professions of love .. there's no doubt at all that she loved Vita with a passion. She wrote fiction (she was writing a story in the course of these letters) .. I must look them up as I imagine they're well written. I'll write a few quotes down to give you a flavour .. 'I want you for my own, I want to go away with you. I must and will and damn the world and damn the consequences and anyone had better look out for themselves who dares to become an obstacle in my path.' 'Mitya, [pet/code name for Vita] your letter was not altogether satisfactory. Primo, compared to mine, it was short; secundo, it sounded reconciled (more or less) to this horror which has come upon us. It didn't batter the doors and smite the knobs with bleeding fingers as much as it ought to have done.' 'Mitya, I hate feeling myself alone so much that I could scream! It is making me feel quite hysterical .. even the servants frighten me; they have ghoul-like faces: I'm sure they are thinking: How can we bleed her dry? If we murdered her, no one would find out. She is weak, and entirely stifled.' Totally compelling, once you start reading them you're totally drawn in. Though she asked Vita to destroy the letters after reading them .. and believed that she had done .. Vita didn't, for which I'm very grateful. Liked it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe Synopsis: In 1982 Nina Stibbe, a 20-year-old from Leicester, moved to London to work as a nanny for a very particular family. It was a perfect match: Nina had no idea how to cook, look after children or who the weirdos were who called round. And the family, busy discussing such arcane subjects as how to swear in German or the merits (or otherwise) of turkey mince, were delighted by her lack of skills. Love, Nina is the collection of letters she wrote home gloriously describing her 'domestic' life, the unpredictable house guests and the cat everyone loved to hate. Review: I read this last year and absolutely adored it. I don't normally re-read so soon but Audible were offering a two for one last month on selected books and this was one of them. My sister had mentioned listening to it and she had loved Nina's sort of deadpan narration so I thought it would be ideal especially as I like a bedtime audiobook that I don't have to concentrate too hard on (not conducive to sleep ) Actually I struggled at first with Nina's narration because I had imagined something entirely different when I read it but soon got used to it. Thoughts on the book can be found here .. it's one of the few reviews I did get around to writing last year Also enjoyed Nina's fiction book this year, though I do wish she had written more letters. These ones only cover a year or two of her life and there was a big revelation in the afterword which left me reeling a bit .. I'd love to know how that came about. Loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Peril at End House by Agatha ChristieSynopsis: Hercule Poirot's relaxing holiday on the Cornish coast takes an unexpected turn when he meets young and pretty Nick Buckley. For it seems to Poirot that too many accidents have been happening to Nick and he, with the help of Captain Hastings, is determined to prevent another accident becoming a tragedy. But even hiding Nick away in a nursing home does not prevent another attempt on Nick's life and Poirot has to resort to subterfuge and cunning to solve this tricky caseReview: Very happy the jar picked this for me I don't know why but I love reading murder mysteries in winter .. nothing like cosying up with a relatively safe (ie .. no overt blood and guts ) whodunit. Strangely .. because this is contrary to how I feel about the TV adaptations .. I prefer reading about Poirot than Marple. There's something about the written character of Poirot that I really enjoy .. I have only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg though so that might change. I always find it ridiculously easy to visualise the characters and locations in Agatha's books .. she is so descriptive that it's all there and this was no different. I decided that I would concentrate extremely hard, make mental notes of all the seemingly innocent happenings as well as the highly suspicious ones, I studied for clues like never before and had my own idea or two about suspects and the likely perpetrator of the crimes. Needless to say Agatha still managed to wrongfoot me completely. I expected a twist but when it came I was busy up the wrong alley Highly enjoyable .. I don't think it's her best but still a very good and entertaining read. Liked it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 The Guest Cat by Takashi HiraideSynopsis: A couple in their thirties live in a small rented cottage in a quiet part of Tokyo. They work at home as freelance writers. They no longer have very much to say to one another.One day a cat invites itself into their small kitchen. She is a beautiful creature. She leaves, but the next day comes again, and then again and again. New, small joys accompany the cat; the days have more light and colour. Life suddenly seems to have more promise for the husband and wife; they go walking together, talk and share stories of the cat and its little ways, play in the nearby Garden. But then something happens that will change everything again. The Guest Cat is an exceptionally moving and beautiful novel about the nature of life and the way it feels to live it. Written by Japanese poet and novelist Takashi Hiraide, the book won Japan's Kiyama Shohei Literary Award, and was a bestseller in France and America.Review: A beautiful short story, quiet, measured, precise, and thought provoking with not a word wasted. The author is a poet and that's very evident here. It's very lyrical and quite melancholy .. there's a sadness running through it or more a sort of yearning. You don't find out much about the couple .. what you know about them you glean mostly from their relationship with the guest cat (Chibi.) It's very Japanese in feel as you would expect. There's much talk about light and shade and the way objects and sunlight and space affect a room and influence your mood. And through it all weaves the story of Chibi .. who visits when she chooses .. loves on her own terms .. and changes the way this couple look at life. Really different from most other books out there (though I haven't read much in the way of Japanese literature.) You do have to find a quiet place in which to enjoy it because it needs concentration and study.Very special .. I entered a sort of trance like state of tranquility when reading it. A bit alarming for me .. I've never been tranquil before Loved It! Thank you so much Claire for buying it for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Great review of The Guest Cat, that's one I've been thinking about reading soon. Glad you enjoyed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Hope you can forgive me Kylie for not including the apostrophe when I wrote it down ... things did get a bit fraught I probably wouldn't even have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out! I turn off (or at least significantly tone down) my eye for grammatical/spelling errors when I'm 'off duty', and I'm especially forgiving of friends. Anyway, it would be hypocritical of me to criticise others because I know for a fact that I make a lot of errors in my posts (I'm especially fond of leaving random words out of sentences for no particular reason ). Pretty sure .. it's after the Rotters Actually I have no idea why it's there (which is probably why I didn't notice it ) I know nothing about punctuation. So much for book learning I've only just started putting an apostrophe in Waterstone's .. just in time for them to take it out It must mean that it's the club of the rotters (so multiple rotters own, or are members of, the club). Does that in any way fit in with what you're reading? Great reviews, especially of The Guest Cat and Violet to Vita. I don't know anything about Violet and Vita, but I love the excerpts you included in the review. It sounds like a passionate read. And I really want to get to The Guest Cat soon! Now that I know someone who has read it, can you please tell me (in spoilers, I guess) if it has a sad ending? I've been worrying about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Ooooh, I'm so pleased that you loved this one poppyshake - I was intrigued by the cat on the cover, and the blurb too - so this one is on my wishlist. And I must read Love, Nina soon.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Great reviews, it seems like you read a lot of great books recently ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Oh my goodness....you are on a roll with your reading Kay....I've read 2... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Hooray for The Guest Cat!!! Very pleased you enjoyed it, as it's always a bit of a worry going out on a limb and buying something on impulse for someone else if I haven't read myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Great review of The Guest Cat, that's one I've been thinking about reading soon. Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Noll .. fingers crossed you'll enjoy it too I probably wouldn't even have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out! I turn off (or at least significantly tone down) my eye for grammatical/spelling errors when I'm 'off duty', and I'm especially forgiving of friends. Anyway, it would be hypocritical of me to criticise others because I know for a fact that I make a lot of errors in my posts (I'm especially fond of leaving random words out of sentences for no particular reason). I do that all the time I am so fond too of putting an apostrophe in 'its' .. whether it needs one or not I'm glad this is a place of relaxation for you .. where you can let it all go hang just as it should be It must mean that it's the club of the rotters (so multiple rotters own, or are members of, the club). Does that in any way fit in with what you're reading? Yes .. the Rotters' refer to a family .. they are actually called Trotter but it's a sort of nickname for them. Not sure how it will all pan out yet but it's going well Great reviews, especially of The Guest Cat and Violet to Vita. I don't know anything about Violet and Vita, but I love the excerpts you included in the review. It sounds like a passionate read. And I really want to get to The Guest Cat soon! Now that I know someone who has read it, can you please tell me (in spoilers, I guess) if it has a sad ending? I've been worrying about that. It was a passionate read indeed. I know you love letters like I do and these were great .. so compelling .. she really didn't hold back. As for The Guest Cat .. It is quite sad towards the end .. you're right to be apprehensive .. it sort of ends on a hopeful note but there is a whole load of sadness before it. It's melancholy in feel actually ... don't read it when down .. just look at the lovely cover xx Ooooh, I'm so pleased that you loved this one poppyshake - I was intrigued by the cat on the cover, and the blurb too - so this one is on my wishlist. And I must read Love, Nina soon.... The cover is gorgeous .. there are other editions but I like this one best. Love, Nina is brilliant .. I highly recommend it Great reviews, it seems like you read a lot of great books recently! I've enjoyed them all or most of them .. look may that continue Oh my goodness....you are on a roll with your reading Kay....I've read 2... Nothing wrong with that ... especially if you enjoyed them. You've probably been busy knitting your wee hats xx Hooray for The Guest Cat!!! Very pleased you enjoyed it, as it's always a bit of a worry going out on a limb and buying something on impulse for someone else if I haven't read myself. Hooray indeed!! I know what you mean .. it's nice if you've tried and tested .. though that also can go horribly wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Thanks for the advice about The Guest Cat. I'll keep it in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 Thanks for the advice about The Guest Cat. I'll keep it in mind. You're more than welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin FenolleraSynopsis: Prudencia Prim is a young woman of intelligence and achievement, with a deep knowledge of literature and several letters after her name. But when she accepts the post of private librarian in the village of San Ireneo de Arnois, she is unprepared for what she encounters there. Her employer, a book-loving intellectual, is dashing yet contrarian, always ready with a critique of her cherished Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott. The neighbours, too, are capable of charm and eccentricity in equal measure, determined as they are to preserve their singular little community from the modern world outside. Prudencia hoped for friendship in San Ireneo but she didn't suspect that she might find love - nor that the course of her new life would run quite so rocky, would offer challenge and heartache as well as joy, discovery and fireside debate. The Awakening of Miss Prim is a distinctive and delightfully entertaining tale of literature, philosophy and the search for happiness.Review: I enjoyed this immensely and savoured every word .. quite literally in some places because never was there such a tale so full of high teas and suppers The characters were forever licking their buttery fingers and wiping their sticky mouths after yet another morsel had been devoured and there was a continual supply of steaming hot chocolate and tea. Even people, in the middle of a sleepless night, couldn't have a cup of tea without a slab of cake to go with it (my kind of village ) I was knee deep in toast for a lot of it and I hardly need tell you how happy that made me. This was just one of the ways in which San Ireneo is a bit of an idyllic place to work and live. Idyllic .. but a bit unconventional. Prudencia Prim (and don't you just love the name!) .. also referred to (later) as 'the librarian' .. has answered an advert. She's actually over qualified for the job .. especially as her employer wishes to engage someone without any qualifications whatsoever but there's something about Prudencia that makes the 'Man in the Winged Chair' (her employer ... who is called that throughout the book and you will either love this little affectation or be annoyed by it .. I belong in the former camp ) take a chance on her. He is a bit of a shadowy, mysterious, figure .. but quite forthright in his opinions .. as is Prudencia .. so it's not long before they're quarrelling. The inhabitants of San Ireneo are a little different to the norm .. they've escaped the rat race and are doing things their way. Prudencia struggles a bit to fit in, she's both charmed and horrified by some of their customs .. but slowly and surely the magic of the place takes hold. I loved the writing, the author loves books and languages etc and that comes over in abundance. There's snow on the ground and a kettle always boiling on the hob so it feels like a comfy, cosy read. Though it's supposed to be set in modern day it doesn't feel like that at all .. probably because the villagers spurned current thinking etc. I was always surprised when modern references cropped up because I thought I was in Victorian times or something It did get a little preachy at times, I could have wished for it to take a different turn here or there but all in all .. fantastic. Loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 ^^ I meant to add .. it's not the book to read when hungry or dieting etc .. oh bother!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Bother! I have this on my wish list - it's another I spotted when Peter and I went to Exeter in December. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Bother! I have this on my wish list - it's another I spotted when Peter and I went to Exeter in December. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks Janet .. it's got a lovely cover hasn't it? .. draws you to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 It has. I saw three I liked - this one, Elizabeth is Missing and The Restoration of Otto Laird by Nigel Packer. I've bought 'Elizabeth' on Kindle and may get round to buying the other two titles soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I've got a different cover to yours … http://www.amazon.co.uk/Awakening-Miss-Natalia-Sanmartin-Fenollera/dp/0349139504/ref=tmm_pap_title_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423296709&sr=1-1 It's also a big format paperback, but a friend bought it for me for Christmas, so I not going to complain! I'm looking forward to picking it out of the jar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Claire also lent me the following books .. The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin This is a great novel, I do hope you like it! Claire also bought me these lovely cards. Beautiful naive Christmas scenes of The Bronte Parsonage, Monks House (Virginia Woolf's Home) and Chawton Cottage (Jane Austen's Home.) Oh they are absolutely gorgeous! Yes .. I mentioned this at the start of the blog, what if it's a grower? I think, what I might do, is look up the reviews .. if they are overwhelmingly positive then I might chug on. Unless I'm absolutely hating it. It'll be a great relief to me to find out I can abandon a book .. I'd be so grateful to the book that I might actually read it Oh no, you would, wouldn't you! Please don't do that!!! Just give the book in question a nice hug and then throw it out the window and go for the book jar once again! Thanks Frankie Ah .. yes .. bit of an obscure and not much used expression. I think you might like the book .. difficult to know as Nina has got a strange sense of humour which luckily ties in with my own. Hopefully you'll see it at the library or something and get the chance to give it a go. I like a strange sense of humour but sometimes there are cases where I don't get it. I guess one has to try the book and see if it's the right kind of strange! I can't remember if I've told you, but there are copies of the book at the library and I've already reserved one I still believe there was a subtext there that I couldn't quite grasp .. you'd written some things in the margins too .. no idea what. I still have it .. I'll unlock its secrets one day. It has made me want to pick up more of her fiction again. Can you not read it because of my hand writing or are the notes in Finnish? Which Murdoch do you think you'd want to tackle next? I called it a few names when I last picked out Though I also cracked up laughing Names like Doris and Bill and Gwyneth and Colin? The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters I should get a move on and read other Waters's books. Although we've recently discussed this. I do like the sound of this book. And Waters certainly knows what will make a good twist, or 'an inciting incident' as y All the more annoying as Vita appeared at the end of the last book and I wanted to get away completely from a similar timescale and set of people etc. Stranger still is that all the jar books have had one thing in common ... Virginia Woolf has been quoted and mentioned in each (well .. she has in the last two and I've no doubt she'll get a mention or two in this one) .. perhaps my jar is channelling her spirit I expect one of her diary collections will come out next (but I'd be happy to see it if so ) What are the odds, really! Bloody hell... Virginia wants you. You naughty minx! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Next book jar pick ... The Hours by Michael Cunningham This is going to be interesting .. I've already abandoned it before .. that is, I couldn't quite get it to stick in my head so shelved if for another day. This is that day! I've seen the film and managed to half hold on but that was some time ago. I've read Mrs Dalloway and know quite a bit about Virginia so that .. in theory .. should help a bit. I'm in a bit of a tizz about it though .. it's the first one I haven't been able to find but then it turned up in the first place I looked so that was my fault for not trusting my instincts. And again with the Woolf Your jar is freaking me out!! I'm so pleased you loved it, though. Especially after having tried it before and abandoning it. That jar of yours works in mysterious ways. Very happy with my progress in January after such a poor year last year. I've read 18 books and listened to 2 so that's a vast improvement. I can't pin much on it though as I often start the year well .. January's not a busy time for me and I have plenty of time to read. I need to try and sustain it. I'm enjoying it enormously too which is the main thing .. really into it and other things which I normally allow to distract me like TV, the internet and the fridge etc are not getting a look in. Hope I can keep the momentum going in February .. it's more of a busy month for me (and it's short! ) but I'll be happy if I can at least continue to enjoy my reading and look forward to it as much as I am at the moment 18 books in one month, bloody hell Well done! I'm very happy for you and your mojo I think that jar has rejuvenated your mojo somehow. And considering how many really long books you've had to deal with, 18 books is a great great number! You're sounding awfully competitive, Kay - at least with yourself. Do be careful - that way lies self-induced stress. After all, there's pages and pages......taking the last book I read, if I had counted the number of pages in my hardback copy, there would have been 421 pages. The paperback copy took up 527 pages, some 25% more. So those 4535 pages you've read could have been around 3600, or perhaps 5600, or anything in between! Oh come on, Kay was only being really excited about her current mojo! She had a great reading month and wanted to share her enthusiasm and so she did a bit of statistics for fun. The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera What a wonderful review! And it's taking over the colors, too! This is definitely going on my wishlist I find it funny personally that I'm reading a similar'ish book at the moment: it's about a man who moves into a whole different place to take a post as a librarian. Well, those are the only similarities but it's enough for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 (edited) Oh come on, Kay was only being really excited about her current mojo! She had a great reading month and wanted to share her enthusiasm and so she did a bit of statistics for fun. I know that I'm not always good at expressing myself in the way that people on this board most relate to, but I'm glad that Kay appears to have understood what I was saying, particularly in relation to her comment about the page count dipping - the sight of numbers has the same effect on me that a cardboard box has on a cat! :- No .. I was getting a bit of flak from Will I think he knows I tend to crash and burn .. so you saying you'd read more took the pressure off a bit Edited February 7, 2015 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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