Kylie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Great reviews, Kay! Looks like I'll be adding The Mangle Street Murders to my wish list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I do believe that Alan has bought me The Restoration of Otto Laird .. for I have seen it. I wasn't on the peep or anything but came across it in a bag whilst I was tidying up (it's the Mousetrap disappointment all over again .. but that time I intentionally peeped .. so excited when I found it but couldn't replicate the same excitement on Christmas Day) I hope it's for me anyway. he'll have some explaining to do if it doesn't turn up in February. I don't think I'm the only one who's now thinking of Emma Thompson's absolutely brilliantly executed performance of one such occasion in a certain romantic comedy movie of a certain particular holiday season...!! I am leaving out my own emoticons ... so that I can leave yours in .. But why, your smile's prettier! Ooh .. extra excited now. I love the look and sound of it and I want to read it in winter (plus .. it's Claire's so I ought to get a wriggle on) so won't wait for the jar to pick it. I read in the Book Activity thread (and already commented) that you've already started it and are liking it, I'm very thrilled to hear it! Yes .. unsuspecting passersby had better watch out!! I've had a couple of chances to abandon .. books that didn't quite catch fire but I couldn't lay them aside for some reason. I didn't positively hate them. If that happens .. I'm definitely chucking it. 100 pages is fair apparently .. I'll give them that and no more *very determined look* Think if you hit the poor postie while he was delivering yet another book your way 100 pages is more than fair, I would think. I'd go for 50-80. But sometimes it does take time, even with great books. A Tale of Two Cities is my most favorite example of that. Took me ages, but it's one of my most favorite novels. Yes .. humour .. it's so subjective. I do hope you like it ... there's no dog in it .. I would feel more happy about recommending it to you if there was a dog .. oh dear! (why didn't they have a dog?!!) I do sometimes read books that do not include dogs I suppose you also read books without toast. In the books, that is. I'm sure you have some in your hand, at all times No .. you have written in English .. it's just .. I wasn't always sure to what you were referring to on the page. A lot of the time you had helpfully underlined passages though. One remark I did like particularly was 'silly behaviour' Have a feeling if you had been studying Malory Towers .. this may have done for summarising the whole book. 'Silly behaviour'... Yes I'm sure if I'd written that in the exam paper I would've gotten a straight A! I wonder why we didn't read Malory Towers for one of our British literature courses She does .. she's quite a master at it. I like the way she usually lulls you first though .. it was all very teatime at five o'clock type thing and then bam .. lady monkey business. Well said! That's exactly what she does. Clever person, she is! As it turned out .. Violet didn't mention Virginia in her letters .. it was far too early at that point and long before Vita and Virginia's .. ermmm .. dalliance (gracious .. all these 'v' names .. makes one quite confused) but there is a connection there and it's only just come to me that the next book out was The Hours which couldn't be more Virginia unless it actually was Virginia. The spell has broken with The Rotters' Club though .. pretty sure nobody mentioned Ginny at all in that. Maybe the book jar thought that if you don't take full-in-your-face hints, it needs to make more subtle hints in the right direction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 You were tangoed! A book about any sort of librarian is always a must. I am inclined towards it straight away. We only got to hear a little about Miss Prim's librarian duties .. I wish it could have been more. The 'Man in the Winged Chair' has a lot of books which need sorting and cataloguing. They have a bit of an argument about Little Women .. Miss Prim thinks the children (that he teaches) should read it but he's dead against it .. I was actually with him on that one although I did get her point in general. Maybe Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera ought to be persuaded to write a sequal, with more actual library action! For some reason I thought it was an English original but when I went to check the library (they have copies in English, wohoo! ), it was a translated novel. I thought it was sexless. Possibly I have girlified it up a bit .. I will do that if left to my own devices. I expect it's got lots of reasons to seek revenge. It used to be full of sweets .. and now it's half full of paper .. you can see that that's not necessarily a fair exchange Maybe it's a metrosexual male book jar. You really ought to have asked it before you started meddling with it But a change from sweets to paper isn't necessarily a bad thing. I doubt they asked it at the factory if he'd rather be filled with sweets or something else. Maybe it had a tummy ache from all the sweets, and now it's positively giddy with the paper! Some people like paper and stationary and all that sort of things... I wouldn't have to think very long and hard to come up with a few of such people... If I'm honest, most of the English Counties Challenge books scare me! Chesil, why's that then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 And there was me just coming in here to drum my fingers awaiting your review of The Mangle Street Murders Brilliant review, Kay - you sum it up so well - and I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much And book three is on the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 My next book jar pick .. Fair Exchange by Michèle Roberts More than happy about this, I only bought it last week from Oxfam. I do have a tiny confession and that's .. one of the reasons I picked it up was that it had the right coloured spine .. I was looking for peachy colours. However, in my defence (bear with) .. whatever the colour of spine I won't buy a book unless it's .. a) already on my radar .. b) I like the blurb or c) I admire the author .. so there are still provisos. It's another way of making me broaden my horizons as .. possibly .. I wouldn't pick these books out ordinarily. I googled the novel and it sounded intriguing. But I will not be adding it to wishlist, I'll wait for your verdict first! Lucky novel, having not even had time to gather dust on the shelf before being picked up for a read One of my favorite bands Korn has an album called Life Is Peachy I wonder if they meant Shelf. (The album includes songs titled Ass Itch, for example ) I've got a trying week ahead as there are tradesman coming. so I will no doubt be hiding away somewhere with my books and as much tea as I can possibly carry. Have stocked the house with biscuits ... in case the tradesmen need sustenance but should they turn out to be non-biscuit eaters ?? ?? I will partake of a few myself .. because of wastage and stuff. Purposefully got custard creams and bourbons because they're not faves of mine .. not faves but of course I will eat them .. if pressed I hate days/weeks like that, when you kind of feel like a guest in your own home How is it going? Oddly enough I'm having one of those days today, too. The stupid dishwasher is acting up again and some guy's coming in to take a look at it today, and I don't even know what time. Well at least it'll probably be over and done with in an hour or so. Hopefully! I like to hide from tradespeople too, Kay. I always feel a bit awkward though if I'm sitting here on my laptop or reading - I feel like I ought to have the vacuum cleaner out or something! I hope this week isn't too trying for you. That's exactly how I feel, too! Isn't it odd how one feels like one has to seem to be doing meaningful, important things. It's not fair! Great review of The Hours, Kay! The book jar is a friend... Well a fair weather friend at least I was very curious about Don't Point That Thing At Me when I saw you and Claire talk about it and referring to someone who was reading the book at a cafe or something. It didn't sound familiar at all, but then the name Mortdecai sounded familiar and then I remembered I've seen the movie ads on TV. Doesn't seem like the sort of thing I'd go and watch... I loved your review of The Mangle Street Murders! I think I will have to add the book to my wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 A wonderful review of The Mangle Street Murders poppyshake!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I loved your review of The Mangle Street Murders! I think I will have to add the book to my wishlist Mwahahahaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Mwahahahaha! I'm really happy that when I felt compelled to tell you the other day that I would never read it, I didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Frankie, Marieke Hardy loves the Mortdecai books. It was her recommendation in an early episode of the First Tuesday Book Club that made me buy it. She also mentioned it again recently when she found out the movie was coming out. She made an impassioned plea to viewers to avoid the movie at all costs and just read the book. And that was before the movie had even been seen or reviewed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Frankie, Marieke Hardy loves the Mortdecai books. It was her recommendation in an early episode of the First Tuesday Book Club that made me buy it. She also mentioned it again recently when she found out the movie was coming out. She made an impassioned plea to viewers to avoid the movie at all costs and just read the book. And that was before the movie had even been seen or reviewed! Good old Marieke! Well I've already sworn off the movie so I'm still in her good books Edited February 10, 2015 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I'm really happy that when I felt compelled to tell you the other day that I would never read it, I didn't. I pretty much inferred it from what you said, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I pretty much inferred it from what you said, though Haha I was rather hoping you didn't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Great reviews, Kay! Looks like I'll be adding The Mangle Street Murders to my wish list. Thanks Kylie You will love it .. I'm confident I don't think I'm the only one who's now thinking of Emma Thompson's absolutely brilliantly executed performance of one such occasion in a certain romantic comedy movie of a certain particular holiday season...!! Haha .. yes .. it would be very much like that but .. hopefully not! But why, your smile's prettier! It isn't! I thought it was good practice to deny myself the use of any emoticons .. so fond of grinning inanely and falling in a dead faint etc .. did me good to show some restraint. I read in the Book Activity thread (and already commented) that you've already started it and are liking it, I'm very thrilled to hear it! Yes .. I am loving it. Both books were too good to read together as it turned out. I can do it quite happily but if the books are stand out then I tend to prefer to savour them on their own and as such .. because I was further on with Fair Exchange .. I've continued with it and almost read it. I'm so looking forward to getting back to The Winter Queen .. I'm a little bit in love with Erast Fandorin already Think if you hit the poor postie while he was delivering yet another book your way 100 pages is more than fair, I would think. I'd go for 50-80. But sometimes it does take time, even with great books. A Tale of Two Cities is my most favorite example of that. Took me ages, but it's one of my most favorite novels. Ooh .. 50-80 .. I'll bear that in mind. Yes .. it worries me because I too have loved books eventually that were a struggle to begin with. I think you can tell though .. something keeps you hanging on. I do sometimes read books that do not include dogs I suppose you also read books without toast. In the books, that is. I'm sure you have some in your hand, at all times. I know you do xx. I do of course read far too many books without even a hint of toast. All of them though .. without question .. would be improved by some toast. Mr Darcy SHOULD have eaten some and a lot of unpleasantness could doubtless have been avoided if Dracula had had a fondness for it 'Silly behaviour'... Yes I'm sure if I'd written that in the exam paper I would've gotten a straight A!. I wonder why we didn't read Malory Towers for one of our British literature courses I can't imagine! Maybe the book jar thought that if you don't take full-in-your-face hints, it needs to make more subtle hints in the right direction. Possibly .. it knows I need a good nudge in the right direction and it's given me a few already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Maybe Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera ought to be persuaded to write a sequal, with more actual library action! For some reason I thought it was an English original but when I went to check the library (they have copies in English, wohoo! ), it was a translated novel. Oh goody! Yes it's translated .. the author's Spanish I think. Maybe it's a metrosexual male book jar. You really ought to have asked it before you started meddling with it But a change from sweets to paper isn't necessarily a bad thing. I doubt they asked it at the factory if he'd rather be filled with sweets or something else. Maybe it had a tummy ache from all the sweets, and now it's positively giddy with the paper! Some people like paper and stationary and all that sort of things... I wouldn't have to think very long and hard to come up with a few of such people... True .. perhaps it is happier. It is less sticky .. I know that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 And there was me just coming in here to drum my fingers awaiting your review of The Mangle Street Murders Brilliant review, Kay - you sum it up so well - and I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much And book three is on the way! Ooh .. I have catching up to do (I love the covers ) Thanks Steve for your original review .. I probably wouldn't have considered it otherwise I don't know what's good for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 I googled the novel and it sounded intriguing. But I will not be adding it to wishlist, I'll wait for your verdict first! Lucky novel, having not even had time to gather dust on the shelf before being picked up for a read Very lucky novel. I'm enjoying it very much .. not sure it is living up to it's brilliant beginning though. The story has been back and forward quite a bit and lost momentum but it's getting near the end and something's just happened to put the cat amongst the pigeons. One of my favorite bands Korn has an album called Life Is Peachy. I wonder if they meant Shelf. (The album includes songs titled Ass Itch, for example ) What a name for a song! Peachy books are quite rare .. or the sort I like are. Pink is the same .. lots of light and fluffy reads that are pink .. nothing wrong with that but it's not my thing. They're a bit shrieky too .. they usually have bold writing and foil blocking and whatnot .. far too loud for my bookcase It's in my bedroom and would probably keep me awake if the wrong books were on it I hate days/weeks like that, when you kind of feel like a guest in your own home How is it going? Oddly enough I'm having one of those days today, too. The stupid dishwasher is acting up again and some guy's coming in to take a look at it today, and I don't even know what time. Well at least it'll probably be over and done with in an hour or so. Hopefully! It's a bit of a trial today. They didn't get here when they said they would (excuse number 455 .. the place where they normally get their roof tiles from had put the price up so they had to go somewhere else .. the inference being .. don't complain .. we could've just charged you more ) .. yesterday they were late too and early getting away but they did work hard when they were here. One of them has just used the loo and as I'm in the room next door .. I could tell that he didn't wash his hands oh dear .. and I bet he touched my bannister all the way done the stairs .. plus all my doors etc etc. Men!! Alan is here today and so I've been able to escape quite a bit and go for walks etc and I haven't had to make tea .. Alan has done that (bless him) so not too bad except .. my house is not the same with aliens in it! Molly thinks the same .. she hides so even we can't find her but as soon as they've gone .. out she comes again I hope they'll be finished today .. they said two days and so I hope they stick to it. Hope your dishwasher gets sorted xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Thanks Steve for your original review .. I probably wouldn't have considered it otherwise I don't know what's good for me Glad I could help (for once!) I'm just annoyed it took me the best part of a year from buying it to when I actually read it. I kept reading the start and then putting it down to read something else instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Great review of The Hours, Kay! The book jar is a friend... Well a fair weather friend at least Yes .. good old book jar for giving me the kick that was needed. That book was never going to get read and I'd have missed a treat. I was very curious about Don't Point That Thing At Me when I saw you and Claire talk about it and referring to someone who was reading the book at a cafe or something. It didn't sound familiar at all, but then the name Mortdecai sounded familiar and then I remembered I've seen the movie ads on TV. Doesn't seem like the sort of thing I'd go and watch... Yes .. Mortdecai .. I think they actually have a copy of the book called that .. most confusing. I took it to be a new book (or new series of books) but it isn't at all .. it was written in the 1970's I think but they've been promoting it because of the film. Not my sort of thing to watch either but Alan may well enjoy it .. his tolerance for watching cr*p is almost admirable (shhh .. don't tell him ) I loved your review of The Mangle Street Murders! I think I will have to add the book to my wishlist Yes .. no dogs but I'm quite confident Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 A wonderful review of The Mangle Street Murders poppyshake!! Thank you very much Marie .. what lovely flowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Glad I could help (for once!) I'm just annoyed it took me the best part of a year from buying it to when I actually read it. I kept reading the start and then putting it down to read something else instead Odd how that happens isn't it? Too many good books in the house .. that's the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Oh God!! He's left the lid up as well .. I'm deducting money!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Oh God!! He's left the lid up as well .. I'm deducting money!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Don't Point That Thing At Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli Synopsis: Introducing the Hon. Charlie Mortdecai, art dealer, aristocrat and assassin, in the first of the Mortdecai novels. Portly art dealer and seasoned epicurean Charlie Mortdecai comes into possesion of a stolen Goya, the disappearance of which is causing a diplomatic ruction between Spain and its allies. Not that that matters to Charlie ... until compromising pictures of some British diplomats also come into his possession and start to muddy the waters. All he's trying to do is make a dishonest living, but various governments, secret organizations and an unbelievably nubile young German don't see it that way and pretty soon he's in great need of his thuggish manservant Jock to keep them all at bay ... and the Goya safe. Review: I enjoyed this ... in the main. It got a little bit too hectic .. too farcical and I thought at times it tried to be too clever but still it was an enjoyable caper. I can actually see the Wodehouse connections .. the very obvious and intended connections as Bertie and Jeeves are quoted at times and Charlie .. whilst being nothing like Bertie .. utters some very Bertram like sentences ... 'I embarked on the quotidian schrecklichkeit of getting up. With occasional help from Jock I weaned myself gingerly from shower to razor, from dexedrine to intolerable decision about necktie; arriving safely, forty minutes later, at the bourne of breakfast, the only breakfast worth the name, the cheminot's breakfast, the great bowl of coffee laced and gadrooned and filigreed with rum. I was up. I had not been sick. The snail was on the thorn, to name but one.' .. ultimately it's not as subtle as Wodehouse though. Everyone is quite cartoonish .. intentionally so .. Charlie's sidekick (Jock Strapp!! .. well .. I ask you ) is ridiculously brutish and the women and villains are straight from Bond. I'm not sure I understood it all, some of it sailed over my head. Possibly needed to have gone to Eton or the Garrick Club or be better read than I am to fully understand the references. Too much latin for one thing but I sort of half held on. Also I'm not sure 'crime capers' are my thing .. I get a bit edgy when things get madcap but there was something about it that held my interest and entertained. I'm not in the least tempted to see the film which is said to be a turkey but I am tempted by the other books .. such lovely covers Liked it! Many thanks to Claire for the loan Well I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if we have very different opinions about it! It's interesting that I like crime capers, so it should have been a good read for me, I just found once the story moved to America, it got too far fetched. I know it was written a long time ago, but the female characters were clichéd and one dimensional, Mortdecai himself was rather nasty, and I struggled to place it in time, sometimes felt like it could have been in the 50s, then at other times it felt more 70s when it was published. Anyway, you're more that welcome to keep it … if it comes back to me, it'll be going straight to the charity shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Chesil, why's that then? Lots of classics, and most are quite long … both these things normally put me off, though it's all psychological, as when I do dive in, I usually enjoy them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Well I'm glad you enjoyed it, even if we have very different opinions about it! It's interesting that I like crime capers, so it should have been a good read for me, I just found once the story moved to America, it got too far fetched. I know it was written a long time ago, but the female characters were clichéd and one dimensional, Mortdecai himself was rather nasty, and I struggled to place it in time, sometimes felt like it could have been in the 50s, then at other times it felt more 70s when it was published. Anyway, you're more that welcome to keep it … if it comes back to me, it'll be going straight to the charity shop! Oh thanks Claire .. that's very kind of you *takes it out of the bag .. licks it .. and puts it on shelf* I do know what you mean .. I found it less interesting when Mortdecai was in America .. also far fetched but I imagined that was what he (the author) was going for. It was relentlessly silly and yes, Mortdecai is completely unlikeable. Like I said though, something about it entertained me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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