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Tunn 300's 2016 Reading Blog


tunn300

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I read Child 44 a year or so ago & enjoyed it. The film is actually already available on Amazon Prime, but I've not got round to watching it yet, maybe because I fear I'll be disappointed!

 

Oh my mistake I was under the impression Amazon Prime got films quite a while after their DVD release. I am glad you enjoyed the book too. I watched the trailer recently and even though I have read the book I was confused as to what was going on. The worst part though was the awful Russian accents everyone was putting on, I don't understand this as they could either hire Russian actors and be authentic or simply ignore it all together. I will watch the film some day when it appears on Sky movies but I won't be paying to rent it.

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Did you read any more of Look Who's Back?  I shall be interested to hear what you think of it when you finish it.   :)

 

I finished the book yesterday after reading the second half of the book in one sitting. Unfortunately, it was read in this was as I was waiting for an appointment and not because it suddenly became a book I could not put down. 

 

The book for me was a disappointment. I am not sure exactly what I expected of a book that imagines Hitler being alive and well in modern day Germany but this wasn't it. Firstly, there is never an explanation given as to exactly how Hitler suddenly wakes up one day in 2011 on a playing field in Berlin. Secondly, the book is attempting to be a comedy but for me there are very few comedic moments and all of these come from the fact that someone from the past is suddenly placed in the future and has to deal with all modern conveniences. This could have been achieved through using any character through history and the choice of Hitler almost appears to be an attempt to cause scandal and raise the profile of the book.

 

Through the book Hitler is often portrayed as quite a likeable character with some strange views and the occasional violent outburst, which for me doesn't ring true. I understand the book shows how once again Hitler is adapting to his environment and again becoming a figure the public believe is talking sense in an age when politicians can't be trusted and in this way it does act as a warning. Overall though I did not find this book enjoyable and would not really recommend it to anyone else. 

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For my next book I have chosen one of the current Waterstones Book Club choices, 'The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra' by Vaseem Khan. This is a debut novel, set in India, beginning on the day the said inspector retires from the police force and is gifted an elephant. Due to an inability to sleep last night I am now a third of the way through this novel and thoroughly enjoying it. The main characters are a delight and whilst the actual crime part of the book is not that thrilling, it can be forgiven for the wonderful picture of life in modern India it creates. My only gripe is that there a lot of Hindi terms used that I do not understand and rather than include a glossary the author directs you to his website for assistance, which isn't all that helpful!!

Edited by tunn300
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I woke early this morning and finished the final thirty pages of 'The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra' by Vaseem Khan. I have managed to read the book in just a few days and that is thanks to the wonderful characters Khan has created, one of the best of which is India itself. Having never been there his writing still managed to transport me to this place of hustle and bustle. The actual crime part of the novel was not that fantastic and the inclusion of the 'very special elephant' was a little strange, but I really enjoyed the novel as a whole. 

 

It is the first book in a series with the next due in May, So I will be on the lookout for that. 

 

I am now going to begin 'Our Endless Numbered Days' By Claire Fuller, which is another Waterstones book club book and has also been receiving a lot of very good reviews on here. I am looking forward to getting started while waiting for an appointment later. 

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I am now going to begin 'Our Endless Numbered Days' By Claire Fuller, which is another Waterstones book club book and has also been receiving a lot of very good reviews on here. I am looking forward to getting started while waiting for an appointment later. 

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one. It's on my wishlist, as it sounds like a cracking good read!! :boogie:

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I am now going to begin 'Our Endless Numbered Days' By Claire Fuller, which is another Waterstones book club book and has also been receiving a lot of very good reviews on here. I am looking forward to getting started while waiting for an appointment later.

It was definitely a 5/5 for me and I know Noll, Kay and Paula agreed so hopefully you will agree with us! :)

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I am now going to begin 'Our Endless Numbered Days' By Claire Fuller, which is another Waterstones book club book and has also been receiving a lot of very good reviews on here. I am looking forward to getting started while waiting for an appointment later. 

 

Oooh really hope you enjoy it!

 

It was definitely a 5/5 for me and I know Noll, Kay and Paula agreed so hopefully you will agree with us! :)

 

Yup!

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I asked you about Look Who's Back And then forgot to come back to see what you said! I felt pretty much the same way as you. Such a shame as the premis was good - the lack of explanation as to why he was suddenly back was frustrating.

 

For my next book I have chosen one of the current Waterstones Book Club choices, 'The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra' by Vaseem Khan.

This sounds right up my street so is going on my wish list. :)
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This sounds right up my street so is going on my wish list. :)

 

I am sure you will enjoy it, it's a great book. 

 

I have certainly enjoyed the first 50 or so pages of Our Endless Numbered Days but a hectic time at work has meant my reading has ground to a halt. Hopefully I can crack on with it over this long Easter weekend. 

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I have just his moment finished reading Our Endless Numbered Days. I think I need some time to process it all before posting my thoughts but I think it's safe to say it wasn't the book I thought it was going to be.

 

My next read is going to be another Waterstones book club choice - Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

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After taking a day to digest 'Our Endless Numbered Days' I feel ready to post some thoughts. 

 

I will say up front I am a bit ambivalent towards the book, I neither love it or hate it, but merely think it was ok. I thought the premise was excellent and did really enjoy the initial few chapters, however at no point did I really feel connected to any of the main characters. I feel very sorry for both Peggy and her father but not in any way that will really last. It's difficult to put a finger on exactly why that is but I just found the way they spoke and acted just not real enough. 

 

The middle portion of the book I felt just dragged with nothing really happening and if I was enjoying the characters or felt connected to them then maybe this would be ok. I have read plenty of books were nothing really happened and have just enjoyed being in the characters company. I understand the author was trying to show the monotonous 'endless' days they spent in the cabin but I don't feel I should be as bored as they are. Fuller certainly has a good sense of language and I did enjoy her writing, although giving herself such a limited setting to describe I again found it became repetitive. 

 

SPOILER (because I have forgotten how to actually hide it)

 

 

My biggest problem with the book was what I imagine the author thought was the twist. I don't know if it's because I read a lot of crime/thriller books but I saw that Reuben was not real from the moment she met him. Clearly the author made it clearer to the reader as time progressed and I thought that was quite well done but the ending where she actually spelt it out and then dropped her other 'bombshell' was just all too simplistic for me and was actually a bit patronising to the reader.

 

 

End of Spoiler

 

I know everyone has loved this book and it is getting praise left, right and centre but on this particular book I don't get it. This is why I took a day before posting my review as I felt maybe its genius would become apparent to me after reflecting on it but unfortunately not. Anyway that is my two pence worth and I am sure I am in the minority and everyone else will enjoy it, but that's what books are about, causing debate and discussion.

Edited by Athena
Added spoiler tags.
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I've edited your post to include the spoiler tags.

 

Here's how to do it:

 

Method 1: Use the Special BB code icon - it's the third icon on the top line of the editor, between the eraser and the font selection drop down. Click on it, then use the drop down list to select "spoiler".

 

Method 2: Write [ spoiler ]Post your spoiler here[ / spoiler ] without spaces.

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Aww I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it very much. I'm pretty daft when it comes to stories (be they books, films etc), so I didn't see the twist until 

she crossed the river and yer man was already gone

 

and by that point the author was beginning to make it overt anyway.

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