Janet Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 I'm struggling with Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel. It's my first experience of Mantel's writing and I'm about a third of the way through it, but it's so dull... If it wasn't a book club book I'd probably have given up by now. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Beyond Black was my first and last Mantel, Janet, and it was a book club choice too. So miserable and but it was early in my book club membership and I felt I had to finish it. 👎 I don't worry about that any more though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, chesilbeach said: Lady Chatterley's Lover by a country mile! I detested that book. Ugh. I wasn't particularly keen on Wind In The Willows by I suspect that's because I didn't read it as a child and have no emotional connection to it, which I think can make a difference. And as much as I adore ALL her other books, Jane Austen's Emma is her one book I just don't get on with. I soooo agree with you about Lady Chatterley's Lover, and it would probably have been my worst on the list if I'd been prepared to reread it. It is why I tried Sons and Lovers as an alternative; this proved to be a much better read (if a bit hard going in a couple of places). On the other hand, rereading Emma for the first time in at least 30 years, I found I absolutely loved it - far more so than I remembered, and easily one of my top dozen books now. For me, it's Northanger Abbey that is her weakest (although I still like it!). Edited April 14, 2017 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 39 minutes ago, chesilbeach said: Beyond Black was my first and last Mantel, Janet, and it was a book club choice too. So miserable and but it was early in my book club membership and I felt I had to finish it. 👎 I don't worry about that any more though! The trouble is there are now only five of us, and I'm fairly certain two others won't have finished it (it's not for another week or so) so I feel as though I should make the effort. It just seems such a waste of reading! I will plod on...! Peter and I are going away for a long weekend next week, so will start an audio book in the car, so that's something to look forward to! Maybe Christie, an Allingham or a Marsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 2 hours ago, Janet said: I'm struggling with Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel. It's my first experience of Mantel's writing and I'm about a third of the way through it, but it's so dull... I really enjoyed Wolf Hall, but have to say that I have found quite a bit of her other writing hard work, including Beyond Black, which I skim read to finish. I've pretty much given up with her books, other than Bring Up The Bodies and A Place of Greater Safety, as I'm hopeful they are more in the Wolf Hall mould. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 I've splurged a bit more on English Counties and have bought the Kindle edition of The Well of Loneliness and got the audible version of it for a few pounds as well so I can switch between the two. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but knowing other people's feelings on it, I'm wondering how I'm going to get on with it, so I want to try and read it now and not leave it until last, as I'd like to try and finish the challenge on a high if I can, so working out which of the books left I might like the most! 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 48 minutes ago, willoyd said: I really enjoyed Wolf Hall, but have to say that I have found quite a bit of her other writing hard work, including Beyond Black, which I skim read to finish. I've pretty much given up with her books, other than Bring Up The Bodies and A Place of Greater Safety, as I'm hopeful they are more in the Wolf Hall mould. The person who chose it loved Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, which I guess is why she chose it. I've just had a message from another member who is about to give up (I thought she might). Ah well, the joys of book club... I didn't love it, but I enjoyed The Well of Loneliness, @chesilbeach, but I'm very much in the minority! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 On 14/04/2017 at 6:21 PM, chesilbeach said: I'd like to try and finish the challenge on a high if I can, so working out which of the books left I might like the most! 😀 Which ones have you got left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I'm nearing the 100th page of Chart Throb by Ben Elton. I really like it, but for some reason it's such a slow read! It'll take me forever. Yesterday when I was reading it, at one point I felt like I must've read at least 50 pages, and then realized I'd only read 20. What an odd sensation... I don't think I've ever had this happen before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 2 hours ago, frankie said: I'm nearing the 100th page of Chart Throb by Ben Elton. I really like it, but for some reason it's such a slow read! It'll take me forever. Yesterday when I was reading it, at one point I felt like I must've read at least 50 pages, and then realized I'd only read 20. What an odd sensation... I don't think I've ever had this happen before. Is it very wordy? I found that a bit with Time And Time Again. As long as you're enjoying it, that's the important thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion Budgie Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I haven't been in the book-reading mood this past couple of weeks. I'm halfway through E.M. Forster's Where Angels Fear to Tread, and am thoroughly enjoying it when I do pick it up, so here's hoping I get around to finishing it within the next week. I found a couple of his novels at my local secondhand bookshop recently: A Room With a View and Howards End. A catch at £1 apiece! I remember that someone here (was it Janet?) read Howards End not so long ago, and found it slow going. I'm going to give it a shot. I can't lose at a quid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I found HE slow too, enjoyed the film much more. I liked Where angels....though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 2 hours ago, Onion Budgie said: I remember that someone here (was it Janet?) read Howards End not so long ago, and found it slow going. I'm going to give it a shot. I can't lose at a quid! Yes, that was me, @Onion Budgie - I'm very much in the minority though, so I do hope you enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 6 hours ago, chaliepud said: Is it very wordy? I found that a bit with Time And Time Again. As long as you're enjoying it, that's the important thing. No, I wouldn't say it's wordy... It's not even in small print. Maybe it's because it's a big book, and thus there's more writing per page. Also, a new chapter doesn't start on its own new page, but starts after only a few lines of the previous one. I'm still liking it and as you say, that's the most important thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kafka On The Shore Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I've just started The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. About 20 pages in at the moment and it looks interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 26 minutes ago, Kafka On The Shore said: I've just started The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. About 20 pages in at the moment and it looks interesting. Brilliant book, enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 26 minutes ago, Kafka On The Shore said: I've just started The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. About 20 pages in at the moment and it looks interesting. One of my absolute favorites! I hope you'll love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 On 06/04/2017 at 4:54 PM, chesilbeach said: I finished reading Almonds and Raisins yesterday Oh my....that one takes me back...is that by Masie Mosco....my mum and I loved those books...can't remember how many there were now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbielleRose Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 I haven't read since Tuesday night (4 hours of HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban) so tonight I really want to just sit down and finish Crown of Wishes. Starting the audio book now while I do some cleaning stuffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 On 4/16/2017 at 6:39 AM, willoyd said: Which ones have you got left? On The Black Hill by Bruce ChatwinThe Go-Between by L. P. HartleyThe Stars Look Down by A. J. CroninSet In Stone by Robert GoddardAnother World by Pat BarkerThe Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall I started listening to that audio book of The Well of Loneliness this weekend, and I'm already over half way through, and I'm actually enjoying it. The narrator is making a good job of it (although having difficulty with some place names which I always find highly amusing ), but I do wonder if it would be as enjoyable if I was reading it. Probably going to save The Go-Between for my last read of the challenge, as I do like the sound of that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 11 hours ago, Inver said: Oh my....that one takes me back...is that by Masie Mosco....my mum and I loved those books...can't remember how many there were now. No, sorry it's not one of those - it's a Phryne Fisher Mystery by Kerry Greenwood. I've had my head stuck in a book all morning and have finished the latest Chronicles of St Mary's book - it was essential to read it as soon as I got up because I'd woken up in the night and ended up trying to work out how the author would resolve the story! I had all sorts of ideas going around my head, so as soon as I got up, I picked it back up again to finish it off and see if I was right (which I wasn't, thankfully ) I also read a novella by Gail Carriger from her steam punk world, called Romancing the Inventor. Not sure what I'm going to read next, and I've got far too many to choose from, but I doubt it'll take me long to find something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 (edited) 6 hours ago, chesilbeach said: On The Black Hill by Bruce ChatwinThe Go-Between by L. P. HartleyThe Stars Look Down by A. J. CroninSet In Stone by Robert GoddardAnother World by Pat BarkerThe Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall .......... Probably going to save The Go-Between for my last read of the challenge, as I do like the sound of that one. FWIW, my favourite of those was the Chatwin. Go-Between was the next. In the light of all the positive (rave!) reviews, I think I'm going to save The Old Wives' Tale for my last. Edited April 17, 2017 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 I'm currently reading Angie Sage - Septimus Heap 2: Flyte, I've been reading this book for 4 or 5 days now but I have been so busy I didn't have time to read much in it, until yesterday. I hope to finish the book later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 15 hours ago, willoyd said: FWIW, my favourite of those was the Chatwin. Go-Between was the next. In the light of all the positive (rave!) reviews, I think I'm going to save The Old Wives' Tale for my last. Worried now! I think I am going to save Cold Comfort Farm of the ones I have left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 I'm saving Mansfield Park, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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