pontalba Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry The story of 99 year old Roseanne, who has been held in a mental hospital since she was a young woman. As the hospital is closing, her psychiatrist has to assess her to decide whether she needs continuing psychiatric care or whether she can be returned to the community, and the book follows the story of her life both from her own memories and from the records that are held in various institutions; there is an interesting twist to the tale towards the end. I found this book a very moving read, and well written, but quite depressing as it deals very much with the inhumanity of ordinary people to someone in need. Having said that, there are some characters who do not fall into this category, and the various strands of the story are tied up well at the end. Both this and The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber have been in my TBR stack for quite a while. I'll have to organize myself a bit more and get to them. Thanks for the good review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 3, 2010 Author Share Posted July 3, 2010 Hope you enjoy The Secret Scripture when you get to it, frankie and pontalba, I definitely enjoyed it much more than I expected to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 3, 2010 Author Share Posted July 3, 2010 (edited) [/url] I had to copy and paste the picture of the book and some of the illustrations, because they just added so much to my enjoyment! Every time I took it out of its slipcase it was a joy to me, and the feel of the paper even made turning every page a pleasure. Thank you, Folio Society! Possession by A S Byatt Two contemporary academics discover a mystery involving two Victorian poets, and this book unravels the mystery by intertwining the present-day stories with those from the past. The writing is beautiful and brings both past and present to life, and I became more and more involved in the book as it went on, until I reached the ending in tears. As I had expected this book to be a bit dry, that came as something of a surprise to me! The book includes the correspondence between the two Victorian poets, as well as their (sometimes very long) poems, and I can applaud the writer's skill in bringing such true voices to her characters. However, to me, I actually found these hard going to read and would have enjoyed the book more without them - when I come to reread it, I will just skim over the letters, and probably not read the poems at all. Overall, though, a lovely book and a greatly enjoyable read. Edited August 6, 2010 by Ooshie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 What a gorgeous edition! I have Possession on the shelf, unread as of yet, but it's only a plain trade paperback. /sigh/ Good review Ooshie, my OH read it last year and enjoyed it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 3, 2010 Author Share Posted July 3, 2010 Definitely a good read, pontalba. What did your OH think of the letters and poems? I am sure someone more "literary" than I am would really enjoy them, but I would have been quite happy without! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 This sounds fab, ooshie. I'll have to have a look out for it. Sounds right up my street! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I've got this on my shelf as well so it's good to hear that you enjoyed it, i'll bear in mind what you said about the letters when i come to read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Yes it's on my shelf as well, I must get around to reading it - your review has encouraged me I found The Childrens Book a bit daunting, but it was amazingly well written and I do want to read more from her. Beautiful, beautiful edition, what a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share Posted July 5, 2010 I thoroughly recommend it, Mac, Kidsmum and poppyshake, as I am still thinking about the book days after finishing it. Don't let me put you off the letters and poems, though; I'm absolutely sure lots of people will love them, and I would like to hear what others think of them. It's just me being a literary wuss! One thing I did find, though - it wasn't a book that I could enjoy just picking up for 5 or 10 minutes, I got much more from it when I was able to give it half an hour or more at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share Posted July 6, 2010 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Bored and sleepy on a summer afternoon, Alice falls down a rabbit-hole after following a talking White Rabbit. Landing with a bump after a long, long fall, she finds herself in Wonderland, where animals talk and dance, foods and drinks make her shrink or grow, and nothing makes sense at all. I had avoided reading Alice for years as I thought I would find it irritating, but had been looking forward to finally reading it for the Reading Group. On starting the book I thought I was going to enjoy it, but very soon it began to annoy me, and I was very, very glad to finish it. I found Alice to be a rude and irritating child, which didn't help! Thankfully, it was a very short book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 6, 2010 Author Share Posted July 6, 2010 I Can See You by Karen Rose Eve Wilson is only just rejoining society; she had hidden for years after being kidnapped, mutilated and left for dead. As part of her Abnormal Psychology degree, she is involved in a study using an online game and realises that a serial killer is targeting participants in her study. The close friends she thinks of as her family, and new friends she has made connected to the police department, all become involved in a race against time to stop further murders - including Eve's own. I did quite enjoy this book, but not as much as I had expected to. While I would read another book by Karen Rose if someone gave it to me I don't think I would actually buy another novel by her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 I have never read any novels by Karen Rose, may order some from the library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 Definitely a good read, pontalba. What did your OH think of the letters and poems? I am sure someone more "literary" than I am would really enjoy them, but I would have been quite happy without! He does tend more toward literary fiction, and as far as I can tell enjoyed it, but found it a bit slow [which he likes]. I asked him what he thought of the letters and poems, and from what he said, I think it's a bit of a blur to him at this point. It's been at least a year since he read it I believe. I seem to recall that he put it down a lot in-between and read other books as well. But we both do that anyhow. But, and I remember this for sure...his impressions didn't make me want to read it immediately, and in fact, I haven't gotten to it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 Oh my goodness, that Possession edition is to die for! Beautiful I wants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 Oh my goodness, that Possession edition is to die for! Beautiful I wants! After your book cleanse, you would have room for it too! I think of it as having a dual purpose, as a book and as a visual work of art! *Hugs book tight and runs away* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Don't run away with it Let me have a proper look at it, that's nice, just hand it in gently, I'll take good care of it... I should have room for it, but I'm determined not to buy books because I'm saving money for my UK trip next autumn and I just know there'll be plenty of secondhand bookshops, where all the books are in English! That's my idea of heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Don't hand it over Ooshie! I have a feeling you might not get it back again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Shush Kylie!!! Where's Argyll, Scotland, exatcly? Maybe I'll come and visit you Ooshie... No ulterior motives, I swear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Sorry Frankie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 Shush Kylie!!! Where's Argyll, Scotland, exatcly? Maybe I'll come and visit you Ooshie... No ulterior motives, I swear! I think you are right, Kylie! If you make it to Scotland I might let you stroke my book, frankie, but hand it over??? *hyperventilates and hides book at the thought* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 You are too wise, you are too intuitive... Fine! I'll just have to look for it in the bookshops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I think you are right, Kylie! If you make it to Scotland I might let you stroke my book, frankie, but hand it over??? *hyperventilates and hides book at the thought* I now have a mental image of Frankie cradling your book in her arms and cooing to it while she strokes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I do cuddle books sometimes, especially in bed to make BF go all jealous, but I've never done cooing I might try it the next time I see BF though, to see his reaction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 I love the picture of you cuddling books, frankie! And I love imagining your BF's face if you start cooing to them, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky The story of 15-year-old Charlie as he finds his way through high school and begins to make sense of growing up as well as his earlier childhood, and his relationships with his friends, family and teacher/mentor. I hadn't particularly expected to enjoy this book as I didn't think a "coming of age" story would interest me much. However, this was a touching little book which I liked very much. I thought the voice of the main character seemed to belong to a boy younger than 15, but that didn't take much away from my enjoyment of the story. A very touching read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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