Abcinthia Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) There isn't much of 2011 left but I figured it would be nice to have a reading list for it anyway Here's what I've read so far: 1. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov 2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson 3. The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson 4. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson 5. The Stand - Stephen King 6. Elizabeth The Queen - Alison Weir 7. The Bachman Books - Stephen King 8. Six Wives of Henry VIII - Alison Weir 9. It - Stephen King 10. The Host - Stephenie Meyer 11. To Kill A Mocking Bird - Harper Lee 12. Cell - Stephen King 13. The Dreams In The Witch House and Other Stories - HP Lovecraft 14. You Are Next - Katia Lief 15. The Gods Of The Greeks - Karl Kerényi 16. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë 17. Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel 18. She - H. Rider Haggard 19. Gave Sight - Charlaine Harris 20. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton 21. The Trial - Franz Kafka (Unfinished) 22. Grave Surprise - Charlaine Harris 23. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris 24. Grave Secret - Charlaine Harris 25. 'Salem's Lot - Stephen King 26. Tales From The Tower Of London - Daniel Diehl and Mark P. Donnelly 27. The Man In The Iron Mask - Alexandre Dumas 28. Breathless - Dean Koontz 29. Mary Tudor: England's First Queen - Anna Whitelock 30. The Count Of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas 31. The Almost Moon - Alice Sebold 32. Murder Of The Romanovs - Andrew Cook 33. Blaze - Stephen King 34. She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of England - Elizabeth Norton 35. Under The Dome - Stephen King 36. Les Liaisons Dangeruses - Choderlos de Laclos 37. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - Stephenie Meyer 38. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne 39. Needful Things- Stephen King 40. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier 41. A Study In Scarlet - Arthur Conan Doyle 42. The Tommyknockers - Stephen King 43. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown 44. Different Seasons - Stephen King 45. Catherine Of Aragon: Henry's Spanish Queen - Giles Tremlett 46. Jamaica Inn - Daphne Du Maurier 47. The Shining - Stephen King 48. The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall - Anne Brontë 49. The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger 50. Gone With The Wind - Margarent Mitchell 51. Cujo - Stephen King 52. Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII - David Starkey 53. The Green Mile - Stephen King 54. Marked - P. C. Cast 55. Betrayed- P. C. Cast 56. Chosen - P. C. Cast 57. The Hound Of The Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle 58. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens 59. Agnes Grey - Anne Brontë 60. The Romance Of Tristan - Béroul 61. The Princesse De Cléves - Marie-Madeleine De Lafayette 62. Untamed - P. C. Cast 63. Manon Lescaut - Abbé Prévost 64. Hunted - P. C. Cast 65. Tempted - P. C. Cast 66. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert 67. The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle 68. Journey To The Centre Of The Earth - Jules Verne 69. Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden 70. Emma - Jane Austen 71. The Sweet Forever - George Pelecanos 72. Karl Marx - Francis Wheen 73. The Feast Of All Saints - Anne Rice 74. Villette - Charlotte Brontë 75. Rose Madder - Stephen King 76. The Unpredictable Queen - E. E. P. Tisdall 77. Deception Point - Dan Brown 78. The Greek Myths - Robert Graves 79. Sons and Lovers - D. H. Lawrence 80. Last Of The Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper 81. The Red Room - Nicci French 82. A Handful Of Dust - Evelyn Waugh 83. 1984 - George Orwell 84. Queen Of This Realm - Jean Plaidy 85. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens 86. The Rendezvous And Other Stories - Daphne Du Maurier 87. Shirley - Charlotte Brontë 88. The Ghosts Of Sleath - James Herbert 89. Sylvia - Bryce Courtenay 90. Chocolat - Joanne Harris 91. The Dead Women of Juárez - Sam Hawken 92. Still Life - Joe Donnelly 93. Brother Grimm - Craig Russell 94. Frenchman's Creek - Daphne Du Maurier 95. Labyrinth - Kate Mosse 96. Just Before Sunset - Stephen King 97. The Lady Elizabeth - Alison Weir 98. The Grave Tattoo - Val McDermid 99. Past Mortem - Ben Elton 100. The Russian Concubine - Kate Furnivall 101. Memoirs Of A Woman Of Pleasure: Fanny Hill - John Cleland 102. The Glass-Blowers - Daphne Du Maurier 103. Spiral - Paul McEuen 104. Dead In The Family - Charlaine Harris 105. Deeper Than The Dead - Tami Hoag 106. The Book Of Human Skin - Michelle Lovric (Unfinished) 107. The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher: Or The Murder At Road Hill House - Kate Summerscale 108. Autumn - David Moody Edited December 30, 2011 by Abcinthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 er..impressed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Wow, that's a lotta books! Quick question, how did you find The Host and Last of the Mohicans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Nice list read a few of these myself whats been your favourite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 er..impressed! Thank you. I didn't expect to read so many as I've had quite a busy year (especially over the summer months). My target for 2011 was 70 books which I thought would be difficult to reach. Now I think I'm going to try to reach 100. Wow, that's a lotta books! Quick question, how did you find The Host and Last of the Mohicans? I thought The Host was ok overall. The premise was very interesting as were some parts of the plot but I felt like something was lacking that let it down. At times the characters really frustrated me because I thought they were wooden or the internal dialougue would go on forever about the same issues (which really was not that interesting). Also sometimes it really felt like certain parts of the story were being dragged out longer than they should be. Last Of The Mohicans I really really struggled with. My partner had attempted to read it before and told me it was a hard read but despite that, I did not expect struggle with it as much as I did. The action scenes were very interesting but they were done no favours by the author's heavy writing style. I really did not get any pleasure out of reading it and only finished it because I hate leaving books unfinished (I always hope they will get better towards the end). Nice list read a few of these myself whats been your favourite? There have been quite a few I've enjoyed reading. My top five would be: 1. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert 2. Les Liaisons Dangeruses - Choderlos de Laclos 3. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier 4. Under The Dome - Stephen King 5. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Very impressive list What did you think of The Almost Moon? I personally really didn't like it but I've always wondered if maybe that's because I set my expectations too high after reading 'The Lovely Bones'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 (edited) Very impressive list What did you think of The Almost Moon? I personally really didn't like it but I've always wondered if maybe that's because I set my expectations too high after reading 'The Lovely Bones'. I really disliked The Almost Moon. I always try to find at least something redeeming about a book I've read but I struggled to find anything even remotely good about The Almost Moon. I disliked the plot, the characters and the writing style. I was really disapointed because I enjoyed The Lovely Bones loads. I finished book 89 last night: Sylvia - Bryce Courtenay Synopsis (from goodreads): Sylvia is the story of the Children's Crusade - 1212 - possibly the strangest event to take place in European history. It is the story of the power of a young girl's love in the midst of medirabbed the neval darkness to fight brutality and bigotry. Thoughts: From the blurb on the back of the book I was expecting to read a story about the Children's Crusade. However, over 2/3rds of the book is about Sylvia's life and events building up to the Crusade. In general the book was not really what I was expecting. It started off ok, improved when the character of Reinhardt the ratcatcher was introduced, then lost steam about half way through and never recovered. The book was horribly repetitive, the same events happening everytime Sylvia goes to a new place, meets anyone new or gets in trouble. I really got frustrated towards the end and just wanted something different to happen. The book was a very easy read. It was 498 pages long but written in an easy to read style. The narrative is 1st person and mixes olden words/phrases (eg thy, verily) with modern day phrases and words. Random Quote: She grabbed the neck of my garment from both sides and jerked it down to expose my shoulder-blades and so also the birthmark of the fish. Favourite character: Reinhardt the ratcatcher. Rating: 2/5 Edited November 19, 2011 by Abcinthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Blimey - you are a book monster! And there are some right tomes in that lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 Chocolat - Joanne Harris Synopsis (from Amazon): "I hear our M'sieur le Curé already has it in for you ... Does he know you're a witch?" Lansquenet-sous-Tannes--"a blip on the fast road between Toulouse and Bourdeaux"--and new home to Vianne Rocher, her six-year-old daughter Anouk, and Anouk's "imaginary" rabbit, Pantoufle. They arrive "on the wind of the carnival", and, a couple of days later, Vianne opens a luxuriant chocolate shop. "La Céleste Praline" bubbles over with the most tempting of confections, topped with an irresistible selection of rich, smooth chocolate drinks. It's Lent, the shop is opposite the church (which Vianne and Anouk don't attend) it's open on Sundays and Francis Reynaud, the austere parish priest with the "measuring, feline look" is not exactly happy. As one by one the villagers sidle into the shop to sample Vianne's concoctions, we learn of their characters and secrets, their loves Myand desires, their troubles and hopes. Sad, polite Guillame and his dying dog. Shoplifting, beaten Joséphine Muscat. And Armande Voizin, still vigorous and perceptive in her 80s, who can see Pantoufle, and recognises Vianne for who she really is. But Reynaud has his power base. And when Vianne advertises a Grand Festival of Chocolate to start on Easter Sunday, it's all-out war. War between church and chocolate.. Thoughts: This book was very enjoyable, especially with the characters and humour. The character of Vianne was well thought out and although some of her life before Lansquenet is told through Vianne's thoughts and flashbacks, it still hints of mystery and allure. The people who lived in the village were really realistic to me, as were their problems. My favourite character was Armande Voizin who supplied a lot of the humour in the book. I loved her insightful comments and her comments to others. The chapters were narrated by either Vianne or by her enemy Father Reynaud. It was nice to get the different perspectives about events that had happened or were going to happen. However, I felt at times that Father Reynaud's conversations, to the Father in a coma, were slightly repetitive. Random Quote: "I don't think the cities have the franchise on enjoyment," I snapped. "Everyone needs a little luxury, a little self-indulgence from time to time." Favourite character: Armande Voizin Rating: 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 The Dead Women of Jurárez - Sam Hawken Synopsis (from goodreads): In the last twenty years, over 3000 women have disappeared from Ciudad Juarez, on the border between Mexico and the USA. Sam Hawken takes this story of mass murder and abduction and weaves around it the story of Kelly Courter, a washed up boxer from Texas, who is past playing the stooge in the ring, as long as he gets paid. Thoughts: It wasn't a bad crime story but it was predictable at times. The characters are engaging and I really felt for the families of the women who have gone missing or found dead. Those scenes were beautifully written and the fact it is based on facts (women really are going missing or are found dead at an alarming rate) makes it more heartbreaking. Random Quote: The visible strain of hard work and sorrow would turn her into an artifact like the others, a monument to loss and pain. Favourite Character: Paloma Rating: 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Wow! You have read so many books this year! Your a reading machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Still Life - Joe Donnelly Synopsis (from goodreads and edited to remove a lot of spoilers from the second half of the book!): Paralyzed from the waist down during a shoot-out, Caitlin Brook has moved back to her childhood village overlooking the Fasach Wood. Visited by Martin Thornton, a reporter who witnessed the shooting and ran to protect her, Caitlin initially believes that he is interested only in her ''story,'' but soon a romance develops. Then Caitlin's wheelchair is pushed into the river by a strange beast and she nearly drowns. Rescued by Sheila Garvie, a charismatic local healer, Caitlin soon sees that more than her spirits are being restored. Wanderers into the Fasach Wood are treated to revoltingly painful deaths at the hands (limbs) of trees. Thoughts: This was one of the best horror books I have ever read. The plot is scary (trees and plants in a forest that kill people!) but it's made even more frightening by just how well Donnelly describes what is happening - whether it's the mundane life of the towns people or the last moments of a poor person who went into the forest. The characters are well thought out, believable and I really felt for many of them. Random Quote: He turned in a circle and it was as if the world spun. Everywhere he looked there were tree trunks. They marched on and on, old and hoary and solid. And silent. Favourite Character: Too many to pick just one. Rating: 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 Brother Grimm - Craig Russell Synopsis (from goodreads): A girl's body lies, posed, on the pale sand of a Hamburg beach, a message concealed in her hand. 'I have been underground, and now it is time for me to return home...' Jan Fabel, of the Hamburg Murder Squad, struggles to interpret the twisted imagery of a dark and brutal mind. Four days later, a man and a woman are found deep in woodland, their throats slashed deep and wide, the names 'Hansel' and 'Gretel', in the same tiny, obsessively neat writing, rolled tight and pressed into their hands. As it becomes clear that each new cime is a grisly reference to folk stories collected almost two hundred years ago by the Brothers Grimm, the hunt is on for a serial killer who is exploring our darkest, most fundamental fears. A predator who kills and then disappears into the shadows. A monster we all learned to fear in childhood. Thoughts: It was a good crime novel. The plot was well thought out, well written and really gripping. The idea of turning the original sinister Brother Grimm tales and making them the inspiration for a madman's murderous fantasies was a stroke of brilliance. Russell also delivered a huge shock at the end of the book. All along I thought I was able to pick out who the murderer was but the twist at the end was unexpected. What I disliked was that a lot of emphasis was placed on one character's involvement in the murder because of the metal bands he liked and that the clothes he wore included *gasp* band t-shirts and black!!!! I thought it was so clichéd that he must be a bad guy because of his choice of clothing and music. Especially with the juxtaposition of the good cop listening to classical music and making a big point of mentioning it. Random Quote: We do not simply progress from history to legend to myth - we invent, we elaborate, we fabricate. The myth and the fable become the enduring truth. Favourite Character: I liked Anna. She was one of the police officers and I really thought she was funny and interesting. Rating: 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) Frenchman's Creek - Daphne Du Maurier Synopsis (from goodreads): Daphne du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek is the scandalous tale of one woman's will to seize adventure by the horns and become the fugitive of her own fate. Jaded by frivolous Restoration London and the numbing civility of its hollow members, Lady Dona St. Columb revolts against polite society. She rides into the countryside, guided only by her restlessness and the indomitable longing for escape. But when chance leads her to meet a French pirate hidden within Cornwall's shadowy forests, Dona discovers that her passions and thirst for adventure have never been more aroused. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with death and glory, and one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain destruction or gamble away her own to save him. Thoughts: I adored this book. I am a great fan of du Maurier and this novel did not disappoint. It is a beautifully written with a great plot to match: I felt disapointed that my past 24 hours have been so busy and I wasn't able to sit down and read the book in one go. Random Quote: All whispers and echoes from a past that is gone teem into the sleeper's brain, and he is with them, and part of them. Favourite Character: It has to be Lady Dona St. Columb Rating: 5/5 Edited November 27, 2011 by Abcinthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I have read two du Maurier books recently (The Flight of the Falcon and Julius), and enjoyed them so much I'm sure I will read another soon - it's just hard to choose which I will read next! Frenchman's Creek is definitely on my shortlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 27, 2011 Author Share Posted November 27, 2011 I have read two du Maurier books recently (The Flight of the Falcon and Julius), and enjoyed them so much I'm sure I will read another soon - it's just hard to choose which I will read next! Frenchman's Creek is definitely on my shortlist ooo I haven't read either of those yet. I really want to read My Cousin Rachel. I thought the blurb was really interesting but someone has taken it out of the library so I'll have to wait to read it (unless I buy it first which I might do!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Wonderful and varied list Abcinthia! Your reviews have peaked my interest in Chocolat and Still Life, and yes, Brother Grimm as well. I'd wondered about Chocolat, but couldn't make up my mind, you have. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 (edited) Wonderful and varied list Abcinthia! Your reviews have peaked my interest in Chocolat and Still Life, and yes, Brother Grimm as well. I'd wondered about Chocolat, but couldn't make up my mind, you have. Thanks! I'm glad I helped! I've wondered about Chocolat before and only picked it up because it was on the return shelf at my library. Labyrinth - Kate Mosse Synopsis (from goodreads): In this extraordinary thriller, rich in the atmospheres of medieval and contemporary France, the lives of two women born centuries apart are linked by a common destiny. July 2005. In the Pyrenees mountains near Carcassonne, Alice, a volunteer at an archaeological dig stumbles into a cave and makes a startling discovery-two crumbling skeletons, strange writings on the walls, and the pattern of a labyrinth; between the skeletons, a stone ring, and a small leather bag. Eight hundred years earlier, on the eve of a brutal crusade to stamp out heresy that will rip apart southern France, Alais is given a ring and a mysterious book for safekeeping by her father as he leaves to fight the crusaders. The book, he says, contains the secret of the true Grail, and the ring, inscribed with a labyrinth, will identify a guardian of the Grail. As crusading armies led by Church potentates and nobles of northern France gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take great sacrifice to keep the secret of the labyrinth safe. In the present, another woman sees the find as a means to the political power she craves; while a man who has great power will kill to destroy all traces of the discovery and everyone who stands in his Thoughts: I must confess I only picked up this book because I have heard so many people tell me it is awful or the worst book they have ever read. It made me really curious to read this book that so many people dislike. I found it wasn't as bad as I had been told, but it was still a tedious read. What annoyed me the most was the writing style. The split narrative, that works so well in other books, really added nothing to this book. I found it really annoying and boring to read the 13th century parts and must admit, I disliked nearly all the characters from that bit. I think if Alice discovered the skeletons in the cave, then slowly pieced together what happened 800years ago, whilst escaping from all the dangerous people, it would have made a better novel. Random Quote: For a moment everything is silent. Then the darkness melts. Alice is no longer in the cave. Favourite Character: Probably Alice Tanner Rating: 2/5 Edited December 1, 2011 by Abcinthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 The Dead Women of Jurárez - Sam Hawken Thoughts: It wasn't a bad crime story but it was predictable at times. The characters are engaging and I really felt for the families of the women who have gone missing or found dead. Those scenes were beautifully written and the fact it is based on facts (women really are going missing or are found dead at an alarming rate) makes it more heartbreaking.Rating: 3/5 I meant to remark on this one as well Abcinthia. Have you read 2666 by Bolano? It covers the killings, in a different manner, and they are only part of it. I gave up on it after 500 pages. The Dead Women of Juarez sounds as though it gives the respect to the dead that they deserve. 2666 did not as far as I was concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 I meant to remark on this one as well Abcinthia. Have you read 2666 by Bolano? It covers the killings, in a different manner, and they are only part of it. I gave up on it after 500 pages. The Dead Women of Juarez sounds as though it gives the respect to the dead that they deserve. 2666 did not as far as I was concerned. No I haven't read 2666. I thought the deaths and the families grief were handled well in The Dead Women of Juarez. It came across that the author really cared and wanted to have an ending where the people responsible, even if they were only responsible for a small percentage of the disappearences, were brought to justice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 I finished Just Before Sunset by Stephen King this evening. I'm a bit tired, don't have the book to hand and got an early start tomorrow so I'll just say it's a collection of 13 short stories. My favourites were The Gingerbread Girl, Graduation Day, N., The Cat From Hell and A Very Tight Place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 The Lady Elizabeth - Alison Weir Synopsis (from goodreads): Alison Weir was already one of Britain's most popular historians when she wrote her first novel, "Innocent Traitor", which hit the "Sunday Times" bestseller list to a chorus of praise. Now, in her second novel, Alison Weir goes to the heart of Tudor England at its most dangerous and faction-riven in telling the story of Elizabeth I before she became queen. The towering capricious figure of Henry VIII dominates her childhood, but others play powerful roles: Mary, first a loving sister, then as queen a lethal threat; Edward, the rigid and sad little King; Thomas Seymour, the Lord High Admiral, whose ambitions, both political and sexual, are unbridled. And, an ever-present ghost, the enigmatic, seductive figure of her mother Anne Boleyn, executed by Henry, whose story Elizabeth must unravel. Elizabeth learns early that the adult world contains many threats that have to be negotiated if she is to keep her heart and her head. Thoughts: I did really enjoy this novel which charts Elizabeth's life up until the death of Mary I. I am a massive fan of the Tudor period and so I find I am always hypercritical of fictional books set then. I liked that Weir decided to go a different route when portraying Elizabeth and imagining that the gossip really was true. As she has written non-fiction book about this period, it was very well researched and her attention to detail was excellent. On the downside, I did find the book heavy reading at times due to the writing style. It might just be the leap from non-fiction to fiction and I've read reviews on other websites that said this book is an improvement writing-wise since her first novel (which I haven't yet read but it is on my wishlist!) so I can only hope Weir improves with her next novel because I think she could be great. Random Quote: Elizabeth spent the next few days excitedly anticipating her return to court. She looked forward to the feasts, the revels, the chance to wear her fine clothes, and to the lords and ladies praising and complimenting her. Favourite Character: Elizabeth! Rating: 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted December 4, 2011 Author Share Posted December 4, 2011 The Grave Tattoo - Val McDermid Synopsis (from goodreads): A corpse is discovered on a hill in the Lake District, adorned with bizarre tattoos. Wordsworth expert Jane Gresham finds herself distracted from her studies of the great Lakeland poet when another mystery surfaces, involving the Pitcairn Massacre and the events of the mutiny on the Bounty. Is it possible that Fletcher Christian, who led the rebellion against Captain Bligh, faked his own death and clandestinely returned to England? Jane makes a connection between the tattooed body and the tattoos on sailors who served in the South Seas--is this the body of Fletcher Christian? And Jane has another problem on her hands--a young girl who she has tried to help finds herself a murder suspect, and tracks her down to the Lakes. And as Jane closes in on a Wordsworth manuscript that may be a direct transcription of Fletcher Christian's confession, she finds herself with someone else on her trail--an ex-lover with similar designs on the precious document. Thoughts: I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy this book. It's well written. The plot is interesting. The majority of characters were well thought out; a few felt flat but there were many characters and it can be hard to make them all interesting. The novel just didn't work for me for some reason, despite all it's good qualities, I had to myself to finish it. Favourite Character: Jane Gresham Rating: 2/5 and those are only for how well it was written and that the plot was interesting. If I was rating on how much I enjoyed it, I'd give it 1/5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Finished my 100th book of 2011. The Russian Concubine - Kate Furnivall Synopsis (from goodreads): A sweeping novel set in war-torn 1928 China, with a star-crossed love story at its center. In a city full of thieves and Communists, danger and death, spirited young Lydia Ivanova has lived a hard life. Always looking over her shoulder, the sixteen-year-old must steal to feed herself and her mother, Valentina, who numbered among the Russian elite until Bolsheviks murdered most of them, including her husband. As exiles, Lydia and Valentina have learned to survive in a foreign land. Often, Lydia steals away to meet with the handsome young freedom fighter Chang An Lo. But they face danger: Chiang Kai Shek's troops are headed toward Junchow to kill Reds like Chang, who has in his possession the jewels of a tsarina, meant as a gift for the despot's wife. The young pair's all-consuming love can only bring shame and peril upon them, from both sides. Those in power will do anything to quell it. But Lydia and Chang are powerless to end it. Thoughts: I felt this book started off weak and slow, improved a bit towards the end but was ruined by quite a rushed ending. There were so many storylines and characters, who all know each other in some way, that it was a bit difficult to keep up at times. It's more of a romance novel (and even then the romance story we've read a million times before) than a historical novel which I think is a pity as the historical parts were more interesting to read. It's certainly interested me in finding out more about China in the 1920s. Overall, I'd just call the story ok. It was somewhat enjoyable to read but is not memorable and I would probably never think to read it again. Random Quote: It stopped him cold. He felt the blood drain from his face. With an efforthe replaced the scotch on the table. Favourite Character: Lydia. Rating: 2/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abcinthia Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 I finished The Glass-Blowers by Daphne Du Maurier. It was different than her other novels I've read, but it was really enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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