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Mistress Masham's Repose by T H White


Janet

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12. Did any of the dialogue stick out for you as being either very good… or very bad!

 

I know that I don't seem to have liked the bits that everybody else did...but I liked the initial bit of dialogue between Maria and the professor where she was pretending to be a pirate and he picked up on that straight away and went with it....adults don't usually have that playfulness. Sadly the rest of the professors antics didn't match up to that for me.

 

13. Were you engaged immediately with the story, or did it take you a while to get into it?

 

I was pretty much into it straight away , I thought it started off well and went belly up later

 

14. Did you find the ending of the book satisfactory? If not, what would you have changed about it?

 

Yes I think it was satisfactory as it was a children's book. It is important that things get resolved in a nice way and have a happy ending.

 

15. If you enjoyed the book, would you have liked a sequel? How do you think the story could develop in the sequel?

 

Haha if it was written nowadays it would be the start of a trilogy at least. I don't think it warranted a sequel though.

 

16. What did you think about the setting of the book? Does it come to life? Did you feel you were experiencing the time and place in which the book was set?

 

Yes I think so. I very much liked Malplaquet the place. Oh the fake Northamptonshire place names annoyed me though, having grown up in that county.

 

17. From the answers to questions 1 to 11 so far (6 Feb) it seems that the book hasn’t stood the test of time as it feels rather dated. Despite this, do you think the same basic story could be written today in a way which was convincing and enjoyable to today’s young people?

 

Yes I think so. Plots get recycled all the time. The main point of the story for me was the moral lesson Maria learned about not treating them as toys. If a new version lost that it would not be worth reading IMO

 

18. If you were able to talk to T H White, is there anything you would you ask him about the book?

 

Can't think of any burning questions...

 

19. If your book has an introduction did you read it?

a) If yes, did you read it before or after you’d read the actual story?

b) If you read it before the story, did it enhance your enjoyment in any way?

 

I had the same version you did Janet with intro by Anne Fine. I read it beforehand. I am not sure it influenced me in any way, except to wonder why she liked it so much.

 

II...

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Janet :smile: Regarding the inheritance, I think it was some sort of old ancestral inheritance which was tied up like 'Jarndyce vs Jarndyce' until that is the Professor found an old document in the dungeons which helped release it. I'm rather hoping to find something similar myself .. 'I'm hourly expecting' as Mr Micawber might say :D

Thanks. :) I should probably just accept it at face value, but I can't help thinking there would have been nothing left for her to inherit in terms of cash to restore Malplaquet by the time the Professor found a release document!

 

I'd never heard of the word until reading it in Mistress Masham but when I went in to Waterstones yesterday on one of their displays promoting 'Dickens & the Victorians' was this ...

quincunx.jpg

I think the word is following us about Janet :D You wait .. there'll be a 'Quincunx Tea Rooms' opening in Bath soon :D

Oooh, spooky! *Goes to look up book*

 

{ ETA:

Product details

Paperback: 1248 pages

:thud: }

 

If we ever get a Quincunx Tea Rooms in Bath I will take you there and buy you lunch to celebrate the unlikeliness of it all! :giggle2:

Edited by Janet
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15. If you enjoyed the book, would you have liked a sequel? How do you think the story could develop in the sequel?

 

Haha if it was written nowadays it would be the start of a trilogy at least. I don't think it warranted a sequel though.

:lol: LOL @ it being a trilogy – that does seem true of a lot of today’s books!

 

16. What did you think about the setting of the book? Does it come to life? Did you feel you were experiencing the time and place in which the book was set?

 

Yes I think so. I very much liked Malplaquet the place. Oh the fake Northamptonshire place names annoyed me though, having grown up in that county.

I can understand this, especially if you know that area well. As someone who doesn’t I still thought some of the names in the section where Maria was leading the governess and the vicar on a wild goose chase were certainly… a bit over the top!

 

I had the same version you did Janet with intro by Anne Fine. I read it beforehand. I am not sure it influenced me in any way, except to wonder why she liked it so much.

Oh yes, that would be a good question for her. I can think of so many far better children’s books out there, so it would be interesting to find out why she felt it so good!

 

Thanks for the responses. :)

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1.
Who was your favourite character...?t

Maria was my favourite character I thought she was clever , brave & loyal but I also liked the Lord Lieutenant who I thought was very funny

 

 

2. ...and your least favourite?

I didn't really dislike anyone in particular, Miss Brown & the vicar were obviously the baddies but they were too hopeless to really dislike

 

3.
Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest?

I liked it when Maria first went to the island & spotted her first lilliputians I could just imagine how exciting that would be, also when she was leading Miss Brown & the vicar astray when they were trying to follow her & of course the escape.

 

4.
Was this the first book you've read in this genre / by this author, has it encouraged you to read more?

It is the first book I've read by the author I wouldn't say it's encouraged me to read more by him but it hasn't put me off him either.

 

5.
Have you read Gulliver's Travels?

.......
a.
If yes, did it make this a more enjoyable experience?

.......
b.
If no, has this book inspired you to have a go at Swift's masterpiece?

I haven't read Gulliver's Travels but I would like to read it so I guess the book has inspired me to do so although I'll probably get it from the library rather than fork out any money for it. It 'd be interesting to see how it differs from the film version which probably has lots of bits missed out.

 

6.
Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?

I found the history of the house quite boring also the story of how the Lilliputians ended up on the island was a bit dull.

 

7.
Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?

Even though I found bits of the book boring overall I'd say that I enjoyed the story.

 

8.
Would you recommend the book and if so to whom?

I can't think of anyone I'd recommend the book too certainly not any children
:giggle2:

 

9.
The book was first published in 1946 - has it stood the test of time?

No I don't think so, I originally bought it to read to my youngest daughter who is 8 but her eyes glazed over before we'd even got through the first chapter. I thought the basic storyline was very good but there was too much that had to be explained to young children yet any older children who might have a better understanding of the vocabulary wouldn't be interested in the storyline.

10.
Maria treats the Lilliputians quite badly when she gets over her initial shock at finding them. Why does she behave this way towards them?

I agree with everyone else on this one because she was a child, I kind of liked the fact that she behaved in this way though as it meant that she wasn't too nice & so imo it made her more likable.

 

11. T H White was an atheist - do you think this comes across in his writing at all?

No I don't think so, vicars, religious groups & the like are often portrayed in a bad light in books & films.

Really interesting reading everyone's opinions on the book I wish I'd put my thoughts down as soon as I';d finished it though as it's been a struggle to remember a lot of the details. I'll have to be more organised for next time I join in.
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If we ever get a Quincunx Tea Rooms in Bath I will take you there and buy you lunch to celebrate the unlikeliness of it all! :giggle2:

:smile:We will have the Quincunx cream tea .. though I hope it doesn't consist of five scones .. even I would struggle :D

 

Surely the book can't have 1248 pages!?! .. it didn't look that chunky .. it must be written on quite thin paper. Oh goodness, I'm daunted by a 400 pager :giggle: You would have to Kindle it Janet .. you couldn't possibly turn that many pages over :D

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Sorry I haven’t come back to reply and discuss earlier, I’ve had computer problems!

 

Scatterbrained is the perfect word to describe the professor!

 

Yay for google translate! (As long as one’s translating single words and not sentences.. :D)

 

I loved these parts too! I’d forgotten about Captain, but he was cute!

 

I would let Captain adopt me anyday!

 

A bloater is a type of herring – popular in the UK years ago, but I don’t recall ever seeing them in recent years. I know they used to make bloater paste. Do you get fish paste? It’s pretty vile stuff (in my opinion) sold in jars – when I was a kid we used to have salmon paste sandwiches for tea on a Sunday! If I’m recalling correctly, bearing in mind I haven’t eaten it for 30+ years, it’s like a mixture of fish and sawdust!

 

Ewww herring! I don’t mean to offend any herring-lovers but herring is vile. Ah! I’ve just picture googled bloaters and it’s just fish. I take back what I said. Herring perse might be okay, but whenever I think of herring, I think of those glass jars containing herring in different marinades, and that’s vile.

 

I’ve now done some research on pastes, even discussed it with ex (he’s always keen on these cultural things and likes to know what new things I learn on the forum, makes him smarter too :D), and we came to the conclusion that yes we have fish paste :D We have fish egg paste (?) or roe paste (?), and I’m sure we have some other stuff as well but I can’t think of any at the moment.

 

I’m getting quite hungry now!

 

Wink wink indeed!

 

:giggle:

 

I’m not sure, really! I did enjoy the Disney film of the Sword in the Stone very much (I’m not sure how true to the book it is), but Arthurian legend isn’t something that really appeals to me. I’m not sure why! I live fairly near to Glastonbury which is, I believe, thought to be associated with Arthur somehow. I can’t quite put my finger on why but they just aren’t me – although maybe I’m missing out by not reading them!

 

 

Ah, fair enough :)

 

I would give Mistress Masham’s Repose about 3/5, I think. It wasn’t bad… just not as good as I’d anticipated. There are other books that I would consider children’s classics that I enjoyed much more than this. Things like Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden, Tom’s Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce (one of my favourites), Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier, Gobbolino the Witch's Cat by Ursula Williams (another favourite!) – and this just didn’t live up to them.

 

This reminds me I really need to read Tom’s Midnight Garden, I’ve been meaning to for ages but I always forget about it, maybe because I confuse the title with The Secret Garden and Bridge to Terabithia, both of which I’ve read, which makes my brain think I’ve read TMG as well and then I never remember to look for a copy!

 

I did enjoy Gulliver’s Travels – some bits more than others, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. I read it purely because of the ‘blurb’ on the back of Mistress Masham.

 

I’m happy to hear you enjoyed GT! And I can’t believe I’d forgotten all about the blurb of MMR including a mention of GT, otherwise I would’ve read GT before MMR. It must’ve just completely slipped my mind!

 

She's the daughter of Bloomsbury Group writer David Garnett, with whom White was friends. I didn't know until I read his entry that he wrote Aspects of Love, which Andrew Lloyd Webber turned into a musical!

 

ETA: Apparently she drowned aged 29. I found an article in The Guardian which says...

 

Amaryllis died in 1973, and her sad story may feature in a further volume of autobiography: "She was discovered in the Thames, drowned, but nobody knew why she'd fallen in, or whether she'd fallen in, or whether she'd done it herself, or what had ­happened. She didn't leave any note or anything behind her."

 

That’s so sad L Rip Amaryllis!

 

That link you posted on David Garnett was full of interesting stuff! It’s promising when almost all of the people Garnett was associated with and that are mentioned on his wiki page have links of their own, meaning they are famous for something themselves.

 

I found this quite disturbing (very off-topic!):

 

"

Garnett was bisexual, as were several members of the artistic and literary

Bloomsbury Group, and he had affairs with Francis Birrell and Duncan Grant. He

was present at the birth of Grant's daughter, Angelica […], on 25 December 1918,

and wrote to a friend shortly afterwards, "I think of marrying it. When

she is 20, I shall be 46– will it be scandalous?". When Angelica was in her

early twenties, they did marry (on 8 May 1942), to the horror of her

parents

."

Edited by frankie
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Oh that's sad but how lovely that he referred to her throughout the book (though I am a little disappointed that he wasn't talking to me) she must have felt very special

 

I was also a bit disappointed :blush: I liked being called Amaryllis and being addressed by the author!

 

I don’t know why, but when I learnt about Amaryllis from Janet, I just immediately assumed that Amaryllis had already passed on and that T. H. White wanted to include her in the book as a sort of tribute to her. When I wrote your reply quoted above, I felt silly! I’d never even considered that she was alive when the book was published. That’s so nice, I bet Amaryllis was chuffed!! :smile2:

 

Thanks frankie you have highlighted one of my favourite passages ..that's exactly the stuff that tickled me pink

 

I couldn’t help myself, it was just too delicious to not be quoted!! I wish T. H. White would’ve written a book on the darling Professor =D

 

I've just quoted this passage on my Reading blog ... Captain was just adorable.

 

When I encounter someone like Captain, I am reminded why I sometimes prefer dogs to people and I don’t feel guilty about it :giggle:

 

This creased me up .. I practically lay on my back kicking my legs in the air. I forgave him then for irritating me with the little folk

 

Well done, Mr White =D When I was finished reading the book, I thought I’d probably pass on my copy, I didn’t consider it very likely that I would re-read the book, but it’s parts like that in the book that are making me reconsider my decision! Too delicious!

 

 

12. Did any of the dialogue stick out for you as being either very good… or very bad!

 

None of the dialogue strikes me as very bad, at least to my recollection. I don’t have my copy with me at the moment so unfortunately I can’t go over it to refresh my memory. The best dialogues are the ones I’ve gone over in my previous quotes.

 

13. Were you engaged immediately with the story, or did it take you a while to get into it?

 

This is really spooky but I can’t remember how the story started! Oh now I remember how I felt about the start. I don’t remember any of it, but I can remember not being at all intrigued until Maria encountered the Lilliputians for the first time. After that I was interested. Which is very contradictory on hindsight, because the Lilliputians and their history in particular were the least favorite part in the story for me – I far more enjoyed the dealings with Professor, Captain, and the other people.

 

14. Did you find the ending of the book satisfactory? If not, what would you have changed about it?

I didn’t find it particularly satisfactory, predictable is more like it. But the predictability didn’t bother me, because I was expecting the end result. And because I like good things happening to good people and not so good things happening to not so good people, I thought the ending was appropriate.

 

15. If you enjoyed the book, would you have liked a sequel? How do you think the story could develop in the sequel?

 

I have no idea how the sequel might go. But I’m sure it would involve the Lilliputians to a great extent and therefore I would probably give it a miss. If the sequel was more about the Professor, I’d be interested :giggle: Oh boy, this is turning into a very non-realistic answer. I would like the Professor going to uni to teach literature and philosophy and take Maria with him so the girl could learn some character and develop some personality. And he could go a’courting Cook! I think he was a bit fearful of dogs, so there might be something there for the storyline, Captain being a part of the package with Cook.

 

I wonder why Maria didn’t show any interest in Captain. She had no friends her own age, and the Cook and the Professor were too involved in their own things to provide any real company. Captain would’ve been an ideal pal! But I suppose Captain knew how unpersonable Maria was and steered clear from her :giggle:

 

 

16. What did you think about the setting of the book? Does it come to life? Did you feel you were experiencing the time and place in which the book was set?

 

I felt totally out of the loop with the time: I couldn’t have placed it on any particular decade and I sometimes stopped to think if they already had electricity, the people in the book. And then I started to think about when electricity was invented etc. I really couldn’t factor in the time in the novel at all. The places were easier for me, although the mansion was too big and roomy for me, I couldn’t figure it out in my head. Professor’s cottage was easier to picture =)

 

 

17. From the answers to questions 1 to 11 so far (6 Feb) it seems that the book hasn’t stood the test of time as it feels rather dated. Despite this, do you think the same basic story could be written today in a way which was convincing and enjoyable to today’s young people?

 

 

Yes, I think so. However I fear that in today’s world the little people would probably have to have some super powers to keep the people interested, and if they were vampires, the better! Personally, I’m getting quite horrified of all the supernatural novels produced today to the younger audiences: when I visit my hometown’s library, I don’t recognize have the titles on the YA/children section, which of course if fine in itself, it’s been over 10 years since I was a frequent customer there, but the new titles seem to be all about the supernatural. I wish there were more ‘normal’ books for kids these days.

 

18. If you were able to talk to T H White, is there anything you would you ask him about the book?

 

Loads of things! I’d like to know

 

a) is he awfully disappointed by how little people read nowadays compared to his day and how little they would generally know about all the historical/cultural references he’s made in the novel

 

b) I’d like to know how he came up with the characters of the Professor and Captain, and if they are based on real person(s)/dog(s). And I’d want him to share stories about them if possible!

 

c) if he thinks the Professor and the Cook were to become an item later in life

 

d) why Maria was so plain and boring. She’s the main character after all.

 

 

19. If your book has an introduction did you read it?

 

What kinds of introductions were there, I’m assuming we didn’t all read the same edition? I had the one with introduction by Anne Fine and I only read a few lines of it, enough to realize White was male and then stopped because I was trying to avoid any possible spoilers. I did read the intro afterwards but I can’t really remember anything about it.

 

 

I will come back to those questions later, but in the meantime I must share a coincidence with you!

 

Spooky coincidence or what?!

 

 

Spooky coincidence to be sure :lol: I love these kinds of coincidences and how some bizarre and coincidental things turn up when researching one thing. A bit like what happened with Adrian Mole mentioning that Norman Lamont person, the name of Mrs Whiplash turning up and she holding the paper with Crippen’s picture on the cover and me having read Crippen only some months ago =D

Edited by frankie
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I learned from Google after typing in ‘significance of 365, 52 and 12 in large buildings’ (Malplaquet has "365 windows, 52 state bedrooms and 12 company rooms") that there is such a thing as a calendar house, where architectural features are built with those numbers in them to signify days in a year, weeks in a year and months in a year!

 

It wouldn’t have occurred to me to google it. And I have to admit that the numbers 365, 52 and 12 didn’t pop out as any significant numbers. When I read about the calendar house I felt really stupid :D

 

I'd quote all of Chapter 28 where the Professor wakes up the Lord Lieutenant if it wouldn't give me writers cramp. I laughed the whole time.

 

I wanted to quote it too but it was too lengthy a passage! Just paraphrasing it took some time :D

 

'The campaign, Ma'am, which follow'd the Declaration, was exasperated by the old Bitterness of the Big-Endian Heresy - A Topick of Dissension, which I am happy to say we have since resolved by a Determination to break such Eggs as we are able to find in the Middle - and, no Quarter being ask'd or given by either Schism, the War was signalized by Atrocities and Inhumanities hitherto unexampled in the Legends of our People.'

 

Now that I read that quote I remember how annoyed I was at the random and excessive use of capital letters in some words (in wrong places). And the misspellings. Tut tut, White!

 

I enjoyed the lead-up to the ending enormously, everything that came after Maria's confinement in the dungeon I thought was marvellous.

 

That reminds me of another funny part of the book: when the Professor and Maria have been in the dungeon for a while already and they’ve been provided with some food to eat. Then the Cook comes in and the Professor’s already forgotten about their confinement and is pleased to see the Cook and in a care-free manner asks her to join them in the feast :D Like it was a normal supper!

 

I'd never heard of the word until reading it in Mistress Masham but when I went in to Waterstones yesterday on one of their displays promoting 'Dickens & the Victorians' was this ...

 

I think the word is following us about Janet You wait .. there'll be a 'Quincunx Tea Rooms' opening in Bath soon

 

:D That’s so funny! Hm, this also reminds me… we need one more person, then the Quincunx Team could go and investigate the Quincunx Tea Rooms in Bath! :haha:

 

15. If you enjoyed the book, would you have liked a sequel? How do you think the story could develop in the sequel?

 

Haha if it was written nowadays it would be the start of a trilogy at least. I don't think it warranted a sequel though.

 

:D Indeed, that might be the case today!

Edited by frankie
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1. Who was your favourite character...?

I have to be honest and say I didn't like any of the characters, although I guess Maria was probably the least grating.

 

2. ...and your least favourite?

It's a toss up between the Professor and the Lord Lieutenant who were both irritating in the extreme.

 

4. Was this the first book you've read in this genre / by this author, has it encouraged you to read more?

:lol: I've read a lot of children's literature, although none by this author. I'll be happy to continue reading this genre, and would particularly like to read some older/classic literature, but I won't be reading any more by this author.

 

5. Have you read Gulliver's Travels?

....... b. If no, has this book inspired you to have a go at Swift's masterpiece?

This book hasn't inspired me, but I've had it in the back of my mind to read it for a long time, and this hasn't put me off!

 

6. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?

I found the dialogue of some of the characters very hard to follow and didn't feel that the writing particularly flowed

 

7. Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?

For me, no. I found it a struggle to keep going and I have to admit, if it hadn't been for the reading circle, I would have given up.

 

8. Would you recommend the book and if so to whom?

No

 

9. The book was first published in 1946 - has it stood the test of time?

I don't think it has. I'm not old enough to have lived in that time, but I wonder if it was of its time back in 1946, as at times it felt more like a Victorian or Edwardian piece.

 

12. Did any of the dialogue stick out for you as being either very good… or very bad!

Yes, most of it I thought was bad! I found the Lord Lieutenant dialogue made him too much of a caricature, while I felt the dialogue given to the Cook was quite patronising.

 

13. Were you engaged immediately with the story, or did it take you a while to get into it?

No I wasn't immediately engaged, in fact, I read the first few chapters about six weeks ago but put it down because I didn't get into it straight away, and felt perhaps I wasn't in the right mood for it. I wanted to read it for this discussion though so when I started it again earlier this week, despite the fact I still didn't engage with it, I decided to stick with it and keep going.

 

14. Did you find the ending of the book satisfactory? If not, what would you have changed about it?

I think the ending was suitable for the story.

 

17. From the answers to questions 1 to 11 so far (6 Feb) it seems that the book hasn’t stood the test of time as it feels rather dated. Despite this, do you think the same basic story could be written today in a way which was convincing and enjoyable to today’s young people?

There are merits to the story itself, and I think it could either be rewritten as a period piece, but with better characterisation, or in a contemporary setting, and that could work well also.

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Woohoo! Go TEAM CHESIL :lol:

 

15. If you enjoyed the book, would you have liked a sequel? How do you think the story could develop in the sequel?

I've been thinking about the book more overnight, and although I didn't particularly enjoy it, I think it's the sort of story where there could be a sequel written in a contemporary setting by a modern author. Maria is now a great grandmother, but the house is now owned by the National Trust with the family living in one wing. Children in the family are only told about secret of the inhabitants of Mistress Masham's Repose once they are old enough to understand why it must be kept a secret, but her inquisitive 10-year-old grandson with his modern technology decides to become a detective and follow his grandmother on one of her weekly boat rides on the lake, discovers her secret and films the Lilliputians. He puts the footage on YouTube for his friends to see, but the video goes viral, and Malplaquet is soon under siege from the media trying to find out the truth behind the footage.

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:smile: We will have the Quincunx cream tea .. though I hope it doesn't consist of five scones .. even I would struggle :D

 

Surely the book can't have 1248 pages!?! .. it didn't look that chunky .. it must be written on quite thin paper. Oh goodness, I'm daunted by a 400 pager :giggle: You would have to Kindle it Janet .. you couldn't possibly turn that many pages over :D

:lol: I would struggle too - and I've got a... healthy appetite! :giggle:

 

I must admit I didn't even look at what the book was about - once I'd seen the number of pages I quickly shut the page and ran away!

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Sorry I haven’t come back to reply and discuss earlier, I’ve had computer problems!

I’m glad you got them sorted! :)

 

Ewww herring! I don’t mean to offend any herring-lovers but herring is vile. Ah! I’ve just picture googled bloaters and it’s just fish. I take back what I said. Herring perse might be okay, but whenever I think of herring, I think of those glass jars containing herring in different marinades, and that’s vile.

I’ve now done some research on pastes, even discussed it with ex (he’s always keen on these cultural things and likes to know what new things I learn on the forum, makes him smarter too :D), and we came to the conclusion that yes we have fish paste :DWe have fish egg paste (?) or roe paste (?), and I’m sure we have some other stuff as well but I can’t think of any at the moment.

 

I’m getting quite hungry now!

I love most fish, but I don’t think I’ve ever tried herrings (apart from once accidentally trying soused herring, not realising ‘soused’ meant they would be in vinegar – yuk) - and I’ve never tried bloaters!

This reminds me I really need to read Tom’s Midnight Garden, I’ve been meaning to for ages but I always forget about it, maybe because I confuse the title with The Secret Garden and Bridge to Terabithia, both of which I’ve read, which makes my brain think I’ve read TMG as well and then I never remember to look for a copy!

I haven’t read Bridge to Terabithia. Did you see the film? I wonder how it compares to the book?. I saw the trailer for it when it came out and thought it looked quite exciting, but have never got round to watching it.

 

Tom’s Midnight Garden is great – you must try to get hold of it! :D

That’s so sad L Rip Amaryllis!

 

That link you posted on David Garnett was full of interesting stuff! It’s promising when almost all of the people Garnett was associated with and that are mentioned on his wiki page have links of their own, meaning they are famous for something themselves.

 

I found this quite disturbing (very off-topic!):

 

"

Garnett was bisexual, as were several members of the artistic and literary

Bloomsbury Group, and he had affairs with Francis Birrell and Duncan Grant. He

was present at the birth of Grant's daughter, Angelica […], on 25 December 1918,

and wrote to a friend shortly afterwards, "I think of marrying it. When

she is 20, I shall be 46– will it be scandalous?". When Angelica was in her

early twenties, they did marry (on 8 May 1942), to the horror of her

parents

."

I thought the stuff about David Garnett was interesting too – and I agree with you about the spoiler – very disturbing!

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5. Have you read Gulliver's Travels?

....... a. If yes, did it make this a more enjoyable experience?

....... b. If no, has this book inspired you to have a go at Swift's masterpiece?

I haven't read Gulliver's Travels but I would like to read it so I guess the book has inspired me to do so although I'll probably get it from the library rather than fork out any money for it. It 'd be interesting to see how it differs from the film version which probably has lots of bits missed out.

Do you have a Kindle? It’s free to download if you do. Or it’s possibly available as a free eBook from Librivox if you like listening to books. :)

 

8. Would you recommend the book and if so to whom?

I can't think of anyone I'd recommend the book too certainly not any children

I can’t see any of today’s children enjoying it either!

 

9. The book was first published in 1946 - has it stood the test of time?

No I don't think so, I originally bought it to read to my youngest daughter who is 8 but her eyes glazed over before we'd even got through the first chapter. I thought the basic storyline was very good but there was too much that had to be explained to young children yet any older children who might have a better understanding of the vocabulary wouldn't be interested in the storyline.

It’s a shame she didn’t enjoy it, but I’m not surprised really! As I’ve already said, for me it didn’t live up to books I loved when I was a child – and I can’t see it comparing favourably with today’s exciting books for children!

 

Really interesting reading everyone's opinions on the book I wish I'd put my thoughts down as soon as I';d finished it though as it's been a struggle to remember a lot of the details. I'll have to be more organised for next time I join in.

I find that too – I’m so behind with my reviews, which is a pity as I’ll struggle to remember what I was going to say.

 

Thanks for your replies. :)

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5. Have you read Gulliver's Travels?

....... b. If no, has this book inspired you to have a go at Swift's masterpiece?

This book hasn't inspired me, but I've had it in the back of my mind to read it for a long time, and this hasn't put me off!

I’m glad it hasn’t put you off! I shall be interested to know what you think of GT – and whether it makes any difference to your opinion of this book (although somehow I doubt it will!). :)

 

17. From the answers to questions 1 to 11 so far (6 Feb) it seems that the book hasn’t stood the test of time as it feels rather dated. Despite this, do you think the same basic story could be written today in a way which was convincing and enjoyable to today’s young people?

There are merits to the story itself, and I think it could either be rewritten as a period piece, but with better characterisation, or in a contemporary setting, and that could work well also.

It would be interesting to read a rewrite of this in a contemporary setting – perhaps Terry Pratchett or Anne Fine could do it, seeing as this is a favourite of them both! :giggle:

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That word 'Quincunx' is following me around again .. it's just turned up in the book VF sent to me .. The Blue World by Jack Vance. I'm getting seriously freaked now ... how come I haven't noticed it before .. it's everywhere :D

 

I think Terry Pratchett could definitely do a creditable version .. I'm sure he'd keep all the absurd bits in which I'd be glad about.

 

I wrote somewhere that the more I think about the book the fonder I am of it, I think only frankie and me feel that way about it. This book in particular has made for a really interesting circle .. all sorts of varied opinions and viewpoints. Thanks Janet :friends0:

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1.
Who was your favourite character...?

My favourite was The Professor, I really liked him character and although he was a bit here and there I found him quite loveable.

2. ...and your least favourite?

Miss Brown, she was horrible and a typical book 'baddie'

3.
Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest?

I liked the first time Maria visted the Island.

4.
Was this the first book you've read in this genre / by this author, has it encouraged you to read more?

Yep first by the author and I would read more. I have The Borrowers on my shelf and I am guessing that there are some simularities between these two books, even if it is just about little people.

5.
Have you read Gulliver's Travels?

.......
a.
If yes, did it make this a more enjoyable experience?
No, not yet.

.......
b.
If no, has this book inspired you to have a go at Swift's masterpiece?
I have it on my shelf, and can't wait to get around to reading it.

6.
Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?

Not really, just the capital letters in the middle of the sentances sometimes

7.
Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?

Yes, I really enjoyed reading it.

8.
Would you recommend the book and if so to whom?

Yes, to both adults and children, I think everyone would enjoy this book

9.
The book was first published in 1946 - has it stood the test of time?

Yes I think so, the langugage was a little different at times, but nothing that I couldnt get into.

10.
Maria treats the Lilliputians quite badly when she gets over her initial shock at finding them. Why does she behave this way towards them?

I think she thought that she was bigger than them, and because of this she was in charge of them.

11. T H White was an atheist - do you think this comes across in his writing at all?

I couldnt tell this,

 

12. Did any of the dialogue stick out for you as being either very good… or very bad!

Just the language of the lilliputtans, it was difficult to read sometimes with all the capital letters

 

13. Were you engaged immediately with the story, or did it take you a while to get into it?

Yes, I pretty much got hooked in straight away

.

14. Did you find the ending of the book satisfactory? If not, what would you have changed about it?

Kind of, it was very 'happy every after' but it is a childrens story so maybe this is expected slightly

 

15.
If you enjoyed the book, would you have liked a sequel? How do you think the story could develop in the sequel?

I think this works as a stand alone and wouldnt need a sequel

 

16. What did you think about the setting of the book? Does it come to life? Did you feel you were experiencing the time and place in which the book was set?

it comes to life and I really enjoyed it

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That word 'Quincunx' is following me around again .. it's just turned up in the book VF sent to me .. The Blue World by Jack Vance. I'm getting seriously freaked now ... how come I haven't noticed it before .. it's everywhere :D

 

I think Terry Pratchett could definitely do a creditable version .. I'm sure he'd keep all the absurd bits in which I'd be glad about.

 

I wrote somewhere that the more I think about the book the fonder I am of it, I think only frankie and me feel that way about it. This book in particular has made for a really interesting circle .. all sorts of varied opinions and viewpoints. Thanks Janet :friends0:

How weird that it’s following you. Perhaps it’s a sign?! although I’ve no idea of what! :giggle2:

 

I have never read any Pratchett. I tried one once but I just couldn’t get into it. :(

 

You, Frankie and Laura. :) It has been a very varied circle which I’m pleased about. I was a bit nervous of hosting one!

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6.
Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?

Not really, just the capital letters in the middle of the sentances sometimes

 

12. Did any of the dialogue stick out for you as being either very good… or very bad!

Just the language of the lilliputtans, it was difficult to read sometimes with all the capital letters

Although I can see why White used that effect, and whilst it didn't particularly bother me, I can see why you would find it irritating, Laura.

 

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the book. :)

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I did used to love salmon and shrimp paste .. I'm guessing that bloater paste is not a whole lot different .. and mackerel pate is divine. I love fishy, squishy stuff.

I made kipper paté when I was about 13 years old. My Dad was really funny about it and couldn’t bring himself to try it! :giggle: Mum and I loved it though! :)

 

 

On that note, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who took part – I do appreciate you joining in and all the contributions you’ve made. :):balloons::thankyousigna2:

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How weird that it’s following you. Perhaps it’s a sign?! although I’ve no idea of what!

Ooh the sign of five ... but five what? .. oh I do hope it's millions and not cabbages :giggle2:

I have never read any Pratchett. I tried one once but I just couldn’t get into it. :(

He is an acquired :D I got into him by listening to Tony Robinson read him .. very good but always a mind boggle.

You, Frankie and Laura. :) It has been a very varied circle which I’m pleased about. I was a bit nervous of hosting one!

Yay .. the Masham three! You've done a great job, well done :smile:

I made kipper paté when I was about 13 years old. My Dad was really funny about it and couldn’t bring himself to try it! :giggle: Mum and I loved it though! :)

I like the sound of that .. I like a kipper!

On that note, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who took part – I do appreciate you joining in and all the contributions you’ve made. :thankyousigna2:

Thanks Janet ... it's been lots of fun :flowers2:

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