Maureen

If you download a pdf book, or text onto your Kindle, sometimes the text displayed is not as it shows on paper or on screen, it sort of loses the format. The Kindle edition is when it has been formatted especially for Kindle - so you do not get extra spaces between a paragraph and the next, or a random set of inverted commas, for example.

Yep Heaving busoms and smelling salts

Bunce

Oh I haven't updated the last books I read! Ian Rankin's Mortal causes - The sixth Rebus Novel. Lots of political background about Northern Ireland and Scotland. Jasper Fforde's - First Among Sequels. This is the fifth book in the Thursday Next series, and once again Thursday has a multitude of crisises to solve, between defeating bad guys and laying carpets, raising 3 children and a pet Dodo, and keeping an eye on the dreaded Goliath Corporation. As usual Fforde's work is extremely witty, and peppered with double meanings and jokes, but compared with his previous novels, I was left with a sense of unfinished business when I finished this book - and impatience as the next Next book is not yet available!

Amber

It's difficult to explain what I think about this book in just a couple of sentences. It is a great book, with a heart wrenching story as its main focus, other minor stories that give life to the secondary characters, and the political backdrop of France in the 19th century. It is also a sort of diary of the author, where he recounts the Battle of Waterloo in detail, other policital and religious beliefs and thoughts - such as religious orders. Hugo's masterpiece is a complex piece of literature, certainly requiring concentration and time to read and enjoy. The style it is written in, obviously a sign of its time, makes reading it tiring at times, perhaps because of the voluminous descriptions of everything and everyone. I found myself sympathising with some of the characters, while harbouring a dislike for others - certainly a sign of Hugo's success in making most of the characters come to life, not only during his time, but long after his death, when life as he describes it is fortunately almost non-existent. Having never read the book before, and never watched any of the film adaptations or the theatrical shows, I was taken a bit by surprise at the ending - I had imagined a slightly different ending and was glad to be caught out. I am glad I read this book though.

Yes it took me a bit less than a month to read - I usually average a book a week, and most books are a quarter of the size . I struggled a bit in places as well - for example the battle of Waterloo is one excerpt which was very painful and frustratingly long, and while I can appreciate it, it does not add anything to the story I was concerned with, hence the frustration and aggravation. ()

Louise, welcome back

I definately agree! I have just gotten a kindle and it is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Vinay, this month's reading circle book is Les Mis. Perhaps you would like to join in the discussion?

Hey Caribsa. Welcome to here. Glad you decided to post . We are very friendly here , so no need to feel shy.