~Andrea~

Hi and welcome. It sounds like you read at a similar rate to me. I'm trying to get my reading back up into double figures again this year. I also love a bit of sci fi and have just read Fahrenheit 451!

I had to learn Welsh in school for one year but found it much harder than French or German and dropped it as soon as I could. The teaching method was very different for Welsh than it was for French and German. Looking back I wonder if having native speakers teach you a second language is unhelpful because learning a second language is so different to learning a first. You need to have the basic grammar broken down for you. We did no grammar in Welsh; it felt like we were just learning phrases by rote. I started learning Welsh properly as an adult and the first thing I did was buy a grammar book. It was so much easier when you could understand how it fits together and then build your own sentences rather than repeating set phrases. Regarding Cornish I remember watching a programme about the language revival several years ago and they said the language never truly died out because there were still some families who spoke it at home and passed it down. I hope they do manage to keep it alive. It's quite similar to Welsh apparently. And Breton, spoken in northern France, is even closer to Welsh than Cornish.

Hi Ben, welcome. I hope you enjoy the Discworld books. I read quite a few many years ago. They're very entertaining and funny.

Wow this is so interesting. I love languages and have learned many over the years, none to a very good level though. Basic French and German in school and a bit of holiday Spanish. My most proficient is Welsh, but I'm far from fluent in that. I find the history of England the etymology of words fascinating, but studying old English, well that's just another level! Very impressive!

Hmm I think I'm going to have to check out this Frey and McGray series. I've seen it mentioned in a couple of threads now and your review makes it sound great!

🤣 Brilliant review. I will steer well clear if that one then.

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Montag is a fireman who is paid to burn books, because books help people think, and that's not good for society. Then Montag meets someone who does think, which in turn makes him think, and this turns out to be more dangerous than he ever realised. I love a bit of sci fi, and this dystopian tale didn't disappoint. I had to abandon the book I started before this one because it felt so badly written. As soon as I picked up this one I thought 'Ah, that's more like it'. The writing style is different to anything I've read for a while. The descriptions are spare and the technology described alien and not so easy to picture, however the oppressive atmosphere is palpable, from the authoritarian regime to the shallow society and its citizens shallow relationships. The story is pacy and trips along and the ideas are interesting and engaging. I liked it.

Persipolis - Marjane Satrapi The autobiographical account of a young girl growing up in 1970s Iran, this graphic novel covers everything from the Islamic revolution and the Iran Iraq war to sneaking out to buy western clothes and music on the black market. I'm on a mission to find great graphic novels by and for women. I love the format but a lot of GNs seem quite male or dare I say it, juvenile. The medium seems dominated by superheros, sci fi, fantasy, horror and violence. (Yes this could be a horrible misrepresentation, however that was my impression when browsing at the library). My research brought me to Persepolis, considered by many a classic of the form. Boy is it great! It's funny, educational, poignant, horrifying, and true. The story of Iran's recent history is brilliantly captured in Satrapi's simple but beautiful black and white artwork, with wit and silliness. It presents a volatile and frightening period through the eyes of a child, the strong-minded, defiant Satrapi herself. I loved loved loved this wonderful book.

Delicacy: A memoir about cake and death - Katy Wix Katy Wix is a comedy actress. She played Daisy (brilliantly) in Not Going Out and plays Mary in the BBC sitcom Ghosts. She's also been on Taskmaster. This is her memoir. I heard a review of this on the radio and added it to my wish list. The inside cover is full of similar recommendations from well known comedians using words such as raw, funny, insightful, hilarious, extraordinary etc. So I was expecting great things. As I began to read, while I enjoyed it, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. There is humour in it, but it is often a very dry and the book touches on quite dark themes. Katy is essentially writing about trauma, death, body image issues and a lot of sexist crap she has had to put up with in her life. So the subject matter isn't exactly a laugh a minute although she writes a lot of it with a sardonic wry smile. I also occasionally found it hard to connect emotionally with the writing. It was very matter of fact. While I was reading it I learned elsewhere that Katy is Autistic (that isn't mentioned in the book). I warmed to the writing a lot more, as that explained perhaps why I found her thought processes a bit different to mine. Anyway, as the book went on and I settled into the style I actually started to love it. In parts it is deeply moving, and some of the writing about death had me properly blubbing. It's an unusual book, definitely worth a read.

Spies - Michael Frayne Set during WW2, Stephen and best friend Keith, two friends who live in the same street, speculate on the mysterious comings and goings of the adults in their neighbourhood. Convinced that there are German spies in their midst, the two boys set about some investigations of their own. The only Michael Frayne I had read prior to this one was The Tin Men, a silly but clever comedy set in the near future. It couldn't be more different to Spies, which is much more literary and sober. I found it an engaging read, enjoying the charactarisation of both Stephen and Keith and that of the adults seen through their young eyes. There is plenty of suspense in this novel but the tension between what is real, as opposed to the children's interpretation of events, is the most interesting aspect. I enjoyed it.

Quite pleased with how my reading is going so far this year. If I maintain a rate of 2 books per month that will be quite good for me, although I'd be happy with anything over a dozen books in the year to be honest. I'm behind with reviews but I will put some up!

The Wodehouse was brilliant Poppy, so funny, just the job when you're in the mood for something a bit silly and inconsequential. I love the language in it. I want to start using words like bally, rummy and cove. That bally fellow is a frightful cove you know. Toodle-pip.

Come in, come in, pull up a chair and make yourself at home and chat ☕ Previous logs: 2022 (10) 2021 (9) 2020 (7) 2019 (18) 2018 (14) 2017 (10) 2016 (9) 2015 (10) 2014 (19) 2013 (21) 2012 (19) 2011 (17) 2010 (19) 2009 (23) 2008 (26) 2007 (21) Completed: The Spies - Michael Frayne Delicacy - Katy Wix Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi (GN) Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury The Flat Share - Beth O'Leary A Street Cat Named Bob - James Bowen Take my Hand - Dolen Perkins-Valdez My man Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - JKR Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JKR Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JKR Persepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi (GN) The Girl You Left Behind - Jojo Moyes Currently reading: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - JKR Abandoned: The Silver Bough - Lisa Tuttle

I have two books on the go. I won't finish both by the end of the year so I'm going to focus on the lighter of the two, the PG Wodehouse.

You have a real treat in store!

OK, some rather short reviews: Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman Eleanor Oliphant is a quiet bookkeeper, living an ordered and predictable life who likes to keep herself to herself and everybody else very much at arms length. One day she somehow manages to save someone's life and as a result finds all sorts of people want to get to know her, which is rather uncomfortable and difficult for someone as socially awkward as her. I had read mixed reviews of this one, and so I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the character of Eleanor (I know lots of people didn't, she is not supposed to be conventionally 'likeable') and skipped through it, finding it readable, engaging and well written. I found Eleanor's character and backstory were interesting and the book, while touching on dark subjects, is at its heart, light, entertaining and optimistic. The Hypnotist's Love Story - Liane Moriarty Hypnotherapist Ellen finds love, but discovers her new partner has a stalker, an ex who watches him, follows him, can't quite let him go. What Ellen doesn't know is that her newest hypnotherapy client isn't quite who she claims to be… I loved this from start to finish, it was light, funny and easy to read. Liane writes brilliantly as usual in this suspenseful comedy. Quality entertainment. Tamara Drew - Posy Simmonds (graphic novel) Beth Hardiman runs a retreat for writers in a quiet rural village, the childhood village of Tamara Drewe. All is peaceful until Tamara returns from London where she has transformed herself with plastic surgery into a dazzling head turner and quickly becomes the centre of attention and the cause of a few broken hearts. Another fine work from the brilliant Posy Simmonds. I just love her artwork and the way she draws drama out of ordinary lives, capturing middle class Britain in an especially delightful way.

My poor neglected reading thread!! I have got so behind with reviews that it almost felt like homework to catch up, so I am just going to post the highlights! Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier Max deWinter brings his young new wife home to Manderley and straight away she doesn't fit in. The housekeeper looks down on her and makes her nervous and memories and reminders of Max's beautiful first wife, Rebecca, overshadow everything in her imposing new home. I've been a fan of Daphne du Maurier ever since I started reading her short stories in my teens. While I've read several of her novels, I've only recently got round to reading Rebecca, which is a bit of an admission considering I'm now almost fifty! It's a fantastic piece of work, a little slow to start (which is perhaps why I gave up an earlier attempt many years ago). The characterisation of Mrs Danvers is just wonderful, a real villain, almost supernaturally evil: I had seen the (old black and white) film and so I had thought the book would be a little 'spoilered' for me, however, I'm not sure if the ending is different in the film, or if my memory is just rubbish, elements of the ending were a surprise. The whole book was a treat.

I read The Collector many years ago and remember loving it., one of those books that really draws you in. I seem to remember it had a rather oppressive atmosphere. I don't remember all the details of the story but I'm tempted to find it again and give it a re-read.

Ah thanks Raven. I've just started The two towers chapter 2 (The riders of Rohan). I've been so busy with work including overtime and then also having work done in my house that I'm just constantly slipping behind. Thank you so much but I'm going to take a break now that I'm at the end of the first book. I'll finish Rebecca which I'd put on hold (naively thinking I'd be able to get through both). Please all carry on without me and I'll catch up and post more when I can.

Welcome Suzanne 🙂 don't worry this is a very friendly forum. It's like a nice uncontroversial safe space on the internet, and unlike many forums which can often be argumentative and unpleasant. I hope you enjoy it here 😊

I would like to retract this statement There are too many poems and songs and I'm finding myself skipping them. Is that because she possesses one of the rings? Since the ring is changeable, and changes in this story (i.e. it now wants to be found by Sauron) perhaps then it is also more visible to others like Gollum.

I'm still a week behind! So far I've enjoyed the journey up to Rivendell more than the journey afterwards, perhaps because it felt a bit fresher and less familiar than the journey afterwards (because of the film) although it was interesting to see the journey through the mountain didn't quite match the narrative in the film, even though the gist was the same. Going back to the council of Elrond, it was disappointing that there was no female representation there, so I was glad to see the figure of Galadriel playing a prominent and powerful part in Lothlorian.

Welcome Excellent! Looking forward to chatting with you.

That's fantastic Chrissy! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!!

Mine too. It's what I've started calling my cat ever since I read it