~Andrea~

I haven't quite finished Marley and Me but since I was so close to the end and needed to take a book to the MOT centre while I waited, I picked up Lucy's Monster by R L Royle. Plus it made me cry last night so I couldn't risk reading it in public! I read about 20 pages, and I'm really not sure about the second person style of narration. I found it to be annoying and obtrusive, however this seems to be mainly in the intro. The rest of the book is hopefully more conventionally written. I am undecided about this one so far.

I don't think there is anything in book 3 that's absolutely vital for the story. I skipped it (well very very lightly skimmed it). I'd advise anyone who's struggling with it as much as I did to do the same.

Ah good point. Although there are no spoilers in there - yet.

That's a shame. I would thoroughly recommend skipping those tedious bits (I didi) The section entitled Notre Dame near the beginning was the worst bit, as I said in my comments on the reading circle thread. Very tedious and I'm not surprised you gave up. It would be great if you did pick it up again, or even just stop by the reading circle with your comments so far. It's lonely in there! Good luck with it Pipread. I think it's worth the effort.

Finished Notre Dame - required some effort but overall it was well worth it (I had to cheat and skip part of it). My comments are on the reading circle thread

I have to say I am loving the book. I thought I would find it a bit too light but it has actually been a real joy. I too have been avoiding the film to read the book. I thoroughly recommend the book - especially if you like dogs! Haunted was my first James Herbert, but it certainly won't be my last. The Magic Cottage appeals to me too.

I found the book a challenging read in places, and an absolute joy in others. There seem to be a lot of long winded descriptions and musing on things that were barely relevant to the story, and didn't really add to the book at all. The worst bit was book 3 - Notre Dame. Yawn. This description of Notre Dame, Paris and architecture droned on for 30 pages, and towards the end comes a sentence that made me laugh, it begins "Now if the enumeration of so many edifices, brief as we have tried to be..." Brief?? I just can't understand why the author felt the need to include these sections. Self indulgence perhaps, and an opportunity to discuss subjects that interested him, without giving much thought to the reader? I felt at times like I was rifling through a haystack that someone had dumped a chest of treasure over, searching for the gems amid the straw. However, I'm glad I persevered, and I did find the second half of the book better than the first. What I loved about the book was the vibrant prose, and wonderful images. I found it to be humorous and light hearted in tone, in spite of the darkness of the story in many places. I loved the initial description of quasimodo: "We shall not try to describe for the reader that tetrahedron nose, that horse-shoe mouth, the right eye which disappeared completely under an enoromous wart; those jagged teeth, with gaps here and there like the battlements of a fortress; ..." I found wonderful imagery like this throughout the book, and I think that was one of the main things that made the book worthwhile for me. If only Victor Hugo had had a decent editor!

So is the lion the witch and the wardrobe, but it's not preachy in the same way.

Finished Hunchback last night. Now to finish Marley and Me which I started at Easter but haven't picked up since.

I read that last year and enjoyed it. Some of it was a bit mind bending, but he's generally very readable. It was interesting stuff. I look forward to hearing your opinion.

Sausage casserole tonight, with rice.

Snap - but with rice (although chips sounds nice)

What sexual implications??

I've only read one of his (which I loved) but that's what struck me about him too. Have a few on the shelf which I'm looking forward to geting stuck into. I really must read some of his. One day. Some great recommendations there. *Ponders christmas list* (yes I know it's April )