Nollaig
-
Posts
12,029 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Books
Posts posted by Nollaig
-
-
You write wonderful reviews, Noll.
The one I was most interested in was The Sense of an Ending, which I have on my TBR pile. You've made it sound so wonderful!Awww thank you! It's a really great little book, I hope you enjoy it/am looking forward to hearing what you think of it when you get round to it
I'm going to spoiler tag this just because I don't want to give anything away to anyone else who might read it.
1.
Because you only see the wider society through the eyes of the girls at school and the occasional comment from Darwin, do you think there were any protesters or resistance to the way women were being treated? I kept hoping that someone would come forward and give me a little piece of hope, but at the end of it, suicide was the only option isabel had to escape from her enforced future.
2.
I also assumed that all the food was synthesised, so it was relatable but not what we would know as food, but if there were no animals at all, what was the food synthesised from? No meat or dairy, so if it was organic in origin, was it all from vegetable matter? But if that was the case, again, why were the other animals on the planet wiped out? Maybe I've got it wrong, and perhaps it was just the school that was sealed, but I got the impression that the outside world was a no-go zone and that everyone else lived within sealed compounds or underground, again implying that you couldn't grow vegetation outside, so was it all done with artificial environments?
3.
Although you obviously can't have a sequel with the frieda and isabel[/b], I keep thinking I want to know more about the world outside the school, and wonder what would happen if a girl was conceived instead of a boy at some point.
1. Hmmm. I'm not sure, because it seems the only women who get out of the school are ones that have been fully conditioned. Although, if Frieda had acted the way I expected (calm and collected until she was outside with Darwin), then she might have gone all Jennifer Lawrence on everyone. That was actually the ending I expected, and was actually delighted I didn't get. Other girls might have done that - clearly the gay couple made it out but were ultimately killed. So maybe there's a resistance faction in hiding, or something? That would be pretty cool and I'd imagine the power of even a small faction would be magnified in a small remnant civilization. I also like the idea that there are young men like Darwin who naturally have an aversion to the treatment of women.
2. There didn't seem to be anything organic at all in the school, remember even the plants 'outside' when the girls had their late night meeting were plastic. God only knows what the food was synthesized from! Must be a futuristic thing, like replicators in Star Trek
Although I'm pretty sure even replicators need the original organic patterns of food to create it... I dunno!3. YES! My only disappointment with the ending of the book was that the world-building was so excellent within the context of the school, that I would LOVE to see what the author could come up with outside the school - I'd love to learn about the living conditions of companions and concubines, the sort of work that men do, what sort of governance prevails in the outside world etc. I would really love there to be a sequel. I find it unlikely a girl would survive birth in that society, but if she managed it she could easily become a key figure in a second novel.
Additionally: I thought the way Freida betrayed Darwin was very unbelieveable. All she had to do was be quiet and take the mockery for a couple more weeks and she probably would have been free, and after 16 years of living in that environment, I feel like she could have held out, knowing freedom was so close. But it did bring about an epic ending, so I'm willing to let it go.
I'm thinking of tracking down the author for an interview, mind if I include some of our discussion questions?
-
Ooooh I hope you enjoy The Humans! It's a great read
-
I thought I was the only one who did that! It's much easier with a kindle now though
Indeed! The only downside is although we know our percentages and our 'location', we don't always know what page we're on
-
I've been known to skim the final pages too, generally as a result of me wanting to check how many pages there are (even before the advent of digital reading tools, I liked doing the percentage/fraction math on how far I've gotten into a book, and I make a note of the fifths, quarters, thirds, and halfway point. Rather than chapter-ends, those are the markers I have for pit-stops, so hefty tomes can make for extensive reading slogs
I'm fairly sure there's a thread on this forum somewhere about curious reading habits or quirks, and I feel like I actually have a ton more than I ever mentioned in there!
-
Kenny asked me yesterday 'Mum do you have a list of books you want?'.....Mother's Day is coming up so I gave him 5 titles to choose from....he went down town today....wonder which one he got me ?
That's so sweet!
I've started the first season of Yesterday's Gone. I had been putting it off because it's a bit chunkier than I've been looking for recently, but I'm glad I did because I'm onto Episode 2 and am thoroughly enjoying it. I can't imagine how there are several more seasons after this one though!
-
Wahey, I look forward to it
-
In any case, give the Kindle Sample a go first. *forehead still hurts*
That's a good idea, I think I'll do that! -
Noll, I really hope you enjoy it. If you even remotely enjoy the first book, I'd encourage you to continue on because the series actually improves with each book!
It's also a pretty short and quick read (especially by today's YA standards).I'll give them a fair chance, don't worry!
So it's better than The Maze Runner, then, ya?
See, I love The Maze Runner despite all its flaws. I have low standards
-
Glad you thought it was excellent!
Just put my review in my thread!
-
Only Ever Yours - Louise O'Neill
Synopsis: In a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. At graduation, the most highly rated girls become “companions”, permitted to live with their husbands and breed sons until they are no longer useful. For the girls left behind, the future – as a concubine or a teacher – is grim. Best friends Freida and Isabel are sure they’ll be chosen as companions – but as the intensity of final year takes hold, Isabel does the unthinkable and starts to put on weight. .. And then, into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. Freida must fight for her future – even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known. . .
***
Review: Unapologetically harrowing, Only Ever Yours is a roller coaster of psychological and social horror that starts at ground level and plunges down into the depths of despair. I'm not going to try to convince anyone that this is an easy read, but it is a worthwhile one. Imagine a society which subverts women and renders them as literally nothing more than lab-grown, son-bearing or desire-fulfilling slaves to men. Imagine being a woman raised in this society, where being 'academic' is among the worst insults for you, and being fat is the most life-altering disaster that can befall you. Many of the attitudes in this story ring horrifyingly true, as little more than an extreme magnification of the objectification and sexualisation that occurs in our society.
The novel touches on issues such as eating disorders and other compulsive behaviors, mass conditioning and the repression of individual feelings, intellect and self-expression. These issues are explored in an environment populated by social media platforms, disturbingly similar to the ones members of modern society use to carefully construct the lives and selves they wish to convey to others. The context is a post-apocalyptic attempt to 'save' the human race, and the detailed world-building is fantastic, gradually layered from the ground up with no walls of explanatory text but also no confusion about what is going on.
None of the characters are particularly likeable except maybe Darwin (what a name!), the #1 boy who takes an interest in Frieda. I've heard this unlikeability noted as a criticism against the book, but this is basically Mean Girls in a world where your life depends on aesthetically being the in the top third of your year. I actually felt the girls fantastically represented a variety of reactions to the pressures of such a society, and most of them are extreme versions of women I have met in my lifetime (prone to manipulation, backstabbing, backhanded compliments, reluctantly conforming, turning a blind eye etc), which for me says so much about the conceptual relationship between the world of Only Ever Yours and the one we all know. I am taking one mark off because I found some of Freida's pivotal actions to be a little uncharacteristic towards the end - I can't elaborate due to spoilers, but it felt a tad like her actions were forced to bring about the desired ending. I'm also not sure why anyone would feel it was in humanity's best interest to eradicate any surviving animal life when the apocalypse came, but maybe I missed something. Apart from a few little niggles, however, it's brilliantly written.
I have heard mixed responses to the genuinely shocking ending, and while I wish to give nothing away (much as I want to detail my praises of it), I will say that I think the ending is spectacular. I could barely breath for the last few pages; the sheer panic and desperation of trying to survive such a wretched world made me feel trapped and claustrophobic. The ending is nothing short of haunting, and will stay with me for some time. Genuinely a very important book that should be read by all young women who are emotionally mature enough for its content.
Rating: 4/5 -
The Sky Is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two boys. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.
***
Review*: Firstly, I think it worth pointing out that I read an ebook edition of this novel, meaning I did not have the benefit of the apparently beautiful photography in the UK edition, featuring Lennie's handwritten poems and musings on random objects. That probably would have knocked it up to a 3.5, but even then I just wasn't hugely taken in by the story. I will admit that a lot of the writing is quite beautiful, if bizarre and senseless in the case of most of the sky references (and horrendously annoying in the case of anything that comes out of Sarah's mouth).
But unfortunately, I felt the plot and characters were very thin. It does take quite a lot for any male YA character (designed to be the object of someone's affections) to impress me in any way, but even without that I felt that the more 'positive' male figure, Joe, turned up out of absolutely nowhere, fell in love with Lennie within days for no apparent reason (see Bella/Edward) and as such the entire thing rang hollow. His personality doesn't even figure into it. Toby was somewhat more credible; the only character acting in a justifiable capacity. While I don't think it's a reaction I would have, I can see why the gaping hole left in his life by one Walker girl might be filled physically by that of the other. I get the concept of needing physical reassurance that the death of a loved one has not also sucked oneself into non-existence. As for Lennie... I can't buy her need for similar comfort from Toby, considering she self-admittedly had never even noticed boys before that. At a stretch, I can understand taking comfort in Joe, and feeling guilty about that, but Toby? No. I'm sure it happens, but it's not something I'm going to relate to or sympathize with.
I actually thought the most interesting thread of the novel was one of the least explored ones - the consideration of the missing mother Paige Walker (this thread being literally the only respite from repetitive scenes in a remarkably minimal amount of settings, involving Toby, Joe, or the solo bridges between the two in which Bailey is lamented.) There was just nothing of substance here. We didn't know Bailey enough to lament her ourselves, Lennie's emotions are so fickle its hard to grieve through her, and really if it hadn't been for the nice writing and curiosity about their mother, I doubt I would have finished it. Really not sure what all the hype is about.
Rating: 2.5/5*I'm a very hard marker on YA books, so other YA frequenters may thoroughly enjoy it.
-
Oh wow. Sorry you didn't like it! Others on here have liked it, and a lot of us loved The Humans, so I'm not sure what to make of this one now. The topic is something that is quite close to me, so I was intrigued for that reason but... yeah I'm not sure now.
-
Thanks! It definitely is, and I love the cover. I think I'll have to get a hardback copy of it sometime.
-
I love spoilers, they whet the appetite!
In fact, I used to read the last few pages of whatever book I was reading. I gave up the habit, but still get the urge sometimes to peek..... When I'm reading something exciting or revelatory or suspenseful that lasts a few pages, every time I turn the page I skim the page from the bottom up to see what happens rather than actually reading it in the correct order
It's a terrible habit, and I sometimes literally cover the whole page except the few lines I'm reading so I physically can't glance down -
This was really interesting to read, after reading The Ritual. Great interview
-
Yesterday I finished Only Ever Yours - depressing but excellent read.
Started One More Thing - Stories and Other Stories by BJ Novak. It seems to divide people in reviews but I guess I have the right sense of humour because I'm finding it laugh out loud hilarious.
Wrote a review for The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes, tis in my thread. Must write reviews for Only Ever Yours and The Sky Is Everywhere later today.
-
The Sense Of An Ending - Julian Barnes
Synopsis: Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.
Now Tony is retired. He's had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove.
***
Review: The Sense of an Ending is a novella, therefore short in length, but certainly not lacking in depth of prose. I actually took several days to read this story, wanting to make sure I didn't miss an iota of the beautiful writing. It meanders along at a gentle pace; a series of recollections by Tony Webster of his college days and his life thereafter. The best thing about this book is the subtle way it conveys the unreliability of memory, and the subjective nature of personal observation. Though we may interpret a thing in one way, or intend our expressions in another, the objective truth may very well be different; our own involvements more or less influential than we intended, expected, or later recall. Perhaps as a method of self-preservation, we rose tint our personal histories so as to soften the sharp edges of our actions and obscure their consequences. This is the realization that our narrator in his old age begins to arrive at, as he revisits his youth and attempts to unravel the cause behind the death of a friend.
None of the characters, except Tony himself, particularly drew me in, but I felt all characters but Tony were essentially secondary to the point of the story. It never would have been possible to fall completely in love with the characters, viewing them as we do through the biased lens of Tony's aged memory. That said, the desire to find out what happened to Adrian is quite compelling, and although the journey is a roundabout one, it is enjoyable. While much of the novella is comprised of a setup which leaves the reader feeling well-informed, ultimately we come to realise our perception is as skewed as that of the narrator, and wonder what could possibly have happened to Adrian that we should, apparently, so readily know. And then the answer comes, and it is tragic.
Although told from the perspective of a man who can only discover the impact of his actions in hindsight, his observations of the world are sharp, insightful and often witty. Many times I found myself highlighting whole passages in this novella, as they so beautifully captured and expressed their intended sentiments about aging, nostalgia, memory and subjectivity. Beautiful contemplation of our flawed human nature. Definitely recommended, but take your time reading it.
Rating: 4/5 -
Awww sorry Bobbly I'm only seeing your reply now - that's very sweet of you, but postage to Ireland is super expensive (about half - two thirds the cost of the actual average paperback!) and as it might not even be one I'll like, I think it would be better off going to someone who definitely likes his books (or a charity shop, if you do that). I do appreciate the gesture though
-
Oh my god by the end of that review I was laughing my bum off! You sound utterly bewildered by that book haha!
He sounds like a very intriguing writer, I know I had something by him on my wishlist years ago but can't remember what it was. Despite the fact that I get frustrated easily with difficult books, I'm very tempted!
-
I love the song Zombie, though it's an odd one being that its inspired by the violent political history between England and Ireland - I don't think a lot of people realise that. I love the Cranberries in general. They've a lot of great songs.
I've also had I, Zombie on my wishlist for ages, it's good to read a positive review of it. Reminds me why it got on the wishlist in the first place, even if I haven't gotten around to getting it yet!
-
Congratulations on the engagement!
-
Glad you enjoyed The Girl On The Train, I forgave it its ending because I enjoyed it so much.
I've also added Cat Out Of Hell to my wishlist, great review
-
Glad you're finding a couple of reads that are at least pulling you through them
(I think I may have stolen your mojo this year!
) -
I wish that were my only problem with books!
At least you can console yourself r.e. your TBR pile with the fact that, even if they largely go unread, they were a great bargain
What's the weather like?
in General Chat
Posted
Another glorious day/evening here, and still not too warm thankfully!