Andrea's 2007 reading list

[Janet]

I think its one of those books you really have to be in the mood for.

I'd like to give it another go - perhaps in a few months. I enjoyed his play A Woman of No Importance very much.

[~Andrea~]

I'm thoroughly enjoying Dorian Gray. I'm about half way through and its become quite a page turner. I love the characters and the prose is very descriptive and dynamic.

[JudyB]

I'm thoroughly enjoying Dorian Gray. I'm about half way through and its become quite a page turner. I love the characters and the prose is very descriptive and dynamic.

 

 

That's one I'd like to read - I read Lord Arthur Saville's Crime many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[~Andrea~]

Finally finished Dorian Gray, took me ages considering how little it was, though I did have a bout of illness which slowed me down.

 

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde 9/10

 

What a great book. Fantastic writing and great story all interspersed with Wilde's witty little epigrams. There's some great descriptive prose in this book especially of drizzling victorian London after dark that serves as a suitably dark and sordid setting for this creepy little tale. I would have given it 10 if hadn't been for a couple of unnecessarily long pages of heavy detailed description in the middle which interrupted an otherwise gripping yarn.

 

Now I need to decide what to read next. I really want to read the Hobbit but feel I should get on with Dracula for the comparative circle. Also Dracula arrived at work from Amazon while I was off and I havent anything to read tonight. Maybe I should start the Hobbit and try and read them both together.

[Echo]

I was never able to finish Dorian Grey. As for your next book, I vote for The Hobbit!!!! Tolkien is one of my top three favorite authors, and The Hobbit is so delightful!!

[~Andrea~]

I started the Hobbit last night. I read it years ago but wanted to prep myself for LOTR which I also intend to read at some point. Very enjoyable. I think i will have to overlap it with Dracula if I'm to keep up to date with the reading circles.

[wrathofkublakhan]

I was never able to finish Dorian Grey. As for your next book, I vote for The Hobbit!!!! Tolkien is one of my top three favorite authors, and The Hobbit is so delightful!!

 

The Hobbit is a great choice. How many of us felt like we were part of something special when we understood the bathroom graffiti - Frodo Lives! *

 

 

*Granted this was about 35 years ago when only the cool people knew about The Hobbit.

 

 

 

[~Andrea~]

Tolkien is one of my top three favorite authors

 

What are the other two?

[Echo]

I'd say Charles Dickens, and (since they write together, they count as one) Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

[Louiseog]

I'd say Charles Dickens, and (since they write together, they count as one) Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

You've hooked me Andrea! Have swapped fo the first one, The Relic,

[~Andrea~]

You've hooked me Andrea! Have swapped fo the first one, The Relic,

 

Well I'm afraid I can't take the credit. I've never read them

[Louiseog]

Well I'm afraid I can't take the credit. I've never read them

Sorry take the credit though!

[Echo]

OMG, Louise, are you reading Preston and Child, too? Have you read them before? If you want to read the Pendergast novels in order, here's the order:

 

The Relic

Reliquary

Thunderhead (Pendergast is not in it, but it introduces Nora Kelly, who is important)

Still Life With Crows

Cabinet of Curiosities

Brimstone

Dance of Death

The Book of the Dead

Wheel of Darkness (when it comes out later this year)

 

Let me know what you think!!

[Louiseog]

OMG, Louise, are you reading Preston and Child, too? Have you read them before? If you want to read the Pendergast novels in order, here's the order:

 

The Relic

Reliquary

Thunderhead (Pendergast is not in it, but it introduces Nora Kelly, who is important)

Still Life With Crows

Cabinet of Curiosities

Brimstone

Dance of Death

The Book of the Dead

Wheel of Darkness (when it comes out later this year)

 

Let me know what you think!!

I have the Relic arrivng from Bookmmoch and Reliquary from readitswapit! thye look great, may read them this century

Thanks for the list

[~Andrea~]

Thoroughly enjoying the Hobbit, much more than I thought I would. I'd forgotten so much of it. Loads has happened already and I'm only a quarter in. Its a very dense adventure.

[~Andrea~]

Well I must be enjoying the Hobbit because I was dreaming about it last night. I dreamt I was Bilbo Baggins

[Echo]

I am so glad you're enjoying it! It's one of my all time favorites!

[~Andrea~]

Thank you. I must have read it in my late teens and its amazing how much I've forgotten. It's almost like I'm reading it for the first time. I think it will go down as one of my all time favourites too.

[~Andrea~]

I finished the Hobbit and have come to the conclusion that I have never read it before after all. (At least not fully). From about half way through all the vague familiarity had gone and the ending was a complete surprise. I was convinced I had read it in my late teens and had the plot all mapped out in my head (which was totally different to the actual one!) I must have taken vague memories of the book (that was read to me aged about seven) and merged it with bits and pieces of the LOTR films. Ah well, the memory is a strange thing!!

 

I have now started Dracula and I can hardly put it down. It is fantastic and I am so glad I am finally reading it. I have meant to do so for ages and am at last catching up a bit with reading circle books!

 

I tried to get Anne of Green Gables from the library yeesterday but couldn't see it. They were about to close so I didn't have time to search/ask about it. I'll try again next weekend. I wonder if they have any online search/reserve facility...

[Polka Dot Rock]

I have now started Dracula and I can hardly put it down. It is fantastic and I am so glad I am finally reading it. I have meant to do so for ages and am at last catching up a bit with reading circle books!

 

Hey Andrea! I'm glad to read that you're enjoying Dracula: it's one of my favourite books. It's such a pacey 'romp' (), isn't it? I think Mina is my favourite character, and one of my all time favourite literary characters. Where are you in the story so far?

[~Andrea~]

Hi Aimz - yea its great

I am here

 

Mina is just about to go to Europe to be with Jonathon who doesn't remember anything about Dracula's castle. Van Helsing has just turned up to see Lucy who has stopped sleepwalking but is very pale. And the patient has just escaped

 

 

Its weird to read the original having seen so many hammer horrors and TV adaptations etc over the years. Some of the lines seem corny - but only because they have been used so much ever since. "I am here to do your bidding master." Lol.

 

Vampires are one of my scariest things so I hope it wont get too creepy

[~Andrea~]

Whoa, I'm dreaming about vampires now!

 

I was at a really exciting bit last night and my bf all of a sudden was having a crisis about some books he'd lost and kept talking to me about it, even after he'd realised where they were

[~Andrea~]

Dracula has started to drag a little I'm sorry to say. I think I have lost a little momentum what with not having the opportunity to read much at various points over the past week. So yesterday I started Carmilla. Its a very enjoyable, light and quick little story. I am about half way through and seems to be just the job while I'm in my Dracula slump.

[Michelle]

Andrea, I found the same.. I enjoyed the beginning, then it kinda lost me.

[~Andrea~]

Yea. The opening is very strong though isn't it. Maybe that's the problem, you just can't sustain that kind of pace and drama for an entire novel. I am hoping it will pick up again though.

 

Finished Carmilla (7/10). Very enjoyable. Much less scary than dracula, creepy more than horrifying. I will save my thoughts for the reading circle thread I think.