Gabbie Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) I'm really really bad at making To Be Read -lists and taking up challenges, although I really do enjoy planning them and putting together reading lists and plans. I just never really feel like it when the push comes to shove and I have so much "mandatory" reading in other parts of my life that voluntarily forcing (can one say that? sounds all confusing and wrong) myself to follow a plan when I don't feel like it is... well, not very tempting. So, I thought I'd go with the flow of my emotions, read what I feel like reading, but at the same time keep tabs on few interesting challenges, see if I can cross some titles off those. And who knows, maybe the challenge lists and Fall Reading Lists and such give me some ideas and inspirations and a new enthusiasm to a particular title sitting on my overflowing shelves. I'll be gathering a list here on what I'm reading, maybe posting a few lines about what I thought of them, but I don't want to promise too much. It's better to say "I'll hope to update semi-regularly" and then just positively surprise everyone. Right? Haha Feel free to jump it and offer suggestions and comments and whatnot at any time! Currently Reading: The Room by Emma Donoghue. Edited September 2, 2012 by Gabbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Hi Gabbie , Hope you enjoy Room i thought it was a really good read & passed it on to my eldest DD i keep nagging her to read it because i know once she picks it up she'll be hooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabbie Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 Oh, thanks for the recommendation, Kidsmum! I'm still in the early pages, about 60 pages in, so it's tough to say one way or another. I really enjoy some aspects of it, but I do find the voice slightly forced. Like that's not really what a five year-old would think and sound like, and the occasional incorrect word or verb tense is... well, planted for credibility. For starters, which five year-old is familiar with the concept of negative numbers?? That just rubbed me in the wrong way in the very beginning, so I have had to force myself to pick it up again. I did hear it gets way better after a while, so... I'll keep at it. Especially now that you've liked it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabbie Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 As this silly cold I've gotten has kept me laying low for the past couple of days, I've also managed to get some reading done. Page 265 (out of 401) of the Room and it's definitely taken a turn to the better. I'm starting to get the positive reviews people are giving this book. Might actually finish the book over the weekend as I'm still taking it easy. I really really want this cold to be over and done with by Tuesday so I don't have to cancel tennis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabbie Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Finished Room. I really liked it in the end, and to be perfectly honest, once I realised (in the fairly beginning) that the surroundings of Jack and Ma weren't quite what I thought they were, the story took a real twist to the better. Or maybe better is the wrong word, more interesting. Though that's what you're supposed to say when you don't like something, wasn't that so? Also, once the situation changed dramatically, Jack's voice got more realistic in my mind. It was really more like a child talking, not just someone trying to sound like a child. I can't really wrap my head around this one yet in any constructive manner, I really just devoured the last 100 or so pages that it's still a bit of a blur in my mind. I guess this cold of mine (better now, thankfully!) was a blessing in disguise. I got to finish my book and to organize the basement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabbie Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 After thinking about Room throughout the day I can't say I'm any clearer about my feelings about it. The subject was such a horrible one, and to think what Jack's Ma had to go through is just... I think the point of view, to tell the story as Jack, made it at the same time interesting and fresh, and palatable. I wonder, would it have been the same experience, if the story was told from her point of view instead? Did we, as readers, need to be put in Jack's shoes (or socks as it were) in order to come out of it all unharmed? Jack's Ma said everything changed after Jack was born, and I guess he saved her, also mentally, spiritually. I really enjoyed, towards the end of the book, how Jack pointed out some rather ridiculous aspects of our everyday life. How most of htings in the outside are just repeat. Or some of the inconsistencies that we do, or some other weirdness, like the many brushes he was confused about. So many different things, all called the same? Confusing. And I don't know, do kids feel that way in general? Or do they learn to take it in their stride if they grow up with those things? I can't remember for my own sake, and as I don't have kids... That was kind of fun. In a sort of ironic way. There are several things in this book I'd love to think through more in detail (especially the characters like Grandpa and his reaction; Steppa's role and the way he stood to the challenge and really was a rock; Grandma who remained rather a one-dimensional, at least to me...) but I don't want to spoil it to anyone. Especially since I really did not grasp the whole situation in the beginning myself, and that realization make a huge difference to me and how I felt about this book. I liked it. Would definitely recommend it to others. Should I rate it now? What's the scale? What's the criteria for each rating? Oh, I don't know. I'll say I liked it, I'm really glad I read it, and that's it. Is that ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabbie Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 I'm really liking Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran and I'm hoping to finish it today still. Which is good, since my reading has been on the back burner because of work. But hopefully this week I'll get to read more non-work material as well, and maybe even have some time and energy in the weeks to come to keep reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Hi Gabbie, nice to see a new reading log emerging I like how you think: if you feel that writing down a TBR list would restrict you and make reading more of an effort, I feel you are right in just going with the flow! Whatever works best for you The subject was such a horrible one, and to think what Jack's Ma had to go through is just... I think the point of view, to tell the story as Jack, made it at the same time interesting and fresh, and palatable. I wonder, would it have been the same experience, if the story was told from her point of view instead? Did we, as readers, need to be put in Jack's shoes (or socks as it were) in order to come out of it all unharmed? It would've been a different story, for sure, if we'd read it from Jack's Mum's point-of-view. Now that you've made me think about it, maybe Jack's voice and viewpoint was something that kept it optimistic to a certain degree? I think what you said about us readers coming out of it unharmed for having read it from Jack's point-of-view is very interesting. I never thought of it that way I'm really happy you liked the novel, it was my favorite book last year. I'm really liking Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran and I'm hoping to finish it today still. Which is good, since my reading has been on the back burner because of work. But hopefully this week I'll get to read more non-work material as well, and maybe even have some time and energy in the weeks to come to keep reading. We did a reading circle on this some time ago, here's the thread if you want to have a look. I personally found it a difficult read: I had been looking forward to reading more about Nafisi's book club, not her own life and feelings. It was all interesting, but it wasn't the sort of narrative I was expecting. I hope you enjoy it more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 (edited) So, I thought I'd go with the flow of my emotions, read what I feel like reading, but at the same time keep tabs on few interesting challenges, see if I can cross some titles off those. Best way to go IMO! I've tried TBR lists etc in the past, but nowadays, whilst I am sort of having a go at some challenges, believe firmly in following whatever attracts my interest at the time of choosing the next book to read. It's led some fascinating, wonderful, ways, and I just love the freedom! I've recently joined a new book group, so I suppose that will direct some of my reading, but it's only one book a month, which is doable I think! (Unfortunately, the first book, is a singularly unappealing James Herbert - not exactly my scene, to put it mildly ). Edited October 16, 2012 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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