Ruth Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain Synopsis - from Amazon 'I don't know how to tell you what I did.' The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle - her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her family - described a woman who embraced life. But they didn't know everything. Because the unaddressed letter reveals a terrible secret...and a legacy of guilt that changes everything they thought they knew about the woman who delivered their children. A legacy that will irrevocably change their own lives - and the life of a desperate stranger - forever. Diane Chamberlain gets to the heart of the story. The cover of the book says "As Good as Jodie Picoult or Your Money Back". Well, nowadays I actually prefer Diane Chamberlain's writing to that of Picoult as I find her storytelling just as good, but without the (sometimes just unbelievable) mystical overtones. I thought it was a very original story, and had lots of twists and turns that kept me reading far too late at night to find out what would happen next! I've heard so many good things about this book - and I really like Jodi Picoult too. Am popping up the library at lunchtime to see if I can pick up a copy of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 I've heard so many good things about this book - and I really like Jodi Picoult too. Am popping up the library at lunchtime to see if I can pick up a copy of this. I hope you enjoy it Ruth - last night I was dreaming about buying more Diane Chamberlain books, but I have so many on Mount TBR already that I just can't buy any more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Synopses - from The Folio Society Desolation Island by Patrick O'Brian Aubrey and Maturin set sail for Australia to rescue Governor William Bligh from the settlers rebelling against his rule. Accompanying them on board H.M.S. Leopard are a group of convicts hell-bent on escape and the beginnings of a fever that will decimate the crew. Desolation Island is a turning point in the Aubrey–Maturin series. As well as featuring some of the most breathtaking battle descriptions of the whole series, it further deepens the mystery of Maturin’s character: loyal friend, sensitive naturalist and steely secret agent whose machinations may one day rebound on him. The Fortune of War by Patrick O'Brian The ‘horrible old Leopard’ limps into the Spice Islands after its terrible adventures around the world, but although Aubrey is longing for home, his voyage is not destined to be easy. War is declared between England and America, and following adventures in the South Pacific, both Aubrey and Maturin, with their crew, are eventually taken captive by the Americans. When the spy Louisa Wogan escaped at Desolation Island, bearing with her a poisoned chalice of false information, it was a result of Stephen’s stratagems. Now, he himself risks exposure as the agent who tricked her – not least because one of the highest members of American Intelligence is none other than the protector of Diana Villiers. It is a deadly game and for Stephen Maturin more is at stake than just his life. Featuring naval battles based on historical events, such as the one between the USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon, this novel takes the series into fascinating historical territory, while Stephen, Diana Villiers and the American Harry Johnson become further enmeshed both in a love triangle and in a web of international intrigue. I had been a bit disappointed by the last book in this series (The Mauritius Command), and was a bit worried as I already own up to no. 9 in the series and had intended on collecting the whole set. But I needn't have been concerned! Desolation Island is a great story and I thoroughly enjoyed it - so much so, that as you will have seen from the above I carried straight on with The Fortune of War, which was just as good. In fact, I really want to go right ahead and read yet another in the series, but I am worried that I might make myself fed up with them so I am just not allowing myself to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult Synopsis - from Amazon Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was five. Now, having left home and her father for dreams of art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, Paige finds herself with a child of her own. Emotionally and physically exhausted, overwhelmed by the demands of her family, Paige cannot forget her mother's absence or the shameful memories from her own past. Her next step would have been unthinkable before her doubts about her maternal ability crept into her mind. Is it possible Paige's baby would be better off without her? I bought this without looking at when it was published, assuming it was her latest novel, and my heart sank when I sat down to read it and discovered it was from 1993. While it was an ok read, it was more like a slightly fey Danielle Steele (only not so good) novel than Jodi Picoult. I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable (and also just found the central character annoying and irritating) and was left very disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult Synopsis - from Amazon Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was five. Now, having left home and her father for dreams of art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, Paige finds herself with a child of her own. Emotionally and physically exhausted, overwhelmed by the demands of her family, Paige cannot forget her mother's absence or the shameful memories from her own past. Her next step would have been unthinkable before her doubts about her maternal ability crept into her mind. Is it possible Paige's baby would be better off without her? I bought this without looking at when it was published, assuming it was her latest novel, and my heart sank when I sat down to read it and discovered it was from 1993. While it was an ok read, it was more like a slightly fey Danielle Steele (only not so good) novel than Jodi Picoult. I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable (and also just found the central character annoying and irritating) and was left very disappointed. I'm sorry you didn't like 'Harvesting the Heart' Ooshie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 I'm sorry you didn't like 'Harvesting the Heart' Ooshie Thank you, Weave - maybe it was just too much of a contrast to the seafaring adventures I had been reading before that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I hope you enjoy it Ruth - last night I was dreaming about buying more Diane Chamberlain books, but I have so many on Mount TBR already that I just can't buy any more! I often feel the same way, but I'm afraid I usually give in to temptation and buy the books anyway Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult Synopsis - from Amazon Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was five. Now, having left home and her father for dreams of art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, Paige finds herself with a child of her own. Emotionally and physically exhausted, overwhelmed by the demands of her family, Paige cannot forget her mother's absence or the shameful memories from her own past. Her next step would have been unthinkable before her doubts about her maternal ability crept into her mind. Is it possible Paige's baby would be better off without her? I bought this without looking at when it was published, assuming it was her latest novel, and my heart sank when I sat down to read it and discovered it was from 1993. While it was an ok read, it was more like a slightly fey Danielle Steele (only not so good) novel than Jodi Picoult. I found the whole thing pretty unbelievable (and also just found the central character annoying and irritating) and was left very disappointed. It's a shame you didn't enjoy this one so much; I've heard a few people say the same thing about this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Jodi Picoult seens to have been re-releasing books a lot recently, it's very annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 .It's a shame you didn't enjoy this one so much; I've heard a few people say the same thing about this book. Jodi Picoult seens to have been re-releasing books a lot recently, it's very annoying. If I remember rightly, the previous Jodi Picoult I bought turned out to be a re-release too, although I think I enjoyed it a bit more - more directly like Danielle Steele, who is one of my guilty pleasures! I should have remembered that and checked its date when I picked this one up; hopefully I will next time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 If I remember rightly, the previous Jodi Picoult I bought turned out to be a re-release too, although I think I enjoyed it a bit more - more directly like Danielle Steele, who is one of my guilty pleasures! I should have remembered that and checked its date when I picked this one up; hopefully I will next time! You can't win them all Ooshie. What will you read next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 You can't win them all Ooshie. What will you read next? My mum has just finished reading The Little Women Letters and has passed it on to me, so I'm going to reread Little Women before I start on that. I haven't read Little Women since I was a child, though, so at the moment I am feeling a mixture of looking forward to it and being worried that I just won't enjoy it this time around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 (edited) The Distant Hours by Kate Morton Synopsis - from Amazon Edie Burchill and her mother have never been close, but when a long lost letter arrives with the return address of Milderhurst Castle, Kent, printed on its envelope, Edie begins to suspect that her mother’s emotional distance masks an old secret. Evacuated from London as a thirteen year old girl, Edie’s mother is chosen by the mysterious Juniper Blythe, and taken to live at Millderhurst Castle with the Blythe family. Fifty years later, Edie too is drawn to Milderhurst and the eccentric Sisters Blythe. Old ladies now, the three still live together, the twins nursing Juniper, whose abandonment by her fiancé in 1941 plunged her into madness. Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst Castle, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in the distant hours has been waiting a long time for someone to find it . . . I thought this would take me ages to read as it is quite long, but in the end it only took me 2 days as I was enjoying it so much. A Gothic tale with a castle, a mysterious death, unstable relatives... the list goes on. Edie works for a publisher, and there are lots of writers (published and unpublished) and readers in it too, which added to my enjoyment. The only criticism I have is that some of the descriptions seemed a bit forced, but I am not a fan of detailed descriptions and quite often just skip over them, so other people might not think that. Edited July 31, 2011 by Ooshie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 3, 2011 Author Share Posted August 3, 2011 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Synopsis - from Waterstone's Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth - four 'little women' enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England. The charming story of the March sisters, "Little Women" has been adored by generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo's hand, cried over little Beth's death, and dreamed of traveling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo's devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, both parts of which are included here, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature's most beloved women. My mother had been reading The Little Women Letters, and passed it on to me once she had finished it; not having read Little Women since I was a child, I thought I had better refresh my memory so that I had more than a vague idea of the story before starting the new book! I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy LW as an adult, but I still enjoyed the story very much. It did have more moralistic (and also overtly Christian preachy) bits than I had remembered, but either there were less of them as the book went on or I just got used to ignoring them, so they didn't spoil the story for me. It seemed longer than I remembered, and included a Part 2 in which the girls get married, and I am wondering whether that was possibly Good Wives, which I had in mind as being a separate, second book in the series (the 3rd and 4th were Little Men and Jo's Boys). A good, classic children's book, which I think I will read again in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Not sure I'd enjoy the 'overly Christian preachy' part of Little Women but your recent Kate Morton read sounds fascinating.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 Not sure I'd enjoy the 'overly Christian preachy' part of Little Women but your recent Kate Morton read sounds fascinating.. I did very much enjoy The Distant Hours, Ben. I didn't like the preachy bits at all, and it's a shame, because I did enjoy the story; I have maybe made it sound as though there are more of them than there really are, and they did annoy me more at the beginning than further on. Mind you, I don't usually think of books as being for males or females, but I do think of LW as a book for girls and have to say I wouldn't recommend it to any bloke I know of any age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King Synopsis - from Waterstones Is it possible to fully know anyone? Even those we love the most? What tips someone over the edge to commit a crime?For a Nebraska farmer, the turning point comes when his wife threatens to sell off the family homestead.A cozy mystery writer plots a savage revenge after a brutal encounter with a stranger.Dave Streeter gets the chance to cure himself from illness - if he agrees to impose misery on an old rival.And Darcy Anderson discovers a box containing her husband's dark and terrifying secrets - he's not the man who keeps his nails short and collects coins. And now he's heading home ...Like DIFFERENT SEASONS and FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT, which generated such enduring hit films as The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me, FULL DARK, NO STARS proves Stephen King a master of the long story form. I am a great fan of Stephen King's early books, and feel that with Duma Key and Under the Dome he had almost returned to the form of his early days. And I do feel that he keeps up this standard with Full Dark, No Stars, which I did enjoy. But for some reason there is something about the references to sex (some of which are very short, it's not that there is lots of it) in the stories that just put me off. It's not that I'm a prude, I read plenty of books with much more sex in them than these tales, but in most of the stories it just seemed plain unnecessary, and even in the story which it would have been necessary in, I didn't like the way bits of it were written. Maybe I'm just getting old! (Or maybe it was just too great a contrast to Little Women with its preachy bits! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi Synopsis - from Waterstones . For two years before she left Iran in 1997, Azar Nafisi gathered seven young women at her house every Thursday morning to read and discuss forbidden works of Western literature. They were all former students whom she had taught at university. Some came from conservative and religious families, others were progressive and secular; several had spent time in jail. Shy and uncomfortable at first, they soon began to open up and speak more freely, not only about the novels they were reading but also about themselves, their dreams and disappointments. Their stories intertwined with those they were reading - "Pride and Prejudice", "Washington Square", "Daisy Miller" and "Lolita" - their Lolita, as they imagined her in Tehran. Nafisi's account flashes back to the early days of the revolution when she first started teaching at the University of Tehran amid the swirl of protests and demonstrations. In those frenetic days, the students took control of the university, expelled faculty members and purged the curriculum. Azar Nafisi's luminous tale offers a portrait of the Iran-Iraq war viewed from Tehran and gives us a glimpse, from the inside, of women's lives in revolutionary Iran. I really only enjoy reading fiction and, despite the interesting subject matter, I found this book quite dry and hard to engage with. I expect it would be a much more enjoyable read for someone who enjoys reading autobiographies or memoirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Candide by Voltaire Synopsis - from Amazon Brought up in the household of a powerful Baron, Candide is an open-minded young man, whose tutor, Pangloss, has instilled in him the belief that 'all is for the best'. But when his love for the Baron's rosy-cheeked daughter is discovered, Candide is cast out to make his own way in the world. And so he and his various companions begin a breathless tour of Europe, South America and Asia, as an outrageous series of disasters befall them - earthquakes, syphilis, a brush with the Inquisition, murder - sorely testing the young hero's optimism. I didn't know what to expect of Candide - but I certainly didn't expect it to be such an entertainly good read! Very fast-paced and amusing, it is a satire full of terrible events and improbably coincidences, and I loved the whole book. This is one I will read again and again. In fact, I think it is the best book I have read this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 I did very much enjoy The Distant Hours, Ben. I didn't like the preachy bits at all, and it's a shame, because I did enjoy the story; I have maybe made it sound as though there are more of them than there really are, and they did annoy me more at the beginning than further on. Mind you, I don't usually think of books as being for males or females, but I do think of LW as a book for girls and have to say I wouldn't recommend it to any bloke I know of any age! that sounds like a challenge Ooshie I'm going to have to read it now and get in touch with my feminine side or see if I have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 I look forward to you proving me wrong, vodkafan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King Synopsis - from Waterstones Is it possible to fully know anyone? Even those we love the most? What tips someone over the edge to commit a crime?For a Nebraska farmer, the turning point comes when his wife threatens to sell off the family homestead.A cozy mystery writer plots a savage revenge after a brutal encounter with a stranger.Dave Streeter gets the chance to cure himself from illness - if he agrees to impose misery on an old rival.And Darcy Anderson discovers a box containing her husband's dark and terrifying secrets - he's not the man who keeps his nails short and collects coins. And now he's heading home ...Like DIFFERENT SEASONS and FOUR PAST MIDNIGHT, which generated such enduring hit films as The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me, FULL DARK, NO STARS proves Stephen King a master of the long story form. I am a great fan of Stephen King's early books, and feel that with Duma Key and Under the Dome he had almost returned to the form of his early days. And I do feel that he keeps up this standard with Full Dark, No Stars, which I did enjoy. But for some reason there is something about the references to sex (some of which are very short, it's not that there is lots of it) in the stories that just put me off. It's not that I'm a prude, I read plenty of books with much more sex in them than these tales, but in most of the stories it just seemed plain unnecessary, and even in the story which it would have been necessary in, I didn't like the way bits of it were written. Maybe I'm just getting old! (Or maybe it was just too great a contrast to Little Women with its preachy bits! ) Great review Ooshie I enjoyed 'Full Dark, No Stars' too and I know what you mean about the sex, it did not shock me (well certain parts did in one story) but it was a bit much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi I really only enjoy reading fiction and, despite the interesting subject matter, I found this book quite dry and hard to engage with. I'm very sorry to say this but I agree! What a bummer. I expect it would be a much more enjoyable read for someone who enjoys reading autobiographies or memoirs. I'm one of those people, but no, it wasn't more enjoyable for me Candide by Voltaire I didn't know what to expect of Candide - but I certainly didn't expect it to be such an entertainly good read! Very fast-paced and amusing, it is a satire full of terrible events and improbably coincidences, and I loved the whole book. This is one I will read again and again. In fact, I think it is the best book I have read this year. I read Candide for the 1001 Books reading challenge last year, I think, and just like you, I certainly didn't expect it to be such a highly entertaining read. And it was WHACK! Jolly good read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 I can't believe how far behind I have got with my reviews! They are going to be a bit rushed, but here goes... The Other Hand by Chris Cleave From back of book We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it so we will just say this: This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again - the story starts there... Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds I was prepared to hate this book, as I can't bear these "tell your friends about it" blurbs. However, I absolutely loved it and ended the book in tears! A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers Part of the Amazon Review: But on to the true story. At the age of 22, Eggers became both an orphan and a "single mother" when his parents died within five months of one another of unrelated cancers. In the ensuing sibling division of labor, Dave is appointed unofficial guardian of his 8-year-old brother, Christopher. The two live together in semi-squalor, decaying food and sports equipment scattered about, while Eggers worries obsessively about child-welfare authorities, molesting babysitters, and his own health. His child-rearing strategy swings between making his brother's upbringing manically fun and performing bizarre developmental experiments on him. (Case in point: his idea of suitable bedtime reading is John Hersey's Hiroshima.) Note to self: I must stop reading non-fiction. I must stop reading non-fiction. I must stop reading non-fiction. I really do not enjoy it! Especially the sort where people tell us about their hard lives. I thought of this book as "A Mildly Interesting Work of Self-Indulgence". I thought the very first part of the book, where he describes caring for his mother when she is dying of cancer, gave a very realistic picture of caring for a terminally ill relative, but after that it really didn't interest me at all. Rescue by Anita Shreve Part of a review on Amazon: Paramedic Pete Webster is worried sick about his daughter, Rowan, a high-school senior whom he has raised single-handedly ever since she was two. Rowan has adopted very untypical behavior, ignoring her studies and drinking heavily. It brings back bad memories of his ex-wife, Sheila. He pulled her from a car wreck while on the job and soon fell madly in love with her both for her beauty and her irreverent sense of humor. When she became pregnant, he married her though he was only 21. They were very happy until Sheila began drinking all day, every day. Now Pete is worried that their daughter believes she is doomed to repeat her mother’s mistakes; he decides to contact Sheila, whom he has not seen or heard from for 16 years. The prolific Shreve brings her customary care to this thoroughly absorbing, perfectly paced domestic drama. Alternating between the life-and-death scenarios Pete encounters on the job and the fraught family tension between father and daughter, Shreve pulls readers right into her story I enjoy Anita Shreve's writing and have read all her books, so it didn't come as a surprise that I enjoyed this one too. A good read that went a long way to reviving the mojo that AHWoSG had killed almost stone dead! The Confession by John Grisham Synopsis - from Amazon An innocent man is days from execution. Only a guilty man can save him. Travis Boyette is a murderer. In 1998, in the small East Texas city of Sloan, he abducted, raped, and strangled a popular high-school cheerleader. He buried her body so that it would never be found, then watched and waited as police and prosecutors arrested Donte Drumm, a local football star with no connection to the crime. Tried, convicted and sentenced, Drumm was sentto death row: his fate had been decided. Nine years later, Donte Drumm is four days from execution. Over 400 miles away in Kansas, Travis faces a fate of his own: an inoperable brain tumour will soon deliver the end. Reflecting on his miserable life, he decides to do what’s right. After years of silence he is ready to confess. But how can a guilty man convince lawyers, judges and politicians that they’re about to execute an innocent man? I had seen some bad review of this book, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed it. It kept me reading and looking forward to what happened next, and that was all I was asking for as I continued to cosset my mojo! The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith Product description - from eBay Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are called to a safari lodge in Botswana's Okavango Delta to carry out a delicate mission on behalf of a former guest. The Okavango makes Precious appreciate once again the beauty of her homeland: it is a paradise of teeming wildlife, majestic grasslands and sparkling water. However, it is also home to rival safari operators, fearsome crocodiles and disgruntled hippopotamuses. What's more, Mma Makutsi still does not have a date for her wedding to Phuti Radiphuti and is feeling rather tetchy herself. But Precious knows that with a little patience, just as the wide river will gently make its way round any obstacle, so will everything work out for the best in the end ... Another quick and easy read in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, light and entertaining as usual. Lasting Damage by Sophie Hannah Synopsis - from Amazon It's 1.15 a.m. Connie Bowskill should be asleep. Instead, she's logging on to a property website in search of a particular house: 11 Bentley Grove, Cambridge. She knows it's for sale; she saw the estate agent's board in the front garden less than six hours ago. Soon Connie is clicking on the 'Virtual Tour' button, keen to see the inside of 11 Bentley Grove and put her mind at rest once and for all. She finds herself looking at a scene from a nightmare: in the living room, in the middle of the carpet, there's a woman lying face down in a huge pool of blood. In shock, Connie wakes her husband Kit. But when Kit sits down at the computer to take a look, he sees no dead body, only a pristine beige carpet in a perfectly ordinary room . . . I didn't think this had a particularly believable story-line, but I found it a good read in that it kept me interested and any chance I got I picked it up and read a few more pages to find out what would happen next! Apart from finding it a bit unbelievable, I did enjoy it. The Ambassadors by Henry James Synopsis - from Amazon When Chadwick Newsome, a young American favoured with fortune and independence, becomes entangled in a liaison dangereux with a Parisian temptress, his overbearing mother deploys her future husband, the elderly, amiable Strether, as an ambassador to engineer his safe return. But seduced by the ambient charms of Paris and the bewitching comtesse de Vionnet, Strether soon deserts to Chadwick's side, initiating a sparkling tale of mistaken intentions, comic accident and false allegiances which culminates in the deployment of another, less fallible ambassador - the cold, glittering, ruthless Sarah Pocock. I really enjoyed this book, which I was reading for the BCF Reading Group October Choice. I did find that I could only read it in quite short bursts rather than for hours at a time as I did need to concentrate on it (I kept a paperback for reading when I was tired), but that didn't spoil it at all for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 You're an inspiration to me Oosh on how to write reviews, you've got behind with them like me but you've sorted it. I need to take a leaf out of your book and see if I can catch up. Be concise that's the key .. don't waffle (I might as well give up now!) Well done also for tackling, conquering and enjoying Henry James. I am struggling with it, I like it but it's hard work and it's not relaxing. It's a fairly long story anyway but I've managed to double it because I'm practically re-reading every page. Had to laugh about what you put about not enjoying non-fiction when it's just about someone's hard life (yeah .. stick your misery where the sun don't shine! .. I've got enough of my own!) although I do enjoy it if it's well written and when there's light at the end of the tunnel. Otherwise it can be a bit of a trudge. Am intrigued by 'The Other Hand'... sounds great. Thanks Ooshie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 You're an inspiration to me Oosh on how to write reviews, you've got behind with them like me but you've sorted it. I need to take a leaf out of your book and see if I can catch up. Be concise that's the key .. don't waffle (I might as well give up now!) Glad to have been of help, poppyshake! Good luck... I just thought that if I didn't do it now I wouldn't even be able to remember what I thought of the books! Well done also for tackling, conquering and enjoying Henry James. I am struggling with it, I like it but it's hard work and it's not relaxing. It's a fairly long story anyway but I've managed to double it because I'm practically re-reading every page. I know what you mean - I did find myself having to reread quite a few of the conversations to make sure I understood them, and when I picked the book up to start reading again I always reread the last paragraph I had read just to get myself into the rhythm of the writing. Had to laugh about what you put about not enjoying non-fiction when it's just about someone's hard life (yeah .. stick your misery where the sun don't shine! .. I've got enough of my own!) Yup, you have got it, that's just how I feel! although I do enjoy it if it's well written and when there's light at the end of the tunnel. Otherwise it can be a bit of a trudge. I will probably keep trying, and hopefully will find one I enjoy one day! Am intrigued by 'The Other Hand'... sounds great. Thanks Ooshie I really did enjoy The Other Hand, but I have the feeling it is probably one of those "love it or hate it" books, so I am a bit worried that everyone else might hate it! Hope you enjoy it if you try it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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