Vodkafan's 2011 reading list

[Chrissy]

I started reading American Gods....bloody good so far.

 

 

American Gods was the last book I read ~ it is brilliant, understated in many ways but also unsettling, compelling and engrossing. Enjoy.

[vodkafan]

American Gods was the last book I read ~ it is brilliant, understated in many ways but also unsettling, compelling and engrossing. Enjoy.

 

Thanks Chrissy! Only read a few pages so far but wow...if a woman ever lights a candle and asks me to worship her before we make love I am out of there pronto!

[Chrissy]

You just made me snort tea!

[vodkafan]

You just made me snort tea!

 

I read some more. I really like this book. It reminds me very much of the Russian films Nightwatch and Daywatch.

[vodkafan]

Still reading American Gods, hope to finish it tonight.

 

(edit)

 

Just finished it.

Edited July 10, 2011 by vodkafan

[pickle]

Did you enjoy it Vodkafan I am a big Neil Gaiman fan and a love a lot of his books been ages since I read American Gods though

[Ben]

*does weird excited dance.*

 

American Gods is amazing; I love it. It was one of my favourite books of last year, and probably would have been my favourite if it wasn't for The Picture of Dorian Gray. Anyway, how did you find it? I'd love to hear your thoughts. The different characters and their connections to old mythology are just fantastic, and Gaiman's writing style is utterly brilliant. In any case, enough of my rambling, let me know how you found it.

[vodkafan]

Hi Pickle, Ben: yes I loved American Gods . I liked the way Shadow in the beginning just seemed to be of minor importance, just a plot device to show us all the Gods, but then he gradually got more integral to the whole story..the bits with his wife was great too. My head is still very full of it, I keep thinking of bits I liked, definitely one of this years favourites. First Gaiman book I have read but not the last!

[Ben]

Hi Pickle, Ben: yes I loved American Gods . I liked the way Shadow in the beginning just seemed to be of minor importance, just a plot device to show us all the Gods, but then he gradually got more integral to the whole story..the bits with his wife was great too. My head is still very full of it, I keep thinking of bits I liked, definitely one of this years favourites. First Gaiman book I have read but not the last!

Was only the second of Gaiman's books that I had read (the other being Good Omens) but I certainly want to get onto some more of his reads; Stardust in particular. American Gods was fantastic, and you are so right; the character of Shadow was very well done. The ambiguity full-stop is what makes this book so good in my opinion; everything comes together in weird and wonderful ways throughout.

[pickle]

I have read a few, one of my favourites is Neverwhere, I love the idea of a hidden city just below and around us.

[vodkafan]

Just finished Never Let Me Go last night. I will review it later today.

Edited July 16, 2011 by vodkafan

[Sofia]

Just finished Never Let Me Go last night. I will review it later today.

 

 

looking forward to it

[vodkafan]

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

 

I was to be honest quite disappointed in this book. It is told in the first person by Kathy, and the style is conversational, she is telling of events long past , coming up to the present. This is actually an alternative reality, which given current technology is probably possible. There is something special about Kathy, and the other children she grew up with in her isolated boarding school.

 

They are human clones being raised for the sole purpose of organ donation, they have no future other than having their organs cut out one by one until they fail to survive ( at which point, I presume their bodies would be completely "harvested"). They call this Completion rather than death. I found this concept truly horrific.

 

The first third of the book deals with Kathy's earliest recollections and I found this kiddy bit very boring. I could see what the author was trying to do, making the teacher/guardians seem slightly sinister. The salient points about their predicament were told very mundanely however in conversation so they have no impact whatsoever.

The second bit of the book follows Kathy's personal relationships as she grows up into adulthood and then goes her own way. The last part of the book is an ending of sorts when Kathy and Tommy find their original guardians and question them.

 

but it contains no hope of a reprieve from their horrible fate, which they passively accept.

 

Overall the book feels a bit "empty" to me. I wanted to know what would have happened if any of the children had rebelled or at least struggled.

I haven't seen the film but unless the plot has been changed in a big way I don't see how this could be an interesting film.

Edited July 16, 2011 by vodkafan

[Ooshie]

Have you read any of Kazuo Ishiguru's other books? He is one of my favourite writers, but his style is definitely very understated. In Never Let Me Go, I found that added to the horror of the whole concept for me.

 

What are you starting on next? Hopefully you will enjoy that more

[vodkafan]

Have you read any of Kazuo Ishiguru's other books? He is one of my favourite writers, but his style is definitely very understated. In Never Let Me Go, I found that added to the horror of the whole concept for me.

 

What are you starting on next? Hopefully you will enjoy that more

 

No which Ishiguro book would you recommend for me Ooshie? I will give him another go. As for next book, at a reading rate of 50 books a year I have enough for 2 years reading on my kindle untouched so I will browse through later and see what jumps out at me.

Edited July 16, 2011 by vodkafan

[Ooshie]

Hmm. Probably my absolute favourite is The Remains of the Day, but The Unconsoled (although quite a long book) was a very interesting read - I found it very unsettling.

 

A bit of info on each from enotes:

 

The Remains of the Day:

 

Ishiguro’s first two novels were set in Japan, so The Remains of the Day represents a departure in the author’s work. Still, it is consistent with his writing style in that the book is told from a firstperson point of view by a person who faces past self-deception and regret. Further, the tone is controlled, the language is carefully crafted, and the themes revolve around the position of the individual within a society. While some critics maintain that although Ishiguro’s setting is not Japan, the book retains a strong sense of the author’s Japanese heritage, Ishiguro is quick to disagree. He responds by saying that most of his life experience has taken place in England and that his fictional influences are Britain’s writers. Ishiguro’s choice of subject matter in this book—and the realism with which he depicts it—demonstrates the importance of England’s past and culture to him. Prologue: July 1956

Readers are introduced to Stevens, an aging butler who has served Darlington Hall for about thirty years. The house has recently come under the ownership of an American man named Mr. Farraday, after belonging to Lord Darlington’s family for two centuries. While Lord Darlington was a reserved English gentleman, Mr. Farraday is a carefree man who likes to banter. Because he will be away for a while, he suggests that Stevens take his car and go on a trip. Stevens agrees, reasoning that he will go see Miss Kenton (the Hall’s ex-housekeeper), who has just written a letter to Stevens. Always focused on duty, Stevens hopes to recruit Miss Kenton back to Darlington Hall, where she is needed.

 

 

The Unconsoled:

 

Anita Brookner’s assessment that THE UNCONSOLED is “almost certainly a masterpiece” is the proper assessment for the surprisingly long, astonishingly accomplished fourth novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, author of the celebrated THE REMAINS OF THE DAY (1989) and two excellent earlier novels. Set in an unnamed provincial city in central Europe in the 1990’s, THE UNCONSOLED is the story of Ryder, a classical pianist who has been invited to the city to give a concert. Ryder arrives, only to find himself perpetually puzzled by an inability to remember why exactly he is there or where he is supposed to be next at any given moment, and under siege from the maddeningly solicitous and demanding local citizens. THE UNCONSOLED is about the elusiveness of identity and the treachery of memory, regret and the hope of redemption. Though its atmosphere is dreamlike, it actually is hyper-realistic, portraying with enigmatic precision of a very high order “real” life as each of us actually experiences it. Like all truly important literature, it raises more questions than it answers: Who is the protagonist? Where did he come from? Why is he here? Where is he going next? Is individual identity— whatever that is—fundamental, or is our inevitable involvement with every other fellow human the bedrock of who we “really” are?

 

With respect to its author’s career, the question THE UNCONSOLED raises is the same as that posed earlier by THE REMAINS OF THE DAY, raised to a much higher power: Where can he go next? What is left for him to accomplish? What is certain is that with his fourth novel, Ishiguro has both firmly established himself as an important novelist and considerably raised expectations in his

 

 

 

[vodkafan]

They both look a bit interesting Ooshie

[Chrissy]

It's interesting to read you thoughts on Never Let Me Go. The book fascinated me. and I found the emptiness that you mention made it just that more haunting and harrowing. The overall acceptance by the characters was heartbreaking.

[Sofia]

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

 

I was to be honest quite disappointed in this book. It is told in the first person by Kathy, and the style is conversational, she is telling of events long past , coming up to the present. This is actually an alternative reality, which given current technology is probably possible. There is something special about Kathy, and the other children she grew up with in her isolated boarding school.

 

They are human clones being raised for the sole purpose of organ donation, they have no future other than having their organs cut out one by one until they fail to survive ( at which point, I presume their bodies would be completely "harvested"). They call this Completion rather than death. I found this concept truly horrific.

 

The first third of the book deals with Kathy's earliest recollections and I found this kiddy bit very boring. I could see what the author was trying to do, making the teacher/guardians seem slightly sinister. The salient points about their predicament were told very mundanely however in conversation so they have no impact whatsoever.

The second bit of the book follows Kathy's personal relationships as she grows up into adulthood and then goes her own way. The last part of the book is an ending of sorts when Kathy and Tommy find their original guardians and question them.

 

but it contains no hope of a reprieve from their horrible fate, which they passively accept.

 

Overall the book feels a bit "empty" to me. I wanted to know what would have happened if any of the children had rebelled or at least struggled.

I haven't seen the film but unless the plot has been changed in a big way I don't see how this could be an interesting film.

 

 

I've actually started this book on two different occasions and only got a few pages in, then quickly lost interest....so I was looking forward to your review....looks like I was right! But now I'd like to read it just to compare to the movie thanks Vodkafan

[vodkafan]

Just finished Sharpe's Rifles which was recommended to us by kidsmum. It was a quick easy read and I enjoyed reading something uncomplicated with lots of fighting.

Say does anyone know how kidsmum is doing? I PMd her a while ago but got no reply.

[Chrissy]

Just finished Sharpe's Rifles which was recommended to us by kidsmum. It was a quick easy read and I enjoyed reading something uncomplicated with lots of fighting.

Say does anyone know how kidsmum is doing? I PMd her a while ago but got no reply.

 

No news as yet, although she was due to be facing a few 'tricky' weeks. Hopefully we'll hve here back on here in good health very soon.

[vodkafan]

No news as yet, although she was due to be facing a few 'tricky' weeks. Hopefully we'll hve here back on here in good health very soon.

 

I hope so too

[Kidsmum]

Glad you enjoyed Sharpe's Rifles VF I've still got quite a few Sharpe books on my TBR pile but my readings kind of ground to a halt at the moment I can't seem to manage more than a few pages without falling asleep

[vodkafan]

Glad you enjoyed Sharpe's Rifles VF I've still got quite a few Sharpe books on my TBR pile but my readings kind of ground to a halt at the moment I can't seem to manage more than a few pages without falling asleep

 

Welcome back kidsmum

 

I finished Dead Until Dark this morning. Will review it later.

[vodkafan]

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

 

I enjoyed this book. I haven't read anything else in the vampire genre to compare it with, but I liked the way it did not take itself too seriously, I felt the author was having fun with us and with the story. The vampires were menacing and quite traditional. Eric in particular was someone you feel it is best Sooky does not get noticed by. (Unfortunately for her, she does.) It reinforced (to me)my theory that this genre is a female sexual fantasy; there is quite a lot of sex in the book. As with everything else, the author unashamedly has fun with this idea of human/vampire interaction.

Some things were very funny, even more so for being totally unexpected

Sooky in the bar asking the vampires what flavour blood they wanted, "O" or "A" Negative ; and Elvis Presley turning up as a half-wit vampire called Bubba

 

I probably won't read another one but you never know.

It was a quick (one day) read, and it entertained me and made me forget my troubles for a few hours, so good for Ms Harris.