Maureen's reading blog (started 2007)

[Maureen]

It's not my "normal" kind of book, but I enjoyed it. And the interweaving of the stories was well done in my opinion.

[Maureen]

Finished Crackdown by Val Mcdermid.

There are different reasons for reading. Having a laugh and wishing you were the "hero" in the story is one of them.(Or else at least lead a similar life) This is a book that lets you do that! Kate Brannigan is a female 007!

[Maureen]

I am currently reading Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde, after hearing good things about this book in this forum. I have only read a couple of chapters, but can see that it is not a type of book I'd normally go for, and it is going to take a bit of getting used to...........but it has made me smile once or twice........hmmm.

[Kell]

I am currently reading Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde, after hearing good things about this book in this forum.

Have you read the others in the Thursday Next series? I have the first one, The Eyre Affair, on my shelf, waiting to be read once I've finished Jane Eyre... I've read the Nursery Crimes ones though - really enjoyed those!

[Maureen]

I got the Eyre Affair from the library. It;s next after SR. I know it should be the other way round, but I guess I'll manage not to get too mixed up ;-)

[Maureen]

I have a problem with "fantasy" books.

[Maureen]

Something Rotten, finished today. I must say that altough I could not get into this book at first, I really got interested half way through, and enjoyed it. In fact I am now looking forwards to reading THe Eyre Affair - which I should start this evening.

[Kell]

In fact I am now looking forwards to reading THe Eyre Affair - which I should start this evening.

I'm about 1/2 way through and loving it. I can't believe I took so long to read it! (Although, the only thing that kept me was my own silly reluctance to read Jane Eyre any sooner than I did - which I also adored!)

[Maureen]

I have never read Jane Eyre, but should hope it would not make a difference. Do you think you are you going to continue with the sequels Kell?

[Kell]

Do you think you are you going to continue with the sequels Kell?

Does the Pope wear a big hat & drive round in a Popemobile? Definitely! If the others are anything as good as the first one, I'l be in for a barrel of laughs from start to finish. I really like Fforde's style - his humour really appeals to me, and I like his cleverness (which is very similar to Pratchett's style of satire).

[Liz]

I'm really glad you guys are enjoying Fforde's books. I've loved all of the Thursday Next series. They're strange old books, but quite enjoyable once you get used to them and their style.

[Maureen]

I must say - against all odds - I enjoyed The Eyre Affair. As I mentioned before, I have a problem with fantasy type stories - have never read any HP, LOTR, and all the other (very popular) fantasy books. I tried a Terry Pratchett novel last year, but it was like trying to eat a bull testicle as a house guest at the Palace - you really want to try, at least to see what the fuss is all about, but even with your eyes closed, and breathing through your mouth, you still cannot do it.

That's why when I got Jasper Fforde's novels, (which I grabbed off the shelf without even thinking as I had to dash and pick up my son from school )- and started one of them (did not even check the sequence!), I felt disappointed when I realised that it was fantasy.

However after reading two, I can safely say that I want to read all of the Thursday Next series. These books are great! I will also not hesitate to recommend to people who do not normally like fantasy - if you want to read something different - give these a try. The way Fforde writes these stories is seriously neat!

[Maureen]

I have since read Lost in a Good Book, the second in the sequence (after the Eyre Affair). Will certainly look out for the others - need to know what happens to Thursday Next!

 

Now on to Mr Brookmyre's Country of the Blind

[Maureen]

Have not yet finished Country of the Blind - the dialogue is rather difficult to read sometimes (Scottish),and at other times totally uncomprehensible (sanny-staun-mingin-skelfs...), there is a lot of politics in the book - which obviously I cannot appreciate - Thatcher and Tories and Liberals. One thing I am noticing however, is that Brookmyre seems rather disenchanted about some European countries - i have already come across less than sterling references to them in another book of his - EuroTrash seems to be one of his over used words.....

 

The story's great though.

[Maureen]

Finished Country of the Blind this morning, and although I cannot really appreciate it fully, I enjoyed the book. Have since started Boiling a Frog - same author. The first couple of chapters are really good.

[Maureen]

1. Memoirs of a geisha

2. Adam and Eve and Pinch me

3. Piranha to Scurfy

4. The Winter King

5. Interpretation of Murder

6. Blood on the Tongue

7. Mathematics of Love

8. Crackdown

9. Something Rotten

10. The Eyre Affair

11. Lost in a Good Book

12. Country of the Blind

13. Boiling a Frog

[Maureen]

Kell's article about Brookmyre is a great intro. I have grown to like Parlabene - his main character in these books. Unfortunately, as I always do, I never manage to pick them in the right sequence, and will be reading Quite ugly one morning later!

 

Now I have started on the Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde - (another book out of sequence - have read the previous and the sequel!)

[Maureen]

Finished the Well of Lost Plots. I must say the JAsper Fforde books were the only fantasy books I can think of, that I have enjoyed, and that i would recommend esp to someone who does not do fantasy!

[Maureen]

Oh I forgot to update this! After Well of Lost plots I read Quite Ugly one Morning by Christopher Brookmyre. The first book of his I read last year left me quite indifferent - that's not saying I did not enjoy it, but I was not about to tear my hair out if I did not read any more of his work. However, after Kell's waxing lyrical I read some more of his stuff, and I have come to love his one liners, his hero Parlabene, and and the way he tells his story. Some stuff floats over my head - like his descriptions of British Politics - Tories, Thatcher, for whom he really seems to have it in etc. I will definately be reading more of his stuff.

1. Memoirs of a geisha

2. Adam and Eve and Pinch me

3. Piranha to Scurfy

4. The Winter King

5. Interpretation of Murder

6. Blood on the Tongue

7. Mathematics of Love

8. Crackdown

9. Something Rotten

10. The Eyre Affair

11. Lost in a Good Book

12. Country of the Blind

13. Boiling a Frog

14. Well of Lost Plots

15. Quite ugly one morning

16. Lady Chatterly's Lover

17. The five people you meet in heaven

18. Cloud Atlas

19. e

[Kell]

Glad to hear you're enjoying the Brookmyres. I don't think I've found one yet that I didn't love. My favourite to date has been The Sacred Art of Stealing - very clever!

[Maureen]

I just finished, and loved, the five people you meet in heaven. It is a really great story - original, sad at times but really unique. Had never heard of the author before - perhaps I need to read more of his stuff.

[Maureen]

I have finally started on Cloud Atlas. i've been meaning to read this book for more than a year - on Andy's recommendation.

[Freewheeling Andy]

I don't think I've ever succesfully achieved anything before by nagging. I feel a sense of great achievement.

[Maureen]

I don't think I've ever succesfully achieved anything before by nagging. I feel a sense of great achievement.

 

Andy, it's called gentle persuation, and it's a revered art.

[Maureen]

I finished Cloud Atlas. In Shrek (2, i think) Shrek tells Donkey - ogres are like onions - they have layers. This can be said of this book too. There are six stories, all set in a different time, all written in a different style, but there are subtle links throughout. The book is sort of split into two parts, first all the stories start, one after the other, leaving you frustrated for more, and then you get the endings. The style was brilliant and unusual.