Horses Gallore
Well-known member
I keep meaning to get a copy of this book and read it. I will one day.
The Book Corner
- Thread starter TattieScone
- Start date
I have read Where the Crowdads Sing and We are All Completely Beside Ourselves recently. Both brilliant books.
I do that too
I find listening to Radio 4 A Good Read gives me lots of ideas. I’ve read two books recently that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Lady into Fox , and Mrs Bridge.
lifestooshort123
Well-known member
I'm reading Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith. It's a good story but a lot could have ended up on the cutting-room floor. It's 925 pages long (ye gods!) and I'm battling on because I want to know what happens. I've never read (or watched) any Harry Potter so don't know if her writing style is the same nor am I going to watch any 'Strike' on TV as I'm usually disappointed with the casting. The early Frost books by Wingfield were great fun but I never saw David Jason in the role and the later books gradually morphed Frost into Jason - disappointing.
Horses Gallore
Well-known member
I enjoyed the first of the Strike series on TV, but couldn't get into the last one at all. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it. I haven't read any of the books, but I do intend to give them a go at some point.
Planthedgeandtree
Well-known member
Having enjoyed the mini series 'Black Narcissus ' on BBC1, I am now reading the book, for the Himalayas, pre-partition India generally and for Sister Ruth, who was the one who dared tell the truth about the other nuns and suffered for that.
Littlemessyhouse
Well-known member
Enjoyed "Troubled Blood", but I agree, the thing is a doorstop. The identity of the murderer at the end was quite the surprise, but they always are, for me. Right now I'm reading "How to Hide an Empire" which is about the overseas possessions or territories of the United States. I consider myself a fairly informed person, but just a few pages in, I'm already finding out Things That I Should Have Known About, but didn't.
Justsayno
Well-known member
In the last few weeks I've read:
- The Go-Between - very old, and well written
- Clap when you land by Elizabeth Acevedo - good
- A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen -dystopian/pandemic, pretty good
- Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella - not one of her best
- Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks - plague in old England, very good
- The Go-Between - very old, and well written
- Clap when you land by Elizabeth Acevedo - good
- A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen -dystopian/pandemic, pretty good
- Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella - not one of her best
- Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks - plague in old England, very good
RomanesEuntDomus
Well-known member
Seems to be a bit of a problem for JKR once she gets into her stride in a series. The same thing happened between Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire in the Harry Potter series; she needs some 'kill your darlings' discipline in her writing at that point.
lifestooshort123
Well-known member
I haven't read any of the Harry Potter but what I did find irksome in this book is where dialects and accents are written in gobbledygook - having described someone as an eastender, I can use my imagination, there's no need to spell it out!
FisherLassie
Well-known member
Have just read 'Only the Lonely' by Mike Doyle which l really liked and l am now reading The Thursday Murder Club and l love it!
RomanesEuntDomus
Well-known member
Dialect is unbelievably difficult to write. You need to know it, like you know a language. And it needs to be represented with the lightest of touches, like that of a cartoonist sketching a celebrity. Sometimes the order of words or choice of vocabulary is all that is needed; no creative misspellings or obtrusive elision apostrophes are necessary.
JKR needs to clean up and pare down her writing style, and appreciate her limitations. At her best, she's an engaging and energetic storyteller with an eye for a character's rough edges. She is not a poet or a natural wordsmith so any descriptive or reflective passages tend to weigh her books down.
Bellarosa
Well-known member
I’ve just started reading like a loon again because I was given a kindle for Christmas. I didn’t think I’d like it but I love it, although it could end up costing me a fortune. I read “ the Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman, which was a really nice read. Not brain hurting, just entertaining. I’ve also been reading Montalbano and Maigret. I’ve just read “Troubled Blood” and I really enjoyed it, although I didn’t realise how long it was because it was on my kindle 
I have been re reading the Harry Potter books with my 10 year old and I quite like JK’s style of writing, although I tried to read “A casual vacancy” a few years ago and I couldn’t get in to it as I really didn’t feel any empathy or interest in any of the characters. I quite like the adaptation of Strike on tv as I think the casting is good for once.
I have been re reading the Harry Potter books with my 10 year old and I quite like JK’s style of writing, although I tried to read “A casual vacancy” a few years ago and I couldn’t get in to it as I really didn’t feel any empathy or interest in any of the characters. I quite like the adaptation of Strike on tv as I think the casting is good for once.
lifestooshort123
Well-known member
I prefer the books tbh but the latest, Troubled Blood, could have had 50 pages cut quite easily as it is padded out more than my winter duvet. I use my kindle on holidays and if a particular book is not available at the library but I can't get my head round not being able to flick back easily to check someone's name, I know you can do wondrous things on them but I'm too non-techie to work it out!I’ve just started reading like a loon again because I was given a kindle for Christmas. I didn’t think I’d like it but I love it, although it could end up costing me a fortune. I read “ the Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman, which was a really nice read. Not brain hurting, just entertaining. I’ve also been reading Montalbano and Maigret. I’ve just read “Troubled Blood” and I really enjoyed it, although I didn’t realise how long it was because it was on my kindle
I have been re reading the Harry Potter books with my 10 year old and I quite like JK’s style of writing, although I tried to read “A casual vacancy” a few years ago and I couldn’t get in to it as I really didn’t feel any empathy or interest in any of the characters. I quite like the adaptation of Strike on tv as I think the casting is good for once.
Planthedgeandtree
Well-known member
A few people have said that she needed to pare things down in places. Actually I have never read any Harry Potter, tho.
Justsayno
Well-known member
For anyone that hasn't had enough of viruses, The End of October by Lawrence Wright is a good, slightly technical story of how a more virulent infection could impact the world. Kind of makes covid look tame 
If you want a good non-dystopian family drama, Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane was enjoyable.
Do not read Jodi Picoult's The Book of Two Ways unless you're incredibility interested in Egyptology. I liked her older books - way back when - but I'm not sure if it's my taste or her writing that have changed. Either way I think that's the last of her's that I'll invest time in.
Anyone else reading anything good ...or not?
If you want a good non-dystopian family drama, Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane was enjoyable.
Do not read Jodi Picoult's The Book of Two Ways unless you're incredibility interested in Egyptology. I liked her older books - way back when - but I'm not sure if it's my taste or her writing that have changed. Either way I think that's the last of her's that I'll invest time in.
Anyone else reading anything good ...or not?
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Horses Gallore
Well-known member
I've started re-reading Sharon Penman's books, following her untimely death a few weeks ago. I am reading When Christ and His Saints Slept. Her books are old and dear friends and I am once more enjoying immersing myself in Medieval England.
FisherLassie
Well-known member
Reading The other Bennett Sister atm and it is gorgeous!
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