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What we're reading

Harvest by Jim Crace

15 replies

hackmum · 12/01/2014 12:08

Has anyone else read this? I hadn't read anything by Crace before and only bought this because it was 99p in the Kindle sale, and it was on the Booker shortlist, so I thought it might be quite good. I hadn't read any reviews beforehand, so no preconceptions.

I thought it was brilliant, if bleak. Very beautifully written, it's a kind of moral fable about human cruelty. Interestingly I read some reviews afterwards and some of them really seemed to miss the point. But I would recommend it.

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FuckingWankwings · 12/01/2014 17:50

Yes! Loved it, but I love Jim Crace generally. I like that it is kind of obviously set during/rooted in Enclosure, and its issues are in some ways particular to that time and setting, but it's simultaneously timeless and, as you say, has the quality of a fable.

His books always have a strong and very effective sense of place, land and community. The Gift of Stones is particularly astonishing, I think.

Would love to hear if you read any more and what you think!

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highlandcoo · 12/01/2014 18:31

I've bought this in the Kindle sale too but haven't read it yet.

Good to hear such positive reviews.

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hackmum · 12/01/2014 19:16

Fucking - I do love a subtle username on Mumsnet. Smile

I think I will read some more having enjoyed this one. All the way through I was trying to work out when it was set but couldn't narrow it down more than between 1500 and 1800. But when I read more about it, I discovered all the reviewers had the same problem.

It does bring home the huge injustice of the enclosures - as well as being so powerful in other ways.

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myitchybeaver · 12/01/2014 19:43

I thought it was awful. Dry and boring. One big long poem about farming. It missed the mark for me.

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maillotjaune · 12/01/2014 20:03

I thought it was beautiful and I will definitely read some more of his books. I loved the fact that it wasn't pinned to a particular time and Walter was a very appealing central character. It helped that I started reading it on an autumn day in a forest with smoke from the Kelly kettle rising up just as I was reading about the newcomers Smile

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FuckingWankwings · 13/01/2014 12:16

hackmum Grin I can't take the credit. Someone said it on a thread about fairy names and I stole it, basically. Well, I did ask their permission Smile

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OneHolyCow · 13/01/2014 16:01

I loved it! One of the best books I read last year. I've just read on of his other ones, The Pesthouse but that wasn't as good, alas..
Recommended it to my husband and he loved it as well.

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FuckingWankwings · 13/01/2014 16:07

I wasn't so hot on The Pesthouse, either. Although I don't think any of his books are bad, as such. That one just isn't a high point IMO.

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OneHolyCow · 13/01/2014 16:13

I'll look up the Gift of Stones. Have you read the book about Jesus.. which is that, isn't it called Quarantaine?

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FuckingWankwings · 13/01/2014 16:20

Oh yes, Quarantine is great too. I don't dislike any of the Craces I've read, tbh. He's superb.

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maillotjaune · 13/01/2014 16:56

I've just bought Gift of Stones, like the premise. I'd never heard of Jim Crace (thought he was the Guardian bod, is it John Crace? Blush ) so I'm looking forward to reading more.

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RachelMumsnet · 18/02/2014 11:48

Just bobbing in to let you know that Jim Crace's Harvest is our March book of the month and Jim will be joining us for a webchat about this and his other novels in early April. Find out more here.

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hackmum · 21/02/2014 09:22

Thank you, Rachel, will look forward to that.

maillotjaune - I think Jim and John Crace are cousins.

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maillotjaune · 21/02/2014 15:45

Thank you hackmum I can look very knowledgeable at next week's book club with that little fact.

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 21/02/2014 15:48

I've read three of his, and picked, 'Harvest' up in the library yesterday. Tbh though it looked exactly the same as the other three, which were all pretty similar anyway. I doubt I'll bother with any more of his.

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