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Original poster

Help me decide on a book to take on holiday next week

163 replies

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/04/2014 15:45

A real, live book - not Kindle. Has to be one I've not read before and has to be big. Ideally it will - be well written without being literary, have either a who-dunnit or historical or dystopian or apocalyptic element to it, or indeed all of those.

Things that would tick those boxes but that I've already read are:
Anything by Wilkie Collins
The Passage / The Twelve
CJ Sansom's Shardlake books
This Thing of Darkness

Don't fancy sci-fi at the moment and don't want anything in the best seller lists.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
LeBearPolar · 07/04/2014 22:14

The Book Thief.
I guess you've already read The Road, and way too short anyway...
What about The Suspicions of Mr Whicher?

snice · 07/04/2014 22:10

What about 'The Night CIrcus'? I loved this. Otherwise I would go for The Goldfinch or 'Life after Life' Kate Atkinson

weebarra · 07/04/2014 22:09

I'm sure you've read it, but Vikram Seth's "A suitable boy"? Not particularly literary but well written are Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti books, suspect they don't meet your criteria though.

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 22:01

Think I'll take one big one and then buy another one when I get to the airport.

OP posts:
bringbacksideburns · 07/04/2014 21:58

But it's not that big so you would have to take something else too.

bringbacksideburns · 07/04/2014 21:50

Mark Lawson's The Deaths.

Not in the slightest bit Historical - but i suppose a bit of a whodunnit in a darkly disturbing way.

Got it all - well written. witty, black humour, great characters, plenty of Red herrings throughout and keeps you guessing.

Loved it.

NotGoodNotBad · 07/04/2014 21:45

Mary Renault? I've read The King Must Die and The Persian Boy, both good.

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 21:43

Du Maurier good, but have read them all - and they are short.

OP posts:
Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 21:43

Am loving PaperClip's driving of the point home. Grin

Don't like Sarah Waters, although, "The Little Stranger" was better than the others (absolutely hated, "Nightwatch" and didn't think much of, "Fingersmith" either).

OP posts:
paperclip2 · 07/04/2014 21:30

I agree that there are many bad novels, but this one isn't one of them, a last quote from wikipedia then I'll stop Grin

"Kristin Lavransdatter was notable and to some extent controversial in its time, for its explicit characterization of sex in general and female sexuality in particular; and its treatment of morally ambiguous situations.
It was the main basis for Undset being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin_Lavransdatter

LillianGish · 07/04/2014 21:17

I would recommend The little Stranger by Sarah waters or My Cousin Rachel by daphne du Maurier.

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 21:14

:) Cheers. It may well not be a bad novel, but so many of them are so, so bad! Thanks for the translation info.

OP posts:
paperclip2 · 07/04/2014 21:10

It isn't a bad novel Wink, but I know what you mean. I don't think I'd spend that much money on a novel I wasn't sure about. Getting it from the library is a good alternative, if you do, make sure that you get the Tina Nunnally translation, there is another translation of the novel, but it is a bit dated.

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 20:52

Thanks. PC, but just can't justify that. I have wasted too much money in the past on bad novels - I'll order it from the library!

OP posts:
paperclip2 · 07/04/2014 20:42

I know it's a bit pricy but it is all three parts in one book - 1100 pages!
It really is a very good book and a perfect holiday read - reader reviews here:
www.goodreads.com/book/show/6217.Kristin_Lavransdatter

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 20:35

Have read Alex Woods. Need way, way longer than that.

Paperclip - that seems to be £18 or so.

I will read, 'Measuring the World' at some point, Cote - but don't fancy it now.

Don't want anything that is Richard and Judy-esque or that appears in the top-sellers in WH Smiths etc.

Awaits discovery of the lost zombie novels of Wilkie Collins... Grin

OP posts:
paperclip2 · 07/04/2014 20:17

What about Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset?
It is historical, it is a tome, and it is very very good.

OldBeanbagz · 07/04/2014 20:15

Have you read The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared? Great Scandanavian novel.

I would also second someone's earlier suggestion of The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year.

And i loved Philomena though i haven't seen the movie. The book was more the son's story rather than his mother's.

I've just bought The Humans and The Universe versus Alex Woods on Kindle for my holiday. Is two books enough for a week? (with kids)

CoteDAzur · 07/04/2014 20:09

I already did but you didn't read it. And I'm not even talking about Cloud Atlas this time Grin

Measuring the World - Daniel Kehlmann

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 20:06

Yes, Cote. I have a Fry's Chocolate Cream in the cupboard - it's yours if you can find me something as good as, 'This Thing of Darkness.' Grin

OP posts:
CoteDAzur · 07/04/2014 20:05

My The Luminaries should at least get an honourable mention Smile

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 20:04

'Shogun' sounds like a contender! :)

OP posts:
CoteDAzur · 07/04/2014 20:04

Maybe you should offer a prize to the winner Grin

Original poster
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/04/2014 20:03

Don't be scared! I'm super-fussy but one of you will have something that is just right. :) Feel free to suggest non-fiction too, as the fiction situation is getting more and more desperate.

Have read some Joyce C.O and Annie P but they are not what I want now - I deffo want manly!

Oh and they really don't have to be highbrow - a big fat new Stephen King would be perfect, but his new one isn't out until June!

Will Google the others, thanks.

OP posts:
Helgathehairy · 07/04/2014 14:57

Bit scared to suggest anything but I recently read & loved "The Mists of Avalon".

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