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Original poster

What is this year's 'Captain Corelli' s mandolin'?

49 replies

Moredarkchocolateplease · 04/05/2023 11:13

By which I mean the one book that will be spotted on sun loungers across the hot spots of Europe, covered in suncream and remembered as 'the holiday where I read < insert book name here>

I'm going away at half term and I like to follow the crowd and read a big page turner on my hols 😁😚

OP posts:
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Gothambutnotahamster · 12/07/2023 23:05

Moredarkchocolateplease · 12/07/2023 20:28

@Gothambutnotahamster

Joanne Harris - Broken Light

Absolutely loved it. Superb.

Cleo Watson - Whips

The latter was a shoddy smooshing of Jilly Cooper. I couldn't work out which decade I was in. The Tory characters were written like 1990s scandal Tories, which was very irritating.

Thank you!

gawditswindy · 12/07/2023 21:34

I'm reading Trespasses by Louise Kennedy at the mo. Next up is The Marriage Portrait I think.

Hedjwitch · 12/07/2023 20:39

Enjoyed LIC,disappointed in Shrines of Gaiety.

Now reading Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club and really enjoying it

OMGitsnotgood · 12/07/2023 20:33

I loved Captain Corelli but i didn't see many people reading it while travelling. I know more people who gave up than finished it. The biggest holiday read i've ever seen was the Da Vinci code. over a couple of years. As previously said, it's difficult to gauge now with so many people using kindles

Original poster
Moredarkchocolateplease · 12/07/2023 20:28

@Gothambutnotahamster

Joanne Harris - Broken Light

Absolutely loved it. Superb.

Cleo Watson - Whips

The latter was a shoddy smooshing of Jilly Cooper. I couldn't work out which decade I was in. The Tory characters were written like 1990s scandal Tories, which was very irritating.

OP posts:
orangelotus · 12/07/2023 15:56

i loved pineapple street but i love anything with rich people and gorgeous houses !! Yes au am shallow
I really enjoyed the The bandit queens and think it would be especially good if you were away on a holiday without any men!!

ramonaquimby · 12/07/2023 01:06

Yellowface is pretty good so far!

Gothambutnotahamster · 12/07/2023 00:01

Moredarkchocolateplease · 09/07/2023 20:30

I'm the OP.

I ended up taking:

The new Joanne Harris (the one about menopausal character) LOVED

The Westminster bonkbuster, can't remember the name and it was so dreadful I gave up halfway through and left in the hotel library.

Since I came home I've read the most recent Patrick Gale book which was marvellous.

Happy holidays all!

Can you tell us the titles Op?

ArmyOfSkanks · 11/07/2023 16:19

I remember when the last couple of Harry Potters came out, and everyone was reading them everywhere. It felt very companionable!

SavedbytheBe11 · 10/07/2023 07:53

Glad you had a good holiday OP!

I have read Demon Copperhead and its a fantastic book but sad and bleak a lot of the time so I'm not sure I would have wanted to read it on a sunlounger.

OOlivePenderghast · 10/07/2023 07:51

I would go for any of the recent Taylor Jenkins Reid books. I’ve just finished Carrie Soto is Back whilst wimbledon is on.

Clawdy · 10/07/2023 07:47

Shrines Of Gaiety - Kate Atkinson. Couldn't put it down.

immys · 09/07/2023 20:37

Hamnet or Lessons in Chemistry.

I thought the latter must be non fiction at first Blush

Original poster
Moredarkchocolateplease · 09/07/2023 20:30

I'm the OP.

I ended up taking:

The new Joanne Harris (the one about menopausal character) LOVED

The Westminster bonkbuster, can't remember the name and it was so dreadful I gave up halfway through and left in the hotel library.

Since I came home I've read the most recent Patrick Gale book which was marvellous.

Happy holidays all!

OP posts:
Xmasbaby11 · 08/07/2023 08:09

I do love to read summer blockbusters and am a sucker for NYT bestsellers etc! Just finished Lessons in Chemistry and was so disappointed - characters unbelievable and it just plodded along. I get that it has an interesting concept but just didn't capture my imagination.

I actually really enjoyed Fleishmann though it went downhill towards the end.

I have Pineapple Street and Demon Copperhead on my kindle waiting for the holidays along with quite a few others. I'll be interested to see what is the big hit!

ButtonSister · 12/05/2023 08:54

I've just started LiC, will stick with it but disappointed so far.

FMLWTF · 11/05/2023 21:04

This is so funny. I saw the thread title in active threads and immediately thought “Lessons in Chemistry” - which I have bought but not started. Might save it for my sun lounger now.

Cakemonger · 11/05/2023 21:02

@RampantIvy Yes it wasn't very subtle was it?

RampantIvy · 11/05/2023 21:01

I found the writing style very irritating @Greyandwhitecat

Greyandwhitecat · 11/05/2023 19:57

I gave up on Lessons in Chemistry about a quarter of the way in as I didn't think it was very well written.

maranella · 09/05/2023 17:25

Oh God I loved Captain Corelli's Mandolin! I loved Piranesi too and Life of Pi. The Da Vinci Code was drivel, but quite entertaining. I remember a rather dim-witted Australian guy I knew in London read it and thought it was true and refused to let me convince him otherwise😂

I'm like @JaneyGee and always reading stuff from years ago, because my 'to read' shelf is actually an entire bookcase, and so I often want to discuss something from years ago that everyone else goes 'Oh yeah, I remember reading that' while vaguely searching their brain for some shred of a long-forgotten plot. I have books on my 'to read' shelf that have been there for 30 years. But yeah, I see 'Lessons in Chemistry' a lot. I'll probably read it in about 2045 😄

Fiftyisthenewsixty · 09/05/2023 17:16

I think Lessons in Chemistry has already had its moment. I agree that Demon Copperhead is a contender.

LadyWithLapdog · 07/05/2023 07:25

LIC was an easy read but more of a young adult type of book. The feminism was a bit forced and spoonfed to the reader.

nobodygoesdowninthejungle · 07/05/2023 07:14

A few months ago now but, on holiday last October, Richard Osman's latest had just come out in paperback and a lot of people were reading that

RampantIvy · 07/05/2023 07:00

You and I are in a minority @ElderflowerPress33.
I also couldn't wait to finish it.