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Booker Longlist Read-a-long/discussion

35 replies

Tryingtoread · 17/08/2023 18:30

I have had a look and can’t find a thread on this but if there is one already please let me know and I’ll head over there!

I used to be a voracious reader but have struggled to find time/get into books since having DD.

we’re off on holiday in September so I was putting together a book list and went to look at the booker longlist. I’ve decided it will be a fun challenge for myself to try and read as many of the books as I can before the shortlist is announced on September 21st. I am on a 2 week holiday in September so I think I just may be able to finish them all, though not sure if this is realistic!

Has anyone read any of the books from the list? If anyone feels like joining me on this challenge or discussing any of the books I would love the hear your thoughts.

I’ve finished 2 books so far and have started another today.

  1. The Bee Sting - Paul Murray. I really enjoyed this! It’s about an Irish family of four, with part of the book from each of their perspectives. A chunky 600+ page read but I rushed through, it really gripped me.
  2. The Study of Obedience - Sarah Bernstein. This is about an outcast woman who has dedicated her life to serving her family from an early age. She has moved to a different (unnamed) country to live with her brother and act as a sort of housekeeper. She lives a very isolated life. I finished this today - it’s a much shorter book. I appreciate the writing style and admire it as a piece of literature, but it didn’t grip me in the same way. It’s intentionally quite ambiguous, the characters are all nameless and it feels you are missing chunks of the plot. I wouldn’t say i hugely enjoyed it but appreciated it as an art almost.

I am now onto ‘All the Little Bird-Hearts’ by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow and looking forward to it. All I know about it so far is that it’s about an autistic mother and her teenage daughter.

Excited to hear thoughts from anyone else whose read these or other books from the list. Please no spoilers!

OP posts:
pollyhemlock · 20/08/2023 11:31

JaneyGee · 19/08/2023 18:10

I'm afraid I ignore things like the Booker Prize. I have lost faith in the literary/intellectual establishment. They have a sacred duty to judge books on literary merit, regardless of whether or not they like the author, and they've abandoned that duty. The 'woke' left now have control of publishing and the arts. Who you are determines whether you win an award (or even whether you get published in the first place), not the quality of your work. You have to tick the right boxes, and believe the 'correct' things, or forget it. Harold Bloom, the great literary critic, warned about this trend 40 years ago, but no one listened. It's one of the reasons this country no longer produces great poets. People like Ted Hughes and Philip Larkin (the best British poets since WW2) would be 'cancelled' today.

Well all novels tend to some extent to reflect the beliefs and preoccupations of their age. It’s highly unlikely that you’d have a story published today that went on about the glories of the British Empire. It’s true that some contemporary books, particularly in YA, are tiresomely overwhelmed by a Message. But a good book will always transcend this. Demon Copperhead, for example, is closely based on David Copperfield. Both books have a message, if you like, that abuse and neglect of children are terrible and have terrible consequences. But the characterisation and plotting in both books are so good that the message is just one part of the whole. Also: Hughes and Larkin are both widely read and enjoyed today. Even at the time there were plenty of people who objected to
Hughes( because of Plath), and Larkin because he was a grumpy misogynist with right wing views. Didn’t ( and doesn’t) stop them loving (say) Arundel Tomb though.

JaneyGee · 19/08/2023 18:10

I'm afraid I ignore things like the Booker Prize. I have lost faith in the literary/intellectual establishment. They have a sacred duty to judge books on literary merit, regardless of whether or not they like the author, and they've abandoned that duty. The 'woke' left now have control of publishing and the arts. Who you are determines whether you win an award (or even whether you get published in the first place), not the quality of your work. You have to tick the right boxes, and believe the 'correct' things, or forget it. Harold Bloom, the great literary critic, warned about this trend 40 years ago, but no one listened. It's one of the reasons this country no longer produces great poets. People like Ted Hughes and Philip Larkin (the best British poets since WW2) would be 'cancelled' today.

pollyhemlock · 18/08/2023 16:51

I thought Old God’s Time was not one of Sebastian Barry’s best- relentlessly grim and the language felt over lyrical at times. I enjoyed Spell of Good Things, which is about two families in Nigeria, one rich, one poor, whose fates become intertwined. In Ascension is interesting, because it’s hard science fiction. I enjoyed it , lots of intriguing ideas ,but characterisation is a bit thin. I loved The Bee Sting. I’ve got Pearl to read next.Can’t understand how Demon
Copperhead ( Barbara Kingsolver) and Cuddy ( Ben Myers) missed out.

JanieEyre · 18/08/2023 11:21

Just a heads-up that Kala is currently 99p on Kindle.

Original poster
Tryingtoread · 18/08/2023 11:03

Kweeky · 18/08/2023 08:22

Oh good, I've been struggling to find something I want to read.
Will find the list.

Hopefully you find something that takes your fancy, I’ve been in a reading slump for a while and this little challenge has really helped so far!

OP posts:
Original poster
Tryingtoread · 18/08/2023 11:01

BoldFearlessGirl · 18/08/2023 08:18

I found Old God’s Time impenetrable, waffly piffle that used adjectives as if the author was paid £1 for every one.
I have The Bee Sting on my wishlist.

Although it didn’t make the long list, I adored Kala by Colin Walsh

Oh no, doesn’t bode well! I am picking the order to read them in in order, hoping I don’t really hate one and end up dragging myself through it.

I enjoyed The Bee Sting although it’s chunky and I’ve seen a few reviews saying it could have been 100 pages shorter - I did enjoy it but the middle was a bit of an endurance test at times.

I’ve seen a few people mention Kala I will have to add it to my list.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tryingtoread · 18/08/2023 10:58

Rae36 · 18/08/2023 07:59

I read the Study of Obedience but didn't really enjoy it. Didn't like the characters not having names, didn't like not knowing where they lived, also felt like I wanted to know more about their back story, wanted to know more of the plot.

Maybe I just don't have enough imagination.

Often the Booker list makes me feel like I'm not smart enough.

I've ordered some of the others from the library so I'll be back once they've arrived.

That’s exactly how I felt about it! It was like waiting for a conclusion or a big reveal that didn’t really seem to come. I felt like maybe I just “didn’t get it” but felt disconnected from it.

I’m enjoying All the Little Bird-Hearts much more - I’ve been glued to it so far. It’s about an autistic mother and her teenage daughter who get some new neighbours. Less abstract than A study of Obedience for sure.

Excited to hear your thoughts on the others, which ones are you waiting for?

OP posts:
Kweeky · 18/08/2023 08:22

Oh good, I've been struggling to find something I want to read.
Will find the list.

BoldFearlessGirl · 18/08/2023 08:18

I found Old God’s Time impenetrable, waffly piffle that used adjectives as if the author was paid £1 for every one.
I have The Bee Sting on my wishlist.

Although it didn’t make the long list, I adored Kala by Colin Walsh

Rae36 · 18/08/2023 07:59

I read the Study of Obedience but didn't really enjoy it. Didn't like the characters not having names, didn't like not knowing where they lived, also felt like I wanted to know more about their back story, wanted to know more of the plot.

Maybe I just don't have enough imagination.

Often the Booker list makes me feel like I'm not smart enough.

I've ordered some of the others from the library so I'll be back once they've arrived.