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Original poster

Books you'll finish this week

94 replies

whatausername · 05/09/2023 09:21

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Süskind. Have about 30 pages left. It's been alright, have been able to get through it easily and it's novel for a novel 😛can't say I think it was worthy of all that hype years ago. I suspect the hype stemmed from the marketing campaign for the film adaptation rather than for the quality of the novel.

What is everyone else, probably, going to finish this week?

OP posts:
tobee · 08/11/2023 17:29

I'm quite jealous of everyone reading so fast (which is a bit pointless to feel that way 😃); I will be very unlikely to finish any books this week. I'm too much of a flibbertigibbet.

tobee · 08/11/2023 17:24

Just scrolling through this thread.

Interested to see your update on The 39 Steps @whatausername. My dad read it to us on holiday when I was about 10. A chapter a night; doing all the voices. I thought it was great fun at the time. Considering it's been filmed at least 3 times and was made into a very successful play it's very much a book not a film iyswim. Which must be why the films are very different from the original. Added romantic entanglements!

Hardly hear of anyone reading the book these days.

Abracadabra12345 · 07/11/2023 13:47

Just to say how much I'm enjoying this thread so thank you OP!

Abracadabra12345 · 07/11/2023 13:45

The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor. It's my third read. I tried it years ago and didn't warm to the protagonist. A friend kept raving about it and so I tried it again, this time on Audible and enjoyed it. I read the sequel and loved it and as Jodi has decided to write only two full-sized books about Frogmarton Farm, I can only get back by re-reading.

Third time round, I appreciate more fully the struggles of "poor" Jenny, and Russell is hot as hell. It's funny, sad, beautiful and the characters stay in my mind long after I close it down. Next I shall reread Something Girl!

CatOnAHotShedRoof · 07/11/2023 13:25

I'm almost half-way through French Braid by Anne Tyler. I'm enjoying it very much so far. I feel drawn towards her novels at the moment and have another one on order from the library.

StoneColdAlibi · 07/11/2023 11:01

Finished 'The Heart's Invisible Furies' last night and have that feeling of not wanting to immerse myself in another world just yet. Always the way with epics I find.
Started 'Tough Crowd' last night so will use that as a palate cleanser before starting 'Where The Crawdads Sing'

YokoOnosBigHat · 07/11/2023 08:08

Unruly by David Mitchell. Very enjoyable, worth your time.

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 07/11/2023 07:57

White House by the Sea. The story of the Kennedys in Hyannis. I’ve just come back from Cape Cod so an interesting read. Beautiful place by the way if anyone gets the chance to visit.

Snozzlemaid · 07/11/2023 07:55

I'll finish Fern Britton's The Postcard soon.
It's the first one of hers I've read and i'm pleasantly surprised how much I'm enjoying it. I think she has a great writing style, it's a very easy, comforting read.
Not always a fan of celebrity writers but will read more of hers.

Cozytoesandtoast00 · 07/11/2023 07:45

Nearly finishing “The Shadow Sister” which is part of “The Seven Sister” series.
Comfort reading for me too and i’m really enjoying it.

Yirk · 07/11/2023 07:23

Finished "Fairytale" by Stephen King, not my usual read but enjoyed it.

Perfectlystill · 07/11/2023 06:55

I've just finished Comminwealth by Ann Patchett and LOVED it.

Perfectlystill · 07/11/2023 06:53

Sorry @cassiatwenty I've just seen this. I enjoyed the computer game stuff and I enjoyed the American setting and I rooted for the main character.

CatOnAHotShedRoof · 01/11/2023 06:13

Clock Dance by Anne Tyler. I bought it last week and started reading it immediately. It's renewed my love of her writing and I want to read more.

coolmum123 · 31/10/2023 10:50

I have just finished The Judge's list by John Grisham this morning and only because I skipped chapters to read the end to put myself out of my misery. Terrible book, this is his second book this year I have been p'eed off with so that's it for me and his books now. No more!

Chickenkorma64 · 20/10/2023 19:15

This weekend I should finish The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer, so far quite funny and quirky. Not read anything by her before.

Also finishing Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths, a comfort read really, but I do like a bit of archaeology.

Original poster
whatausername · 20/10/2023 15:30

I'm about halfway through Murder on the Caronia. If I'm lucky I'll finish it next week. It's a pleasant easy read, no very deep characters or wordly insights but a nice cosy crime drama.

OP posts:
cassiatwenty · 08/10/2023 00:14

Perfectlystill · 14/09/2023 22:31

Tomorrow x 3. I am LOVING it.

Why? I tried but couldn't.

cassiatwenty · 08/10/2023 00:13

BalloonsInWater · 05/09/2023 21:06

@ArcticBells ugh I hated it! So horribly written. For some reason I gave her another chance and read the tennis one; absolutely don't bother

I was worried about that myself.

MadeinBelfast · 07/10/2023 17:09

@savemyears If you're still looking, Before I go to Sleep is on Netflix now.

Original poster
whatausername · 07/10/2023 16:17

@JaneyGee you are absolutely spot on! Highlights the bleakness but is not depressing. I finished 'Candide' mere minutes ago and I bloody loved it. Voltaire is really rather funny too, if you enjoy sarcasm and gallows humour.

OP posts:
JaneyGee · 07/10/2023 12:46

whatausername · 07/10/2023 11:47

@uhtredofbattenberg it must be good if you managed over 1000 pages and still loved it!

I'm just finishing Candide, or The Optimist (what a daft title ;-) ) by Voltaire. Thinking of Graham Norton's The Swimmer next for a quick afternoon read.

Ah, yes, Candide is wonderful. Unbelievably bleak, yet weirdly not depressing. It’s strange how certain writers can present an utterly bleak view of existence, yet not depress you. Thomas Hardy, for example, has a dark view of existence, yet he doesn’t upset me. Joseph Conrad, Cormac McCarthy and Philip Larkin, on the other hand, really drag me down, in spite of the brilliant writing.

WhatWouldHopperDo · 07/10/2023 11:57

I’m reading a collection of Short Stories by Korean writers that I hope to finish today. Also Educated by Tara Westover. Enjoying both.

Original poster
whatausername · 07/10/2023 11:47

@uhtredofbattenberg it must be good if you managed over 1000 pages and still loved it!

I'm just finishing Candide, or The Optimist (what a daft title ;-) ) by Voltaire. Thinking of Graham Norton's The Swimmer next for a quick afternoon read.

OP posts:
uhtredofbattenberg · 07/10/2023 11:12

Just finished Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith.
Didn't have high expectations as its over 1000 pages long and I'd already watched the TV series, but thought it was brilliant.

Best of the Strike series so far for me.

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