50 Books Challenge 2026 Part Five

That's why this thread is so helpful @elkiedee lots of varying opinions. I wonder whether the fact I was reading Land at the same time didn't really help, as it dealt with some of the same themes.

62. Land - Maggie O Farrell - reviewed up thread by @FuzzyCaoraDhubh, I didn't love this quite as much though it was still good. It's about a family living in Ireland in the 1860s, Tomas and Phina, and their 4 children Enda, Liam, Rose and Eugene. Tomas and Phina both survived the famine, and Tomas now makes maps for the English. After a mystical experience, he uproots the family and moves them to the country side. The story follows Tomas at first and then Enda and Liam with a bit of the other characters thrown in. It's very descriptive as you'd expect from O' Farrell and had parts that were reminiscent of Hamnet - especially the mystical bits - and of The Marriage Portrait, the historical descriptions. I found Enda's parts the most compelling, and sometimes felt the other parts dragged a bit. Eugene's character is a "Wise fool' which I wasn't entirely convinced by. On the whole, I wasn't wholly convinced that the mystical bits fit in with the rest of the story. It's also pretty sad. There is an amazing Irish Wolfhound in it though. DH is unconvinced this is an appropriate pet for a London home.

I had a trip to the bookshop today and decided not to go too mad. I bought Kabatasis by Kuang and Of Mice and Men
Decided to read of mice and men this afternoon before going back in to the Poppy War series and really enjoyed it. It was sweet and heartbreaking.

I finished The Art of A Lie. I read a lot of hype about this but was almost entirely unmoved. It has two unreliable narrators and a couple of neat twists but it is all rather silly. As everyone , virtually, is lying. there are a lot of assumed identities and pseudonyms and I didn't care enough to keep track. I forgot the writer previously wrote The Square of Sevens which I didn't read because not one person had anything good to say about it on the Sara Cox programme, which is rare.

Also, she kept writing 'confectionary' and nothing I read online confused me this was ever used in the context of a shop or the times sold in it. It ahs been used in the context of the art of making it but this isn't how she uses it. The blurb spells it 'confectionery'!

I've read 'Her Side of the Story', which is also very good. Cassandre has read more. * *

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh@cassandreI have a few Alba de Cespedes books on my kindle. Sounds like I need to move them up the tbr!

I hope you're beginning to feel better @Tarragon123 💐

It was good to see you @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie 👋

Welcome to the thread @VanGoSunflowers It's a very friendly place 😀

@Stowickthevast wrote

"Let Me Go Mad In My Own Way - Elaine Feeney. This is a book about Claire who goes a bit deranged with grief after her mother dies, breaks up with her boyfriend and moves to the family home in Ireland. It has an odd structure where the main part is written in the first person from Claire's Pov but then we get flashbacks to 100 years before when the family are living in poverty. We also get an extended flashback to Claire's childhood, and then it switches back to modern day but in a third person perspective. It's a bit distracting, although I guess it's showing the inherited trauma through the generations. There are some side characters who seem a bit irrelevant and the ex boyfriend who comes to Ireland has basically no character. There's also an odd bit where Claire gets obsessed with trad wives which doesn't really contribute much to the plot. I gave this 3* but now writing this review, feel like I was too generous!"

In contrast, I really enjoyed this.

@Tarragon123
"Thank you for all your kind words, much appreciated. I’m so much better after a couple of days at home."

Hope you're continuing to recover, 4 days later

"I might investigate Charles Paris. Its vaguely ringing bells. Was it maybe adapted for Radio 4 with Bill Nighy playing the title part?"

Yes, there are about 21 books in the series now - Simon Brett started writing them over 50 years ago, and the lead character is 47 in the first book, but he hasn't aged in real time as that would make him nearly 100.

Also the adaption by Jeremy Front, featuring Bill Nighy as Charles Paris, very cleverly captures the essence of the books and the characters but brings them into a present day setting, with mobiles and the internet etc, not phone boxes.

Best, good to hear this. I've finally got to No. 1 in the queue for my (physical) library reservation - it's not on BorrowBox where I am, for some reason - so fingers crossed I'll be joining you in your appreciation soon!

Just catching up with the thread. Hope all is now well @Tarragon123 and @GrannieMainland.

I’ve finally got Enough Said - Alan Bennett on BorrowBox. It is lovely, so soothing. Unfortunately I’m having to rush through it instead of savouring before it disappears. I can only use BorrowBox on my iPad or phone which means I can’t read it in bed where I do most of my reading. I’m almost at the point - but not quite- of paying £18 for the Kindle version.

Quaderno Proibito: Alba de Céspedes.

'Forbidden Notebook' is the English version, translated by Ann Goldstein.

Set in Rome, in November 1950. Valeria Cossetti sees a black notebook in the window of the tobacconist's shop. She knows that she shouldn't buy the notebook on a Sunday, as it's not permitted by law for the shop to sell stationery on that day, but she wants the notebook and this is her first act of rebellion. She buys it, takes it home and begins to write a secret diary for the next six months.

Valeria never realised how unhappy she was until she started recording her thoughts and feelings about the details of her domestic life. She realises that this diary is the only thing she has ever done for herself and that her individuality has been stifled by her devotion to her husband and family. Even her name has been erased as everyone calls her 'Mammà', including her husband. While she works to supplement her husband's income, she is only defined in terms of her functionality to the family. She feels her life is nearly over and she's only forty-three.

This is an excellent book; a window into the domestic life of this family who are respectable but not well off, just earning enough to get by. The story is told through Valeria's point of view and through her we explore her relationships with her husband and son and in particular, her daughter and her own single friend, whose situations differ from hers as they are determined to live as independent women.

This is a nuanced and complex novel, written in very elegant prose that draws you in from the first page. I love reading this author. Thanks to @cassandre for bringing her to my attention!

I’m pleased too to have it off the list - though not satisfyingly so as I would need at least another run at it to do it justice.

@CornishLizard I said, of The Inheritors

A book about a bunch of Neanderthals.
I suppose it makes me something of a Neanderthal to say I really wasn't into it and found it quite boring, but C'est La Vie - another longstanding member of the TBR boxed off.

The Inheritors by William Golding This has been on my list - and 2 copies have been on my shelf - for many years as my dad raves about it. I’ve resisted as I could never face the subject matter of the Neanderthals’ world being overturned by the arrival of the new people. I finally read it this month motivated by the footnotes and tangents read along.

It’s objectively an excellent novel as you experience the incomprehension and bewilderment of the Neanderthals whilst also wincing as you understand more than they do of what is happening (though often not understanding enough, in my case - the read along notes showed how much I had missed). I hope it’s not a spoiler to say that it’s not a cheery read, and it’s definitely not as approachable as Lord of the Flies. Sorry dad.

Oh dear, I'm very bad at remembering who recommended things!

Hi @Terpsichore, thanks, it wasn’t me who reviewed Craftland but it sounds exactly like my kind of thing so I’ve added it to my wish list 😁

27) The Story of a Nobody by Anton Chekhov (translated by Hugh Aplin). A novella about a consumptive revolutionary who takes a job as the servant of a government official's son, Orlov, to get access to his father and assassinate him. Instead he becomes embroiled in the toxic relationship between the supercilious Orlov and his married lover, Zanaida Fyordorovna, and ultimately abandons his mission.

Although a very quick read (only 101 pages), there is a dramatic shift in tone in the final 20 pages or so. Up until then, I'd found it quite funny. Orlov is a git, but some of his snide comments are great. I also enjoyed the character of Pekarsky, a pragmatic but rather socially inept friend of Orlov. Then the book veers sharply into tragedy, which remains unresolved at the end of the book.

I'm glad I read it, but not sure if I'd reach for it again. I would however like to read more Chekhov, as I really liked the flow of his writing.

Just catching up on the thread…

Welcome @VanGoSunflowers

Hope all is now well @Tarragon123 and @GrannieMainland

Nice to see you @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie , hope things are going better for you!

*40 Scaffolding - Lauren Elkin

I bought this in the National Theatre bookshop when the 50B met there last summer. Set in an apartment in Paris at two points in time (1972 and 2019) it follows the lives of two married women - Florence and Anna who have more in common than just living in the same apartment. There's quite a bit of psychoanalysis as Florence is studying it and Anna is a psychoanalyst. There's also quite a bit of sex, mostly adulterous. It felt very French! I suspect this is quite a Marmite book. I liked it although it took me a little while to engage with it.

Villa Coco - Andrew Sean Greer

A lovely summery book set in Italy, with a young man going to work for an elderly lady, Coco. He thinks he’s there to catalogue all her antiques, but throughout the summer he’s never sure why he’s really there - but he does learn about himself along the way. Made me wish I was on holiday in Italy to read it there!

A Killer Plot - E C Nevin

Cosy crime with a group of authors/publishers solving the murder of a publishing assistant in a Cecil Court bookshop. Enjoyable.

Curious and Impossible Things Before Breakfast - Rebecca Front

Two books of anecdotes and observations from the actress. I have read both before, but enjoyed the reread. Front writes well and while my life is nothing like hers there were some things I identified with.

Something To Live For - Richard Roper

Andrew is lonely until new woman Peggy starts at his work and he realises he’s missing out on what life’s got to offer. While this is a nice story in its own right, what I liked about this is Andrew’s job - he works for the council and is responsible for arranging funerals for the people who die without any family or friends. I don’t really know how accurate it is but I liked reading about Andrew’s days at work. It sounds like a really interesting (albeit sad) job.

People Pleaser - Bryony Gordon

One day 44 year old Olivia Greenwood decides she’s fed up of trying to keep everyone else happy and decides to just do/say what she wants from now on, with interesting results. I liked this - the message gets a bit heavy handed at times but I liked the character of Olivia and it was fun to read.

Hope you get your mojo back soon Eine. I often fall asleep to audiobooks but I see that as one of their benefits. I just set the sleep timer and accept I’ll have to register to bits. Like others, I find I pay most attention when doing housework or going for a walk or commuting.

I’ve finished a few more shorties. I’ve been mostly focusing on current book club read Ulysses which is over a few months and is taking up a lot of my reading time, but I’ve been threading in a few around it and now that summer break is beckoning, I’ll be able to read a lot more soon.

Of Cattle and Men by Ana Paula Maia
Connected to the International Booker shortlisted On Earth as it is Beneath, this is another short, beautifully written book that is brutal and highlights the violence of men. In this case set in an abattoir. Not for the faint-hearted but I found it an excellent read (just thinking I may have reviewed this already- oops)

A Murder of Quality by John LeCarre
The second George Smiley book, in which Smiley is asked by an old friend, who worked with him during the war, to investigate a letter from a woman who claims her husband is trying to kill her. When Smiley arrives at the very exclusive public school where the husband was a teacher, he discovers the wife is already dead. Short and interesting murder mystery. The next one after this is when the Smiley books turn to espionage- I got them all in 99p deals some time ago and have enjoyed the first two. I hope I enjoy the spy ones as much.

Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
I’ve heard a lot about Lispector and have been dipping in and out of her short stories for a while. This is her last novel and it’s less than 80 pages so more of a novella. It tells the story of Macabea a poor Brazilian girl who is trying to improve her life. But it also tells the story of Rodrigo- the writer who is writing the story of Macabea. This book was a strange one and I’m not sure I totally ‘got’ it tbh. I have another of hers which I’ll try soon to see if it works any better for me.

Edit to say I also have 2 DNFs- Writers and Lovers by Lily King, I loved Heart the Lover by the same author about the same character but couldn’t get into this one at all. Probably a me and a mood thing so may return to it at some point and Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer - I thought this was about the murder of two people by members of a Fundamentalist polygamous Mormon sect, but actually it’s more about the history of Mormonism- both mainstream and fundamentalist and I’ve read a lot about this before and wasn’t interested in reading more.

34 Entitled: the Rise and Fall of the House of York - Andrew Lownie This has taken me ages to get through but then it contains an overwhelming amount of information. Not particularly well-written, but like everyone else I was reading it for the gossip and scandal rather than its literary merit. Quite a slog to get through the extensive details of exactly how much taxpayers’ money was spent on each helicopter trip etc, but it’s clearly very well-researched and the final chapters are particularly illuminating. My main takeaways are that Fergie is needy and a bit crazy, Andrew is a boorish dullard, and they are both absolute champion grifters. The level of entitlement is jaw-dropping and it’s shocking that it went on so long (and into the next generation as well).

Book 38: My Work Is Not Yet Done by Thomas Ligotti. Very, very dark, existential philosophical horror set in an American office. Very clever and very sinister. Very vitriolic.

Book 39: Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell. Decent psychological thriller about women who find cross paths with a psychopathic con artist. Nothing groundbreaking but an enjoyable easy read to race through; Jewell does this sort of thing well and the portrayal of the con man was done well with a convincing narrative voice.

I can’t pay attention to audiobooks either. I think there was only one I remember listening to and really taking it in and it was by Dr Chatterjee

I can only do audiobooks when I am walking, driving, or doing embroidery. Otherwise I just tune out or fall asleep. Has anyone read Hekate? It's a future book for my book club and and just discovered it's in verse form. Wondering whether I should try it in audiobook format to try and recreate the bardic tradition. I have fond memories of an English professor reading The Iliad to us in a dramatic baritone.