You know when you finish a book...

[RosieLemonade]

And you just miss it because it was so good. And you just want to talk about it but no one wants to talk to you about it.
Which books have been like that for you?

The Book Thief. I still miss Liesl

More recently The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus. I will go as far as to say that I'm actually jealous of anyone who has yet to read this book!

I think I felt like this about Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Brilliant epic book.

Circe made me feel like that - Madeline Miller is an absolute genius writer

@LooseMooseHoose

I'm reading the Snow Child at the minute and so caught up in the landscapes and people, I'm going to mourn for Alaska when I'm done.

And yep, Mirror and the Light too. I reread the last couple pages a few times and actually took a photo on my phone to remember the language. (Was a library book)

In fact, it's books with beautiful language that I mourn finishing the most. Steinbeck is my favourite author and I noticably slow my reading down when with him to savour every image and always take a few days before starting something new. I'm usually reading 2/3 books at a time, but not with his.

The Snow Child is one of my favourite books. It is so beautifully written. If you liked this, you may like Tiger Hills too.

Another one for Where The Crawdads Sing

It’s a beautifully written book and made me very emotional. I’ve bought it for a few friends who have all felt the same

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - so want an update on how things are for Eleanor

The Kite Runner

The Bonesetters Daughter

The Invention of Wings

I enjoyed The Giver of Stars

American Dirt this year - I absolutely loved it. Also Paris Savages by Katherine Johnson.

@KaptainKaveman

You must read Colson Whitehead's " The Nickel Boys". The ending just took my breath away. I had to talk about it, it's brilliant, poignant and savage.

This is on my shelf waiting to be read. I was coming on to say The Underground Railroad by the same author.

The Underground Railroad is also excellent, I agree.

The Nickel Boys though....no spoilers but prepare yourself.

That's pushed it to the front of the queue then KaptainKaveman

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. It was depressing but the most brilliantly-written novel I've read.

In going to print this thread and work through it. Lots here I agree with but lots I haven’t read. I’m tending towards reading samey crime books from series I already know this year - it’s just easier - but I’d love to read more impactful books over the xmas break when I should have more headspace and time.

I really didn't like Circe, but I loved The Song of Achilles. Circe just didn't have much emotional resonance for me, for some reason.

I loved Circe and Song of Achilles, such a great writer. I was absolutely gutted when I finished the Wolf Hall trilogy, I then went on to read numerous books on Cromwell as slightly obsessed.

Have just finished Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, good but unsettling.

@Meredithgrey1 and @garlictwist I also loved A Little Life. I am usually a very fast reader, but I deliberately made myself slow down for this one, I had heard it was a bit of a tough read, so allowed myself to take my time with it. I enjoyed it so much. I tried to tell a couple of friends about it, but just didn’t feel like my description did it justice. I would love to be able to forget the whole thing and read it again!

@CakeInMyFace

I find it hard to start reading a new one when I've finished something I really loved.

For me it was Where The Crawdads Sing...I loved it so much I found it hard to get into another one for ages after that!

Same! I loved it! My favorite from 2019!

@LooseMooseHoose I’m also reading The Snow Child too and feel exactly the same. Beautifully written book

This thread had made my download the Crawdads.

I’d recommend most things by Patrick Gale too. I’ve just finished “A Perfectly Good Man”, which, whilst I’m not mourning it like some books, referenced a poem that I have found very thought provoking, right at the end, so there is still “take away”.

I've just discovered on my kindle that I've read I am Pilgrim. I honestly don't remember it at all

Yes to lots of these. Also The Salt Path by Raynor Winn 😍

Troubled Blood. I'm totally sucked into their world & spend an embarrassing amount of my life thinking about it & trying to decide where the story might go next.

@GCAcademic I was going to say A Fine Balance, too. I was utterly devastated by it and needed everyone to read it so I could talk about it.

@gingajewel

The beekeeper of Aleppo, I just couldn’t get it out of my head for days.

Yes, me too. I sobbed my way through that. I kept having to put it down because I was crying and couldn't see the words and needed to process it but at the same time just wanted to never put it down.

I desperately wanted to talk about it but no one else I know had read it.

Great thread, I've had Lincoln in the Bardo sitting on my side table for ages but now it is going to the top of my list. And I've got Beekeeper of Aleppo on my kindle - hurrah!

I adore Madeline Miller as well, I've read Song of Achilles 3 times but I didn't love Circe quite as much. I'm wondering if Natalie Haynes' A Thousand Ships will be similar to Song of Achilles - anyone read both?

Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence. Amazing book and I’ve read it about three times. 1984 by George Orwell is another one.

[quote SconNotScone]**@Meredithgrey1* and @garlictwist* I also loved A Little Life. I am usually a very fast reader, but I deliberately made myself slow down for this one, I had heard it was a bit of a tough read, so allowed myself to take my time with it. I enjoyed it so much. I tried to tell a couple of friends about it, but just didn’t feel like my description did it justice. I would love to be able to forget the whole thing and read it again![/quote]
Oh yes also this one, definitely. Also read slowly so it wouldn't end.