The Fur Quits - EdwardBitMe's book

[swissmiss]

EdwardBitMe/CandleQueen's choice: TWG by PHD

Discuss

Finished this last weekend. I thought it was great, I loved how he jumped between the characters stories and linked them by just adding a small sentence, very good.
I couldn't get into it at first I must admit, but after the escape I read the whole thing in one sitting as I couldn't put it down.

Feel really sorry for Elspeth though, she was so trapped in that life, and very little chance of escape, so I can believe how she reacted to finding Karsten after his escape.

I also really thought Rhys or Colin would come back and really screw everything up, am so glad they didn't!

So come and talk to me Edward, why did you choose this? (genuinely curious!)

'Tis me, Edward, in disguise!

I read this last year, I always end up with a load of book tokens for my birthday and splash out in Waterstones on a bit of summer reading. Naff as it is, R&J Bookclub does give some good reads!
I studied in Wales and my husband is Welsh, so the title attracted me at first. I don't have a great knowledge of WWII, especially the camps here in Britain, so I thought it would be educational too.
Totally agree about Elspeth (love the name, BTW) being trapped in her life. As C21 women, it is easy to imagine what she could have acheieved if she "escaped", but that is with the benefit of 60 years hindsight. I think the fact she was "incarcerated" in her life mirrors well Karsten's imprisonment. The camp is almost a metaphor for rural life for women in the 1940's.

Just finished this - read it quickly,but struggled a bit two thirds of the way through.

I was expecting the book to centre around Rotherham when I read the blurb,so was a bit confused about him only really appearing at the beginning and the end.

Esther (her name is Esther, not Elspeth!) was the character who interested me the most, together with Karsten. Could not believe the lie she tells at the end though, that she could be driven to such deception to try and salvage some dignity.

Enjoyed it, but probably not a book I would return to.

Would make a fantastic film though, I could envisage lots of it on a big screen, the boys running away from the camp, Esther riding the bike, the tarpaulin over the swimming pool, Karsten's surrender ....

Posting from my phone on hols so apologies for any typos etc.

I really enjoyed this book. An aspect of thewar I expect few know much about.

Agree Esther's imprisonment was a shame - also that karsten didn't stay. I guessed she would say rhyss was the father but thought he would come back, go along with the lie and Esther would be even more trapped.

One bit I wasn't sure about - did he say that rotheram turned out to be the Guy who spoke to him at Dover? I couldn't see how that would have worked so not sure I understood that bit.
Will think some more and might come back whn on a proper pc

.

I enjoyed a lot of the themes in the book and something I am loving about reading these different books is all the snippets of historical or geographical knowledge I am picking up . I probably only really appreciated the book and all its themes as it was finishing. If it had been much longer it might have put me off so I am glad it was the length it was.

Im really sorry-I struggled with this book and actually gave up 2/3rds of the way through-I think I just wanted to get on with all my new books though,and I was very easily distracted by the new pile on my bedside table!! Hope you read it though Simpson-I sent it on to you on Saturday!

Have to say I thought I would really struggle with this book but thought "Oh well will give it a go" iyswim and I ended up loving it and was quite gutted when I had finished it.

Was convinced that Esther was going to be caught out in her lie at the end but glad she wasn't iyswim

I quite enjoyed this book but thought it sort of trailed off towards the end - I kept expecting something big and/or terrible to happen and instead it just stopped.

Most of the characters just seemed a bit repressed and not quite real to me, so I didn't find it evoking much emotion in me. I did feel sorry for Esther though, and I'm glad she didn't get caught out in her lie. I must confess I was hoping she and Karsten would end up together, but that's because I'm a softy and love a happy ending! It wouldn't have really fitted in with the book though, which I thought was otherwise quite true to life in the way that things were left trailing and unsaid.

I agree that it would make a good film - actually, I think it would make a better film than book. Lots of stiff upper lipped emoting, flat caps and sweeping mountain views - lovely!