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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

I've got these three books for my hols next week, what order shall I read them in?

20 replies

MadreInglese · 04/02/2011 14:04

Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffeneger (loved the Time Travellers Wife so thought I'd give this a go)

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro (read a film synopsis and thought this might be a good read)

The Winter Ghosts - Kate Mosse (must admit to nearly losing the will to live when reading her Labyrinth but this is a much shorter book and has been recommended on a few recent book lists)

What order would you read these in?
(5 hour plane journey each way and a week not moving in the sunshine)

I also have the first Stieg Larsson Dragon Tattoo book as an alternative if any of the above are beyond crap

OP posts:

Original poster

MadreInglese · 04/02/2011 15:51

Any ideas? Need to decide what to pack in the suitcase or the hand luggage

OP posts:

coatgate · 04/02/2011 15:55

Have read Never Let Me Go. Twas Ok but not riveting. Have bought Her Fearful Symmetry but not started it yet. Like you, I loved the Time Traveller's Wife. Not read Winter Ghosts.

Bought all three Stieg Larsson for my hols last year and loved them, and detective/crime novels are not really my bag. So I would go with that one first...

How about the latest John Irving?

ramonaquimby · 04/02/2011 15:56

her fearful symmetry
never let me go
girl with a dragon tattoo

(kate mosse i'd leave at home!)

MyMamaToldMe · 04/02/2011 15:57

Just take the 3 Stieg Larsson books with you! Unputdownable!

Original poster

MadreInglese · 04/02/2011 16:10

hmmm might swap Kate for Stieg then (only got the first one of the trilogy)

not read any John Irving, what are they like?

OP posts:

TheFoosa · 04/02/2011 16:18

never let me go

fearful symmetry (btw nothing like ttw)

kate mosse don't bother

aStarWithHerOwnWays · 04/02/2011 16:21

Read Never Let Me Go on the way home. I found it unbearably sad and it would have cast a shadow on my sunny holiday.

Her Fearful Symmetry is decent holiday tosh - read that in the sun.

Never read any Kate Mosse so will put that as the outbound journey book!

coatgate · 04/02/2011 16:42

I love John Irving but have been reading him for years. Why not try one?

BelligerentGhoul · 04/02/2011 18:55

Oh dear.

Stieg Larson - absolutely unreadable imho. I gave up after about 20 pages wanting to kill him (dead already) and then myself. felt like it had been written by a train-spotter.

Kate Mosse - not read that one but the only one I have read was positively diabolical.

Ishiguro - I hated it but most people think it's brilliant. I just wanted all of them to hurry up and be chopped up tbh.

Her fearful Symmetry - some good stuff, especially the OCD guy but the last quarter was stupid beyond belief.

Sorry - I'd leave them all behind tbh and think again!

FellatioNelson · 04/02/2011 19:40

I've just bought Never let me go. Shall I just kill myself now?

TheFoosa · 05/02/2011 12:10

I loved Never Let Me Go but the I'm a big fan of Ishiguro

TheFoosa · 05/02/2011 12:11

Have to agree that the Stieg Larsson series are beyond awful, am amazed they are so successful

emsy41 · 05/02/2011 16:55

larsson so good i cant read last 200 pages of his last,because as poor guy is dead it really is his last.

emsy41 · 05/02/2011 16:58

ps word of advice you have to push yourself to get through first 50 pages, then you wont be able to put them down

Portofino · 05/02/2011 16:58

I loved Never Let Me Go AND the Stieg Larsson books. My first thought when reading the OP was that NO way is 3 books enough for 10 hours of flying and a week on the beach. I would have read them in all 2 days.

BuzzLightBeer · 05/02/2011 17:02

I read 9 books in a one week holiday a while back. I'm usually reduced to scrabbling around for one of those leave one take one book shelves.
Which is why I have a kindle now, I'll be bringing about 50 books on holiday this year!!

In answer to the question, Mosse outbound, Niffenwhatsherface in the sun (loved it, just suspend your disbelief) and Ishiguro for the way back, agree too sad for before.

Truffkin · 05/02/2011 17:04

I wasn't a huge fan of TTW but enjoyed Her Fearful Symmetry more and would suggest that as one of your sun lounger reads. Not read the others (struggled to care about the first Stieg Larsson one so gave up) so can't offer an opinion.

thunderbird69 · 05/02/2011 17:05

Never Let me Go really irritated me - a good idea wasted.

I'd leave that one till last too.

DandyDan · 06/02/2011 07:41

Never Let Me Go - read that first before the film comes out. It's a top book.

Her Fearful Symmatry - no idea if it's any good but it's going to be better than Kate Mosse.

bigbeagleeyes · 06/02/2011 15:11

I loved TTW, but the ending was so sad.
Have only read half of HFS, keep meaning to finish it but always seem to find beter things to do.
Read all Steigg Larrson's. The prose can be a bit turgid (I put that down to the translation), but an excellent plot and a brilliant heroine in Lisbeth Salander. By the way, I've just seen the DVD of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, IMO better than the book as it misses out on all the clunky bits.

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