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We are all completely besides ourselves

81 replies

DameEdnasBridesmaid · 26/07/2014 19:35

Just got to the 'twist' and it has completely put me off. No idea that was what the book was about and wouldn't have bought if I was aware.

Don't want to say what because it's a spoiler.

Is it worth persevering?

OP posts:
lazylittlelucy · 07/09/2014 22:13

I'm not sure what I think about this book. I got through the first 30% (am reading on my Kindle) on my flight home last week - was really enjoying it. Have got well past "the twist" but it seems to be going off on tangents not related to the original plot so I'm not progressing as quickly as I would like to. Am at about 60% now and I will persevere - so I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Agree with a previous poster who drew a comparison to John Irving - I only read one of his books (A prayer for Owen Meany) and will probably never read another.

LadyWithLapdog · 07/09/2014 22:39

As it happens, there's an interesting article on thd BBC website today about the founder of Chester zoo, with a few good links.

PepperMallow · 07/09/2014 22:49

When I saw the title of this thread I remembered that I'd read it a few weeks ago but couldn't for the life of me remember what it was about! Yes, that's how much it stuck with me! I had to read quite a few PPs to jog my memory. Having said that, I found it interesting.

PepperMallow · 07/09/2014 22:51

I read We Are Liars at about the same time and was more moved by that, although found the end lacking.

PacificDogwood · 08/09/2014 07:58

I finished WACBO last night.
I did find it thought-provoking, but it did not suck me in as much as I would have liked.
I am in no way an animal-welfare activist (heck, I am not even vegetarian), but I do think it is worth-while thinking about how cruel the human animal is to other creatures just because 'we can'.
I did think that Fern's fate was heart-breaking and I did not really warm to Rosemary who clearly was a poor soul too, but maybe had too much 'uncanny valley' about her.
Not one I am going to reread, I and reread a lot of books.

We are Liars became less gripping for me once it became clear what the big event had been and I could not understand the motivation. I mean I get what she was cross about/suffering under, but why on earth anybody would ever have thought what they did was a good idea (even teenagers!) I could just not follow. Lost me after that.

Stokey · 09/09/2014 15:08

I loved it

But I felt really cheated by We are Liars once it became clear what the end was.

Southeastdweller · 09/09/2014 19:54

Today it made the Man Booker shortlist Hmm

PacificDogwood · 09/09/2014 19:59

Really?!
Hm. I remain underwhelmed, although it has stayed with me and I have been thinking about it.

LadyWithLapdog · 09/09/2014 21:09

Today I bought the National Geographic for the kids. An indirect link, no doubt. I am thinking about the book.

Onedropoflove · 10/09/2014 21:02

Oh, I'm three quarters through it and really enjoying it. I've just told my cousin to recommend it to her book club!

AgathaHannigan · 10/09/2014 21:11

I loved it, didn't know about the twist in advance and was blown away when that came out. It really did make me think... Persevere!

slightlyglitterstained · 10/09/2014 21:24

Given some of her previous stuff, I'm curious about whether people think of it as science fiction?

Not in the raygun toting space monkey sense, obviously, but I can't quite decide whether it "feels" similar in the way she builds up Rosemary's world. Will prob need to reread again but not sure I want to go there yet.

slightlyglitterstained · 10/09/2014 21:27

Interestingly I realised the "twist" worked, in that when Rosemary is getting really distressed during Dr Soso's lecture, it took me a while to think "shit, of course she's thinking about her sister". Which tells me something about how I'd categorised her.

NomNomDePlum · 10/09/2014 21:35

it's facile nonsense, sorry, and an insult to ali smith that they might be named in same paragraph.

and i read the whole damned thing, several hours of my life i could have spent reading something better.

Suzannewithaplan · 10/09/2014 22:40

Those who found it thought provoking, were you not aware of experiments and theories pertaining to the issues covered in the book?
Personally I've read a fair bit on the subject and found the book distinctly underwhelming.

PacificDogwood · 10/09/2014 22:42

I thought the book taught me more about 'growing up with psychologist parents' than it did about 'siblings that are 'other'' IYKWIM (I am trying not to post a spoiler)

Yes, I remain underwhelmed too.

Suzannewithaplan · 10/09/2014 22:52

I found it all rather 'pop psychology'

LadyWithLapdog · 11/09/2014 21:37

Of course I, for one, knew about experiments on animals etc. No need to be patronising. It's touched me and I found it thought provoking. Sorry for enjoying not-quite-highbrow-enough literature.

hackmum · 12/09/2014 09:36

"Those who found it thought provoking, were you not aware of experiments and theories pertaining to the issues covered in the book?"

Yes, I was, which was precisely why I found it interesting.

Onedropoflove · 12/09/2014 11:15

Well I must be abit daft because I've just finished it and have a tear in my eye! I thought it was great. I read it on the train and in bed. We don't always want War and Peace.

LadyWithLapdog · 12/09/2014 17:17

You could argue that the sign of a good book is that it makes you think - in a way that a well researched but dry article doesn't or a bunch of animal activists can't. There are many "issues" competing for attention and only so much headspace you can give each.

slightlyglitterstained · 13/09/2014 10:52

I was aware of the experiments & theories. The thought provoking parts for me were the relationships and Rosie's world as a small child, how little her parents understood of her internal world, how useless/helpless they were at dealing with the aftermath of what happened.

I know DS has his own mysterious little toddler world and I understand very little of it. That doesn't bother me, but the thought that I might break his world and not have a clue how to make him feel safe again does.

Marlinspike · 13/09/2014 12:52

I think some posters on here have alluded to the twist- maybe thread title needs to mention that? I loved the first half, and reread some bits after the twist. I thought it list it's way a bit in the second half, but bring a simple soul, I liked the way things were tied up at the end. I can't stand being left in limbo at the end of a good book! BTW, found A Casual Vacancy pretty boring and not brilliantly written, but am loving the Cormoran Strike books!

Suzannewithaplan · 13/09/2014 13:01

For me it contained no new ideas or insights and the issues covered were incompletely covered over simplified or misrepresented.

I can't explain any more without adding spoilers

Onedropoflove · 13/09/2014 14:40

For me it was a book I could read on holiday. I didn't expect to learn anything from it. It was off the fiction shelf. Easy ready. That's all my poor brain needs to keep it ticking over on holidsy.