Crimson Petal and the White - persevere or try "mystery book?"

[DraenorQueen]

I'm about half way through CPatW. I'm enjoying it...but thought I was going to LOVE it, and not sure I do. It's really observant and I think the author is so perceptive. But it's plodding a bit...Has anyone read it? Should I persevere?
The alternative is a book I know literally nothing about. I bought it while drunk on Amazon It's called The Day After Tomorrow by Allan Folsom. There's no blurb on the back and quite what prompted me to purchase it remains a mystery!

Advice gratefully received...

I'd persevere. It's a few years since I read it but there are lots of shocking happenings as the story goes on. I love it and have the DVD too but it would shock me all over again so I have to be in the right mood. Your mystery book sounds interesting. Maybe read them in parallel?

Thank you Emily!! Ok, glad to know there are some shocks. I'll keep going. Reading in parallel is a good idea, especially as they look so vastly different. I used to to that with "serious" books and cheerful Bill Brysons!

Oh I loved it. Very sexy.

Great! Glad you're going to keep going! It's a story which has really stayed with me, I often think of the characters. I like having several books on the go at once

Crimson Petal plods on for a long time and then ends. I can't think of any 'shocks' tbh, except perhaps how an interesting, intellectual prostitute became dull as dishwater as soon as she was domesticated.

I think the shocks come when the story changes focus to the wife and we find out why she is as she is. Won't say anymore, don't want to spoil it!

I loved it and would recommend you persevere.

I was frustrated by the sudden ending, but found some solace in The Apple which answered some of the open questions.

No idea about your other book

It is really good. Upsetting in many parts.

Sugar is a fantastic character. It is very sad when one particular character dies I won't tell you who. I don't think it is sexy at all though, really offputting from that point of view...

I've re-read it.

Whatever you do, don't read Under the Skin by same author..terrifying.

Oh I've read Under the Skin!! I knew the author was familiar. Under the Skin was bizzare....is it the one made int oa Scarlett Johannsen film? Set in Scotland?

Yes, I still feel creeped out when thinking about Under The Skin

I watched Under The Skin. Dragged DH & several other members of my extended family to see it at the cinema. I thought "Scarlett Johansson as alien in a sci-fi movie. What can go wrong?"

I am not allowed to choose films anymore.

Pfffft!!!

I loved that book, my mum hated it...maybe it's a marmite type of book?

Cote, did you enjoy the movie though? I've not seen it.

It was the absolute worst movie I have ever had to sit through, bar none.

Scarlett goes out in a van to pick up men, bring them home and skin them. One after another. Then another. Then another. Much focus and zooming on her naked body. Very little conversation. Very little anything else.

Dumbest, most pointless film I have seen in the last twenty years at least.

As I said, after I took them to Under The Skin, DH and other family members won't let me choose a film anymore.

Sounds grim.

I've just read The Book of Strange Things and it's weird and touching. Very moving when I consider he finished writing it as his wife was dying

I did not know that, Pacific. It has made me cry a little.

I think he is my favourite writer of at least the last twenty years and find him utterly compelling in every incarnation.

Don't read the short stories if you are easily upset. There is one I read that I have never been able to forget. I still occasionally have nightmares about it.

Yes, it's very sad. Apparently they co-wrote some of Strange Things or she at least very heavily influenced his writing.
I read recently that he does not think he has another book in him.
He is a very very compelling writer whose writing stays with me too.

I can't decide whether to read The Crimson Petal or not. I love Michel Faber, he is a brilliant writer, but this one doesn't really appeal to me.

To those who watched the film of Under the Skin though, read the book it is totally different and a million times better!

Well, I read for about 3 hours in bed last night - interesting, good, etc. Glad I persevered, etc. But still want to pick the plot apart. I mean............. WHY? Governess??

Cotedazur - me too - loved the book of Under the Skin - but the film - OMG - wasted time that I will never get back -took my dd as I had raved about the book so much - DD fell asleep!

Yep - book Under the Skin is great, film absolutely awful - I had to repeatedly say to DH "this isn't like the book..."

I too love Michel Faber. And loved Book of Strange New Things. I will have to keep a look out for the short stories.

I didn't like the novel Under the Skin either my favourite MF is his novella The Courage Consort but it sounds as if the film isn't particularly faithful, if it does list of sexy lingering on Scarlett Johannsen's body? Wasn't the point about Isserly's body that it was a surgical-botch job to make her look human, that she hated it and was in constant pain, and despite her appealing-to-hitchers breasts, was actually quite odd-looking?