50 Book Challenge 2016 Part Six

[southeastdweller]

Thread six of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2016, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, it's not too late to join, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

The first thread of 2016 is here, second thread here, third thread here, fourth thread here and fifth thread here.

I loathed it! I always thought I was a minority! read it about 13 years ago - it was the ALL CAPS SHOUTING that wore me down.

Something has always put me off John Irving novels, they seem a bit mawkish-looking to me, but that is just my own prejudice. I have got Owen Meaney on my Kindle from a sale ages ago but never get past the first few pages.

Also have Song of Achilles, might give it a whirl now whippet (and I like a bit of Cox, too. Brian that is )

Half way through the Tenant of Wildfell Hall, a Bronte I didn't demolish in my teens - quite glad I didn't now, as I don't think I'd have appreciated the subject matter in the same way. They're overblown at times, those Brontes, but they can spin a yarn.

I found Song of Achilles disappointing - I just didn't feel that it in anyway lived up to Mary Renault's Greek novels. While that's a high bar to set, I couldn't get over it.

Tenant is one of my Top 10 favourite books, the very first truly feminist novel. Charlotte hated it and tried to suppress it which is why it has never had the same level of notice as Eyre or Heights.

Charles Kingsley at the time said "all men should read it and all men should prevent their wives from reading it" LOL

And it just goes to show that women in those days had the same problems of women today.

Irving. I was left really uncomfortable by the portrayal of sexual abuse in Until I Find You, it's almost condoned, left very bad taste in my mouth

Tenant is a hugely under-rated book in my view. Great to see so many fans of it on here.

Tenant is a really excellent book - I'd take that, Agnes Grey or Shirley over Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre any day.

I liked Irving when I read him, but am not sure I would enjoy it now.

Remus, I did notice you read a lot of books about Germany- I don't know much about what else you like but what about moving over to France? Candide? The Scarlet Pimpernel? Both light and funny iirc!

Thanks for all the recs. The thread has moved so quickly that I'm struggling to scroll and remember who said what!

Read and liked A Spy among Friends
Can't get on with the Cazalet Chronicles - it's too middle class and womanly and wittery for me, I think, although I understand that lots of people like it so absolutely no offence intended!
I gave up on The Night Circus

Sorry - have forgotten lots of what people have said. Will scroll again and investigate properly!

I hated Owen bloody Meaney and his capital letters. Stupid book.

I'm afraid France doesn't appeal (she says - dismissing an entire country, its people and history in one fell swoop). I told you I was horrible!

Just abandoned The Ice People by Maggie Gee. Has anybody read it?

All it seems to have said so far is, "I'm black. I can't believe it. My body is black. She likes me being black. We've had sex a lot. I'm hot and so is the weather."

Clearly I am missing something here.

Love that synopsis, Remus

I'm not convinced Charlotte's suppression of it is the sole reason for its being relatively overlooked - I'm enjoying it, very much, but with a critical eye it is not quite on the same artistic level as JE and WH (as a reader I don't love WH, but can appreciate it) which I suspect has more to do with it overall. But I'll wait until I've finished it.

Cote - My synopsis is infinitely superior to the book, or certainly as much as I managed to read of it before wanting to throw it across the room. My poor dd1 had to study it as part of her degree.

Hello book people,

Life took over a bit in October and fell off the thread. Also read a couple of books that seemed to take a looooong time. I haven't caught up on the chat but thought I'd post before we move to the next thread.

68. A Perfect Spy - John Le Carre. This took me a long time to read but was quite fascinating. I hadn't read any Le Carre before and apparently it's his most autobiographical, which makes sense as it's not madly plot driven. It's about Magnus Pym, a British agent who goes AWOL after his father has died. The book is split between his autobiography - his childhood and wheeler dealer father - and the hunt to find him. I liked the window into that world, it rang very true and reminded me a bit of my own childhood growing up around embassy folk.

69. Ragnorak - A S Byatt. A book club read and not very inspiring. Part of the Canongate Myths series, it's part description of Ragnarok and part analogy with Byatt "the thin child's" childhood in WW2. There's no plot really, just some poetic sentences strung together. The best part for me was the afterword where she explains a bit about the nature of myth. Think I was the only one who finished it in book club.

70. My Husband's Son - Deborah O'Connor. Thriller about a wife who thinks she sees her husband's missing son in an off licence. The husband denies that it is him, but she is convinced. Good page turner though the wife's behaviour was often irrational.

71. Any Human Heart - William Boyd. The autobiography told in journals of a writer which starts in the 1920s and goes through to the 1980s. LMS (the writer) lives through a world war, meets famous artists and writers, is a spy, lives in the US, Africa, London and France and has a life full of ups and downs. In a way I think the strongest part is when he is an old man, recommended.

I second Toast Remus. A light v readable memoir by Nigel Slater. Will have a nose over my bookshelves to see if I spot anything else you might like. I assume you've read the Gone to Ground book recommended on here recently?

Have been through the mill the last week or so. Been sick, dh been sick, DS has had IMPETIGO he looked s state. Leper like. OMG. Then was stuck in the digital black hole that is known as my in laws house Then my kindle ran out of battery and I had to read s regular book while it charged. Was quite the novelty

I think I was the first one to read Gone to Ground. Read Toast - it was okay but I didn't love it - I find NS a bit irritating, if I'm honest.

Hope all recovering in the House of Wilting now.

Welcome back, Stokey. :)

DS still v spotty. But at least they don't look like they are oozing poison anymore

48. Exposure - Helen Dunmore. Cold War themed 'thriller' set in 1960's London, I found this quite dull and lacking in suspense, though some of the characterisation is great.

Stokey - very disappointing to hear that about Ragnorok - I love Children's Book and so had my eye on it - the Canongate myths are a bit - the only really good one I've read and I've not read all was Weight by Jeanette Winterson which was gorgeous

wilting - " Been sick, dh been sick, DS has had IMPETIGO shock he looked s state. Leper like. OMG. Then was stuck in the digital black hole that is known as my in laws house "

None of that is an excuse! I'm desperate to talk about Death's End and you are the only person I "know" who has read it! Come here and talk to me about it

wilting In laws, sickness, and impetigo I only had in laws and that was bad enough.

Welcome back, stokey

I got really bored half way through the first Cazalet. They looked good and find EJH interesting but something just didn't click. I liked all the food and housekeeping descriptions, but it wasn't enough to sustain me.

I remember when my eldest had impetigo. It is indeed most leper like. Not as bad looking as when I had shingles ON MY FACE! People crossed the road to avoid me so I only went out after dark.

Satsuki, I do like a bit of Cox

My eldest had impetigo in his HFM blisters on his face. He looked like one of Fagin's street urchins! My oh also had an awful case years ago. Its really grim. You have my complete sympathy.