50 Book Challenge 2018 Part Six

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the sixth thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2018, 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 the year is here, the second one here, the third one here, the fourth one here, and the fifth one here.

How're you getting on so far?

Interested stuff about I am Pilgrim. Have no real knowledge of Turkey so interesting to see what he got so wrong. But it rightly or wrongly it filled the reading gap I needed.

Agree with Tanaqui.

The Toll Gate is okay but it’s not one of Heyer’s best IMO.

32. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Reviewed upthread by TooExtraImmatureCheddar, who said that this has a similar theme to Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner (and another book I haven't read). I agree! And I would also chuck in Babyville by Jane Green. I also agree that some of it seemed a bit contrived, with stereotypes, unlikely coincidences etc. I think that Little Earthquakes is the best of the three (as it's funnier and more lively in style) but this is still a good read if you fancy some decent chick lit.

I wouldn’t miss it if you can get it free or very cheap- have woken up remembering a very implausible plot, but it’s definitely an easy read in the heat!

Someone asked aboutNgaio Marsh and endings- I would say that they aren’t her strong point, and she sometimes tells you something about a character that clashes with what you “see” about them. I’m still working my way through and enjoying them though, saving the next for reading when travelling.

70: The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder – Sarah Harris
71: Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda – Becky Abertalli

Two quick reads, one of which I liked a lot and one of which I didn’t. Bee Larkham is essentially a rip off of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time but without the compassion and humour of the latter. I only bought it because I was desperate, and only finished reading it so I could check if it was going to annoy me less as it continued. It didn’t.

Simon, on the other hand, was a delight. It’s YA and definitely very typical, based on teenage feeeeeelings, but it was a really sweet focus on the protagonist exploring and coming to terms with his homosexuality. Very nicely done.

Having polished off a run of good books (and @Vanderlyle and
@EmGee, I do thoroughly recommend Cheerful Weather for the Wedding ), my lucky spell has hit a bit of a boulder with

47: I'm Travelling Alone - Samuel Bjørk

A friend was very keen that I should read this Scandi 'tec novel, and it seems to have had rapturous reviews, but tbh it struck me as pretty ho-hum....not helped by a rather clunky translation, either. I don't think I'll bother giving a précis. I mean, it's absolutely fine as a beach read but I have to say I'm a bit at the Times calling it 'intelligent and gripping'. There are better examples of Scandiwegian crime, I'd say.

29. The Rings Of Saturn - WG Sebald

A quite extraordinary book which is impossible to do justice to in a brief summary, but here goes - in the 1990s Sebald, who was then living in south Norfolk, undertook a series of walks across the Suffolk landscape, using them as a prompt for writings on subjects as diverse, yet interconnected, as art, colonial history, literature, war, trade and silkworm cultivation. It has a dark, dreamlike feel but is incredibly readable with effortless prose. It's one of the rare books that I want to start again as soon as I've finished; Robert Macfarlane is running a reading group on Twitter for it at the moment so looking forward to more discussion about its depths.

Ah, I loved The Rings of Saturn but I haven't read it in years. Must dig it out and read it again.

57. Benedict Jacka - Marked

Ninth book in Jacka's series which is sort of like a British version of The Dresden Files. After a raid on the Light Council's Vault and the theft of a large number of very dangerous magical items, Alex Verus is working to track them down. Then the Light Council decide they need Verus' help in negotiating with a Dark Mage in a plan to bring down those behind the theft, but Verus has his doubts as to whether this will work.

I do think Dresden is better, but this is a good series as well.

*22. Standard Deviation - Katherine Heiny
*
This is the story of Graham, his second wife Audra and their son Matthew, who has ASD. It covers a few months of their lives, it's not clear how long really, time isn't specified. We learn a lot about Graham and how different he is from Audra, how hard he finds it parenting their son, who has developed a passion/obsession with origami and how he still has unresolved feelings for his first wife, Elspeth.
I don't usually get on with books where not much happens but I loved this. The characters are so vividly drawn and there is such a rich thread of humour woven throughout.
There are numerous bit-part players who slip in and out and each of them bring something interesting and special to the story. It's Graham and Audra's marriage and their feelings toward each other that sits at the heart of the story though and it's a beautiful thing.
I'm glad I never took this book on public transport with me. It made me laugh at loud and come close to tears on several occasions. I thought it was well written, yet very accessible. Perfect summer reading really. Strong contender for my favourite so far this year.

I’ve just dug out my Rings of Saturn I see people are sharing my their covers on twitter. I see that mine is the first UK paperback edition. Entirely unread. Perhaps now is the time.

45. Touched by Joanna Briscoe

Set in the 1960’s. Rowena Crale and her family have moved from London to a chocolate box sort of village. Things don’t go well. Nightmare house renovations, ghostly figures, affairs with the new NDNs, and then disappearing daughters. One of the culprits behind the disappearing daughters is obvious from the start as the author has helpfully named him in the prologue.

No character in this really comes out of this well. And it’s very mundane and non-creepy for something that seems to be aiming at a ghost story. I wouldn’t recommend it but it is at least short.

And Mitosis by Brandon Sanderson

I’m not numbering this because it’s a short story. Too short to count in the list IMO. It’s set in Sanderson’s Reckoners series, between the events in Steelheart and Firefight.
Entertaining enough for someone who’s enjoyed the Reckoners novels, fills in some of the backstory in the series.

The big BUT here is the price. I got this out from the library, so didn’t buy it, and I’m very glad of that after reading it. Nice little hardback book - with a RRP of £8.99. For a 44 page short story, with (very short) exclusive character portraits of 3 Epics and a 25 page preview of Firefight
This seems seriously overpriced for a 44 page story (and sample chapter for a full novel) even if it had been the best short story in the world.

So, basically, if you’re interested in this series, don’t buy the physical hard copy of Mitosis. It’s horribly overpriced.

1. Why Mummy Drinks by Gill Sims.
2. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
3. Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie.

4 Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie.

1. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.
2. "Blink" Malcolm Gladwell.
3. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig.
4. "Persepolis RIsing" by James SA Corey.
5. “Guernica” by Dave Boling.

10. “Harvest” by Tess Gerritsen. 11. "Grit" by Angela Duckworth. 12. "The Hive" by Gill Hornby. 13. "The Nix" by Nathan Hill. 14. "That's My Boy" by Jenni Murray. 15. "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K Le Guin. 16. "Room" by Emma Donaghue. 17. "No Logo" by Naomi Klein. 18. "French Children Don't Throw Food" by Pamela Druckerman. 19. "The Martian" by Andy Weir. 20. "Freedom Climbers" by Bernadette McDonald. I treated myself on holiday last month by adding to my armchair mountaineering collection with this book about Poland's golden age of high altitude climbers. I haven't read any books by McDonald (who as well as being an author has directed some mountain film festivals) but I enjoyed her writing style. I stayed up til 1am last night finishing it!

p.s. Cote brilliant review of I am Pilgrim!

94. This Thing of Darkness, Harry Thompson

I am a bit scared to review this given the love for it on this thread! I did really like it, though, so perhaps I'm safe. I always like proper historical fiction and this felt (I couldn't tell you for sure!) impeccably researched, down to the use of recorded conversations between Fitzroy and Darwin. I was fascinated by the so-called enlightened attitudes of Fitzroy and his officers - I did of course know that The Origin of the Species caused a furore when it was first published, and that the prevailing opinion beforehand had been that the Bible was literally true, but I hadn't realised how deeply embedded that was, or that all scientific discoveries were viewed through a religious prism. Fitzroy's personal story added an extra layer to the novel - it is so poignant! I don't know if this is a spoiler or not, but the arguments for religion in particular didn't ring quite as truly as they could have done - it is hard not to accept with Darwin that there is no God, after the deaths of his children. I love a good goddish novel but this isn't that type (and that's not a criticism - I think books of that type tend to be older, before atheism became mainstream). I'm not sure whether Thompson was trying to set out Fitzroy's beliefs as a valid alternative or whether he was trying to draw an altogether bleaker conclusion - probably the latter, having written that!

95. Digging To America, Anne Tyler

This has been reviewed a lot in these threads. An exploration of adoption, following the stories of two Korean babies adopted by American parents. Maryam's plotline as an Iranian immigrant who finds it increasingly difficult, rather than easier, to live in the US was a fresh take on it - I enjoyed Tyler's discussion of the lifelong adjustment that is needed to live in a foreign country.

96. Iron and Magic, Ilona Andrews

Book 1 of the Hugh d'Ambray trilogy. Hugh was the Warlord to a semi-divine immortal being, Roland, who creates vampires and destroy cities and whose roots stretch back to pre-history. Ilona Andrews has written a 10-book series about Roland's daughter, and this new spin-off picks up after book 9 leaves off. Roland threw Hugh out and he is now learning to live independently, after centuries of Roland's rule. Suddenly Hugh isn't quite the baddie we thought he was...Hugh and the Iron Dogs contract themselves to protect a castle, and part of the deal is that Hugh has to marry the chatelaine, Lady Elara (reasons are unconvincing and sketchy). Obvs the marriage is purely for show and there will be no nooky whatsoever...

97. Autumn Term
98. The Marlows and the Traitor

I have been fighting the urge to do a proper Antonia Forest re-read in chronological order now that I own 7 of them. I finally gave in at the weekend because I bought The Thuggery Affair on Ebay, but the parcel appears to have been lost in transit! It was dispatched on the 30th of June and still hasn't arrived - the seller is trying to trace it but it doesn't sound promising. I will presumably get a refund but I wanted the book! I think I have read and reviewed all the books already this year - is this cheating? I do include re-reads as a general rule, but this seems excessive.

24. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

A man wakes in a forest with no memory of who he is or how he get there. He eventually learns from a sinister masked man that he is there to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, which will be committed that night at a hedonistic party thrown by her aristocrat family, and he has eight days to do it. The eight days however run concurrently, and he will inhabit eight different 'hosts' - various guests and staff - in order to piece together the mystery so he can be freed from the 'loop'. There's also a murderous footman intent on preventing him from solving the murder, and a maid who might be friend or foe.

Hmm. I actually really enjoyed this. It was a real 'romp' - it was set (I think) in the twenties, and I quite liked the descriptions of the aristocratic guests and their shenanigans - he evoked the Gatsby-esque world quite well, I thought. But yeah, the plot...very convoluted. Unnecessarily so, maybe. Perhaps it's the heat, or being heavily pregnant, but I found it so hard to follow the various twists and turns, and even now, on finishing, I'm not sure I really get the full picture. I've never wanted a kindle, but I think the 'track characters' feature my husband raves about would have been pretty useful here. The ending is a bit anti-climactic, but I think any ending would have been. The maid character was a problem. But yeah, it romped along and was pleasingly bonkers.

Damn. I have received a message from the Ebay seller saying that my copy of The Thuggery Affair was returned to them, having been damaged in transit, and they can't offer it for sale any more. They also don't have a replacement, and they've offered me either an alternative title for similar value or a refund. I have emailed back asking how badly it's damaged and saying that if it's still readable I still want it! I hope they don't think I'm totally crazy.

72: Where Eagles Dare - Alistair MacLean
World War 2 doubble crossing, triple crossing, Nazi-defying, death-defying romp. Not quite as good as The Guns of Navarone but all jolly good fun.

And now I am bookless again. :(

Can't get on with Gentlemen and Players.

31. Notes from a Small Planet - Matt Haig. The follow-up to Reasons to Stay Alive, this time he looks at how we should manage our use of technology for the benefit to our mental health. Nothing here is groundbreaking to anyone who occasionally reads a newspaper but it's still an enjoyable and fairly thought-provoking read.

On holiday at mo and just finished book 36. Notes on a nervous planet which I think is the same as southeast has just read. Enjoyable read and made me think about my internet etc use and I need to try to not be bothered about what other people think of me. Southeast had you read the first book by the author on mental health? I wasn’t even aware of it and bought this book on recommendation of a radio presenter!

Also finished 35 the road by cormac McCarthy (from memory, hope I got that right). All about a man and a boy in a post apocalyptic world and how they survive as they travel along a road with a shopping trolley carrying all their worldly posessions. Enjoyed how it was written and had tears in my eyes at places. Such goodness and innocence in world where such evil humanity was rife.

Long time lurker here. Just posting to say that Circe by Madeline Miller is on Kindle Deal of the Day for £1.39.

108, 109 And 110: And The Rest Is History, An Argumentation Of Historians and The Long And Short Of It by Jodi Taylor

The latest three in the St Mary’s series about time travelling historians. I really enjoy this series, although the first in that list is darker than most of the series with fewer funny moments. There’s another short story out later this week but I don’t know if/when the next book is out - she’s started another series which she seems to be concentrating on at the moment.

111. The Trouble With Henry And Zoe by Andy Jones

This has been lurking on my kindle for ages! Henry and Zoe meet, having both come out of relationships for various reasons - will they live happily ever after? Despite the storyline this did feel fresh, I liked the characters, and the ending wasn’t what I expected. I will look out for more by this author.

Plodding on fairly slowly with A Little History of Archaeology, by Brian Fagan I am enjoying it but it feels like a bit of an effort rather than something to gulp down.

Hi Magimedi, I've just come on here to see if anyone was recommending Circe as the blurb sounded good, think I'll go for it at that price.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Circe and have gone for it