50 Book Challenge 2020 Part One

[southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2020, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

Who's in for this year?

My book 2 is The Lost Man Jane Harper. Enjoyed this very much. The way tension built through the story was very effective and it was a fascinating insight into a way of life which was completely unfamiliar to me. Also had a lot to say about family heritage and love in different forms. I have Force of Nature by the same author in my TBR pile. and I'm looking forward to it.

I have The Lost Man and another book from the same author on my TBR pile. I'll read The Lost Man next.

1. Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey

I literally started reading this in like 2015 and never finished it, so went back and read it from scratch. Seeing it come up on iPlayer over

I think the protagonists descent into severe dementia is very well executed, but has the knock on effect of making the present day section of prose quite repetitive.

I preferred the 1940s storyline, and felt that it was left frustratingly unresolved.

As a book, I do think this would be a proper Busmans Holiday for anyone caring for someone with dementia in real life

That should say :

Seeing it come up on iPlayer over Christmas was a prompt. Not watched it yet.

And I've just found a spoiler thread here for the book.

Explains what I thought was a plothole. One of those books that concludes with a ludicrous coincidence. FFS. That's 3 hours I'll not get back.

@southeastdweller. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'll be interested to see what you think

1. The Sister by Louise Jensen

This reminded me of quite a few books which I read last year. It was light, easy reading with a few twists. I probably won't be looking out for other books from the author though.

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

It took me a while to get into this, but once I did I couldn't put it down. I do prefer A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is one of my favourite books, it had more of an impact on me than this book, but The Kite Runner is still a great book.

milliefiori
I read that Deborah Levy book ‘The Man Who Saw Everything’ last year. I liked the way that it confused me - its slippery quality. I loved it. It’s my favourite of her novels that I’ve read - I didn’t really enjoy Hot Milk that much. I like the way she always tries to do something interesting with her writing. She has her own unique style.
We are all Completely Beside Ourselves was one of my favourite reads last year. I like marmite.

So we discussed We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves at our book group last night and opinions varied widely. Some people didn't feel at all engaged with the characters, although they agreed that the issues raised were thought-provoking. Others said it was one of the best books they'd ever read.

We always give a score at the end of the evening and these varied from 3 to 9 1/2 .. so a marmite book right enough!

Now reading:

1. The Friendly Ones by Philip Hensher. I've always enjoyed his writing in the past, particularly The Northern Clemency, set in Sheffield at the time of the miners' strike, and this story of two neighbouring families, one English and one of Bangladeshi origin, and again set in Sheffield, looks promising.

One review describes it as a generous and good-hearted book, and another that it "celebrates multiculturalism in the face of Brexit naysaying". Sounds like the sort of thing I need to read at the moment.

As a book, I do think this would be a proper Busmans Holiday for anyone caring for someone with dementia in real life

Einereise I agree with you regarding Elizabeth is Missing. It was suggested for our book group a few months ago, and I must admit I vetoed it, having witnessed a close relative suffering for years. I know it's an important subject but a bit too close to home for me

Joining in again - I did join in a couple of previous years but found that giving myself a ‘target’ was stopping me reading longer, more in-depth books. I was prioritising short reads to get me to 50 and it wasn’t satisfying.

I miss the book chat though so I’ll join in the thread but in the knowledge I won’t reach 50.

1. Lamentation - C.J. Sansom
2. Tombland - C.J. Sansom
3. The Heart’s Invisible Furies - John Boyne

These were all waiting to be read on the Kindle from purchases last year.

Really good to catch up with the last couple of Shardlake mysteries - I love being immersed in that historical period for a while. I did feel the actual murder plot suffered a bit in Tombland with the concentration on Kett’s rebellion.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies was very good. The first chapter totally hooked me - I was raging at the behaviour of the priest. It was interesting to get a little snapshot of developments in the social history of Ireland.

Currently reading Children of Time - feels very odd to be so sympathetic to the spiders!

I really enjoyed The Heart's Invisible Furies too, boldly.

There was just one point when I couldn't believe how badly he'd behaved, however. I don't want to give too much away by describing exactly what he did but did you lose sympathy for him somewhat at that point?

@highlandcoo total mix on we are all completely beside ourselves at my book club too. Personally I couldn’t stand it. Found the twist to manipulated, the protagonist annoying and from memory the writing not that strong. Definite marmite.

*too (my writings not that strong either)

It's funny seeing the 'marmite' books on here. I really didn't like We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves.

@boldlygoingsomewhere I love the Shardlake books too but wasn't as keen on the last one either, I do like the history in the books but this was the main focus and it ruined it a bit for me. I hope in the next one it's back to basics.

1. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Centred on Danny and his elder sister, Maeve, who are cast out of the titular home by their stepmother after their father's death. As adults, they are still drawn back to park in the street outside the house and recall when they lived there. I felt this was a novel about how the stories we tell ourselves about our past influence our present relationships. Overall, I didn't quite love this book quite as much as I hoped to. However, I did enjoy the author's afterword in which she explained how the beautiful cover art came into being.

@highlandcoo

My own Nana died when I was a teenager after a long battle with dementia and I actually have no recollection of her as a well woman

It was very, very accurate in its depiction I thought, so much so that I think reading as an escape would lose its purpose.

The other one I've read similar and years ago, is Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. I would deter anyone from reading that, it was relentlessly depressing.

@Nuffaluff - seems like we have similar taste. What else have you read and rated recently?

Palegreenstars strangely, the first time I read WAACBO, I didn't enjoy it and my copy went straight to the charity shop as I was sure I'd never want to read it again.

Then it was chosen by my book group so I dutifully ordered a second-hand copy and reread it, and got so much more out of it this time round. Yes, she's annoying but is that intentional and an accurate reflection of how her childhood experiences and losses have influenced her personality as an adult?

It also worked much better for me already knowing the twist. And I did find some of the issues dealt with thought-provoking, if disturbing. Having had a father who was a psychologist myself added another layer of interest.

Having said all that, I won't be reading it again. Twice was definitely enough.

Thanks Einereise I will make a point of avoiding Almost Moon!

There was just one point when I couldn't believe how badly he'd behaved, however. I don't want to give too much away by describing exactly what he did but did you lose sympathy for him somewhat at that point?

Absolutely! I did like that he was a flawed human being though. When he reflects back and everyone tells him he should just have been honest, that was my feeling too. However, he was right to point out how different times were then. It’s easy to forget how social mores change over time and actions that would have been unthinkable in the past become no big deal.

@highlandcoo maybe I’ll try again one day. In general I like rereading stuff and spotting the clues to a twist but this did feel so purposefully manipulative.

Nothing to add, but marking place. Gave up on an embarrassingly bad Val McDermid. I enjoyed her non-fiction book on forensic science but this was the first and last of her novels I've attempted. Utter codswallop.

Have started Bill Bryson's The Body but keep falling asleep over it. I don't think it's the book's fault though.

Really need some new Kindle books.

@boldlygoingsomewhere if it makes you feel any better, my yearly target is only ever in the region of 25-30 books.

In preparation for my birthday trip to Versaille tomorrow I have read the following today from kindle unlimited:

2. Louis VI: A Life from Beginning to End - Hourly History Meh. I can't say I have learnt much about the 'Sun King' from this extremely brief introduction. Hopefully will get a better sense of the man this weekend.

I must admit I vetoed it, having witnessed a close relative suffering for years. I know it's an important subject but a bit too close to home for me sad

I have Elizabeth is Missing as my DD bought it (she and I share a kindle account) but I haven't read it for the same reason