50 Book Challenge 2022 Part Three

[southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2022, 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.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles (and maybe authors as well) of the books you've read or going to read? It makes it much easier to keep track, especially when the threads move quickly at this time of the year.

The first thread of the year is here and the second one here.

What are you reading?

Finished: Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann
Takes Philippe Petit's 1974 tightrope walk between the Twin Towers as its starting point/centre and looks at the lives of various individuals, some of which, it becomes clear, are interconnected.

Starts a bit slowly and 'ooh it's grim' (in run-down areas of the Bronx etc); I did have to make myself stick with it. But it gathers momentum and beauty as it goes, so I'd urge people to read it and stay with it.

It's a wonderful portrait of 70s New York and, as in Apeirogon, beautiful writing and some profound and breathtaking ideas and turns of phrase. Horribly sad in many places, tragic sometimes, and there is despair here, but amazingly, you end with feelings of hope and love

@DameHelena I LOVED Let The Great World Spin - Transatlantic is also really good. The way he weaves that impression of profound human experience out of disparate scraps - it could be gimmicky but he does it so well.

[quote VikingNorthUtsire]**@DameHelena* I LOVED Let The Great World Spin - Transatlantic* is also really good. The way he weaves that impression of profound human experience out of disparate scraps - it could be gimmicky but he does it so well.[/quote]
I really liked this book too.

[quote VikingNorthUtsire]**@DameHelena* I LOVED Let The Great World Spin - Transatlantic* is also really good. The way he weaves that impression of profound human experience out of disparate scraps - it could be gimmicky but he does it so well.[/quote]
I’ve only read this and Apeirogon so far, but am definitely looking forward to reading more of his stuff!

I liked Transatlantic too.

The Magicians Assistant Ann Patchett. I really enjoyed this. Quite a gentle story but explores some themes around family generations and the magic adds an unusual element. The only issue I had was why Sabine was so infatuated with Parsifal, and I was never that clear on whether it was a romantic love or platonic love from her pov. State of Wonder by the same author is one of my all time favourites, I think I might re-read. Also have Taft downloaded.

Heavens, I haven't actually finished any more books but I'm blaming all of you for writing such interesting reviews and forcing me to add several more titles to my completely-unfeasible-even-if-I-live-to-be-112 wishlist.

9 Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi

translated from the Arabic by Jonathan Wright
Shortlisted for the Booker in 2018, winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (doesn't say which year, was originally published in 2013)

This is good. The prose felt a bit blunt at times - don't know whether that was a stylistic choice or a result of translation (from a language which for all I know could be structured quite differently). I was finding it quite hard work at the start, though that could be because it's an entirely unfamiliar setting and so many names that mean nothing to me (once I'd managed to hang names onto characters it got easier).

The first part had a lot of scene-setting for horror - lots of allusions to what was going to happen (or had happened: the structure is such that we're looking back on it) which while it did build tension was quite slow-moving. About a quarter through the action picked up and I finished the rest in half an afternoon.

Oddly, the most horrific part was reported very prosaically. Fairly certain that was a definite choice.

I said yesterday that I wasn't really rooting for any of the characters, but that had changed by the time I finished. Not that either of them was virtuous or likeable; so obviously the portrayal works!

Not a cosy read (Miss Marple it ain't) and not a book I would say I enjoyed, but glad to have read it and would recommend.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls
I read this a) because somebody recommended it to me b) I was desperate and c) because it was only 99p

It helped me through a night of insomnia last night, so I was grateful for it. I thought it began badly, got better, then got worse and ended up being really rather stupid. Also, bits of it are set in Birmingham but I don't believe the writer knows a single thing about the place. Having said that, she managed to make me care about a couple of characters and I finished it, so it can't have been all bad!

@tarahumara and @bibliomania, possibly The Railway Children, but I didn't read that as a child, so would be surprised if it had stayed with me- but I will take a look, thank you!

24. This Must be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell

I read two books by Maggie O’Farrell last year, Hamnet and I Am, I Am, I Am, both of which I loved so I had high hopes for this one. While it didn’t reach the heights of Hamnet, which was my favourite fiction from 2021, I did enjoy it. The story centres around Daniel Sullivan, a complex man with a complicated life. The writing was lovely and I though the different viewpoints and jumping timeline worked well here.

25. She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

This is the account of the investigation into Harvey Weinstein by the two journalists who broke the story. It was a fascinating insight into what it takes to write a story of this kind and just how brave those first women to come forward on the record were. I remember when the story came out and the #metoo movement really took off, and I do think overall that things have improved but it’s clear that there is still a long road to travel. Also the scale of Weinstein’s crimes and the people who covered for him was pretty depressing.

@nowanearlyNicemum

Heavens, I haven't actually finished any more books but I'm blaming all of you for writing such interesting reviews and forcing me to add several more titles to my completely-unfeasible-even-if-I-live-to-be-112 wishlist.

Thank you @nowanearlyNicemum, I'm v relieved that it's not just me!

13. Uneasy Lies the Head by Jean Plaidy You may remember my scathing review of the first Jean Plaidy I read. I bought that one and this one at the same time for 99p each so decided to just get through this one so it's off my list. This follows the reign of Henry VII from soon after his victory at the Battle of Bosworth until his death and the accession of Henry VIII. This is a period I know a lot about so I know that whilst the bare bones of this are accurate there are a lot of historical inaccuracies but it seems Plaidy's aim is to write historical fluff rather than worrying about being accurate. I think I had a better idea what to expect this time round so I didn't find this as frustrating at the last one, or maybe I was just in a better frame of mind for this type of book. After the slog of my last book I definitely needed some easy fluff that I could read quickly without concentrating too hard. I will definitely not be reading any more of her books, but I no longer hate them as much as I did previously

@MamaNewtNewt I've also got into Maggie O'Farrell in the last couple of years. I particularly enjoyed Instructions for a Heatwave - I have a soft spot for a very specific micro genre of books set during heatwaves where the weather intensifies the drama. I liked The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox as well.

I'm working my way through the Women's Prize list in no particular order. I've managed to find quite a few as audiobooks across a few libraries, which has sped things up.

The Island of Missing Trees - Elif Shafak

Set in two timeframes this explores forbidden love in Cyprus between Greek Christians and Turkish Muslims at a time of civil war in the 70s. The modern storyline is of a teen coming to terms with the death of her mother. The two timelines are woven together through the thoughts of a tree that bore witness to both times.

I'm generally not a fan of magical realism and this was not for me. It was well written and informative, dealt with the relationships well, but I draw the line at talking trees. I'm can see why other people would enjoy this, there's a lot in of good stuff in there.

My journey through the prize list then led me to
The Book of Form and Emptiness - Ruth Ozeki
which is about a teenager being slowly driven mad by objects talking to him as he comes to terms with the death of his father. It looks at people's dependence on material possessions, sentimentality and also the joy and solace of books.
Despite the magical realism, I enjoyed this a lot more and it made some interesting points about relationships, however can everybody please stop with the talking objects.

The Sentence - Louise Erdrich
Erdrich is a native American who writes through that lens without beating you over the head with it. In this book she explores the early stages of the pandemic and the murder of George Floyd and the BLM protests that followed. The action is set in a book store haunted by it's most annoying customer. It also goes into the joy and solace of books and comes with a long list of book recommendations that I will definitely be taking up. I really liked this and want to read more of her work. Her writing is a cut above the others I've read so far.

The Paper Palace - Miranda Cowley Heller
A mother in her 50s is spending the summer at a cabin on Cape Cod with her family. Next door, her childhood sweetheart is in residence with his family.
One night after a few drinks they sleep together without their partners knowing and he begs her to leave her husband. She must decide what to do and explores the events that drove them apart.

I am very conflicted about this one. It's very compelling and readable, but deals with some very heavy subjects such as rape and incest. I think it bordered on sensationalising the abuse rather than handling it particularly sensitively and I came away with the grubby feeling of having been rubbernecking a car accident. I can see this being picked up for film rights.

I'm halfway through Great Circle on audio which I love so far. I've also just started This One Sky Day as an ebook.

Yup, me too.

24. Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce An impoverished spinster, working unhappily as a domestic science teacher in post war England, finally finds the impetus to walk away from her job, and travel to New Caledonia in search of an (as yet) undiscovered golden beetle. She takes on an assistant who has her own reasons for wanting to leave England quickly and "disappear". I very nearly DNF'd it after a few pages, thinking it wasn't very interesting, but thankfully kept going and ended up enjoying it very much. Some of the story isn't very believable, but on whole it was a delightful tale of discovery in many senses.

25. A Change of Circumstance by Susan Hill. The most recent in her Simon Serrailler series. This time the subject is county lines, and the effect on a local community, recruiting young victims. Simon is having a bit of a think about his life and relationships in this one, albeit being his normal rather arrogant self. But I have hope that he might be improving! A former girlfriend returns to the scene in this novel, but we will have to wait and see where this story goes. I'm possibly over invested in his sister Cat's family life too.

A lot of library books seem to be landing at the moment so I need to step up the reading pace

Hello! I haven't posted in ages, but I have had a couple of lovely books recently, so wanted to mention them in case anyone likes trawling this thread for books to add to their TBR pile like I do

12. Mythos - Stephen Fry

I really enjoyed this. A humorous and entertaining retelling of the Greek Myths. It's the first SF book I've read, but I like watching him in various things, so thought I'd enjoy his writing style which I did, very much.

13. An American Marriage - Tayari Jones

Another great one. I didn't warm to the main characters, Roy and Celestial, but I don't think you're really meant to. They are fairly flawed people, and not in a charming way imo. Some of their behaviour is questionable too, but I found that very "real".

There is a bit at the end of the book, where I do think one of the characters tips over from a bit questionable to pretty terrible.

I wasn't rooting for their marriage at all, even at the beginning. Neither was his mum and it did make me think of real life marriages / relationships and how with some couples or relationships, people, (especially extended families and in-laws), just really root for, but others not. I can think of examples of this in my own family and it always adds an extra challenge for the couple. I just found it really interesting, how she'd managed to write this couple who seemingly have everything going for them and are a perfect couple, but somehow you don't want them to be together and neither does his mum. Projecting a lot here as I have in laws who love their sons in law but really dislike me 🤣. This book made me think about that and wonder what it is that makes people look at other people's relationships and decide they don't want that couple to be together - including me! I read the book and thought "nah, move on" about their marriage! Anyway, I'm rambling and this wasn't even a major part of the book.

I found it really thoughtfully written and even though it was really distressing subject matter and not especially loveable protagonists, I couldn't stop reading it.

I like the sound of The Sentence, Fortuna. I'm wary of literary fiction, but I will give that one a go.

Yes, me too - I've added The Sentence to my wish list on the basis of your review, Fortuna.

The Instant by Amy Liptrot

A memoir of her year in Berlin looking for love. I love her writing which, even when she's writing about looking for racoons in Berlin, reminds me of Orkney.

Biblio and Pepe I think it's really worth a read. It's the only one I'd shortlist so far.

The others have been good, but they're not prize winners in my view.

I feel bad these days as I run through, barely say anything and leave again. I really appreciate the time and effort others put into reviews. I'm keeping a list of those I want to read to come back to.

Louise Erdrich is excellent. Definitely going to buy The Sentence. I recently really enjoyed The Night Watchman.

My reading seems to have taken a nose dive since Feb 24th. The most recent book I read (for book club) was The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard. It took twenty years to write and the premise was promising. Looked just like my kinda book - post WW2, bit of romance, colonial Asia, the aftermath of Hiroshima. The reality was.....somewhat different.

I felt the plot got overridden by her writing style which was, I suppose, exquisite. But the upshot was I couldn't care less about any of the characters. This irks me - for me the whole point of a book (fiction) is some escapism and the feeling that you have got inside someone else's head. This didn't really do that.

Purchased Colm Toibin's The Magician for 99p yesterday so will see how I get on with that. I loved Brooklyn. Fingers crossed!

GrannieMainland I love the concept of a micro genre of books set during heatwaves! My favourite Maggie O'Farrell books are Hamnet, I Am, I Am, I Am and After You'd Gone.

@EmGee

Louise Erdrich is excellent. Definitely going to buy The Sentence. I recently really enjoyed The Night Watchman.

My reading seems to have taken a nose dive since Feb 24th. The most recent book I read (for book club) was The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard. It took twenty years to write and the premise was promising. Looked just like my kinda book - post WW2, bit of romance, colonial Asia, the aftermath of Hiroshima. The reality was.....somewhat different.

I felt the plot got overridden by her writing style which was, I suppose, exquisite. But the upshot was I couldn't care less about any of the characters. This irks me - for me the whole point of a book (fiction) is some escapism and the feeling that you have got inside someone else's head. This didn't really do that.

Purchased Colm Toibin's The Magician for 99p yesterday so will see how I get on with that. I loved Brooklyn. Fingers crossed!

I've read several books by Colm Toibin and the only one I liked was The Blackwater Lightship. I tried Brooklyn twice but just found it dull.