I am amazed that Jung Chang could be described as self pitying, to have witnessed her parents being put through such horrific ordeals, and to be forced to play along with so much cruel stuff herself, unable to even discuss her feelings about the society she was trapped in, and come through it all and write such a fascinating book, coming at it from 3 generations....I think she is incredible!! ElkieDude, I have to disagree!!
Arundhati Roy though, now I cannot stand her book 'The god of small things' . It always seems like the cheapest trick in the book (ahem)- ok, I'll write a story, then I'll rip all the chapters out and throw them in the air, muddle them around, put them back in the cover, and lo and behold, it will be such a puzzle of a book and so modern and stylish. No, it will be annoying.
I remember telling a girl who I don't like, that I didnt like that book. She just looked at me, head cocked to one side and said pityingly, 'Well its very clever isnt it', and changed the subject. I liked then book even less after that.
Phillipa Gregory- I love most of her books, adore them. But I read an absolute stinker by her lately, 'the wise woman', I think its quite old. Honestly its pure unintentional comedy. You couldnt make it up, but she did. Has anyone else read it? The bit where the enchanted candle voodoo dolls chase the psychopathic avaricious heroine across the moors. Great!