50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Five

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fifth thread of the 50 Books Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2023, 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 here and the fourth one here.

What are you reading?

Welcome@MathsNervous

Have you read 1979 by the same author? I thought it was very good but with 1989 I felt she was phoning it in rather, until it got going about a third of the way from the end. Will be interested to hear what you think.

A Single Thread however I really loved. Very subtle gentle exploration of relationships and loneliness, and it helps if you're interested in needlework. I've done very little myself, but my mum was very talented so I have a little knowledge through her; enough to appreciate TC's descriptions.

That puppy is super cute!

27. After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I just devoured this in a couple of days. Her characters are just so realistic.

The ending was entirely predictable and a little schmaltzy but I somehow ended up with wet eyes anyway. But embarrassed about that. Ahem.

Always keen for puppy pictures!

36. Assembly by Natasha Brown. A very short book, practically a short story, following a young black woman working as an investment banker as she prepares for a weekend with her partner's rich, establishment family. It's a powerful and furious piece of writing about the racism she experiences in various contexts and the complicity of the British state. There's a cancer storyline as well which doesn't really add much, but could have been expanded a bit in a longer book. Part of me couldn't help thinking though, you don't have to work in the famously horrible world of banking!

I see there are lots of Mary Stewart books in the kindle deals today - has anyone read any of them? I often see her recommended and think she's probably a writer I'd enjoy!

26 Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

All the reviews of this book point out that its colourful, beach read-style cover is not indicative of the content, and thank goodness for that because it is really not cheery. Instead, it's a (beautifully written) controlled rage about life for women in Jamaica, told through three generations of the same family. Delores is the matriarch, selling tourist nick-nacks at the market; Margot, her older daughter, has worked her way up in the hotel industry selling herself and then others. Both are trying to protect Thandi, the teenage brains of the family, who is at private school through Margot's machinations, but no-one has really given any consideration to what she wants. I will not lie, this is a depressing read and I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed it. The characters are frequently deeply unsympathetic, although you understand their motivations. I am glad I read it, though, as it gave me an insight into a country and its tourist industry about which I know very little.

Great dog!

10. Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates
An examination of modern misogyny, men's rights activism, and the manosphere in general. I wanted to like this, but as a moderately well informed feminist who until earlier this year worked with males in the criminal justice system there wasn't much that was new to me.

I also felt that it was a bit superficial at times. For example, she knocks the Prevent strategy for lacking focus on misogyny, but doesn't interview anyone working in the field. I've recently referred a man into Prevent due to risk of incel radicalisation, and they do have a number of intervention providers working in this area. I don't think it would have taken much effort to find this out, and maybe even examine how effective this work is.

@BaruFisher I'd love to see Fire Rush win too.

I'm about half way through *The Marriage Portrait" and am not completely griped by it. I'm finding it easier to listen to than read. That will be the last of the shortlist for me, but can't see it being the one I'd choose.

I have just finished Barnaby Rudge for two reasons:

1. Katie form Books and Things is doing a mega Dickens readalong, reading all his books in 2 years .. BR has never been suggested for our MN readalong so I thought why not?
2. I made the possibly foolish decision of attempting Dreiser's American Tragedy and it is huge! And plodding so have decided not to read that in one go.

It's a funny old book. Reminded me most of A Tale of Two Cities in that it is historical.. The riot descriptions are very visceral and graphic! Some of the plot threads don't hang together and the characters can be confusing. It is, as ever, pretty sentimental. But it's overtly political and interesting to read from that point of view. It's at least in part about radicalisation and that's an interesting angle. I vaguely remember studying The Gordon Riots at school. I think because of bigger revolts and uprisings elsewhere , we forget about violent British society was in the 18th century. I guess because of its title I expected this to be a bildungsroman - which it definitely is not.

@GrannieMainland thank you I hadn't checked the daily deals so have bought a load of Mary Stewart to replace some of my old and very battered paperbooks. My absolute favourite is Nine Coaches waiting, but Airs above the Ground, Madam will you talk and This rough magic are also very good. They are of their time though so be warned

@minsmum thank you! I've bought Nine Coaches to see what I think.

Yes I've had mine! About 2 days ago

I was going to recommend This Rough Magic too - it’s set on Corfu and features a very cute dolphin! I have t read any others though, not sure why.

Back for the pup pictures.

A very slow reading year for me..

14.Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins by Rupert Everett. A suitably bitchy memoir - felt it was a bit rushed though and post rationalising a few too many flops. But he narrates the audio book excellently.

@MegBusset
Yes. Maxim Leo- non- fiction. Looking forward to it.

One of my all time favourite books, in fact it's my comfort book.
The follow ups are excellent too.

I'm awkwardly returning to these threads having not posted since near the beginning of the first thread and having made a very slow start to the year.

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling narr. Stephen Fry

I don't usually listen to audio books but this was free on Alexa so I decided to try it. It was nice to listen to while doing things round the house.

The Realm of the Elderlings series by Robin Hobb
The Farseer Trilogy

1. Assassin's Apprentice
2. Royal Assassin
3. Assassin's Quest

Fitz, the illegitimate son of a prince, grows up in a time of chilling raids on his country and internal political intrigue. Against this backdrop he must prove himself in the royal household and learn to use his inherited magical skill. And a friendship gradually grows between him and the king's strange fool. The world building is fantastic, so much depth, and the same goes for the characters. The entire trilogy is told from Fitz's point of view and he's a character I warmed to, even if he did make some slightly daft mistakes along the way- but he's young so that's forgivable. The trilogy is quite slow moving, gradually building up to the denouement, but then suddenly seemed to be over too quickly.

The Live Ship Traders

1. Ship of Magic
2. The Mad Ship
3. Ship of Destiny

The Vestrit family own a liveship, a sentient ship that bonds with its owners and can take on their memories after death, but after the death of the father the family is plunged into turmoil and uncertainty and two women, Althea and her neice, Malta, struggle in their different ways against their family's and society's expectations of them. Meanwhile vicious pirate Kennit has ambitions to be the first pirate king and own a liveship. It's set in the same world as the Farseer Trilogy, and there are a few brief references to events of those books but it is set in a different region and can be read as a stand alone trilogy. It has quite a different feel as well, multiple viewpoints are shown and apart from the scenes showing official trader discussions which dragged a bit it was much faster paced. It's great character driven fantasy with a lot of twists and turns.

The Tawny Man Trilogy

1. Fool's Errand
2. The Golden Fool

10. Fool's Fate Back with Fitz again. Years after the events of the Farseer Trilogy Fitz is called on to counter a terrorist attack and then to travel as part of a mission to secure peace with the kingdom's former enemies. I wasn't so keen on the first book in this trilogy, it felt a little contrived to me, and Fitz still seems prone to making daft mistakes in his relationships with other people, but the story picks up in the next two books and more surprising secrets about this world are discovered. I would recommend reading both the previous trilogies before reading this as it pulls threads from both of them together.

The Rain Wilds Chronicles
11. Dragon Keeper
12. Dragon Haven
13. City of Dragons
14. Blood of Dragons
A ragtag group is assembled to escort dragons to a more suitable place away from humans and a woman in an unhappy marriage of convenience desperately wants a chance to see dragons.
I really liked the first two books which were tightly focused on the journey and the changing relationships between the travellers. In the next two books we see more of what is going on in other parts of the world. It felt like enough had happened while we were concentrating on the dragons that a whole extra trilogy could have been written, but it all seemed a bit glossed over.

Fitz and the Fool
15. Fool's Assassin
16. Fool's Quest
17. Assassin's Fate
Years after the events of the Tawny Man trilogy a change in Fitz's life and a tragedy cause him to go on a quest that could have consequences far bigger than him.
I don't feel I can say too much about this without spoilers, so I'll just say it brings the series to a fitting conclusion. Not exactly how I wanted it to end, but it seemed right.

I definitely recommend the series to anyone who likes fantasy, well worth reading.

And now it'll seem weird reading books not set in that world. I need to catch up on these threads for inspiration.

84. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Dana finds herself suddenly and repeatedly without warning time travelling from 1976 to the early 1800s. It becomes clear that the place she visits is connected to her ancestors and that her visits have a purpose.

I got this as Graham Norton's pick on Between The Covers he gave a rave review and the book is considered "groundbreaking"

This said I find it quite hard to find the right way to review it. Slavery is not light entertainment and yet the first half of this felt disconcertingly lightweight and easy reading, a bit like a This Is What Slave Times Were Like but say done like Jorvik Viking Centre does for the Vikings.
A bit like the character hasn't time travelled she's just at some weird reenactment.

Conversely, the second half is brutal to the point of fetishistic with its rapes and brutal floggings and is a challenge.

I am kind of ambivalent towards it as a read. The ending is quite strange and unresolved,

I think someone else reviewed this very early doors this year and didn't like it, I can't remember who I'm afraid.

Oh Hi @ABookWyrm - welcome back!

@Gingerwarthog it was probably your recommendation that made me pick it up. I know it was from here - just couldn’t remnenber who. I’m glad there are more as it felt there was so much more to say

@Palegreenstars
His last, about making a film about Oscar Wilde is fabulous.

Just finished This is Not a Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan. She is a playwright whose husband was left in a coma for 6 months after a reaction to an MS drug trial, and her own battle with breast cancer whilst her husband was starting to recover. Beautifully written and with a good Audible narrator (I flipped between the book and Audiobook). Lots of poignant moments, but a sprinkling of humour throughout too. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. 5/5

65. The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

I think this one was a bit of a favourite on the thread a year or two ago and I’ve finally got around to reading it. It was a beast of a book but I loved every single minute of it. I know it’s fiction but it reinforced my decision to move from lapsed Catholicism to full on “I’m out”. It amazes me how something that could have been such a force for good caused so much pain and suffering. Second bold in a row.

37 Viper’s Dream - Jake Lamar

My Mr B’s book from May, and a bit of a mixed bag. The neo-noir prose is stylish and fun, evoking 1930s to 1960s Harlem with cool cameos from the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. But what started as a promising plot unravelled in a load of pure silliness at the end.

The It Girl - Ruth Ware Murder of a young woman at Oxford results in possible wrongful conviction. When the convicted man dies in prison years later her roommate begins to question what she saw that night.
Enjoyable enough though I did guess the twist almost immediately.

31. The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch Well, this was definitely a bold. I LOVED this book. It was recommended on these threads a couple of years ago (apologies I can't remember who by) with the advice "if you love a family saga spanning the war years, read this". I do love a family saga spanning the war years so I duly added it to my tbr. It finally came up on my random number generator. As I said the other day, I hadn't realised how long it was (over 1000 pages) but I was gripped from start to finish. The book follows the Godwin family and their ancestral home of Oxmoon in the Gower Peninsula from 1913 up to the 1970s, although events from as far back as the 1880s also play a key role in the storyline. The book is split into 6 sub books, each with a different narrator. We start with Robert, the eldest son of the current master of Oxmoon, then his wife Genevra, then Robert's brother John, then Robert and Ginevra's son Kester, then John's son Harry and finally Harry's son Hal. The author's note at the end states it's a re-telling of the story of the Black Prince and his brother, John of Gaunt.

The characters in the book are so incredibly realistic, deeply flawed individuals where no one is purely evil or purely good, but just ordinary people who do some good and some bad in their lives. I love the way Howatch explores the impact of previous generations on their descendants and the way people's family history and upbringing shapes their lives and personalities and influences their decisions. I also liked the way she handled the subject of hereditary madness and the way society's views of madness changed throughout the period. Howatch has an absolute gift for capturing the changing morality and social mores across the generations. Honestly, this book is superb and I can't recommend it strongly enough. Well worth the 30 hours I spent reading it

Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart, it was lovely a warm summer's day a glass of wine sitting in the garden reading this. It must be over 30 years since I read this last and I enjoyed it just as much. Her heroines are no nonsense practical women who often act against their own self interest because it's the right thing to do. It reminded me of the obsession I had with Lippizaner horses and the Spanish riding school in Vienna after reading this when I was younger. I have added a trip to Vienna to my wishlist of things to do before I die