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Original poster

Books you'll finish this week

94 replies

whatausername · 05/09/2023 09:21

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Süskind. Have about 30 pages left. It's been alright, have been able to get through it easily and it's novel for a novel 😛can't say I think it was worthy of all that hype years ago. I suspect the hype stemmed from the marketing campaign for the film adaptation rather than for the quality of the novel.

What is everyone else, probably, going to finish this week?

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cloudjumper · 09/11/2023 23:54

Just finished Call The Midwife by Jennifer Worth, really enjoyed it - it was the audiobook, read by Juliet Stephenson who is excellent.
I've never watched the TV series, I'm tempted...

LizzieSiddal · 10/11/2023 21:48

I finished Snuggie Bain last night and just can’t stop thinking about it. An astonishing book and despite the awful subject matter it is full of love and tenderness.

TuneInThisTimeNextWeek · 10/11/2023 22:50

How To Disappear by Gillian McAllister. A decent psychological thriller that’s kept my attention, no idea how it’s going to end.

Original poster
whatausername · 10/11/2023 23:27

tobee · 08/11/2023 17:24

Just scrolling through this thread.

Interested to see your update on The 39 Steps @whatausername. My dad read it to us on holiday when I was about 10. A chapter a night; doing all the voices. I thought it was great fun at the time. Considering it's been filmed at least 3 times and was made into a very successful play it's very much a book not a film iyswim. Which must be why the films are very different from the original. Added romantic entanglements!

Hardly hear of anyone reading the book these days.

Yes, I see what you mean that it is very much a book! Funnily enough, I did see the play advertised the other day. I'm not sure I want to see it - I get bored by films etc adding in romantic elements where there were none in the original books. If I went to it and saw it as a different story then that might be okay. I do that sometimes when I enjoy both a book and a rather divergent film!

I liked The 39 Steps. There's no great depth to the characters or witty insights to life but it was a good fun read. A tad predictable but otherwise I enjoyed it. I've got the next in the series now, waiting on a shelf for when I want a bit of light escapism.

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teaandtoastwithmarmite · 10/11/2023 23:29

The Fire Witness by Lars Kepler

stayathomer · 10/11/2023 23:29

Debbie Johnson- the first comfort food cafe book. Adored it- absolute feel good!

Original poster
whatausername · 13/11/2023 22:57

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid. I must have enjoyed it as I read it very quicky!

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Original poster
whatausername · 15/11/2023 18:18

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Shall finish it quickly if only out of obstinacy and to get the bally thing finished. I'm donating it afterwards. So bloody tedious at points. Victor Frankenstein is an idiot, the 'demon' is lonely and has seasonal affective disorder and the book could be massively shortened if even 20% of the descriptions of mountains and gloomy hearts was taken out.

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cloudjumper · 24/11/2023 21:31

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. Finding it meh. Don't think I'll bother with the series.

Original poster
whatausername · 02/12/2023 23:47

Read The Young Visiters [sic] by Daisy Ashford. Short, sweet and unintentionally funny. Although the love scenes during the picnic were a mix of hilarious and cringeworthy. Normally, cringeworthy doesn't make me laugh but knowing the author was a 9-year old made it funny.

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Original poster
whatausername · 20/12/2023 22:52

I'm on schedule to finish Agatha Christie's Midwinter Murder on Midwinter. The murders aren't actually Midwinter-themed so much as winter-themed but I'm enjoying the compilation.

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howdoesyourgardengrowinmay · 20/12/2023 23:20

Nearly finished 10 minutes and 38 seconds by Elif Shafak.

Actually listening to the audio version.

Beautifully written and very easy to listen to.

Tinkeytonkoldfruit · 20/12/2023 23:42

@Sakura7 I loved Circe, I then did the song of Achilles which led me to my book I am likely to finish this week - The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, the second in her trilogy.

123teenagerfood · 22/12/2023 21:16

Zorrie by Laird Hunt, i'm still not sure i enjoyed it. Just starting Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, so far it's really good.

Original poster
whatausername · 30/12/2023 02:50

To round out the year, I have just finished Maria Edgeworth's Castle Rackrent. What are others ending the year with?

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MotherofWhippets81 · 30/12/2023 03:04

I've just finished 'the Twyford Code' by Janice Hallett. Really enjoyed it.

Unsure what to start now. I've lost my Kindle Confused had it Christmas Eve and it just disappeared.

I've got to read Daisy Jones and the Six at some point for January Book Club. I'm not looking forward to it.

FixItUpChappie · 30/12/2023 05:50

Book 2 of the Southern Reach Series....Authority by Jeff Vandermeer. Finished Book 1 Annihilation last week. I really enjoyed the first book. I am intrigued by the 2nd book so far and bought the 3rd so its waiting in the wings.

Anyone who saw the rather awful (IMO) Natalie Portman movie version of Annihilation should not judge the book by that outing. The Director took the general concept and just did his own thing apparently. Shame, as the book was short and compelling - I can't see the need to have changed it so significantly.

GalileoHumpkins · 30/12/2023 09:06

My last finish of the year will be Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree.

3kidsaremorethanenough · 30/12/2023 15:51

My last read of the year will be finishing The House of Fortune by Jessie Burton. No where near as good or intriguing as the miniturest.

Starting The Wolf Hall read along on 1st January wolfcrawl looking forward to that 😀

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