50 Books Challenge 2024 Part Four

[Southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2024, 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.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles and maybe authors as well of 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 is here, the second one here and the third one here.

What are you reading?

Thanks for reminding me about Nicholas Nickleby, Fuzzy, I must get a move on!

28. Map of Another Town - M. F. K. Fisher

I picked this up secondhand as I’m a great admirer of MFK's food-writing, but this is a work of memoir and travel - almost psycho-geography, you might say, with virtually no mention of food.

From the 1950s to early 60s Fisher spent several extended periods living with her two young daughters in Aix-en-Provence, and this book is a series of reminiscences of their experiences. Her writing is pin-sharp as always, with a distinctive voice, and brings to life many of the characters they encountered in a town still recovering from war - the people they lodged with (usually widows of faded gentility and reduced funds living in huge, once-gracious houses); waiters they befriended; street-sellers and down-and-outs. It evokes the ancient town vividly, but I had to look up Fisher's biography to understand many of her more inscrutable references - she often mentions her worry, stress and uncertainty but never explains why. In fact, her second husband had committed suicide after developing a horrific, incurable illness that led to the amputation of a leg and ongoing terrible pain; her brother killed himself a year later, both her parents had died, and in the middle of all this she'd got married again, had her two girls, and found that her new husband had put her in huge debt. It was after the divorce from him that, not surprisingly, she decided to flee to France with the children in a return to the country where she’d spent happy times as a young bride in the 1930s.

Once you know all this background it makes for an easier way into the book - to which there’s definitely an air of melancholy despite the excellent writing.

My Favourite Mistake - Marian Keyes
I've not read any Marian Keyes books before, so was new to the Walsh sisters. I found it hard to get my head round who they all were with, their current situations and vast gorgeousness listed in a big information dump about twenty pages in. I liked the premise of Anna, a big shot Beauty industry PR/Marketer having a midlife wobble during the pandemic and a relationship break up deciding to return to her tiny Irish hometown. Her family have been urging her to return home for years but don't seem very keen now that she really is returning. However, I struggled with the book, I felt it was over stuffed with quirky characters and the pacing was off, very fast with time jumps and then slowing to a snail's pace. Perhaps this is one for serial readers who I know love the Walsh family in their millions and not a total newbie to their family saga.

16 Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe by Emma Torzs
I really enjoyed this, took me a little while to get into it as I have been in a reading funk and only able to focus on audible. But this story of sisters held apart, secrets and magic really pulled me in. I like books and magic so I liked magic books, I liked the use of blood, I disliked the bad guy.

Now have to decide what to read next.

Tell Me Everything - Elizabeth Strout this was an ARC so not out until September(?) but could be one to put on the Christmas wish list for Strout fans. I hope it is okay to post ARC reviews here. I'm reading a lot of ARC's this year as I'm extremely hard up (like many people) and the local charity shops offerings are very repetetive with nothing new.

Half way through Strout's books I always think they are a bit twee and "down home" schmaltzy but by the end I am really sad to leave her world.
I actually shed a few tears just like Lucy at the end of this installment. The novel can be read as a stand alone story since Elizabeth Strout as always deftly and cleverly weaves in enough of the characters back stories so that not having read all her Amgash based and Olive Kitteridge/Crosby set books isn't an issue but also don't retread too much ground for serial readers.

Tell Me Everything picks up in the here and now after Lucy by the Sea ( which followed Lucy Barton during Lockdown). This time Bob Burgess (of The Burgess Boys)takes centre stage as his walk and talk meetings with Lucy Barton deepen their friendship and also perturb him. We also get to see what is happening in the life of Jim Sturgess ( Bob's brother) who is a big shot New York lawyer and how Margaret, Bob's second and current wife is faring and also what has been happening to Pam, Bob's first wife. Bob, a mostly retired lawyer, becomes defense counsel for the accused in a harrowing local murder case. Best of all, Lucy starts to visit Olive Kitteridge and they tell each other stories of "unrecorded lives." Isabelle (From *Isabelle and Amy also has a cameo). I devoured this book. Elizabeth Strout is a genius, so insightful on the human condition. Wonderful!
It would lovely when I have time to go back and read Strout's novels in order and in a big binge as I have forgotten so much about them.

SapatSea, I think it's useful to have people review ARCs - if it sounds like something I fancy, I can get ahead of the pack and reserve it at the library, or at least make a note of it for future.

Thank you @SapatSea very interesting and I appreciate your review! Yes. Very useful to know about this in advance.

I need to read The Burgess Boys next.
Lucy by the Sea was the last one I read.

Thanks

Thanks for the review @SapatSea, definitely one to add to my wish list. I need to read Olive, Again and the second Lucy Barton book to get caught up.

That sounds lovely @SapatSea

@GrannieMainland I'm disappointed about the Kiley Reid as that's on my wishlist. I really liked Such A Fun Age.

True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey - I listened to the audio which was excellent, except for a dire attempt at an Irish accent some way in. The precariousness and brutality of life in 19th century Australia for released transported convicts and their families is vividly conveyed. Ned Kelly’s childhood, his apprenticeship to a bush ranger and then his career as outlaw and Robin Hood figure are told ostensibly in his own words which transferred brilliantly to audio.

@CornishLizard

I have had that on my TBR as long as I've had a Kindle. So over a decade. Never could get into it.

Been enjoying the WP reviews and personal shortlists, thanks to everyone who has posted them. I jumped at a copy of Soldier, Sailor in a charity shop based on your reviews so looking forward to that.

Having looked at the text (no commas or speech marks etc) I’m not sure I would have either Eine. I did find it worked well on audio and wouldn’t have known it was written like that if I hadn’t happened to look at a print copy when I was already most of the way through.

Worth a look then? I think I'll get a new set of credits soon.

My poor daughter had True History of The Kelly Gang as one of her A level books. I remember opening it and closing it straight away.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit Big Sky was underwhelming I agree. And I like Jackson Brodie, particularly When Will There Be Good News with its two brilliant female main characters. Hoping the next book will be a return to form.

@splothersdog you can't beat the Cazalet Chronicles for a comfort read. I ignore the fifth one though. Love the first four.

30 Death: The Time Of Your Life - Neil Gaiman

Lovely and absolutely gorgeously illustrated Sandman graphic novel spinoff.

Agree about the fifth one - totally bonkers. Characters breaking character left right and centre, crazy storylines, inconsistencies and just such a horrible way to end it all

I really enjoyed Kelly Gang. Has he done anything else that’s worth reading?

37 Mother Tongue - Bill Bryson

I love BB’s memoirs of trips but this was less good, though improved towards the end. A brief history of English, effectively - its spread across the world, spelling, grammar, changes over time etc. Some interesting bits but not fascinating.

@Stowickthevast oh it's still worth reading I think, not as tight as Fun Age but very insightful and good characters.

100 Saplings by Noel Streatfeild

Read this for the Rather Dated thread. This is one of her adult books, following a family through WW2 largely through the eyes of the four children. I enjoyed this.

101 The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly

A reread ahead of reading the sequel. I love this book. It’s set in 1997, when plain unadventurous Karen falls under the spell of bohemian Biba one hot summer, until things go badly wrong. I love the atmosphere Kelly creates.

102 The House Of Mirrors by Erin Kelly

The sequel. Karen’s daughter, conceived during the summer in The Poison Tree, is now grown up and running her own shop and planning a wedding. However secrets from the past might ruin things. Again the atmosphere here is really well done, and I loved catching up with the characters and getting some more backstory about events from the first book.

103 Watermelon by Marian Keyes

I read her latest recently, catching up with Anna Walsh’s story, and it prompted me to reread the others. This is the first, featuring Claire whose husband leaves her on the day she gives birth to their first child. Still loved it, although bits of it are noticeably dated now (her family shouting at her to get off the phone because they’re expecting a call!).

104 Every Move You Make by C L Taylor

A support group of stalking victims work together to help protect each other, turning the tables on their stalkers. This was pretty good except I felt the ending was a bit overdone. Too much going on there.

105 Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

Sally has some emotional difficulties due to childhood trauma, and draws attention to herself when her father dies and she has to cope on her own. I really enjoyed this - Sally is a very engaging character and this is a great story.

106 Storm Christopher by Jodi Taylor

Short story, part of Taylor’s Frogmorton Farm series. I don’t like these as much as the St Mary’s or Time Police series but still an entertaining way to spend an hour or so.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I also thought Kelly Gang was fun (read so long ago I don't remember lack of speech marks though). If you like Dickensian pastiche Jack Maggs and Oscar and Lucinda are entertaining - slighter and not as good as Kelly though.

Yes please to all ARC reviews @SapatSea or anyone else. Sounds like this Strout would benefit from a pre-binge but much as I like her stuff but after a few I do get antsy for some gunfights with space zombies...

Or ninja nuns. @Hoolahoophop I also enjoyed The Priory of the Orange Tree and agree it needed to be at least a fat trilogy - the slow-burn relationship was perfectly paced but all the other fascinating stuff felt rushed. There's a prequel A Day of Fallen Night, although it's even longer so you might not fancy it just yet (it's been a year and I'm still not ready 😁) and I suspect will suffer the same pacing issues.

Just finished I Have Some Questions for You - Rebecca Makkai (CS longlist). A bit marmite on here, I found it middling (3.5/5). The book it most reminded me of was Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, with a bit of Catch and Kill (Ronan Farrow) and The Female Persuasion (Meg Wolitzer). So yes, a bit derivative and trying to do too much but the writing was solid, and as I'd come to it as a 'wimmins novel' rather than mystery/thriller or even a #metoo one, I found the pacing fine. Also very relatable on feelings of millenials teaching Gen Z 😅

Western Lane - Chetna Maroo (WP longlist) Lovely, precise, classically show-don't-tell writing. As a child/teen I was a Very Serious Dancer, then played a related sport at semi-pro level, so I really enjoyed the squash stuff, as much as the more traditional Very Literary themes of grief, multiculturalism, family relationships, gendered expectations etc. All handled with subtlety and very well - in fact everything was going well - and then it just...stopped? Like once she'd safely crossed the novel/novella word count line, she was done. Left me feeling slightly short-changed, but I will still definitely keep an eye on her future work.

Thanks @inaptonym I am very much not a Dickens fan, so not sure about those!

I'm 80% into Oscar and Lucinda and I'm praying for it to end. Also not a huge Dickens fan. It's too bloody long.

Chessie I loved The Poison Tree too and I didn't know she'd done a sequel. I think I'll probably do a re-read first too. I loved how atmospheric TPT was.