Fiction recommendations please

[Beauregard]

I am off to the libary on monday.
I dont like anything too heavy going to read as i read to relax so possibly lighthearted fiction.

I was reading alice in wonderland last night (as you can tell I am in one of those "don't challenge me" moods) and it was wonderful. So much original poetry. Love it.

(I think it was me that might ahve suggested Binchy is chick-lit, sorry for all Binchy fans out there, no offense).

But it is children's fiction, so there!

susan howatch is a fantastic writer. i only recently discovered her (in the library) and so have only read 3 of her books. this is no mean feat however! as her books are ginormous!. the ones i read are big, historical family sagas. they're not dead heavy, but they are dead interesting, and exceptionally well written.

highly recommended!

Thanks Janeite - I got a bit defensive there! I find it easier to read that sort of thing than the stories about girl meets boy, girls hates boy, girl meets other boy, finds out he's a no good waste of space and then realise she actually loves the first boy after all......

Who defines it as children's fiction??

You want children's fiction? Can't beat The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge!

I have just read "Flambards" and really enjoyed it. Am now reading "Anne Of Green Gables".

How about "Rebecca" by Daphne Du Maurier - not light but an easy and interesting read. Or something by Neville Shute?

Maeve Binchy
Are her books full of poor irish down trodden women enduring hellish lives or am i thinking of someone else?

I LOVE Anne of Green Gables - have all the books in the series and have read them over and over - good choice!

Pelvicfloor - I won't jump on you, but no Binchy's characters aren't all enduring hellish lives!!! If you want a taster of her style, how about trying a book of her short stories ? "This year it will be different" (crap title I know but great tales!) and "Victoria Line, Central Line" are common library fodder!

(I'm not looking for an argument slayerette but I won't ignore you as that's rude. I have bought it in the children's section of waterstones. Is that ok?)

Are you talking about "The ladies' Detective" books, Nancy? They are deffo not children's books but a lot of bookshops have a sort of crossover section for teenagers to encourage them into adult fiction.

Peachface - I didn't realise there was more than one "Anne" book. Am still trying to hunt down the next in the Flambards series!

No, by and large, Maeve Binchy writes down-to-earth realistic stories about modern women in Ireland and Britain! I loved "Light a Penny Candle"

Pelvicfloor - you weren't thinking of catherine cookson were you? heheh, just kidding

How bizarre to put it in children's literature section - McCall Smith does write children's fiction but the No1 Ladies Detective series is his crime fiction work! Maybe the bookshop staff lumped all his work together not realising that not all his stuff is children's literature!

Well, when I say children's I do of course mean the upper bracket, but that's kind of obvious from the subject matter (some of which is very grown-up: rape, witch-doctors etc)

Same goes for all the other "children's" books I mentioned (apart from alice in wonderland of course)

I would very much recommend any Iris Murdoch, in particular I love 'The sea, the sea'. Also apart from 'Rebecca', 'Frenchman's Creek' is a great Daphne du Maurier read.

I didn't actually find it odd, the style seemed very much in keeping with (older) children's writing, maybe it's just me then

marian keyes
yy weiner
kate atkinson

you could try short stories too, very undemanding but enjoyable

katherine mansfield
saki
maupassant

Janeite - well, when I read the tales there were 5 books charting her life from young girl right through to adulthood BUT looking at my books on the shelf, they are Puffin books so they're quite old now (!) and maybe now the book publishers have just put them all into one mammoth tome? Anne of Avonlea is the first book and Anne of Ingleside is the last.

Really? The one I'm reading (was in a classics box set that sil bought for dds) is called "Anne Of Green Gables" and Anne has arrived at the farm and so far it's been decided that they'll keep her: she's just learned how to say her prayers!

Fishie - great choice with the Maupassant short stories

I am currently enjoying "Behind the scenes at the museum" by Kate Atkinson.

You bookworms move fast

We're doing our best to give you a good range of options!! haha!
janeite - you'll have to post on here agin if you get to the end of the set and it's not concluded as fully as you think it might and I can then give you more info on the series...I can't tell you what the theme in the last book is or it'll give stuff away really!!! The book you're reading is the same as Anne of Avonlea so obviously they maybe changed title to match that of the film (have you seen the film? It is great! Def one to watch with your dds -= I watched with my mum and sisters years ago and ended up buying the video in the end! Got 2 sons now though so doubt they'll watch it with me when they're bigger....!

Thanks again PeachFace. It's not a huge book, so I suspect it's just the first one.

Maybe your two sons will enjoy things like "The Princess Bride" instead, which my two dds are too wimpy to watch with me because they don't like the fire swamp!