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Original poster

What shall I read (or not read) next?

19 replies

artifarti · 26/04/2009 12:44

My lovely MIL has just given me a bundle of books and I can't decide which one to read. Just about to finish The Gathering, which I found well-written but a bit pointless (unless the end blows me away!) Recently enjoyed The Island by Victoria Hislop and Carter Beats the Devil. Choices are:

Random Acts of Heroic Love
Hunting Unicorns
Winter in Madrid
The Accidental
The Language of Others
The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Help me, bookworm MNetters!

OP posts:
wrongsideof40 · 26/04/2009 13:36

I'm in same situation - just finished 'The Secret Scripture' which was good but guessed ending from about 1/2 way through - still good though. I've read The Gathering but can't remember much about it - Irish family , funeral - duh !! My memory is shot !!.

The only one of your list I have read is The Accidental which I really liked .

Saltire · 26/04/2009 13:41

I have the Memory Keepr's Daughter and Random Acts of Heroic Love, both as yet unread, so can't hlep!Sorry.
I have just finished this book which was good, have recommended it to a few people.

Original poster
artifarti · 26/04/2009 16:27

Well, I've finished The Gathering now and was categorically not blown away by the ending! So have you decided what to read next wrongsideof40?

Thanks for the recommendation Saltire - that does look good. Will bear it in mind for when I have conquered my current pile (which at the rate I read nowadays may be some time...)

OP posts:
wrongsideof40 · 26/04/2009 16:35

What happened at the end ? I went to look for it but must have lent it out as its nowhere to be found !

I'm going to choose from :

1/2 a yellow sun
Beloved
White Tiger
No Country for Old Men

leaning towards the Toni Morrison.

BTW also have Random Acts and memory Keepers Daughter in my 'to read ' pile !

janeite · 26/04/2009 16:39

I have read all of those in the OP's list except The Language Of Others. The only one that I liked was Winter In Madrid. I thought the others were dreadful.

Original poster
artifarti · 26/04/2009 16:45

SPOILER ALERT! - b*gger all happened really! She flew to Gatwick, decided to tell the family about the abuse and fly home again. Mind you, I was so bored of it by them was skim-reading so could've missed something...

Read Beloved a few years ago; think it was quite good but my memory is as yours!

janeite I am erring towards that one anyway. Gosh are the others really that bad?!

OP posts:
janeite · 26/04/2009 16:48

The Memory Keeper's Daughter is especially useless. I also loathed The Accidental (although know lots of people who liked it).

I strongly recommend Winter In Madrid. It's a gripping story and taught me a lot about a period I knew virtually nothing about. He seems to do meticulous research for his books. I wish he'd do a bit less research actually, so that he'd write a new one more quickly!

EachPeachPearMum · 26/04/2009 22:23

particular lady!

Language of others was good I thought...
I am much less discerning than Janeite
I liked hunting unicorns- v light read.

janeite · 26/04/2009 22:29

Sticks tongue back.

I don't know anything about The Language Of Others. Would I like it?

I am reading this and enjoying it hugely. I didn't see the programme though.

EachPeachPearMum · 26/04/2009 22:41

Hmmm... not exactly bedtime reading is it?

Language of Others was good... by splashes of colour lady.... it was doing the rounds at the reading group, so I'm sure you could get hold of it easily. I always have a soft spot for books set in locales I know well

janeite · 27/04/2009 17:05

It's fine as bedtime reading but my biggest problem was reading about heart surgery and then going into the kitchen to slice up a very large red pepper!

Confession: I didn't like Astonishing Splashes Of Colour!

www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316024488.htmThis is next on my 'to read' pile. Have also ordered 'The Sum Of Our Days' finally - really looking forward to that.

alicecrail · 27/04/2009 17:08

The memory keepers daughter i thought i would enjoy but actually found it a bit strung out and disappointing. Lots of people did enjoy it though and its not very thick

ladymariner · 27/04/2009 17:15

I thought Winter In Madrid was brilliant, really learned a lot from reading that.

I've just finished Darker Domain by Val McDermid, it was the first one of hers that I've read as I don't normally do crime thriller types, but I really enjoyed that.

About to start The Pact by Jodi Picoult, anybody read it? Never read any of hers either.

janeite · 27/04/2009 17:17

Jodi Picoult pretty desperate imho. Once you've read one there's probably not much point in reading another (I read three then decided I had far better things to do with my life!). I quite liked the witch hunt type one; the other two I read I thought were dreadful.

ladymariner · 27/04/2009 17:19

Ok, I've been warned

Original poster
artifarti · 27/04/2009 17:19

I have plumped for Winter in Madrid and am already hooked!

OP posts:
ladymariner · 27/04/2009 17:36

I kept having to consult Wiki

yappybluedog · 27/04/2009 21:36

I would give Memory Keeper's Daughter a miss, not worth the effort really

I would read either Random Acts (surprisingly good)

or Winter in Madrid (very good)

wrongsideof40 · 27/04/2009 22:14

having read the posts I am going to ditch the Memory Keeper at Oxfam , will keep an eye out for Winter in madrid

Janeite - I thought Astonishing Splashes was incredibly moving - soooooo sad ! Agree life is too short for Jodi Picoult though

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