what next? Time Travellers or Mr Whicher?

[wheresclaire]

I have both on my shelf. Just finished a crime thriller easy read so fancy reading something a bit more demanding. Which one do you recommend?

Well, neither are particularly demanding tbh. Mr Whicher irritated me a bit, although the first half was interesting. I quite liked TTW but lots of people didn't and the ending does get a bit ridiculous. I would go for TTW with no more than moderate expectations and save Whicher for a dark Autumn evening.

I agree with Janite.

I enjoyed both of them. Both are well worth reading but agree, not really demanding. Maybe Whicher is the more demanding - I found it very interesting.

I loved TTW, but wouldn't describe it as demanding. Haven't read the other title.

Agree with Janeite. Didn't really 'get' Mr Whicher, although thought it was clever.

My DH has just finished 'The Gargoyle' and said it was one of the best and most original books he has read in ages, so you could put that on a future list.

I liked The Gargoyle.

Tis next on my list when I have finished some CSI style brainless crap that I started on holiday!

both are blah. kate atkinson case histories is great and first in a trilogy.

I liked The Gargoyle too but found the black dye on the pages bloody irritating as they all stuck together.

Mr Whicher about a family who have a famous author of well known childrens books as a father, and basically explores the links between his books and their childhood/unhappy adulthood, and also the effect his books have on others.

Gargoyle...err something about a horrific crash is all I got from DH. I think he is being deliberatly mysterious!

i hated both
i wanted whicher to be much more of a story than it was

read something else instead

Gargoyle iirc - bit of a bastard male porn star is in terrible road accident and horribly burnt. Recovering in hospital he meets weird woman who may or may not have genuine links with strange Goddess. She makes weird animal sculptures and is a bit bananas. He has to learn how to be a nice man.

It is good but as you can see, I have forgotten a lot of it already!

Notyummy - no the one about the children's book writer is something else. Mr Toppit?

yes i thought the other poster had hte wrong idea abotu whicher.

tis dull
i gave up then flicked to end
books i loved this year were - Englishwomanhood
american wife( realy easy read but fab)
dragon tattoo
oh god and another what WAS it... oh 19th wife
am on WIlliam boyd new one atm

Bizarre!

You's think they would want to avoid the same titles!

They are not the same titles. The book writer one is the one with the bees, right?

notyummy, you are thinking of mr toppit.
I couldn't get into that and gave it up half way through.
I did really like Mr Whicher though. I thought it was very interesting as a history book rather than a "story" and the work the author must have done, sourcing the references etc must have been immense.

Bollocks - I am such an idiot!!

I have read Mr Whicher AS WELL....but described Mr Toppit one.

Ahem

I thought Mr Whicher was quite interesting as a description of time and place i.e a kind of history lesson. I thought there was going to be more of a twist then there actually was TBH, but don't regret reading it.

Molly - great minds and all that...

I read Mr Toppit on holiday because somebody had left it at the apartments and it had a pretty cover. I thought it was okay but again, I think I was disappointed by the ending. And the American woman was irritating.

i really enjoyed the 19th Wife too. I loved the stuff about the latter day saints, so interesting. I liked those chapters more than the modern day bits

i ploughed on with mr wicher....it doesnt get any better. i found it b-o-r-i-n-g!

loved time travellers wife. loved the gargoyle, and love kate atkinson.
id avoid mr whicher like the plague - its a week of my life ill never get back!