NLMG wasn't too slow, I would say medium paced and because it's narrated by one of the student (Kathy) from a time in the future, it kept the story moving at a nice pace. I love books narrated from a time in the future so that an added bonus. The book was contemplative yes, it's one of those stories that makes you think about larger themes. I listened to a really great interview with the author that helped me better understand what he was doing with the story
That sounds so good. I’m going to try it on audio. If you have the author chat, I’d love to listen to it. It really does promote the enjoyment of my reading. Some books that I thought were meh, once I’ve heard the author, sometimes wind up more likable because of that understanding.
It helps to know a little about it. However, I’m certainly no expert and I’m enjoying the story telling and the fantasy involved. It’s not over the top fantasy. It’s simple and easy to follow and the characters(knights) are all so different and interesting. I can’t wait to read what they’re up to next!😊
I’m not much of a seasonal mood reader, except that sometimes in the summer when I’m traveling I will look for something a bit more fast-paced or, in the exact opposite direction, since I have more time, I will often pick up my big chunkers while I’m not working. I’ll pick up longer books around the holidays when I’m off work as well.
I just finished The Bankers Wife which I’m pretty sure I read about here, and it was the rare thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed! It was such a smart plot, and I binged it on audio over a couple of days. Has anyone read any of her other books?
Renee, I can’t wait to hear more about this book recommendation project! 🥳
I’m so glad you liked The Banker’s Wife! That thriller is so underrated and yes Kathy mentioned that she read it, I recommended it to her for a monthly challenge she’s doing. I tried the author’s next book- I forget the title- but I couldn’t get into it, I don’t remember why though
I think that Until August didn’t get the buzz you’d expect from a new book by Garcia Marquez was because he had explicitly stated that he did not want any of his unfinished works published after his death. While I also enjoyed it, it was certainly not the quality of his other books. Of course, One Hundred Years of Solitude is his amazing flagship work but it is a chonker that I think is probably best read in a group cause there is a lot happening with lots of characters. Love in the Time of Cholera is almost one of those perfect books that some BIT can be. It is amazing how much is packed into a pretty slim novel.
I read never let me go a long time ago and did not enjoy, now that I’m a bit more mature and perhaps open to different styles I need to go back and reread and see if my thoughts have changed because I have never read a bad review !
I haven’t read a bad review either. I know for a fact that I probably would’ve dnfed it even just a few years ago. I just started really enjoying literary fiction over the last couple years. I also think the audio helped enhance the reading experience
I want to report on A PRAYER FOR THE DYING BY JACK HIGGINS. I say report and not recommend bezuse i recognize that this book may not be for everyone. It was published in 1973 when i first learned of this author. The writing is a little rough in the sense that it may be one of Higgins’s earliest works. Nevertheless, it has been referred to as a classic bestseller and i gave it five stars for the story. It is about a priest who witnasses a hired assassin murdering a drug dealer in a cemetery. Before he can report this to the police, the hired assassin confesses his crime to that priest under the sanctity of the confessional. When the crime boss learns of this, he is not convinced that the priest and his blind niece can be trusted and indicates that he will eliminate the priest and his niece. The hired assassin takes it upon himself to watch over the priest and his blind niece. It is a tense story with morally complex characters. It is a story of forgiveness and redemption. I loved it.
I'm so glad Never Let Me Go worked for you! I happened to pick it for my book club back in June (we're finally meeting again next week!) and I loved the experience of rereading it. I think we're going to have a great discussion around it.
I read The Buried Giant by Ishiguro. I was an interesting story. Slower paced and very contemplative. Was that how Never Let Me Go was?
NLMG wasn't too slow, I would say medium paced and because it's narrated by one of the student (Kathy) from a time in the future, it kept the story moving at a nice pace. I love books narrated from a time in the future so that an added bonus. The book was contemplative yes, it's one of those stories that makes you think about larger themes. I listened to a really great interview with the author that helped me better understand what he was doing with the story
That sounds so good. I’m going to try it on audio. If you have the author chat, I’d love to listen to it. It really does promote the enjoyment of my reading. Some books that I thought were meh, once I’ve heard the author, sometimes wind up more likable because of that understanding.
Here's the author chat- just FYI it's filled with spoilers https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qxm4
Thanks Renee. I’ll wait until I’ve listened to it.
Could you share the interview you listened to? I would love to give it a listen before my book club!
Yes! I meant to find the link and then got distracted:) Here it is - it's so good!! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qxm4
Thank you so much, Renee!!
LOVED The Buried Giant. That book has really stayed with me.
I'm adding this to my tbr along with The Remains of the Day
I have to recommend the new Lev Grossman then. It is so good and his writing is wonderful.
Do you have to be familiar with the Arthur Legend etc?
It helps to know a little about it. However, I’m certainly no expert and I’m enjoying the story telling and the fantasy involved. It’s not over the top fantasy. It’s simple and easy to follow and the characters(knights) are all so different and interesting. I can’t wait to read what they’re up to next!😊
I’m not much of a seasonal mood reader, except that sometimes in the summer when I’m traveling I will look for something a bit more fast-paced or, in the exact opposite direction, since I have more time, I will often pick up my big chunkers while I’m not working. I’ll pick up longer books around the holidays when I’m off work as well.
I just finished The Bankers Wife which I’m pretty sure I read about here, and it was the rare thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed! It was such a smart plot, and I binged it on audio over a couple of days. Has anyone read any of her other books?
Renee, I can’t wait to hear more about this book recommendation project! 🥳
I’m so glad you liked The Banker’s Wife! That thriller is so underrated and yes Kathy mentioned that she read it, I recommended it to her for a monthly challenge she’s doing. I tried the author’s next book- I forget the title- but I couldn’t get into it, I don’t remember why though
I think that Until August didn’t get the buzz you’d expect from a new book by Garcia Marquez was because he had explicitly stated that he did not want any of his unfinished works published after his death. While I also enjoyed it, it was certainly not the quality of his other books. Of course, One Hundred Years of Solitude is his amazing flagship work but it is a chonker that I think is probably best read in a group cause there is a lot happening with lots of characters. Love in the Time of Cholera is almost one of those perfect books that some BIT can be. It is amazing how much is packed into a pretty slim novel.
I definitely want to read more of his writing, I’ll give Love in the Time of Chlorea a try next
I read never let me go a long time ago and did not enjoy, now that I’m a bit more mature and perhaps open to different styles I need to go back and reread and see if my thoughts have changed because I have never read a bad review !
I haven’t read a bad review either. I know for a fact that I probably would’ve dnfed it even just a few years ago. I just started really enjoying literary fiction over the last couple years. I also think the audio helped enhance the reading experience
Excited to hear your thoughts on Highway Thirteen. Someone compared it to Notes on an Execution and I was a huge fan of that book.
Me too! Now I want to read it even sooner based on that comp
I want to report on A PRAYER FOR THE DYING BY JACK HIGGINS. I say report and not recommend bezuse i recognize that this book may not be for everyone. It was published in 1973 when i first learned of this author. The writing is a little rough in the sense that it may be one of Higgins’s earliest works. Nevertheless, it has been referred to as a classic bestseller and i gave it five stars for the story. It is about a priest who witnasses a hired assassin murdering a drug dealer in a cemetery. Before he can report this to the police, the hired assassin confesses his crime to that priest under the sanctity of the confessional. When the crime boss learns of this, he is not convinced that the priest and his blind niece can be trusted and indicates that he will eliminate the priest and his niece. The hired assassin takes it upon himself to watch over the priest and his blind niece. It is a tense story with morally complex characters. It is a story of forgiveness and redemption. I loved it.
You know I love assassin stories and I’ve never heard of this! I also really love morally gray characters and storylines, I’m going to check this out
I'm so glad Never Let Me Go worked for you! I happened to pick it for my book club back in June (we're finally meeting again next week!) and I loved the experience of rereading it. I think we're going to have a great discussion around it.
I’m sure you will, it’s one best discussed with others! I keep thinking about how he made that unique storyline work, it’s so thought provoking