Libro filum--the book thread

[Erin]

I've always thought that all of Atwood's books are similar. I don't read them any more. The only parts of her work I thought were truly impressive were the bullying scenes in Cat's Eye.

I find that with most of Atwood's novels that I've read, there are parts that work really well and parts that don't work at all, which is infuriating because I really want to like the novel, but can't. Even worse is when I re-read because of the parts I love, and keep expecting the parts I didn't love to somehow have gotten better. But they didn't. The only one of her novels I loved from start to finish was The Handmaid's Tale, which was one I put off reading for so long because I didn't expect to like it. Cat's Eye and Alias Grace started strong and then fizzled in the later sections. The Robber Bride actually was compelling from the whole way through, but none of the male characters are fleshed out and the women were such pushovers that I wanted to smack them...plus I just didn't "get" the overall idea of it. I don't have a really clear memory on Lady Oracle or Life Before Man but I was just not impressed with them overall and basically found it impossible to relate to the main characters.

I might have to try The Edible Woman though. I only have about 80 pages left in Man of My Dreams, so I'll be looking for something new soon.

Oh, and I agree that the bullying scenes in Cat's Eye were dead on. I had a hard time reading that part the first time through because it was so eerily close to experiences I had in childhood.

[Evilynn]

Well, Atwood is one of my favourite writers, so I suppose I'll disagree! :lol: I do think she has a very distinctive style, and she certainly has some favourite themes, but since they also happen to be (mostly) my favourite themes, it works out quite well for me. ;)

My favourites of hers is The Handmaid's Tale, The Robber Bride and Oryx & Crake. Alias Grace, The Year of the Flood and The Edible Woman were also really good, as are some of her short story collections. Cat's Eye as well, but I found it painful to read because she did the bullying so well (and stream of consciousness isn't my favourite style). The only one I thought was a bit of a clunker was Surfacing.

[IceAlisa]

I've always thought The Robber Bride was one of her most compelling and cohesive works. It also begs to be a movie.
I've already picked out a cast:
Angelina Jolie as Zenia
Jeanine Garrafalo as the history professor obsessed with war, Tony
Daryl Hannah as Charis
Bette Middler as Roz
:)

[zaphyre14]

I'm still dragging through Tolkein on audio. Suffice it to say I am not a fan. Froddo sounds like Eyore to me with his "We're doomed! Woe is me! But I must go on." moaning (which is pretty much the way I feel about the books). I fast forward through the songs. I counted fifteen adjectives in one sentence. Traffic jams are not as boring as this saga.

As antidote, I just finished Andrew Greeley's "The Achbishop in Andalusia" mystery, which wasn't much of a mystery but at least had short sentences and likeable characters, even if I did have a problem keeping all of the Dons and Donas straight.

I will be starting Elizabeth Chadwick's "The Greatest Knight" about William Marshall tonight.

[Prancer]

I've always thought The Robber Bride was one of her most compelling and cohesive works. It also begs to be a movie.

It's been done: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903014/


I'm still dragging through Tolkein on audio. Suffice it to say I am not a fan. Froddo sounds like Eyore to me with his "We're doomed! Woe is me! But I must go on." moaning (which is pretty much the way I feel about the books). I fast forward through the songs. I counted fifteen adjectives in one sentence. Traffic jams are not as boring as this saga.

If you need permission to quit, I'll give it. Zaphyre14, you are hereby absolved of any and all obligation to finish this or any work by Tolkein.


I will be starting Elizabeth Chadwick's "The Greatest Knight" about William Marshall tonight.

Let me know if you like it. I have it somewhere.

I have more than 700 books on my Nook, of which I have read maybe 40 :o. I keep finding library books to read.

[Cachoo]

Well Enertainment Weekly arrived and finally the cover story is about a book (not the film based on the book but an actual book.) Of course I think the so-called "mommy porn" bondage theme landed it on the cover but I guess it is still a positive that the book section of the magazine received extra attention for once. Oh--the book is Fifty Shades of Grey. It is the first book of a trilogy. Has anyone read this one?

[IceAlisa]

I am reading Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay. I believe it was PRLady who recommended it.

So far I am impressed with the authenticity (although I am wondering if the commission stores were around during Stalin's time). Ballet, bling, what can go wrong?

Thanks, Prancer. Going to check out the movie on youtube.

[michiruwater]

Well Enertainment Weekly arrived and finally the cover story is about a book (not the film based on the book but an actual book.) Of course I think the so-called "mommy porn" bondage theme landed it on the cover but I guess it is still a positive that the book section of the magazine received extra attention for once. Oh--the book is Fifty Shades of Grey. It is the first book of a trilogy. Has anyone read this one?

This is all I needed to know about that book:

"Originally developed from a Fan fiction work inspired by the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer, Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic romance, the first volume in a trilogy."

[Spinner]

Well Enertainment Weekly arrived and finally the cover story is about a book (not the film based on the book but an actual book.) Of course I think the so-called "mommy porn" bondage theme landed it on the cover but I guess it is still a positive that the book section of the magazine received extra attention for once. Oh--the book is Fifty Shades of Grey. It is the first book of a trilogy. Has anyone read this one?

Read back in this thread.

[Zemgirl]

Well Enertainment Weekly arrived and finally the cover story is about a book (not the film based on the book but an actual book.) Of course I think the so-called "mommy porn" bondage theme landed it on the cover but I guess it is still a positive that the book section of the magazine received extra attention for once. Oh--the book is Fifty Shades of Grey. It is the first book of a trilogy. Has anyone read this one?
I read the first few pages of the sample. I was not impressed.

See the previous page of this thread for more information, and in addition to the somewhat ambivalent review I linked there, here's one (http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/f-reviews/review-fifty-shades-of-grey-by-e-l-james) by a reviewer who really hated it with a passion.

[Cachoo]

Thanks---I went to Amazon to read the first few pages and my thought was --Really?


Thanks for the link back.

Spinner---Hope the numbers buying the book are dropping but somehow I doubt it.

Reading back I'm encouraged by the number of people who enjoyed "A Discovery of Witches." It is up next for me.

[modern_muslimah]

This is all I needed to know about that book:

"Originally developed from a Fan fiction work inspired by the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer, Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic romance, the first volume in a trilogy."

Just read the reviews on Goodreads, especially the one star reviews. It's basically Twilight on steroids. Some people even have the actual original fanfic and posted samples. I can believe that crap is actually going to be published by a major publisher.

[rjblue]

A funny video:

B*tches in Bookshops (based on Jay Z and Kanye West's N*ggas in Paris) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQiEJk-o5WA&feature=youtube_gdata_player)

That video is book hoarder porn.

[dinakt]

I read the first few pages of the sample. I was not impressed.

See the previous page of this thread for more information, and in addition to the somewhat ambivalent review I linked there, here's one (http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/f-reviews/review-fifty-shades-of-grey-by-e-l-james) by a reviewer who really hated it with a passion.

I have not read the book so I cannot judge how accurate the review is- but I loved the way it is written; I laughed a lot; thank you for the link.

[mkats]

I got my hands on a copy of "Little Princesses" by Marion Crawford, who used to be the nanny to Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. If I remember correctly, the family was so outraged by her publication of her memoirs that they shut her out for good. I'm five chapters in right now and it's so very sweet and endearing, I love it... and it doesn't hurt that I feel like I'm reading a real piece of history, since I think my copy is one of the original publications - it looks like it belongs in an ancient book collection.