Hello February. So far this month has been productive in regards to reading and other pursuits. Lots of walking, cleaning out the house and ridding outselves of superfluous items and watching some of the Olympics.
Here's the midmonth roundup.
Read / Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty
Stella and Gerry have been married over 35 years so they know each others habits, have comfortable silences and their own little secrets.
The book starts with the minutiae of the evening as Stella is preparing them for their trip to Amsterdam the next day. When I say the minutiae of their activities I mean just that - it's all the little almost inconsequential details of turning down the heat, turning down the bedclothes, putting on lotion and being sure the toiletries bag is packed....like that.
The entire book is like this with normal conversations between the two. There are also flashbacks to the past where you learn about life changing events in their marriage, They are a Northern Irish couple living in the north when violence touches their lives. In their older years they live in Scotland, their son grown and living with his family in Canada.
I wrote a more detailed review on Goodreads HERE. Settings are Scotland but most of the book takes place in Amsterdam.
Crux by Gabriel Tallent
Two teens living in poverty; one with opportunties for college, the other written off. You'll notice when reading that Dan is described as a scholar and good looking. Tamma is described by her deformities (mind you, her father caused them) and how she is perceived to be stupid. She is not. She is a powerhouse of ambition and tenacity.
Neither one has scenes with friends other than each other. There is a loneliness for both of them, Tamma gives it the middle finger but Dan has depression he tamps down. Both are alive and happy when climbing or planning a climb. They trust each other implicitly.
Sharing with Joy for British Isles Friday with Irish author Bernard MacLaverty
Love that cartoon from Otter News. Lol!
ReplyDeleteMidwinter Break and Crux both sound like good reads. Adding them to my list...
I've started In the Woods (Tana French) and have forgotten so much about that mystery. Hoping to be ready to read The Likeness next month!
Hope you're staying warm.
Les, I got a chuckle from that cartoon as well. :-) I may be done with my lineup by March, I know I will finish Agnes Grey and I have a library loan witha due date upcoming fairly soon so....time to update my reading plans.
DeleteI love that little meme and I fully agree with it! Returning to bed is always a good option! And I'm a much happier person if I have a slower hour or so in the morning. Four Lost Cities looks intriguing and I really need to read more of the Brontes. The only book I've read is Jane Eyre.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, believe it or not but I've never read Jane Eyre and you'd think having a major of English Lit that would have been one assigned. Never got to it though and I want to read that one for my Classics Club eventually. I have one title for each of the Bronte sisters.
DeleteFour Lost Cities is very interesting and it's not written in dry format.
Great review of Crux! It was great reading it with you. I read a couple GR reviews saying it had too much climbing in it and climbing jargon in the novel .... But I liked the climbing parts (even if I had to look a few words up) ... those parts were where the characters were happy & free. Though some of the climbing scenes are tense too. But it's where the characters' dreams are so I feel I learned a little about climbing or the mind-set in the process which was a bit interesting. Glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteSusan, thanks so much! I also read some reviews once I was done and I think some folks got too hung up on that climbing jargon. The real story is about the trials and tribulations, friendship, loyalty....it was great writing and I will look for his next book in the future. Glad we could read it together. I still have so many pages marked, great quotes. Some I put on Goodreads under Spoiler.
DeleteYeah climbing seems a good metaphor for their lives & struggles perhaps. I never really thought of it that way before. lol.
DeleteFeels good to be productive, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteJinjer, it really does feel good. Even when I am making my planning lists, it;s productive and good to have goals.
DeleteMidwinter Break sounds like a good selection -- especially in the winter. I could use a bit of change of scenery about now. Doing it through a book is easier than real life. For among other reasons, I don't have to go through all that minutiae of preparing the house and finalizing the packing.
ReplyDeleteJoy, I love armchair traveling and it was cool to read about their time in the Rijksmuseum as I enjoyed visiting there a few times myself. Apparently this is MacLaverty's first novel oout in 16 years but it's the first I have ever read by him.
DeleteI’m glad your month has been pleasing and productive so far!
ReplyDeleteShelleyrae, so far so good!
DeleteLooks like you've had a really good reading month so far! You and Susan have made me curious about Crux, but I won't geet to it for a while. That cartoon made me laugh... I often get up earlier just so I can relax with my coffee before starting the day! Hope you're having a great week, Tina.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I've indeed had a good month for reading, so far. The Agnes Grey book isn't amazing (to me) and I will try her second book later on this year. Sometimes you get something that makes you fall in love with an author and other times it;s just meh. But here will be one off my Classic Club bucket list.
DeleteI think that cartoon is spot on. :-) Just popped a card in the mail to you.
Thanks for sharing your reading with us. Four Lost Cities sounds intriguing. And thanks for the warning about seizing the day, Tina! lol
ReplyDeleteDeb, I am enjoying reading about cities that are lost or those just abandoned and the circumstances. That's one for my nonfiction challenge.
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