Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2

[marjifay]

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers. Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader:  Judy Laird

Pedln wrote, "I do not want to see the F word or read anything about any bodily functions. Breathing and blinking are okay."

I don't mind books with the F word if the writing is good and it's about people who normally talk that way.  I did read a mystery by a female author who used the word too often, mainly I think to show she could write like a male, but her writing was awful, and not just because of the F word.

Marj

[marjifay]

Gosh, Steph, don't know what your age group is, but mine is 80, and  I really liked Gone Girl -- found it fascinating..

Marj

[BarbStAubrey]

Did y'all see where Peter O'Toole at 81 died today - he was one of my favorites and did not realize although nominated 8 or 9 times he never received an Oscar. Just watched an old interview he did with Charlie Rose - a very self possessed articulate man.

[marjifay]

Yes, I was sorry to hear about O'Toole's death.  I watched his films Beckett, Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter several times over the years.  A great actor.

Marj

[salan]

My ftf reading did Gone Girl a couple of months ago.  Most of us did not like the book at all.  The group is ages 60-94.  The 94 year old recommended it--go figure!
Sally

[maryz]

I'm reading John Grisham's new one, Sycamore Row.  Liking it a lot - Grisham does write a good yarn.

[BarbStAubrey]

I've had that one on my list but there are too many to read before I get to him - maybe in the later part of January. I too like him.

[marjifay]

I just recently finished Grisham's Sycamore Row and I agree with you, MaryZ, it was a good read.  Only fault I found was I wish it had been a bit shorter, but it kept me turning pages.  I also liked his recent The Litigators and The Racketeer.

I just read a review of a book I want to read by Joe Hill, NOS4A2.  The book's description says, "A 140 year old man, Charles Talent Manx, has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.”  Now that sounds like a fun Christmas book to read -- no boring sentimental stuff here! lol  (Joe Hill, as you probably know, is Stephen King's son -- a chip off the old block)

Marj

[Winchesterlady]

Marj -- Like you, I loved Gone Girl (I'm 64), but I think we're in the minority here.  I just finished reading Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. It is the best book I've read all year. I'm still thinking about it. I hadn't read any of her other books, so I just started Case Histories. Have you read any of her books?

[marjifay]

Yes, I know we're in the minority on Gone Girl.  Actually, I think I'm in the minority here on most of the books I find interesting or don't like.  For example, Zusak's Book Thief which most here really liked, was a DNF for me, dragged too much and I did not find it interesting enough to finish.  But in another group, most people agreed with me on it.  So, as they say, it'd be a dull world if everyone agreed on everything.

As to Kate Atkinson, I read her Case Histories  9 years ago.  My notes say "interesting book;  I like her wry humor; will read more of her novels."  But I haven't gotten around to reading any others of hers.

Marj

[MaryPage]

Eighty-four (84) here, and I hated Gone Girl.  And I love Kate Atkinson, albeit have not read her latest book.  Every surface in my house is covered with a stack of books I am "going to" read!  Help!
I have the DVD of Case Histories, as well.  I enjoyed the Atkinson series on TV some years back.  Right at the moment I am just about finished THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone.  I highly recommend it.  I find it astonishing that this male writer can create such a very strong and understandable woman.  YES!  And while I would not want to be a CIA operative or have anything even remotely to do with guns, I would very much like to be Kate Moore.

[pedln]

The Expats is on my list, MaryPage.  Certainly sounds timely.  Talking about CIA operatives, on MoJo this am they were talking about the CIA members who were either fired or disciplined for their handling of the Levinson situation in Iran.

Sycamore Row is another on the TBR list, MaryZ.  Somewhere I read that it is a sequel to A Time to Kill, one of my Grisham favorites.

[Steph]

Gone Girl seems to bring out love and hate equally. I know I will never start another book by her for sure. I have the Book Thief but have not read it.. Just not in the right mood.

[Winchesterlady]

In Life After Life, Ursula Todd is born again and again on February 11, 1910, then dies over and over throughout the book.  This concept would make one think that this is a depressing read; however, it works just the opposite.  It is a celebration of life, in a sense, as you can see how the different environments we live in and the decisions we make, can change the path our lives take.  There is a quote in the book that sums it up rather nicely, “What if we had a chance to do it again and again, until we finally did get it right?  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”.

As you can see, I’m really loving this author.  It’s strange because I bought Case Histories years ago when it first came out, but for some reason just couldn’t get into it.  After finishing Life After Life, I want to read everything she’s written.  So I’ve started Case Histories and it’s great.  It’s funny how at different times in your life, your reading tastes can be so different.

[MaryPage]

I absolutely agree.  On the same page as you.  Same notes about the journey of my life of reading.

[salan]

I am 70 (for 3 more days), and agree with you, Steph.  I will not read another book by the author of Gone Girl.  It was well written, but.....
Sally

[Steph]

Kate Atkinson,, have to try her again. I simply could not get into her with her first book and have not tried again.

[ginny]

That Life After Life would probably make a good discussion, wouldn't it? Everybody raves about it, pretty much but I can't get past the premise to try it. So I can't talk about the book itself.

On the idea tho,  

"It is a celebration of life, in a sense, as you can see how the different environments we live in and the decisions we make, can change the path our lives take.  There is a quote in the book that sums it up rather nicely, “What if we had a chance to do it again and again, until we finally did get it right?  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Do you think it would? Be wonderful? It's interesting that the premise is you "get it right," finally, meaning...what? You screwed it up this time? The concept is fascinating.

If somebody came along and said ok you get to do it again, would you? Even if a twist or turn in your life meant that you might not have the same family or children? Is the character aware of the past lives? Can the character then miss the children never had?

It's almost Faustian in concept. Would you achieve that buried dream at last? But at what cost?

Have I got it anywhere close to what the book talks about (again I haven't read it),  or is it the same family, children, but different decisions?

 

[pedln]

but I can't get past the premise to try it. So I can't talk about the book itself.

Interesting as it sounds, Ginny, I can't get past the premise either.

Re: Case Histories --  was it on TV, a series about  a detective, whose sister was murdered (shown in flashbacks) and whose ex-wife and darling little daughter were moving to Australia?  If so, I think I'd like to try that book.

[Winchesterlady]

Ginny – The concept of the book is that Ursala lives many different versions of her life.  And, since it begins in 1910 and moves forward, it gives you an idea of how a woman might live during that time period.  Things don’t necessarily get better for her with each life.  In some lives, she only lives a short while; in others, she might live into adulthood. Whenever you read that “darkness falls,” you know that things will not bode well for Ursala. It’s a strange concept (I usually enjoy more realistic fiction), but I just kept reading and got lost in the book.

The stories follow the same family, but new characters are introduced at times.  The locations also differ occasionally.  Each life is different, but there are many connections.  And throughout the book, you get to know each of the other members of her family.

Eventually Ursala begins to have cases of déjà vu, and will have a feeling of something she must do.  Kate Atkinson has done some interesting things to make this more than just a story of being born again and again.

I just really enjoyed it.  The stories stay with you long after you finish the book.

[BarbStAubrey]

Personally I think it is fantasy to think just by doing it over it would be better than what we have accomplished - it sounds like so many who think we are responsible for our lives - choices that we know the alternatives yes, but look how various world events shaped us. Depression WWII, and now the nonsense pulled by the banks and wall street - there have been other events but I cannot trace the event as directly to my life as those who were more affected by Viet Nam and Iraq or even 9/11.

All these events shaped, not only who we are but altered some of the opportunities so that we did not always have the choices we dreamed about and then, within families there are various events, death, illness, unexpected happenings that we have raised ourselves to those challenges -

To live it over again, do we fantasize about a life without outside forces guiding our choices - do we even see some of the choices we make because of our economic bracket and in what part of the world we live - it is all so subjective and to me I think any book or author who can help us celebrate what we have accomplished given our challenges is worthy of our listening ear.

I also think the butterfly affect that we cause and that we react to is part of the how and why of our life choices. And so to imagine ourselves with different influences for each life cycle I do not think would help us arrive at better - I guess the fantasy thinking of doing it over is to believe we can have Sir Thomas More's Utopia if we just have another chance.

As to becoming wise and creating an inner space where we get it - what are we getting that we are not all working on - OK yes, peace for ourselves and the ability to create a peaceful space around us - fine - if we can do that without struggle then why bother to be alive, what is there to learn plus, we would need this god like ability to control our circumstances so that our life turns out as we prefer and if someone would just suggest we could keep at it till we have that awesome power then let's go for it.

Many of the Taoists believe in a returning spirit and it is easy to get caught up in the beauty and logic of it but stepping back even to have grown up in some isolated mountain where the world has little impact then what - are we here to exist in safety or like the parable about multiplying our 10 talents where we can affect the lives of others which does mean joining the rest of society with all its influences, some that we have no control over and we must learn to exist with the un-planned for and unexpected.

 Obviously "it could'a been" or "here is anther round at it" is not my cup of tea.

[MaryPage]

YES, Pedln!  You've got the right series.  Jackson Brodie.

http://www.kateatkinson.co.uk/jacksonbrodie/tv.asp

And, as much as I loved the series, and yes, she WAS an adorable little girl, the books were even better.  You'll like them!

http://www.kateatkinson.co.uk/jacksonbrodie/books.asp

[Tomereader1]

As to "Life After LIfe" - I had heard/read so much about it in "glowing" terms, and so put it on reserve at my library.  It came much faster than I had thought, and so I jumped right into it.  While I enjoyed the book, Atkinson's writing and even the "premise", it was definitely NOT what I had expected, and I tend to pull away from books that have such "deep" concepts.  As Barb mentioned like Taoists, etc.   And I never felt Ursula was trying to "get it right this time", it all seemed so terribly beyond her control or even her "wishes".  It might make a good discussion book, but then it might very well fall into the "Gone Girl" category, where most of the people would not like it.  (just in passing, I am mid-70's, and absolutely Hated Gone Girl.

[Steph]

Because of the accident, I spent a lot of time four years ago wishing for just five minutes to be different.. Hard to give that up, but my older son managed to make me understand that it might have just been his time.

[pedln]

You must have a very wise and caring son, STeph. I'm sure you are very proud of him.

MaryPage, thank you for the uptick.  I could not remember that detective's name.

[salan]

No do-over for me (unless I could chose what/how to do-over would be.)  Especially if the do-over would mean that I would have to give up those I love & live through the really horrific times in my life, again!!
Sally

[Judy Laird]

Just to hear from another place. Of course I can't remember what it was about but I do remember That really hated gone girl

[Steph]

Judy,,, Merry Christmas and awonderful New Year. It is so nice to see your name. Now if Alf would chime in, we would have all of the old bookies in one spot..Ginny.... we have not had a bookie holiday in sooooo long.

[ursamajor]

I had very mixed feelings about The Help.  I thought the book was well done, but I lived in the South in those days and think the environment was much exaggerated.  I knew only one person who had a servant's bathroom in the garage; the rest of us had only one bathroom and the maid used it just as we did.  Things may have been different in Alabama, but I don't remember any of this business about servants stealing the silver.  What on earth would they have done with it?

I didn't much care for Dragon Tattoo but read all three Larsen books.  I actively disliked The Shack.  The Lost Symbol was pretty good but pretty much a rehash of the author's earlier books.

[Steph]

I feel like you do about The Help. I lived in a border state and never heard of a servants bathroom.. or most of the stuff they did. So I did not go to see the movie.
I listened to the first .. of the Dragon Tattoo.. but have never tried the others. But may eventually..  I am reading and loving the second book by Charles Finch.. This one is about a hidden secret in the british army overseas.. Fascinating.

[marjifay]

I agree, Steph, the Charles Finch books are great mysteries.  I'm going to go back and read all of them.

I'm just finishing up a fascinating book by William Trevor, FELICIA'S JOURNEY (212 pp, 1994). It has one of the creepiest male characters I've ever met in a book. He looks and acts like a kindly, portly, and helpful middle-aged gentleman, but....  Felicia, a naive young Irish girl who has come to Britain to look for the father of her unborn baby, doesn't see Mr. Hildich's dark side.   It's been made into a 1999 movie which I'll watch when I finish the book. (William Trevor is a great writer, and the book won the 1994 Whitbread prize.)

Marj

[FlaJean]

I enjoyed "The Help"--- both book and movie.  I was born and raised in Virginia so saw many of the discriminations against what was then called "the colored people".  In public places there were separate water fountains, bathrooms, etc.   I imagine much of "the help" did occur in wealthier homes, but we had "help" for one day a week.  We did experience an interesting occurrence in 1954 when I was traveling with my parents to Calif.  We stopped in the south at a lovely motel for the night.  My dad had a funny look on his face when he came out of the motel office.  This motel is "for colored only", he said.  We traveled on for a few miles to another motel.  It certainly gave us a small window into what black people put up with all the time.

[Winchesterlady]

I have read one book by William Trevor, The Story of Lucy Gault, and I loved it.  It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2002.  The story begins in 1921 Ireland and the country is in a state of unrest.  Captain Gault and his wife have decided to leave Ireland for the safety of their family, but their 9-year old daughter, Lucy, is very upset about leaving.  One day she goes missing and after her clothes are found on the beach, it is presumed she has drowned.  Everyone is devastated.  Her mother and father close up their estate and leave their caretaker and his wife in charge when they leave Ireland. However, not long after they leave, Lucy is discovered alive.  By this time, no one knows where her parents have gone.  This is a beautifully written book and I plan to read more from him in the future.  I’ll have to try Felicia’s Journey.

[ANNIE]

Judy,  is it really you?  What a nice surprise to see you here  Are you recovered from the fall yet?  I hope so!  Have a happy Christmas!  As Steph said, we need another bookie holiday!
I have started another Ellen Crosby,  "Multiple Exposure",  but not liking it very much.  Think I might put it down for Amy Tan's. "Saving Fish From Drowning" which I brought home from the library yesterday.

[salan]

Just finished Sandra Dallas' Fallen Women.  I was very disappointed in it--too predictable and not the type of book that I was expecting from Dallas.  Now I am going back to a Christmas "cozy".
Sally

[Steph]

I must go through my huge to be read piles and rearrange them. I do this periodically, but I know I have the Amy Tan and want to read it, but Ialso  need to read the J.K. Rowling Cuckoos Calling for my f2f book club for January.

[marjifay]

Thanks, Winchester Lady (are you Carol?), for recommending William Trevor's The Story of Lucy Gault.  After Felicia's Journey I became interested in reading Irish history.  I want to also read Trinity by Leon Uris, about the Irish rebellion.

I liked J.K. Rowling's The Cuckoo's Calling.  The only complaint I had was that it could have been a bit shorter.  But the plot keeps you moving along.  My notes say, "might be helpful to keep a list of characters."

Marj

[FlaJean]

I also enjoyed The Cuckoo's Calling but agree it was too long.

[pedln]

Judy L, so great to see you here.  I sure hope you're feeling well.  Heading out to your neck of the woods tomorrow to spend the holidays with the Seattle family and my daughter and granddaughter from California.

Annie, I'll look forward to hearing your report on Any Tan's Saving Fish from Drowning. I have to read it before my New York girls go off to Burma/Myanmar in February to ride bikes.

Marjifay and FlaJean, I'm glad to hear you liked The Cuckoo's Calling  It's on my Kindle and a hard copy is wrapped up waiting for my Maryand son to open it.

I haven't read a whole lot of Sandra Dallas. Alice's Tulips is on the bookshelf waiting to be read.  Did n't like Buster Midnight's Cafe, but did like Tallgrass and Persian Pickle Club.

[Winchesterlady]

Marj -- Yes, I'm Carol. I hope you like The Story of Lucy Gault.. I'm still reading Case Histories. Been so busy with Holiday shopping, etc., haven't been reading as much. I'm scheduled for knee relacement surgery the end of January, so in between therapies I'm hoping to get a lot of reading done.