Joy’s Comments (group member since Aug 12, 2013)

Joy’s comments from the All About Books group.

I haven’t contributed to this group for some time but have enjoyed reading all your comments on this book. My thoughts about it tend to mirror those of Pink above. I did become engrossed in the story apart from certain irritations such as Eleanor apparently knowing nothing about I.T. despite being a graduate and holding down an admin job - and oh yes, the next minute she’s au fait with Twitter. I kept imaging her as much older.
However at the end I felt my emotions had been manipulated. A silly thing to say perhaps, as of course novelists persuade you that make-believe is truth. But I think it was the unrealistic speedy resolution that made it feel false.

Pam wrote: "Just read a Diana Wynne Jones fantasy, The Homeward Bounders."

Another good one! Have you read The Time of the Ghost ? It's really spooky.

Pam wrote: "Read a Diana Wynne Jones, The Dark Lord of Derkholm."

She was a great author for children , YA and those of us who just like children's books sometimes! I liked The Dark Lord of Derkholm but I think my favourites are the Chrestomanci series.

Just finished Flood of Fire, last part of a trilogy set in the opium wars - really good!

Dale wrote: "Recently finished I Let You Go by Clare Macintosh.
A really good read. 4 stars, Review is here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I stayed up late last night to finish it, I was so gripped. But it did seem different in style and slower moving in the first part. Once the twist in the plot occurred it was a fast-paced thriller.
I was interested to see that the author was, or had been, a police officer, as it was some of those parts that didn't ring quite true for me. But perhaps my conception of police routines and relationships (built from other novels) is incorrect.

LauraT wrote: "Finished yesterday the third of the Cazalet series Confusion. Loved it, as the others, even a bit better.
Going to finish them this summer then!"

I've read the complete Cazalet series and greatly enjoyed all the books. Since then, however, I've tried several other of Elizabeth Jane Howard's novels and not liked them.

Leslie wrote: "Joy wrote: "Leslie wrote: "@Joy - How is The Ice-Cream War? It is by Nina Baldwin, yes? She is an author I have been curious about..."

It's by William Boyd not Nina Baldwin (perhaps there's anothe..."

Lol! I thought I hadn't heard of Nina Baldwin! Nina Bawden was a great children's author.

Leslie wrote: "@Joy - How is The Ice-Cream War? It is by Nina Baldwin, yes? She is an author I have been curious about..."

It's by William Boyd not Nina Baldwin (perhaps there's another with the same title). The one I've just read is a story about characters in the First World War, serving in East Africa. I enjoyed it very much. It's very character rather than plot driven. Some reviewers have talked about it being darkly comic but I didn't find it funny.

I'm reading An Ice-Cream War.

Has anyone read The Rabbit Back Literature Society ? I've just read it and, although it engaged me, at the end I was left baffled.

if you didn't like that, don't try Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded!!

Thanks for the warning Leslie ;)

Susan wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Jo wrote: "I'm reading Possession by A. S. Byatt and it is taking my an absolute AGE to read it. I don't like not finishing a book because I'm scared I'm going to miss s..."

It's one of my favourite books.

Ive read a third of Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady and decided I can stand it no longer!

Leslie wrote: "Joy wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I finished the audiobook of Kidnapped & found Michael Page's Scottish burr perfect for this classic. Too bad I found at least one place where a paragraph of..."

Thanks!

Living Alone is definitely the strangest book I've read this year. Part fantasy, part political satire, part comedy of manners. No real plot but beguiling. Written in 1919 by a feminist author I'd not previously heard of.

Leslie wrote: "I finished the audiobook of Kidnapped & found Michael Page's Scottish burr perfect for this classic. Too bad I found at least one place where a paragraph of text was missing (based on..."

W hat did you think of A Murder in Time Leslie? It sounds just my cup of tea but I see it has mixed reviews.

I've enjoyed many of those listed so far. I don't think anyone has mentioned Paul Gallico. I remember reading Jennie as a mid-teen - a good segue from children's to adults' novels at a time when no-one seemed to be writing for that age group.

Greg wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I have begun Arrowsmith and immediately I like it. I am reading it because I liked Main Street. I just like the way Sinclair Lewis writes...."

I enjoyed Arrowsmith very much. I've also read Babbit but can't remember it very well!

I enjoyed The Shut Eye, which is a light psychological thriller.

Anne is definitely my preferred Bronte sister (I also liked Wildfell Hall). I thought this was a good, but not great, book. I sympathised with Agnes as a character - yes maybe if she's behaved differently she would have had a better response from some of her charges, but she'd had no formal training or even preparation in her upbringing for this role. On the whole, I wasn't put off by her narrow religious and moral framework, as they felt like genuine and deeply-held beliefs. I liked the controlled tone of the novel - rather than the wild rantings that the other two Brontes have. (I know many of you won't agree with this!)
At her worst Agnes felt to me something like Fanny Price (over-done scruples) and at her best there were shades of Anne Elliot (perseverance in duty)!
On the other hand, at times the novel lacked pace and meandered. I think it was Greg who commented on the lines of Agnes' complaints about her pupils being too one-note, and I would agree with that.