Rana (This City That Book)’s Comments (group member since Dec 03, 2023)

Rana (This City That Book)’s comments from the the classics club group.

@liz I know, right! But my edition is divided across 3 books so it looks less intimidating. I have the Everyman’s library edition…

I am not sure who will be up for it, but I am starting War and Peace for the first time in the next couple of days but I will take my time with it and not push myself to finish it in March because I am reading other books for the 52 weeks reading challenge…

I was making a joke in reply to your feeling intrusive comment. 😄

He broke my heart honestly. He poured his heart out and is lamenting the loss of dreams that attract even real because that’s all he had… I could see him passionately telling his story and it is very raw.

I think he would have enjoyed us listening in, lol …he had so much to say and just needed someone to listen. I loved his infatuation with his own thoughts and analyses.

@stephen it feels like Dosto alright… the long dialogue bordering on soliloquy, the exaggerated emotions and the deep emotions and internal struggles at play.

I enjoyed a short work by him, honestly though the translation I had wasn’t the best.

He wrote this guy so lonely, he didn’t even give him a name and I think he did that to drive home a point that he’s just like everybody else. We’re all lonely at some point or another and deep down looking for real connections and living in our own imaginary worlds.

I also like the abrupt ending - I won’t say more in case some are still reading.

Agreed! Maybe we all went in with high expectations? I just feel, that for a classic, something is missing… I wonder if it reads much more like a classic if read in French…

So I finished The Phantom and I am not used how I feel… it was ok it definitely not a 5 star… probably not even 4. U
I will mull it over for a couple of days to arrive at an opinion.

I do know I don’t hate Erick though, lol. I was kinda rooting for him. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I mean is he really that bad? 😂

For some reason I think I will enjoy the opera more than the book though, not sure why… I guess we’ll see on Feb. 22…

Yaaay! I haven’t read this one before… I’ll definitely start it this weekend.

Honestly, there are so many great authors / books to read but life just keeps getting in the way! Sucks! 😂

@liz yes! I love Kafka! I enjoyed The Trial more than Metamorphosis honestly but it was confusing as hell until I read more about his life as you said. He’s pretty much like Shakespeare, you need to dig a bit more about the times / his life when you’re reading his works to fully grasp the true meaning.

Hi Lynn, I would definitely recommend Hemingway and Sylvia Plath. Both writings are on the “easier” side. Hemingway’s writing was known as the Iceberg Theory- he is one of my favorite authors to read with so simple and very few words used but that also say so much. Sylvia’s writing, to me, is very emotional and moving - her metaphors stay with you long after you’ve finished her books. Hope that helps!

rina.reads wrote: "alrighty, rana! then I'll wait for you to have read it in order to avoid spoilers. ^^
Let's just say I enjoyed it but it could have been better, I gave it 4 stars! I'd even say it's become one of m..."

It’s the same for me with A Tale of Two Cities, lol. I was supposed to buddy read it with two friends but they finished it and i am yet to start it…

rina.reads wrote: "alrighty, rana! then I'll wait for you to have read it in order to avoid spoilers. ^^
Let's just say I enjoyed it but it could have been better, I gave it 4 stars! I'd even say it's become one of m..."

I should finish it by Tuesday for sure! I have never watched any adaptation of it honestly but i have booked tickets to go see it in the Dubai Opera House on Feb. 22 and I can’t wait! It will be my first opera ever and i think i chose well! I will check some other screen adaptations and let you know if i come across a good one!

I just realized that I never introduced myself either. My name is Rana and I am Lebanese but have been living and working in Dubai for 10 years now. English is my second language but I find my written English and grammar better than my Arabic.

I have always loved reading and used to read a lot as a kid - I still remember being traumatized by The Bell Jar as a teenager, lol.

Classics are my poison of choice - while I have read some great modern works, nothing even comes close to classic literature, in my opinion.

Life in Dubai is crazy with almost no work/life balance so reading helps me decompress after a long day/week/month - so do jigsaw puzzles coupled with an audio book.

@immanuel it’s such a true honor to meet a young reader! I just sounded so old lol, but honestly it’s not common among the younger generation these days. You’re my kind of people and reading will open doors for you!

Among my favorite writers are Dostoyevsky, Shakespeare, Kafka, Jane Austen and definitely Hemingway. Hemingway’s writing style keeps fascinating me - so simple and yet so rich!

I am re-reading all the classics I had previously read and then some. I have even created a spreadsheet to track my classics and have my own “classics journey” highlights on bookstagram where I post my monthly classics reads.

This year, I want to tackle chunkier classics among which are The Count, War and Peace, The Brothers K, and Middlemarch.

Finally, before I let you all go, I can hear you yawning all the way from Dubai, my favorite classics in 2023 were Crime and Punishment (holding strong as my favorite book of all time so far), To Kill a Mockingbird, Anna Karenina (my Roman Empire and I still think about this book daily) and Macbeth.

@rina, sadly not much progress in my end post page 120 I think. I need to finish this in the next couple of days! I started getting into it but then life decided it needs my full attention! 😤
Did you enjoy the book?

Same! I didn’t see that either, Rina… 😕

I second anything Dostoyevsky! Haven’t read white nights yet but I love his works!

I haven’t read these books and the internet did not spoil anything for me so at least I have that 😂

Will try to get to that series this year…

Percy Jackson?

I really want to like it! So I think I will maybe start another book, something light and fluffy, and pick it up again over the weekend. I am not sure if it’s the translation or what but I want to give it another go when I’m in the right mood…