Beyond Reality discussion

Please let us know if you've read or are planning to read Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

Please, **NO SPOILERS!!**

I'm reading this one. I'm about 25% in and I really like it. I'm really enjoying the character Agnieszka and looking forward to seeing what she can do.

Started and finished. Excellent.

Anyone do this in audio?

Requested it from the library, not sure if I'll get it in time for the discussion but I'll chime in late if necessary!

I'm definitely planning on reading this one!

Planning to read this.

I just finished it and loved it. :)

Read it back in May and it was awesome!

About a quarter through and loving it so far. I am doing it in audio and think they picked the perfect narrator.

Who?

Julia Emelin. Guess she is pretty new as she only has one other book she narrated on audible.

Hoping to read this one soon--its at the library waiting for pickup.

I read it a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed it - has a kind of Russian flavour.

Bill wrote: "Julia Emelin. Guess she is pretty new as she only has one other book she narrated on audible."

Hmmm, don't know her.

Maire wrote: "I read it a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed it - has a kind of Russian flavour."

Don't know if your copy had the author's afterward but it's based on a Polish fairy tale.

Did it say which polish fairy tale?

Something called Agnieszka Skrawek Neiba (Agnieszka ""Piece of the Sky").

She also says the version was by Natalia Galczynska.

Thanks.

Thanks for the information. I've never heard about it, just checked and it's a contemporary fairy tale, written for Polish TV theatre in the 90. No wonder I wasn't familiar with it.

But she doesn't say it was based on it, she says that's where she got the name, and the actual story is about the little girl she meets with the cow at the end (and also that the roots of the wood are planted there).

Yes, her story is original except for the cow and name.

Fascinating how she does such a beautiful job of evoking an ancient fairy tale while telling a completely new one!

I've of my favourites this year :)

Alexa wrote: "Fascinating how she does such a beautiful job of evoking an ancient fairy tale while telling a completely new one!"

It's not ancient at all, it was written in the 90. And Alexa, I understand that it wasn't based on it. I only mentioned I've never heard a fable about Agnieszka Skrawek Nieba. Which isn't strange since I was a teen already when it was on TV.

Oh no, I didn't mean that particular one - I just meant the atmosphere of the book, for me, felt as if I was reading an old folk tale. I loved it!

I'm 125 pages in and enjoying this book

My loan just finally came through so I'm joining in late!

I think you will like it Shel:)

I finally am getting around to reading this—about 22% done and really drawn into the story right from the start.

Only a bit late Kathy 😂

I read this a few years ago, but I remember being drawn in by the writing and story too. If you enjoy this book, you should definitely check out Spinning Silver by the same author (if you haven't already). I enjoyed both, but I remember liking Spinning Silver a little more.

Justine wrote: "Only a bit late Kathy 😂"

I know, I know!

I’m making a point of checking to see if something I’m reading was a previous Book of the Month or part of a series discussion. I like reading everyone’s comments, even if they wrote them years ago, and then adding my thoughts.

Another example is Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time series—the group read all 3 books, not as a series read, but as Books of the Month over several years. I finally got around to reading them this year, so my comments on each book are, again, a bit belated, but still relevant.

That’s the reason we keep all the BotM and Series discussions open—so people can jump in whenever they read the books, even if it’s not with the group.

Nachiket wrote: "I read this a few years ago, but I remember being drawn in by the writing and story too. If you enjoy this book, you should definitely check out Spinning Silver by the same author (..."

Thanks for the recommendation!

I do want to reread Uprooted someday. No idea if or when that might happen. But I agree that leaving threads open is a Good Thing!