Book Lair discussion

Hello, everyone.

So did April fly by or is it just me?

We are a few days into May already and I am sure you all have some pretty fun reads ahead.

I have started with and am now reading .

During the rest of the month I will read something in this list: https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2017/0...

I will most likely try and follow publication date on my Netgalley list so I will try to prioritise and most likely try and squeeze in for a bit of sci-fi, to alternate genres.

What are your plans?

Wow, I'm pretty late for this thread for once. I just came back from 2 weeks in Mexico and Belize, where I was quite disconnected from the rest of the world.

I have been too busy for reading much, but I am currently still struggling through Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.

For the rest, we'll see when I'll be done with this book, but it's probably going to be along the lines of:

Oh wow that sounds lovely Melas, I hope you had a terrific time.

Those sound like great picks. I have Borne by Jeff VanderMeer on my TBR now.

Well, here I am, back in rainy Shanghai. Actually, I have been for almost a month now. And if the month of May was super rich experience wise, I can't say the same for reading. My tally this month was pretty poor. That is mainly due to the fact that it took me ages to read Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, but I am finally done with it!

The only other book I finished this month is From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island, which I enjoyed much more.

I actually got a lot of reading done because I was on vacation one week that overlapped May and June, so I finished:
(the illustrated one, but I can't find it) and which set me off on a Gail Carriger binge.

Melaslithos wrote: "Well, here I am, back in rainy Shanghai. Actually, I have been for almost a month now. And if the month of May was super rich experience wise, I can't say the same for reading. My tally this month ..."

Hi Melas glad you are doing well. What did you think of Women who run with wolves!?

Kandice wrote: "I actually got a lot of reading done because I was on vacation one week that overlapped May and June, so I finished:
[bo..."

Hi, Kandice how you doing!? Great collection there. Just reading Dune must be quite a feat! Mine is still waiting on the shelf. eh eh

Dune has always been one of my favorites. I actually listened to it this time. It took forever compared to reading, but was really good.

We've all been quiet here, but I'm good and hope you guys are too!

Sorobai wrote: "Hi Melas glad you are doing well. What did you think of Women who run with wolves!? "

I found it rather boring. Very repetitive. And mostly, what I didn't like, it's that her book feels like if what she is saying in it is universal to all women, but I absolutely did not recognize myself in it. So basically, I don't really agree with her thesis.

I think her book could have been much more interesting, or at least easier to read, if she was more "minimalist" in her style, not repeating a same idea over and over. I felt at time as if she were rambling.

Kandice wrote: "I actually got a lot of reading done because I was on vacation one week that overlapped May and June, so I finished:
[bo..."

"Neverwhere" is one of my favorite books ever! I liked "Dune" too. And of course, Harry Potter ^^

I don't know the others, but they look quite interesting too.

Melas, have you seen the television series Neverwhere? I have not, but everyone keeps telling me I need to.

Kandice wrote: "Melas, have you seen the television series Neverwhere? I have not, but everyone keeps telling me I need to."

Not yet. Same here, everyone says I have to see it ^^
And "American God" just got turned into a series too, need to follow that also!

I want to AG as well, but I don't have Starz. I actually subscribed recently to Hulu just for The Handmaid's Tale, so can't add anything else.

*sigh*

Melaslithos wrote: "Sorobai wrote: "Hi Melas glad you are doing well. What did you think of Women who run with wolves!? "

I found it rather boring. Very repetitive. And mostly, what I didn't like, it's that her book ..."

Hi, Melas, thank you for sharing your opinion. It is very interesting to me! Specially the part you said you didn't recognize yourself in it.
As for the repetitive rambling I felt exactly the same. I think the book could be half the pages or less to say the same thing. I guess it is because the author based the book on her thesis. Anyway, the part I most disliked is that I felt she was writting it for women readers only (my male perspective). There is a distinction in portuguese language between gender similar to english pronouns he/she/it but reflected in the words themselves. In which some things are male and others are female, which don't happen in english. I've read her book in portuguese language and I am curious to see how it sounds in english. Anyway, it got me by surprise since I never read another book like that in this regard.
The part that interested me the most in the end were the mithological references to traditions and traditional tales. But it felt like few and sparse researched in this particular.

Well, even though I am French, and we do have the same distinction in French, I did read the book in English. So of course, nothing as obvious as this. But it did seemed to me to be a book for women. After all, it is about "Women who run with wolves" and feminine psychology.

But where I had difficulties with it, it's that even though I am a women, I didn't fell like it was talking about me, when according to the tone and style of the book, it was trying to be more global.

Hi Melas,

That's why I liked to know your opinion as a woman. I am interested in the feminine psychology part, the historical tradition, myths, tales and legends and their meaning to us nowadays and to women in particulary.
I felt the book were writen to women not only because of that language difference I mentioned before. I also felt it was directed to women in terms of the Jung psychology analise. It frustated me many times as I felt I needed to see the male psychological myths and counterpart as well.
Could you explain better why you didn't felt it was talking to you!? Why you didn't identify with its views? Do you feel you have a basic instint that makes you wish to "run with the wolves" and do you feel that modern society is stealing it from you in some way!?
By the way, I didn't know you were french.
Aur revoir! Au bient tôt!

I didn't know you were French either! I took three years of French and can usually follow the gist of a conversation, but can't take part. I think it's a beautiful language.

Sorobai wrote: "Hi Melas,

That's why I liked to know your opinion as a woman. I am interested in the feminine psychology part, the historical tradition, myths, tales and legends and their meaning to us nowadays a..."

Well, I believe that this book is probably very interesting for women who has been stiffled in their growth, which we have forced to conform to some images that are not them, for women who lack confidence.

But not all women wish to "run with the wolves". I'll admit to not being a very creative person, and being totally fine with it (my mother actually regrets that I do not have more artistic sensibilities) . I do not lack confidence, quite the contrary. I have parents that have always supported me and let me develop as I wanted, pursue the goals I wanted, and not as regards to some predetermined image of what a woman should be.

So basically, I had everything pushing me to "run with the wolves", but actually have absolutely no interest in it. I like order and structure (but do not feel forced to stay by it if sometimes I don't want either).

So that's why I say that I do not feel represented in her book. And that the way it pretends to tell generalities about all women is a bit frustrating for someone who doesn't recognize herself in it.

Hi Melas,
Thank you for your view on it. I understand what you mean quite well. Very interesting! Thanks!