Around the World discussion

Finally got around to some planning for the year. Here are some ideas for reads from other challenges I am doing this year. Need to plug some holes, and I have no doubt I will deviate from this and end up in new and exciting places.

Algeria -
Austria - Leviathan
Barbados - Washington Black
Bosnia and Herzegovina - The Cellist of Sarajevo
Brazil -
Canada - The Year of the Flood, Déjà Dead, White Heat, Still Life
China - I Am China, The Dark Road, Beijing Coma, Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China
Democratic Republic of the Congo -
France -Irène, Suite Française, Peaches for Monsieur le Curé
Greece - The Penelopiad
Guyana - The Water Rat of Wanchai
Iceland - Ashes to Dust, Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was
Ireland - The Scholar, Faithful Place
Italy - The English Patient,
Japan - Out, The Devotion of Suspect X, 1Q84
Korea - The Red Queen
Lesotho - She Plays with the Darkness
Libya -
Mali - The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu and Their Race to Save the World’s Most Precious Manuscripts
Mauritius - Eve out of Her Ruins
Mexico -
Morocco -
New Zealand - The Bone People
Poland -The Last Wish
Russia - Metro 2033, The Last Watch, The Master and Margarita
Singapore - Crazy Rich Asians
Sweden -The Stonecutter, The Beast, Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End, The Blood Spilt
Switzerland -
Tibet -
Tunisia -

Looking forward to your amble, Rusalka :-) Suite Française is a great one.

Wow what a start to the year!!! I'm finally got myself together after unbreathable air, massive destructive hailstorms, incredible bushfires, and now dropping everything and working from home due to a worldwide pandemic. And getting to the, albeit very small, pile of books next to my computer to review and report. Urgh.

So far this year I have visited:
Greece - The Penelopiad
Guyana - The Water Rat of Wanchai
Singapore - Crazy Rich Asians

All have been 3.5-4 star reads. I recommend them all for very different reasons but you'll find something fun in that pile.

I have a few more floating around which I will get to tomorrow :D But out of the gates!

In true 2020 fashion, tomorrow lasted 3 months. SO Long I don't even know where I've been. Thank goodness for Goodreads to help.

I've been to China with Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China. First travelogue from the author and unfortunately it shows.

Went to Ireland with Faithful Place. The weaker of the three I've read in the series, but I hear four is great.

And to Sweden with The Blood Spilt. Don't even bother.

Rusalka wrote: "In true 2020 fashion, tomorrow lasted 3 months. SO Long I don't even know where I've been. Thank goodness for Goodreads to help.

I've been to China with [book:Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China|210..."

Well, the year is just like that. But you have been to quite a few places. I will have to check out the Ireland series.

Rusalka wrote: "In true 2020 fashion, tomorrow lasted 3 months. SO Long I don't even know where I've been. Thank goodness for Goodreads to help.

I've been to China with [book:Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China|210..."

Lol, Rusalka, besides tomorrow lasting three months, doesn’t sound like your around the world travels have been stellar. Better luck on the next read!

Lol thanks Lilisa. Nothing overly terrible (except the Swedish book). But that ever anticipated 5 star book just hasn't appeared yet...

Bosnia and Herzegovina - The Cellist of Sarajevo

Not quite up to the hype - I didn't laugh or cry, and didn't quite change my life. But it did make me think a lot about being human and surviving. And what on earth I would do, would I make it if my city was over run and bombed from the outskirts for years? Would I keep my humanity. Packs a punch still.

Lesotho - She Plays with the Darkness

Book about two siblings and their lives. Set up like short stories popping in and out over about 25 years. I was not a huge fan, mainly as I disliked one of the siblings. Some interesting ideas, particularly discussing this issue with cave art and the modern need to leave your mark. Can appreciate, but not for me.

Mauritius - Eve out of Her Ruins

Wow. What a little pocket rocket of a book. I am not a poetry lover at all, but this is how I want poetry. Mixed with prose, and an elevation to some really heavy themes.

I can see why Jenny still thinks about this book years on...

Barbados - Washington Black

Taken until September, but we have the first 5 star read for the year. A beautiful story of a child taken out of slavery and shown something other, the reality of hero worship, and reality of what is offered with freedom.

Rusalka wrote: "Barbados - Washington Black

Taken until September, but we have the first 5 star read for the year. A beautiful story of a child taken out of slavery and shown something other, the ..."

Yeeesss! :-)

Canada - Still Life

Finally got around to see what the big deal is with this series. Highly enjoyable with a readable main police partnership, which was refreshing.

About time R! Where have you been? 😂 seriously, glad you enjoyed it. IMO, the further along in the series, the better they get.

Lol under a rock, Lilisa! That's good to know :)

So the wheels fell off the end of last year. But just to tidy up loose ends, the other reads I read in 2020 but didn't get around to reporting then were:

New Zealand - The Whale Rider - 4 stars
Italy - Death at La Fenice - 4 stars
Mali - The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World’s Most Precious Manuscripts - 3 stars