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READING PROGRESS 2022
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Bookworm's Eatery - 2022
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Book 4:
Book 5:
Book 6:
Final thoughts & Prediction
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Gorab wrote: "This looks pretty interesting and meaningful reading. All the best!"Thanks Gorab!
Way to go Bookworm. Seeing how quickly you swallow down food,this is truly a cake walk for you.
Leena wrote: "Way to go Bookworm. Seeing how quickly you swallow down food,this is truly a cake walk for you."
Haha...Thanks Leena. Once the shortlist is announced, do give your prediction as well, if any of those blurbs will be interesting to you.
Btw, nice puns!! :D
Ive got a few of these that sound really interesting. Flamingo - im definitely reading.
Remote Sympathy - What a cover !! its fantastic.
The Sentence is another im looking forward to reading.
The Island of Missing Trees
The Bread the Devil Knead.
Infact if possible all 16
Leena wrote: "Ive got a few of these that sound really interesting. Flamingo - im definitely reading.
Remote Sympathy - What a cover !! its fantastic.
The Sentence is another im looking forward to reading.
The..."
Yeah. I like the fact that they're diverse. Not just covers but the titles are cracking too! (for eg: Build Your House Around My Body, This One Sky Day)
Initially, I thought of doing the longlist too in April but I may not be able to due to personal schedule. So, I'll just read the ones that really intrigue me along with the to-be shortlisted (in May).
Mod
As Leena said this is a cake walk for you. :D
Such an interesting undertaking Bookworm! looking forward to this! Hope to participate as well ;)
all the best, will try to pick at least one book with you. :)Thanks Em. I'm holding on to that. :P
Visalakshi wrote: "Such an interesting undertaking Bookworm! looking forward to this! Hope to participate as well ;)"I'm looking forward to your participation! Do try. :D
The shortlist is announced and here are the 6 dishes.1. The Bread the Devil Knead
2. The Sentence
3. Sorrow and Bliss
4. The Book of Form and Emptiness
5. The Island of Missing Trees
6. Great Circle
Pretty diverse and intriguing blurbs!
Update:Here's the thing, I misjudged my schedule and thought I'll be devouring these 6 books in no time. Looks like I was wrong.
On the plus side, I'm done with the Decade Challenge and have till June 15th to finish these 6. That would be the goal. But if things don't go as planned then I'm hoping to manage atleast 3-4 of these to have a decent chance at the prediction.
Bookworm wrote: "Shortlist:Item 1/Book 1: The Bread the Devil Knead"
My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I don't wanna spoil it with too many details, the review pretty much sums up my feelings about it.
Coming to the interesting part:
Predictions:
(will add more once winner announcement date is nearby)
Do I think it's deserves to be on shortlist - Yes
Can it win:
It might win, why? - Because it has a very unique voice and a bold character. We often wonder why someone would stay in an abusive relationship, the author helps us with understanding the character's pov and how so much of societal stigma influences our decisions.
It's still very much relevant in this age. That itself is one of its selling point.
It might not win, why? - Apart from all of its positives, the only thing that comes to my mind is - this novel has done nothing new for very avid and seasoned readers.
For me, it has made me feel and had me lost in Trinidad. But is that the case with someone that had previously read stories about abuse in similar execution? And do they think it still stands out from the rest in it's own way?
Do I want this to win: I cannot comment in binary because I have yet to devour the others. So for now, it's going to be a maybe.
Yes, why?
No, why?
Maybe, why?
Bookworm wrote: "Book 2: The Sentence"My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“I'd taken a pink eraser to my childhood and blurred the pain.”
“You can’t get over things you do to other people as easily as you get over things they do to you.”
“I am probably porous because it costs a lot to not be aware.”
The book does right by what the blurb says. The Sentence, asks what we owe to the living, the dead, to the reader and to the book.
To keep it spoiler free, I'm not adding any additional details.
Coming to the interesting part:
Predictions:
(will add more once winner announcement date is nearby)
Do I think it's deserves to be on shortlist - Yes
Can it win:
It might win, why? - Our main character, Tookie, is unique and after her time in prison she has learned to see beyond the obvious. By the end of this book, we see so many sides of her that the book immerses us in her as to who she is. Tookie is genuinely funny and the sentences of this book, specially the way she speaks and her inner-monologues are the winning point of this book.
The story touches upon so many key aspects that we individuals and also we, the society as a whole are dealing with or atleast are trying to act as if we're dealing with them.
It's an ode to sentences and books and bookstores.
It might not win, why? - I liked Tookie and though the author had in fact written things in sequence of time, there's so much to take in from this that it doesn't feel like it's complete. There's a sense of completeness and it does end with Tookie being her unique self but I felt like the book is incomplete.
Maybe, it's just me. Reading the book while managing my busy schedule might have messed it up or maybe I liked it enough to want to read more than what was offered.
Overall, I think this does have a very strong potential to be the winner just based on the topics it touches upon and ofcourse, Tookie!
Do I want this to win: I have 4 more to go. Hopefully I'll complete atleast 4 out of 6 books to answer this question better by June 15th.
Yes, why?
No, why?
Maybe, why?
Bookworm wrote: "Book 3: Sorrow and Bliss"My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“Everything is broken and messed up and completely fine. That is what life is. It's only the ratios that change. usually on their own.”
“And I wonder, is there any way you could come to see that what you’ve been through is for something? Is it why you feel everything and love harder and fight more ferociously than anyone else?"
“I have been unbearable but I have never been unloved. I have felt alone but I have never been alone and I've been forgiven for the unforgiveable things I have done.”
It did start out a bit strange but the more I read, the more I liked it's strangeness and in the last 10 chapters, it had wrecked my heart. Beautiful.
Coming to the interesting part:
Predictions:
Do I think it's deserves to be on shortlist - Yes
Can it win:
It might win, why? - It talks about mental illness in a unique writing format, I atleast felt that way. Reading Martha and the whole cast has been a pleasure.
It might not win, why? - Readers who are not satisfied with the way Martha is portrayed might not enjoy and gel with almost all of the story. The core of the story is Martha.
Do I want this to win: Even though I have not read the other 3 books and it's already June 15th, I would be glad if this won.
So, looks like I had jinxed myself when I was creating this challenge. Because with the unexpected onslaught of work schedule and also personal schedule, I have been able to complete only 3 out of the 6 shortlisted books.I had been looking forward to the Book of Form and Emptiness. Will still read it but as the need of the hour demands, I need to predict the winner.
Just based on the 3 books I have read, I would be glad if either of these win, because I did appreciate all of them.
But at the core of my heart, I might have to go with Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason.
Both The Bread the Devil Knead & The Sentence end up in a tie to a close second.
Now, considering the other 3 book's blurbs as well, what I think is going to win is
'The Bread the Devil Knead' - prediction rate 9.5/10
or
'The Book of Form and Emptiness' - prediction rate 9/10.
I know, I didn't rate 'Sorrow and Bliss', despite of liking it teeny tiny bit more, because I didn't want to jinx it.
What a pity you have to stop!Do let us know which book will win the Women's Prize. It looks like an award for only English writers.
Hey!Yeah, the writing is English, I didn't see any translation works. But 'the bread the devil knead' has been written in Trinidadian Creole dialect.
Dely, It was announced like 2 hrs ago, I believe,
"The Book of Form and Emptiness" won!!!
Did I just predict it 90% right?
I can't believe the blurb which actually drew me in, has won.
The only reason, I didn't read this first is because of the length and that's how the I managed to complete 3 of the shortlisted books by today.
Looking forward to reading this one!
One tid bit of info is that all the 6 authors were shortlisted for the first time.
Here's the link to the article: https://www.thebookseller.com/news/ma...
Bookworm wrote: "Hey!Yeah, the writing is English, I didn't see any translation works. But 'the bread the devil knead' has been written in Trinidadian Creole dialect.
Dely, It was announced like 2 hrs ago, I be..."
It's a pity that they don't consider also translated works written by women.
I've seen that there already is an Italian translation of the winner and it looks interesting, so I added it to my wishlist.
Yeah. The English version is the next book I'm going to read.
Looking forward to your Italian translation review!! :)
Indian Readers
Books mentioned in this topic
Sorrow and Bliss (other topics)Sorrow and Bliss (other topics)
The Sentence (other topics)
The Sentence (other topics)
The Bread the Devil Knead (other topics)
More...
I had an idea and wanted to pen down before my appetite distracts me and takes me elsewhere.
Most of us might be aware (if not, I'm blabbing anyways), the longlist for Women's Prize - Fiction 2022 was announced in March. The longlist is of 16 books and the announcement of shortlist (of 6 books) is on Apr 27th. The winner will be announced on 15th June.
On Apr 27th as soon as the shortlist is announced, the menu (consisting of 6 books) will be put up here. And I'll be onto them and try to devour all the menu items by Jun 15th. Each dish will be getting a rating and all kinds of predictions (will it win or not win, why it might win, do I want it to win, etc.).
All of you're welcome to have fun at this place and make your own predictions. Open to BRs as well. :)
While doing this, I'm hoping to find some great authors & books. In the longlist, out of 16, 4 are debut novelists. Excited to see the ones that'll get shortlisted.
Here's the link (for the longlist): https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co....