Katie > Recent Status Updates

Sorry — 26 chapters, not 19…😟

Not getting better — 19 chapters in, and what is supposed to be a story about her one trip to London to meet Will for his 30th birthday has so far been mostly about anything-but.
The little bit of time she has spent talking about that trip, we have barely left the bank of the Thames; all she does is complain about him, and not even in a way that is particularly interesting. If she loves him, it’s not believable.

I have to admit I am struggling to get into this one. As much as I love just about anything Shakespeare-related, this story (on Will and their marriage, as told from Anne’s perspective in 1623, seven years after his death) is just whiny and repetitive — and so far, pointless.

I’ve been wanting to read this for quite some time. Maybe my frame of mind is the problem, but I’m struggling to get into this one…and I’m thoroughly frustrated with Ada already.

It is interesting in parts, but I have yet to identify the line of reasoning in this memoir (occupational hazard of teaching essay writing to high schoolers). Is she going to end up writing about disability? Is this memoir that writing (that she didn’t want to do)? Why do seemingly-random people appear to be more involved, or at least have more of an impact on her thoughts and actions, than her husband & son?

I am not far into the book, but Joan/Jonah and I might just be kindred spirits:
“Mary gave me the OED for my birthday. She bought it at the Five College Book Sale at the high school. Every year, people give away their old books and you can buy them cheap. Can you believe someone gave away the OED? Maybe they died.”

My thoughts exactly. (The OED is my favorite dictionary.)

Can’t decide if I like the book or am irritated by it. Chapters are frustratingly short & alternate between the two characters, so progress is slow. Earlier in the book, each chapter at least advanced the story in small measure, but I’m currently stuck in successive chapters of each character trapped in their respective shelter after a bombing raid on the small French sea town where they are located.