Marilyn Boyle > Recent Status Updates

I got this book after reading Frozen River, based on Martha Ballard’s life. This book was a Pulitzer winner, and I already can see why it won. I will slowly be going through it, as I resort to history at night, when sleep eludes me. Already I am more entertained than I was by the historical fiction based on the same events and have a clearer picture of Martha Ballard. Wonderful interpretation of her diary!

I’ve been trying this as the first novel I’m “reading” as a audiobook. It’s not working. Not All’s Well or Yellowface. At least, when narrated. I may try to read it in print, just to see if it is as good as the hype. Right now, I feel generous to give it two stars.

DNF- the narrator was unpleasant, and a bit hard to empathize with, so I’m giving up.

Finally starting it after 2 years!

I’m moving this to DNF shelf. I can’t get up the enthusiasm to retread her older themes that don’t leave me completely satisfied. Toews seems to skirt around what she’s really trying to say most if the time, but still she’s a good writer.

Excellent so far, but I know it will be tough going later on.

DNF - good start but got boring, and insufferable after a while.

Didn’t like it. DNF

Great read so far!

The beginning of this reads so much like I enjoy hear psychological thrillers to be than the last book I read which was a Swedish ( in translation which can change things, as we all know) thriller. There is a puzzle and a complex but relatively likeable narrator that you believe ( nothing against unbelievable narrators- I adore them but only when I am fully aware of their duplicity ) .

Very much enjoying this in-depth account if the women’s interactions and the experiment that Radcliffe under took. These women in part were my heroes, although they struggled mightily with societal pressure. I wrote a poem for Miranda Pineda based on one of her sculptures that adorned one of Anne Sexton’s poetry books. I went to hear Sexton read and speak as much as I could at the time.

Great!

The Goodreads listing for this book is misleading. The subtitle, which does not show is Great Writers on How and Why We Write. It is an inclusive book, looking at the impetus of humans to write, a compilation by Literary Arts in Portland and published by Tin House. If Goodreads is going to list it by the first author represented alphabetically, as Literary Arts has done, it should be Chimamanda Adichie.

I’m going to have to go back later and reread I think as the flavour of his language is so distinct. So far so good.

Good. Different than his previous collection, not as richly layered, but that may be for the better. We’ll see in the end.

Finally starting this after it’s been on my list so many years. I am engrossed already and I thought I’d be quite the opposite. I love these finds!

Great so far !

I’m going to stick with it this time!!

I’m removing this one, although on p. 77. It’s slightly intriguing, but consistently ugly to read, and don’t want to continue for what seems another350 pages of it. There is a semi positive ending, as I sneaked a peek, but can’t risk making myself miserable 😩 until I get there. I may try later, because I know I’m missing shifts that are important, and life in that culture can be desperately hard.

Interesting so far, just have to focus on it, which is a big commitment of time. Just have to flow with it( but so worried it will be a big waste of time like Infinite Jest)! Please don’t hate me Wallace Lovers. I do like what he tried to do, but all of how he did it and not all his works.