The Mock Turtle

It's on my pile, Morgs. But I'm still reading The Passenger.

I'm not sure I'll attempt it. I don't know if I want to be in two book clubs anyway. Pre lockdown I'd have thought that was a great idea, but I lost my reading mojo and it hasn't fully recovered. I think the pressure of having to read two books would risk it going altogether. The other book is the Hilary Mantel autobiography, so I reckoned they'd be different enough, but I don't know.

I'm plodding through the School for Good Mothers but finding it rather bleak and depressing. Also, I don't think I would like Frida IRL. Curious as to how it will end...

I finished it last night. It was quite depressing, wasn’t it, but actually so much truth in it too. I didn’t like the ending but I’m also not sure I know how I would have liked it to end.

Definitely need some light fluff next!

I decided against School for Good Mothers and bought Little Fires Everywhere which I’m most of the way through now. I really love it.

I finished the School for Good Mothers although I’m not sure I understood the ending. It was quite depressing, and I don’t think I would have liked Frida either. What she did was quite unacceptable really (but obviously the punishment was awful).

I'm never going to recommend a book again on this thread! Argh, sorry to all you Turtles who haven't been keen on it. Don't read The Passenger either!

Ha sorry lazz! I gave it 3/5 so did get something out of it!

Poor Lazz.

I’ve done some weeding in the library today; the patient trolley wanted donations so we’re going to send some their way. Which led to me browsing our shelves and I’ve picked up Queenie, Birdcage Walk by Helen Dunmore and a Margaret Drabble.

I’m reading a Lynne Truss at the moment, a Constable Twitten mystery, set in Brighton in the 50s. Seems cosy enough so far.

lazzbo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:00 pm I'm never going to recommend a book again on this thread! Argh, sorry to all you Turtles who haven't been keen on it. Don't read The Passenger either!

Sorry! I did enjoy it, and thank you for the recommendation .

It's about reading something interesting that you might not have previously chosen isn't it. Like book club, Lazz. I once had to read Catch 22 for book club, just saying Continue with all recommendations.

Is it Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger?

I bought Mr the two book set for his birthday and I'm looking forward to reading it.

lazzbo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 12:00 pm I'm never going to recommend a book again on this thread! Argh, sorry to all you Turtles who haven't been keen on it. Don't read The Passenger either!

We can't all like the same thing, if we did then life would be boring.
I rely on the recommendations on this thread, to stop me reading the same genre this year.

Thanks lads! Ella, we must be broken inside. I shall try to recommend less depressing things as the year goes on.

Lazz, even though I find the storyline rather depressing, I am so glad I was inspired to read it because it has given me food for thought and I love trying a different author, different writing style. I also rely on you lot to get me reading wholly new stuff, so never stop recommending!

Oh, you haven't half cheered me up on this thread, Turtle readers. Ta.

Chicky wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 11:58 am I finished the School for Good Mothers although I’m not sure I understood the ending. It was quite depressing, and I don’t think I would have liked Frida either. What she did was quite unacceptable really (but obviously the punishment was awful).

It was definitely unacceptable but I guess the point was that the way it was dealt with didn't end up helping anyone. Much better to understand why it happened and support someone so it didn't happen again. She obviously had mental health issues to have done it.

I'm glad I read it despite it being a bit traumatic.

wendy james wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 10:18 am I need to… start on Marzahn, Mon Armour for the next book club. Somebody just posted to say she can’t read any more and doesn’t want to discuss it “due to the chiropody angle”, so I’m intrigued.

I’m really enjoying this but understand why somebody who doesn’t like to think about feet can’t cope. Each chapter details a client and the work done by the chiropodist narrating from the former GDR.

I finished a Kindle First Read that was utter bilge. I rarely use the kindle app on my phone anymore (and have ordered a payday treat kindle ) so it’s been dragging on since July. Awful book about a murdering perfumer. Not a patch on Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

Morganna wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:44 pm Has anyone read The Island Of Missing Trees?

I liked this, but it wasn't brilliant. It seemed to lose pace, then pick up, then drop again, and I don't think she managed to make all the characters wholly real. But I did like it enough to think I'd bother with her others if I came across them. So a lukewarm recommendation. I have read things that are a lot worse.

I am having a break from Golden Age detective fiction, as there's only so many times you can be faced with 'locked room, eight suspects' before losing the will. I'm on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which I am racing through. I have been warned it was finished by someone else, and am expecting fizzle shortly. I also picked up The Shipping News at Bookcycle, though I did not net lose books (took three came back with three) which was not the original plan.

Bat Macdui wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:27 am

Morganna wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:44 pm Has anyone read The Island Of Missing Trees?

I liked this, but it wasn't brilliant. It seemed to lose pace, then pick up, then drop again, and I don't think she managed to make all the characters wholly real. But I did like it enough to think I'd bother with her others if I came across them. So a lukewarm recommendation. I have read things that are a lot worse.

10 Minutes 38 Seconds In This Strange World is brilliant - I enjoyed it so much. My friend's husband loved it as well, but then went to try some of her other books and said they weren't a patch on that one though. I do still want to read The Island of Missing Trees though.