The Mock Turtle

I'm rereading Lethal White after watching the Strike series on TV recently. I think I will read some more Ann Patchett next, maybe Commonwealth.

Penny Century wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 7:02 am I loved Commonwealth, Pip and Ella. I've been steadily working my way through every novel Ann Patchett has written since I read the Dutch House earlier this year, but Commonwealth is my favourite so far.

I think it might be mine too.

I've read loads of books recently but I don't have the brain power to list them.

I loved Outline. I have another of hers (I think the last of the trilogy) on my to read list but I agree they take some concentration to fully appreciate so I'm waiting until I'm in the mood.

I will persevere with it I think. It's the first of hers I've read since A Life's Work, which I read not long after my eldest was born and which I found very true and relatable at the time (worryingly so!) but I remember it got mercilessly slagged on mumsnet.

Pippedydeadeye wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:24 pm I really ought to read some Terry Practchett but don’t know where to start.

I adore his Discworld series although when asked I never recommend anyone to bother with the first 3 books. I think they may have turned me off the entire series if I hadn't already dipped in to others.


Mort is good. It's the 4th in the series but the first one "starring" Death.

Thank you!

Yes, the Death ones are the best

I'm on the Hypnotist's Love Story. It's ok so far but I don't like the narrator much,

Chicky wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:17 pm Yes, the Death ones are the best

I'm on the Hypnotist's Love Story. It's ok so far but I don't like the narrator much,

She got right on my tits to start with but less so as the story progressed.

Penny Century wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 11:08 am I will persevere with it I think. It's the first of hers I've read since A Life's Work, which I read not long after my eldest was born and which I found very true and relatable at the time (worryingly so!) but I remember it got mercilessly slagged on mumsnet.

I haven't read this one, sounds like it might be a good time for me to give it a whirl!

lorri_b wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 11:50 pm We read Middle England for book club and all really hated it. I found all the characters hard to connect with.

It was easier when they were young!

I need to re-read Commonwealth because i don’t remember enjoying it that much, at least not compared to some of the others.

I didn't enjoy Commonwealth that much either Elya - I can't remember why now though. I enjoyed her writing and found it very readable but I do remember thinking there were just too many characters in it. I much preferred The Dutch House.

I only bought Commonwealth because I saw it in a charity shop before lockdown and I knew she was highly recommended (and I’d read Bel Canto).

sally maclennane wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:27 pm

Chicky wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:17 pm I'm on the Hypnotist's Love Story. It's ok so far but I don't like the narrator much,

She got right on my tits to start with but less so as the story progressed.

I wasn't sure if I liked the book to begin with, hated it a bit in the middle but was really absorbed by the end.

I finished Commonwealth this afternoon, and really enjoyed it. Poor kids, all the adults were rubbish.

I’m going to start Small Pleasures next, after seeing it highly recommended on Twitter.

Pawpads wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 1:45 pm

Pippedydeadeye wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:24 pm I really ought to read some Terry Practchett but don’t know where to start.

I adore his Discworld series although when asked I never recommend anyone to bother with the first 3 books. I think they may have turned me off the entire series if I hadn't already dipped in to others.


Mort is good. It's the 4th in the series but the first one "starring" Death.

I agree about the first two, but I loved the third book, equal rites.

A nice little feminist tale of a girl who wants to be a wizard, when girls are usually witches - and it introduces the witches like granny weatherwax, who are great characters. I agree Mort is brilliant though, I do love the Death stories.

Equal Rites was great. I've read a lot of Pratchett but also forgotten which stories are in which books - they all blend into one in my head.

Finished Outline yesterday - I really liked it by the end. I think I'll read the whole trilogy, but I've got some non-fiction to read first - a Mark Epstein book about Buddhism and psychotherapy, and one about Maslow, because I heard the author (whose name I forget) on a podcast and I liked him, and because I realised that all I know about Maslow is that joke diagram of the hierarchy of needs with 'WiFi' as the bottom bit of the pyramid.

I don't mind the first two Discworld books - and they are both short. I agree that the series really gets going with Equal Rites though.

I've started reading the Patrick Melrose novels by Edward St Aubyn. I didn't really like the tv adaptation with Benedict Cumberbatch (I found it very uncomfortable viewing and ended up ditching it after a couple of episodes) but I'm finding the books much better, even though the subject matter is the same.

There are 5 short-ish books in one volume, so I'm interspersing those with other things. Currently Nights at the Circus which I've never read for some obscure reason.

I loved those books Flora. I got mildly obsessed with Edward St Aubyn after reading them.

Nights at the Circus is one of my favourite books ever

I've just finished The Map of Us, which was a sweet story, well done. I didn't realise until I'd finished that Jules Preston is a man, and that I tend to avoid Male authors.

I finished Small Pleasures today. It was kind of lovely, kind of sad, and I am choosing to believe it all ended well.