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Bronwyn wrote: "I started Possession by A. S. Byatt this afternoon. I’ve seen the movie, and am enjoying the book so far."

I read it last year and loved it, but it is a slow read.

I enjoyed Square Haunting and Possession was a novel I loved. I am currently reading Holy Disorders by Edmund Crispin. So much fun.

Carolien wrote: "Bronwyn wrote: "I started Possession by A. S. Byatt this afternoon. I’ve seen the movie, and am enjoying the book so far."

I read it last year and loved it, but it is a slow read."

I listened to it on audio, read by Samuel West, and loved it too!

Set mostly in the 20th century in rural Germany:
Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck - 4* - My Review

Just read Out of the Crowded Vagueness the odd-sounding title of a rare, well-researched history of three tiny Caribbean Islands that were once the richest part of the British Empire. Sugar, imperialism, underdevelopment, slavery and worker rebellions fill these pages. Maybe books like these have readerships mostly limited to niche historians, bookish tourists and those with modern or ancestral links (like mine) to the islands. But I appreciated the wealth of knowledge it offered about a too-often overlooked corner of the world. Link to my full review: /review/show...

I’m about 20% into Possession and am enjoying it overall. All the long letters and poems aren’t really my thing, but they’re not too bad.

I have Square Haunting in the wings. It sounds really interesting!

Bronwyn wrote: "I’m about 20% into Possession and am enjoying it overall. All the long letters and poems aren’t really my thing, but they’re not too bad.

I have Square Haunting in the wings. It sounds really int..."

I did really like Possession but ound it tricky to keep up with all the jumping around; time periods, letters, poems. Definitly worth reading, but probably not one I'd be in a hurry to re-read.

I've just finished Where Stands A Wingèd Sentry by Margaret Kennedy, a brilliant memoir written from her diaries from 1940. It covers the time the French lines were falling up until the start of the Blitz. A time when the threat of invasion and the thought that Hitler could win became very real.

I loved Possession - I know not everyone likes the poetry and letters but they're such an integral part of the story that it would be a shame to skimp on them.

I've just finished Love in a Fallen City by Eileen Chang: www.goodreads.com/review/show/4464369096

Roman Clodia wrote: "I loved Possession - I know not everyone likes the poetry and letters but they're such an integral part of the story that it would be a shame to skimp on them."

I agree with that. Whole chunks of the story would be missed out if they were skipped. I just found it made it a less cohesive narrative.

Has anyone here listened to the Radio 4 reading of Mrs. Dalloway that was on last week? Any good?

Yes, that’s how I feel, Tania. I’m not skipping them, but they take me out of what’s going on a bit.

I'll be reading Celia Fremlin's The Jealous One after I finish Come and Join the Dance and Play It As It Lays. I'm also slow reading Our Mutual Friend (with moderator Hugh), The Good Soldier Å vejk and Townie.
Sometime in February I'll start Marie Corelli's The Sorrows of Satan in another GR Group's Read.

Interesting discussion about Possession. I've had a copy of it for about 10 years as a TBR and never get the gumption to start it. I think most of my reluctance is that I'm a poor poetry reader (the word poor describes my reading ability not the quality of the poetry) and I would likely skimp on reading those parts and thus miss out on the full reading experience of it.

I'd still say it is worth reading, Brian. I don't have access to The Jealous One, but I've ordered Appointment with Yesterday from my library instead.

I finished the next book due to be published as part of Dorothy Project’s carefully curated list, a fascinating collection of short pieces by Cristina Rivera Garza New and Selected Stories by Cristina Rivera Garza

Link to my review:

/review/show...

I'm not great with poetry either but I enjoyed Possession.

I read a reissue of the first instalment of Konami Kanata's charming cat manga Sue & Tai-chan, Vol. 1

Link to my review:

/review/show...

Still plugging on Possession. I’ve slowed down as it’s back to the work week and I actually have to parent, lol. I received We Kept Our Towns Going from NetGalley today, though, so I have more incentive to read quick! :)

I've had a difficult day and I am sooo very tired, but I wanted to jot down my thoughts on the book just finished. It is a very good book and deserves praise.

The Tightening String by Ann Bridge,
My review: /review/show...

I have begun The Lincoln Highway, Amor Towles' latest.

Set in Minnesota in 1932 during the Great Depression:
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger - My Review

I just finished, and loved, The Shortest Way to Hades the second in the Hilary Tamar series, which we are buddy reading on Detectives. Really good fun.

Have started a NetGalley book The School for Good Mothers but not feeling any sympathy for the main character, so not sure whether that is going to work for me.

Set in California in 1983:
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid - My Review

Joy D wrote: "Set in California in 1983:
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid - My Review"

I listened to Evidence of the Affair this week and it was stunning, I want to read more by the author, but not sure if Malibu Raising is the best choice. Thank you for the review!

Chrissie wrote: "I've had a difficult day and I am sooo very tired, but I wanted to jot down my thoughts on the book just finished. It is a very good book and deserves praise.

The Tightening String ..."

I love what you say in your review about Tightening String, Chrissie, and I'm going to look for it. Thanks for taking the time to share about it.

Finished You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism and have gone back to The Reckoning: Our Nation's Trauma and Finding a Way to Heal.

I finished Rumi Hara's graphic novel Nori based on her childhood memories of growing up in Japan. The stories are not always totally effective but the images are memorable.

Link to my review:

/review/show...

Just finished this fabulous non-fiction about the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition, which set out to map a previously uncharted river in Brazil in 1913:

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard - 5* - My Review

Just finished The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation and have started another non-fiction book which has immediately engaged me: The Ticket Collector from Belarus: An Extraordinary True Story of Britain's Only War Crimes Trial . I think this one is going to be something special.

You're finding some interesting looking books, Susan - Ticket Collector looks fascinating.

It's a debut but the prologue was so well written and, although this is a pretty dark topic, I have to admit that much of it was darkly humorous. Had Boreham Wood not beaten Bournemouth this evening, I would have read more, but I don't regret watching 3 football matches today!

That’s the only one of hers I haven’t read, Carolien. I really enjoyed all Reid’s novels. Evelyn Hugo was my first and so has a special place, but some of the modern ones are really good too - One True Loves was really good. Malibu Rising is probably my least favorite.


I’m back to a good pace on Possession. The letters just killed my speed, but I’m past that chapter and it’s picked up again.

Just completed and very much enjoyed this one, published in 1998, which won the Booker Prize:
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan - 2/6/22 - 4* - My Review

Bronwyn wrote: "That’s the only one of hers I haven’t read, Carolien. I really enjoyed all Reid’s novels. Evelyn Hugo was my first and so has a special place, but some of the modern ones are really good too - One ..."

Possession has these chapters where you just need to get through it. Going to try One True Love next I think

Just started Killing Critics. I'm filling in the gaps in the series and may end up gradually reading the whole lot including those I've read; they're really njoyable

Killing Critics is top Mallory, Sid.

I've just finished Vladimir - my review is here.

Starting Play It as It Lays next, our group read.

I think I read Killing Critics - the description seems to ring a bell.

I finished Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's debut novel When We Were Birds she's been getting a lot of attention, and she's definitely a promising storyteller, enough to keep me engaged despite some flaws.

Link to my review:

/review/show...

Alwynne wrote: "I finished Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's debut novel When We Were Birds she's been getting a lot of attention"

Yes, that's been picking up buzz everywhere - something about it is not quite calling to me though.

I just finished Didion's Play It as It Lays - brilliant! www.goodreads.com/review/show/4334836546

Sid wrote: "Just started Killing Critics. I'm filling in the gaps in the series and may end up gradually reading the whole lot including those I've read; they're really njoyable"

I'm planning on reading the second in the series later in the month. I've only read the first one and enjoyed it.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I finished Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's debut novel When We Were Birds she's been getting a lot of attention"

Yes, that's been picking up buzz everywhere - something about ..."

I don't see it working for you RC, and it's pretty flawed as a novel or a fairly typical first novel, but there were a lot of ingredients that really appealed to me.

Alwynne wrote: "I don't see it working for you RC"

I appreciated your balanced review, anyway, and your assessment of its strengths and weaknesses, Alwynne.

I'm reading Celestial Bodies which won the International Booker a few years back. I started it before and didn't gel with it, this time it's working for me. Fascinating setting of Oman, somewhere I know very little about.

I currently have several books in progress

Blood Music - Greg Bear the February selection for The Evolution of Science Fiction group.

The Killing Moon - N.K. Jemisin the February fantasy selection for The Hugo and Nebula Awards book group

The Bone Collector - Jeffery Deaver my current non Scifi or fantasy distraction as a mystery/thriller. Annoyingly as a Kindle book the cover art has disappeared. Have several books where this has happened.

Shady Woods: Book one in the Shady Woods series - J. Mercer a recent Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Giveaway. A YA vampire/werewolf story I have barely begun. Not really my normal reading but I did win a Kindle copy so I feel I need to give it a go.

Catching up in the Hugo and Nebula group I am reading January's selection Parable of the Sower - Octavia E. Butler as the group is reading the second book this month Parable of the Talents

I do have some next reads I am hoping to get in this month

Sundiver - David Brin a Beyond Reality group mid month series read which carries over into March.

The Stranger - Albert Camus which is a reread of a book I read decades ago...when I was young.

Hoping to make progress in The Hollow Man John Dickson Carr a mystery that has been lingering around. Not that the story is bad. It's the Kindle layout. Small print and every single line is underlined by the printer.

There are a few more I will try to fit into February but it is the shortest month of the year.

I finished the recent English-language edition of Kim, Hye-Jin's Concerning My Daughter which was the subject of a heated bidding war won by Picador.

Link to my review:

/review/show...

Published in 1982:
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro - My Review

I finished Mona Arshi's episodic coming-of-age story Somebody Loves You, compelling and beautifully observed.

Link to my review:

/review/show...

I finished a fairly disappointing first novel by Nell Stevens Briefly, A Delicious Life I picked it up partly because I'd heard about it through following Stevens's wife Eley Williams online, and partly because it's billed as part ghost story and part queer retelling of an incident in the life of writer George Sand. But it never quite took off for me.

Link to my review:

/review/show...

If you enjoy "books about books":
Love, Death & Rare Books by Robert Hellenga - 4* - My Review

I finished Sara Baume's excellent novella Seven Steeples

Link to my review:

/review/show...

I am embarking on Henry ‘Chips� Channon: The Diaries (Volume 2): 1938-43

Finished The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, and here is my review:
/review/show...
I explain why I gave it three stars.

I had known nothing about Billy Connolly. Learning about him and his love of Scotland in Made In Scotland: My Grand Adventures in a Wee Country. It is interesting for me because I have Scottish ancestors on my mother's side.

Chrissie, I’m reading Scottish novels for the same reason. Right now I’m reading The Testament of Gideon Mack, by Scottish author James Robertson and waiting for his first novel, The Fanatic, to arrive. Most of my ancestors are Scottish (Fraser, MacKay, Sutherland, MacKean,) and my parents discovered that the MacKean that left Scotland in the late 17th century left because he was a Covenanter and his life was at risk.

I liked The Testament of Gideon Mack but was left trying to make my mind up as to whether it was true or not.