Books #12 Reading Chats
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finished sorrow and bliss. feel like i want to give it four stars for quality of writing and the wonderful supporting characters but, idk, i just couldn’t get on with martha at all. there’s a bit midway through where she sees patrick and, out of nowhere, mentions that he is “wearing a jumper i do not like”. so mean for no reason.
i think she felt cruel because we see her so much through her treatment of patrick, who really does nothing except love her and bury his head in the sand about her behaviour. she throws things at him, says awful things about and to him, tries to diagnose him with some kind of boarding school disorder… and yet at the end of the book she implies that they are “two people who have ruined each other’s lives”. like, what did HE do, martha.
i found the blame she put onto him, that he seemed to take, was unfair. and his description of her being the person in a room everyone wants to talk to was just completely at odds with what we were actually shown. i guess it was intentional to both write about someone with mental illness, but also to write about a partner who chooses to ignore all the “bad” stuff. i just didn’t want them to get back together, nor was i really sure about the whole baby subplot.
i found the blame she put onto him, that he seemed to take, was unfair. and his description of her being the person in a room everyone wants to talk to was just completely at odds with what we were actually shown. i guess it was intentional to both write about someone with mental illness, but also to write about a partner who chooses to ignore all the “bad” stuff. i just didn’t want them to get back together, nor was i really sure about the whole baby subplot.
the part with the physical violence towards Patrick was the part where I just didnt like it. I understand she was poorly treated by her first husband if you can even call him that but I didnt like it.
I understand Martha was not written to be likeable but I did feel like had that been a male character written and he had been physically abusive to his partner and it was all blamed on mental health, people would have a lot to say. I also wasnt sure about the baby plot either. The ending felt too neat for me for such a 'messy' book.
I understand Martha was not written to be likeable but I did feel like had that been a male character written and he had been physically abusive to his partner and it was all blamed on mental health, people would have a lot to say. I also wasnt sure about the baby plot either. The ending felt too neat for me for such a 'messy' book.
absolutely! it’s so casual too, and she notes that he’s been bruised as a result, but they both continue on with it. it’s like you say, i get that we weren’t supposed to “like” martha, and she did come across as a real person with some of her observations, but she was just so cruel to him. the moment at the end when he finally bit back a little was a long time coming, but you’re absolutely right that it would be a very different book with the genders reversed.
the ending was too neat for me in that it made no sense why patrick would go back? but i suppose he’d been in love with her his entire life. the baby thing didn’t fully convince me with the switch of “i actually wanted one all along!” and the appropriating blame that she didn’t have one.
i don’t know, i think i didn’t fully get the tone of it. i wasn’t sure if we were supposed to be happy that she and patrick reunited, or if it was a sad end given that they’d both listed how toxic their relationship was just before.
the ending was too neat for me in that it made no sense why patrick would go back? but i suppose he’d been in love with her his entire life. the baby thing didn’t fully convince me with the switch of “i actually wanted one all along!” and the appropriating blame that she didn’t have one.
i don’t know, i think i didn’t fully get the tone of it. i wasn’t sure if we were supposed to be happy that she and patrick reunited, or if it was a sad end given that they’d both listed how toxic their relationship was just before.
Thank you for thinking of me, we got the 2 for £7 from Asda, but that is an amazing price! I am still in full on HP mode
- I have overtaken my child and half way through The Goblet of Fire. It's on Libby and I have about 5 days to finish before it gets taken away from me 
Finished Dreamland 
Chance will stay with me for a long time. I know someone else had said they found it got a bit boring. I can see that, it didnt for me but I can see why as not much happened but that doesnt bother me.
The ending though, I know the reality of what probably would have to be written had the author finished it any other way but Id have loved something more.
Liked it a lot. Not quite 5 star for me but close. Brilliant debut novel.
Chance will stay with me for a long time. I know someone else had said they found it got a bit boring. I can see that, it didnt for me but I can see why as not much happened but that doesnt bother me.
The ending though, I know the reality of what probably would have to be written had the author finished it any other way but Id have loved something more.
Liked it a lot. Not quite 5 star for me but close. Brilliant debut novel.
I am not saying another word in defense of S&B because I am now wondering if I’m as awful and unlikeable as the main character 
I will say,@LaBlonde and @Caffeine Fiend, if you enjoyed the writing that you should look at her other novel You Be Mother, gorgeous story and far more likeable characters!
I will say,@LaBlonde and @Caffeine Fiend, if you enjoyed the writing that you should look at her other novel You Be Mother, gorgeous story and far more likeable characters!
you absolutely are notI am not saying another word in defense of S&B because I am now wondering if I’m as awful and unlikeable as the main character
I will say,@LaBlonde and @Caffeine Fiend, if you enjoyed the writing that you should look at her other novel You Be Mother, gorgeous story and far more likeable characters!
and i will! her writing is absolutely beautiful and i love her eye for detail, so i definitely want to read more of her stuff. i’ll keep an eye out for it!
Actual humans are shades of grey and we all have redeeming qualities against our perhaps not so great ones.I am not saying another word in defense of S&B because I am now wondering if I’m as awful and unlikeable as the main character
I will say,@LaBlonde and @Caffeine Fiend, if you enjoyed the writing that you should look at her other novel You Be Mother, gorgeous story and far more likeable characters!
Martha wasnt as fleshed out as she could have been and youre definitely nothing like a fictional character
Finished The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott. It was moving, the writing was excellent and there was a lot of moral ambiguity in the characters. Warning that it contains descriptions of injury and violence - more than I expected. Still worth reading.
I've started Uprooted by Naomi Novik. Has anyone read it? I'm 4 chapters in and want to know what'll happen next.
I've started Uprooted by Naomi Novik. Has anyone read it? I'm 4 chapters in and want to know what'll happen next.
Glad I got through Dreamland yesterday. Ive binged 50% of Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. I love me a cute ice hockey love story. Might be back on the reading track.
Meeting a friend for coffee later so will definitely be going for a browse in The Works.
Meeting a friend for coffee later so will definitely be going for a browse in The Works.
This made me chuckle
I finished Sea of Memories by Fiona Valpy last night and gave it 3*. Almost gave it 2* but the story finally grabbed my attention about a third in. Wasn't keen on one of the characters and felt there were too many gaps in the storyline as well. Think I've line up Ghosts by Dolly Alderton next so hopefully that'll be an improvement.
Oh. My. God. Im not ready, we need to wait slightly longer here.
The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean recommended by @ordinaryjelly thank you.
Currently readin How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent.
I’m about 20% in and not sure how I feel about it.
I’m about 20% in and not sure how I feel about it.
Full of tips
I can not stress enough how excited i am for this
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