General Chat

I haven't read anything..for ages Ann I haven't had time , writing all the time .. Hayley x

The Pact - Jodi Piccoult Just realised I haven't written my review for this one. Obviously it was a while ago now so I will do my best. This is the second book I have read by this author, and what I now realise is that Jodi Piccoult's forte is the court room scenes. These bits have kept me absolutely gripped in both books. However, what let the book fdown for me was the fact that I didn't seem to be able to feel any sympathy for the bereaved parents. I know the story was mainly centered around Chris, but I didn't feel that the author made any attempt to make us understand what Emily's parents were going through. Perhaps Jodi Piccoult hasn't suffered a loss such as that so doesn't know how to write about it........or maybe she has and couldn't write about it??? Or maybe she thought it would detract from Chris's story. Whatever the reason, I did feel it was sorely lacking in that department. On the whole though I did enjoy the book and would certainly read another one of hers

Sorry Ann I only managed to read 1984 this month - will try to read the pact tho' as enjoyed the other Jodi Picoult book! 1984 Well it is probably 15 or so years since I last read this book and it is probably even more frightening now than then! The idea of Big Brother' watching us is becoming a reality! It is a gloomy book and I still so wanted Winston and Julia to win through but knew this didn't happen. Perhaps Orwell was a pessimist (or maybe a realist) and I'm not, so still have faith in the human spirit but the nature of today's media and governments - does make me shiver! I did read that Orwell wrote this book when he was dying from TB hence the depressing tone of the book and as a warning about the spread of Russian Communism. A Book I think everyone should read! Fingers well and truly crossed this book never gets it right about the future! Kaz x

nudge up for those still missing

Just had a quick look at those that were involved last month and there's Jenny, Hayley Louise, and Lily that don't seem to have added. There's also Talula Lula but I guess you'll have to ask Lin about that one!

There's Kaz to come yet Ann

Any more? Can anyone refresh my memorie if anyone is missing from the reviews please? Ann Glos

I have lost track, is there anyone else to come? Ann Glos

Review Shadow of the wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Three weeks since I finished this while waiting to go to the airport pre Lanzarote so I am having to think back. I thought the book was a good read although sometimes a bit stilted due to the fact it was not originally written in English. Sometimes I felt there were too many characters, too much going on and I got a bit confused. I could not believe in the character of Clara for some reason, and didn’t like her, but maybe we were not meant to. I liked the way that Daniels life mirrored Julian’s. And I thought Fermin’s character was believable. Once I got into it I was intrigued by the story and enjoyed it. But, because it was so wordy I am not sure if I would read any other of his books. apologies but I didn't get round to reading 1984, I think I have already read it many years ago but don't remember enough about it to comment. Ann Glos

Glad someone liked The Shadow of the Wind too! I loved it and found it very brooding. The wordiness, adds to the build up for me. The Pact I found a real page turner but the ending was just too twee and for me this spoiled the book. I though it dealt with the secrecy and long term effects of abuse very well although I did find the parents approval and expectation of their children's relationship somewhat unlikely. I'd probably read another of her books but wouldn't necessarily dash out and buy them all. 1984 I'm about a third of the way through (started reading it on the train yesterday) and really enjoying it. I've managed somehow never to read this or see the film so it's all new and quite fascinating. I imagine it's going to be pretty depressing though and am trying not to read anyone else's reviews until I've finished it. Daisy

Hi Ann im still here lol The Shadow of the Wind Looks like im in the minority here - absolutely loved it. The descriptive writing really flowed i thought. The characters had depth, and i loved Fermin - thought he was a rouge(sp). I couldnt believe actually how quick i read it. Have enquired at local library if there is anything else by author - have another on order so will let u all know lol I have always wanted to visit Barcalona and this book has made me want to go even more - the period that the book was set also fascinates me and as ive already said really enjoyed this one. 1984 Read this many years ago at college for A level English Lit. Didnt enjoy it as a set text but this time reading it for leisure was a different story. I became fascinated by Winstons struggle but as i read on i remembered how it ended and began to feel quite sad. If nothing else this book shows the futile struggle against a regime - and that all history is, as we know lol, is something written down by someone else. Makes you think about our own future and others will view our present. The Pact Sorry - just couldnt get into this one - think i was all read out with the other two. Promise - must try harder lol

Review The Pact by Jodi Piccoult As with all her books, you start reading what seems to be just another novel, but it is not long before you are sucked in and can’t put it down. Again a book about relationships –she is so good at those-, husband/wife, wife/neighbour, neighbour/neighbour, boy/girl, parent/child. Young neighbours brought up as siblings making their relationship appear incestuous. A girl damaged by abuse in childhood, how sad that despite all the close relationships she was unable to tell anyone because she felt ashamed. It showed the danger of living too closely with another family, the problems that can be caused. Then the trial, so well written, so believable, except for the verdict, I am sure Chris would have been found guilty. Interesting to see how the American law system works too. I found it interesting to read how Jodi Piccoult researches her books and how she writes them. Her research shows in the meticulous detail, especially in the parts where she describes Chris’s life in gaol.. I thoroughly enjoyed it, she mentioned it being made into a film, will look forward to it. ann Glos

Ann.......if you're referring to the new site, the only thread I can see about books is in Hobbies. It's mainly recommendations so I don't think we will have lost anyone to it ;-) The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon If waffling on was an Olympic sport this author and his characters would be gold medal winners! And that Fermin character.....I could have throttled him! I don't know if it was the fact that the book was translated from Spanish to English, but the author seemed to take two pages to say what could have been said in two sentences! Having said that, I did quite enjoy the story itself. I did feel that some of the characters could have been explored a bit more though. For instance, I couldn't quite see the attraction of Bea......or the blind one whose name escapes me right now! Maybe Daniel just liked women with no depth of character! lol For all it was an enjoyable story, due to the rambling style of the author, I won't be in a hurry to read any more of his books. The Pact - Jodi Picoult Still reading this one. Will review when I have finished I don't think I'll get round to 1984 this month I'm afraid!

I haven't seen an alternative! mind you, I haven't looked for it !! I am definitely going NOWHERE Ann :-)) here are my reviews .... The Pact by Jodi Picoult This is the second Picoult book we have read for Greaders and I have to say I enjoyed it just as much as Vanishing Acts. I couldn’t put it down! Brilliant idea, beautifully written, full of suspense and emotion. I was convinced that Gus and Michael were going to get it together, right up until the point when they didn’t! I was had my own ‘theory’ of what happened with Chris and Emily, which was completely blown out of the water lol! If I had to make any criticism, it would be the ending. I didn’t really ‘believe’ the verdict, it all seemed too simple, too perfect. In her interview at the end of my copy, Picoult said she did it because she “envisioned readers sending me hate mail” – I think she should have been a little braver and a little more honest! It reminded me a little of The Lovely Bones in the way it was set entirely after the death of the main character. In fact it has inspired me to re-read that, and I will be suggesting it for one of our books next month. I continue to be in awe of the courtroom scenes – I was sure that she must have had a career as a lawyer, but she hasn’t, so I don’t know how she gets her inspirations for those clever speeches and questions! I will be making a real effort to read her other books as I think she is a fantastic storyteller. Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell I enjoyed this, although I did find some of it a bit tricky. Especially Goldstein’s book – a bit too deep for me lol. Before I started it I thought I had read it before, but now I’m not sure! I must admit it did remind me of a book we read recently – I’ve been struggling to think what it was so I looked it up on here and it was Brave New World. I wonder which was written first! Did they both have similar ideas at the same sort of time, or was one inspired by the other? It was I suppose quite a depressing book really – you knew from the start that there wouldn’t be a happy ending. I wasn’t sure about O’Brien from early on, but I was also sceptical about Julia – turned out I was half right! I think I understood most of the ideas, but some of it was a bit much for me. I would like to think that it couldn’t happen, but I suppose it is just an extension of society under the Nazi’s or in some of the ultra-Communist states. Going to have to get the film now – I’ve never seen it and would be really interested to see how they translated it to the screen. Ps … I have now seen the film – the remake that was actually filmed in 1984, with Richard Burton, in what must have been his last role, as O’Brien and John Hurt as Winston. I thought it was even more depressing than the book lol it suited my mood perfectly today!! I would still like to see the original – I think it was Orson Welles? Will have to keep my eyes out for it being shown on TV. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz de Zafon I read this a while ago and can’t remember too much detail I’m afraid. I do remember that I quite enjoyed it, but it was very wordy and a bit too long imho. I also thought some of it was a bit far-fetched I seem to remember. Very dark and brooding lol. Sorry that I can’t write more, but I couldn’t have re-read it! Maz. XX

Hi Ann Here are two reviews, I have ony recently started reading 1984, hope to review that at some point The Pact A delicate subject handled sensitively. Child abuse is always a painful subject to read about, and the almost incestuous relationship between Chris and Emily was also quite a difficult one to portray. The author had researched well, or possibly was writing from experience. It was interesting the way in which the two sets of parents coped with the death of Emily, and their realisation that they had never really understood what was going on in the lives of their children. Sad that the girl should have gone to her death unable to disclose what had happened, but it is so often the case with abused children. An interesting book, but not one I really enjoyed ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Shadow Of The Wind I found this book very hard going, and was on several occasions tempted to give up on it. I did however finish it and although I am glad I persevered I did not enjoy it Far too complex, and not very believable, sums it up for me. One or two things struck me The description at the start of the book about the cinema being an invention for entertaining the illiterate masses and at the end of the book it is the TV that is filling that role. The author points out that the art of reading is slowly dying and that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us. An interesting concept. This was another book that touched on incest, wife beating, and abnormal relationships, and it did make me wonder why authors these days seem so preoccupied with such things. Maybe it is because it is far more prevalent than we think. Personally I prefer escapism in the books I read, possibly as I have seen too much heart ache caused by broken families and abuse. The characters of those young men, from different backgrounds, who were thrown together during their school years, seem to have been influenced by their experiences at school, and the author certainly had good insight into the way people from different backgrounds interact. Fumero was an odd child, and certainly went on to be a larger than life adult. The other character who suffered in his later days was of course Fortuny, the guy who raised his wife’s illegitmate child. Not a book I enjoyed, maybe, had it been written in English and not translated it would have been better, who knows!!

Daisy If you type Greaders into the search box at the top you will find quite a few examples of reviews. *dashes off to look for books and write a review!*

Hi Ann Well I'm half way through 1984 but have read the other two and will try to review them asap. I've got a few hectic days ahead so bear with me as I'm not sure what the form is with reviews. Have you any examples you can show me as I'm a review 'virgin'? Daisy

Do we still have a team? I have been told there is an alternative book club elsewhere so have we lost members through this? A great pity if we have. Anyway to those still interested would you please now review the books you read in September. Just opened the computer up after 3 weeks away so I will do my reviews later but wanted to get this off the ground. Ann Glos