taxman Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Finally finished The Book Thief. A moving end to an otherwise mediocre book. The narrative device (of death) really didn't do it for me. I enjoyed it. I liked Liesel, I liked Hans and I liked Rosa Hubbermann for all her outwardly negative features. The Jew in the basement was a bit contrived and we all know the big story isn't going to be a happy one but I did shed a tear a few times and didn't feel overtly manipulated by the author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffragette1 Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I enjoyed it. I liked Liesel, I liked Hans and I liked Rosa Hubbermann for all her outwardly negative features. The Jew in the basement was a bit contrived and we all know the big story isn't going to be a happy one but I did shed a tear a few times and didn't feel overtly manipulated by the author I loved Hans. And Max. And Rudy. And Liesel. I just found the narrative device a complete pain, it didn't add anything to the way the story unfolded. I also don't like getting glimpses of the future to then be thrown back into the present. And being a non-German speak the bits of German dialogue irritated me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeG Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Tried reading 'Blood Sympathy' by Reginald Hill. Boring - can't get into it, so after 46 pages I've dumped it. In a charity shop in York I picked up 'It's Been a Piece of Cake' which is a tribute to his favourite cricketers by Brian Johnston. I'll give that a go next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JA5E Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Just finishing off reading Slash's Autobiography. Very good and a must read for any Guns n Roses fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecanary Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I loved Hans. And Max. And Rudy. And Liesel. I just found the narrative device a complete pain, it didn't add anything to the way the story unfolded. I also don't like getting glimpses of the future to then be thrown back into the present. And being a non-German speak the bits of German dialogue irritated me. Finished this book recently too. I agree about the narrative device being irritating on occasion, but it was quirky, and probably the reason that I picked the book in the first place. If the jacket had said something like "this is the story of a young girl growing up with a foster family in Nazi Germany" I would probably not have bothered! I don't think it got in the way of me enjoying the book, so on balance, I think it was a good thing. Not sure why all the bits of German were necessary, apart from that if the swearing was in English it might have put some people off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReginaldD Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I am currently reading other people's posts on Sheffield Forum............. sorry couldn't help myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I am really enjoying The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks. It feels and reads a lot like The Crow Road, which is one of his best, but with a lighter touch. There is the familiar odd extended family story and the "cousin" who the main protagonist is in love with and a death in the past which will no doubt prove to not be as was first thought. All typical Banksian stuff:thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mills Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I have just started reading a book about Simone De Beuvoir. Some interesting stuff about her relationship with Sartre in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I've just started reading HG Wells' War of the Worlds again this afternoon. Might even watch the Jeff Wayne musical tonight, I've got it on DVD, and it was on Sky yesterday so I Sky Plussed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomaspaine Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Just reading wide sargasso sea by Jean Rhys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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