Anonymous wrote:I am on Kin by Tayari Jones. It started not great but picked up and I'm almost done. The lines are close together so it reads much longer than 350 pages. She also wrote An American Marriage which I enjoyed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just finished Ian McEwan’s What We Can Know, and not sure what I think of it.

Set 100 years into the future after climate disaster has struck, but really about the lives of an imaginary poet and his wife from our times. The first half of the book focuses on the two academics of the future who are researching the poet/wife. Although the story should have hit all my buttons (speculative fiction, literary puzzle, check, check), the characters were all fantastically boring—left me wondering if this was intentional? The second half went back to focus on the wife and I guess served as a bit of a twist—certainly more interesting—but left me wondering what the point of her story was. Altogether I am not sure I “got” the book, and the whole thing read sort of like a rough draft.*

*Sort of an echo/draft of Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, which, however, succeeded in compellingly depicting the banal everyday surface of a horrifying future, was that the point here too?

I had mixed feelings about it. I've read all of Ian McEwan's books, and every time I read another one, I kind of wonder why. Agree that the characters were "all fantastically boring."

Anonymous wrote:Just finished the audiobook of Moby Dick read by Anthony Heald. Absolutely loved it. I borrowed from Libby so had 2 weeks to finish it which felt rushed at times. I plan to read a hard copy at some point.

I tried to read it years ago and did not get very far. The narrator brought the characters to life for me so I think a second try would be smoother than my first was. Thanks to DCUM bookclub for previous posts about Moby Dick which inspired me to try again!

Anonymous wrote:The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer - couldn't connect with the main character and found the writing a bit trite. DNF.

Clover is a death doula, who became intrigued by death after her kindergarten teacher died in front of their class. The story is her 36 year old present life woth frequent memories of her path. Could not relate to her perspectives and handling of her experiences, all felt very immature.

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Train Dreams which...wow. I'm not quite sure how to describe it other than a loose biography (?) of a railway worker in the american west. That feels very inaccurate but it was a really interesting read. Now starting Mrs. Dalloway because I've never read it and it's referenced so often (I see you, PP who recently finished the Wedding People!).

Anonymous wrote:Just finished Ian McEwan’s What We Can Know, and not sure what I think of it.

Set 100 years into the future after climate disaster has struck, but really about the lives of an imaginary poet and his wife from our times. The first half of the book focuses on the two academics of the future who are researching the poet/wife. Although the story should have hit all my buttons (speculative fiction, literary puzzle, check, check), the characters were all fantastically boring—left me wondering if this was intentional? The second half went back to focus on the wife and I guess served as a bit of a twist—certainly more interesting—but left me wondering what the point of her story was. Altogether I am not sure I “got” the book, and the whole thing read sort of like a rough draft.*

*Sort of an echo/draft of Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, which, however, succeeded in compellingly depicting the banal everyday surface of a horrifying future, was that the point here too?

Anonymous wrote:I’ve just started Buckeye by Patrick Ryan.
Slow start, but I’ve heard it’s quite good so I am invested.

Anonymous wrote:Just finished The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett - loved it. It reminded me so much of the parts I loved about Little Miss Sunshine movie!

Anonymous wrote:Just finished The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett - loved it. It reminded me so much of the parts I loved about Little Miss Sunshine movie!