Tournament of Books discussion

Get your predictions in!

This is a tough match-up for me. I haven't read either book but both sound interesting in very different ways. I think this round will be judged on inventiveness or literary quality. I'm going to predict an upset and go with Shining at the Bottom of the Sea (which will allow my Oscar Wao champion pick to have an easier pass through the tourney).

I agree they both sound interesting which makes it tough to pick without having read them. I'm going with Run since I know of at one person who liked it.

I liked Run, but at times, the dialogue and the convenient coincidences made me cringe. I just read the NYT review on Shining at the bottom of the Sea, and I'm going with it.

I don't like calling things having not read both of the books. But I had a lot of issues with Run, both in the way it was written and the story itself. A lot of the backstory seemed much more interesting and dramatic than the 24 hours in which the story is set. And some of the racial themes brought up seemed overly stereotypical (especially as I've lived in Boston). So I guess I'll cast my vote for Shining.

I'm letting Publisher's Weekly reviews choose this one for me since I've not read either book. With a starred review written by a guest reviewer, I'll give it to Ann Patchett's Run.

I have no idea! So...Shining, I guess.