All About Books discussion

Please discuss our winner here.

Yay! I will definitely join in on this one - I have heard much about it but have never read it!

This is a wonderful book! Can't wait to see your thoughts!!

Kirsten wrote: "This is a wonderful book! Can't wait to see your thoughts!!"

Looking forward to it Kirsten!

I have only read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas but I'm looking forward to this one.

This was one of my 5 star books in 2018. I hope others enjoy it as much as I did!

I’m glad to hear that Pam.

I loved this one! I look forward to seeing other readers enjoy it. 😊

I too have read The Boy in Striped Pajamas and can never forget its shocking end.

I have already downloaded this book, will be starting bit early because it is big for my standard.

Glad you will be joining Nidhi and Alannah!

And good to hear you liked it Patty and Pam!

February will be busy Greg, I hope to see you in buddy read of The Prophet also, both books will be good for discussions.

Nidhi wrote: "February will be busy Greg, I hope to see you in buddy read of The Prophet also, both books will be good for discussions."

Absolutely! :)

I'll be joining this one as well, but I'll be starting a little bit later than everyone else.

This is an amazing book and well worth it's high star GR rating. It just flows so easily and I stayed up a few nights just to keep reading it. So many issues explored in such a fantastic way, no one could've done better. The humor and dialogue was a plus. I highly recommend and can't wait to see your thoughts.

I really enjoyed this book even though the main character could be infuriating at times.

Hi!
I have had this book for a while, but have not read it, so I would be happy to read / discuss next month!

I plan to start reading soon, since it is 580 pages long.

Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition wrote: "Hi!
I have had this book for a while, but have not read it, so I would be happy to read / discuss next month!

I plan to start reading soon, since it is 580 pages long."

Great Terry and Charbel! Glad you will join us!

I will try with this one next month! your comments convinced me !!

Maria wrote: "I will try with this one next month! your comments convinced me !!"

Great Maria! :)

Hope I'll manage somewhere around the month!!!!

I started this one last night, really interesting so far.

Alannah wrote: "I started this one last night, really interesting so far."

Glad to hear Alannah! :)

And I'm so glad that so many are going to be joining in on this one or have posted their positive experiences with the book. I'm excited to read it next month!

It took me a couple of times to get started with this book. I fell asleep asleep while listening to it but while I couldn't sleep the other night, I put it on and got to Chapter 13, it's nice to actually read a book set in Dublin and be able to picture the streets the author is talking about. My sister and mum took me down there last month for my birthday. It is a lovely city. I will also be using this book for my read around the world challenge, although right now I'm just sticking to the British isles.

I didn't realise that this had LGBT themes, considering Ireland was very conservative about this, Northern Ireland even more so. (Let's just say the legalistion of gay marriage in Northern Ireland is younger than the COVID 19 pandemic, and is was only legalised because the British government were able to sneak it in while our NI government were on a three year hiatus).

Nevertheless, I'm finding it very interesting and hope to continue it while I'm working today.

Alannah wrote: "I didn't realise that this had LGBT themes"

I had no idea about that either Alannah. In fact, I know next to nothing about it other than that I have many offline and online friends who liked it!

I've just put this one on reserve at my library so I can join in. I'm number 3 in the cue so hopefully I'll get it started in Feb :)

Erica wrote: "I've just put this one on reserve at my library so I can join in. I'm number 3 in the cue so hopefully I'll get it started in Feb :)"

Hope you get it Erica!

I'm planning to start late this week.

I am on page 140, it is great having having a big chunky book like this to sink into...
I love the protagonist already, and even the obnoxious characters - the setting is so extremely sad that you are forced to see the humor in it. In fact, the conversation on pages 93- 97 had me laughing out loud in my chair!

Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition wrote: "I am on page 140, it is great having having a big chunky book like this to sink into...
I love the protagonist already, and even the obnoxious characters - the setting is so extremely sad that you ..."

I agree - there are a lot of great conversations in this book and clever banter.

Out of curiosity, what's the writing style like? I will be starting this later this month.

Charbel wrote: "Out of curiosity, what's the writing style like? I will be starting this later this month."

I plan to start tomorrow - I'll let you know what I think once I get a chapter or two in.

Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition wrote: "I am on page 140, it is great having having a big chunky book like this to sink into...
I love the protagonist already, and even the obnoxious characters - the setting is so extremely sad that you ..."

I love a book that can make me laugh Terry! Good to hear that there is some humor in it mixed with the sad parts.

Charbel wrote: "Out of curiosity, what's the writing style like? I will be starting this later this month."

Hey Charbel, I've only read the first chapter so far, but for me the style is more of a storytelling style with a strong voice. It's quite funny and direct. I am definitely enjoying it so far!

Totally agree with you Colleen and Terry, the dialogue is fantastic, very sharp and funny. The characters have a lot of personality! And I can't really know what Ireland is like since I've never been there, but it feels very authentic and natural to me.

I love Kitty's chutzpah!

Oh, I was so moved by (view spoiler)[Mrs. Hennessey's revelation (hide spoiler)] at the end of the 1945 section. What an unspeakable horror! And I was so touched by (view spoiler)[the compassion she showed Catherine (hide spoiler)].

This novel is such a wonderful mix of poignancy and humor!

The description of Charles & Maude Avery in the beginning of the 1952 section is absolutely hilarious!

Greg wrote: "The description of Charles & Maude Avery in the beginning of the 1952 section is absolutely hilarious!"

Oh yes! I loved that description too, they're interesting characters.

Greg wrote: "Oh, I was so moved by [spoilers removed] at the end of the 1945 section. What an unspeakable horror! And I was so touched by [spoilers removed].

This novel is such a wonderful mix of poignancy and..."

I found it interesting that the author wasn't overly descriptive in this section and yet, I knew exactly what they were trying to say at this point. I gasped once the revelation came out (trying to be as vague as I can to avoid spoilers here for anyone else).

Alannah wrote: "Greg wrote: "Oh, I was so moved by [spoilers removed] at the end of the 1945 section. What an unspeakable horror! And I was so touched by [spoilers removed].

This novel is such a wonderful mix of ..."

Yes, I agree Alannah - that part was perfectly done. Clear enough to be sure it was understood . . . and yet, handled the way a secret like that would be handled. Not fully unveiled.

Greg wrote: "Alannah wrote: "Greg wrote: "Oh, I was so moved by [spoilers removed] at the end of the 1945 section. What an unspeakable horror! And I was so touched by [spoilers removed].

This novel is such a w..."

Yes, that scene was perfectly done, but both experiences were so awful, uncalled for & sad!

Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition wrote: "Yes, that scene was perfectly done, but both experiences were so awful, uncalled for & sad!"

It's heartbreaking and chilling that people went through such things - indeed! Very barbaric!

I imagine that in those days there was not too much oversight so an uncompassionate priest could do some terrible damage. Probably it all depended on which priest was assigned to a particular parish as to how things were done.

The government corruption in the next 1952 section is pretty staggering too. The oversight seems incredibly lax.

I wonder if all of this is a legacy of the country's division and the relative newness of their ability to control their own destiny, being so recently under control by the British?

I'm about 1/4 done with the book now.

I'm still finding it highly entertaining. And Terry, I was also falling off my chair in some of those dinner party related scenes! Some other parts have been remarkably poignant; I do care for the characters.

Some parts veer into definite "tall tale" territory though. For instance, the moment at the end of the 1952 section where (view spoiler)[Maude hits the man from the revenue service over the head with her book, not because of her husband going to prison but for making her books "popular" (hide spoiler)]! That part felt like something out of a farce rather than something that's supposed to be taken as "real."

And good Lord, Julian! He is something else. I don't think I've ever encountered a character so highly sexed. Sometimes it veers into territory that's a bit disturbing, given that he's fifteen.

It's interesting the Irish history that is woven into the story. I'm enjoying that part. My knowledge was really sketchy; so it's encouraging me to look some things up.

So far, my favorite characters were Maude and Charles - they were so insanely inappropriate and also insanely hilarious!

I kept forgetting that Julian was only 15 in that scene - and what were they doing, drinking in a pub, anyway??

Maude and Charles are a hoot, but poor Cyril! To be told almost daily as a child that he "wasn't a real Avery".

Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition wrote: "I kept forgetting that Julian was only 15 in that scene - and what were they doing, drinking in a pub, anyway??

Maude and Charles are a hoot, but poor Cyril! To be told almost daily as a child tha..."

Oh my yes! If I knew an actual child raised in those circumstances, I would start crying!!

But the matter-of-fact way that Cyril accepts everything combined with the adoptive parents' completely bizarre and inappropriate behavior makes it hilarious somehow in this work of fiction.

I'm on pg 288, chapter "Loving Someone Else"
My heart goes out to Cyril -
(view spoiler)[I think he feels that Alice and he get on well enough, so he marries her to stay close to Julian. But how sad is that? I wish he would tell Julian about his feelings. Maybe Julian loves him too, but hides it by being so promiscuous with women. (hide spoiler)]

Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition wrote: "I'm on pg 288, chapter "Loving Someone Else"
My heart goes out to Cyril -
[spoilers removed]"

I definitely thought this too.

Haven't quite gotten there yet to open your spoiler Terry.

But his experience at the psychologist or doctor in the middle of the 1966 section was horrifying!

Greg wrote: "Haven't quite gotten there yet to open your spoiler Terry.

But his experience at the psychologist or doctor in the middle of the 1966 section was horrifying!"
OMG

I have started this book yesterday, and I could say that I'm loving it, as you have said this kind of tragedy with a certain touch of humour is a perfect mix.

The starting of the first part with the (view spoiler)[ priest setting moral when his is doubtful, she should go out of the town and the baby's father could be pardon for his sins (hide spoiler)] was terrible.
And the end of this part was very sad, (view spoiler)[ Seán and Mrs Hennessey's story teared me up (hide spoiler)] and at the very end, the triumphal entrance of this (view spoiler)[ new baby (hide spoiler)]. It had a bit of everything!