I've been doing Throwback Thursdays for a while but I noticed that I wrote a lot of reviews in a short time when I first started. One of my blogger friends always posts the reviews of one month but that would be too much. So, these are my reviews from May 2012.
Dickens' way of creating suspense is incredible. I have often heard this was his greatest novel, and, even though I don't entirely agree (I love "David Copperfield"), I can very well understand that. The characters are described so vividly, their thoughts and actions, superb.
Drinkwater, Carol "The Olive Series" - 2001-2010
Carol Drinkwater has a busy life as an actress but that did not seem enough. She married Michel, a French TV producer and together they bought an olive farm in the Provence. This is a beautiful story where the author talks about her love to her husband and their love to the olive farm, the work such an adventure encounters and the benefits.
Gavalda, Anna "95 pounds of hope" (F: 35 kilos d’espoir) - 2002
35 kilograms or 95 pounds, that's exactly how much Gregory Dubosc weighs at the age of 13. Everything goes wrong in his little life.
35 kilograms or 95 pounds, that's exactly how much Gregory Dubosc weighs at the age of 13. Everything goes wrong in his little life.
Schami, Rafik "The Calligrapher’s Secret" (GE: Das Geheimnis des Kalligraphen) - 2008
There is a lot of history of calligraphy both in the story and the annex. And that was highly interesting. The author liked to build anticipation by giving away a little beforehand.
I didn't read this in a couple of days or even a couple of weeks, I read it in bits and pieces. I learned a lot about novels, reading novels and writing novels, the history of a novel, all sorts of interesting facts, quite fantastic.
Read my original reviews, for the links click on the titles.
I read Great Expectation and I didn't like it. I find the characters a bit hard to sympathize. Little Dorrit is probably the only Dickens book I actually like but probably because I saw the film adapation and associate the characters with the actors.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day.
Interesting, Lissa. I am a Dickens fan and like every one of them. I have not seen a film adaptation except for A Christmas Carol (several) and the Oliver Twist musical, so I wouldn't be able to compare. But, he doesn't have to be for everyone. My favourite is David Copperfield.
DeleteI think the Jane Smiley book could be interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you would enjoy it, Sarah. It's non-fiction. ;)
DeleteAnd of course my library system doesn't have it. Boo.
DeleteThat's sad and weird at the same time. She is a prolific American author.
DeleteI've never heard of her, but I mostly don't read fiction. The library has tons of her novels, just not this particular books.
DeleteWell, I guess you wouldn't have read her although she also has written history-related books. Her most famous one was probably A Thousand Acres though my favourite was The All-true Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton. She also wrote a trilogy about the 20th century but it was "too American" for me. I preferred Ken Follett's, it was more international.
DeleteI have heard of A Thousand Acres. But yeah, not my genres!
DeleteShe is a good writer but since you don't like fiction ...
DeleteOh wow, I'm currently reading Gavalda's book with one of my French students!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite by Gavalda is this one: https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/09/21/book-review-ensemble-cest-tout/
I preferred 95 pounds, Emma. Have a look here:
Deletehttps://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/gavalda-anna-hunting-and-gathering.html