More June Reading

 

I really tried to get into this, but at Chapter 25 I chucked it in (8 hours in, 10 to go). Just too slow. I did like that the central relationship was a love between siblings - younger adoration of the older, starting as very young kids, then aging. That's quite different from most books that centre aroung love and marriage. I think she made wonderful asides and comments on life and philosphy, quite ahead of her time.  Even on simple things of human nature like the keenness of Tom to be able to shave to show his manhood. I really loved the bit where Maggie runs off to join  the Gypsies. That whole scene was hilarious, and insightful on youth and naivety.

However, it just took too long to get there. By the time we hit the hard times and the money problems, I just felt I couldn't push through. I did read the summary and I feel I probably quite when it ramped up, and perhaps if I started at book 2, I would have read the rest.

We did this for bookclub. It's good but I found it very heavy going. So it's a good book but it's not a fun read. It is clever so if it wasn't based in reality of millions of people, it would be an engrossing read, however, it's all too real so distressing at times. It's an excellent read, but I would recommend it if you're not already overwhelmed by the state of the world. I would say it's full of hope and quite positive. I learnt a lot - either I didn't know or I just hadn't thought about it. 

 If you do read it, here's a talk by the author. 

This little book was making it's way to the street library so I gave it a read. It's a small picture book, there are 12 in the series and this is the third. It has questions for creative writing and also for drawing at the end. It has fun library facts at the end. My favourite being the longest over due book was out for 288 years - 1668 and returned in 1956!

The story itself I think is to inspire creativity and imagination. It's left for the reader to do the work, or take it further. I think this would be great for teachers, actually. 

I heard about this when my library emailed about a Queer Bookclub they were starting. I was curious what the book would be about.

It's actually more about a bad affair (married man, young women) from the woman's point of view. It starts out fun junk romance book and becomes in the second half more interesting in it's complexity. I enjoyed it and read it quickly (listened to it quickly).

This is a children's book but I will admit I found one of the puzzles too hard! I got it in Hobart for the plane home, thinking I need to do more puzzles as I'm becoming stupider by the day. I thought it was an adult book but it's not. It's a choose your own adventure, solve the puzzles mystery book....Good fun for young and young at heart.

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