tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post1723627897764262509..comments2023-11-05T19:08:10.849-08:00Comments on Booked for LIfe: RIP XIV – WRAP UPRuthiellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-86495807939294520142019-11-08T09:42:47.208-08:002019-11-08T09:42:47.208-08:00Thanks for the comment Judith! I am glad to hear y...Thanks for the comment Judith! I am glad to hear you are adding Hangsaman to your TBR. I think it will not disappoint you if you admired that "what just really happened?" aspect of Jackson's writing. :DRuthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-52543956682855791992019-11-07T15:50:22.879-08:002019-11-07T15:50:22.879-08:00Hi Ruthiella,
I so admired The Haunting of Hill Ho...Hi Ruthiella,<br />I so admired The Haunting of Hill House--loved the ambiguities! I am right now inscribing Hangsaman on my list of books I need to read--pronto--but probably not before 2020. Thanks!Judithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435116453270981662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-84952417876173190822019-11-04T18:03:02.895-08:002019-11-04T18:03:02.895-08:00Thanks for the comment Jane! There is something ab...Thanks for the comment Jane! There is something about Christie that is incomparable, you are right. Even her weaker efforts are pretty good IMO. And she is very good at misdirection, I think. <br /><br />I am pleased with my RIP results! And since Snake Ropes had been languishing on my shelf for a few years now, I am really glad I finally read it at least. :DRuthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-31386200443688067682019-11-04T18:00:34.372-08:002019-11-04T18:00:34.372-08:00Thanks for the comment Carol! Appointment with Dea...Thanks for the comment Carol! Appointment with Death was pretty good. I hope you give it a try. :DRuthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-51326803107040946872019-11-04T17:59:47.996-08:002019-11-04T17:59:47.996-08:00Hi Janakay! Oyeyemi is definitely not cutesy and h...Hi Janakay! Oyeyemi is definitely not cutesy and heart warming in my experience. She definitely leans more towards the weird and dark side of fairy tales. <br />Ruthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-89520325426083808222019-11-03T14:26:26.806-08:002019-11-03T14:26:26.806-08:00I'm not much into horror, but love mysteries a...I'm not much into horror, but love mysteries and the Christie sounds so perfect I think I'll get it for next October's mystery month. I like inventive plotting and ingenious red herrings. She really is incomparable.<br /><br />Sounds like you had a better good RIP, Snake Ropes notwithstanding (the title alone gives me the creeps!).JaneGShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11094501834387622997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-63827998159159878802019-11-02T04:11:01.794-07:002019-11-02T04:11:01.794-07:00Oooh! That Christie books sounds great. 🙂Oooh! That Christie books sounds great. 🙂Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06820925595506920754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-61353090415276551582019-11-02T03:36:41.684-07:002019-11-02T03:36:41.684-07:00Hangsaman is definitely now on my "try again&...Hangsaman is definitely now on my "try again" list, as is the Christie you just reviewed. I almost bought Oyeyemi's What Is Not Yours when I first saw it reviewed but was pretty busy then and passed; I may reconsider that decision! Oyeyemi is just so much the flavor of the month and I'm just SUCH a slave to fashion that I feel morally obligated to give her a try! (besides, I don't want to risk missing a great new writer). I'm definitely susceptible to the fairy-tale/mystical strain of writing but it does have to hit my personal quirks just right, otherwise it strikes me as just too cutesy and heart warming (if case you haven't noticed, I tend towards the cynical school but try to keep it in check!).<br />Re Mitchell: I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes the half-hint and air of mystery beats the big reveal. Still, I've worshipped at the Mitchell shrine since Cloud Atlas and, as you say, I too am in for the ride! Janakay @ You Might as Well Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01154411723540805217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-29266351962403659632019-11-01T21:48:55.580-07:002019-11-01T21:48:55.580-07:00Thanks for the comment and the congrats Janakay!
...Thanks for the comment and the congrats Janakay!<br /><br />Hangsaman was a total win. I look forward to trying Jackson’s other three early novels soonish. I like her discomforting and off-kilter style. <br /><br />I did like The Thousand Autumns. It does delve into Bone Clocks/horologist/anchorite territory somewhat but it is also a really good historical novel and a rather tender love story. I definitely preferred it when I didn’t know exactly what was going on in the Mitchell universe – The Bone Clocks pretty much opens the lid on all the shadowy metaphysics - but now that I know, I’m in for the ride. <br /><br />Agatha Christie is a weakness for me. I can see where other readers would feel her books don’t live up to the hype. Appointment with Death would not be a bad place to start, however. The nice thing too is that novels are short. <br /><br />I would love to hear what you think of Helen Oyeyemi. I read Boy, Snow, Bird a few years ago and maybe a quarter of the short stories in What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours. I also have a copy of Mr. Fox that I need to at least try. Her style isn’t what I enjoy but I can understand how other readers love her work. Ruthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-12418859583486783592019-11-01T20:53:29.089-07:002019-11-01T20:53:29.089-07:00Thanks for the comment Judith! Technology is both...Thanks for the comment Judith! Technology is both a boon and a bother, isn't it. I hope you enjoy both books when and if you get around to reading them. I for one am excited about checking out Jackson's other early novels now. :DRuthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-83349910788865700942019-11-01T19:03:57.305-07:002019-11-01T19:03:57.305-07:00Ruthiella: congrats on reaching your goal! I so se...Ruthiella: congrats on reaching your goal! I so seldom reach any of mine that on the rare occasions when I do I find it positively exhilarating!<br />It looks like your RIP choices added up to some very nice reading. I was particularly interested in your take on Hangsaman. As I think I mentioned in a previous exchange, I had tried it years ago and set it aside. Sounds like I should definitely give it another try.<br />I've read Bone Clocks and Slade House and liked both o.k. -- intriguing idea, Slade House, a house that is, and isn't, there -- but don't think either novel is quite up to Mitchell's "straight" fiction (although I've yet to read The Thousand Autumns. You liked it, no?). Loved the Hotel California analogy BTW.<br />Ive read very, very little of Agatha Christie's mysteries; judged by how beloved she is, I suspect I've missed a lot of reading enjoyment. Maybe I'll finally give her a serious try; since I love evil characters, Appointment may be a good place to start.<br />Snake Ropes? Well, if I had world enough and time -- maybe! Those "separate plot strands that leventually ink up" things CAN be pretty good on occasion but when they don't work they REALLY don't work. I do think, however, that it's time for me to try Helen Oyeyemi. She seems to be everywhere these days and I've read none of her stuff.Janakay @ You Might as Well Readhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01154411723540805217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-69924549856616918312019-11-01T16:33:39.429-07:002019-11-01T16:33:39.429-07:00Oh, Ruthiella,
I just left a comment and hit the w...Oh, Ruthiella,<br />I just left a comment and hit the wrong button--how idiotic!<br />I am definitely making a note about the Shirley Jackson novel, as well as Appointment with Death. Thanks so much for letting me know about these two. <br />Judithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06435116453270981662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-69104495307835199862019-11-01T12:03:06.879-07:002019-11-01T12:03:06.879-07:00Thanks for the comment jenclair! If you try any of...Thanks for the comment jenclair! If you try any of the three I hope you blog about it and let me know what you think! :DRuthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-34263802847190640192019-11-01T11:19:40.400-07:002019-11-01T11:19:40.400-07:00Congratulations on finishing all four books! I ha...Congratulations on finishing all four books! I haven't read any of them, but the first three intrigue me.<br />jenclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046532245054911248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-11696691681637511462019-10-31T15:32:41.465-07:002019-10-31T15:32:41.465-07:00Thanks Lark! I love the excuse to read thematicall...Thanks Lark! I love the excuse to read thematically. :DRuthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-8664344878142619642019-10-31T14:01:32.681-07:002019-10-31T14:01:32.681-07:00Yay for completing RIP XVI. :DYay for completing RIP XVI. :DLark https://www.blogger.com/profile/13777891312147377769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-75464433319197472212019-10-31T13:57:20.442-07:002019-10-31T13:57:20.442-07:00Thanks for the comment Kathy! I think sometimes C...Thanks for the comment Kathy! I think sometimes Christie made her murder victims rather unpleasant so readers would not feel too bad about their deaths. <br /><br />I've also read We have Always Lived in the Castle and really liked it. Jackson does disfunction and off-kilter relationships very well. Ruthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-57310387337037473752019-10-31T13:49:59.493-07:002019-10-31T13:49:59.493-07:00Thanks for the comment reese! Slade House wasn'...Thanks for the comment reese! Slade House wasn't too creepy. If you've read The Bone Clocks, I would recommend it. <br /><br />I'm a little surprised I managed to read all four. I think it is because I told myself to only read one...this takes the pressure off and voila!Ruthiellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871834571645928819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-66439755442219614122019-10-31T13:26:20.580-07:002019-10-31T13:26:20.580-07:00Hi Ruthiella, Great reviews of these mysteries. I...Hi Ruthiella, Great reviews of these mysteries. I have read Shirley Jackson's The Lottery and her novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle and We have Always Lived in the Castle is some book. The Christie novel interests me. I hadn't heard of this one but Mrs Boynton sounds really terrible but evil characters are often quite interesting in novels. Kathy's Cornerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03967595794483824444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-927098956199060247.post-49236096259425083442019-10-31T11:29:07.779-07:002019-10-31T11:29:07.779-07:00I like David Mitchell, but I sort of passed on Sla...I like David Mitchell, but I sort of passed on Slade House because I'm not much into creepy things, but maybe I'll have to revisit that.<br /><br />Congratulations on sticking to your original plan. Very tricky that!reesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15818057262934008241noreply@blogger.com