12-10-2009, 04:28 PM | #16 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 54
Karma: 38
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Waterloo, Canada
Device: Sony PRS-505 (Red)
|
|
12-10-2009, 04:37 PM | #17 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 8,501
Karma: 64095689
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Harrisburg outskirts
Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1
|
Quote:
|
|
Advert | |
|
12-10-2009, 05:38 PM | #18 | |
Groupie
Posts: 165
Karma: 2136526
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Tampa, FL
Device: Kindle Oasis 2019, Kobo Libra H2O
|
Quote:
Thanks for all the suggestions!!! Lots to choose from now! |
|
12-10-2009, 05:51 PM | #19 | |
Groupie
Posts: 165
Karma: 2136526
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Tampa, FL
Device: Kindle Oasis 2019, Kobo Libra H2O
|
Quote:
Thanks for the suggestions! |
|
12-11-2009, 02:13 AM | #20 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,952
Karma: 213930
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Middelfart, Denmark
Device: Kindle paper white
|
The pillars of the Earth is a great book, so - yeah - just read it!
|
Advert | |
|
12-11-2009, 02:25 AM | #21 | |
Wizard
Posts: 4,395
Karma: 1358132
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3
|
Quote:
I can't resist any opportunity to express my loathing of it - sorry. I always think of it as similar to John Fowles' 'The French Lieutenant's Woman'; which I thought a much better read. I'd also highly recommend Alasdair Gray's 'Poor Things' - a brilliant variation on the Frankenstein story. Last edited by Sparrow; 12-11-2009 at 02:29 AM. |
|
12-11-2009, 02:56 AM | #22 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,413
Karma: 13369310
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Launceston, Tasmania
Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet
|
Quote:
Regards, Alex |
|
12-11-2009, 03:38 AM | #23 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,490
Karma: 5239563
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Denmark
Device: Kindle 3|iPad air|iPhone 4S
|
Quote:
Seriously, why? I mean, 'loathe' is a strong word - I can't even think of any book I loathe. You can't just drop in here and 'loathe' a book without an explanation Byatt is a literary author, and I know people who've stumbled over this aspect of her writing. Personally I like her so much because she's such a visual writer, both metaphorically and literally. If you think there is a theme, or that a colour or a name has a certain meaning or connection, you're probably right. For me at makes the stories a bit like puzzles. They are so very interesting. |
|
12-11-2009, 04:41 AM | #24 | |
Wizard
Posts: 4,395
Karma: 1358132
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3
|
Quote:
And the characters were intensely annoying as well. The plot was derivative, the book was too long. But mainly it was the feeling of being treated like an idiot by a second-rate writer - soooo annoying! |
|
12-11-2009, 07:56 AM | #25 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,490
Karma: 5239563
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Denmark
Device: Kindle 3|iPad air|iPhone 4S
|
Quote:
|
|
12-11-2009, 10:17 AM | #26 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Perhaps it's a gender thing. Some books seem to appeal to women, but not to men. Eg, I've never heard a man say that he enjoyed Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, but lots of girls seem to love it.
|
12-11-2009, 10:20 AM | #27 | |
Not scared!
Posts: 13,424
Karma: 81011643
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Midlands, UK
Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10
|
Quote:
|
|
12-11-2009, 11:42 AM | #28 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,490
Karma: 5239563
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Denmark
Device: Kindle 3|iPad air|iPhone 4S
|
Quote:
Byatt do tend to have women and women's condition's as a strong theme, and I think this may make her work more accessible to women than men. This book though, is more of a hero-journey tale, with Roland as the primary protagonist. Women play a large role, but it's not their story. Maud do go through a transformation, but one that is initiated by Roland, while his own comes from within himself. So this is really a story about a man. But.... the water-fairy, Melusine, is a transsexual creature - where does that leave the combined Roland-Maud... They are both impotent/frozen humans who become whole via each other. At the outset, you shouldn't think either had the power to move the other. Byatt states in the preface that this book is written as a 'romance', and it has elements of both the 'high romance' of medieval times, as well as 'low romance' (as Tolkien defined it) of the 19th century (not quite as in modern 'romance novel'). There's also strong folklore/fairytale elements, too, especially in the tale of the modern couple of Roland and Maud (which incidentally have 'high romance' style, non-modern, names). Roland, for example, is almost literally a mole; he has dark sleek hair, he lives underground and at the library he digs out and un-earth texts form the depths of the stacks. He even has an underground work office - in Hell, or at least the 'nether regions'. His demonic master, Professor ?? is an atheist(I think?) and described as fire-and-brimstone preacher. Maud is a water creature. Always surrounded by cool green and white, glass and water. Like Melusine, but without power. She's hiding behind a frozen exterior like a fairy-tale heroine, always slipping away like water. And so on. I could go on I've read the book three times, but it's 8-9 years since last time, and it's been interesting to think about it again. I've learned a great deal a since then about stories and analysis and interpretation. |
|
12-11-2009, 11:55 AM | #29 |
Maria Schneider
Posts: 3,746
Karma: 26439330
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Austin, Texas
Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard
|
I haven't read this one, but came across it on the various indie blogs where I hang out (I think she's an indie author, but maybe not.)
http://www.amazon.com/Arianas-Pride/...fxsouandmag-20 I know there are other formats available at this blog: http://www.jobreepublishing.com/ Again, haven't read it, so can't say if it's any good, but I think it falls into the type of book you are looking for. Maria |
12-11-2009, 12:25 PM | #30 | |
Wizard
Posts: 4,395
Karma: 1358132
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3
|
Quote:
That was another aspect of my irritation with it. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Historical Fiction Recommendations | kerry431 | Reading Recommendations | 98 | 08-16-2020 09:32 PM |
Good historical fiction? | some call me tim | Reading Recommendations | 63 | 11-26-2012 07:08 AM |
Historical Fiction to Science Fiction/Fantasy | Georgiegirl2012 | Reading Recommendations | 12 | 11-13-2010 07:22 PM |
Historical fiction set in New Zealand | Shayne Parkinson | Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers | 25 | 08-22-2010 06:59 PM |
A Horror Suggestion and Historical Fiction | CammyB | Reading Recommendations | 6 | 06-14-2007 06:36 PM |