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Post by janetandjohn on Jan 23, 2017 16:35:27 GMT
Finished!
If anybody would like the copy I have (originally Mattydog's), do let me know. Can I? yes please Rosemary x Save
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Post by rosemary3 on Jan 23, 2017 20:11:16 GMT
Certainly, Susan! It will be on its way to you very soon!
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Post by littlereader on Jan 25, 2017 19:00:26 GMT
I got hold of a copy of this from the neighbouring library service as we didn't have any copies! except audio and that was checked out. I've started it and I love it so far, I really like her writing style and the characters, I'm getting through it quite fast.
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Post by littlereader on Jan 29, 2017 18:41:24 GMT
I loved this book, I thought it was beautifully written, with a compelling and very readable narrative with so much to say about the way we live our lives today; the delicate nature of our health, the weight, relevance and truth of our history, the influence of previous generations and their experiences. I found it especially well written and honest when discussing how we get through everyday modern life with its struggles and joys, and there were some delightful touches of humour in there too. I loved the interspersed parts about Coventry Cathedral as Adam conducted his research. (The cathedral, as well as some of the area around/near there, is a place that has a special resonance from the past for me, that's another story though, I won't go into it here.) I admired Adam for his role, and I think Sarah Moss really conveyed so well the love and devotion he had for his family, as well as the utter turmoil when they were threatened by the frightening health scares with both Miriam and Rose. I also thought she was spot on with many of the current worries and issues troubling our world. I liked that Miriam was a feisty and positive girl who cared about a lot that isn't right with the world. As far as humour, the bit about the tin of salmon really made me chuckle, as did the bit about the homework research - the things Miriam was looking up - and Adam's worry about it. I like the beautiful and striking cover painting too. I'm really excited about reading more novels by this author now, I like her writing style very much. ETA My copy was from the library so sadly it's got to go back but I'll definitely be buying a keeper copy of this one.
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Post by natsplatt on Feb 5, 2017 1:27:20 GMT
I finally picked this up from the library this week, I need to finish my current read and then read my circle book, but this will be next after that, looking forward to joining in the discussion!
Nat
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Post by natsplatt on Feb 14, 2017 9:04:56 GMT
Finished this morning, and really enjoyed it, I can't write anything that might spoil the story as I can't figure out how to do the white out with my phone, think I need a computer for that unfortunately, but I really enjoyed it.
Nat
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Post by elliej84 on Feb 14, 2017 18:24:56 GMT
natsplatt if you want to pm me I can copy and paste it into white for you? Glad you enjoyed it though I haven't found a way from my phone either
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Post by natsplatt on Feb 16, 2017 10:42:48 GMT
natsplatt if you want to pm me I can copy and paste it into white for you? Glad you enjoyed it though I haven't found a way from my phone either Thanks ellie, I'll do that tonight! Nat
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Post by sarita on Feb 16, 2017 11:09:31 GMT
I finished the book this week and liked it. However it left me a little puzzled and I'm going to wait before posting my comments.
Edited to add:
First of all I loved the style. I thought Adam was a perfectly credible stay at home dad and his feelings were well described. I knew nothing about Coventry cathedral, I looked it up to see what it looks like and learned a lot about it, however I found the explanations too long and skimmed to some of them. Eli's story is beautiful too.
However, there are 3 stories in this book and I'm still not sure they belong together.
Still, gave the book 4/5 and thanks Ellie for organising this group reading.
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Post by natsplatt on Mar 1, 2017 22:40:43 GMT
Harrah, have stolen my son's kindle fire and discovered I can do the whiteout with it, so here are a few more in depth thoughts.
I really enjoyed this book, I found it really interesting that a female author would choose to write from a stay at home dad perspective as it added an extra layer, the slightly off kilter fish out of water that I guess a lot of men feel added to the general tension in the book, which felt really tangible. I know a lot of you didn't like the extracts about Coventry, but I felt that they added interest and it was showing the fathers feelings, that waiting to see if his daughter might drop dead at any moment felt for him how the people of Coventry felt waiting for the bombs to drop. I have to say my favourite character was the grandfather, he could have been written very 2d and stereotypical quite easily, as a minor character, but I found him very well rounded and a real grounding figure for the family.
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Post by pennyt on Mar 27, 2017 7:47:37 GMT
Today only this is just £1.79 on the Kindle. I've just bought it so I can catch up before too long!
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Post by janetandjohn on Apr 3, 2017 17:11:46 GMT
It looks like only pennyt and I are left to comment for the first quarter read then. I hope Penny likes it more than I did. " Like littlereader and others, I really liked the bits about Coventry, the bombing and the new cathedral...... but apart from a cracking start where my sympathy was with everyone concerned, as the book went on I found I had no empathy with any of them. The final 60 pages I had to speed read, or I would never have finished it. I liked the grandfather's story, and how it fitted in by him telling the girls about his past, and I rather liked that past, and his character. However, all in all I did not like the book, the cover or the contents. I certainly could not "loose" myself anywhere in this book like I can with some of my other reads. It may be that, as a childless woman by choice, I cannot understand the angst going on, although I should be able to, a prospective loss is a prospective loss after all - but I just could not feel anything about this book except interest in what I found out about Coventry." Sorry.
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Post by elliej84 on Apr 3, 2017 17:24:15 GMT
No need to say sorry Mrs Mac, the cover gave me the creeps too! Hopefully you will enjoy the next one more - I will keep my fingers crossed for you
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Post by littlereader on Apr 3, 2017 20:35:39 GMT
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Post by mandyj on Apr 20, 2017 13:09:01 GMT
Well, I'm coming late to the party but I just got it finally from the library and read it straight through (not quite at one sitting!) and I thought it was excellent, characterisation very good, convincing dialogue, all the panic about the children, the conflicts between the couple - well-written and well-paced. And I liked the Coventry Cathedral bits. I thought I'd already read it but it was one of her other books I had read. I think she has a remarkable talent and I look forward to her future novels. I also read a non-fiction account of a year she spent in Iceland, whihc was equally well-written. So a Goodreads 5* rating from me
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