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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Finished and Begun

I've finished the Von Arnim biography and need to write my review, but find I need to let it settle a bit.

In the meantime, I've started 3 new books in the last several days. I'm almost half-way through Puccini's Ghosts by Morag Joss, but am going to put it aside. Too much tension for me right now; too many unpleasant characters.... Joss is almost too good. Even thinking about her characters and their situation in this book causes a feeling of depression and dread.

I've also begun Mademoiselle Victorine by Debra Finerman. The subject matter interests me--the world of such artists as Manet, Degas, and Monet--the writing isn't holding me.

And the winner is Among Other Things I've Taken Up Smoking by Aoibheann Sweeney. Although I wasn't at all sure of this one because of the title, it captured me from the first page. Sweeney's writing pulls you along like a current, and I'm completely hooked. I just realized that water and fishing metaphors I just used must have inadvertently been taken from the novel. The book is not at all what I expected and in the best possible way, so this is the one I'll finish next.

6 comments:

  1. I have to read Joss soon. I also was looking for a vopy of the Von Arnim bio, but they are sort of expensive used--will have to try the library or ILL. I struggled a bit with Mademoiselle Victorine as well--I'll be interested to hear what you think when you finish. And yay--I also am enjoying the Sweeney book. I'm not very far, but it won't take me long to finish.

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  2. Glad you are enjoying the Sweeney book -- I think the title doesn't really do it justice. I wouldn't have chosen it myself.

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  3. I am reading the Victorine book too, but I only have just barely started it.

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  4. Oh how fun, three new books. I'm getting antsy because I've been reading the same three books for ever it seems like. I think it's just me. I've got M. Victorine on my stack but I'm really curious about the Sweeney book. What a title!

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  5. I have the Sweeney book on my shelf but have been a bit put off by the title so it never comes to the top of the TBR list. Thanks for the positive comments about it because I don't know how long it would have sat there waiting for me to give it a try.

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  6. danielle -- I finished the Sweeney, and read a little more in M. Victorine, but it just isn't doing it for me.

    dorothy -- I think the title is a drawback, but I really enjoyed the book.

    kailana -- I'll be checking for your opinion soon on M. Victorine.

    iliana -- :) Sometimes I get stuck with as many as 3 and find I can't get on with them. Luckily the Sweeney book kept me reading rapidly!

    Sam -- I've got 2 now to review, the biography and the Sweeney. I think she is very talented, but I'm not sure how you might feel about this one.

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