stargazer

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words. The three Ws are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

Currently, I am listening to Charles Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby, which is divided into 19 parts, following the original publishing schedule. If I follow this schedule as well and listen to one part each month, I should be done in March 2021. So don’t look out for the review just yet.

Technically, I am reading Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt as well. I stopped after 30% though and never got started again. Hush Hush, the previous book in this crime series featuring DS Grace Allendale, was a real page-turner, but Tick Tock… is not.

What did you recently finish reading?

I haven’t finished anything this week. Most recently, I read Mrs. Dalloway, which I struggled with in the beginning, but ended up loving.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Everybody is talking about Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments, which will be out in September, but I haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale yet. I thought this might be a good time to give it a try.

I acquired The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson on recommendation from JenniferTarHeelReader. It is about a young Appalachian librarian, who rides around in the mountains on a mule to deliver books. I love the sound of it.

Since my reading is progressing very slowly these days, I thought novellas might be the way forward. Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss is about a teenage girl and her parents, who live in a primitive hut in Northumberland as part of an archaeology experiment. 

I hope my reading will pick up soon. If novellas don’t work, I might shortly be reviewing short stories – one at a time! What are you reading at the moment?

32 comments

  1. I hope you end up liking The Handmaid’s Tale. My book club read it a few years back and I adored it. I haven’t had a chance to see the show, though. Happy reading and thanks for participating in WWW Wednesday!

    • Thanks for hosting WWW! I think, it’s a nice way of doing a status of your current reading. And I am looking forward to The Handmaid’s Tale!

    • Good to hear! I haven’t even watched the show, but like you I normally prefer the book.

    • So do I! Probably that one will actually be my (first) next read. I will let you know how I get on.

    • Oh, if Mrs. Dalloway was the easy one, I am not sure about her other books… I will leave Orlando for now 😉, but at some point I will make an attempt with To the Lighthouse. Did you read that one already?

      I left a comment on your WWW, but it might have gone into moderation.

    • No, apparently there are a few of us out there 😉. I hope we both manage to read it – sooner or later.

  6. Sorry to hear that Tick Tock is turning out to be a little disappointing. I haven’t read nearly as much of Dickens as I’d like to, but Nicholas Nickleby looks interesting. And it’ll only take until March 2021? Pffft, that’s no time at all. 😉 Oooh, Ghost Wall sounds good! I’m a sucker for anything involving archaeology and/or shady experiments.

    • I haven’t read that much Dickens either, but I am trying to make up for it. If only he had written some shorter books! 😉

      Yes, Ghost Wall sounds intriguing, doesn’t it. And I think there are some rather shady things going on!

    • Glad to hear, I am not the only one! Luckily, it is not mandatory to read it 😉, but if you already own a copy, I think you should give it a try.

  8. I recommend both The Handmaid’s Tale and Nicholas Nickleby, amazing book! Of course, there is always that problem with Dickens, I don’t think I’ve ever managed to read any of his books in less than a month!

    • Sounds good! Yes, Dickens’ doorstop books do require some time and energy. Nicholas Nickleby in audio-format goes on for an impressive 36 hours!

    • Yes, a novella feels more manageable, when you can’t allocate much time to reading. I am still a bit scared of Nicholas Nickleby (36 hours as audiobook), it feels like a bookish marathon, whereas Ghost Wall is more like a nice little 5km 😉

    • I am very much looking forward to it! It is tricky though, with such a popular book, inevitably expectations are high, and I fear, I am going to be disappointed.

  12. Ooh, I don’t think I could wait that long to find out what happened in the next installment of Nicholas Nickleby! I’m always glad I’m reading them as books rather than episodes – with my appalling memory I’d never remember what happened last time. 😉 Who’s the narrator?

    • Actually, I have a ‘selective memory’ as well, so perhaps weekly instalments is a wiser strategy. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is the narrator. He is also narrating one of my favourite series, Rivers of London, for which he is perfect. I am less certain, he is perfect for Dickens, but at least I have a looong time to get used to it.

    • Haha, don’t worry, I won’t blame you (very much 😉) if I don’t like The Bookwoman. And I feel quite certain that I am going to love it.

  14. Ooh. The Handmaid’s Tale. I’ve heard so much about it, but mostly from the show. I wonder what the book is like. Hope you like it!

    Also, I’ve been meaning to read Dickens’ David Copperfield forever. I bet Nicholas Nickleby is great too. Happy reading! (or listening!)

    • Thanks! I have heard a lot about The Handmaid’s Tale as well, hopefully it can live up to its reputation. I haven’t read David Copperfield, but if I ever manage to finish Nicholas Nickleby, perhaps that could be my next Dickens.

  15. I really enjoyed Nicholas Nickelby, sounds a great idea to listen in the episodes in which Dickens wrote it. I’m reading slowly and steadily through his books, just a little most days so each book takes quite some time. I’m currently on Martin Chuzzlewitt – now that is taking some will power (yawn…) It’s picked up again recently and I’m 75% through so I WILL make it! The Handmaid’s Tale I’ve read twice. The second reading I was able to appreciate it more. I couldn’t get on the tv adaptation at all. I struggle with Attwood in general yet feel that I really should be able to appreciate her work. But Sarah Moss – I loved Signs for Lost Children and I’m about to start Night Waking. I’m saving The Ghost Wall so I’ll be interested in your thoughts. I’ve heard almost entirely good things so far!

    • Wow, that sounds like an ambitious Dickens project! Do you plan to get through all his books? I feel getting through Nicholas Nickleby is a small project in itself – after two episodes, the story hasn’t really taken off. I wonder if this slow warm-up is characteristic for all Dickens’ works. Good luck with Martin Chuzzlewitt, it sounds like hard work!

      By now I have listened to 20% of The Handmaid’s Tale and so far I am enjoying it. Too early to say if I am going to be as enthusiastic as most people seem to be.

      Ghost Wall is my first Sarah Moss, but I am glad to hear you liked Signs for Lost Children. I will look out for your review of Night Waking. My review of Ghost Wall should be up either next week or the week after (yes, things don’t move too fast here at the stargazer blog 😉).

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