stargazer

WWW Wednesday, 06-10-2021

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?

I started Frankenstein a while ago, but didn’t get far. The beginning seemed so remote from what I’d imagined with lots of family background and childhood memories for a character, who isn’t Frankenstein, but who presumably plays an important role in the story. I am intrigued to see, where it all goes!

Cove was recommended by Sandra. It’s a short story about a man in a kayak, who gets injured when lightning strikes and has to fight against nature and himself to survive. I’ve always had a soft spot for “man against nature” tellings, but Jones surprised me with his prose, which is raw, poetic and hauntingly beautiful. At the same time it feels very focused and tight without one unnecessary word.

What did you recently finish reading?

Richard Powers’ Bewilderment, which was recently shortlisted for the Booker Prize, is about astrobiologist Theo and his 9-year old son Robin, who is “on the spectrum”. The characters are passionate about preservation of Earth and exploration of the universe. Whereas I’m also a big supporter of both, I think these causes may have been served better, if the author hadn’t constantly hit us over the head with the message. But perhaps I am just a tad oversensitive.

Readers who are not interested in science may still enjoy the relationship between father and son. It’s both heart-warming and heart-wrenching to read about how they try to move on after Robin’s beloved mother dies and how Theo tries to help Robin accommodating his fragile mental health. There is a lot to say about this story and I wanted to write a proper review, but unfortunately these few lines is all I can manage for now. ★★★★

I raced through The Family Upstairs in 3-4 days. The characters weren’t particularly well-developed and the plot could have been tighter – 100 pages shorter or so? But it was solid entertainment and the premise (baby found on its own in a large house together with a number of dead adults) was highly intriguing. ★★★

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am tempted to insert Nicki’s trademark shrug, because I have absolutely no clue. Most of the books I pick up seem to be impulse reads, which are not even on my TBR.

Jane Harper’s The Lost Man reminded me, there are contemporary authors out there, who write the type of mysteries, I typically love. The problem is how to find them in the ocean of new crime thrillers. So I’ve decided to do a little project, where I look into contemporary crime writers. Can’t wait to get started! 😁

Besides from my crime project the only addition to my wish list is Crying in H Mart, the memoir of Michelle Zauner, who is a Korean-American singer, musician and author. The memoir focuses on her split identity betwen two different cultures, her grief after the death of her mother and lots of food related memories.

This was my bookish update for now. I haven’t actually read that much recently; three books in August and four books in September. But with the arrival of autumn, I believe books will get a higher priority again. How is your reading going?

57 comments

  1. I felt like you about Frankenstein when I started it but I was glad I stuck with it. Overall it certainly wasn’t what I expected. One day I’ll read it again and get more from it I think. The spare prose in Cove is what made it so memorable and vivid for me. I was in that boat, fighting. I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊 Your crime project sounds intriguing. I suspect you’ll be adding to my tbr as you investigate!

    • I will certainly stick with Frankenstein and I am curious how the intro links into the rest of the book. Oooh, I hope I can find some good ones in my crime project, but I am a tiny bit worried, that I’ll dislike everything and end up disillusioned about modern crime fiction!😆

  3. The thing I liked best about The Family Upstairs, if I remember correctly, is that ending. I love creepy, chilling endings. Have a wonderful reading week! ❤️

    • I am with you regarding the ending, it was properly chilling. You start to think that everything will be fine and then they throw that ending in. Apparently, it’s a teaser – The Family Upstairs 2 will come out next year…

  5. I read The Family Upstairs last year – loved it! I’m totally into unreliable narrators and yes, it was nicely creepy. Currently reading Delaney’s People. So far it’s a bit meh, but sticking with it. It’s early in the book, I’m hoping it will become more cohesive.

    • Without doubt Henry was my favourite of the three narrators in The Family Upstairs. I love when characters are morally grey and you never know exactly where you have them. Haven’t read Delaney’s People, but I hope it will improve as you get further into it!

    • No, I am not familiar with this author, but I just checked out Midwinter Break on Goodreads and it sounds really good. Hope you will enjoy it!

  8. Cove sounds excellent – I read Frankenstein this year and while I thought it was brilliant, it wasn’t what I was expecting at all, stick with it because it’s worth it!

    • I remember your review of Frankenstein and I definitely mean to stick with it. The beginning was just so puzzling compared to what I expected!

  9. Nice program! Thanks, I’m going to skip Bewilderment.
    I haven’t done WWW for a while. I just finished Speedboat by Renata Adler (not worth your time).
    Among other things, I just started A River Runs Through it, by Norman Maclean.
    I’m currently reading a whole bunch of books, but the next one I will start is a French classic by Simenon (Maigret #10) with one of my French students: La Danseuse du Gai-Moulin

    • I haven’t done WWW for a while either. Not since June 2020 as a matter of fact! Thanks for heads-up regarding Speedboat. I keep telling myself, I should try some of the Maigret books, but it always put me off, that there are so many books and I don’t know where to start.

  10. The only one I’ve read from this lot is The Lost Man, which I can recommend. From the rest, maybe only the Cynan Jones would make it onto my TBR list, which is ridiculously long just now.

    • Aha, I thought I was the only one, who hadn’t tried this author until recently. Since it’s my first and only Lisa Jewell read, I can’t really say if it’s a good place to start, but it certainly is an intriguing plot!

    • Thanks! You should definitely participate in this meme if you feel like it, it’s so much fun and it’s always interesting to see what other people are reading!

  13. Frankenstein does improve once you get past that opening frame – stick with it! I look forward to seeing who you come up with in your project to find contemporary thriller writers. My current go-tos are Jane Harper and Sharon Bolton, though even they have both induced mixed reactions in me. I loved Susan Allott’s The Silence recently, and enjoyed a Catherine Steadman book, The Disappearing Act – the first of her books that I’ve read.

    • I look forward to see what I will come up with as well! I am both hopeful and slightly worried at the same time – it may all end in tears! 😆 I will potentially add The Silence to round two of the project. If I remember correctly, she has been compared to Jane Harper?

      • Yes, there’s a definite similarity to Harper especially in the way she makes the setting important to the story, but I think I actually slightly preferred Allott’s writing overall.

        • Ah really, that is interesting. Now I guess, I have to try her to see if I agree! 😊

  14. I think I may have to stop reading your blog as it always results in my book pile becoming bigger! And it is tower-like already. I am reading Lee Child at the moment with Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet and The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue waiting in the wings.

    • Haha, sorry! (not really 😉). Which one by Lee Child are you reading? I’ve enjoyed many of his books over time… Hamnet has never really tempted me, even after all the raving reviews and literary prizes. But I look forward to hear what you think of it.

      • Started Hamnet today and so far so good. Blue Moon was the Jack Reacher book and I have to say that it started well but I soon became weary. Too much of the same stuff – a great action film though, I reckon. I skipped the last few pages to find out how it would end so I could get it finished. That is never good!

        • Too bad about Blue Moon, which I haven’t read. They do vary in quality. The very first Reacher, I read was Gone Tomorrow, which I really liked and I’ve also enjoyed One Shot. Of course that was a long time ago, I can’t guarantee what my reaction would be today. I admit, that they tend to be a bit long,

          • It started well and I really enjoyed it but it drifted into just okayness quite quickly. I would read another but I wouldn’t rush to do it. Really enjoying Hamnet by the way.

          • Well, I guess you only read Reacher for the entertainment value, so if it doesn’t manage that, there is no point! Good to hear about Hamnet, hope you will write review!

  15. Really creative way of bringing up the three questions. I recently completed “The Elephant of Belfast” by S. Kirk Walsh. I am currently reading “My experiments with Truth” by Mahatma Gandhi. Once it is finished, I plan to read “The Girl of Hummingbird Lane” by Lisa See. You may want to read my “book-experiences” of few of the books I have read recently.

    • Thanks, I’ve always thought WWW is nice way of summing up my reading. I am not familiar with any of your books, but I’ve heard about Lisa See and hope to try one of her novels at some point. Hope you will enjoy The Girl of Hummingbird Lane, when you get to it!

  16. Love seeing what you are reading, Stargazer. I recently bought that novel by Powers. I remember loving Frankenstein when I read it in college. It took some time, but I thought it was engrossing. I also enjoyed The Family Upstairs. You are so right- Jewell is not perfect, but wow, can she entertain and build tension!

    • I hope you will enjoy the Powers novel. I thought it was a wonderful story, but not particularly cheerful or optimistic. .. I am glad, I didn’t have to read Frankenstein in school. Most likely I will get more out of it today. Exactly, I wouldn’t mind picking up another Jewel, next time I am in the mood for a good page-turner.

  17. So glad to hear you are enjoying Cove. I thought it was tremendous, particularly the way he made the narrative very personal by focusing on one man and yet it also felt universal

  18. I have the Bewilderment novel in my stack …. but being hit over the head with a message isn’t a good sign, eh? Being repetitive is like one of the worst things for a novel … argh! I will meander thru.

    • Don’t let me put you off, I really enjoyed the story. The overenthusiastic emphasis on environmental issues was just a minor annoyance.

  20. Looks like you’ve been reading a wonderful variety of books! I also found The Family Upstairs a very entertaining thriller, even though at my book club we all picked at the character development and plot holes! Happy reading 📚❤️ X x x

    • I do like variety! I agree The Family Upstairs is by no means a perfect read, but sometimes you just need good entertainment and I thought it did the job very well! Thanks! 😊

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