What Are You Reading? June 2013

Mello · Post by **Mello** » Wed June 5th, 2013, 12:36 pm

[quote=""annis""]Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. This debut literary novel is exceptional and immediately goes on my Best of 2013 list. Kent takes the true story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last person to be be executed in Iceland, and weaves a multi-layered and moving tale around her last months of life. Although we know how it must end, as we get to know Agnes we desperately wish we could stop the steady, inexorable ticking of the clock and give her a second chance. Highly recommended.[/quote]

There is so much positive buzz about this book in Australia right now. I think I will have to buy it and put it to the top of the TBR queue, otherwise it could be years until I read it!

annis · Post by **annis** » Wed June 5th, 2013, 5:40 pm

Given the grim subject Burial Rites is not for those for like their stories to have a HEA ending, but it's so well done that it's very affecting. Beautifully written, too, in a spare, evocative style reminiscent of the Icelandic Sagas.

Note for Misfit

I would call BR a literary novel, but it is what I'd call an accessible literary novel.

SCW · Post by **SCW** » Thu June 6th, 2013, 10:02 am

Reading The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (about Morgan Le Fay} and Frankenstein (I have to read them for university).

emr · Post by **emr** » Thu June 6th, 2013, 11:32 am

[quote=""Madeleine""]emr, I agree entirely about audio books - if I do listen to one, or morel likely, a radio play - I have to be doing something, usually ironing! I can't just sit and listen.[/quote]

Since May has been so cold I've got a lot of gardening to do in my terrace so listening now to The Last Secret Of The Temple by Paul Sussman and reading Private Eyes by Jonathan Kellerman. I don't know why I find this series so unputdownable

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Thu June 6th, 2013, 12:05 pm

I'm just about to start The Carriage House by Louisa Hall, a contemporary take on Persuasion by Jane Austen.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Thu June 6th, 2013, 7:48 pm

I'm reading Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Fri June 7th, 2013, 1:06 am

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sat June 8th, 2013, 2:26 pm

[quote=""annis""]Given the grim subject Burial Rites is not for those for like their stories to have a HEA ending, but it's so well done that it's very affecting. Beautifully written, too, in a spare, evocative style reminiscent of the Icelandic Sagas.

Note for Misfit

I would call BR a literary novel, but it is what I'd call an accessible literary novel.[/quote]

Thanks for that note Annis. Literary scares the devil out of me these days.

One of the challenges with the older historicals is you never know if any particular book is going to be a solid historical, a light fluffy romance or a WTF OTT bodice ripper. Case in point, Dynasty of Desire by Elizabeth Zachary started out reading like a solid historical, nice sense of time and place (Egypt) and then wham, last night I hit page 56 and there was a gang rape with evil dwarfs committing the dirty deed. I may give it another go when I am in the mood for a WTF OTT old skool bodice ripper, but last night was not it

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Sun June 9th, 2013, 9:45 pm

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sun June 9th, 2013, 11:36 pm

Sultana by Prince Michael of Greece. Aimée du Buc de Rivéry. So far I know of two books telling her story, this and A Distant Shore by Susannah James. From what I understand of the latter, that is more of a full blown WTF cray-cray old skool bodice ripper. Sultana so far, reads more like a historical novel.