The Ten Thousand Things

pick

Well, I didn't manage to finish this until tonight, but I'm looking forward to checking out the comments on the #nyrbbookclub discussion. I think I liked it a bit more than many, but my expectations were somewhat tempered. That said, not sure how much of it will really stay with me?

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DrexEdit

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

pick

Here in all its cover blurb glory is The Ten Thousand Things, the #NYRBBookClub selection for December. It's a pick for me, but a soft pick. The ten thousand things are things, people, places, memories, etc. that make up any one person's life. This book covers 3 generations in 200 short pages. The writing is lovely, but it's short on plot and takes a weird tangent 2/3rds of the way through. It was also slow and hard to get into. ⬇

DrexEdit And seemed to delight in being mysterious and unknowable. There are no answers to anything here. I think knowing all this now though, this book might fare better on a re-read. Or it might it not. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ for delightful mysteries and lovely words! 3y

Leftcoastzen Love this old edition! 3y

quietjenn What a nifty copy. 3y

DrexEdit @Leftcoastzen @quietjenn It's a Simon & Schuster edition from 1958. 3y

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readordierachel

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

so-so

"It was so hazy, it all ran together in her head"

This pretty much sums up how I felt reading this book. A vivid setting with some lovely descriptions but not enough of a narrative for me to grab on to. By the end, I was just reading to finish. That said, it's very layered, and I suspect this is the kind of book that will improve on a second read, when my expectations have been appropriately calibrated. #nyrbbookclub

vivastory It looks like a lot of us felt the same. Thanks for dropping into the discussion today. I enjoyed hearing what you thought about it! 3y

batsy Great review. I can totally understand why it was a bit of a letdown for many people. 3y

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Liz_M

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

The novel ends with a descriptive listing of Felicia's vision of hundreds of things, calling back to several mentions of “the old heathen lament...for one who has just died. 'The hundred things' was the name of the lament-the hundred things of which the dead one is reminded, which are asked him, told him.“ What are some of your hundred things?

Liz_M @vivastory @BarbaraBB @catebutler @sprainedbrain @KVanRead @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @daena @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @mklong @youneverarrived @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar @merelybookish @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @GatheringBooks 3y

Liz_M (Litsy or the internet is painfully slow, but here goes) Books, of course. Evie and Bert (my former and present cats). Bite-sized cookies. The pens stuck in my ponytail. Glasses. Sunset photos. The smell of lilacs from my childhood home. 3y

readordierachel @Liz_M What a lovely list. I particularly like the pens in your ponytail :) 3y

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Leftcoastzen My grandparents farm, Books, Mendocino , Musso & Frank , how San Francisco cable car brakes smell, grandmas fried chicken & her canning jars filled with good food in the basement, how antiquarian bookstores smell, citrus blossoms.always the cats. 3y

Liz_M @Leftcoastzen nice! I had no idea that cable car brakes have a specific smell. 😊 3y

arubabookwoman I'm going to say the wind in Aruba, the smell of coffee roasting in the French Quarter in New Orleans, the creative energy of London in the late 60's (Beatles, Stones, Donovan, Mary Quant, Portobello Road), the mist and greenery of Puget Sound, quilts/fabric/threads, books, and a couple of puppies and kittens. 3y

Billypar @Liz_M @Leftcoastzen @arubabookwoman I think I could make the list entirely of childhood smells: the cedar from my one grandparents' condo, linoleum and cigar smoke from my other grandparents' house. Vats of olives in an Italian market. Coppertone sunscreen. My friend's basement where we spent almost entire days playing video games. My mom sautéing crushed garlic in oil for tomato sauce. 3y

arubabookwoman @Billypar Yes! The empty dresser drawers at my grandparent's house had such a distinctive smell, I remember it vividly 60+ years on. 3y

Liz_M @Billypar Impressive! 3y

Liz_M @arubabookwoman I loved the energy of London that I felt as a student a few decades later. 😊 3y

Leftcoastzen @Billypar that coppertone sunscreen iconic scent! 3y

merelybookish Wow, these are wonderful lists @Leftcoastzen @Billypar @arubabookwoman ! 3y

Leftcoastzen @Liz_M it‘s a wood block grabbing cable so a woodsy, smoky, scent . 3y

GatheringBooks What a privilege to read your hundred things - all of you - the scents, smells, tastes, imagery - all so evocative. Very much like 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year? How do you weigh the value of the hundred things that will forever remain with you in this life and in the next? 💕💕💕 3y

GatheringBooks Love all your hundred things @arubabookwoman @Billypar @Liz_M @Leftcoastzen 3y

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Liz_M

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

5) Publisher's weekly states, “Dermoût beautifully depicts the idyllic setting and handles the darker aspects of the story—ghosts, superstition, even murder—with equal skill.“ What image, either beautiful or unsettling, has remained with you?

arubabookwoman Having grown up on a tropical island the descriptions of the setting really spoke to me. But b/c Aruba (in the Dutch W. Indies, unlike this island in the Dutch E. indies) is a desert island, I connected more with the sea images--the coral woman, the octopus, the giant clam shell. And surprisingly, many of the beautiful images were also of danger and death. (edited) 3y

arubabookwoman The professor expressed his fear of dying in the sea, and that is where he ended up. The professor was drowned. So beautiful as it is, many of us fear the sea. (Due to a near drowning experience when I was 6 I do). I know of several people my parent's age who requested that there ashes be spread into the waters off of Aruba, and the thought of that for me fills me with angst. Sorry if this is not relevant, but it's how the book got me thinking. 3y

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Liz_M @arubabookwoman I think a lot of the imagery that I found most memorable (like the professor) was the ones that foreshadowed death. For me it was Bibi tempting Himpies with shells that traditionally we're with by the native tribe that (presumably) killed him. 3y

vivastory @arubabookwoman Thank you for your perspective. I think that it's easy for some people to think that island inhabitants might have only affection for the sea, when it is a real force of nature. 3y

readordierachel For some reason the idea of the pearls of the sea as tears we will have to cry and the pearls of the earth, tears others have already cried and been buried with, has really stuck in my mind. 3y

Leftcoastzen @readordierachel I thought that was memorable as well. 3y

Leftcoastzen I think Island dwellers do have great respect for the sea. Dangers and abundance to be had from it. 3y

vivastory @readordierachel That was one of my favorite images from the entire book. So striking! 3y

DrexEdit For me it was the “fleet“ of jellyfish. 3y

Liz_M @DrexEdit That was such a lovely description! I wanted to find a sketch of those to use for a question background, but couldn't in my quick search. 3y

Billypar @arubabookwoman I definitely feel the same about the sea images - both beautiful and deadly at the same time. I've always assumed my anxiety about the water and swimming was due to not having a lot of experience around it growing up, but it definitely makes sense that greater access to the sea also means more exposure to the risks and even first hand near-death experiences. 3y

Billypar How about the palm-wine manniken? I totally thought that thing was coming alive and going on a killing spree at some point 😱 3y

arubabookwoman @DrexEdit and @Liz_M And jellyfish are another thing from the sea both beautiful and dangerous. 3y

readordierachel @Billypar Oh yes! Very unsettling, lol 3y

emilyhaldi For me it has to be the 3 girl ghosts… they were woven through the story so frequently and seemed to have such impact on the people of the island. I would love to hear some analysis on what they represent 🪦🪦🪦 3y

merelybookish Me too @emilyhaldi I also found the lampshade with the three girls in pink really evocative. But the most beautiful part of the book for me was the opening. And the setting up of memory and the past. It really set the dreamy tone for the book. 3y

GatheringBooks One of the unforgettable moments for me was when Himpies came back and his mother initially did not recognize him and probably mistook him for his father - so much so that her heart stopped for an instant. Another thought provoking aspect was Himpies‘ love for the married woman who simply up and left, leaving him forever heartbroken. 3y

batsy Loved seeing all of the answers here, but the image that stuck with me was that evening with Pauline's quietly growing disquiet and how she suddenly shook the child Sophy. The sense of unpredictability, danger, and dread that underlies the whole novel came to the surface here. 3y

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Liz_M

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

4) Is this book a “colonial“ novel? What aspects of colonialism are represented? Or, how does it transcend being a representation of colonialism?

BarbaraBB To me it‘s a real colonial novel. Indonesian people accept the Dutch presence as naturally and don‘t even question it. What space is left for their own culture and traditions they use, but it‘s always subordinate to that of the colonialists. 3y

Billypar I agree @BarbaraBB - every story contains that tension, where despite the indigenous population having become used to the colonial presence being dominant, it's a society as haunted by its history as it is by the spirits. 3y

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BarbaraBB @Billypar You can express it much better that I did but that‘s indeed exactly what I mean! 3y

Leftcoastzen Great way to express it @Billypar colonialism in general is such a hovering presence.At best native peoples go on with their beliefs and systems, but you can bet if it‘s in conflict with the commerce of the colonials it will be put down. 3y

DrexEdit I think it's a colonial novel because it centers the colonizers and their story. Even if their influence is waning or changing in the region. 3y

Liz_M @Barbarabb @Billypar this is helpful. The translator note said she wrote not as a Dutch woman or as a Javanese and she disdained the dividing lines (badly paraphrased) which got me thinking about colonialism and how it is part of the culture, implicitly if not explicitly. 3y

Liz_M @DrexEdit And this is also a good, concise definition 3y

Billypar @BarbaraBB Well, I don't agree with your last statement but I think we agree on how the novel approaches colonialism 😉 3y

Billypar Great observation @Leftcoastzen - there's definitely a 'we're fine with all of your beliefs, until they're inconvenient for us' mentality at play. 3y

Billypar That's interesting @Liz_M - it does seem like after so long colonialism becomes deeply embedded in al 3y

Billypar *all of the cultures of the island inhabitants and impossible to separate in some ways 3y

merelybookish Agree with @DrexEdit and @Billypar And I did wonder, after I finished, what this story would be like if the writer had been indigenous and not white. The effects of colonialism are here (e.g. the story of the 3 sisters who were killed and how the slave girl was punished) but it does have an inevitable feeling to it all. And the character of the professor is sympathetic, even as he is also exploiting the people and land. 3y

GatheringBooks The “colonial presence” as @Billypar phrased it is the dominant voice here - the Indonesians have always been framed as something exotic, the “other” in this narrative, the source of the strangenesses and the mysterious and the lurking danger, too (I am thinking of the professor‘s death as well as that other man with the exotic wife). The subjugated remains silenced or “othered” in this narrative. 3y

batsy It is a colonial novel, yes. I did find myself wanting more of a voice given to the indigenous people. The sense of fate, of inevitability, feels a bit like a justification for the way systems of power work. Like the professor telling Suprapto that racism/xenophobia can be found in every society. Well, yes, but that doesn't erase how colonialism as a force works to impose a dominating system over local practices. It raises interesting questions. 3y

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Liz_M

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

3) Several reviewers of Ten Thousand Things have noted the role of Fate in Dermoût‘s novel. Do you think that Fate is present, or is something else at work in the characters' lives?

Liz_M @@vivastory @BarbaraBB @catebutler @sprainedbrain @KVanRead @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @daena @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @mklong @youneverarrived @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar @merelybookish @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @GatheringBooks 3y

BarbaraBB It might be fate but more important, it‘s something you can influence. It‘s kind of (what we call here) ‘a quiet power‘ 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I love that! 3y

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vivastory Dermout addresses Fate without deciding in it's favor. As when the great-grandmother tells Felicia to not let Himpies put on a uniform & then Himpies died while serving. Could Felicia have been able to stop him? He was determined to be in the army, but he didn't have a convincing reason why which gave it a strange sense of it being fate. 3y

arubabookwoman I don't believe in fate, but I think many, if not most, of the characters in this book believed in fate, and believed that whatever happened was "fated." 3y

Liz_M @arubabookwoman @vivastory I didn't notice the force as fate, but rather thought of it as foreshadowing -- the author emphasizing the moments that would echo in the future. (edited) 3y

emilyhaldi @BarbaraBB I love that idea.. It‘s comforting to think that we have some power to ever so slightly influence our fate ✨ 3y

merelybookish @BarbaraBB I like that phrase too. I didn't think of it as fate so much as mysterious forces beyond our control. Magic, curses, charms - all these things had influence or were believed to have influence. 3y

GatheringBooks I am with @Liz_M here - i did not perceive it as well as fate but more like the inevitability of consequences brought about by choices made by people. The characters seemed to have a clear sense of agency, but the narrative flow makes it seem that their decisions were amorphous or cursed or simply looping into itself, like a cycle of sorts, hence the repeating names - which on hindsight now makes me appreciate dermout more. 3y

batsy Nicely put @BarbaraBB @arubabookwoman and @GatheringBooks ! I agree that the narrative itself exerted that quiet power—characters acted with agency, but she was able to depict how things happen beyond our control. Himpies' death, or the professor's end, Constance and Pauline. Maybe underlying that question is what motivates people to act in certain ways? Fate, being cursed or charmed, or simply the basic irrationality underlying human experience? 3y

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Liz_M

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

2) Who is your favorite minor character and why?

BarbaraBB This is horrible, I read the book a few weeks ago and can‘t even remember the names of the minor characters 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3y

arubabookwoman I think if we are supposed to have a favorite character, it would have to be Felicia, but 1. I think this is a novel of place, not character, and 2. Most of the characters had deep flaws, and I didn't fall in love with any of them The sone (Hiemes??) seemed a decent sort. 3y

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vivastory I'd say my favorite minor character would be either Himpies or Bappa (the man who died his hair blue). I was also a bit intrigued by the bibi that is banned from the house. 3y

Billypar I think it's Suprapto - I was interested in how he responded to the racist condescension on the part of the Europeans, even as they appeared to respect his noble background. 3y

readordierachel @arubabookwoman "this is a novel of place not character" totally agree. That's very well put. The characters seemed secondary to the setting. 3y

readordierachel @BarbaraBB don't feel bad. I finished the book this morning and I can't even remember all the characters names 🤭 3y

Leftcoastzen I liked Suprapto too , for the reasons @Billypar noted. 3y

Liz_M I In a way I found the murder victims' stories easier to read -- they were less amorphous and didn't require as much concentration. I was fascinated by the Commissioner and his 'exotic' wife and the uncertainty of how much the women of his household helped his drowning. 3y

Liz_M I also really enjoyed Bibi, Evan though we only know her through other's eyes 3y

vivastory @Billypar @leftcoastzen I forgot about Suprapto! He was def a favorite minor character. 3y

BarbaraBB @readordierachel I am glad you say so! 3y

Liz_M @readordierachel @BarbaraBB And it doesn't help that many of the minor characters didn't even have names. 😄 3y

DrexEdit I liked the mysterious bibi with her mysterious wares. 😉 Also the three dead girls who may or may not have been poisoned and were or were not also on the lamp--Elsbet, Katie, and Marregie. 3y

readordierachel @Liz_M good point! 3y

vivastory @DrexEdit Yes! The three dead girls! For me they were one of the most mysterious aspects of the entire book with their graves being frequently passed & mentioned in passing in conversation. Haunting the story in many ways! (edited) 3y

arubabookwoman Just noted the word "minor" before character, so yes, the bibi is an interesting character, and would also like to have known more about the three little girls. (edited) 3y

emilyhaldi @Liz_M I would read another small novel on the Commissioner and the women of his household!! A lot of mystery surrounding those characters… 3y

Liz_M @arubabookwoman Perhaps not the best word choice -- I was mainly thinking of any character other than Felicia 😄 3y

GatheringBooks I think it is a toss-up between constance and Raden Mas Suprapto for me - his passive aggressiveness matched with Constance‘s murderous/fiery nature made this a curious read for me 3y

GatheringBooks And yay for the three dead girls, too @DrexEdit - so mysterious and haunting 3y

batsy I'm with @Billypar I found Suprapto quite fascinating for those reasons. The professor was also interesting because he seemed to be a bunch of enigmatic contradictions, and kind of reminded me of a Graham Greene character. That whole segment did, on the whole! 3y

batsy @emilyhaldi I agree! 3y

Billypar @batsy You're right: that story definitely had a Graham Greene feel, which is odd because nothing else in the novel really did. I liked your point about the quote from the professor in the other thread about racism being present among all cultures: it's maybe a situation where the author captured the character accurately, even if she failed to see herself why that statement is an oversimplification? Or who knows, maybe she did - it's tough to say! 3y

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Liz_M

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

1) Several of us have commented on the narrative shift(s) in the novel. Does the novel‘s unusual structure work for the story being told? Why or why not?

vivastory It did not work for me. As @billypar mentioned I did not find the stories in the At the Outer Bay section interesting. I was really enjoying the novel & I found the shift jarring & it felt like too much time was spent on this section. 3y

BarbaraBB I had a hard time not losing interest in the middle of the book and picking up in the third part. So no, it didn‘t work for me. 3y

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arubabookwoman It ultimately worked for me, but when the story of Felicia seemingly ended, and we were into, the professor, the colonel, and Constance, I thought the book was actually a novella and short stories. I think the end tied it all together fairly well 3y

Billypar Agreed @vivastory - of all of the shorter tales I liked The Professor the best because it had more interesting narrative twists that were missing from the others. No matter how short any story is, I think they need a certain amount of developments and these seemed a little too static for me, as haunting as they were. 3y

Billypar That said, I don't mind the structure by itself - @arubabookwoman I like that way you described it as a novella and short stories woven together. 3y

vivastory That's an interesting way of thinking about it @arubabookwooman I think that I might at some point reread this bc I did love the first part & it was a quick read. If I do I think I'll use that mindset of it being more of a novella & short stories. I find that these categories matter bc they help express expectation, at least personally (ie IMO Kawakami's Breasts & Eggs is a disaster as a novel but as 2 linked novellas is pretty impressive) 3y

vivastory @BarbaraBB I found myself wishing that part 4 was longer as well 3y

readordierachel It didn't work for me on this read. Like @BarbaraBB I started losing interest. But like @vivastory I think I'll revisit the book some day in the future. Now that I know what to expect, maybe I can enjoy it for what it is on a reread. 3y

Leftcoastzen I did like the professor part , but overall I was feeling the first part , not as interested in the middle and wanted the end to last longer.I could feel the pressures of colonialism through the entire book & kept wanting to dig into nonfiction about colonialism there. 3y

Liz_M @readordierachel @vivastory I was less bothered by the shift to other stories. But I also think it will work better on a second read. I want to see if there are hints in the first section that we will hear other stories, because it was so clearly necessary to know them for the final section to have a rich meaning. 3y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen I found myself googling after I finished to learn about the colonialism 3y

vivastory @Liz_M @readordierachel I also should have paid closer attention to the third section. I was a bit impatient to get back to the other narrative, but I am curious if there were hints as you said. 3y

Leftcoastzen @vivastory Yes! My reading is often slowed down by googling. It‘s a blessing and a curse.I think I liked it better when I took notes to look crap up later. I get pulled out of the story. 3y

DrexEdit @arubabookwoman I like this way of looking at it. Otherwise, I have to think that Ms. Dermout just needed a stronger editor to talk her out of including section 3.

For my part, I was left just wondering why those stories were in there at all. I mean I guess there was an attempt to wrap those characters into the small garden at the end, but since they were never really part of the small garden it didn't make sense to me. 3y

vivastory @Leftcoastzen I feel like there ought to be a specific word (there probably is) for the amnesia when you pick up your phone to google something while reading & then put it down 30-45 minutes later & realize you didn't even look up what you originally intended. So much time lost.... 😂 3y

LeahBergen Sorry, fellow bookclubbers! I didn‘t get around to this month‘s read but I‘m enjoying reading all about it here. 3y

GatheringBooks While I found the shift jarring, I simply “went with the flow” as people say, trusting where the author will lead me to. Thankfully, it was tied neatly and somewhat coherently towards the end. 3y

merelybookish I had read @vivastory's review so I knew about the shift ahead of time which made it less jarring. I think there is something important about the inner AND outer, and that you can't talk about one without that other, and even things that don't seem connected, are. I didn't love the structure but I found it interesting and I did enjoy thinking about why it was structure this way. 3y

Liz_M @merelybookish That is rather astute. Of course the inner Bay and outer Bay were chosen as chapter headings to highlight the symbolic dichotomy. 3y

quietjenn Like @GatheringBooks and @merelybookish, I think I was able to enjoy the shift and just go with it, in part because I knew from other comments that they were coming. I actually enjoyed them, but I do wish there was more there at the end bringing it all together. 3y

batsy I think I was expecting it as others mentioned because I saw the other reviews first. For some reason I didn't find it jarring at all and it's interesting to me that I'm in the minority 😁 This felt like a hazy dreamscape where normal rules didn't apply, which I think kind of mirrored Felicia's experiences, especially wrt the superstitions and rituals and myths that abound. I felt like I was being guided along by a strange logic. 3y

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Billypar

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

pick

#nyrbbookclub
Dreamy novel about an island in the East Indies during what may be the early 20th century but is absent of historical context. It reads like magical realism except we don't see the magic before our eyes - the island's lore is so vivid through the stories told by its inhabitants that we feel like we've witnessed what we haven't. The style was memorable: it made me feel as if I was reading this on a beach after getting too much sun.

Billypar @Liz_M @vivastory 3y

vivastory Great pic! I agree about the lack of historical context. I had to do a bit of Googling. Looking forward to the discussion tomorrow. 3y

DrexEdit I'm reading the same edition as you. I'm calling it the blurb cover. Love the jellyfish paperweight! 3y

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Billypar @vivastory Yeah, the lack of references served the magical atmosphere well and I thought it contrasted in an interesting way with the island's truly evil history that is based in history. 3y

Billypar @DrexEdit I had to laugh when I picked it up from the library: I've never seen an all-blurb cover before 😅 3y

Centique I love that jellyfish! Have you ever been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium where they have floor to ceiling tanks of jellyfish in a big darkened gallery? One of the most beautiful things I‘ve ever seen 😍 3y

Billypar @Centique I have once, but it was 17 years ago, so my memory of it is a little hazy. But I do love aquariums and the jellyfish always have such a mysterious aura to them. 3y

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batsy

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

pick

At the start, I thought this novel with its elliptical, poetic writing would rub me the wrong way. But it was not easy to pigeonhole this book or guess where it would take you; it was constantly shape-shifting in telling the tale of a Dutch family in Indonesia's Spice Islands & the murders & betrayals, plus the characters & ghosts that slip in & out. Underlying it, the most persistent haunting of all: that of colonialism. It was sad & mysterious.

batsy #nyrbbookclub @Liz_M @vivastory 3y

BarbaraBB Beautiful review. Happy new year Suba 🎆 3y

batsy @BarbaraBB Thank you, Barbara! Happy New Year 😘 3y

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Tamra Happy New Year! Looking forward to more of your insightful reviews! 3y

readordierachel Lovely review. I am struggling with this one, but you've made me want to soldier on. Happy New Year 🤗 3y

Cathythoughts Nice looking coffee 👍❤️ 3y

Cathythoughts Happy New Year 😘 3y

batsy @Tamra Thank you so much! Happy New Year! 🥂 3y

batsy @readordierachel I hope it pays off for you! I can understand why it feels a bit off, though. Happy New Year ❤️ 3y

batsy @Cathythoughts It was delish 😁 Wishing you a fantastic 2022! 3y

merelybookish Beautiful review! There is a lot to unpack here. 3y

vivastory Happy New Year! Wonderful review! I agree about it being mysterious & shapeshifting. I was def along for the ride, but some of the narrative shifts didn't work for me. I'm really looking forward to the discussion though! 3y

batsy @merelybookish Thank you! It's a deeply layered novel. 3y

batsy @vivastory Thank you! Happy New Year 🎉 I wish I was more aware of the details of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia; there seems to be a lot going on under the surface. 3y

charl08 Sounds fascinating. 3y

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merelybookish

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

pick

I was torn between a pick and a so-so, so rounded up. The world it inhabits is lush, languid, hypnotic. That makes for some beautiful writing and a slow reading experience. There is a lot here about time, loss, knowledge, magic, and the connection between this world and the next. All bound up with colonialism and its inner and outer effects. It's the kind of book I didn't necessarily enjoy but am glad I read.
#nyrbbookclub @vivastory @Liz_M

batsy Lovely review. I've got a bit more to go. It's a strange book, and not in a bad way at all. Something about the mood and the shifting scenes stick with you. 3y

merelybookish @batsy Yes. I had read Scott's review so was prepared for the shift in scenes so I think it bothered me less. Plus it made me think about why the writer did that. And I think that is answered (to a certain extent) by the end. 3y

merelybookish @batsy Also, thank you. ☺️ 3y

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vivastory Great review! Did you get a kindle for the holidays? Looking forward to the discussion tomorrow. 3y

merelybookish @vivastory Thanks! No I got a Kindle a few years ago. I'm not a fan but sometimes resort to it when books are hard to find. 3y

vivastory Same here. I'm using the same Kindle that I bought 5 years ago... 😂 I actually use the Kindle APP a lot more since I spend a lot of time in waiting rooms for my job. I often get on my phone & read via the app. 3y

merelybookish @vivastory yes. I usually use the app too but I find it affects my reading experience. Like I don't read or absorb with the same attention. So I dug out my actual Kindle. 3y

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merelybookish

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

My last will probably be the tagged book for #NYRBbookclub.
My first will be Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You for my IRL book club.
#lastfirst @BookNAround

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Leftcoastzen

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

so-so

I‘m falling in line with my #NYRBBookClub friends. While I enjoyed the lush description & a magical feel , I felt the shift in the story in the middle a little abrupt.I had trouble staying engaged with the story till it came back around to the original characters. Looking forward to our discussion! @Liz_M @vivastory

vivastory I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one bothered by the narrative shift. Great pic though! 🐚 3y

Leftcoastzen @vivastory thanks! 3y

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GatheringBooks

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

Shared my reflections about our #NYRBBookClub picks for 2021 in my post today at GatheringBooks: https://gatheringbooks.org/2021/12/27/monday-reading-209/ - what a wonderful reading community founded by @vivastory

LeahBergen Oh, wonderful! I‘m off to read it now. ❤️ 3y

GatheringBooks @BarbaraBB @catebutler @daena @arubabookwoman @emilyhaldi @quietjenn @sprainedbrain @KVanRead @mklong @youneverarrived @LeahBergen @Leftcoastzen @Liz_M @merelybookish @readordierachel @saresmoore @sarahbarnes @Reviewsbylola @batsy @Tanisha_A @Theaelizabet @Billypar 3y

BarbaraBB That‘s great. I feel the same about our bookclub as you do 🤍 (edited) 3y

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batsy I agree; the discussions are always enriching 💜 3y

merelybookish Wonderful post! Even when we all like the book, we seem to like it for different reasons. I always learn so much from our discussions! 3y

Billypar Great post! I definitely agree - even if I'm not loving a book, I look forward to hearing what others thought of it during the discussions. And as for 2021, The True Deceiver and The Go-between were my favorites too! 3y

Leftcoastzen Lovely post ! Share our book club love! 3y

daena Well said. Looking forward to get back into things in January, my apologies for being inactive. I miss engaging in our conversations. 3y

quietjenn Great post - I totally agree. Or discussions always make me appreciate the books on a different level. It's really been one of my favorite things about this year. 3y

vivastory I haven't been on Litsy today due to being at a family gathering since this morning & just now returned from browsing at the bookstore. I am really moved by this post, Myra! You are a wonderful part of our group & you have managed to articulate what makes the #NYRBBookClub special. This was a really wonderful post. 3y

vivastory @LeahBergen @BarbaraBB @quietjenn @daena @Leftcoastzen @Billypar @merelybookish @batsy @GatheringBooks I have said this before, but I am completely sincere when I say that the discussions are only great because the group is great. Thank you for a year full of respectful & thoughtful discussions. Here's to the new year & more discussions. More hidden gems. 🍾📚 3y

arubabookwoman I loved how the post you linked to so perfectly encapsulated each of the books we read this year. Thanks for putting it all together. 3y

55 likes12 comments

Leftcoastzen

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

#NYRBBookClub so I put some laundry in & ran out to get the critters food , the best part of this day is enjoying reading time!

51 likes

GatheringBooks

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

#NYRBBookClub titles for December, January, February. Literally reading by the fireplace while here in Antioch for the Christmas holidays.

vivastory

BarbaraBB That looks so attractive 🥰 3y

merelybookish Gorgeous! 3y

Leftcoastzen So beautiful! Enjoy! 3y

quietjenn Perfection! 3y

batsy 😍 3y

48 likes5 comments

BarbaraBB

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

so-so

When my family came to Holland from Indonesia they brought with them their ghosts and mystique. The stories in this book are similar to some that have been told in my family for generations. I think these stories are just a tool to create that Indonesian atmosphere. I understand and respect what Dermoût is doing but had a hard time following along. #NYRBBookClub

vivastory, Liz_M

vivastory Great review! I wasn't aware that your ancestors are Indonesian. That's really interesting! 3y

LeahBergen I didn‘t know about your Indonesian ancestry, either. Very cool! I made sure to go for a big Rijsttafel when I was last in Amsterdam. It was SO fun. 3y

BarbaraBB @LeahBergen Next time I‘ll make you one 😘 3y

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Centique Your tree is gorgeous too! 3y

LeahBergen Yes,please! 3y

batsy I wasn't aware of your Indonesian ancestry, either. Super interesting to learn this and love the photo 💖 3y

Suet624 Bummer about the book but your tree is beautiful. 3y

BiblioLitten Very interesting! 3y

GatheringBooks Lovely photo. I can totally understand what you mean about having a hard time following the book. I feel the same way. Finished reading the novel yesterday. 3y

73 likes9 comments

BarbaraBB

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

#WeeklyForecast 51/21

I‘ve started the tagged book for the #NYRBBookClub. For those who read Wild, it‘s one of Cheryl‘s favorite books during her journey.
Next up is my #buddyread with @squirrelbrain : Infinite Country. And because I‘m off work from Thursday till the end of the year I guess I‘ll also can read another one for the #ToB.
Happy with all of these!

Cinfhen

Cinfhen Yay for holiday break 💚♥️💚 3y

TrishB Enjoy ❤️ 3y

Megabooks Really curious about what you think of

In Concrete

BarbaraBB @Megabooks I just started it. Very promising! 3y

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Leftcoastzen

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

When the universe is kind . Found my #NYRBBookClub book , the next Slaughter I need to read & a title I‘ve been curious about all at my local book exchange! Bought with trade credit , yay!

vivastory, Liz_M

LeahBergen Perfect! 3y

Liz_M The Woman at Point Zero is a good, but tough read. 3y

Leftcoastzen @Liz_M yes , read some reviews, have to prepare myself. 3y

Emilymdxn I loved the woman at point zero so much, incredible book 3y

55 likes4 comments

Kalalalatja

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

Congrats on being close to a big milestone @Rachel.Rencher and thanks for doing a lovely giveaway 👏

I love when the early morning light hits my shelves and make my books golden and shiny ✨💛

#Rencher10K

Trollkonstnaren 😍😍 A dreamy sight. 6y

batsy Ooh, I love it too 😉💕 6y

TrishB Me three 💕 6y

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BiblioLitten Looks so magical 🤩🤩 6y

DivineDiana Beautiful! 6y

Freespirit Lovely bookshelves🤓 6y

youneverarrived Beautiful 😍 6y

ravenlee Wow - mesmerizing. 6y

ephemeralwaltz MAGICAL! 6y

113 likes9 comments

mrsmarch

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

I missed ten thousand....but ten thousand and ten is wonderful too! #LitsyMilestones

Mollyanna Congratulations 🎉🍾🎉 6y

JoScho 🎉💖🎉💖🎉 6y

Andrew65 🍾⭐️🍾⭐️🍾⭐️🍾⭐️ 6y

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Librarybelle Congratulations! 6y

Liatrek Congrats🎉🎉🎉 6y

AmyG Yay🎉 6y

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈 6y

mrsmarch @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego man oh man, now I am thinking about that Banksy auction.... 6y

35 likes8 comments

SheilaChew

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

I made it to 10,000!!! 🤓

kishore_kk Yay 🎉🎉🎉 congrats! 6y

Cinfhen Congrats 🎉🎈🍾 6y

TrishB 🎉🎉 6y

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SassyBookworm Congratulations 🎊🍾🎉📚📖 6y

Librarybelle Congratulations! 6y

JoScho Yay!!! 💖🎉💖 6y

Jas16 📚👏🎉 6y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉 6y

hes7 Yay! 🎉 6y

Ddzmini Congratulations 🎉🎊🎈 6y

36 likes10 comments

Booksnchill

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

Very cool- love litsy and all the great book lovers!

KarenUK 🙌🙌🙌💕 7y

DGRachel Woohoo!🎉🎉🍾🎉🎉 7y

GypsyKat Congrats! 👍👍👍 7y

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suvata Congrats 7y

BookishBlonde12 Congrats! 🎊🎈🍾 7y

DarcysMom Yay! Congrats! 👍👍👏👏🎉🎊🎉🎊 7y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 👏🏻🎊🎉💕📚 7y

Jess7 🎉🎉 7y

Jas16 Yay!!🎉👏📚 7y

kspenmoll Congrats! 🎉🎉💃🏼💃🏼👏🏻👏🏻 7y

AmandaL 🎉🎉🎉 7y

quirkyreader Yippie!🐸🐙 7y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉 7y

Reviewsbylola 🎉🎉🎉 7y

TrishB 👍😀🎉 7y

Ms_T 🎉🎉🎉 7y

Bklover Congratulations!🎊🎉🎉 7y

JessClark78 🎊🎉📚 7y

TricksyTails Congratulations!! 👏👍🎉😊 7y

erzascarletbookgasm Wohoo! 👏🎊 7y

drokka Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉 7y

82 likes21 comments

EchoLogical

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

I finally made it to 10,000 and of course I missed it, despite the fact that I watched for it all day, yesterday. Still, I'm super stoked about it! #10000 #Woohoo #HighRoller #Unstoppable #MamaIMadeIt 😂😂😂

cariashley 👏👏👏 7y

Cinfhen Congrats🎉🎉🎉I totally remember one of your first posts...when you were wondering how you were gonna get to 100 😂😘you totally did it!!!! 7y

britt_brooke 🙌🏻🙌🏻 7y

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EchoLogical @Cinfhen Thanks! 🤗 Now I can die happy. Also, how do you like my hashtags? 😂😂😂 Clearly, I crack myself up. 😅 7y

Cinfhen I love them all #MamaMadeIt 7y

EchoLogical @britt_brooke Thanks! 😄 7y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉 7y

Suelizbeth Way to go!! 🎉🎉🎊🎊💕💕😁😁 7y

No_One Holy moly!!! Congrats!! 🍾🥂🎈🎂🔥🔥🔥🔥 7y

LauraBeth Nice! 🎉🎉 7y

tournevis 👏🎇🎉🎇🎉🎇🎉👏 7y

stacybmartin Yay - congrats!! 🎉📚🎉👏🏼 7y

EchoLogical Thanks @Redwritinghood @Suelizbeth @No_One @LauraBeth @tournevis @stacybmartin 😘 7y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😊👍🏻🎈💜📚 7y

Jess7 🎉🎉🎉 7y

Jas16 Yay!!!🎉👏📚 7y

youneverarrived 🎉🎉🎉🎉 7y

ScientistSam Congrats!!👏🍾🎆🎊🎉 7y

mariaku21 Congrats!! 🎉🎉🎉🥂🥂🥂🎉🎉 7y

Graciouswarriorprincess Congratulations!! 7y

Debiw781 Congratulations!!!! 7y

diovival Awesome!! 🎉👏🎊👍 7y

Gezemice Oooh, congratulations! 7y

74 likes23 comments

mom2bugnbee

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

I may or may not have stalked myself for about 20 minutes to catch this milestone! #Litsy & its #Littens are the best! You guys rock! 🎉🎉🎉

rubyslippersreads 🎉📚🎉📚⭐️⭐️⭐️ 7y

DGRachel Woohoo!🎉🎉🍾🎉🎉 7y

Libby1 Yippee!!! ❤️📚❤️ 7y

See All 20 Comments

Ms_T Congratulations! 👏🏻📚⭐️ 7y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉 7y

Kalalalatja Yay yay yay! 🎉🎉 7y

Shemac77 Congratulations! 7y

TrishB 😀👍🎉 7y

Amanda23 Yay!! 7y

CrowCAH Woohoo!!! 🎉👏🏻 7y

Reviewsbylola 🎉🎉🎉 7y

Robothugs Yay!!' 🎉😊🎉🎊 7y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Congratulations! 7y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awesome!!! 👏🏻🎉🎊🎈😊📚 7y

Megabooks 🎊🎊🎉🎉👍👍👏👏👏 7y

tournevis 👏🎇🎉🎇🎉🎇🎉👏 7y

JessClark78 🎊🎉🎉🎊📚 7y

PurpleyPumpkin Yay!🎉🎊🎉🎊 7y

Bklover Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉🎉 7y

scripturient Congratulations!!! 🎊🍾🎈🎉 7y

81 likes20 comments

Samwise_Gamgee

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

This happened today 🎊🎉🎈I love Litsy. Thank you #Littens

asiriusreader Yay!!! 👏🏻👏🏻🎉🎉 8y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yay!!! 👏🏻🎈🎊🎉 8y

jeff 🎉🎉🤘 8y

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CouronneDhiver Woohoo!!! 8y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y

christineandbooks 🎉🎉📚📚Yay! 8y

Jas16 Yay!🎉📚👏 8y

Jess_Read_This 🎉Congrats!! 🎉🥂🍾 8y

rubyslippersreads 🎉📚🌟🎉📚🌟🌟🌟 8y

JessClark78 Congratulations!! 🎊🎉🎉📚 8y

kylienoele 🎉🎉🎉💖💖💖 8y

DebinHawaii Congratulations!!! 🎉👍🎉👍🎉😀 8y

InLibrisVeritas Congratulations!! 🎉🎉 8y

erzascarletbookgasm Wohoo! 💃🏻👏🏼 8y

kspenmoll Congrats! Hooray! 💃🏼💃🏼🎉🎉👏👏 8y

Simona Congrats 🍾📚👏👏👏👏 8y

LeahBergen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y

hes7 Yay! 🎉 8y

moranadatter Congrats!🎉🎂 8y

Smrloomis 🎉🎉🎉👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 8y

71 likes20 comments

christineandbooks

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

Reached 10,000 just now! Fun! I just love it here. Litsy is such a great space. Glad to be among so many bookish people! Thanks! 💕😊📚

jessberk13 Yaaay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y

Cinfhen Yay!!! Congrats 💖📚🎉😍 8y

Megabooks 👍🏻👍🏻🎉🎉🎉🎉📚💫💫💫 8y

See All 25 Comments

Suelizbeth 😁😁❤️❤️🎊🎊👏🏻👏🏻🎉🎉📚📚 8y

Dragon 👍😀🎉 8y

Bibliogeekery 🎉🎉🎉 8y

TrishB 👍🎉😂 8y

jfalkens Congrats 🎊📚💞🎉📖💕 8y

moranadatter Congrats!🎉🎂 8y

Reviewsbylola 🎉🎉🎉 8y

DGRachel Woohoo! 🎉🎉🍾🎉🎉 8y

Suzze Fabulous! Congrats! 👏👍🏼🍾📚💥 8y

rubyslippersreads 🎉📚🎉📚🎉🎉🌟 8y

mjdowens I have absolutely no hesitation to bail on any book. If my brain is just saying blah, blah, blah in the first chapter then I move on. Too many other books that I could enjoy. Doesn't mean the book is no good, just not enjoyable to me. 8y

asiriusreader Woohoo!!!! 😊👏🏻🎉🎉 8y

GypsyKat Congratulations!🎉🎈🍾🎊 8y

Robothugs Congrats!! 😄 8y

KarenUK 🙌🙌🙌💕 8y

Laura317 Awesome!!! 🎉👏🏼👏🏼🎉🎉 8y

MicheleinPhilly Congrats! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 8y

LeahBergen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y

hes7 Yay! 🎉 8y

Lmstraubie Yay! 🙆 8y

MyNamesParadise Yay!! Congrats!! 8y

JessClark78 Congrats!! 🎊🎉🎉📚 8y

77 likes25 comments

merelybookish

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

Yay! Thanks everyone for making me apart of this fun, bookish community! 🤗🤗🤗

britt_brooke 🙌🏻🙌🏻 8y

Bklover Congratulations!!!!🎊🎉🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉 8y

susanw 🎉📚🏅 8y

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BookishMarginalia 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 8y

Graciouswarriorprincess Congratulations 8y

LeahBergen Yay!! 🎉🎉🎉 8y

Sace 🎉🎉🎉 8y

JessClark78 Congrats!! 🎊🎉🎉📚 8y

DebinHawaii Congratulations!! 🎉👍🎉👍🎉😆 8y

Lmstraubie Whoot! Whoot! 👊👊👊 8y

Bibliogeekery 🎉🎉🎉 8y

DGRachel Congrats!🎉🎉🍾🎉🎉 8y

CherylDeFranceschi Congrats! 🎉📚🎉 8y

TheLibrarian 👏🏻🎉 8y

Bookladylinda Woo hoo!!!!! Congrats to you!!!! 📚📚📚📚📚📚🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊 8y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y

Eyelit 🎉📚👏💜😃 8y

KarenUK 🙌🙌🙌🙌💕 8y

CrowCAH Woohoo 🙌🏻🎉👏🏻 8y

Dragon 😀👍🎉 8y

La_Cori yay!!! 🎉😄🎉 8y

writerlibrarian Bravo! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎉🎉 8y

moranadatter Congrats!🎉🎂 8y

78 likes23 comments

CarolynOliver

Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

Hey, thanks Littens! 💜📚💜

Hamlet Congratulations, you sure do move quickly through books. As a slow reader, I envy your speed. 8y

Dragon 👍🎉😀 8y

KarenUK 🙌🙌💕 8y

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annahenke 📚🤗 8y

moranadatter Congrats!🎉🎂 8y

BibliophileMomma Congrats!! 🎈🎉🎊🍾 8y

susanw 🎉📚🏅 8y

LeahBergen 🎉🎉🎉 8y

Shemac77 Congratulations! 8y

Redwritinghood 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y

DebinHawaii Congratulations!!! 🎉👍🎉👍🎉😀 8y

CarolynOliver Thanks friends! 8y

39 likes12 comments

Lauredhel

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

I missed it! But yay Litsy, you're awesome.

hlgreenfield Congrats!! 🎉🎊🎊 8y

CherylDeFranceschi Congrats! 🎉📚🎉 8y

Minispok Congrats!🎉🎉🎉 8y

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Bookladylinda Congrats to you!!!! 📚📚📚🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y

Jas16 Yay! 🎉📚👏 8y

rubyslippersreads 🎉📚🎉📚🎉🎉🎉🌟🌟🌟 8y

BibliophileMomma Wooo hooo!! 💕🙌🏼🙌🏼😍😍👍🏼🎉🎉 8y

DebinHawaii Congratulations!! 🎉👍🎉👍😀 8y

DuckOfDoom Congrats!!🎉📚 8y

LeahBergen Yay! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y

Cinfhen Yay 😊 ❤️🎉⭐️📚🎉 8y

Suzze Nice! Congrats. 🍾🎊🎈🎉 8y

StaceyKondla Fabulous!! 😁🎉😁🎉😁🎉 8y

susanw 🎉📚🏅 8y

moranadatter Congrats!🎉🙌🏻 8y

James Congrats 🎉 8y

stacybmartin Yay - congrats!! 🎉📚🎉👏🏼 8y

asiriusreader Yay!! 🎉🎉👏🏻👏🏻 8y

Donna_sBookMinute Oh wow! Great news. Congrats! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 8y

RadicalReader @Lauredhel I want my Litfluence to be like yours feeling bad I am only at 300 8y

Lauredhel @RadicalReader I threw myself into litsy pretty hard, and followed a bunch of people :) 8y

88 likes21 comments

Moray_Reads

The Ten Thousand Things | Maria Dermo�t

I broke the milestone! Managed to catched this before I went out to dinner. Thank you, Littens, you help me cling to my faith in humanity. And boy are you bad (by which I mean good) for my TBR ❤

Robothugs Congrats!! 8y

TrishB Yay 👍😀😄 8y

BookishMarginalia Woohoo 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 8y

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Reviewsbylola 🎉🎉🎉 8y

stacybmartin Yay - congrats!! 🎉📚🎉👏🏼 8y

Josie Yay congrats!! 🍻🎉🎊🎈 8y

rockpools Congratulations!! 🎉📚🎉And Happy Burns Night to you too! 🐭 8y

Joybishoptx Yay! 💕😻❤🎉 8y

James Congrats 🍾🎈 8y

CherylDeFranceschi Congrats! 🎉📚🎉 8y

saresmoore Beautiful! I'm grateful for your presence on Litsy and your wife and wonderful taste in books! ❤🥂 8y

DuckOfDoom Congrats!!📚🎉 8y

moranadatter Yay!🎉🙌🏻 8y

jessdean So cool👏🏽👏🏽🎉🙌🏽🎊📚 8y

LeahBergen Yay!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y

LauraBrook 🍾🍾🍾 8y

megt Congrats! 8y

Kalalalatja Yay, congratulations!! 🎉🎉 8y

Dragon 👍😀🎉 8y

vivastory Congratulations 🎊 📚 🍷 8y

DivineDiana 📚Fantastic! 👏🏻📚👍🏻🎉 8y

57 likes21 comments

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