Welcome to Litsy!

Overall, I really liked this book, but in the moment of each chapter there were times that it didn‘t flow well, that text or characters didn‘t seem to support the plot, or that characters slipped in and out of character without enough context.

There is something about the tone of Maggie O‘Farrell‘s writing, though, that always appeals to me.

Perfect holiday read 🌞
#pick #thismustbetheplace #maggieofarrell #holidayread

Thank you to @Megabooks for my great #jolabokaflodswap package! I read your email before I opened the package and was so excited to see the book (and chocolate!).
Thanks again and thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for organizing this great swap. Can‘t wait to read tonight!
Happy Holidays! 🎄🎉💕

I started my Friday morning with my coffee shop‘s newest spring roast, a raspberry almond scone, and my newest read. #tgif

Shifting perspectives and times add up to create a picture of a marriage and family that is messy and filled with imperfect people who love each other and try to do better. Each section and character is so vibrant that even if you are only given their point of view for a few pages they feel utterly complete. This book lands towards the middle of my rankings of her work but she is such a wonderful writer that it hardly matters. #authoramonth

I'm really struggling to decide how I feel about this one! It was compulsively readable, and I felt invested in the characters. I found myself really liking the characters, only to periodically remember, wait, these are not good people - they are self-centered and doing really crappy things 🤔. Yet, it pulled me in and had me rooting for them all 🤷‍♀️. This was my pick for July's AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

So happy to finally find a new-to-me #Authoramonth who I love! Will definitely be reading more of hers!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you so much @Cinfhen for my book, yummy teas and fantastic stickers 😍 I was listening to an old episode Of the What should I Read Next podcast only this morning and this book came up. I can‘t wait to read it!

I loved this book! ♥️ An exquisitely constructed story that held me captive from start to finish. Love, mistakes, regrets, heartbreak, and the possibility of mending and forgiveness. Thanks for putting this one on my radar @Megabooks - I agree with you that I think this is my favorite O‘Farrell of the ones I‘ve read.

A hesitant pick for me. There were elements of this story I really liked- the setting, the wife and family, the multiple timelines- and these elements saved the reading experience for me. The thing holding me back from loving it was the main character! I found him to be frustrating and stereotypical. I think I would‘ve liked this book even more if his wife or stepson had been the main character.

Maggie can manage multiple timelines like no other, and this story about marriage and parenthood had a universal ring to me even though I‘m neither.

After losing a fierce custody battle (off page), Daniel takes off to Ireland and meets a reclusive film star and her son. They marry and have two children, but after he hears of an ex‘s death, Daniel‘s life spirals out of control. He‘s the MC, but his second wife plus his kids take turns narrating.

I absolutely loved this book and have to keep reminding myself that I can't go back to it. I loved her style of writing, the power of her description and her real, flawed characters. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I just discovered Maggie O‘Farrell last year and she is fast becoming a must-read author for me. This story is told from multiple perspectives of an extended family, stringing together their collective history in flashes of significant events. The prose is just beautiful and the characters are so fleshed out and vivid. The book jumps back and forth in time, filling in key bits of of the story as you go, and builds to a satisfying ending. Loved it.

Truth about parenting older kids!

The story is told from multiple points of view, from different time frames, different countries. It‘s like putting together one of those jigsaw puzzles where each puzzle piece is a complete shape in itself. Each chapter is complex and satisfying, even the minor characters like a woman whom Daniel meets on a bus in South America. She‘s so well created and whole that I felt like I knew her in just a few pages.

A tad bit complicated telling (due to multiple timelines) of a man, his choices and the life he leads with a complicated woman. Maggie O'Farrell's writing is great and she weaves a multi layered story that I enjoyed.

This layered portrait of a marriage and each of their combined histories was fascinating. It reminded me so much of A Visit from the Goon Squad. I started out on vacation last month, but read it slowly for weeks.

I loved seeing the characters from both other peoples‘ POVs (like Rosalind, an older woman on an adventure) and their own.

“How different it all might have been, how minuscule the causes and how devastating their effects.”

Unpopular opinion, but this book didn‘t do much for me. Neil was the only character I found to be relatable. I don‘t think the audiobook was the way to go with this one.

I found it better flowing as it moved along and I got used to the characters.
I liked the way in which the chapters fluctuated between years and narrators.

Library book club choice for March.
This is the first one I've read by her, no idea what to expect... though the librarian said he'd enjoyed it, then declared he's keen to see if I agree 😄😄😄

This book is EXCELLENT! It‘s a book that‘s so intelligently written, I feel smarter just reading it. There‘s a lot to unpack, the POVs change, the timeline goes back and forth, and reading it requires focus. You can‘t skim through this one, but damn is it a rewarding read! O‘Farrell is an autobuy author for me from now on. 🗣Give this book ALL 👏 OF 👏 THE 👏 STARS 👏🤩🥳🤓🙌👊🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

“What is it with Parisians and their miniature yappy canines? I‘ve never understood it: they exercise such impeccable, flawless taste in all other areas but this.” 😏😆

Four pages in and I want to read everything Maggie O‘Farrell has ever written!

She is so readable. Love how she weaves the story using character and timeline. A delight to read. 4 🌟

This was a great read with a cast of complicated characters. I became completely absorbed 😊 The point of view/time/place changes with each chapter so you get such a detailed picture of this family and their relationships ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As my first Maggie O‘Farrell, I‘m glad this is where I started. With dry humor, her observations of humans and their interactions are spot on. I found myself thinking, “Girl, get out of my head” many times. O‘Farrell examines the rocky marriage of two quirky, flawed yet endearing characters, as well as the unique family that results. I immensely enjoyed this domestic drama. 4/5 ⭐️

“I don‘t like their nostrils.” BWAHAHAHA

While I don‘t have kids, I can only imagine I must have been like this as a five year old. I thought those of you that do have children might recognize.

Maggie O‘Farrell is reliably good.

Each time I see one of her novels on sale second hand I grab it. I think this is the fourth one I‘ve read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The type of read for me that you get cosy on the settee on a Sunday afternoon and just read it constant. It didn‘t wow me but I enjoyed reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Total reading time for the readathon. It‘s not loads but the past couple of months I‘ve been reading less so it was good to get back to reading every day, and I seem to have my reading mojo back 😁

Thanks everyone that organised it and congrats again to @MrBook ♥️🥳🥳

#MrBook1inaMillion #24B4Monday #LitsyPartyofOne @Andrew65 @TheReadingMermaid @Lynnsoprano @Rachel.Rencher @Lucas.Rencher @jb72

I do miss having a glass of wine but non-alcoholic will have to do 😂 I‘m enjoying this book, over halfway now, and wondering where it‘s going.

#MrBook1inaMillion #24B4Monday #LitsyPartyofOne

I so enjoyed this novel. I loved the non-linear storytelling; I loved piecing the story together in bits and pieces. This is my kind of storytelling: not necessarily easy to follow, but a great story of family, faults, and figuring s--t out. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Thank you, @BekahPat for sharing this title with me. 🥰$

1. Notes on a Nervous Planet (M. Haig), But What If We‘re Wrong (C. Klosterman), Che: A Revolutionary Life (J. Anderson)
2. The tagged book is next up for my book club. I‘m double excited as I received a copy of this book from my #LitsyPenPal, @BekahPat (who highly recommended it). 🤗
3. Searching for John Hughes (J. Diamond)
Happy #weekendreads to all!

Going to finish this one in paper because I cannot stand one more minute with the audio. The narrators are not good (for me) and I'm.starting to hate on the book because of it. I have 200 pages left and would really rather be reading something else. 😕

What a great #BeauTEAfulBooks selection!! Thank you, @debthmpsn @TerriGreen - this was one that was already on my TBR and I could hardly put it down! O‘Farrell does an amazing job with these characters and the different timelines all meld together so well! I loved every page!

Listening to this starting today. CDs so I don't have to fight with my Bluetooth disconnecting! 👍

This one isn‘t grabbing me. Probably just my mood. I‘m giving it one more metro ride worth of reading before I put it back on the shelf for now.

Oh how I love Maggie O'Farrell. Chapters from different characters perspectives kept me interested in this longish read. I always enjoy her books.

When you're waiting for your floors to dry what else do you do but get into bed and read.
PS: They were probably dry an hour ago and now I'm just being lazy!!

Continuing my favourite author Christmas reading

Are Littens the loveliest? Why yes indeed!
Today a Christmas surprise in mail the from the super thoughtful and generous @robinb!
(She picked five names from her list of Litten addresses to send a book to! How kind is that?! So luck of the draw for me!)
Thank you so much! I'm going to read it over the holiday!
Merry Christmas to you!! 😘🎄🤶😘

I‘m in Berlin for the weekend, visiting a friend who lives here. It is such a raw and impressive city, history is everywhere.

Here I have finished this book. It‘s the story of a marriage and kids and secrets. It‘s so well done, the plot, the characters, the emotions. O‘Farrell is a fantastic storyteller. I am definitely not finished with her.

The family in this story is believable and quirky. The characters are warm but flawed and funny.

The family was relatable and quirky and the language with which O‘Farrell writes is beautiful.

Thank you so much @miralunasbooknook for the Maggie O‘Farrell book! I haven‘t read anything by her yet so I‘m looking forward to reading this! 😘 #jbuk

After Anne Bogel recommended this book on her podcast (What Should I Read Next?) I picked it up and was not disappointed! O‘Farrell‘s writing is drawn out and beautiful, focusing on the intimate details of her characters‘ lives and emotions. Told from many different points of view and changing time periods with each chapter, it is a family saga that is all-encompassing.