Bodies of Light | 
pickI am excited to finally dip into Moss‘s backlist and this story of Ally, who studies to become on of the first female doctors in England, and her cruel and controlling mother made me want to stop reading anything else. I love Moss‘s writing, the beauty and the tension she created had me looking for the sequel at my library before I was even halfway through. #24in2024 #fourfoursin24 #gurneyjourney
All my plans for today's day off were shelved as the builders turned up. Thus z chance to get started on a new book ☺☺☺
pickSet in Victorian Manchester, Ally is the elder daughter of a mother who is zealous in her campaign for social reform and the improvement of life for poor women, to the extent that Ally endures a childhood of hardship and little love. Ally forges a path towards becoming one of the first women doctors, at great cost. The writing was almost perfection and I loved the exploration of social reform, feminism, female “hysteria” and suffrage.
so-soGood writing style, but the abusive relationship between the mother and daughter really bothered me
pickMy second attempt at this. The writing is beautiful & the title is beautiful. How light as a metaphor is woven through this book.
I panned on Stone Wall ... the cruelty too much. I didn‘t like the cruelty in this one either. The mother ! And I knew when I read the first few pages about the stone in Mary‘s shoe. Yet , the bodies of light , the colours , the textures , the softness in the writing , make it more than cruel. I liked this one a lot ✨
pickSarah moss creates brilliant stories out of small threads of history. In Night waking she had an parralel tale of a 19thc midwife on a remote Scottish island, in this bk we follow the life of her sister athelia who studies to be a dr despite male prejudice, a dreadful childhood/mother, + a famous painter father who fails to confront his wifes neglect. A wonderful book in which i immersed myself + didn't want to come out. Ally's tale continues 👇
pickMy first Sarah Moss and I find it an informative and remarkable piece of work. The writing is beautiful, and the story captivating, albeit rather slow in parts. Not just touching on the struggles and social prejudices of women in the 19th century, at the heart of the story, it explores family relationships, motherhood, healing and hope. Some parts broke my heart and I was invested in the main character..always a good sign of a fantastic story.
My #currentread follows Ally, who struggles against social prejudice to study to become one of the first female doctors in England. Ally‘s determination and devotion are driven by her mother‘s expectations and her hunger for her mother‘s approval, and although she is treated with harsh treatments and no love, she never gives up her dream to become a female doctor.
#anglophileapril #nevergoingtogiveyouup
Ally and May‘s mother, Elizabeth isn‘t just an #IcePrincess, she‘s the Ice Queen! Never have I read about a mom who manipulates, mentally abuse and neglects her children in such a way, while consealing it all in a presentable and charitable front. I really detest her, but I guess that‘s what makes her a great literary character.
#NoFemmeber
Katja, your package of love has arrived! It‘s fantastic! I may have gasped a little loudly when I unwrapped each book because my husband stared at me. The bookplate stickers are cool and chocolates are always great (between my kids and I, they‘ll be gone in no time). Thank YOU so much, I appreciate and love everything! ❤️🤗
@Kalalalatja
#Litsymail #Litsylove
All of these books made me think #doesyourmotherknow what the hell she‘s doing, because she‘s doing it wrong! #BadMoms
#ABBAinAugust
May and Ally have a mother that will make you say #MamaMia! And not in a good way 😳😳
#AbbaInAugust
#ABBAinAugust #MammaMia currently listening to Bodies of Light & reading How Many Miles to Babylon. 2 books in which the mammas are not of the warm & loving kind 💔
Next Audible up for me ... 🤞🏻... I think it will be good
pickAlly's mother, Elizabeth, is a rigid riligious extremist, always working to elevate herself to a moral #higherground. It doesn't bode well for Ally, who is unable to meet the standards set by her sanctimonious mother, no matter her success. This is a dark look at a nineteenth century English upbringing in the midst of the suffragette movement. I will definitely be reading more of Moss!!
#getmovin
pickI think this might be my favourite Moss! Set in Victorian Britain, it follows the life of Alethea Moberly, who wants to be a doctor. Each chapter starts with a description of a painting, often painted by Ally‘s father, which in some way is connected to the following chapter, which is in itself a picture of a family dealing with expectations, discipline, class and early feminism. And now I need to learn more about asylums at that time!
I finished the tagged book last night, so my stats finished with a total of 26 books in January 👏👏
#RecommendationsChallenge2018 #Booked2018 #ERMadLibs
Post-readathon treat yourself moment earlier today 👌
#currentlyreading
pickTwo daughters of a morally imperious woman in 19th-century Manchester take different paths. One is like her mother, just as hard on her own two girls, who in turn take different paths. Artists, prostitutes, the first women to become medical doctors... there are many fascinating characters and the period is evoked in vivid details. Audiobook narrated by Meriel Scholfield.
Ally swallows. The only good thing about junket is that it goes down easily. [...] Ally's spoon bounces on her junket like a smack on a bare leg.
[Shades of O Caledonia, am I right? @shawnmooney @saresmoore @DeborahSmall @LeahBergen ]
It seems more like an animal than a person, and not even a pet which would purr or wag its tail to show pleasure, but an insect, a venomous insect, a reptile. Except that reptiles, she believes, are usually silent. She understands exactly why nursemaids drug babies. The baby is still crying.
#siblings #aprilbookshowers
Because Ally 💔. And I've almost recovered enough to read May's story now.
And I haven't raved about Sarah Moss for months, so...
So here's my #augustwrapup - and I've so enjoyed doing the #augustphotochallenge this month. Thank you @TheSpinecrackersBookClub !
Glad (& quite surprised) I matched last month's stats - and i'm still gushing over a book I finished at the very start of the month.
So here's my #augustwrapup - and I've so enjoyed doing the #augustphotochallenge this month. Thank you @TheSpinecrackersBookClub !
Glad (& quite surprised) I matched last month's stats - and i'm still gushing over a book I finished at the very start of the month.
...in the end, all women's speech is considered to be merely personal.
An over-hot bath with this gorgeous thing, buoyed by the strength of its prose.
pickJust wonderful. A #recommendsday and #www pick - Sarah Moss - my new favourite author. I started this knowing nothing about it, and was hooked from the word go. Ally broke my heart over and over again. So much I didn't know or hadn't thought about the early days of the women's suffrage movement. This manages to pack in beautiful painterly writing and descriptions of anxiety that knock you sideways, while still being full of warmth and hope.
My final one for #24in48. How have I only just discovered Sarah Moss? And the audio is wonderful! Loving this!
