pickI‘m not sure I could summarize what this book is about. It‘s kind of about love? And regret, I guess. But kind of neither? It‘s often funny in a dry, judgmental way. Very well-observed characters. Interesting but, for me, not exactly moving.
pickEdith Hope has been sent to Hotel du Lac in Switzerland after an indiscretion to be out of view to her English friends. She sees it as an opportunity to do some work, she‘s an author.
At Hotel du Lac there‘s several other rich, English women. In a way this atmosphere reminded me of a Poirot crime without the crime.
Edith gets to know the other women, and suddenly there‘s a man there, a Mr Neville
The view on unmarried women reminded me a
pickThis was
A Booker prize winner in the 80s and I can see why it is a genius little book and im very surprised by the low ratings ,
Looking at some
Of the more reason book prize winners and nominations this year it beats them hands down .
picksocial norms were very different & women were judged and demonised for very small misdemeanours, or just simply for being different . Anyway without any spoilers we as the reader learn towards the end of the book what she did and why and now in the times
We live friends would stick by her . I‘d also class Penelope her neighbour and so called friend a frenemy (this great word came about in the 1950s) . This was
A Booker prize winner in the 80s
pickWe know she‘s “done something “ back at home to cause “embarrassment “ to friends ,she has no family to speak of ,and at 39 is written off as a spinster . Oh how times have changed what‘s wrong with being a spinster 🤣 I‘d say in modern life now 99% of women dream of more me time , and time alone and an awful lot prefer life without the complications of marriage . But this is the 20s and social norms were very different & women were judged and
pickWhat a sweet little read this is I did pick it up and put it back down again in June when I had a lot going on , it is a slow burn of a beginning with Edith hope romantic novelist making her observations of fellow guests at the hotel du lac .
pickIt comes as no surprise to me that I loved this book! Especially since @leahbergen @vivastory @sarahbarnes @Centique @Cathythoughts all love it too. 😃
Brookner creates an uncomfortable, close world at an off-season Swiss hotel that caters to the just-so. It takes a while to understand why Edith has gone there to get away, and for her to figure out how she can leave with dignity. As in the best novels, nothing happens, everything happens. ❤️
Monday morning. Would love to stay here with my cat and my book. (Which is so good so far!!)
Also, rarely do I read a book and feel my vocabulary is lacking. But Brookner! She has me looking up words constantly! 😅
A messy March storm (snow, freezing rain) is here for the weekend so happily hunkered down with this book that's been languishing on my TBR for eons.
Encouraging to see how many of my favourite Littens love it!
pickEdith has been sent to a hotel during the off season to give time for the dust to settle back home. At first she is an observer of the other guests but then is slowly drawn into their orbit, piecing together their stories as the reader pieces together hers. I loved the way this story weaved itself together and how I didn‘t care much for Edith until I suddenly adored her. #24in2024
I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!
#ABookADay2023
pickHaving finished a project after 2+ years with my literary soul mate, Leo of LeosLittleBookLife on Instagram, it was time to sit down and talk about Anita Brookner‘s collection of fiction work. https://youtu.be/Bssi8RbbZxI
pickMy first time reading Anita Brookner and what a lovely experience. The setting, the perfectly drawn characters, the impeccable writing. I‘m so glad I have many other Brookner books to look forward to. 📚
Intriguing, calming and elegant is how I would describe my first Anita Brookner novel.. Short novel but there is a lot of nuance and insight. I love the characters, the intrigue and a perfect escapist read set in a hotel which I love! I definitely recommend!
pickMelancholy and atmospheric. Brookner‘s characters are so sad and lonely even when with each other (maybe especially when together).
Five pages into it and the writing already feels like I‘m settling into a really comfortable armchair. Plus, the tea is so soothing 💛
#currentlyreading
Can't believe I've waited so long to actually read Anita Brookner. Happy to have finally gotten to it
I‘ve been spending a few hours of my afternoon with this book and MY GOD … it‘s brilliant. I always forget how much I love Brookner‘s precise and meticulous prose. 💚💙
Book haul 🎉
A book about a restful place.
so-soI don't really know how to feel about this book...it's very short and easy to read, but I don't understand why it won a Booker Prize back in 1984. It's just "okay" for me and far from "amazing."
All of these arrived in the mail this week. All are used except Allende. I am ecstatic even though i know i won't be getting to some of them soon. Well, someone said buying books and reading 'em are two separate activities - and rightly so. 😁
#bookmail #FriYAY
pickRomance writer Edith has done something embarrassing and is urged to get away for a bit. She then finds herself at a hotel in #Switzerland at somewhat loose ends and a bit vulnerable. This is an odd little book with an interesting cast of characters and an abrupt ending which further cements my feeling that the Booker committee and I don‘t see eye to eye. I enjoyed this, but it was good not great.
#ReadingEurope2020
There‘s just something warming about an older library book. I‘m imagining all the hands this has gone through over the years, all the eyes that have read it‘s pages…
Loved this quiet book about the reflections and musings of a spinster writer who took a break and ‘flee‘ to #Switzerland .
#LetsTravelAugust
First thing I thought of for this prompt is this one from me tbr. #letstravelaugust #hotel @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620
Anna Massey was perfect as Edith Hope in the 1986 TV production of #Hotel Du Lac
#LetsTravelAug
@OriginalCyn620
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
This quiet and graceful novel is set in a #hotel on the shore of a Swiss lake. I really enjoyed my first Brookner and look forward to read more of her.
#LetsTravelAugust
pickReally loved this story about a woman figuring out what her future is going to be while she hides out in the Hotel Du Lac. Loved the characters living in the hotel with Edith. And loved the decision she makes about her future life.
The Hotel du Lac isn‘t actually a particularly #grandhotel but the book certainly is grand!
#wanderingjune
Finishing my second cup of coffee while reading my first Anita Brookner. This one is a definite #blameitonlitsy purchase. Sadly, I‘d never heard of her until several Littens posted about her work.
pickThis slim novel is beautiful and evocative in writing with a melancholy undertone. It‘s a quiet novel (no excitement here), and character-driven, at times it feels too leisurely and moody. We follow Edith, a middle-aged, single, successful writer of romantic fiction, as she examines her life and love choices while observing and interacting with the few odd guests in the hotel. 👇
“Good women always think it is their fault when someone else is being offensive. Bad women never take the blame for anything.”
“My idea of absolute happiness is to sit in a hot garden all day, reading, or writing, utterly safe in the knowledge that the person I love will come home to me in the evening. Every evening.”
#currentlyreading
Painting from Irina Sztukowski Art Collections.
#literaryluck #spellmarchwithbooktitles
Erm..only read A and R (loved them). Heard great things about the rest, hope to get to them soon. Soonish. 🤞😁
pickWhat a beautiful book, about Edith who has been exiled to the Hotel du Lac after causing some ‘embarrassment‘, which is slowly revealed as the story continues. We also observe Edith‘s fellow guests through her novelist‘s eyes and through letters that she writes back home.
Although it‘s a rather gentle story there are also a number of twists that I didn‘t foresee - highly recommended!
@Cathythoughts - I shall have to try her other books now...
#hellothursday
@wanderinglynn
1. Tagged book, although I‘m already about a third of the way through.
2. It‘s my husband‘s birthday too, so no doubt birthday things will be happening. He‘ll probably drink a Guinness too!
3. I found many as a child....
4. Only been to Dublin airport in transit to the US!
5. Hello new followers! 🍀
@trioxin_sematary @starrdom @emmaturi
Day off work today so a (rather chilly) visit to York. Had to visit lots of bookshops and eat cake to keep out of the cold....
Only 2 books purchased but both ones I‘ve been wanting to read for a while.
Hotel Du Lac | 
