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God of Small Things
God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy
The year is 1969. In the state of Kerala, on the southernmost tip of India, a skyblue Plymouth with chrome tailfins is stranded on the highway amid a Marxist workers' demonstration. Inside the car sit two-egg twins Rahel and Esthappen, and so begins their tale.... Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they fashion a childhood for themselves in the shade of the wreck that is their family - their lonely, lovely mother, Ammu (who loves by night the man her children love by day), their blind grandmother, Mammachi (who plays Handel on her violin), their beloved uncle Chacko (Rhodes scholar, pickle baron, radical Marxist, bottom-pincher), their enemy, Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grandaunt), and the ghost of an imperial entomologist's moth (with unusually dense dorsal tufts). When their English cousin, Sophie Mol, and her mother, Margaret Kochamma, arrive on a Christmas visit, Esthappen and Rahel learn that Things Can Change in a Day. That lives can twist into new, ugly shapes, even cease forever, beside their river "graygreen. With fish in it. With the sky and trees in it. And at night, the broken yellow moon in it."
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Chars
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Mehso-so

“Nothing much mattered. And the less it mattered, the less it mattered. It was never important enough. Because Worse Things had happened. In the country that she came from, poised forever between the terror of war and the horror of peace, Worse Things kept happening. So Small God laughed a hollow laugh, and skipped away cheerfully. Like a rich boy in shorts. The source of his brittle elation was the relative smallness of his misfortune.”

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IndoorDame
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#twins #NewYearNewBooks @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs Not exactly a new book, since my copy was a 19th birthday gift from one of my sisters way back when… but still one of the best pieces of fiction I‘ve read. Some people hate her writing style (not to say anything of the content which has been banned in many countries), but she always spoke to me. Probably time for a reread.

Gissy Now I‘m intrigue....😳....I need to read it to see the wrong style, why it was banned☺️ 3mo
IndoorDame @Gissy I‘ll be interested to hear your thoughts! 3mo
KathyWheeler I remember loving this book when I read it years ago. Maybe I should reread it. 3mo
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IndoorDame @KathyWheeler I love rereading things and seeing how they strike me differently each time! 3mo
Eggs Great choice👌🏼👏🏻 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks This is on my shelf! 3mo
KathyWheeler @IndoorDame I do too. I‘m always surprised when someone tells me they never reread anything. 3mo
74 likes8 comments
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BrownGirlReading
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Pickpick

An excellent novel that follows fraternal twins being raised by their mother in their grandparents‘ home. They are often left to their devices and that leads to a traumatic event that will change things for the entire family. Superb writing and storytelling. Stunningly. unforgettable!

TheKidUpstairs This one has been on my shelf for so long. I really do have to get to it! Thank you for the reminder to bump it up my TBR 💕 8mo
BrownGirlReading @TheKidUpstairs I Hope you enjoy It as much as I did. 8mo
15 likes2 comments
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smallthings
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I'm rereading it for my book club after almost twenty years. Fortunately it's as good and as beautiful as I remember. I enjoy it so much I don't want to end! I definitely won't be waiting twenty years for another reread

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Jari-chan
God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy
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Mehso-so

So her essays weren't really my kind of thing, so I thought I might give her novel a try. I might get along that. It's not, but I see why her book is so famous and widely loved. Seems like I'm not one for this kind of literature. I feel left out. Like the book, the characters and the writer don't care if I'm there or not. So I couldn't feel anything for the characters and their tragedies either.

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Bookworm54
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Pickpick

This was a slow read, mostly character based and surrounding the lead up and consequences of an event.
It briefly covers a lot of topics from castes, Marxism, colonialism, jealousy, some Freudian feelings, women‘s rights, and contains this in a multigenerational story focused on twins.

My main problem with this book is that it took a long time to get to the point. But at the same time I enjoyed the circuitous route.

#FoodAndLit #India

IndoorDame I didn‘t know this won the Booker. It was a gift from my sister a few years after that and I remember loving it. It‘s one I keep meaning to reread. 1y
Texreader I‘m glad you ended up liking it! 1y
Catsandbooks Fantastic! 🇮🇳 1y
53 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Adil_khan
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Pickpick

It's a story of love, casteism, childhood, Marxism and more. There are two twin protagonists in it. A masterpiece exceptional in every way. #thegodofsmallthings #arundhatiroy

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RaeLovesToRead
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Mehso-so

This was a disjointed Picasso picture of a novel, exploring issues of culture and caste through a multi generational family history.

I found it equal parts devastating and frustrating.

The plot jumps around all over the place, the language is flowery and repetitive and it takes a while for anything to happen.

It's also haunting and moving, with believable characters and cleverly unfolding spirals of plot.

I'm on the fence.

⭐⭐⭐

rockpools Fantastic review though! 2y
RaeLovesToRead @rockpools Thank you! 😊😁 2y
Ruthiella I also didn‘t love this. 300 pages of heavy foreshadowing and flowery, repetitive writing. It makes me want to steer clear of her more recent, much longer novel 2y
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RaeLovesToRead @Ruthiella A lady in a coffee shop I was reading this in (who LOVED❤ TGOST) suggested I steer clear of her newer book if I was underwhelmed by TGOST. I thought it was good, but there were things about it that I really disliked. I may still try TMOUH though... 2y
Kitta Interesting you‘re on the fence because I loved this! I love flowery writing though 😂 2y
RaeLovesToRead @Kitta Glad you enjoyed it. There were certainly things I admired about it, but I had gripes too! 🙃 2y
68 likes6 comments
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TheSpineView
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#Movie2BookRecs @klou
Prompt: The Namesake

Klou Perfect! 2y
45 likes1 comment
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RaeLovesToRead
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So far this book is verrrrrry exposition-ey. There is no immediacy to the story, it is all background and description... I am hoping it gets better.

(Also, check out my new teapot 🥰🥰🥰 )

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Your teapot is GORGEOUS! ❤️😱❤️ 2y
RaeLovesToRead @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Thank you! 😊💕 It's Sara Miller (Chelsea collection) if you want one! 😁 2y
ravenlee I love your teapot and your cup! 2y
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wanderinglynn Love your tea pot! 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I LOVE your teapot 🫖 2y
Bookwomble Nice teapot 🫖👌 2y
BarbaraBB Love the teapot and the book too! 2y
Vansa This is one of my favourite books,and captures India and the caste system extremely well. It needs to give all that background-its obvious to people living in India( and even not so much to everyone) but she has to set the tone and place .Also it's meant to be a book about Indian attitudes towards women,labour,privilege and how those contribute to causing the events in the book!Apologies for booksplaining if it comes across as that! 2y
RaeLovesToRead @Vansa No problem, I'm glad you love it! It's starting to pick up now, but I'm still conflicted... I don't really click with the way it's written, but there are things I admire about it too. Will reserve judgement until I review it 😊 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I wish I loved tea 🫖 2y
62 likes11 comments
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Tripex

Started over two months ago, almost halfway through, lol. I'm the king of Slow haha😊.

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Tripex
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Started about a month ago lol. I go slow lol.

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Tripex

It seems I'm kinda liking Ammu. She's sort of feisty, lol.

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Tripex

Enjoying every word of the novel. To think I DNFed this once, smh.

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vivastory
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What do you think of this list? I think it's an interesting one. Of course I wish there was a Laurence novel on here & I think it would have been wonderful if they had added Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader. Omissions are inevitable & I think that they mostly got it right. Several are still on my TBR (including the tagged volume):
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/apr/18/the-god-of-small-things-to-shuggie...

Hooked_on_books Overall, I think it‘s a good list. Leaving Tolkien off is quite a surprise, given how influential he‘s been. Interesting that the article mentions Rowling‘s transphobia but doesn‘t mention Derek Walcott‘s serial sexual misconduct and misogyny, which clearly didn‘t keep him off the list. Yet another example of women held to higher standards? 2y
Graywacke @Hooked_on_books interesting observation. I don‘t know about Walcott‘s issues. (But Omeros is special). @vivastory over the first 50 years I read 7. Over the last 20, 10 (and i at least have heard of most of them). It feels like an odd list, also not a list of the most-popular books. I noticed Moon Tiger, the golden Booker book, is not on the list. 2y
Megabooks I am getting The Stone Angel in my next BD order. Saw you mentioned Laurence. (edited) 2y
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Sapphire Thanks for posting this! 2y
vivastory @Graywacke I have not read Moon Tiger. I really need to, if I recall correctly didn't The English Patient win Golden Booker? That's another one on my TBR. I read, & loved, the prequel earlier this year. So many books, so little time... 2y
vivastory @Megabooks I wish I could experience the Manawaka series all over again. The buddy read I did of the series, one per month, remains a Litsy highlight. Feel free to tag me when you read it if you want to discuss it 🙂 2y
vivastory @Sapphire A lot of great books on the list 📚📚📚 2y
Sapphire @vivastory The Bone People is a title that has resonated with me for years. I am glad to see it on the list. I will check out the Marawaka series. The books on this list that I have read, do indeed stick me in the time frame I read them. 2y
Texreader @Hooked_on_books Isn‘t that interesting about Walcott versus Rowling! And I think leaving off Tolkien is criminal. For that reason alone I am avoiding the list altogether. 2y
vivastory @Sapphire I have Bone People on my TBR. It's one I have been meaning to get to for a few years now. I've heard great things about it. If you do read Laurence I do recommend reading them in order. Although it's not an ongoing narrative & each book is contained, the books have references to characters from previous entries & I think it's a richer experience. 2y
LeahBergen It IS an interesting list but there are some surprising omissions, I think. 🤔 2y
rwmg If you want Tolkein or JK Rowling on the list, who are you going to take off from the decade concerned while still preserving the balance between the UK and the Commonwealth? 2y
batsy It's an intriguing list and I'm glad to see The Lonely Londoners there. But I do think it's an injustice that there's no Laurence! (and while I enjoyed The Night Tiger, I don't think it's a particularly notable book as such to be on this list...) 2y
Graywacke @vivastory yes, you‘re right. Sorry. The English Patient won the Golden Booker. I have an unread copy around here somewhere. 2y
Branwen Wow! This is such an interesting list! 2y
vivastory @LeahBergen I agree👍 2y
vivastory @rwmg I do think it's a bit of an exercise in futility, but still an interesting one 2y
vivastory @batsy Lonely Londoners is one of the books on my TBR. I ordered it immediately after listening to the Blacklisted episode. 2y
81 likes1 stack add18 comments
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Tripex

Reading, learning India.

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ponyflorist
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Pickpick

It's all about the decadent prose.. 🙂 dank, dark, and dramatic..

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Vansa
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@Readergrrl #ProfessionalBooknerdSChallenge #Day6 CLockwise from top-left:
Absolutely heartbreaking and harrowing story of lives torn apart by war.
Incredibly powerful account of the last days of Trujillo.
Lovely moving account of the immediate aftermath of the Russian revolution.Very autobiographical.
Sons in search of lost fathers,and childhood.
Made me cry when I was 9!
Visceral,always relevant account of caste in India.And a tragic love story.

20 likes1 stack add
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EmmaMae
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Pickpick

A story woven together in pieces and moments throughout the book. Well told and compelling. #bookclubreads

LindaLappin the structuring of time & the ending of this book are absolutely brilliant 2y
6 likes1 stack add1 comment
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CuriousG
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I have so many good books I could dig into right now (thank you everyone for the great gifts/swaps!!), but I feel this is the one for me right now. My cousin gave it to me in the summer and I never quite got to it. She passed from cancer a few weeks ago and we are all heartbroken. This might break me to read it now, but I feel like I need to be broken. Not even sure that makes sense.

BkClubCare Yes, it makes sense; so sorry for your loss. I hope reading this book is a meaningful experience. 2y
PaperbackPirate I‘m sorry your cousin lost her battle with cancer. This is a beautiful book and it will definitely break you. Feel those feelings, I say! 💙 2y
CuriousG @PaperbackPirate thank you. As her husband said, cancer didn't win. It wasn't able to take her joy, love or faith. 💙 2y
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PaperbackPirate @CuriousG She sounds amazing. 💙 2y
MrsMalaprop Oh that‘s so sad. This is a wonderful book. 2y
CuriousG @MrsMalaprop It was a devastatingly beautiful book. I needed a good cry and it delivered for me. 2y
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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
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Pickpick

The way that Roy tells a story is like looking at a elaborate tapestry; you recognize a new, incredible detail every time you look at it. This novel unfolds exquisitely; each layer deepening the experience of trauma, tradition, family obligation, and how the small moments of life lead to big ones every time. Roy‘s use of language, perspective, and sense of place to tell this story is so special, and her writing style is poetic and innovative. 4⭐️

BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @TheAromaofBooks This was my #bookspin book for July (I‘m a little behind. Haha.). 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! No worries on being behind, you have until the end of the year to get them checked off!! 😂 3y
BeckyWithTheGoodBooks @TheAromaofBooks Thank goodness! 😅 3y
18 likes3 comments
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ju.ca.no
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Finally starting this book that lovely @Tanisha_A gave to me more than three years ago! (Where did time go??) I‘m only a few pages in, but so far I‘m very much intrigued ♥️

Tanisha_A Aw! Such a sweet post. I hope you enjoy reading this one. 💚 3y
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KatCaldwell
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Pickpick

Description was so incredible. And the story was so unique. Absolutely loved it.

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Outofcontroltbr
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Pickpick

This book was interesting. Not something I‘d normally pick up but very well written and a bit heart wrenching.

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Martta
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Mehso-so

It's been awhile since I last read a book from India. I really did enjoy this! I loved the characters and the story setting. Only thing I didn't really enjoy was that the stronger plotline started quite late in the book so that is why I decided to give it only so-so.

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anushareflects
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Pickpick

This was a lovely read, extremely descriptive, poetic writing that evoked many emotions in me, and made me love and hate the characters in it. Arundhati Roy definitely deserved the acclaim she received on this one. Full review will be up soon on my blog, theyellowparasol.com

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Peaslady
Bailedbailed

Hmmmm, had this on my 'favourites' shelf since reading when I was a lot younger. Chose it to reread as part of a book club and ended up bailing and changing my choice. Not sure if I didn't give it enough of a chance or if my tastes have changed a lot over the years. Perhaps something I need to try and pick up again at some point when life is less hectic.

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anushareflects
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It is curious how sometimes the memory of death lives on for so much longer than the memory of the life that it purloined.

7 likes1 stack add
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Arvena
God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy
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#indianindependenceday
1. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
2. Just a couple of books...
3. I have. I am afraid, I am not very fond of it
@Blackink_WhitePaper

Blackink_WhitePaper Thanks for playing 💐😊 4y
19 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Beatlefan129
God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy
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1. Tagged
2. I also read Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
3. Yes, I love Indian food!

#indianindependenceday

Blackink_WhitePaper Thanks for playing 💐🥰 4y
56 likes1 stack add1 comment
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anu605
God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy
Mehso-so

Not gripping

Nagasai You should give it another chance after sometime. That's one of my favorites. 4y
4 likes1 comment
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Tanisha_A
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Hi @BarbaraBB ! Congratulations on your 3 year Litsyversary. This is a super fun idea of a giveaway! 🥳 Thankee!

I read this book when i was 16, which i think was too young an age to understand this multifaceted, complex story. Don't remember much now, which tells me that i should re-read it. Set in Kerala in India, it's a tale of forbidden love, family, childhood bonds, hope. #thinklocalgiveaway

BarbaraBB I loved this one so much when I read it! But that was a long long time ago too! Thanks for entering, I didn‘t know you live in India! 💚 4y
Tanisha_A @BarbaraBB 💙 I have got to read more Indian novels. 😶 4y
Rissreads This is one of my top all time favourite books! I loved it!!!!! 🧡 4y
49 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Vijay_krishna
Pickpick

The way she wrote this book is so different from the books I read earlier. This book has got a separate style and language to it. This book describes the life of two twins in Kerala, India. They say Kerala as God's own country. But, what we see in this book is a lot different. The characters, the story and the situations are totally believable and are very natural.

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erinachu
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This book won the Booker prize. It is also my #doublespin ! Only 18 left for this month lol

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erinachu
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Pickpick

So beautiful and so very sad 😭❤ I have no words
⭐⭐⭐

13 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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erinachu
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Book report and weekly forecast!
🎧 Zodiac (not pictured) - finished and very bad... #bookspin
🎧 The God of Small Things - 57% completed #doublespin
🎧 10% Happier - up next! Waiting for Midnight at Chernobyl to be available so I have to push this one up on my #bookspinbonanza

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Nagasai
Pickpick

Mockumentary on a tragedy.

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hissingpotatoes
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Bailedbailed

1/5⭐ The very distancing character-hopping 3rd person narration, timeline incoherence, and lack of any character development in favor of just stating things that happened (supposedly for some theme or other) are not for me.

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Mtroiano
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It‘s raining all day today so we‘re having some rec time in the garage.

Social distancing day 10

canbku loooved this book 4y
Mtroiano I‘m really enjoying it too! @canbku 4y
Butterfinger I love how you make your posts like a diary. 4y
35 likes4 comments
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Mtroiano
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I didn‘t get nearly the time I was hoping for but I did spend a lot of good quality time with my fam. We played outside, finished a puzzle, and took lots of walks around the neighborhood #stayhome24in48

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Mtroiano
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I love when one book I‘m reading references another that I‘m also currently reading 📚#shakespearereadalong

WomanistBibliophile Oh I love that too! 4y
Graywacke Cool 4y
33 likes2 comments
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Mtroiano
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Up next!

BiblioLitten Would love to know your thoughts on it. 😊 4y
40 likes1 comment
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Sushi111
Pickpick

“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably. They don‘t deceive you with thrills and trick endings. They don‘t surprise you with the unforeseen. They are as familiar as the house you live in. Or the smell of your lover‘s skin.”
Beautifully written. Must read!

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Sushi111
God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy

“If you're happy in a dream, does that?”

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Hestapleton
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Pickpick

A challenging but important book. The descriptions are gorgeous and the themes of family and love (and their complications) are both beautiful and uncomfortable, as they are supposed to be. A book to sit with.
#wintergames #tbrread #teamfozziwig

BarkingMadRead 🌸🌸🌸 4y
43 likes1 comment
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AkashPhoenix
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Pickpick

The author's uninhabited ancestral property!

Masterpiece! Most importantly knowing it's a semi-autobiography of the author. It's a journey of 2 ill fated siblings and the hardships they face at an early stage of life which leaves them with a mark for life. Strangely, the author will never let u forget anything of the storyline as she repeats a lot of facts. The air of mystery and disjointed storyline in this novel is undoubtedly the USP.