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Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies
Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies | Maddie Mortimer
39 posts | 21 read | 25 to read
Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies is about a family coming to terms with the unthinkable: the death of a mother. Playful and funny, profound and heart-breaking, this is a daring debut about motherhood, anatomy, language and the darkness within us all.
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review
Kazzie
Pickpick

This was challenging. Beautiful and frustrating characters but seemed real. Parts of it were pretty triggering.

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Tianarose
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Book Mail! Been ages since I ordered books so I treated myself when I have a bit of extra money last month :)

KathyWheeler The Fourth Doctor was the one who introduced me to the show. I love him. 2y
42 likes1 comment
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AnnieMcC
Pickpick

I sometimes loved this book and sometimes found the style tiresome. I did not care for the segments narrated by “cancer” – and eventually ended up skimming those sections.

On the other hand, I loved Lia‘s family story, her past and the characters of her mother, daughter and husband. As much as I wanted to appreciate the non-traditional prose style, I had a difficult time getting through this book because of it.

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squirrelbrain
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#12booksof2022 #august

This was a VERY tough read, but so good. I can understand why some people didn‘t like it though, as it takes rather a black look at a mother who is diagnosed with cancer, even using the disease as one of the narrators.

sarahbarnes I agree with you - I loved this one and it completely laid me out. 2y
Deblovestoread I loved this one, too, but totally get why it would be hard for lots of readers. It didn‘t make my top 22 but was close. 2y
BarbaraBB I loved it too, it‘s in my #top22of22 2y
54 likes3 comments
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Lindy
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Pickpick

Are you up for a bracing, stylistically inventive, funny and tender novel about a mother in her thirties with terminal illness, with parts of the narrative in the voice of cancer within her? My entire book club loved it and it‘s one of my personal favourites of 2022.

squirrelbrain It‘s one of my favourites of the year too. 2y
Lindy @squirrelbrain 😁👍 2y
Suet624 Me too. I‘m really appreciated this one. 2y
Lindy @Suet624 it‘s so impressive and, on top of that, it‘s Mortimer‘s debut! 2y
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Lindy
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I wore a special hat to talk about my recent reads. Link to the video: https://youtu.be/TFeOuMUmLTI

Riveted_Reader_Melissa That is adorable, so cute 2y
Lindy @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Thanks Melissa ☺️ 2y
Bklover I love it! 2y
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Lindy @Bklover Thanks Missy! 2y
Bklover Just discovered your YouTube videos. You have a lovely speaking voice that I found very soothing. I was sad when it was over! Definitely will be listening to more - and a very happy birthday to your honey! (My 63rd is coming soon). Oh, and already ordered Last Night at the Telegraph Club. 😊 2y
Lindy @Bklover 🥰 Thanks for your kind words. I will be 63 on my next birthday too. 👯I hope you enjoy Last Night at the Telegraph Club 😊 2y
32 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Deblovestoread
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BookReport: while some of the tagged book was a bit over the top, some of it was quite profound and I was fully invested in the characters and their journeys. Proceed with caution if you or some you love has had a cancer journey. Glad to be back to Maisie Dobbs.

@MaleficentBookDragon I‘m running late with Under Lock. Will have it out to you by week‘s end. Sorry!

Cinfhen Have you started this one?? I‘ve been curious 2y
Deblovestoread @Cinfhen I have but it‘s slow going. I‘m not sure how much I care about Thomas Mann‘s life right now. I‘m at 18% and will give to 25. Will keep you posted. 2y
Cinfhen Ohhhh, I had a feeling it might not be for me - 🤞🏽hope it picks up 2y
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Graywacke
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Pickpick

My 3rd from the #Booker2022 longlist

Lia is a beautiful character. I was worried this would be too much like Sophia Ward‘s applied philosophy in Love and Other Thought Experiments (another 1st novel from the English screen world). But as Lia, still a young mother, faces uncertainty and terminal illness, revisiting her past, I just found I really enjoyed spending time with her, which disarmed my inner critic. It‘s a sad, but still enjoyable novel.

BarbaraBB Excellent review. I rooted for Lia too in this fight she couldn‘t win 💔 2y
Graywacke @BarbaraBB I would have rooted for her too, if hadn‘t all felt so certainly hopeless. But, she kept me curious through the end, through to the last word. Very interesting ending…the blending of voices. 2y
BarbaraBB Extremely well done indeed. The voice that took over. 2y
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squirrelbrain Great review - I loved this one. 2y
jlhammar Lovely review. Glad you enjoyed it. 2y
Graywacke @BarbaraBB completely agree 2y
Graywacke @squirrelbrain @jlhammar thanks. I don‘t know why, but I‘m always so pleasantly surprised when I actually like a book on the Booker longlist. Anyway, I‘m glad this was enjoyable. 2y
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Deblovestoread
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📚 Tagged and Murder on Sisters Row
🫖 Iced tea with lunch
🎶 Two concerts: MCR and Elton John, a weekend at my dad‘s to celebrate his 84th birthday and a weekend cat sitting for my daughter. All in October. November I‘ll be recovering from all the traveling.😂

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Graywacke
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My current audiobook, from the #booker2022 longlist. I‘m already 5 hours in, and it‘s very intimate so far, in a variety of ways.

BarbaraBB I was deeply impressed by this one. On audio and in print. 2y
Graywacke @BarbaraBB i found myself really resistant to the style (so much like Love and Other Thought Experiments, and similar to Light Perpetual) But I‘ve found I really liked Lia, and really like spending time with her. So I‘m into it now. 2y
BarbaraBB Glad to hear that. I also really liked Lia and her character in both timelines. 2y
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ClairesReads
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Pickpick

This one really touched a nerve. An astute, commanding narrative.

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jlhammar
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Pickpick

I mostly liked this, but didn‘t connect the way I was hoping to. Around the halfway mark I was ready for it to be over. There were certainly moments that I found powerful and devastating, but the experimental format here, for me, felt more tiresome than fresh or exciting. Still a strong debut. Just not among my #Booker2022 favorites.

charl08 Yup, more "interesting" read for me than a favourite. But I think an author to watch. 2y
Ruthiella Interesting. I am often skeptical of “innovative” form. Often I find it more distracting than powerful. 2y
squirrelbrain Great review! 2y
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MicheleinPhilly I think you‘ve nailed it! 2y
BarbaraBB You certainly nailed though I wasn‘t annoyed by the innovative parts. Great review! 2y
Cinfhen Excellent review 2y
Cinfhen I have a feeling it‘s going to be on the official shortlist but not mine. 2y
Megabooks Fantastic review! 2y
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MicheleinPhilly
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Pickpick

Oof, this was a tough read both for its structure and style and its subject. When I was reading it, I was completely immersed and often moved to tears. When I wasn‘t I was dreading picking it up. I admire Mortimer‘s ambition and audacity but I don‘t know whether I can say that I “enjoyed” this. Still, I expect and want to see this on the shortlist. #BookerPrize #BookerPrizeLonglist

Ruthiella Great review. I really want to try this one for myself! 2y
BarbaraBB Fab review. And I totally agree, it deserves to be shortlisted! 2y
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TrishB Great review, I‘m not drawn to this one. 2y
sarahbarnes Agreed on all fronts. Great review. 2y
Cinfhen Fantastic review and while I couldn‘t read it/ I respect the artistic journey the author took 2y
Hazel2019 I got a copy but am really struggling with whether I should read it or not. Tough subject. 2y
JamieArc Thanks for the tag. I‘m looking forward to this one. 2y
squirrelbrain Great review. I agree about the content and wanting to read / not wanting to read it. It‘s very like A Little Life in that respect. 2y
61 likes9 comments
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Suet624
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Pickpick

This was a page turner for me. I loved how she structured the physical space of the book and the timing of the story. It‘s a brutal look at a woman dying of cancer and her life story, complimented by the individual experiences her family members are going through. The voice of cancer itself weaves through the story, sneaky and eventually overwhelming. Written by a very young woman whose mother died of cancer, the writing is beautiful and unique.

Lindy I just picked up a copy from the bookstore today. Looking forward to reading this in September. 👍 2y
Suet624 @Lindy I‘m curious to hear how you feel about it. 2y
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jlhammar Hoping to finish this one over the weekend before the shortlist is announced. Great review! 2y
Suet624 @jlhammar thanks! I‘m looking forward to the announcement of the short list. 🙂 2y
Lindy @Suet624 I will try to remember to tag you 😊 2y
BarbaraBB Excellent review. Of course I loved this one too 😉 👯‍♀️ 2y
squirrelbrain Great review! This one is top of my #booker2022 list so I‘m glad you loved it too! 2y
MicheleinPhilly I have about 25% left in this. I find myself having to take days long breaks in between reading because it so viscerally uncomfortable. 2y
Suet624 @BarbaraBB but of course. 💕 2y
Suet624 @squirrelbrain it‘s really something, isn‘t it? 2y
Suet624 @MicheleinPhilly I understand. In my case I really had to space out my reading so that I could move through parts of it. The last 50 pages or so I just powered through because it was getting a bit confusing/wild. The book is quite an experience. 2y
charl08 I didn't know the author's personal history, but that makes complete sense. It read as authentic. 2y
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AnneCecilie
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Bailedbailed

You‘re due back at the library today, and I‘ve made it 40p in. For the last several days I haven‘t been in the mood to read you. I started before I left for Paris and didn‘t miss you while I was gone. So for now at least, it‘s a DNF.

Cinfhen Hahaha, fantastic review!!! Hope Paris was FABULOUS ❣️❣️❣️I bailed on this one too - I wasn‘t feeling cancer 😞 2y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen Thank you 😊 I had some issues with the writing. Paris is always fabulous. I love that city and have visited many times. 2y
Cinfhen So glad you had a wonderful time ☺️ 2y
MicheleinPhilly I‘m 50% in and while I love it AS I‘m reading it, I have to convince myself to pick it up. It‘s…a lot. 2y
59 likes4 comments
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Suet624
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I took a personal day and hit the rail trail on my new little pony. Just lying up on a hilltop, reading, napping, and moving on to new spots to recline. I haven‘t done this kind of thing in a long time and it feels lovely. So far this book is my kind of book.

Bookwomble Sounds very decompressing ... And breathe 😌💖 2y
Suet624 @Bookwomble it is really decompressing. Self-care is not something I do well so I‘m particularly proud of myself today for doing this. 😎 2y
Bookwomble @Suet624 Go you! 😊👏 We need to do these things for ourselves 💖 2y
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MicheleinPhilly I started this book today too. It s breaking my heart in the best possible way. 2y
kspenmoll Sue, so glad you took time for you! Love your bike! (edited) 2y
squirrelbrain What a lovely thing to do! And the book is wonderful… 2y
Suet624 @MicheleinPhilly I am always so stunned when an author, let alone one so young, can produce something like this. So meaty. Cleverly paced on the page. It's really something. 2y
Suet624 @kspenmoll Thank you, Katherine. I'm just about work, work, work and it felt liberating to say bike, rest, read to myself. :) I am so in love with my bike. Thanks for noticing it! 2y
Suet624 @squirrelbrain, Thanks, Helen. I'm enthralled by the book. Her writing and where she takes us.... wow. 2y
squirrelbrain I just read a fascinating interview with her in The Times (UK). Unfortunately it‘s behind a paywall otherwise I would have shared it on here. Her Mum died of cancer when she was 14 and said before she died ‘One day you‘ll make a book out of this‘. Amazing that she can write like this at her age. 2y
JamieArc Good job! Sounds just wonderful! 2y
Suet624 @squirrelbrain amazing. As I read it I keep shaking my head, astonished at her writing ability. 2y
MicheleinPhilly @Suet624 @squirrelbrain This is quickly becoming my favorite out of the few I‘ve read. Just amazing. 2y
Branwen Good for you! ❤ 2y
Reggie This sounds great. I‘m glad you got this kind of day. 2y
Suet624 @Reggie thanks Reggie. I sure needed it. 2y
batsy This sounds wonderful and extremely needed! 💕 2y
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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

The cancer is back. Lia‘s dying. She must come to terms with her past, with this harsh present and she must prepare her teenage daughter for a future without her.
It‘s a heartbreaking story told in a most unusual way. Timelines interweave and the cancer‘s got its own say in the story. It‘d be funny if it weren‘t so tragic.
It took some time for the book to grow on me but when it did I cried for Lia, Harry and Iris. #BookerPrize2022

Bookwomble Your first sentence have me a shock! I was relieved to read that it was about the book 🥲 2y
MicheleinPhilly I just got this from the library. I‘m scared. 2y
Ruthiella Wow! I am super curious about this one. Non-human narrators don‘t always work for me. 2y
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BarbaraBB @Bookwomble I am sorry about that, I wrote it down quite harsh indeed. The book is shocking though. 2y
BarbaraBB @MicheleinPhilly @Ruthiella I don‘t think it‘s for everyone. It‘s quite experimental and the subject is heartbreaking. Both main storylines (the past and the present) are so good though. I hope it‘s for you! 2y
Cinfhen I don‘t regret my decision to bail but I will say your review is giving me a bit of #FoMo 2y
Cinfhen Also, gorgeous photo 😍 2y
squirrelbrain Glad you ‘liked‘ it… I was getting worried as I seemed to be the only one! 2y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen It is very hard to read at times, especially when the subject hits home. I could just handle it but I definitely think it‘s not for everyone and I understand your choice 🤍🤍 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I was happy to see your review too. It is a beautiful but heartbreaking story 💔 2y
batsy Lovely review. I'm very interested but also a tiny bit afraid. 2y
Suet624 I‘m going in. Just picked it up at the library. 2y
Suet624 And I want to be where you are in this photo. 2y
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JenP
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Pickpick

I cried throughout this book. I couldn‘t read more than 10 pages at a time. Having had a lot of loss in my life in the last 5 years, several as a result of cancer, and a mother in remission, I almost couldn‘t get through it. But it‘s so beautifully written that sometimes the passages made me cry for the beauty of the writing alone.

BarbaraBB What a wonderful review. I felt the same, more or less. It‘s so hard to read yet so beautiful 2y
batsy Lovely review ❤️ 2y
30 likes2 comments
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BarbaraBB
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#WeeklyForecast 34/22

I am having the two #BookerPrize2022 books in progress and am enjoying both a lot. Afterwards I want to read the weird book about fishes that receives so much praise on Litsy for #ReadingAfrica2022. I also hope to make a start with China Room, a gift by our dear friend @Megabooks

TrishB Good plan 👍🏻 I have China Room on my kindle, be interested in your review. 2y
squirrelbrain I really liked China Room… and glad you‘re enjoying both of this year‘s Booker books. 2y
Cathythoughts Your weeks‘ books look good. Sorry , I‘m a terrible camper just now. I‘m missing Wives Under The Sea .. life is complicated at the moment. 2y
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rockpools That looks like a fascinating week of reading! And I keep meaning to get to that weird book about fishes 🐠 2y
erzascarletbookgasm Interesting titles! 2y
BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts I am@sorry to hear that. I hope things will go easier soon for you 😘 2y
BarbaraBB @TrishB @squirrelbrain I have no idea what it‘s about but I like to go in blind 2y
BarbaraBB @rockpools It seems like a book you‘d like too indeed! 2y
BarbaraBB @erzascarletbookgasm Thanks Jessie! Both Booker ones are really good. 2y
Cinfhen Your read for. Africa seems promising/ which country???? And I loved The Colony. I was more meh about China Room and Maps so I‘ll be curious to hear your thoughts!! 2y
Megabooks I hope you enjoy China Room! I meant to send it to you for months, so I‘m glad it‘s finally in your #botm collection. 2y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen It is for #Comores and you‘ll find some very intriguing reviews on Litsy! I am halfway through The Colony and loving it too. I also love Maps but I understand why it was not for you! 2y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks I am very happy to have it in my #botm selection! I‘ll probably like it if you did! 2y
68 likes13 comments
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

Avoid the #audiobook on this one. Even with two narrators, this brilliant concept was very poorly executed. #BookerLonglist

Lia, a young mother and author, has metastatic breast cancer that she‘s been fighting for years, and it seems cancer may finally have the upper hand. The narrator switches between Lia and her family‘s story and a growing malevolent cancer as it strikes different organs. Huge CW warning if you‘re sensitive about cancer!

Cinfhen I bailed because I wasn‘t interested in “hearing” from cancer but I do understand and appreciate the creativity that was put into this story. And I believe you‘re right. I‘ve heard the print is really done spectacularly 2y
BarbaraBB Great review. The book grew on me and now I am loving it - with a few more chapters to go. 2y
squirrelbrain I thought the audio on this was really well done! 2y
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Chelsea.Poole Great review. Pass for me, cancer is my biggest “must avoid”!! 2y
Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole 💯💯 skip! 2y
Megabooks @squirrelbrain the narrator reading as cancer was spectacular, but the other narrator read very flat to me. I had trouble distinguishing Alice, Anne, and Iris when she was narrating. 2y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I enjoyed the content a lot! I just wish I had chosen the other format. 2y
Megabooks @Cinfhen cancer was disturbing, but her accuracy about what metastasis and various chemo drugs feel like was astonishing! Very creative way to put across things I‘ve learned medically. 2y
mjtwo I didn‘t enjoy the audio either. I did order the hard copy so may read it after I finish the rest of the longlist (usually around July the following year!) 2y
Suet624 It seems to me that it would be a very different experience listening to this. The layout of the book seems very specific and intentional. It‘s quite something. 2y
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mjtwo
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Pickpick

3-9 Aug 22 (audiobook)
#Bookerlonglist 1
A soft pick. May have been better to read than listen.
I did appreciate the concept of the cancer having its own increasingly strong voice and the depictions of teenage Agnes and Lia - dealing with emerging independence and grief.
I expect aspects of this book will stay with me for a while but I did not love it.

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JenP
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This book on the other hand…
I am only 20 pages in, but oh my heart. I‘m pretty sure I loved it once I saw the cover and that feeling was cemented by the first paragraph

Megabooks In the middle. It‘s fantastic! 2y
22 likes1 comment
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rmaclean4
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Mehso-so

After saying I was not going to read this novel, I read it. There is some stunning poetic writing but the novel did not hold together for me. 2.5 🌟 not on my personal short list. #booker2022 #Bookerprize2022 @MicheleinPhilly @batsy @charl08 @vivastory @squirrelbrain @Cathythoughts @JamieArc @jlhammar @Ruthiella @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @Hazel2019

BarbaraBB I am struggling with this one as well despite the wonderful sentences indeed! 2y
rmaclean4 @BarbaraBB some of the sentences are breathtaking. I will be interested in what she writes next. 2y
Cinfhen I‘m glad you pushed through but this was an EASY PASS from me. I too am curious what she‘ll write next 2y
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charl08 Not on my list either - but what an achievement for a new writer. 2y
squirrelbrain Sorry you struggled with this one…isn‘t it interesting how we all have such differing opinions on books?! 2y
MicheleinPhilly I requested this from the library because I‘m unsure about it and didn‘t want to buy it. 2y
Ruthiella Hmm…poetic language is sometimes a problem for me… 2y
21 likes7 comments
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jlhammar
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“I, itch of ink, think of thing, plucked open at her start; no bigger than a capillary, no wiser than a cantaloupe, and quite optimistic about what my life would come to look like.”

#FirstLineFridays

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Cinfhen
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The blurb reads “playful and funny” but since breast cancer has directly affected two of my close family members, I‘m finding this book morbid and acidic. I‘m passing - it‘s not for me.

jlhammar That is completely understandable. I'll be interested to see how it sits with me. 2y
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Chelsea.Poole Oh my. Definitely not for me. My mom is undergoing treatment currently for breast cancer. 2y
rmaclean4 Thanks for the warning. I have lost my sister and cousin to breast cancer. This may be a pass for me as well. 2y
Cinfhen I may be overly sensitive but cancer as a narrator describing ways to attack the body isn‘t working for me @jlhammar but I can appreciate that it might be interesting to others as a form of creative expression. 2y
Cinfhen Sending much love and support @Chelsea.Poole @rmaclean4 💕💕 2y
squirrelbrain I‘m sorry @Cinfhen - it is a tough read for sure. 😞 2y
BarbaraBB It is a tough read indeed and I understand why you can‘t read it. I am sticking with it because I am really loving the mother/daughter descriptions. Cancer as a narrator I can‘t really appreciate 2y
Ruthiella I‘m sorry to hear that.❤️ 2y
Centique Thanks for the trigger warning Cindy. I‘ll try it sometime probably but have that in mind. 💕 2y
Cinfhen Thanks @Ruthiella Thank GD they are both in remission and each have passed the 7 year marker🙏🏼 2y
Cinfhen Thanks @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB @Centique I wasn‘t expecting it to hit me so hard but it did. I didn‘t find anything about the premise playful or funny 😢 2y
BarbaraBB That‘s absolutely true, nothing playful or funny 2y
Megabooks I‘m sorry friend. 💜💜 glad they are in remission! 2y
68 likes15 comments
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Cinfhen
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Thanks for the tag @jenniferw88
#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

1. I rarely re-read books except for this NF which I try to read yearly #NeverForget #WeRemember Night by Elie Wiesel 💔
2. Fiction, Mothers, Daughters, Illness, Reflections, ( I‘m beginning to think this book is going to be a bail - TW: cancer )

Feel like playing @Allylu @Chelsea.Poole @Ruthiella

TheSpineView #2 Bummer! Thanks for playing 2y
48 likes1 comment
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Cinfhen
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I hear this is actually fantastic in print, as form is apparently worked into the narrative- however I‘m an audio girl and this was available on #Scribd #Booker2022LongList I‘ve only just started but so far Im sold.

Ruthiella It‘ll be interesting to hear from you if the audio works with the structure! 2y
Hazel2019 I‘ll have to take a look. I am reading Case Study right now but this one is waiting on the shelf 🙂 2y
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Cinfhen I‘d love to know @Hazel2019 and I‘m very curious about 2y
Cinfhen I‘ll keep you updated @Ruthiella 2y
squirrelbrain I loved it on audio as the form is worked in there too…. You‘ll spot some of the ‘quirks‘ soon as you listen…. 2y
Cinfhen Ohhh, I‘m excited @squirrelbrain to see how it‘s incorporated 2y
BarbaraBB I am listening to this one too at the moment and I agree with @squirrelbrain that it works pretty good! 2y
59 likes8 comments
review
charl08
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Mehso-so

Mixed feelings. Not like anything I can remember reading before, full of interesting plays with words and typographical games. I loved the teenage character, just trying to find her way at a new school.
But the cancer-as-narrator didn't quite work for me. It might for you?

#Booker22
@Cinfhen @squirrelbrain @MicheleinPhilly @batsy @vivastory @rmaclean4 @Cathythoughts @JamieArc @BarbaraBB @jlhammar @Ruthiella @sarahbarnes @Hazel2019 @Brimful

Ruthiella I‘ll see if it makes the shortlist. Non-human narrators are tricky, I think. Could put me off. 🤔 2y
BarbaraBB I started this one and am about 10% in. I do love it so far but you are right it is quite experimental and it may easily go off the rails. I am eager to find out where it'll go. 2y
squirrelbrain Oh no, I‘m sorry you didn‘t love it! 2y
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sarahbarnes I have this one out from the library and still need to get to it. I‘m interested in how it will go for me. 2y
Cinfhen I was able to borrow this one from #Scribd so I‘ll be starting it after I finish my current audio. I‘m not sure this is a concept I‘ll enjoy so we shall see. I generally dislike nonhuman objects as narrators🤷🏼‍♀️ I didn‘t realize there‘s a whole tag list for #Booker22 - cool 😎 thanks for including me ♥️ 2y
rmaclean4 @Cinfhen it is next up in my Scribd list also! After I finish Glory. 2y
charl08 @Ruthiella I loved Ruth Ozeki's take on it... 2y
charl08 @BarbaraBB glad to hear it's working for you. 2y
charl08 @squirrelbrain just one of those things. I don't think I'll be holding on to my copy, which is good for my space issues! 😂 2y
charl08 @sarahbarnes hope it works for you... 2y
charl08 @Cinfhen I'm really enjoying seeing what everyone else makes of the longlist. 2y
charl08 @rmaclean4 look forward to hearing what you make of it too. 2y
73 likes12 comments
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JamieArc
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I can‘t resist a good cover, and I love the contour lines on this one. Even more fascinating is the format of this book. I‘m really curious how this plays out on audio. This is one of the first #Booker2022 Longlist titles that intrigued me, and now I‘m looking forward to reading it even more. Top left: endpapers.

jlhammar Wow, those endpapers! 2y
BarbaraBB That‘s a book meant to read in print I guess! 2y
Megabooks So pretty! 2y
charl08 The endpapers are beautiful. 2y
46 likes4 comments
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charl08
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I like to imagine the Afterlife full of brain-dead pharaohs stacked like beanpoles really kicking themselves.

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charl08
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I love bench signs, and try and stop and read them when I see them. I'm not sure if my local council would go for this one though!

(Mine would probably be something like "Charlotte, who thought it was nice enough, but sat here wishing she was somewhere else")

MicheleinPhilly Mine would be “For Michele, who sat here and consistently thought ‘This park would be great if all of the other people would leave.‘” 2y
Suet624 This made me chuckle. 2y
43 likes3 comments
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charl08
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Connie would stay and look after Iris. She would order Thai takeaways, put Clueless on, take regular cigarette breaks on the doorstep. Iris would sit next to her smoking a chopstick. They would practise their Urgh! As If!s.

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charl08
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It is ridiculous that oncologists can die of cancer.

She asked the nurses how this could possibly happen when surely he had VIP access to all of the most sought-after, tried and tested, tumour-blitzing drugs, and they raised their eyebrows and said it did not really work like that.

Knowing something inside out does not make you immune to its power.

Soubhiville I love your flowers! I was just wondering about planting some of these for next year. 2y
charl08 @Soubhiville I have a bit of a thistle theme going on. Three different kinds (so far). 2y
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charl08

Lia lay awake with her eyes closed. Feeling death's breath on her face, his probing chubby fingers playing with her eyelashes, she listed off yellow things to keep afloat:

Bananas
The sun
Egg yolk
Cheese
Autumn leaves...

#BookerLonglist22

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charl08
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review
squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

Wow, just wow. This was terrible and beautiful at the same time.

Terrible because Lia, one of the narrators, has terminal cancer. The other narrator is the cancer itself, who begins to take over the narrative, until the ‘I‘ at the beginning of the book becomes ‘we‘ towards the end.

Beautiful because of the writing and language. I listened on audio and the narrators were fabulous and I think you‘d miss out on so much by not listening ⬇️

squirrelbrain Conversely I felt like I missed out on not being able to re-read, make notes, and digest some of the language, nuances, sentences and yes, witticisms. This has gone to the top of my Booker Longlist favourites. (Book 6 from the list). Tagging who I can remember is following the Booker - let me know if I forgot you! (edited) 2y
Cathythoughts Great review! I think I‘ll order that now 👍🏻♥️ 2y
Ruthiella Great review! This sounds good. Interesting what you wrote about audio vs print here. Maybe I‘ll try both of the library gods allow. 2y
See All 20 Comments
Cinfhen Ok, you‘ve convinced me to go audio!! Thanks for the tag 😘 2y
charl08 My copy just arrived today: thanks for the nudge! 2y
vivastory This wasn't on my radar whatsoever, but it's now at the top of my TBR! What a great review! Thanks for the tag. 2y
MicheleinPhilly SOLD! I‘m not an audio person but I am so intrigued. 2y
Cathythoughts Helen , I ve only started to use that little ‘ +Clip ‘ thing, and you can make a little note to go with it , on audible. Maybe write down the notes later 🤷🏼‍♀️ I‘m only figuring it out. 2y
jlhammar Sounds powerful! Definitely interested in this one. My library doesn‘t have the audio (yet, anyhow) so I may go with print. (edited) 2y
sarahbarnes Oh wow. I just got this one from the library and I‘m looking forward to it, although it sounds devastating. 💔 2y
sarahbarnes Thank you for the tag! 2y
JamieArc This is one that I am really looking forward to. Thanks for tagging me! Glad to see you really liked it. 2y
Brimful Thanks for the tag. This was sold out in my local bookstore. Perhaps I will try the audio! 2y
TrishB Fab review Helen x 2y
rockpools Wow! 2y
batsy Great review! This sounds devastating but right up my street; thanks for the tag 💜 2y
BarbaraBB Great review and another hit for you! You‘re really digging the longlist 🤍🤍 2y
squirrelbrain @Cathythoughts -I just saw the little clip thingy as I finished the book…I shall give it a go sometime! 2y
squirrelbrain Devastating is the right word for it @sarahbarnes @batsy - be prepared. It‘s one of those books that you don‘t want to read but can‘t stop reading. 2y
Megabooks Sold! Def going to read this! 2y
67 likes6 stack adds20 comments
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jhod
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June flew by sandwiched by #hay at the beginning, #glasto at the end. Restrained in my buying at Hay, two hugely anticipated reads and obvs some merch...!

squirrelbrain Sounds like a great month! 2y
Cathythoughts Sounds like fun 😁 2y
52 likes2 comments