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Vinegar Girl
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
Could the taming of Shakespeare's shrew, Katherina, happen today? Find out in this funny, off-beat version from one of our most beloved novelists."You can't get around Kate Battista as easily as all that."Kate Battista is feeling stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister Bunny? Plus, she's always in trouble at work--her preschool charges adore her, but the adults don't always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner. Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There's only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr.... When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he's relying--as usual--on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: this time he's really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men's touchingly ludicrous campaign to win her round? Anne Tyler's retelling of The Taming of the Shrew asks whether a thoroughly modern, independent woman like Kate would ever sacrifice herself for a man. Its answer is as individual, off-beat, and funny as Kate herself.
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TheEllieMo
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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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

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MelKelsey
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

Book 173

I listened to Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler, part of a project to modernize Shakespeare stories. Kate, a young, college dropout who takes care of her dad and sister after the death of her mom, gets her life disrupted when Pyotor, her dad's resesrch assistant, faces deportation. The characters, while not lovable, are strong and unique. Well-written and short, it was a good read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

UwannaPublishme Anne is the best!🙌🏻 1y
29 likes1 comment
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i.z.booknook
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Panpan

I picked this up because I really enjoyed A Spool of Blue Thread and a modern day retelling in Taming of the Shrew sounded really interesting. Unfortunately for me this book didn‘t deliver. Everything seemed basic and simple. The characters were 2-dimensional and stereotypical and yet behaved completely against their characters with no justification. Also none of them were likeable. The story line was boring. At least it was short and quick.

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LapReader
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Back when school went back and I cured my blues with op shopping! Sheets are from France. Keen to give cross stitch a try as an adult.

47 likes1 stack add
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Klunkers
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Mehso-so

A cute retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew” but too short to ever really get going. I enjoyed the characters but it felt like I barely got to know any of them. Still, worth a read if you are a fan of the author or Shakespeare.

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Shmemilina
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Love a good bath time book, and I‘ve been especially loving retellings lately.

13 likes2 stack adds
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Teresereading
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Mehso-so

I usually love anything by Anne Tyler. I enjoyed this, but not sure I got it. I found the wedding supper scene unexpected and unresolved. Puzzling.

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candority
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Panpan

Good snowy morning, friends! I read this last night and ended day one of #24in48 with 10 hours on the clock.

Having never read The Taming of the Shrew, I can‘t speak to how well Tyler retells the story, but I can say that as a stand-alone story, this didn‘t do much for me. 2⭐️

Soubhiville That‘s too bad. The cover is lovely at least. 3y
Librariana How unfortunate 😕 I think this one is on my TBR, so I won't feel too guilty prioritizing other titles ahead of it. 3y
candority @Librariana The one good thing is that it‘s a quick read! I think it only took me 1.5 hours or so! 3y
88 likes4 comments
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Ericalambbrown
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Panpan

Booooooo!!!!!! This was just awful! The snippet of epilogue was the only bit that seemed at all human. I tried to read it (it‘s our FOTL December read), but switched to audio on Libby hoping it would be better. The performance was good, but it didn‘t help. I only finished it because of book club.

Just watch 10 Things I Hate About You. As a Taming of the Shrew modernization, it‘s SO much better!

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Curiouser_and_curiouser
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Just finished Vinegar Girl last night. I loved it, as I do all of Tyler's books. They are always such a great place to be.
This one's based on Shakespeare's story The Taming of the Shrew so, not knowing the story I've gone hunting for more info. I listened to the play read on audio & looked it up in my book William Shakespeare Without the Boring Bits.
The story was about family, expectations, responsibilities and discovering what you really need.

CarolynM I liked this one too. I thought she did a good job of making the basic story of the Shrew believable in the modern world. 4y
55 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Curiouser_and_curiouser
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Feeling sluggish lately, I'm back on my celery juice. Just plain this time, nothing else added. A little challenging to get down quickly.
I'm in the middle of so many books atm. Becoming is great to listen to when I'm in the kitchen, her voice is very soothing but I am also reading The Starless Sea on ebook and have been alternately them along with Sense and Sensibility.
I will also be beginning Pride and Prejudice today with the #pemberlittens

perfectsinner Loved Starless Sea 4y
Curiouser_and_curiouser @perfectsinner Cool! I'm enjoying it too, I just need total concentration for a decent period of time to get the most out of it. And it is long! I've only got another 6 more days left before it is due back so I'd better get cracking 😊 4y
perfectsinner Happy reading. I hope you enjoy. People seem to love or hate it 4y
38 likes3 comments
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shaynarae
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Panpan

This is the 3rd book I‘ve read in the Hogarth Shakespeare series, and my 1st Anne Tyler book. Wow, was it bad. Taming of the Shrew was not Shakespeare‘s best work, nor has it aged well, particularly in today‘s cultural climate. But the 10 Things I Hate About You adaptation updated it quite well and made the story very fun. Vinegar Girl was the opposite. It felt outdated, very anti-feminist, and poorly written to boot.

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BarbaraJean
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Panpan

I was so excited about this one, but it just didn‘t work for me. A contemporary retelling of Taming of the Shrew is difficult, but the scenario seemed workable: father pushes daughter to marry his lab assistant so said assistant can get a green card. But Kate was too passive, there wasn‘t enough snap between her & Pyotr, & the plot made NO sense as to what these characters would actually do. It wrapped up sweetly enough, but I just didn‘t buy it.

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Lcsmcat
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

It‘s not as good as Hag Seed, but then Shrew is not Tempest. I think Tyler did an excellent job of making this “it couldn‘t happen today” story work as a modern retelling. Brava to her for that.

CarolynM Agreed. 4y
45 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lcsmcat
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Sunday evening read. 😀

merelybookish Have you read many of the rewrites? I read one and hated it! 4y
merelybookish Now that I think about it, maybe we read that one together? 🤔 4y
Lcsmcat @merelybookish I wasn‘t part of that group, but I did read it. It was OK, but Atwood‘s Hag Seed was better. 4y
mcctrish I liked Vinegar Girl, but I‘ve always struggled with The Taming of the Shrew in general. A strong willed woman is such a cross for men to bear 🤮 I look forward to reading Hag Seed 4y
batsy I meant to read Hag Seed after Tempest! I should squeeze it in before I'm done with Lear and get excited about reading retellings of that one 😂 4y
38 likes1 stack add5 comments
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DogEaredBooks
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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mrsmarch
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler

The wounded feeling had spread from her chest to her left shoulder, and she wondered if she were having a heart attack. She would have welcomed it.

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Jeg
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

Delightful quick, well written read. Very clever modern version Of Taming Of The Shrew. Loved it. Now have to look out the other ones. Wonder if anyone has read any of them. @MrsMalaprop

ImperfectCJ I really like Hogarth Shakespeare! My favorite is Hagseed, Atwood's retelling of The Tempest. In addition to Hagseed and Vinegar Girl, I've read Jo Nesbo's Macbeth and Tracy Chevalier's New Boy (Othello). Gillian Flynn has a Hamlet retelling coming out soon, too, which I'm looking forward to. 5y
MrsMalaprop Oh now that‘s exciting! I did not know about these. More stack adds 📚📚📚👍. 5y
CarolynM I liked this one too. Haven't read the others. 5y
14 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ManyWordsLater
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Poolside reading is great. But what is this book? I don‘t understand the tone. Is this satire? Do I need to brush up on my Shakespeare or avoid Tyler in the future?

Dolly I chose the latter after 3-4 of her books. If this is your first I‘d try another. 5y
ManyWordsLater @Dolly What should I try next? 5y
Dolly Can‘t advise you there. I didn‘t like any of her books. 😏 5y
37 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Lcsmcat
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Two #pink covers from my TBR. #ColorMePretty @Sweetkokoro

BooknerdsLife Awww so pretty! 💖💖 I have Milkman on my never ending TBR too 😅🙈 5y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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katelucia
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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i love taming of the shrew so i‘m especially excited for this one 💕

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Deborah42
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

Cute retelling of The Taming of the Shrew.

9 likes1 stack add
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JoyBlue
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Mehso-so

This is my neighborhood book club's June pick. I don't think it's an improvement on the original.

[In case you're keeping track, my online book club's June pick is Anne Tyler's Clock Dance. Funny!]

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JoyBlue
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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The library was *hoppin'* during the Summer Reading kick-off! We entered a raffle for park district experiences, picked up pins & genre rubber ducks (DH let me pick both of ours—I picked mystery & sci-fi), made post-it dispensers, and picked up registration scratch-off cards/coupons (neither won prizes). We got to chat with several staff members—always a treat. Finally, I snagged my neighborhood book club's June pick (tagged) in the book nook!

JoyBlue Of course, also returned materials that were due and picked up my book on hold. 5y
DebinHawaii Nice! I wish our libraries had such a big summer kick off. Love the 🦆🦆😉 5y
JoyBlue @DebinHawaii LOL—aren‘t they a hoot?! Our library is so awesome! I‘ve loved it since we moved here 26 years ago, and I love serving as trustee (I‘m halfway through my 4-year term). 5y
54 likes3 comments
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suzie.reads
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

I loved this 💗
A very witty and charming retelling of The Taming of the Shrew.
Really enjoying this Hogarth Shakespeare series 😁

#Seriesread @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Good job! 5y
56 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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IndoorDame
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
This post contains spoilers
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Panpan

I can‘t actually remember the last time I read anything that I hated. This is a modern adaptation of Taming of the Shrew, which I suppose in retrospect I might have known would upset me, but I tend to be interested in retellings, and there‘s no reason one couldn‘t do a feminist take on this story, so every time I wanted to bail some nagging curiosity to see if this might turn in that direction kept me reading.

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MolliesaurusRex
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Panpan

I still hate it. There were some promising parts towards the end, but they were all interrupted by the same eye-rolling, awful character development & plot that the rest of the book suffered from. Final verdict: 1.5/5 stars, simply for readability, length, & the fact that those few promising parts were actually good despite how awful the rest was.

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MolliesaurusRex
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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“You‘re just exactly like him: two peas in a pod.”
“I‘m what? Take that back!” Kate said.

Riveting story, let me tell you guys. I need a drink just to get through it.🙄 #awful #donttakeonshakepeareifyouregonnasuckatit #ihatethisbook #themaincharacterislessmaturethanmyfiveyearoldstepdaughter

CarolynM Welcome to Litsy 🌼 5y
MolliesaurusRex @CarolynM thank you!😊 5y
6 likes2 comments
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MolliesaurusRex
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler

....I hate this book so far. I had really high hopes for it (despite all of the reviews I read saying it‘s as bad as I now know it to be), but I absolutely hate it. I hate it more than I hated Frankenstein and all of its whiny “woe is me, I‘ve ruined my life and the lives of everyone around me but I refuse to do anything that might fix it.” Which is saying a lot. Hopefully it gets better.😩

Wife Welcome to Litsy!🌹 5y
4 likes1 comment
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UCLAoso
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Retelling of Taming of the Shrew. I‘ve heard mixed reviews but I still want to read it - perhaps when I‘m in the mood for a light read.

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RenePenn
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Bargain bin purchases. Has anyone read any of these? #bargains

MommyWantsToReadHerBook Vinegar Girl was sweet, I didn't realise beforehand that it was The Taming of the Shrew. Not the best Anne Tyler ever but an enjoyable light read. 6y
14 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Nitpickyabouttrains
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

I am really into the Hogarth Shakespeare retellings. This was Taming of the Shrew. Not my favorite version, that is still 10 Things I Hate About You. But this one was fun and quick. The characters were witty and I liked the way they interacted.

26 likes1 stack add
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Litpixie
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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August has been a barren month for reading so I'm hoping to get this book read over the next two days.

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Devyn
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Mehso-so

Been a while since I‘ve read a book I‘m this “meh” about. Certainly wasn‘t bad and was well-written and adapted well from the play. Just wasn‘t a huge fan of Taming so this one just missed the mark for me personally. Onward and upward! #reversereadathon

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Devyn
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Took a very long break to sleep and take care of the pup but now I‘ve got about an hour and a half of uninterrupted reading time while she‘s at the groomer. It‘s highly likely I planned this grooming trip especially for today for a reason 😉 #reversereadathon

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Devyn
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Book 2 of #reversereadathon! A bit over a hundred pages in and not totally loving it (although Shrew isn‘t a favorite play of mine so that could be why). We‘ll see!

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Devyn
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Honestly shocked it has taken me this long to pick this one up. Can‘t say no to a Shakespeare adaptation!

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AlizaApp
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

Modern retelling of Taming of the Shrew. Probably not better than 10 Things I Hate About You, but that‘s a high bar. I liked the framing of visa issues as Kate‘s motivating factor.

RebelGrrrl There are so few things that are better than 10 Things I Hate About You..... :) 6y
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Skyrimir
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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I love my library‘s book sale! They have two a year and I always find plenty of awesome stuff. I‘m already looking forward to December!

ephemeralwaltz Fantastic haul!! 6y
emilyhaldi 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
ladym30 Great haul!! 6y
21 likes3 comments
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Librarybelle
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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I read this last year and thought it was okay...a #retelling of The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare. #maylovesclassics

audiobooklover Still one of my favorites 6y
Librarybelle @audiobooklover It was a quick read! 6y
audiobooklover Well I got to tell you I listened to the audio book and that was awesome! 6y
Librarybelle @audiobooklover Sometimes I think listening to the book is much better than reading the book - the narrator can make or break the narrative. I may have to check out the audio of this sometime! 6y
audiobooklover So so true ...enjoy it 6y
63 likes5 comments
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sixminutesforme
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

This was a really good adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew (admittedly not my favourite of Shakespeare‘s works!), with some interesting commentary on identity and marriage. I found the narration of the audiobook particularly effective at giving the characters depth.

CarolynM I really enjoyed this one. I thought she was clever to set up a believable scenario in which a modern girl of Kate's temperament would be beholden to her father in that way. 6y
sixminutesforme Yes! Very believable! 6y
12 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Sandsing7
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler

“Beware the sweet person for sugar has no nutrition.”

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Purpleness
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Yes, a few of them were just barely beginning to fly

GatheringBooks i have this on my TBR stack - received it as a review copy but haven‘t gotten around to reading it yet. 6y
83 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Pandagirl
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
Pickpick

Loved this retelling of the classic Shakespeare! Modern and not as infuriating of a story line, Kate is a like-able hero and you find yourself rooting for her throughout. Highly recommend.

1 like1 stack add
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Victoria_Clyne
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

This is the third of the Hogarth Shakespeare novels that I've read. Each one is a retelling of a Shakespeare classic written by a different author. I've been really enjoying them though I wonder whether I would enjoy them more if I had read the original. This one is based on the Taming of the Shrew. I think this might be my first Anne Tyler and I'll be going back for more.

ShookBelf Love that cover 💐💐 6y
Victoria_Clyne I know @ShookBelf the cover is gorgeous. 6y
14 likes2 comments
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MsLeah8417
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler

This one looks interesting. Would love to know what others think about it.

BookishMe It's enjoyable as long as you don't compare it to the Shakespeare's play ;)) 6y
MsLeah8417 @BookishMe gotcha! Thanks! 6y
9 likes2 comments
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Victoria_Clyne
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Made this Chocolate and Zucchini Brownie while audiobaking. Thanks so much for the giant zucchini @Joanne1. Pity my carnavore of a son wasn't too keen on it.

Mitch Mmm...audiobaking - now that‘s an idea! 6y
Victoria_Clyne @Mitch I also do audiocooking and audiohanging out the washing. 6y
Bklover Looks yummy! 6y
See All 6 Comments
Victoria_Clyne @Bklover unfortunately it looks better than it tasted. Think it needed more sugar. 6y
Bklover We make black bean brownies. We make sure never to tell anyone that they contain black beans (no one in my family would eat them if they knew). 6y
Victoria_Clyne @Bklover I feel like I'm forever trying to find ways to smuggle vegetables and fruit into food. Neither my husband or son are big on them. 6y
14 likes6 comments
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Maria514626
Vinegar Girl | Anne Tyler
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Pickpick

A fun, charming retelling of the Taming of the Shrew. It did squeal to a halt at the end. As if the author had suddenly run out of time. #tamingoftheshrew

2 likes2 stack adds