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review
Graywacke
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Pickpick

Dystopian feel, with pared down prose and a lot mystery. Eventually we figure out we're in some future with a much smaller population of humanity. And we're within an unnatural system where no one seems to understand the controls. [The Giver] was always on my mind. This is is a bit of a puzzle to put together.

I liked it. I liked the pared down prose and curiosity build-up.

#booker #IB2025 No. 3

47 likes2 comments
review
Graywacke
Eurotrash: Roman | Christian Kracht
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Pickpick

My second from the 2025 #IB2025 longlist.

It's that funny-not-funny-but-still-funny serious-not-serious-very-serious sort of satire - here on the dark history of Europe from the heirs.

But it becomes a bonding road trip, and a series of conversations and a character study of senile mom. This not only works but was thoroughly entertaining, especially because of mom‘s occasional sharpness. Comically heartwarming? Maybe. I enjoyed it. #booker

Suet624 I'm about to sit down and explore all the catalogs of the libraries in my area to see how many of these Booker and Women's Prize lists I can find. Glad you liked this one. (edited) 5d
AnneCecilie I‘m reading this one now. Hasn‘t gotten to the road trip yet 4d
Graywacke @Suet624 yay! Either i‘ve hit the good ones 1st or it‘s just a good year. 3d
Graywacke @AnneCecilie i found the beginning a little overwhelming. If you‘re finding that too, hang in there a bit. 3d
48 likes5 comments
blurb
Graywacke
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My next international booker read.
#booker #IB2025

review
Graywacke
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Pickpick

Tara Selter is stuck in November 18. That is every day when she wakes up its 11/18 (or 18/11 🇬🇧) , and everything repeats itself - the rainy weather near Lille, France, the sky, and people who wake fresh to their first 11/18, with no memory of the previous 11/18s.

It‘s a very curious book, with terrific atmosphere and yet many unanswered questions. It‘s the kind of book that makes me want to try writing.

#booker #IB2025

sarahbarnes Ooh, great review. I‘m on the hold list for this one and looking forward to it. 1w
BarbaraBB Great review. I can‘t imagine it being a series! 1w
See All 10 Comments
Graywacke @sarahbarnes 👍 I hope you get it soon. Also thanks 1w
Graywacke @BarbaraBB well, it leaves a lot to answer for. 🙂 I‘m wondering how it might evolve. Book 2 is available in English and I have a library copy. 1w
AnneCecilie @BarbaraBB As you read on it makes perfect sense. I‘m sitting here waiting for the 6th volume to be released. I think it‘s supposed to be 7 volumes 1w
Graywacke @AnneCecilie ooh! You‘ve read them in Danish? I think seven are planned. Five released in original language. 1w
AnneCecilie @Graywacke No, translated into Norwegian, but the Scandinavian countries usually translate each other‘s bestsellers pretty fast 1w
BarbaraBB @AnneCecilie I hope I‘ll enjoy it I‘d love a good Danish series to look forward to! (edited) 1w
Graywacke @AnneCecilie that makes sense. And cool 1w
49 likes10 comments
blurb
Graywacke
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Working ok this one. #booker #IB2025

BarbaraBB Very excited about this one. I have heard such good things! 1w
Graywacke @BarbaraBB easy fast reading. And very curious. I‘m enjoying it. 1w
sarahbarnes Glad to hear you‘re enjoying this one. It is a bit of a puzzle in places. 1w
Graywacke @sarahbarnes yes! feels like it‘s all scattered puzzle pieces 1w
sarahbarnes Yes! Great description. 1w
47 likes5 comments
blurb
Graywacke
Eurotrash: Roman | Christian Kracht
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BookishTrish As many as I can get my hands on! 2w
Suet624 I‘m not reading the longlist but once it‘s trimmed down I‘ll start reading them. 2w
TheKidUpstairs I'm reading some, but not pressuring myself to read them all. I finished Reservoir Bitches, and am currently reading 2w
See All 23 Comments
Graywacke @BookishTrish nice! This is my second. I just finished 2w
Graywacke @Suet624 will you read the shortlist? 2w
Graywacke @TheKidUpstairs definitely don‘t want pressure. How did you like RB? (I‘ll check for your review.) 2w
BarbaraBB I am planning to. Eurotrash will be my next one and I already read and enjoyed (edited) 2w
Suet624 Hoping to. 2w
JenP I am not but I think my co-blogger will be. I will likely read a few of them and will follow along and see what people think. I look forward to your reviews! 2w
squirrelbrain I‘m not - I‘m concentrating on both Women‘s Prize lists. 2w
TheEllieMo I‘m reading this one at the moment; not sure what to make of it so far (edited) 2w
Leniverse Not planning on reading all of them, but I have a library hold on a couple. One of them being Eurotrash. Unfortunately it looks like the library might have misplaced it, so I might not read it anyway 🤦🏻‍♀️ 2w
AnneCecilie I have a couple of books out from the library and has bought two. I hope to get started soon 2w
Graywacke @BarbaraBB i‘ve been enjoying this one. Saw some positive reviews of Perfection. 2w
Graywacke @Suet624 fantastic! 2w
Graywacke @JenP thanks! 2w
Graywacke @squirrelbrain both Women‘s prizes?! That‘s a lot. I have, for the second year, wantingly scanned the nonfiction longlist. Last year i got to two, both excellent. 2w
Graywacke @TheEllieMo i had to start twice to get the right mindset. I‘m enjoying. His mother is hysterical 2w
Graywacke @Leniverse i got three from the library, including Eurotrash. Then i‘ll have to buy, probably as ebooks… 2w
Leniverse I've had Solenoid since last year's Dublin award, and I got the Kawakami as a kindle deal. Those two will probably take me until the shortlist announcement 😅 Especially since I'm also reading extensively from both women's prize lists (but unlike @squirrelbrain I won't read all of them). 2w
Graywacke @Leniverse solenoid alone might take you to the shortlist! (I bought an e-copy) 2w
sarahbarnes Yes! The list looks really interesting this year. I‘ll be reading this one soon as it‘s waiting for me at the library. 2w
46 likes23 comments
blurb
Graywacke
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Care of my library, I started this today (amongst everything else I‘m reading)

merelybookish Handsome reading companion! 😻 3w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 3w
Graywacke @merelybookish she‘s a cutie. But, also a persnickety cat. @dabbe thanks! 3w
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dabbe @Graywacke Looks like a lot is going on in the brain of hers! 🤩🐾🤩 3w
BarbaraBB Interested in your thoughts, I have this one on my shelves too. 3w
Graywacke @BarbaraBB I‘m looking forward to reading through it. Terrific opening pages 3w
BarbaraBB That sounds promising. It‘s first of a series right? 3w
Graywacke @BarbaraBB a planned septology. Five are published in Danish. Two are translated to English. 3w
BarbaraBB So we have to be patient if we like them! 3w
50 likes1 stack add11 comments
review
Graywacke
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Pickpick

Short listed for the #Booker in 1980, and something of a cult classic. The story of a wwi vet with PTSD from London who goes to York, hired to restore a whitewashed medieval mural in a tiny town. It‘s endearing and quietly wonderful.

Suet624 I agree… this was lovely. 2mo
Tamra It‘s a favorite. 2mo
Graywacke @Suet624 @Tamra i‘m glad i finally got myself to read it. 2mo
53 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
Graywacke
Headshot: A Novel | Rita Bullwinkel
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Pickpick

#booker #booker2024 #longlist

My last longlist book. This is an interesting narrative style, a series of snapshots from each fighter‘s past, future, and rather violent present. The 8 girls fighting for the u-18 boxing championship in-front of 12 fans in a neglected arena. But the narrative is doing a lot more than just following our neglected lady gladiators.

My full longlist summary will go in the comments.

Graywacke Some thoughts: 2024 was not my favorite Booker list. Four terrific books. And three others that I found rewarding reading. But that leaves six of thirteen that didn't really work for me. Seems like a lot. What was unique this year is that last September I joined the Booker Prize Book Club on Facebook and got really involved. So I had a different and much higher level of excitement around the list than ever before. That was rewarding. 3mo
Graywacke Here's my breakdown, a personal list

My top two:
- Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
- James by Percival Everett

Other books I really took to and that are really well done:
- Orbital by Samantha Harvey
- Held by Anne Michaels

The book that was just too cautious to be great
-My Friends by Hisham Matar

The imperfect but with terrific elements
-Wild Houses by Colin Barrett
-Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel
3mo
Graywacke The interesting ones that didn't quite work for me
-Playground by Richard Powers
-Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner

The book that never quite took off and overcame itself
-This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud

The ones that I didn't like (although I can talk about some of their strengths)
-The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
-Enlightenment by Sarah Perry
-Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
3mo
See All 13 Comments
BkClubCare Just wanted to say…. Cool post. I am not a Booker follower other than being interested in which book wins. So with all the overlap of lists I *do* follow, I like to see other opinions. I appreciated Safekeep but didn‘t enjoy it; will look for the Charlotte Wood (the only one I don‘t recognize). 🌟 3mo
Suet624 I never think that facebook is consistent enough to include me in a reading group. I‘m glad you got a lot out of it. I primarily agree with how you‘ve rated the books, but I liked My Friends more than you apparently. It‘s true that Booker was a bit disappointing this year. 3mo
BarbaraBB Very interesting post! It‘s been great following your progression. Overall I was a bit more positive about the list although I haven‘t read all of them. I am looking forward to Playground and will skip Creation Lake. 3mo
squirrelbrain I love the way you rated the books, although I disagree with some of them. ☺️ Actually, only one - The Safekeep. I‘ve enjoyed seeing all of your reviews and opinions. 3mo
Graywacke @BkClubCare thanks. I have found the Booker winner often less interesting than the Booker longlist over all. But that‘s 13 books instead of one. SYD is terrific. 3mo
Graywacke @BarbaraBB thanks. Creation Lake has its fans. Playground is much more universal, though 3mo
Graywacke @Suet624 That FB group is the only thing l like on fb. ☺️ I joined last year and found it unexpectedly kind and encouraging. 3mo
Graywacke @squirrelbrain i‘m probably too hard on The Safekeep. It‘s not the 🍐 🍐 so much as the clean wrap-up that left me feeling down on it. Thanks. I enjoyed all your posts too! 3mo
Leniverse We have the same two favourites! After that I would put My Friends and Orbital. I still have three that I haven't read though, but I doubt they would make the top of my list. 3mo
47 likes13 comments
review
Graywacke
Wild Houses: A Novel | Colin Barrett
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Pickpick

My 12th from the #Booker #longlist. One more to go.

A sensitive thriller? A low-level violent drug-deal abduction, that becomes very interested in the sensitive nature of its characters. The pacing is careful but controlled. When we want it to move on, it holds its course. Be patient dear reader. I enjoyed it.

#Booker2024

Suet624 I liked this one too. Great review. 😊 4mo
Graywacke @Suet624 thanks 🙂 4mo
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Cathythoughts Great review. I enjoyed it too. 4mo
Leniverse I've waited so long for this to be available from the library, I was starting to lose interest. But I guess I'll keep my hold after all. 4mo
Graywacke @Leniverse you won‘t regret meeting Dev, Doll and Nicky 4mo
57 likes6 comments