panYeah... I should've DNFed that, that was dire. Brand's usually not *awful*, but this was all her most melodramatic tendencies, a stupid romance that doesn't work, and a whole bunch of incoherence. Maybe it was meant to be a parody but that doesn't make it bearable.
I can't tell if this is just *bad* or if I'm not in the mood, but wow I am not getting on with it. I'm not a huge fan of Christianna Brand, but normally I like her work better than this.
(And possibly it's meant to be parody but even that doesn't quite feel like it lands!)
I'm a bit stalled on this one. It did nicely evoke the Welsh weather, but I'm kinda meh about how... gothic it is? I think I see what's happening already, and the melodrama (and the main character getting humiliated) just isn't my jam. Brand isn't my favourite classic crime writer in any case, I've just never quite clicked with her stuff.
(I'm sorry about all the posts today! 😬 It's really catchup for most of the week, I suppose.)
So, after the #SundayFunday question I got to thinking about #Clarissa again and I made a thing. 😂 Then I looked into printing it onto t-shirts. It would be around $14-$25 depending on quantity and sizes/colors, etc. And I can't figure out how to get it to not have a white background, but give me a minute and maybe I can figure that out? Anybody interested?
Well, I HAVE to chime in on this one because I need to get all the mileage I can in proclaiming that I finished #Clarissa. 😆 All 950,000+ words of it. I used to brag about having read War & Peace, Don Quixote, and Anna Karenina… then I read Les Mis and Count of Monte Cristo and added them to the brag list, but Clarissa eclipses them all… in length but not enjoyment. 😂 Where are my other Learned Slatterns? Today is our day! #sundayfunday
It used to be “War & Peace” or “Les Miserables” (I don‘t remember which one is longer!) — until the #Clarissa Crew took down this monster (all 1,781 pages/ 943,000 words of it). It‘s considered the longest novel ever written in English. I will never not brag — and complain — about finishing this one. 😄
#sundayfunday
@BookmarkTavern
pickThis was a cute rom-com!
The premise is so fun. Two authors facing immense writers block decide to “switch” plot ideas for their next books.
The star of the book was the two authors, Allie and Martin, and their writing relationship and friendship. I love that an old male crime author can become friends with a young female romance author.
Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/05/17/review-the-plot-twist/
pickDahlia Lively is a Miss Marple-type character in a popular detective series. Rosalind King (60s) played the original Dahlia in the movies. Caro Hopper (40s) played Dahlia on the TV series. Posy Starling, child star, now grown up, plays Dahlia in the latest film. They should be rivals. But.
Instead, these three actresses who all have skeletons in their pasts, become unlikely friends, and team up to solve mysteries. 3rd book in this cozy series.
pick4⭐️ I like Celia Dale; I‘m already collecting her other titles published by Daunt Books. This one here is so refreshing. A gentle crime novel that is not too creepy, just a tad disturbing. How did she do that? I love it!
