Welcome to Litsy!

Very enjoyable to read Cusk‘s first novel that really deftly captures the experience of being a young female adult. Some lines were so spot on: “She strove not to please others but merely not to disgust them.” An accurate portrait of growing into female adulthood in the 90s from my perspective. Agnes is a little trying at times, but I loved to see her find her way.

Hollinghurst, the gay author, is a beautiful, elegant, paced writer. And this audiobook is read perfectly. But, whoa, slow. David Winn has many layers of separation between his single mother home, half-Burmese appearance, gay sexuality, and those of wealthy, elite-school classmates. The book keeps going through his 1970‘s acting career, many relationships, and on to covid. A little too much too slowly for this listener. But I liked the style.

#ThreeListThursday #tlt

Finally, a score I can (sort of) live with. I definitely need to up my classics game!
Three favorites include:
1. THE SECRET GARDEN. A favorite since childhood.
2. TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES. Read this with #hashtagbrigade, and it was my favorite book of 2023!
3. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Since I was required to read it in high school. A favorite to have taught as well.

Kate is struggling with self-isolating in November 2020, she breaks and goes for a forbidden walk in the hills of the Peak District. Her 16 year old son Matthew is home alone when he realises she‘s gone and turns to their elderly and vulnerable neighbour Alice. The fourth character is mountain rescue volunteer Rob, helping search for Kate. A third in, I was racing through this desperate to know the outcome. And when it comes, it packs a punch.

February 3rd #Feelin'TheLove Love is Blind @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

It‘s time for another Elizabeth Jane Howard (the sixth that @shawnmooney and I have buddy-read together)!

'I am ready' ugh, absolutely gutted by that line. This novel is all contradiction for me - I hate humanity, I love Tess, I hate men, I love Hardy. It pulls at my every prejudice and every compassion. Beautiful writing describing horrific treatment. Irony and hypocrisy on open display. Oh, I love it so.