Litsy

Goliath | Tochi Onyebuchi

Running late with the discussion for Goliath because I struggled finishing this book. I hope everyone else enjoyed this book. Personally, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I felt the book would have been tighter if there were fewer characters.

These questions are to get the discussion started. Feel free to talk about anything. If you want to be added or removed from the tag list, please let me know. #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC

TheSpineView @Larkken @Deblovestoread @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @sebrittainclark @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47 @Lizpixie 5mo

TheSpineView @Ruthiella @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter @kwmg40 @majkia @AuthorCjwhitcomb @Bookwomble @wanderinglynn @MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward @Klou @RamsFan1963 @BookwormAHN 5mo

TheSpineView @LeticiaToraci @CatLass007 @AmandaBlaze @psalva @Karisimo @BethM @rretzler @CaroPi @DuckOfDoom @The_Literary_Jedi @MaleficentBookDragon 5mo

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Roary47 Well, I‘m with you I struggled connecting to the different characters. As a reader I struggle with keeping too many characters, and multiple timelines straight. I‘m sure the author did this to develop the story, but I get so lost when both of those things are shown in a book. 😢😬 (edited) 5mo

The_Literary_Jedi Started and put down for exactly this reason. I‘m planning to go back to it but large casts take time & mental bandwidth I didn‘t have 5mo

TheSpineView @Roary47 Totally agree. I got confused a couple of times and had to reread sections. If not for needing to read it for the book club, I would have bsiked. Also, because it took me the whole month to read the book, I have already forgotten parts. 5mo

TheSpineView @The_Literary_Jedi Truth! 5mo

Ruthiella I decided to DNF it after 100 pages. I think (from what I read) the portrayal of marginalized groups was accurate. But there didn‘t seem to be any story. Just descriptions of a future that didn‘t really seem all that different from the present. 5mo

Karisimo @thespineview Same! I also had a hard time with the time jumps because I was listening to the audiobook. I bailed halfway through. 5mo

TheSpineView @Karisimo @Ruthiella It's a shame because I think the author had some good ideas. It was just excuted poorly. 5mo

kwmg40 I had good intentions to read this book but just couldn't manage to fit it in last month. The reviews sound mixed, which is too bad, as I'd loved the author's novella, Riot Baby. 5mo

julesG Different POV + time jumps = normally my jam, but I got lost in the audiobook and gave up (asked for a refund) somewhere halfway through. There were good ideas. Wonder if a shorter/more concise story would have worked better. 5mo

TheSpineView @julesG My thoughts also. 5mo

TheSpineView @kwmg40 Some people liked this book. Me, not so much. I think it is one of those books that you either you like or dislike. 5mo

julesG A #MarmiteBook 😁 5mo

40 likes15 comments

RaeLovesToRead

House of Leaves | Mark Z Danielewski

pan

House of Leaves, or When Houses Attack!

Thank God that's over.

The Pan relates to my reading experience. I do have respect for this book's originality, complexity, and creepiness, but boy did the whole thing give me a headache.

I hated most of this, and yet it is something of a creation.

Esoteric, unconventional, genre-defying, masturbatory, sanity-draining - this is a book that will truly divide opinion.

⭐️⭐️

TrishB Can‘t believe you didn‘t bail! 2y

RaeLovesToRead @TrishB Neither can I, Trish. Neither can I. 2y

julesG Love the review. It's a #MarmiteBook, I suppose. And, I should pick it up again. Shelved it and ignored it. 🤣🤣 2y

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RaeLovesToRead @julesG Don't say I haven't warned you! 😉 2y

SamAnne 😂😂😂😂. This is one I‘ve been contemplating….hmmmm 2y

RaeLovesToRead @SamAnne If you fancy a creepy, esoteric, maddening, multi-layered onion of a book, give it a go! I know lots of people who savoured every bite. For me, it was a bit like eating the whole raw onion bit by bit, but its got an incredible cult following! 😊 2y

DaveGreen7777 After reading this review, I feel “sanity draining” should now be an official sub genre of books! 😁 2y

RaeLovesToRead @DaveGreen7777 I should start a new shelf 😅 What else would you put on there? Infinite Ground, definitely! (From 2 months ago).. perhaps some Jeff Vandermeer... 2y

Branwen I really respect you for getting through the whole thing! 😵‍💫 I definitely wouldn't have made it! 2y

BonjourYall 😬 completely understand. Definitely was somewhat of a struggle to get through 2y

RaeLovesToRead @Branwen @BonjourYall I can't quite bring myself to get rid of the book now I've finished it... 🙈 Maybe because it cost me so much 😅 c'mon Rae, are you honestly going to read it again?? 🤔 2y

BonjourYall Same 😆 2y

60 likes12 comments

julesG

Station Eleven: A novel | Emily St. John Mandel

so-so

A #MarmiteBook.

I'm not sure whether it's the characters that I didn't connect with, or the prose that I found a bit too much sometimes. Or the jumping around the timeline from before the epidemic to after? Or maybe I missed some more background information about this dystopian world?

#MountTBR -1 😁

TrishB I loved this one but hated Glass Hotel- not sure how eager I am for the next one! 3y

fredamans I didn't like this one that much either, but I loved her not-so-popular read, The Singer's Gun. 3y

BarbaraBB And I didn‘t love this one but did love The Glass Hotel 🤷🏻‍♀️😉 3y

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mcctrish Oh I loved this. Although I read pre-pandemic? I was so happy the Arts survived to brighten our lives 3y

Cathythoughts I did like the book. Not so sure about the marmite 🤔😬 3y

Lindy @mcctrish I loved it too, especially the message about the Arts being what makes us human. @julesG : I‘m sorry it didn‘t work for you. I have been fussier than ever about my books lately, that they really have to match my mood. Is it possible that‘s what happened with Station Eleven? 3y

julesG @Lindy I don't think it was a mood thing. I would have put it away otherwise. Religious zealots in dystopian novels don't work well for me. Further I'm always hoping people want to return to some sort of pre-catastrophe life rather than just accepting the situation as is and finding their niche in it. It's how I am wired, always trying to solve the problem. 🥴 3y

julesG @Cathythoughts Smuggled the marmite home from Gladstone's. The kids fell on it. It's harder to get here since the British Forces moved out. So it's a special treat now and then. 3y

julesG @TrishB @BarbaraBB Glass Hotel is on my list, since I have Sea of Tranquility as an ARC, and we wanted to read it for the Gladstonerds book club. 3y

julesG @fredamans I'll keep this book in mind. Thanks. 3y

BarbaraBB I can‘t wait to read Sea of Tranquility! 3y

Lindy @julesG But what if our current society is the problem? 3y

julesG @Lindy I'm not sure how to answer this. Not that I think you expect an answer. There is so much wrong with society today, yet there is also so much "right". 3y

Lindy @julesG Yes, I posed a rhetorical question, but I think it‘s an important subject to think about. I like it when authors explore the question in fiction. Actually, I like it in nonfiction too: I‘m currently listening to

Humankind: A New History of Human Nature

RaeLovesToRead This is a weird one. I gave it 3 stars when I read it for various reasons, but it's haunted me since. I remember it's atmosphere, but the characters and storyline weren't as memorable. @BarbaraBB @TrishB I have Glass Hotel to read too... interested to know which I'll prefer! 3y

73 likes15 comments

Dolly

My Year of Rest and Relaxation | Ottessa Moshfegh

bailed

OMG, 2 hours of my life I‘ll never get back. In the running for one of the worst books I‘ve ever picked up.

Nessavamusic I have heard this from a number of folks here on Litsy. Not adding this one to my TBR! 5y

britt_brooke Oh no! 😆 I liked this one a lot, but it‘s definitely not for everyone. The trick is not to take it too seriously. But I respect that you were not a fan. 5y

jenniferw88 It's definitely a marmite book! Unlike the condiment, I liked this book. 5y

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Blaire I loved this one...but could see it being a book you either love or hate. @jenniferw88 exactly. 5y

BookishTrish #Marmitebook love that description! 5y

Cinfhen Ha! I didn‘t hate it but I didn‘t think it was anything special. Just read McGlue and I appreciated what she did more with that novella. 5y

Dolly @Nessavamusic @britt_brooke @jenniferw88 @Blaire @BookishTrish @Cinfhen I suspect most of my dislike comes from the numerous references to drug use and celebrity name dropping. Drug abuse is a dealbreaker for me 10 times out of 10. 😧 5y

britt_brooke @Dolly Completely understand. 5y

48 likes8 comments

Melli

Outlander: A Novel | Diana Gabaldon

I have never in my life taken so long to read a book but it will literally be a year since I started this book and journey into the world that is Outlander.. I'm in page 530.. my goal finish it before I go to bed tonight. It sure didn't take me this long to read 1Q84 and that book is massive.

julesG Is this a case of a #marmitebook? 😉 7y

Mariposa_Bookworm I think it took me less that a week to read this one once I got started, but the 5th book, The Fiery Cross went on FOREVER! I thought I'd never finish. The last 20 pages hooked me again and went on to read A Breath of Snow and Ashes. 7y

9 likes2 comments

TheLondonBookworm

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel | Deborah Harkness

Will they ever stop describing drinking tea and wine???????? Honestly it's driving me crazy and I actually like tea and wine haha. I'm not sure about this book I picked it up without knowing much about it but I'm struggling with the urge to bail. The Witch and vampire romance is just really blah but the discrimination of races/secret hidden book side plot line is quite interesting. Can anyone tell me if it's worth pursuing?

TrishB I really enjoyed the series, but it might just not be for you! 7y

ErikasMindfulShelf I read about 100 pages and gave up. Not for me. 7y

mklong I managed to finish the first book, but didn't read the rest of the series. Not for me either. 7y

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Soubhiville I read the first book, bailed on the second one very quickly. 7y

Notafraidofwords I read 100 pages and bailed :/ 7y

Laalaleighh I read all three. I liked the first two. The third one is one of two books I've ever taken the time to write a negative review for on Goodreads. I think I described it as "all of twilight stuffed into one book" 7y

julesG The third is the worst book in the trilogy! But anyway, the main plot is the vampire-witch-romance and the interesting races topic is just an aside that isn't fully explained/reloved in the end. (My 2 cents on this.) 7y

Bklover I made it through the first one but bailed a third of the way through the second one. 7y

Emilyrjones22 I liked the first one ok, but I don't think I got 50 pages into the second before I bailed 😏. 7y

DGRachel I read all three and overall enjoyed them, but in the same way that I enjoyed Twilight, which is to say there was much that annoyed me, but I got sucked in anyway and will hate-reread anyway. 😂😂😂 7y

TheLondonBookworm @TrishB it really seems to have split people's opinions! 7y

TheLondonBookworm @irre haha I persevered for a bit longer than that but that might be because it's an audiobook! 😂 7y

TheLondonBookworm @mklong hmm that seems to have come up a lot! Given how long winded the first book is I don't think I could keep going afterwards! 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Soubhiville That sounds like a common theme! I'll stick the first one through I think but don't think I'll worry about the next one. 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Notafraidofwords I bordered on that 😂 but I used my audible credits on it so felt like I had to keep going! 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Laalaleighh haha oh wow I'll have to look that up! I don't think I'll pick up the second one tbh 7y

TheLondonBookworm @julesG ah that's a shame I thought that was the most interesting point of the book! Haha 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Bklover I think I'll struggle on through the first but maybe no worry about the second one. 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Emilyrjones22 haha oh dear it seems like quite a few people had that problem! Thanks for warning me 😅 7y

Laalaleighh If you're reading it bc you hope the mysterious plot points will ever be fully resolved. Don't. That was my mistake. 7y

TheLondonBookworm @DGRachel hahahaha that's a brilliant description of My relationship with Twilight! 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Laalaleighh ah man that's THE most irritating thing to happen particularly in a fantasy book :/ maybe I'll just not bother why waste the reading time right! 7y

Laalaleighh Idk. Some people with taste I respect really loved them. I think it's a you either love them or hate them type series. 7y

julesG @Laalaleighh Exactly. I was left with so many questions unanswered - but I think I know quite a lot about tea and wine now. 😝 7y

Laalaleighh @julesg and vampire sex 🙄 7y

julesG @Laalaleighh I had forgotten about the sex, for real! 🙈 7y

Laalaleighh @julesG sorry for reminding you haha 7y

TrishB It's another one of those marmite series! 😀 7y

julesG @TrishB We should make that a tag: #marmiteseries #marmitebook 7y

LauraBrook I really liked this book, and what hooked me was the house - it's further in than you think, and you'll know what I mean once you get there. If you get there. 7y

TrishB @julesG 😂 done 👍 7y

Dogearedcopy I hate-listened to this audiobook one summer; and i wish I could get their time back! As for the writing, for me it was tea and yoga; and as for the audiobook narration, it was the reader's mispronunciation of "Magdalen" College at Oxford... It's never a good sign when you really want the main character to die (Needless to say, I did not continue with the series.) 7y

rubyslippersreads @Laalaleighh 😂😂😂 7y

rubyslippersreads I read the first one and didn't like it well enough to continue the series. But other book club members loved it. 7y

TheLondonBookworm @julesG oh dear I had not yet hit the vampire sex yet- dare I ask? 7y

TheLondonBookworm @TrishB @julesG @Laalaleighh marmite series for sure! This book has really divided opinions... 7y

TheLondonBookworm @LauraBrook oooh intriguing gotta love a mysterious house... 7y

TheLondonBookworm @Dogearedcopy ah yes the yoga it was very weird to read that bit. Haha I had some problems with the narrator as I was going along as well. Got quite frustrating. Still that's one extreme reaction ! I see myself getting there though if I keep reading! 7y

TheLondonBookworm @rubyslippersreads it's definitely split down the middle for this book - people love it or they hate it. A lot of readers also seemed to have made it through one, maybe two then given up after that 😂 7y

julesG I honestly can't remember about the sex and now I wonder whether that means it was quite bland. 😶 Ugh, now I'm thinking about digging up the book to read about the sex. 🙈 7y

TheLondonBookworm @julesG 😂😂😂 we've all been there and done it! 7y

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