Litsy

The Book of Form and Emptiness: A Novel | Ruth Ozeki

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I‘ve got mixed feelings. Whilst I liked and sympathised with the main characters, to me their story was one of a spiral into grief and mental ill health and for much of it I struggled to understand the talking inanimate objects and just felt frustrated I wasn‘t getting it. The last 100 pages turned it around and left me feeling surprisingly teary and nostalgic for a book I just finished and hadn‘t really enjoyed! The great weirdness of reading!

squirrelbrain Great review Jill! Kind of how I felt too…it was my least favourite from the #womensprize shortlist (and of course it won!) but it almost redeemed itself at the end. 7mo

JillR @squirrelbrain thank you 😊. I didn‘t fancy this one from first seeing it, but when it won I felt I owed it a read! My least favourite from the shortlist so far too. I‘ve just got The Bread the Devil Knead left from the list to read now, what did you think of it? 7mo

JillR @squirrelbrain *the shortlist, I don‘t think I‘ll make it through the longlist! 7mo

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squirrelbrain I loved The Bread! I had Sorrow and Bliss at the top of my list, but Bread came a close second and, actually, has stayed with me for longer. 7mo

JillR @squirrelbrain I‘m out book shopping tomorrow so it‘s going on the list! Great Circle is top for me so far, followed by Sorrow & Bliss 7mo

Kristin_Reads Just finished this and I got teary, too! 5mo

JillR @kristin_reads how did you find the book generally? 5mo

39 likes7 comments

Leniverse

The Bread the Devil Knead | Lisa Allen-Agostini

Only a couple of hours until the #WomensPrize for Fiction 2022 is announced. Prediction? Favourites?
I have read 5/6 shortlist books and they were all good and very different reads. With the caveat that I haven't read the Ozeki yet, I think/hope that the winner will be The Bread The Devil Knead. I don't remember when I last hoped that hard for a happy ending for a character!

Oryx I'm hoping for Island, but also loved The Bread and The Sentence. 8mo

squirrelbrain Sorrow and Bliss for me, but closely followed by The Bread and The Sentence…. Hedging my bets! 😁 8mo

Leniverse @Oryx Those are my top three too, but I think in the order Bread - Sentence - Island. 🤔 8mo

jlhammar I'm hoping for Island or Sorrow & Bliss! 8mo

Chelsea.Poole I‘m reading Island now…loved Sentence and Circle. Haven‘t read the others, but sounds like I need to read Bread! 8mo

28 likes5 comments

jlhammar

The Island of Missing Trees | Elif Shafak

I‘m really hoping one of these is crowned winner later today! Loved them both. #womensprize

squirrelbrain Sorrow and Bliss is my fave, but also wouldn‘t mind The Sentence or Bread… 8mo

jlhammar @squirrelbrain I am a huge Louise Erdrich fan and thought The Bread was very good so wouldn't be too sad if either of those won instead. There was a lot to love (for me) about the Ozeki too. Great Circle is the only shortlisted title that didn't really do it for me. Not bad by any means, but I'll be a little disappointed if that wins over the others. 8mo

squirrelbrain I didn‘t love the Ozeki but can see that it could win. I liked Great Circle when I read it, but now find it a bit bland compared to the others. 8mo

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jlhammar @squirrelbrain Wow, I am kind of shocked that Ozeki won! I really liked that book, but didn't think it really had a chance. You just never know! 8mo

squirrelbrain I know, it surprised me too! 8mo

sarahbarnes I‘m a little surprised by the outcome today! 8mo

jlhammar @sarahbarnes Right? I didn‘t see that coming. Good for Ruth though. A Tale for the Time Being is my favorite of hers. 8mo

50 likes7 comments

jlhammar

The Bread the Devil Knead | Lisa Allen-Agostini

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My last from the #womensprize shortlist and it was a good one. As many have warned, this is a difficult and distressing read. Alethea is a great character - endearing and so resilient. Thank goodness Allen-Agostini gives us a little hope at the end.

The judges have a very difficult task this year in selecting the winner (announced June 15). Can‘t wait to see where they land!

52 likes

charl08

American Marriage | Tayari Jones

Check out my fancy new pen mug at work...

#WomensPrize

TrishB That‘s amazing 👍🏻 8mo

squirrelbrain 💕💕💕 8mo

charl08 Almost as good as a book! @squirrelbrain @trishb 8mo

79 likes3 comments

charl08

The Bread the Devil Knead | Lisa Allen-Agostini

Fascinating to hear the author's reaction to the reading.

#WomensPrize #Shortlist

45 likes

charl08

Sorrow and Bliss | Meg Mason

Enjoying this book event. #WomensPrize #Shortlist

TrishB Cool 👍🏻 8mo

55 likes1 comment

Oryx

The Island of Missing Trees | Elif Shafak

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Loved this. It's beautiful. So moving, and I learned a lot about the history of Cyprus.

I think it might just nudge ahead to be my favorite from the #womensprize shortlist.

squirrelbrain You said you thought it might be your favourite…I‘m so glad you loved it! 9mo

Oryx @squirrelbrain it is very close between this and

The Bread the Devil Knead

9mo

75 likes2 stack adds2 comments

MicheleinPhilly

Flamingo: An exquisite and heartbreaking novel of kindness, loneliness, hope and love | Rachel Elliott

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This one, however, made my heart sing. A deeply affecting portrait of what constitutes a family, those we‘re born into as well as those we choose. I loved it. ❤️

squirrelbrain I loved this one too, unexpectedly as I‘d not heard of it before the #womensprize 9mo

62 likes3 stack adds1 comment

Oryx

The Bread the Devil Knead | Lisa Allen-Agostini

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Of the 5 #womensprize shortlist books I've read, I think this is the frontrunner for me. I just loved Alethea. Her story is both heartbreaking but hopeful. And I loved that it was in Trinidadian Creole. All the stars.
Also extra love for amazing title and cover.

vivastory I have heard only good things about this one. 9mo

squirrelbrain This is my second favourite after Sorrow and Bliss…. 9mo

80 likes1 stack add2 comments

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