Welcome to Litsy!

Pros: a wild ride set against the backdrop of real South African politics and a real rumour that billions belonging to Muammar Gaddafi ended up in South Africa. At times I struggled to keep everything straight!

Cons: I didn't care for his fictionalised names of real people (done to avoid libel, I guess) and I don't remember there ever being so many grammatical errors in one of his books.

All in all, Meyer really is very good at what he does!

#ChristiesCapers @Librarybelle
Having overextended myself with buddy reads, I finally finished this one. This novel introduces readers to Anne Beddingfeld, a spirited young woman who becomes entangled in an international mystery after witnessing a suspicious death in the London Underground. The novel moves beyond the confines of the English countryside to take readers to South Africa. ⬇️

I‘m working through some Booker listed books i‘ve own. This is the 1999 winner, and probably Coetzee‘s most well-known work.

It‘s fantastic, unsettling, dark. Lit prof David Lurie sleeps around, and a maybe rape of a student ends his career in disgrace. His Dantean hell is to go to his daughter‘s farm. He loves his daughter. What happens there parallels his own crimes. Coetzee keeps it moving, keeps the reader glued and surprised. Fantastic.

I‘m so conflicted about this one. I really liked the mystery and its twists and turns. I enjoyed the intrigue on the boat. I really liked Anne, Suzanne, and Colonel Race. But I hated Sir Eustace and I wasn‘t a fan of Harry. The colonialism and casual racism of the South African backdrop + the overt sexism/objectification of women really bothered me. I had a really hard time setting aside those latter elements with excuses of it being ⤵️

Low pick. I enjoyed parts of the story but truthfully I prefer the “traditional” mysteries more than the adventurous espionage/heist/conspiracy plots that Christie has done in some of her books including this one. I liked it while I read it but it took me all month to get through. Once I put it down I kind of forgot about it 🤷🏼‍♀️ #Christiescapers @Librarybelle

On April 5 & 12, I finished the short stories I had to read for #noplacelikeholmes. On April 19, I read a college football romance ARC I signed up to read from Chasing Books PR. On April 26, I read the short story I had to read for #noplacelikeholmes. Today, April 30 I just finished reading the Agatha Christie book that I had to read for #christiescapers. I haven‘t written a review for it yet but I liked it.

#weeklyfavorites

I‘m very behind in my reading this month. So, in addition to my physical book, I did a little #audioknitting tonight. This is from a mystery gnome knit along #MKAL with Imagined Landscapes. Perfect for one of the Queen of Mystery‘s books.
My Professor is pretty cute.
I‘m enjoying this Christie so far.
#ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3
#knittersoflitsy #craftersoflitsy

This has not been the typical murder mystery a la Poirot or Marple like I expected. I liked having two narrators with two points of view - the one of Eustace Pedler definitely being the funnier one. And it was nice seeing Anne taking her life in her hands. And of course I didn‘t see the plot twist coming. 🤣

#christiescapers

“Dancing was a hot affair. I danced twice with Anne Beddingfeld and she had to pretend she liked it. I danced once with Mrs. Blair, who didn't trouble to pretend, and I victimized various other damsels whose appearance struck me favourably.”

Ew.

#ChristiesCapers @Librarybelle