so-soMy February reading has slowed to a trickle, & I'm embarrassed to say that I've been reading The Group for slightly over two weeks. This book makes me understand how a novel's style is as distinctive as a personality; I didn't get on with McCarthy's style. It was like attending a party filled with acquaintances I didn't like & having that one garrulous, self-absorbed person corner me for a length of time to breathlessly gossip about the others.
batsy The reason why this isn't a pan is because I'd be lying if I said I wasn't on occasion interested in the gossip/novel. McCarthy is shrewd, with an eye for the satiric, & there are some truly entertaining lines & moments that reveal the glaring hypocrisies of this upper-crust milieu. There are also moments of brutal violence & everyday misogyny folded into the narratives of almost all the women; it's pervasive & the effect is dark & claustrophobic. 3y
batsy I'm sorry I didn't make it in time for the #galentine discussion @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB but I'm going to try to look back at the comments when I can. Thanks for organising, once again--it looks like it was a lively discussion. For all that this was a #struggleread I can say with certainty that I'm glad I got to read it as it's been on my list for a very long time! 3y
Cinfhen Lovely & insightful review ❤️ 3y
See All 34 Comments
Twainy This made me think of books I‘ve read recently that I didn‘t like but didn‘t pan either. I‘ve felt this way. 3y
Caroline2 Yes! I‘ve been thinking about that a lot lately, that I just don‘t get on with some writing styles. Some click with your brain and others just don‘t, do they. 🤷♀️ 3y
BarbaraBB I feel you and I felt the same 3y
batsy @Cinfhen Thank you 💜 3y
batsy @Twainy @Caroline2 @BarbaraBB Glad to hear we've experienced the same; sometimes it just doesn't click :) Or it's the wrong timing. 3y
cozypunk 😆 3y
Reggie Lol awesome review! 3y
batsy @dandy.punk 😁 3y
batsy @Reggie Thanks! 🙂 3y
Cathythoughts Yes ! Like @Reggie says Awesome review 👍🏻 3y
LeahBergen Oh, dear. You probably should have just bailed. But I‘m loving the collage. 😆😆 3y
cozypunk Based on reviews, I *won't* read this book, but standing-O for sassy posts about it! 3y
readordierachel Great review. I love your party analogy. The push and pull of "please let this be over" and juicy tidbits of gossip ?? 3y
CarolynM Yeah, I know what you mean. And you say it so well👏😘 3y
batsy @dandy.punk Haha! There's a movie adaptation that I might check out; maybe that'll be less of a hardship than the book :) 3y
batsy @Cathythoughts Thanks Cathy! 😘 I appreciated your insights and experience reading this one. 3y
batsy @LeahBergen Haha! In a way, I'm glad to have it chalked up as "read" ? 3y
batsy @readordierachel @CarolynM Thank you 💜 3y
erzascarletbookgasm Oh well said 👍. And I love the collage 😂 3y
batsy @erzascarletbookgasm Thank you 😘 3y
Suet624 I know it was so popular when it came out. I wonder what grabbed people at the time? 3y
batsy @Suet624 It must have tapped into the "personal is political" awakening of second-wave feminism at the time. On the level of the experiences of women it depicts, it would have been pretty revelatory at the time, I think. 3y
Suet624 Right. I haven‘t read it yet...but I was hoping to catch a glimpse of why my mother hid the book like it was forbidden, even as she was reading it while my dad was at work. I purchased it for the group read but it came very late to the house so it‘s further down now on my reading list. 😳 now I‘m in the middle of my own slog fest with![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png)
Independent People 3y
Independent Peoplebatsy @Suet624 Ooh, I loved Independent People! 😂 But I can also understand why it's a slog. I'd love to know your thoughts on The Group when you get around to it. Will look out for your review 🙂 3y
Suet624 I think I‘m going to love Independent People when I‘m done with it and can see the whole picture. It‘s keeping me interested but it always puts me to sleep. 3y
batsy @Suet624 I hear you! I made it my morning book and tried to read it before the day started. It was almost impossible to have the concentration it required to read at other points of the day, for me. 3y
Suet624 Oh! That‘s a good idea! I‘m usually a one-book-at-a-time gal but that idea would definitely help. 3y
GatheringBooks I love the description you made! Reminds me of why i try to avoid parties (esp getting-to-know soirees) as much as humanly possible 😭😂🤪 3y
batsy @GatheringBooks I'm very much the same 😂 3y
Centique My reading has slowed to a trickle this month too! Wonderful review Suba. I enjoyed this but I can totally see why others didn‘t. 3y
batsy @Centique Thanks, Paula 😘 I'm not sure what it is about this month; hopefully our reading mojo is back in full force soon 😁💪🏽 3y
pan