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Okay, I need (pretty please!) someone to read Dietland by Sarai Walker so I can discuss it with someone (will never know anyone in real life who would). I admit I was hesitant, thinking it would be inane chick lit about an overweight woman and her foibles with dieting. I assumed she would struggle but then either lose the weight and find a guy or (less likely) she would find a guy who would love her for her. The cover photo shows a cupcake as a bomb!
It is so not chick lit. It is definitely a feminist book that completely addresses our obsession with weight, appearance, and women's sexual desirability. The author has a doctorate in feminist studies. She is a good writer---it's not the most lyrical book I have ever read, but that wouldn't be appropriate for the subject matter. I actually think this should be required reading for women of all ages, but especially younger women.
It's not for the faint-hearted. There is a definite misandry here. These women get revenge on men...and in a violent way. There are no kumbaya moments where women and men sit around a campfire communing. But I think this book is every bit as important as Erica Jong's Fear of Flying was so many years ago.
I knew it would be a tough act to follow. Wanted something lighter, so I tried Enchanted August out of my stack of 30 library books---loved the movie Enchanted April and since it's August it seemed appropriate. Uggh. This I would say is chick lit. It started out so promisingly, with the first line of "When Lottie Wilkes opened her eyes on the morning of June 13, she congratulated herself on passing the one-year mark without having had sex with her husband." But then it devolved to the typical plot of four supposedly diverse characters (but the two women were difficult to distinguish, then the obligatory celebrity actress running away from it all, and the gay guy) finding peace and happiness and themselves in a wondrous Maine beach house. More a homage to summering on the beach than a true character study or plot.
So now I am seeing whether I like A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler. So far---okay, not her best.
I'm reading the White Queen because I liked the mini series they made of it on Starz. It's pretty good but get's drawn out in places. I think it's brilliant that the second book, the Red Queen, is the same story, but from the other queen's perspective.
Also reading The Magicians, which is pretty good. If you've read Harry Potter, it's not going to measure up.
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Originally Posted by DawnMTL
I started Infinite Home by Kathleen Alcott. It took a bit to get into it but I'm at 16% now and I'm enjoying it.
I've changed my mind about Infinite Home. I'm at 25% and, although all the characters live in the same brownstone and sometimes -- but rarely -- intersect, I'm giving up. I feel like I'm reading five stories in parallel, instead of one cohesive tale. It's bugging me a lot.
I'll find something else to read later or tomorrow. Certainly there's enough else to choose from.
I still re-read this occasionally. Love her writing and her very poignant portrayal of female friendship.
I enjoyed the friendship aspect also and can relate with how dogs can bring people together. One of my very best friends became a friend through our dogs. Her female pup and my male were litter mates. They are both about to turn seven years old and we have been great friends since!
Ugh. First I was in a reading slump, then I got really busy at work and barely got on C-D. When work eased up, I had missed about a month of this forum and it was overwhelming to try and catch up because I like to read every post and put promising books on my TBR. So I let another month pass without coming over here until this morning when I couldn't stand it any longer and started trying to catch up. So far I'm on page 1512 so I have about 50 pages (500 posts!) to go.
The good news is, I think I'm out of my slump. I spent a very, very long time reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. It was written in 1868 and is described as the first mystery. Even though it was written so long ago, it's not a difficult read if you've read Jane Austen or anything by the Bronte sisters. Parts of it are very funny and it was engaging enough.
Next I tried The Martian by Andy Weir but didn't like it and didn't finish it. Interesting premise, but reads like a screenplay with very little character development and flat writing. At least IMO. I'll probably see the movie though, so I can find out what happens.
Went to the library and did a couple of random grabs. I'm currently reading Boleto by Alyson Hagy and am really, really enjoying it. It's a "man and a horse" story set in Wyoming and reminds me of all the animal stories I read as a kid although this is clearly written for adults. The writing is descriptive without being flowery and the story is unfolding at just the right pace. There may or may not be a bit of mystery involved. I'm just so happy to be reading something that I hate to put down and can't wait to pick up again.
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