OCTOBER 2014

Mermaids In Paradise ~ Lydia Millet

X NO X
- UNFINISHED -

Facile
insufferably mean-spirited, self-involved and snobbish
overwritten giddy 
over-the-top stereotypes do not make it satire 
buff or bumbling the characters were cardboard
mean-spirited, self-centred morons don't equal quirky

The Good Parents ~ Joan London

*** LIKE ***

Egg And Spoon ~ Gregory Maguire

**** RECOMMEND ****

The Paying Guests ~ Sarah Waters

X NO X
- UNFINISHED -
2015 TOURNAMENT OF BOOKS

I wish I wasn't The Paying Reader!
Refund, anyone??

I was intrigued by the time and place, I was interested in the characters and their relationship, I liked the premise of the unfolding plot ... but it was soooooo repetitious, sooooooo tedious, so padded out with so much self indulgence.  It bored me stupid.

Short story?  Yes!  It would have made a great one!  But, as a novel, it lacked novelty. 

It was a romance ... it was a blighted love affair between one boring-as-batshit character and one trying-to-find-herself-wacko (actually both descriptions apply to both almost-indistinguishable characters!).  It wasn't even a case of style over substance!  The style was gushy, overwrought, period chic lit ... the substance could have been good but it took sooooo long to get anywhere (actually, at two thirds I skipped to the end! Enough was enough!)

This was my first Waters and I was expecting so much, given the reviews for this and her previous good standing ... now I don't know if she is worth the effort!

Erebos ~ Ursula Poznanski

*** LIKE ***

The Witch and other tales retold ~ Jean Thompson

** OK **

Nice ... just nice
Not a stretch, not witty or clever