tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post261380679178929579..comments2023-09-10T16:48:15.803+01:00Comments on Paperback Reader: Her Fearful SymmetryPaperback Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-58370306441070867372009-10-19T19:27:33.700+01:002009-10-19T19:27:33.700+01:00Nymeth, I like the thought of future generations e...Nymeth, I like the thought of future generations enjoying the modern (to them outdated) references. The mention that most jarred for me was a venti decaf soya latte from Starbucks; I love Starbucks but perhaps I don't like so much realism in my fiction. I certainly think it dates it but at the same time it does make it realistic and I identify.<br />I do enjoy fiction that is timeless, however; I love the timelessness of Angela Carter's "The Bloody Chamber" (the story as opposed to the volume) because even though there's a train and a telephone it is extremely difficult to pinpoint exactly when in time the story takes place.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-12002689905955756532009-10-19T19:04:01.683+01:002009-10-19T19:04:01.683+01:00Your point about the current references is an inte...Your point about the current references is an interesting one. On the one hand, I know exactly what you mean - it always gives me a bit of a jolt too see something very current mentioned in a novel. For example, I can't imagine a novel that incorporated Twitter, even though it has become such a part of my life. On the other hand, though, maybe the current references will make it more interesting for readers a few years from now? I always like reading books that seem to belong to a specific era, as long as that era is not my own :P<br /><br />Anyway, I suspect I won't love this quite as much as TTTW, but I still want to read it, of course!Ana S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16092495983972185943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-16645464320279423612009-10-18T10:35:03.490+01:002009-10-18T10:35:03.490+01:00Book Bird Dog, thanks for your comment. I haven&#...Book Bird Dog, thanks for your comment. I haven't seen the film yet but if you didn't like the premise then the novel (and this one) are probably not for you. I do like elements of the unreal or, as I put it in this post from the talk, "other ways of being" as it is complete escapism but can understand others' not liking it.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-58329388182156759772009-10-18T10:33:16.851+01:002009-10-18T10:33:16.851+01:00Danielle, I hope you enjoy it! It was a great even...Danielle, I hope you enjoy it! It was a great event and I really enjoyed her talk.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-31703375111890610352009-10-18T05:14:22.697+01:002009-10-18T05:14:22.697+01:00I commend you for following this writer so closely...I commend you for following this writer so closely. Sorry I don't like sci fi, fantasy, or the supernatural so have decided not to read her books, especially since I didn't like the movie, Time Traveler's Wife. So much anguish over something so unreal.Harveehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03490108303790217277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-55518938270070721142009-10-18T03:21:48.892+01:002009-10-18T03:21:48.892+01:00I've bookmarked this post as I'm in the mi...I've bookmarked this post as I'm in the midst of reading this right now. I'm envious that you got to hear AN speak!Daniellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06415242678720695754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-89743785129488062862009-10-17T14:36:45.705+01:002009-10-17T14:36:45.705+01:00Rachel, I completely agree: I think she knew Marti...Rachel, I completely agree: I think she knew Martin the best as she lived with/knew him the longest. It was tense and definitely a page-turner for me.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-72825981524616288742009-10-17T13:50:13.212+01:002009-10-17T13:50:13.212+01:00Great review Claire! I think this was one of the m...Great review Claire! I think this was one of the most tense and page turning books I've ever read. I agree that Martin was the most sympathetic character...perhaps because he was the one she started with, and she'd rounded him out in her head more than the others.Rachel (Book Snob)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13669640788036671572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-4350448154052104072009-10-17T13:42:14.606+01:002009-10-17T13:42:14.606+01:00JoAnn, thank you. It is always a matter of *when*...JoAnn, thank you. It is always a matter of *when*; so many books...<br /><br />Verity, haha. For Highgate cemetery alone it is worth reading and it is a strange but enjoyable book.<br /><br />Simon, I agree that the loss of Highgate would be difficult to reconcile with an entire novel featuring Martin ... the price we pay.<br /><br />The last one hundred pages or so did indeed become ... odd but I can see where her inspiration came from and that justifies it for me in a way.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-9326592575659804682009-10-17T12:42:21.306+01:002009-10-17T12:42:21.306+01:00I agree with Jackie in terms of the character of M...I agree with Jackie in terms of the character of Martin I could have easily read a whole book about him but then how would the wonderous Highgate Cemetery have become involved?<br /><br />I wont give away any spoilers but the ending seemed a little OTT for me which was the only thing that alsmot made me go from loving it to liking it a lot. I did utterly love it though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-15073985035917060552009-10-17T10:16:32.849+01:002009-10-17T10:16:32.849+01:00Another wonderful review Claire. You are even mak...Another wonderful review Claire. You are even making the book start to sound appealing to me :)verityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16825551404394913715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-79181897065930621242009-10-16T23:49:07.572+01:002009-10-16T23:49:07.572+01:00I *know* I'll be reading this one, it's si...I *know* I'll be reading this one, it's simply a question of when. Great review, as always.JoAnnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13691864361197071517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-87144294151880516902009-10-16T22:39:17.018+01:002009-10-16T22:39:17.018+01:00Jill, I look forward to your thoughts. I prefer t...Jill, I look forward to your thoughts. I prefer the UK cover too; the models and the outfits weird me out but it was taken in Highgate Cemetery so particularly appropriate.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-87501752609437733882009-10-16T22:28:51.828+01:002009-10-16T22:28:51.828+01:00I still have to write up my thoughts on this one. ...I still have to write up my thoughts on this one. I'm hoping to get to it this weekend. <br /><br />I think the English cover is MUCH better (and creepier) than the US cover with it's boring wanna-be spooky tree limbs. Those white outfits were just weird to read about...they're even worse on a cover!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-24276945660776059292009-10-16T21:49:36.300+01:002009-10-16T21:49:36.300+01:00Thanks, Jackie; there was still so much that I wan...Thanks, Jackie; there was still so much that I wanted to mention about the talk but I was worried that it would come across as too confusing. Glad it worked. Martin was the strongest character and the only one I sympathised with (well Marijke too but she was more of a minor character).<br /><br />Darlene, I certainly connected with the story more because of its setting in London and agree that it made the book.<br /><br />My copy of TTTW is at home in Glasgow and I would like to reread it for comparison and because I loved the story. I'm not sure about The Book Depository but I know that Amazon UK have it for a very good price currently (but then you would pay postage).<br /><br />Annabel, it contains some body-snatching of a sort and is still season of the living dead worthy! Glad you enjoyed the review.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-73585446019477971262009-10-16T21:36:02.791+01:002009-10-16T21:36:02.791+01:00I can't wait to read this, swapping vampires f...I can't wait to read this, swapping vampires for ghosts sounds a good plan to me! Great review by the way...Annabel Gaskellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12210341270502698508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-5698992927757046032009-10-16T20:54:02.732+01:002009-10-16T20:54:02.732+01:00You make me want to pull this book off of the shel...You make me want to pull this book off of the shelf and read it again! Something as simple as AN describing being on the tube on the Northern line can get an anglophile like me excited. For me, the setting made the book. <br /><br />There isn't a copy of The Time Traveler's Wife to be found in any second-hand shops for love nor money at the moment. I've tried.Darlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07415316482631852565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2837109525874407713.post-29844917479557095172009-10-16T20:20:53.919+01:002009-10-16T20:20:53.919+01:00Great review! I wish the whole novel had followed ...Great review! I wish the whole novel had followed the original plan. I found Martin to be the most engaging character and felt that most of the other characters in the book were not developed well enough - there were too many to fit into such a short book.<br /><br />I love the way that you have incorporated AN's talk into this review. It will be of great interest to those who weren't lucky enough to be there in the flesh.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07698068501004755678noreply@blogger.com