Category Archives: thoughtpinions

Thoughts: Falling Awake, by Alice Oswald

This was a slightly strange reading experience, devoured from beginning to end in a hospital waiting room before an appointment I was pretty nervous about, heavily pregnant, wearing a mask for three hours and hating it. So a moment very … Continue reading

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Thoughts: Zennor in Darkness, by Helen Dunmore

I absolutely picked this one because of the title, because “Zennor” is a pleasing word to me. I didn’t realise it was a real place in Cornwall! I also didn’t really have any idea what the book was about. It’s … Continue reading

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Thoughts: The Dinner, by Herman Koch, translated by Sam Garrett

We saw the film of this at Sneak, and because it was in 2017 I only had a vague impression of bitchy people having dinner who didn’t like each other. I also remember even at the time wondering whether the … Continue reading

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Thoughts: Tree of Smoke, by Denis Johnson

Well, I was complaining that The Return wasn’t immersive enough as historical fiction, so Johnson came along to smoosh my face into the oppressive tropical climate of Vietnam. Before we begin – this is a book about the Vietnam War, … Continue reading

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Thoughts: The Return, by Victoria Hislop

First finished book of 2022 and the site is back up and running, so let’s get back into the habit. There’s a 2021 roundup post in the works, but I wanted to get back into regular posting while books are … Continue reading

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Thoughts: Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke

Honestly I could end this post at “Everything Susanna Clarke does is sublime and all her books are books I wish I’d written, and everyone is correct that Piranesi is great”. But I guess I won’t, because I love the … Continue reading

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Thoughts: Der Alchimist, by Paulo Coelho, translated by Cordula Swoboda Herzog

I don’t usually reread books in German that I’ve already read in English – it feels like cheating – but this was for German class, and I hadn’t read it in well over a decade, and I remember liking it, … Continue reading

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Thoughts: Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver

Back on the YA train! We got the film of this at Sneak some time in 2017 (sob), and I have a soft spot for Groundhog Day stories (and I liked the ending) so I was happy to put it … Continue reading

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Thoughts: The Museum of Modern Love, by Heather Rose

First book review from new flat! We have no kitchen and it is a minor nightmare of inconvenience, thanks covid! But it is ours. I really liked this one. Yes, it’s pretentious, and in a lot of ways nothing happens, … Continue reading

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Thoughts: The Burning World, by Isaac Marion

I watched Warm Bodies at Sneak and read the book at my earliest convenience, and really liked it. Quirky zombie romance, full of heart and black humour, exploring the choices we make to be human. Later, I saw that there … Continue reading

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