Comments | bibliophages: Bibliophages Next Theme: Love Overcoming Obstacles (Or Not)

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Bibliophages Next Theme: Love Overcoming Obstacles (Or Not)

Nov 25, 2008 00:34

We were partially defeated by NaNo last round, but bibliophages will rise from the ashes during Finals month! Yeah!

The theme for this round will be...

LOVE OVERCOMING OBSTACLES (OR NOT)

You'll, er, have to take my word for it. Sorry, when I created that free poll I didn't realize that no one else would be able to see the results ( Read more... )

Comments 13

shiorikazen November 25 2008, 15:32:57 UTC

Name: Shiori

Um... I don't think that I can come up with a reclist by the dateline, so is it ok if I just sign up to read? Also, hi! XD *is new, but has been lurking*

shiorikazen /at/ gmail /dot/ com

(I'll post up a proper profile later if I can make sense of what genre is what.)

sub_divided November 25 2008, 17:20:21 UTC

Welcome! Glad to have you on board. Don't sweat the profile, it's largely a formality.

(Yay, fresh faces~. XDXD I think I recognize you from chain_of_fics: the Isumi POV story, right?)

It's perfectly cool to sign up to read, but if anything occurs to you before Tuesday, don't be afraid to mention that either. We can a title to the overall list even if you don't have three to recommend.

shiorikazen December 31 2008, 04:09:14 UTC

I've just finished Cotillion by Georgette Heyer. (one of the books from the reclist that you sent me)

Problem is, I... I really have no idea what to type up in an entry. Help?

And yeah, the Isumi PoV one. ^_^

sub_divided December 31 2008, 14:28:39 UTC

Oh, that's great! Did you like it? I've never read anything by Georgette Heyer - what's she like? Did the book remind you of anything? Did you like the characters? Did you like the writing? And what about the theme: did love overcome all obstacles? Should it have?

Stuff like that, pretty much. ^_^

(I'm so glad you finished on time. I haven't even started my book yet...)

Thread 6

qem_chibati November 27 2008, 11:28:45 UTC

Name: Qem

Recommendation list:
1. Forrest of Dreams, Sophie Masson
2. Nice - Jen Sacks
3. Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett
4. The Lady or the Tiger, Frank Stockton
5. Mort, Terry Pratchett

worldserpent November 30 2008, 07:13:19 UTC

I'll sign up to read a book, at least. I'll also try to think of some recs.

Okay, how about Possession, by A.S. Byatt. I'll try to think of more.

sub_divided December 1 2008, 14:22:08 UTC

Thanks Charmian, you're a star.

tarigwaemir December 1 2008, 06:37:44 UTC

Darn, I was going to rec Possession. Oh well, I've included enough others, so I'm just putting Possession in to round off a list.

Name: Tari

Recommendation list:

Romances that failed
1. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - In tracking down the author of a mysterious book, the narrator discovers a love story that was successfully obstructed by parental disapproval (and a spoiler revelation).
2. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami - Narrator fails to surmount largely self-imposed obstacles that lie in the way of his love for two girls.
3. Possession by A.S. Byatt - Two researchers uncover a love affair between two Victorian poets. Nice for the theme because one romance doesn't overcome its obstacles while the other does.

Novel of manners/mannerpunk
1. Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton - Your typical Victorian romance except taking place in a dragon society (complete with inheritance operating as dragon cannibalism).
2. Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer- Magical mystery solved by two cousins who in the ( ... )

sub_divided December 1 2008, 14:53:52 UTC

1. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth - at nearly 1500 pages (softcover), this is one of the longest books ever published in a single volume in English, but I swear that it isn't too long or hard to read in a month. This is true especially if you skip over the post-partition Indian politics subplot to focus on the main plot, which is about a mother and daughter attempting to find the most suitable boy for the daughter to marry. There is quite a lot of historical detail and family drama in this book, but really it's 800 pages of the author comparing the relative merits of romantic vs. practical love.

2. A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle - if I also recommend a 200 page book that is mostly dialog, will it and A Suitable Boy cancel each other out? This is a cute (though also slightly depressing) story about two ghosts who fall in love. Obviously, the obstacle is that they're both dead! There is also a parallel plot about the gravekeeper, who falls in love with a widow, so the book has the structure of one of those romantic ( ... )