It’s time to rewind. September seems to be the month for books that made me cry.
2012: One Last Thing Before I Go by Jonathan Tropper – you’ll laugh and cry.
2013: The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles – lush.
2014: Golden Boys by Sonya Hartnett – prepare to feel conflicted.
2015: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara – dear God. This book…
2016: Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift – surprising.
2017: The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett – very funny.
I’ve read only Golden Boys – agree with you about ‘generic’ suburbia, though the suburbs I suggested were a little down market on Doncaster. If I ever get the time, of the others I’ll try A Little Life.
You really need to be in a good place to read A Little Life – it’s quite upsetting and confronting in a number of ways. I found it incredibly immersive and felt totally wrung out when I finished it. You’ve been warned!
A Little Life has been on my shelf for months – I’m trying to steel myself to make a start….
Yeah, choose your time carefully. I read it on holiday – although it was far from light and cheery, I had the time to read large chunks. Despite its length, I tore through it.
I was very resistant to the Mothering Day, having sworn off Graham Swift after so many disappointments, but ended up loving it.
The Swift I’ve read since hasn’t thrilled me (I should have ‘finished on a good one’).
I’d recommend Waterland for its sense of place but that’s it.
A varied reading month. A Little Life was impressive though i thought rather improbable at times
So much about it was improbable (particularly the multiple close and enduring male friendships) but all those things aside, it was gripping.
I thought Mothering Sunday was such a little gem! Loved it! I loved This is Where I Leave You and have been meaning to try another Jonathan Tropper for awhile now!
I’m a big fan of Tropper and this one is of the same calibre as TIWILY.
Do you know what is really terrifying? I was going to say I haven’t read any of those books but meant to read Golden Boys. But then (when I looked at your review) had this vague suspicion I HAD read it…. so had to check Goodreads! (The verdict was I hadn’t, so I’m obviously getting it mixed up with something else!)