It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up.
This month we begin with the 2019 Wellcome Prize winner, Murmur by Will Eaves. Also on the Wellcome Prize shortlist was My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh.
The Moshfegh has been in my TBR stack for ages but I haven’t picked it up since a friend, whose reading preferences closely align to mine, read it and loathed it. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll loathe it because this particular friend gave the thumbs down to Markus Zusak’s Bridge of Clay, which I loved.
Despite the title, the bridge in Bridge of Clay is only a small part of the story. Likewise, a bridge plays a role in Claire Fuller’s Bitter Orange.
Bitter Orange has a wonderful gothic feel, largely due to Fuller’s excellent descriptions of the crumbling English estate where the story is set. The tone reminded me of Chloe Hooper’s The Engagement – it’s Australian gothic, set at a farm homestead.
The main character in The Engagement is an architect. I have an architect’s memoir in my TBR stack – The Battle for Home by Marwa Al-Sabouni.
I was supposed to see Al-Sabouni at last year’s Melbourne Writers Festival but drat, I was unwell that day. I also missed Jessie Cole talking about her memoir, Staying.
I didn’t expect to end on such a glum note… Hopefully other chains will be a little more upbeat! Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (July 6, 2019), we’ll begin with the children’s classic, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (thanks to Sue at Whispering Gums for this suggestion).
A really interesting chain as always Kate. I want to read the Moshfegh but it was so hyped I think I’ll leave it for a bit.
Hope you’re fully recovered now, what a pain that it happened during MWF.
Oh yes, well and truly recovered (wretched migraines).
Te Muse & Views Bookclub continues to enjoy participating in this project and here is our June 2019 participation.
https://bookclub9.blogspot.com/2019/05/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur.html
Am yet to stump you!
With some creative links, I think we have enough books on our list to continue without doubles, until maybe September! This next one is going to be a challenge! We enjoy the challenge .
Bitter Orange sounds intriguing and so does The Battle for Home.
I love these posts but never join in. However, I have read and loved Where the Wild Things Are so I’m going to have a crack at doing this next month.
No pressure… 😀
Hi Kate, I have not read Murmur but I have read My Year of Rest and Relaxation. My links were from Murmur to Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov; Talking to My Country by Stan Grant; Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris; Silent Spring by Rachel Carson; Lanny by Max Porter, and the Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (a great read)
Have heard excellent things about the Barker.
I haven’t read any of your books Kate, and have only heard of a couple, but I enjoyed your chain.
Here’s mine: https://whisperinggums.com/2019/06/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-to/
And thanks for choosing my suggestion. His I’ll really have to put the thinking cap on!
I am expecting some crazy chains next month! (and wondering whether they’ll be dominated by kids Books…?).
It will be interesting to see won’t it!
Nice work! Bitter Orange has been on my radar. Still undecided on reading it.
For me, Bitter Orange lacked something that was in her earlier books – it relied more on plot tricks than the other books, which were character-driven. Lots to admire but fel short of my (high) expectations.
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Oh… Where the Wild Things Are is a great starting point!
It will be fun!
I am with your friend, I did not like Bridge of Clay so much. I think it should have been narrated by a different character. Meanwhile, Marcus also makes an appearance in my chain!
https://kathryngossow.net/2019/06/01/from-castration-to-dissection-to-rescue/
It has divided readers and fans. I hadn’t thought about a different narrator – were you thinking Clay?
Clay, or the mother. But perhaps the mother would have been too like The Book Thief. Certainly, Clay would have worked for me.
Too bad you missed the previous Melbourne Writers Festival, hopefully you can attend the next. I like the sound of Bitter Orange; a gothic feel, English countryside setting, what more could you wish for…
My chain is below, I added a couple of Campus Lit references for you 😉
https://stargazer-online.com/2019/06/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-to-all-the-light-we-cannot-see/
I enjoyed your chain but haven’t read any of the books – although Bitter Orange and the Engagement both sound as though I’d like them!
Here’s mine: https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/06/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-by-will-eaves-to/ Cheers, Lisa
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Love it! I really enjoyed Bitter Orange and am looking forward to Murmur, so thanks for highlighting it. 🙂
I’m in two minds about the Moshfegh which I haven’t yet bought but not about Bitter Orange which I loved. Nicely varied chain, as ever, Kate.
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My first link was to My Year of Rest and Relaxation too, how funny. Thanks for hosting!
Here’s my list for this month: http://www.notesinthemargin.org/weblog/2019/06/01/6-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-to-eat-pray-love/
We both ended with Jessie Cole, though different books for different reasons.
Thanks for hosting.
https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/six-degrees-of-separation-2/
Another great chain, Kate, even though I haven’t read any of those books! I think I might enjoy Bitter Orange.
I hope it’s ok, but I’ve done one for this round a day late:
https://theresasmithwrites.com/2019/06/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-to-heresy/
What fun!
Enjoyed following your links, Kate, even though I’ve not read any of the books. I have Bitter Orange in the TBR, though, so perhaps it’s time I dug that out for a read.
I did my #6Degrees: https://readingmattersblog.com/2019/06/01/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-to-academy-street/
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I love Gothic writing and like the sound of Bitter Orange and The Engagement, but I’m not going to be distracted from my to read piles!
My chain features outsiders and I have REM to thank for that because I shamefully haven’t paid attention to the Wellcome Prize this year and hadn’t heard of Will Eaves’ book!
https://thinkaboutreading.wordpress.com/2019/06/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-murmur-to-the-glorious-heresies/
I like your post and how you chose the books. Well done.
I got it completely wrong – thought Murmur was about heart disease, but managed to correct it in time… Really looking forward to next month’s – it was one of my children’s favourite books and I still know it by heart from reading it every evening.
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