Comments on: DNF: Mudbound, Hillary Jordan; or, watch in real time as I lose all heart for reading about racism

By: Athira

Athira — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 01:03:51 +0000

I saw this title more than a few times over the past few weeks – once at a book sale, another time at the library, then at a few blogs. Not sure why, but I have been ignoring it each time. It’s still on my list, but after reading your review, I doubt I’m in mood for it.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:22:32 +0000

In reply to Care.

Yes, that is what’s so sadly wrong. And I guess I sometimes can’t handle reading about the ugliness that is still so present in our society today.

Yes, I always put the US cover before the UK one. I thought I had floaty captions on them that say “American cover” and “British cover” but evidently I did not do that correctly. I will fix it in future.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:21:35 +0000

In reply to Aonghus Fallon. I think tragedy is best when it's both inevitable and almost, almost, almost averted, like in Romeo and Juliet. Or actually, better example, West Side Story. There are so many moments when that story could have gone another way, and at the same time you feel it always had to end the way it ended.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:20:38 +0000

In reply to Alice. It really is beautifully written. Maybe read it some day when you have a lot of mental/emotional energy.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:20:10 +0000

In reply to Jeanne. Really? I think it sort of makes the opposite argument -- that I shouldn't have read the end because it stopped me from reading the middle. I think something like Revolutionary Road is a better argument for me, where I was a little bored with the beginning, and then reading the end gave the book momentum, and I ended up loving it.

By: Gin Jenny

Gin Jenny — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:19:26 +0000

In reply to aartichapati. Yes, you know, sometimes I just get terribly exhausted with all the ugliness in the world.

By: Care

Care — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 23:58:33 +0000

Of course, it will be ugly and tragic. And yet still. Plenty of people keep tragedy and ugliness alive. THAT is what is so sadly wrong. right? or am I wrong? I’m plenty wrong about stuff.
I can’t tell which cover is which – do you always put the US one before the UK? Just curious…. Thanks, too, btw.

By: Aonghus Fallon

Aonghus Fallon — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 12:42:14 +0000

I remember watching ‘No Country for Old Men’ – and no, I never read the book, although I enjoyed ‘Blood Meridian’ – and thinking how a certain kind of book or film, no matter how well written, well-acted, well-shot etc, is spoiled by a certain grim sense of inevitability. I expect an author to surprise me. If the story is a tragedy, I still hope it won’t turn out the way I expect – that is, I expect the nature of the tragedy to be unexpected. I was going to suggest this might have been why you had a problem with this particular book, only I just remembered you always read the end before you read the middle. Still……

By: Alice

Alice — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 19:21:56 +0000

I’m in two minds whether or not to read this, on the one hand it sounds wonderfully well written, on the other hand I don’t need to pain right now I think this story will bring me.

By: Jeane

Jeane — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 03:38:40 +0000

In reply to Gin Jenny. Yes, that does make a difference to me. Although I couldn't get through Lolita! I guess I'll just have to give it a try, and see what I think. I don't mind anymore putting aside books that aren't working for me. But I'm definitely not in the mood for that kind of read right now!