It's that time again!
Time for the Blogger Book Club link-up!
For October 2013, the BBC decided to read and review Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout!
My thoughts?
I liked it! I really, really liked it! However, I did not love it.
I'm glad I read it, but it's not a book I'd necessarily read a second time.
The book actually feels like 13 short stories messed together only because Olive Kitteridge is featured in each story. Sometimes she's the main character and sometimes she's a supporting character, but all of the stories involve her in some way.
Now I don't mind a story with a depressing tone. I don't even mind a story that doesn't have a happy ending. However, this was a book full of 13 stories with depressing tones and no happy endings. After story 7 that became a bit frustrating and annoying.
What I did find interesting is that even though I was starting to feel depressed during the book, I also was able to compare Olive to people I know. She isn't a likeable character, but she reminded me so much of someone I know that I was starting to feel invested in the stories. The same goes for many of the supporting characters, I felt like I knew them! They were my old classmates, my extended family, my coworkers, and neighbors.
Having said all of that, my favorite part of the book was how well written it was! Elizabeth Strout is a wonderful writer! There were so many beautiful passages and the way some of her sentences flowed together, oh I just loved it! She made the characters feel real and she made you care about their stories, even when they were depressing the hell out of you!
So the big question - Would I recommend it?
Yes, but only to those who can handle depressing stories, because this book is 13 of them conveniently bundled up into one!
What did YOU think of Olive Kitteridge?! Link-up at the very bottom of the post! Link-up will be open for TWO weeks!
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For November's Book Club pick I decided to choose a book that is actually about to become a movie!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak!
GoodReads description:
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
The movie The Book Thief is actually set to come out in theaters November 8th! Which is why this is BBC's November book! I'm planning on seeing The Book Thief in theaters Thanksgiving weekend!
Here's the trailer!
Can't wait, can't wait! The November link-up will be a little bit early because of the holidays!
November Blogger Book Club link-up will be Tuesday, November 26th!
Now link up your October BBC reviews on Olive Kitteridge below! :)
Great choice for November! I have been wanting to read The Book Thief for a while but haven't got around to it. The movie trailer makes it look even more interesting.
ReplyDeletei really want to read the book thief! i hope the movie does the book justice too.
ReplyDeleteYay! We are reading The Book Thief in my book club too. We are getting together at the end of the month to go see the movie.
ReplyDeleteI will be linking-up at the end of the month :)
Okay! I placed a hold on The Book Thief at all of my libraries...I'm patron #87 on the wait list for one of them!
ReplyDeleteI didn't love Olive Kitteridge either. Elizabeth Strout's novels aren't very cheery at all.
Can't wait to read and review the book thief it sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteGah! Must finish book! I'm excited about November's book though. It's been on my to-read list since I found a list of books being made into movies soon.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that the stories have depressing tones to them is what is holding me back from just diving into it and finishing the darn thing.