I just finished “Choice” I am going to sit with this one for a bit. I listened to the audio (which is brilliantly done in my opinion), due to time constraints lately. I do have the physical copy and want to read the print. I don’t want to spoil things for others, but I feel like each section has one large “choice” that the protagonist has made or has to make that affects their life immensely. I am journaling about this while it is fresh in my head, but I liked this one. Honestly, I went in blind and had no idea it was interconnected stories, so when one story bled into the other, I spent too much time trying to figure out who the next protagonist was and how they connected to the previous, it took away from the narrative. I say, go with the flow and the pieces will come, easy enough.
I have had some real pleasures from Goldsmith nominated books but haven’t been drawn to the list this year. Thanks for a good reminder. Spent Light might be one for me to try.
I would definitely vote for a Goldsmiths project from you - and surely you have read many of them already (and many are short!). It’s a great prize and it sounds like another fascinating shortlist this year. Looking back at some of the past winners - Eimear McBride, Ali Smith, Ducks and Cuddy - some of my all time favourites are here. And it’s amazing that each year the shortlist seems so fresh and new - how many innovative ways for the novel can there be?!
Thank you so much! I have to say, I’m verrrrrry tempted to make that the next project (maybe with just no real time pressure) but so many authors I admire are frequently on the list!
Love the Goldsmith’s - and your reviews of the shortlist. A book that references Deleuze you say?! *immediately orders it* ( I’m missing my PhD already!) I also struggle with Cusk so not sure I’ll pick this one up!
Thank you! And yes, it’s a prize I really enjoy, even if I basically never understand what’s happening 😂 And I love that Deleuze makes you want to read it, whereas it made me try to remember my degree from many years ago 😂
I did order them all and only one left to arrive. I won’t have them all read before the winner announcement first part of November, but I still plan to read them all. Thank you for these reviews to help me decide what order to read them based off of my interests. I had Parade and had read it at its release, but I am a Crusk fan. Not everyone is, but that is okay.
Ooh, I hope you like them! And yes! I want to read more Cusk because I really like what she’s doing and her focus, but I just don’t always ‘get’ her, although it’s always a good experience.
What about it didn't you like? I thought it was okay but that's because I'm interested in D.H. Lawrence. Sometimes it was a bit irritating, sometimes there were great sentences. One thing that bothered me about it though was using initials instead of names.
It's a half-decent list this year I feel. Though as per, a couple of them don't feel innovative in the slightest. Portraits... gave me Milkman vibes in its language, which can only ever be a good thing right?
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I just finished “Choice” I am going to sit with this one for a bit. I listened to the audio (which is brilliantly done in my opinion), due to time constraints lately. I do have the physical copy and want to read the print.
I don’t want to spoil things for others, but I feel like each section has one large “choice” that the protagonist has made or has to make that affects their life immensely. I am journaling about this while it is fresh in my head, but I liked this one.
Honestly, I went in blind and had no idea it was interconnected stories, so when one story bled into the other, I spent too much time trying to figure out who the next protagonist was and how they connected to the previous, it took away from the narrative. I say, go with the flow and the pieces will come, easy enough.
I have had some real pleasures from Goldsmith nominated books but haven’t been drawn to the list this year. Thanks for a good reminder. Spent Light might be one for me to try.
They’re such a fun ride, and yes, Spent Light is great, I think!
I would definitely vote for a Goldsmiths project from you - and surely you have read many of them already (and many are short!). It’s a great prize and it sounds like another fascinating shortlist this year. Looking back at some of the past winners - Eimear McBride, Ali Smith, Ducks and Cuddy - some of my all time favourites are here. And it’s amazing that each year the shortlist seems so fresh and new - how many innovative ways for the novel can there be?!
Thank you so much! I have to say, I’m verrrrrry tempted to make that the next project (maybe with just no real time pressure) but so many authors I admire are frequently on the list!
Love the Goldsmith’s - and your reviews of the shortlist. A book that references Deleuze you say?! *immediately orders it* ( I’m missing my PhD already!) I also struggle with Cusk so not sure I’ll pick this one up!
Thank you! And yes, it’s a prize I really enjoy, even if I basically never understand what’s happening 😂 And I love that Deleuze makes you want to read it, whereas it made me try to remember my degree from many years ago 😂
I did order them all and only one left to arrive. I won’t have them all read before the winner announcement first part of November, but I still plan to read them all. Thank you for these reviews to help me decide what order to read them based off of my interests. I had Parade and had read it at its release, but I am a Crusk fan. Not everyone is, but that is okay.
Ooh, I hope you like them! And yes! I want to read more Cusk because I really like what she’s doing and her focus, but I just don’t always ‘get’ her, although it’s always a good experience.
It is a good list and I haven’t read Any of them. Good stuff and where to start…..maybe Spent Light.
Ooh, yes, probably Spent Light! It’s such a fascinating piece of writing, I think!
@@BobTheBookerer Bob you’re blitzing this. This is the third maybe 4th comment I’ve received in the space of an hour of so. Thanks!
@@penelopegough6050 Aha yes! I was about a month behind in comments somehow, and so I just sat and went through them all!
I don’t think I could ever read another book by Rachel Cusk after Second Place. I hated that book.
What about it didn't you like? I thought it was okay but that's because I'm interested in D.H. Lawrence. Sometimes it was a bit irritating, sometimes there were great sentences. One thing that bothered me about it though was using initials instead of names.
@@The0Maketu0High0Roll it was the artists and how they behaved.
It's a half-decent list this year I feel. Though as per, a couple of them don't feel innovative in the slightest. Portraits... gave me Milkman vibes in its language, which can only ever be a good thing right?
Yes! And I agree- I did think reading them that the formal inventiveness of them isn’t massively high as a shortlist, but still enjoyable nonetheless.