BEING EMILY by ANNE DONOVAN
Things are never dull for the O'Connell family. Squeezed between her quiet older brother and the mischievous line-dancing twins, Fiona finds her escape in the books of Emily Bronte. But tragedy is not confined to Victorian novels, and life for Fiona is about to change forever.
Moving, funny and ultimately heartwarming, Being Emily is a wonderful novel about one young girl trying to find her place in the world amid the turmoil that only your own family can create.
.... Outer back cover.
FIRST SENTENCE: Through in the livin room Patrick was paintin the fireplace while Mona and Rona practised their linedancin.
MEMORABLE MOMENT(Page 16): Ah sat in the swing next tae Jemma's, started to move higher and higher, usin ma knees tae power me. Ah loved the squidgy feelin in my belly, felt ah was flyin. Ah kept on swingin, fast and high for a few minutes, then let the swing slow doon till it idled and stopped.
KEEP IT OR NOT?: A Reading Group read, this will be returned for other groups to read.
As with every 'rule' there is the exception and I'm afraid to say that this novel was very nearly the exception to my rule that says when I have started a book I must finish it. I put it down and picked it up on so many occasions that I thought I would never get it read and I must confess that I did skip whole paragraphs.
Set in Glasgow, Scotland, the author chose to write much of the dialogue as it would have been spoken (my Memorable Moment being an example) which meant that, at best, I was having to reread large bits of the book several times and, at worse, I was totally unable to follow what was being said which, I'm afraid, almost ashamed, to say meant I never found myself involved with the characters let alone the plot.
13 comments:
Just from the excerpt I can tell I would be distracted by the writing - and I do understand the point of writing that way (I just don't enjoy reading it). Don't be ashamed, you're not alone :)
I really don't enjoy dialogue that is written in the same way they pronounce it. Definitely not one for me, but you did well not giving up.
Yeah...I can definitely see that happening. In fact, even the excerpt had my mind wandering. Too bad...the story might be really good, if the language didn't get in the way. Thanks for sharing!
I have a lot of difficulty trying to read books written that way. Especially if they are a dialect I'm really unfamiliar with. I'm impressed you stuck with it.
sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the book...i wouldn't enjoy reading it either.
hope you're having a good day.
big hugs!
betty X
I'm like you... I try so hard to finish a book that even if I am not liking it so much I skip paragraphs. So sorry this wasn't a book for you. Hopefully the next one will be good!
Sorry you didn't enjoy this book more. At least you gave it a chance.
Sorry this one didn't work to well for you. But you gave it a big go. :) Thanks!
I would be distracted by guessing the right words .Makes a book less enjoyable .
That would be hard for me to follow, as well. I am always split over authors writing in dialect. I understand the desire to set a tome and musicality of a region but sometimes, it makes it almost impossible to understand.
Sorry it wasn't a winner. Asa lover of Emily Bronte, I was interested in the theme.
:-)
Traci
It is a bit distracting to reread some parts again, and going by the memorable moment excerpt I would've to reread a lot!
I wish it would have been more reader friendly...
Thanks Tracy for the review:)
62 books read so far is great!
That is too bad this one was a miss though.
Post a Comment