Bitter Glass
10 journalers for this copy...
Backside text:
Another powerful novel, set in the west of Ireland, during the Civil War, by one of the country's most distinguished writers. A group of young people, cut off in Connemara by IRA action, are forced to come to terms with life and death. As the plot builds to its inevitable climax, their haunting experiences change their lives and their hopes forever. This is a disturbing and unforgettable book.
Another powerful novel, set in the west of Ireland, during the Civil War, by one of the country's most distinguished writers. A group of young people, cut off in Connemara by IRA action, are forced to come to terms with life and death. As the plot builds to its inevitable climax, their haunting experiences change their lives and their hopes forever. This is a disturbing and unforgettable book.
I liked this book. Not a masterpiece but really nice. I did wonder a bit about the way the women were portraited. They have emotional outbursts for no reason that I could see, and then storm out of the room. It made me think about how far the equality between genders has gotten. This book was published in 1958, which is two years before my mom was born. Womans liberation and struggle for equal rights have really come a long way during her lifetime!
The book also pointed out gaps in my own knowledge. The stage for the book is Ireland during the Irish Civil War. I'm not sure I've ever even heard of an Irish Civil War before the book! I know they have spent a lot of time fighting over Northern Ireland, but I didn't know about a Civil War. Which of course makes me wonder; why didn't I know about it? Why didn't we read about this in school? Come to think of it, they never told us much about the spanish civil war either. Why not? Isn't civil wars within our own region of the world, within the last century important enough? I will just have to make sure to repair that damage on my own some how.
The message of the book seems to be how fast things you take for granted can change. And also at the end one of the main characters are taught that an event that at first seems to be bad, actually can turn out to be something really good. Sometimes things happens for the better, even if we don't see it that way at first.
Donating this to the 1001-library and are sending it off as a ray among library-members.
The book also pointed out gaps in my own knowledge. The stage for the book is Ireland during the Irish Civil War. I'm not sure I've ever even heard of an Irish Civil War before the book! I know they have spent a lot of time fighting over Northern Ireland, but I didn't know about a Civil War. Which of course makes me wonder; why didn't I know about it? Why didn't we read about this in school? Come to think of it, they never told us much about the spanish civil war either. Why not? Isn't civil wars within our own region of the world, within the last century important enough? I will just have to make sure to repair that damage on my own some how.
The message of the book seems to be how fast things you take for granted can change. And also at the end one of the main characters are taught that an event that at first seems to be bad, actually can turn out to be something really good. Sometimes things happens for the better, even if we don't see it that way at first.
Donating this to the 1001-library and are sending it off as a ray among library-members.
Thanks so much for your donation Elskaliam!
This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.
I have now made the reading/mailing order for the ray:
Danielle23 UK/UK
Nell-Lu UK/UK
Kingfan30 UK/EU
Boekentrol NL/EU
EmgeeNL NL/EU
Simson-Shilitoe DE/Intl
Lilyklip DE/Intl
Lamelemon RO/EU
Katrinat UK/EU
Lunatum FI/Intl
Davemurray101 AUS/Intl
Danielle23 UK/UK
Nell-Lu UK/UK
Kingfan30 UK/EU
Boekentrol NL/EU
EmgeeNL NL/EU
Simson-Shilitoe DE/Intl
Lilyklip DE/Intl
Lamelemon RO/EU
Katrinat UK/EU
Lunatum FI/Intl
Davemurray101 AUS/Intl
Wow! After a lot of oops and trouble the book is finally on it's way! Sorry about the enormous delays. But I bet you all know what it's like? You make plans. And then life happens. :-( But now the book is on it's way to Danielle23. I hope you will enjoy!
Thank you for helping my book travel the world!
Hugs from Liam!
Thank you for helping my book travel the world!
Hugs from Liam!
The book is here with me now, and amazingly I have just finished my current read so will start this very soon. Thanks for sharing Elskaliam xx
I suppose this was just an average read but I did enjoy it. It was a quick read once I got started and I raced through it to find out what happened towards the end. There could have been a lot more drama because of the events unfolding which, in my opinion, would have made the book much more intense. I detested Colman from the off and so was not disappointed with how his story line turned out. I felt the most sympathy with Brian as he must have felt so out of place to do what he did once he had withdrawn from the group. (Sorry but I really tried not to give any spoilers.)
Thanks for sharing Elskaliam. The book will be travelling on to its next reader today.
Thanks for sharing Elskaliam. The book will be travelling on to its next reader today.
Released 11 yrs ago (5/26/2012 UTC) at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Off to Nell-Lu in Scotland. I hope you enjoy this book xx
This just arrived -- many thanks Danielle23 for sending and Elskaliam for starting the ray.
I liked this a lot: it's beautifully written and well observed.
However, the writing style is very odd to an early twenty-first century reader. We've got used to reading a third person limited point of view in contemporary fiction: i.e. third person that's very close to first person -- we're not in a narrator's head, but we're pretty much on the protagonist's shoulder. We can hear their thoughts, but no-one else's. It's quite different from the omniescent third person point of view used by earlier writers.
The "rules" for writing third person limited, as they've become codified, suggest that you shouldn't jump from one person's point of view to another without, say, a section break. And that's just what Dillon does. She tells us the thoughts of one character, then another: we jump around from shoulder to shoulder.
I found it took a while to get used to, but was rather charming. I enjoyed getting into the heads of most of the characters, without the sort of formal structure where, for example, they each get a chapter in turn. It's also interesting to see it as a stage in the development of contemporary fiction.
I'll look for more of Dillon's novels.
Thanks again Elskaliam for sharing. I have Kingfan30's address and will pop this in the post today. I'm not sure when it will be collected, though, as we're in the middle of an extended bank holiday weekend here in the UK.
However, the writing style is very odd to an early twenty-first century reader. We've got used to reading a third person limited point of view in contemporary fiction: i.e. third person that's very close to first person -- we're not in a narrator's head, but we're pretty much on the protagonist's shoulder. We can hear their thoughts, but no-one else's. It's quite different from the omniescent third person point of view used by earlier writers.
The "rules" for writing third person limited, as they've become codified, suggest that you shouldn't jump from one person's point of view to another without, say, a section break. And that's just what Dillon does. She tells us the thoughts of one character, then another: we jump around from shoulder to shoulder.
I found it took a while to get used to, but was rather charming. I enjoyed getting into the heads of most of the characters, without the sort of formal structure where, for example, they each get a chapter in turn. It's also interesting to see it as a stage in the development of contemporary fiction.
I'll look for more of Dillon's novels.
Thanks again Elskaliam for sharing. I have Kingfan30's address and will pop this in the post today. I'm not sure when it will be collected, though, as we're in the middle of an extended bank holiday weekend here in the UK.
Book has arrived safe and sound, I will get to it as soon as I can, thanks for sharing.
14 June 12 - I'm in two minds about this book. On the one hand it was quite an easy read but I did find that with so many characters introduced in the first few pages I never got my head round who was related to who, not that this was hugely crucial to the story but it may have helped. Also I expected this story to run over a few months not a few days so found that a bit strange. It also seemed to hop between characters quite suddenly with no breaks in the paragraphs so I found myself having to re-read a paragraph every so often to work out what was going on. The descriptions of life in Ireland were lovely, you could almost smell the turf burning.
14 June 12 - I'm in two minds about this book. On the one hand it was quite an easy read but I did find that with so many characters introduced in the first few pages I never got my head round who was related to who, not that this was hugely crucial to the story but it may have helped. Also I expected this story to run over a few months not a few days so found that a bit strange. It also seemed to hop between characters quite suddenly with no breaks in the paragraphs so I found myself having to re-read a paragraph every so often to work out what was going on. The descriptions of life in Ireland were lovely, you could almost smell the turf burning.
On its way to Boekentrol
Journal Entry 13 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Despite the heavy rains, this book arrived safely in my mailbox two days ago. I'm sorry I'm late making this JE.
I look forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing, Elskaliam and for sending, kingfan30!
I look forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing, Elskaliam and for sending, kingfan30!
Journal Entry 14 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
This book is still with me. I intend to read it before sending it on. If I can't manage, it'll be on its way within two weeks.
Journal Entry 15 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Sunday, December 30, 2012
Well, two weeks I didn't manage...
I've started reading this book today. I'll contact EmgeeNL for their address and as soon as I'm done, the book will continue its journey.
I've started reading this book today. I'll contact EmgeeNL for their address and as soon as I'm done, the book will continue its journey.
Journal Entry 16 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
It took me quite a while to finally get to reeading this book. I'm sorry to have caused such a delay in travelling for this book!
Now that I did read it, I must say that I find this an impressive book.
I learnt quite a bit about Irish history and liked the way the story was written.
It was, subject-like, a bit like other books about a family living through difficult times. What made this one different for me, was the form of writing. Quite matter of fact like, not too emotional, quite from a distance, but in such a way, that the characters seemed the closer.
Now that I did read it, I must say that I find this an impressive book.
I learnt quite a bit about Irish history and liked the way the story was written.
It was, subject-like, a bit like other books about a family living through difficult times. What made this one different for me, was the form of writing. Quite matter of fact like, not too emotional, quite from a distance, but in such a way, that the characters seemed the closer.
Journal Entry 17 by Boekentrol at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Released 11 yrs ago (1/2/2013 UTC) at Leeuwarden, Fryslân (Friesland) Netherlands
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Finished the book and now it is on its way to EmgeeNL.
The book arrived safe and sound. Thanks to Elskaliam for making this book available and thanks to Boekentrol for ssending it to me. It's on the top of my TBR pile
Liked this book a lot. It was a perfect opportunity for me to bring back memories from my vacation last year when I visisted Galway and Connemara...
I've send the next reader a message for their address
I've send the next reader a message for their address
Journal Entry 20 by EmgeeNL at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Released 11 yrs ago (1/15/2013 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book is on it's way to Simson-Shilitoe
Journal Entry 21 by Simson-Shilitoe at Neewiller-près-Lauterbourg, Alsace France on Monday, January 21, 2013
The book arrived safe and sound in today`s mail.
Thank you very much, EmgeeNL, for posting.
And thank you very much, Elskaliam, for including me in this bookring.
Thank you very much, EmgeeNL, for posting.
And thank you very much, Elskaliam, for including me in this bookring.
Journal Entry 22 by Simson-Shilitoe at Neewiller-près-Lauterbourg, Alsace France on Sunday, February 17, 2013
I'm in two minds about this book. On the one hand it was quite an easy read but I did find that with so many characters introduced in the first few pages I never got my head round who was related to who, not that this was hugely crucial to the story but it may have helped. Also I expected this story to run over a few months not a few days so found that a bit strange. It also seemed to hop between characters quite suddenly with no breaks in the paragraphs so I found myself having to re-read a paragraph every so often to work out what was going on. The descriptions of life in Ireland were lovely, you could almost smell the turf burning.
Journal Entry 23 by Simson-Shilitoe at Neewiller-près-Lauterbourg, Alsace France on Monday, February 18, 2013
Got the following pm from "Lilyklip" who`s mtbr ist too huge:
"Bitte überspringe mich. Ich habe gerade zu viele ungelesene Bücher hier. Vielen Dank!"
Now pming "Lamelemon" in Romania.
"Bitte überspringe mich. Ich habe gerade zu viele ungelesene Bücher hier. Vielen Dank!"
Now pming "Lamelemon" in Romania.
Journal Entry 24 by Simson-Shilitoe at Rülzheim, Rheinland-Pfalz Germany on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Posted the book to "Lamelemon" in Romania in the early morning ....
Safely picked up from the post office this evening, thanks Simson-Shilitoe for being my sender, and double thanks for the tea, chocolate and postcard that kept it company - such a delightful surprise! Will read next, then it's off to Katrinat (most probably on or around the 18th, as I'm off on holiday from tomorrow, but will surely have read it by the time I return :)
Thanks Elskaliam for organizing this bookray, happy reading everyone!
Thanks Elskaliam for organizing this bookray, happy reading everyone!
Started and finished this book during my holiday, and I loved it. Funny how the 1001 lists provide the chance to read great books that I would have probably never chosen otherwise. The characters were very well shaped, the tension palpable, the simpleness and yet tragedy of Irish country life amid the civil war breathtaking and only a hint idyllic.
Thanks once again for sharing this book with me, and happy reading to all of you guys and gals! Off to read your reviews as well, now that I'm done reading. Still need to contact Katrinat, but if she's ok with the timing I will post this book on Monday.
Thanks once again for sharing this book with me, and happy reading to all of you guys and gals! Off to read your reviews as well, now that I'm done reading. Still need to contact Katrinat, but if she's ok with the timing I will post this book on Monday.
Eventually posted to davemurray101, as both katrinat and Lunatum asked to be skipped. Safe travels, little one!
Picked up in the post today, should be an interesting read.
It was good in places, I think its failings was in characterisation- they were nor particularly engaging ones. I thought J G Farrell's "Troubles' was a much better book. Returning to the 1001 library shortly.
This book is now back on the 1001 library bookshelf and can be borrowed by PMing davemurray101:)If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.
