Journal Entry 1 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Sunday, April 04, 2004

Roland Michell is a twenty-nine year old student of English literature in the 1980s whose career is going nowhere -- he works as a part-time research assistant to the dusty Professor Blackadder, and lives in the basement of a Victorian house in London. Michell discovers a previously unknown connection between Randolph Ash, the Victorian poet he has dedicated his life to studying, and another poet of the same era, Christabel LaMotte (these fictional poets are based loosely on Robert Browning and Christina Rosetti). Through this connection he meets Maud Bailey, a LaMotte scholar and descendant.

I loved this book, which I read as part of my Booker Prize project. The glimpse into the world of late 20th century English literary academics was good voyeuristic fun, the literary references were engaging, and the story provides romance, suspense and Bad Guys -- all the necessary ingredients for a terrific page-turner.

I've created an international bookray with this book. The ray will be limited to nine members (with a return to Pyan at the end, since she kindly provided a replacement book when the first one went missing part way through the ray).

Rules of this bookray:
1. This is an international bookray -- please be willing to ship anywhere.
2. Please journal the book when you receive it, and again when you mail it out -- that way, everyone will know the book's approximate location.
3. If you don't think you'll be able to read this book within a reasonable time of receipt, please let me know before it's sent to you by the previous reader, and I'll be happy to move your name down the list.
4. Whether you have read the book or not, please do not keep it longer than eight weeks.

Participants:
1. Rrrcaron - Lancaster, New Hampshire, USA - rec'd May 13, 04; mailed June 04.
2. Pyan - Menasha, Wisconsin, USA - kindly replaced book (lost in the mail), mailed July 20, 04.
3. Eucalia - Sacramento, California, USA - rec'd July 29, 04, mailed August 21, 04.
4. Zarylia - Warsaw, Poland - rec'd August 30, 04; mailed December 04.
5. duza-kaluza - Zory, Poland - rec'd February 11, 05, mailed April 9, 05.
6. tyvmdear - Thompson, Manitoba, Canada - rec'd June 6, 05; mailed July 22, 05.
7. Fellraven - Redditch, Worcestershire, England - rec'd August 1, 05.
8. Pyan - Menasha, Wisconsin, USA 

Journal Entry 2 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Friday, April 30, 2004

Journal Entry 3 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, May 13, 2004

received this book! Will start it soon.
Ruth 

Journal Entry 4 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Monday, June 07, 2004

I have to admit, this book took me a long time to read! When I finally finished, I was very glad that I kept with it. To fellow readers, if you are having a hard time reading the story, keep in mind that the ending makes it worth the read! Sending it off to Pyan as soon as possible.
Ruth 

Journal Entry 5 by Eucalia from Snoqualmie, Washington USA on Thursday, July 29, 2004

I received this book in the mail today. I'm looking forward to reading it just as soon as I finish the book I'm reading now. Thanks for sending it to me! 

Journal Entry 6 by Eucalia from Snoqualmie, Washington USA on Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Journal Entry 7 by Eucalia from Snoqualmie, Washington USA on Thursday, August 19, 2004

Journal Entry 8 by Eucalia at sent to bookcrosser in Mailed, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, August 21, 2004

Released on Saturday, August 21, 2004 at sent to bookcrosser in Mailed, Bookring Controlled Releases.

This book is now on its way to Poland! 

Journal Entry 9 by Zarylia from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Monday, August 30, 2004

Warsaw/Poland - Got this in the mail a couple days ago and it looks wonderful. I was also very impressed by the serious packaging that went on before this book was sent. :-D This book may have to wait a bit as I've got several other bookrings in front of it but I'll get to it as soon as I can. Thanks! :-D

Update November 20: I just wanted everyone to know that I do still have the book and have been reading it bit by bit. It's just that my life has suddenly gone to warp speed, and I'm just trying to keep up. Please understand. I'll be sending it on soon. Thanks for your patience! 

Journal Entry 10 by Zarylia from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Warsaw/Poland - I finished the book not more than 5 minutes ago, and I am in awe. I wish now for the eloquence possessed by A.S. Byatt so as to accurately describe my feelings about this book. Suffice it to say, I love it and am deeply regretting not purchasing it at a recent bookfair held at my school. The language and the way in which the story unfolded piece by piece was beautiful, as were the insertions of poetry. The ending was perfect.

I will be sending this on to duza-kaluza as soon as I get her address. Thank you to everyone for including me and being patient when I took forever to read it. Once again, I'm very sorry about that. 

Journal Entry 11 by duza-kaluza from Santiago, Región Metropolitana Chile on Sunday, February 13, 2005

I got this in the mail a couple days ago. I checked this one out of the library a couple years ago but never got to the end of it. I'm looking forward to finishing it this time.
Thanks goatgrrl for setting this one up. 

Journal Entry 12 by duza-kaluza from Santiago, Región Metropolitana Chile on Friday, April 08, 2005

I agree with other comments that the beginning is a bit slow, but if you are able to get through to the middle it picks up. I did enjoy the change of pace with poetry, diary entries, letters and prose which all together combine to make an unprecedented romantic mystery.
My favourite line(I forgot to note down where): "What makes me a poet and not a novelist - is to do with the singing of the language itself. For the difference between poets and novelists is this - that the former write for the life of the language - and the latter write for the betterment of the world."
Off to Canada tomorrow 

Journal Entry 13 by tyvmdear from Thompson, Manitoba Canada on Monday, June 06, 2005

Received today. Can't wait to read. I will journal my thoughts when done.

Thank you for including me in this bookring.
 

Journal Entry 14 by tyvmdear from Thompson, Manitoba Canada on Wednesday, July 20, 2005

I have finally finished reading this long book (511 pages in total). This was not an easy book for me to read. I found there to me way to much poetry and long letters that took up so much of the story. I do agree with others that once you get past the half way mark, the story does move a bit faster.
Thank you for sharing this book with me. I already have Fellraven's address and will get the book back on its journey before the weekend.
 

Journal Entry 15 by tyvmdear from Thompson, Manitoba Canada on Friday, July 22, 2005

Now on its way to Fellraven VIA airmail. Hopefully it will arrive safely in about 2 weeks.
 

Journal Entry 16 by Fellraven from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Monday, August 01, 2005

This arrived in today's post. I have two books to read ahead of it so it may be about 6 weeks before I'll be in a position to send it on.