Journal Entry 1 by peggysmum from Pearce, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, December 30, 2004

I've often reread this 1985 Booker Prize winning novel.

Amazon.co.uk Review
"Edith Hope (a.k.a. romance author Veronica Wilde) has been banished by her friends to a stately hotel in Switzerland. During her stay she befriends some of the other guests, each of whom has his or her own tale. Edith struggles to come to terms with her career and love--the lack, the benefits, and the meaning thereof. "

Cover pic differs from edition in hand.

...

On its way to Miss-gonewest in Mt Pleasant, WA. 6 Jan 2005.


 

Journal Entry 2 by miss-gonewest from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Journal Entry 3 by miss-gonewest from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Monday, February 07, 2005

I just loved this book.... and I found it to be really different from what I expected.

I had heard so many good reports on this book that I guess I was expecting it to be more of a "blockbuster" or a "bodice ripper" (I read somewhere that it was a romance) than it was. Instead I found it to be a rewarding, succint and moving tale of love, desire and lonliness.

The descriptions & the careful drawing of characters just reinforced the melancholy mood of the story. One associates a hotel with hustle & bustle, yet this was so well written that it felt as bleak as the North Pole! And I loved the ending but I don't want to give it away.

Looking back it was everything I had hoped it would be... the only complaint was that I could have really sunk my teeth into it if it had been another 50-100 pages longer!!! On the other hand, I'm sure the charm lay in its concise and careful writing.

Thanks again to peggysmum for sending this to me - it was my first wish list request come true!

This is off in today's mail to Bookcrosser Jawin to revive her stalled ring. 

Journal Entry 4 by miss-gonewest at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, February 07, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (2/7/2005 UTC) at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Released on to fellow book crosser Jawin to revive her stalled book ring for this book.

You can link to her thoughts & details here --> http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1182213/?author=Anita%20Brookner/book_-Hotel-du-Lac-Anita-Brookner 

Journal Entry 5 by jawin from Launceston, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, February 12, 2005

This arrived in the mail yesterday - thanks miss-gonewest and Peggysmum for assisting in restarting this stalled ring.

I'll check the forums for new takers and make a new order combining the two. 

Journal Entry 6 by dolphin-au from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Monday, February 21, 2005

Received from jawin. Thanks!

The list of participants of the bookring, as copied from the stalled BC ID is:
hulinea, Toowoomba
fern, Gold Coast
dolphin-au, Coffs Harbour
bookfrog, Sydney
tramgirl, Melbourne
mundoo, Kangaroo Island
MsMello, Perth
twinmaker, Perth
guinevere69, Perth
miss-gone-west, Perth
ravenbear, Brisbane
boreal, Dunedin NZ
 

Journal Entry 7 by dolphin-au from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 07, 2005

I'm not too sure about this book. The book is written on a very fine line between literature and romance, and I think it strayed too much on the romantic side of this dividing line. The vocabulary is richer and the characters might be more developed than normal in the romance genre, but I don't think it lifts it enough out of that quagmire.

Sent of to bookfrog. 

Journal Entry 8 by BookFrog from Albion Park, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, March 27, 2005

Hrm I don't remember signing up for this ring - but I never seem to and they turn up.

I am just not getting into this one. Keep dipping in but nothing grabs me so onto Tramgirl who if I had checked previously she was next I would have given it to her last time I saw her.

Oh well 

Journal Entry 9 by TramGirl from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Saturday, July 30, 2005

I received this book in the post, it is such a small slim book I don't think it should take me too long to read. 

Journal Entry 10 by TramGirl from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Sunday, August 21, 2005

Even though this book was so small I found it hard going, I don't know whether I was influenced by previous journal entries where a couple of people didn't get into the book. Or whether it just felt like not much happened!! After discussing it with people at meetup they said that Anita Brookner's style is very dry and descriptive so maybe her books just aren't for me.

Overall I found the book hard to get in to and I felt like nothing really happened but I persisted and finished the book.

It will be posted to Mundoon sometime this week. 

Journal Entry 11 by TramGirl from Ballarat, Victoria Australia on Sunday, September 11, 2005

Posted to Mundoo over the weekend, sorry about the delay had stuff going on at home and work!! 

Journal Entry 12 by Mundoo from Hindmarsh Island, South Australia Australia on Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Arrived today. 1 book ahead of it. 

Journal Entry 13 by Mundoo from Hindmarsh Island, South Australia Australia on Monday, September 19, 2005

What a sad tale. I wonder if hotels do exist that people are 'packed off to' like in this story. I suppose the story reflects a previous age where you are sent away because 'you have been bad'. I was extremely pleased to Edith pass on both proposals and the wedding. There is hope for her yet. 

Journal Entry 14 by Mundoo from Hindmarsh Island, South Australia Australia on Saturday, October 08, 2005

I have had no response from MsMello from several PM's so am sending to Twinmaker when I receive postal details. 

Journal Entry 15 by Mundoo at By Mail in Controlled Release, Given to a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, October 09, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (10/9/2005 UTC) at By Mail in Controlled Release, Given to a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to twinmaker 

Journal Entry 16 by twinmaker from Winthrop, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, November 16, 2005

OMG!! I totally forgot to journal this - so sorry everyone, found it under a stack of stuff on my desk. I will get on to it straight away. 

Journal Entry 17 by twinmaker from Winthrop, Western Australia Australia on Friday, April 07, 2006

Will pass this on shortly - sorry, stuff happening. 

Journal Entry 18 by twinmaker from Winthrop, Western Australia Australia on Friday, November 03, 2006

Oh good grief, I'm so sorry I have been slacking in the BC department, will endeavour to get back on top of things. Life has been, well, interesting during the past 12 months. I have started to read again and I am beginning to catch up. Maybe soon I will be able to get back to a meetup :). Posted to guinevere69 with my deepest apologies for holding this ring up. 

Journal Entry 19 by twinmaker at mail in mail, A Book Relay -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 03, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (11/3/2006 UTC) at mail in mail, A Book Relay -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to Guinevere69 

Journal Entry 20 by guinevere69 from St James, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, November 07, 2006

wow forgot I was in this bookring 

Journal Entry 21 by guinevere69 from St James, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, November 07, 2006

I will get to this long travelling book as soon as possible 

Journal Entry 22 by guinevere69 from St James, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, April 26, 2007

It did seem a very old-fashioned type of book, byt then there were jarring references to fashion and other things that made me place this book in and around 1980. I didn't really enjoy it, it seemed very outdated. I have read others by this author and they have left me with the same feeling. Depressed, mousey women with very little prospect- too depressing.
I am currently PMing people trying to find a home 

Journal Entry 23 by Ravenbear from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Saturday, May 26, 2007

I had forgotten this book was coming! I will read it as soon as possible, but have about eight books in front of it at present so it might be a little while before it keeps traveling to Boreal. I am going to NZ in July, so might take it with me then to send on. The different journal entries for this little book are quite polarised - seems readers either loved it or hated it. I will be interested to get to it to see how I feel.