A Lifetime Burning

by Linda Gillard | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1905175256 Global Overview for this book
Registered by AngelChild of Maidstone, Kent United Kingdom on 3/7/2007
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15 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by AngelChild from Maidstone, Kent United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Having read Linda Gillards first novel Emotional Geology (in 24 hours as i loved it so much) i had very high hopes for A Lifetime Burning.... I wasnt dissapointed, although it has taken me a few days to read it. Why? Because i was savouring it!

A Lifetime Burning is a fascinating study of incest within a family, and how love can sometimes wreck lives.... I found it very sad, especially the ending, but there were no surprises there, as the book starts at Flora's funeral and then goes back in time to explain how the Dunbar family ended up at that point.

I have to say that initially the chopping and changing with dates did make me a little irritated....but only because i would be enjoying a section set in say 1987 which would suddenly end and you were plummeted back to 1952! But yes, the back dating was needed, so that you could understand the complexity of Flora & Rory's relationship.

This book is sooooo different from Emotional Geology that i cant compare the two. It is dark, gripping and unputdownable..... I really didnt want it to end :o)

I'm eagerly awaiting Linda's 3rd novel....what will she hit us with next?



Journal Entry 2 by AngelChild at RABCK in RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Released 17 yrs ago (3/7/2007 UTC) at RABCK in RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

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Going to LindyLouMac

Hope you enjoy it as much as i did hon :o)

Journal Entry 3 by LindyLouMac from Tywyn, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Arrived today safe and undamaged, although the package was somewhat torn and battered! Thankyou so much caffcaff for your generosity in sending me this book as a RABCK after you found out how much I had enjoyed LG's first book and could not wait to get hold of the next one! The bonus bookmarks are also appreciated as I will use to publicise Transita, thanks. This must join Mt TBR for a short time as I have a few books ahead of it to read first. However once read I will make sure it travels again caffcaff in the spirit of Bookcrossing.

Journal Entry 4 by LindyLouMac from Tywyn, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, May 12, 2007
One of my favourite reads so far this year and in my opinion even better than the author’s excellent debut novel ‘Emotional Geology’. With this second novel I feel that Linda Gillard has established herself as an author to be watched by those who enjoy contemporary literature.
The story of the Dunbar’s and their complicated familial relationships will stay with me, long after I finished reading. It is a disturbing but compelling tale as one is drawn into the lives of the family members.
The jumping backwards and forwards in time of the narrative I at first found confusing and had me flicking back and forth checking points. However for me this style added considerably to the understanding, because of the complexity of the story. I am intrigued as to how Linda Gillard tackled the writing of these different sections? Anyway the technique works very well with Flora’s narrative starting the novel with her own funeral and then continuing to be inserted throughout.
I admire Linda for tackling such a difficult theme so sensitively without causing angst.
I feel that I could say more but not without spoiling the plot for those who have yet to read this.
I am now encouraging family, friends, Bookcrossers and others to read the work of this brilliant new author if they have not already discovered her themselves.
The copy I have finished reading is now going to travel as a Bookring on Bookcrossing.
Thanks Linda for a very enjoyable few hours immersed in the life of the Dunbar’s. I am very much looking forward to the publication of your third novel.

Journal Entry 5 by LindyLouMac from Tywyn, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, May 12, 2007
This is now ready to travel as a Bookring. I would be grateful if everyone would try to read and pass this on within a month please, otherwise it means others have to wait so very long to read!
I have left a few spaces for latecomers as I have not heard from all those I emailed about this ring yet!

1. birmingham-rose UK Skip as has been given own copy!
2. Tregossip UK
3. Midlifecrisis UK
4. redhouse UK
5. herrgirl UK Skip now has own copy!
6. bestfriends France
7. iwanttobeinital Italy
8. Pell Italy
9. Maireen Italy
10 LindyLouMac Italy
11. Suffolk-Barn Owl UK Read my other copy.

Then back home again to LindyLouMac

Released 16 yrs ago (5/18/2007 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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This great book has now started what I hope will be a successful journey as a Bookring to Bookcrossing friends of mine.
Tregossip is first. Enjoy!?

Journal Entry 7 by Tregossip from St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom on Monday, May 21, 2007
Thanks a lot - looking forward to this

I initially found the date changes annoying - but so very essential in understanding Rory and Flora's complex relationship.
It gripped and disturbed me start to finish, I could'nt put it down.
Such a difficult subject to tackle, but the sensitivity this author has made it the best book read this year.
Am passing on the 2 bookmarks with the book (after copying them) and now off to find Emotional Geology

Thanks so much LindyLouMac

Released 16 yrs ago (6/4/2007 UTC) at -- Controlled release in St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom

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to Midlifecrisis

Was so please to get a pm from the author thanking for JE - made my day

Journal Entry 9 by Midlifecrisis from St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The book arrived safety today - thanks Tregossip. I have one to finish but will get stuck in as soon as I can.

Journal Entry 10 by Midlifecrisis from St. Austell, Cornwall United Kingdom on Monday, June 11, 2007
I loved this book. Just could not put it down. In fact I took it to work with me and spent the first half hour surreptitiously reading it under the desk like a kid. I will immediately sort out forwarding on to the next person. I will also check out other titles by the author and publisher. Thank you for recommending!

ps Though the book has not suffered damage in the post, some of the pages towards the end are coming loose, I guess just from enthusiastic reading. Just a warning as it continues its travels....

Journal Entry 11 by lellie from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Thursday, June 14, 2007
How's this for muppetry.
I received a copy of this book in the post yesterday, apparently I have joined two rings for the same book. I must really have wanted to read it!
This copy will be on its way to herrgirl post haste, sorry folks for the delay.

Journal Entry 12 by lellie from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Friday, June 15, 2007
Herrgirl has obtained her own copy of this book and wishes to drop out of the ring so am now sending PM to bestfriends.
Will post the minute I have an address.

Journal Entry 13 by lellie from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Sunday, June 17, 2007
I'll be posting this to bestfriends tomorrow morning.

Journal Entry 14 by bestfriends from - Ergens in de provincie, Gelderland Netherlands on Saturday, June 23, 2007
It arrived safely in my mailbox today.

Only one small ringbook to read before I can start this one. Looking forward to it. This will be my first "Transita".

There are two Transita bookmarks enclosed. Don't know who added them. Am I supposed to leave them for the next reader, or keep one, send one on?

Journal Entry 15 by bestfriends from - Ergens in de provincie, Gelderland Netherlands on Sunday, June 24, 2007
I started reading this weekend and am sorry to say, that so far I could not get into it at all.
I kept on trying for about 80 pages and at that point I found that my mind started wandering. Then I even started to skip whole passages, reading only the ones in different font (Flora being the narrator). Sometimes that helps. Once drawn in again, I can finish the book without skipping. This time it did not work. So I put it down for now and will start something else tonight.

Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe I was not in the right mood, maybe I suffer from readers block. Who nows. Anyway: the book started to irritate me: the style of writing, the going backwards and forwards in time, the characters, the plot, everything. This happens every once in a while with bestsellers, that come highly recommended. Can't help it!

It does not happen often though. I had a good reading year sofar; 51 books read (see profile) and this is the second one I did not like, the other one being Under the Skin by Michel Faber , most of the other readers were also raving about. From previous years I remember "The Shadow of the Wind", "The Time Traveler's Wife" and "The God of Small things", so the author is in good company here ;-)

If I have the courage, I will give it a second chance in a couple of days. If not, I will send it on - unfinished - to the next on the list.


25th June:
I continued reading last night after all, as I feared I would not pick it up again if I'd start something else. I read skimmed for at least an hour, but can't come to any other conclusion: This book just irritates and annoyes me. The characters don't become "real" persons for me; they remain marionettes, puppets on a string. In other words: "inventions", fruits of the author's mind. They stay just that, nothing more, playing their parts in a show that I did not care much for either. Therefore, I guess, I can't relate to any of them or identify myself with one of them.

As I seem to be in the minority and felt a little bad about the unfavrouble entry, this morning I tried to look up reviews, hoping I would find an objective one, preferably by a professional critic. I could not find one, positive nor negative. I was relieved though, to at least find this journal entry in another BC ring:
lellie's (redhouse's) review

Apart from my comments above, that's exactly what I thought! I'm sure this is a great book, just not fore everybody and certainly not for me (and her). Sorry.

I already have PM-ed the next on the list and will mail it as soon as I have an address. Thanks for sharing.

I will enclose both bookmarks again + one of my own, designed and made by boirina, with this bookish quote:

"A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return"

Salman Rushdie

Journal Entry 16 by bestfriends at on Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (6/26/2007 UTC) at

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On its way to iwanttobeinital by surfacemail

Journal Entry 17 by iwanttobeinital from Belvedere Marittimo, Calabria Italy on Thursday, August 16, 2007
Little book is safe and well!
Apologies but this book has been sitting waiting for me on my doorstep (I think it must have arrived just after I left for the Uk in mid July).
I''m in the middle of another book just now but will get to this asap - given its already long wait it deserves a quick start.


Journal Entry 18 by iwanttobeinital from Belvedere Marittimo, Calabria Italy on Sunday, August 26, 2007
I really, really enjoyed this book.
Great characters that were very well drawn.
Uncomfortable subject matter but just the sort of thing that I enjoy as it is much more real-life than "happy ever after" books.
Can't wait to read Emotional Geology, also by Linda and will be looking out for other Transita novels.
Thanks for organising the bookring, LindyLouMac 8-))
Will be on its way to Pell tomorrow.

Journal Entry 19 by Pell from Canino, Lazio Italy on Thursday, August 30, 2007
Arrived safely today from iwanttobeinitaly, I am a bit bogged down at the moment and hope to read it in the next two weeks. I wish i had more time so that i could read all day.

Journal Entry 20 by Pell from Canino, Lazio Italy on Saturday, September 29, 2007
Couldnt get into this book, must be my mood at the moment as i usually enjoy this type of book. I have passed it on to the next person on the list Maireen, Hope you enjoy it

Journal Entry 21 by Maireen from Viterbo, Lazio Italy on Sunday, October 28, 2007
Not sure what to expect here after reading through the very conflicting journal entries. Seems I shall either love or hate it - anyway, here goes . .

Journal Entry 22 by Maireen from Viterbo, Lazio Italy on Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Loved this rather disturbing tale - what a mixture of emotions it gave me. Definately give it top rating.

The book goes back to LindiLou

Journal Entry 23 by LindyLouMac from Tywyn, Wales United Kingdom on Friday, January 25, 2008
Back with me for the time being. Reserved for further Bookcrossing activity!

Journal Entry 24 by LindyLouMac at on Friday, February 8, 2008

Released 16 yrs ago (2/11/2008 UTC) at

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This is going as a surprise RABCK from her Wishlist to a Bookcrosser in France.

Journal Entry 25 by bluenoser from Eymet, Aquitaine France on Friday, February 15, 2008
Woohoo! What a lovely surprise arrived through my letterbox this morning - a RABCK from LindyLouMac. I'm so pleased to have this to read before I go to the BC Convention in London in April. The author is going to be one of the guest speakers there. It will also be my 'G' book for the Alphabet Author Challenge.
I'll take special care of it and make sure that it goes to another BCer. Thanks a million!

Journal Entry 26 by bluenoser from Eymet, Aquitaine France on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
This book reminds me of "The Lovely Bones" in as much as the narrator is very obviously dead and watching the other members of her very disfunctional family, as they attend her funeral. I didn't mind the jumping back and forth from her youth to adulthood as it helped the reader understand what sparked each family crisis. It certainly is an emotional overload and not a happy ending, but I couldn't put it down and stayed awake until 1 a.m. last night to finish it!
For future readers: it has been around the block a bit and is becoming quite fragile and has to be read carefully, especially the last 50 pages or so.
Today it continues its journey back to the UK to Tanamo, who has kindly promised not to wild release it but to pass it on as per the first reader's wishes.

Journal Entry 27 by Tanamo from Hinckley, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 8, 2008
Received today. Thanks Bluenoser. I look forward to reading it.

Journal Entry 28 by Tanamo from Hinckley, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, June 22, 2008
I found this book hard to get into at first because I found the chopping and changing of years irritating so it didn't grip me the way "Emotional Geology" did at first and I found it easy to put down and was even tempted to give up on it but I didn't and I'm glad I persevered as the characters were really well drawn (though none of them very likeable in my opinion) and I found I did want to know what happened to them.

Two people pm'd asking to read this book and initially I intended to ask others and send it out on a ring again but, sadly, the book is rather fragile with many loose pages, especially towards the end and the back cover has been repaired with cellotape so I just don't think it's up to a long journey and being caressed by many more hands, however lovingly. So. I'll pm Icila who asked first and ask her to send it to allbookedup, who asked second, when she's read it.

Journal Entry 29 by Tanamo from Hinckley, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, June 23, 2008
Mailed to Icila today.

Journal Entry 30 by Tanamo from Hinckley, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
For some reason this book was returned to me by the PO. Judging from what Icila has told me, all she got was the label, not the parcel!!! Anyway, I mailed it out again yesterday so hopefully it will arrive safely this time.

Journal Entry 31 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Great ! This time the parcel arrived with the label. ;)

Journal Entry 32 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
I savoured this novel and I'm looking forward to read another book from this author. Thanks everybody.

allbookedup is PMed for her address.




08/22 : on its way to Ausria.




Journal Entry 33 by allbookedup from Wien Bezirk 21 - Floridsdorf, Wien Austria on Wednesday, September 3, 2008
it arrived some days ago (I was on a business trip) and I got it today, thanks a lot for sending it to me!

Journal Entry 34 by allbookedup from Wien Bezirk 21 - Floridsdorf, Wien Austria on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A very engrossing story, but it still took me a long time to actually finish the book, to be honest.
For me it was not so easy to stomach, because the story is laden with a lot of tragedies, incest, family secrets... so sometimes I felt quite overwhelmed by it.

I enjoyed it though and thank you for sharing this book!
I am going to pass it on as a RABCK now, I am sending it to KathyS in the UK.

Journal Entry 35 by allbookedup at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Wien Austria on Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (10/8/2008 UTC) at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Wien Austria

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sent off to KathyS

Journal Entry 36 by KathyS from Ramsey, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The book has arrived safely in Cambridgeshire UK and is next on my TBR pile as I can't wait to read it. Thanks for sharing :o)

Journal Entry 37 by KathyS from Ramsey, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 17, 2008
Another Linda Gillard book that hooks you and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. I found the storyline incredibly tense and very moving. I just couldn't help feeling so very sorry for Flo and, equally, terribly angry with Rory. As an outsider looking in on what, on the surface, would appear to be a normal middle class Suffolk family, it isn't hard to imagine that behind every door in the land could hide similiarly disturbing stories of illicit love, incest and dysfunctional families. It is also interesting to see how one misjudged and inappropriate action can ripple throughout a whole family, impacting on each person in such devastating ways.

My only criticism of the book would be the way it continually jumps around between different years and different events, often giving us glimpses of future events but forcing us to read on to find out the meat and potatoes of the incident. I'm afraid I'm a traditionalist and prefer to read a story in chronological order from start to finish. I found the timeslips very confusing and annoying at first and, if I hadn't been told how wonderful the book is, they might well have made me put the book down. Eventually I got used to the structure and could see reasoning behind it but, I'm afraid, it does mean that it only got 9 and not 10 stars in my review.

The book is beginning to look a little sorry for itself with some of the pages coming close to parting company with the cover. I will endeavour to repair the damage and will try to find another BCer to RABCK this book to as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 38 by KathyS at By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Released 15 yrs ago (1/27/2009 UTC) at By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

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On it's way to a Scottish BCer - enjoy!

Journal Entry 39 by laura0141 from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Thank you very much for fulfilling my wish for this book. I loved Stargazing and am looking forward to this one.

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