4 journalers for this copy...
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Journal Entry 1 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, May 19, 2007
The Idea of Perfection (Winner of the 2001 Orange Prize for Fiction) is about two people who seem the least likely in the world to fall in love. Douglas Cheeseman is an awkward engineer, the sort of divorced man you'd never look at twice. Harley Savage is a big, plain, abrasive woman who's been through three husbands and doesn't want another. Both of them bring all kinds of unhappy baggage to their meeting in the little town of Karakarook, New South Wales, population 1,374.
Being in Karakarook is something of a voyage of discovery for both of them. Unlike Felicity Porcelline, a woman dangerously haunted by the idea of perfection, they come to understand that what looks like weakness can be the best kind of strength.
From reviews of the book:
"Grenville's new novel is a beautifully crafted piece of work. This is wonderful writing".
-- Mandy Sayer, The Bulletin
"The Idea of Perfection warms both heart and head, for the bliss it affords is not so much visceral as aesthetic, even architectural."
-- Don Anderson, Australian Review of Books
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Journal Entry 2 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Friday, May 25, 2007
Participants (finally sent 5 August!)
jubby (NSW)
BellaMack (Tas)
FreePages
Home with livrecache
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Journal Entry 3 by livrecache at Mailed at local postoffice in Melbourne, Australia, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, August 05, 2007
Released 4 yrs ago (8/5/2007 UTC) at Mailed at local postoffice in Melbourne, Australia, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sending two bookrings at once -- sorry!
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Journal Entry 4 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Well, this rather thicker book arrived in the post today, along with another bookring, and with a lovely card too.
Thank you Livrecache.
I''ve got two bookrings ahead of this, but will try to get to it soon.
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Journal Entry 5 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Friday, August 24, 2007
What a strange book.
I am still wondering what other books were on the shortlist for the Orange Prize in 2001, if this one won!
I nearly gave up on this book before getting to page 100. Everytime I picked it up I would find myself yawning and staring off into middle space...
But, I stuck it out. Not sure why. I think I didn't want this book to better me.
Harley Savage and Dennis Cheeseman are two city-slickers who are both brought to a small NSW country town for differing work projects. Both are jaded, lonely middle-aged individuals.
We also meet Felicity, the bank manger's wife, a randy Chinese butcher, and a few other passing characters, who help pad out the story.
Slow burner? Not likely, but didn't get interesting until the last 100 pages. The first 200 pages felt like it was setting the scence for the last third.
Sigh.
I also found it hard to identify with any of the characters, and I think this also made it feel like the story was dragging. The dog that followed Harley throughout the story felt more lively then some of the characters!
Thank you for sharing this book with me Livrecache. I do appreciate it. I can now put my hand on my heart and say I've read all the Orange Prize winner in the last 5 years.
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Journal Entry 6 by jubby at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, August 24, 2007
Released 4 yrs ago (8/24/2007 UTC) at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Posted to BellaMack.
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Journal Entry 7 by BellaMack from St Helens, Tasmania Australia on Monday, August 27, 2007
Received today, many thanks. I have quite a few bookrings right now but will get to it asap.
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Journal Entry 8 by BellaMack from St Helens, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, September 29, 2007
Like the last reader I found it very slow going but did persevere to the end. I didn't enjoy it as much as her other books, but I felt a sense of the slow country, no rush atmosphere and I think it suited the story overall. Thanks for sharing this book livrecache. I will post it off to the next reader when I have an address.
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Journal Entry 9 by FreePages from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Friday, November 02, 2007
Hi, someone was kind enough to check my post office box while I am in hospital and found this book, hope it is ok if I keep it for a bit, my reading is slowly catching up now I am in hospital in Canberra.
:-)
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Journal Entry 10 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Arrived home safely today.
Thanks so much for the beautiful bookmark, FreePages.
I will re-read this book one day. Perhaps my feelings about its merits were coloured by being present at a seminar where the author talked through the process of writing this book. I've not liked any other book of hers but this one to date.
Thanks to all who participated in the ring.
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The idea of perfection
