Journal Entry 1 by dirtmother from Matlock, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Thursday, June 14, 2007

A special book for my lovely NSS Sumer Solstice Surprise partner - I was amazed and delighted to see it on her Wishlist, but then, I may have had a hand in that?

Anyway, this book is a first novel by an old university friend of my brother's - apparently the book started life whilst he was at university, where I met him a few times and I really do think of Summer when I remember him. I was on holiday with my brother in Page's beloved Norfolk one year and his advice to my brother took us to some memorable places, and I often ask "How's Jerry?"

So it is with considerable relief that I can say I loved this book - an enjoyably readable piece of real literature. I was utterly captivated by its first few pages. It really is a feast for all the senses and conjures up Norfolk and the Fens for me wonderfully. It's not a happy book, but given how much depression it depicts (and how well it does that), I didn't find it depressing. The importance of clouds in the book captures the current zeitgeist for cloud watching and I was delighted with the description of firework making which has long fascinated me.

I didn't give it a 10 because there were times when the reveries lost me a bit (as dream sequences in novels tend to) but this is really a lovely book to read and to hold in the hand. I hope my NSSSSS partner loves it as much. 

Journal Entry 2 by bookfrogster from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, June 21, 2007

Couldn't believe my luck at getting this in my NSSSS parcel. Thank you, thank you, thank you Dirtmother! 

Journal Entry 3 by bookfrogster from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, July 21, 2007

I loved this book. I loved the characters and the slightly bizarre lives thy led. It somehow felt as if it was set 40 years earlier than it actually was, but that didn't matter, it just added to the atmosphere of the story. The descriptions of the Fens was marvellous and I loved the way there were various eccentric pepple living in makeshift houses all over the place. Thansk again for sendign me this one dirtmother. Much appreciated.
Will offer this as a ray and hope some others have the good taste to appreciate it. ;-) 

Journal Entry 4 by bookfrogster from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, July 22, 2007

Sending this out on a ray. Names so far
celticseahorse
geetheflea
ekranda
gooner 

Journal Entry 5 by bookfrogster at Nicholson Street Post Office in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (7/24/2007 UTC) at Nicholson Street Post Office in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

And off it goes to celticseahorse as the first person on the ray. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 6 by celticseahorse from Newquay, Cornwall United Kingdom on Thursday, July 26, 2007

Arrived safe and dry! Looks interesting hope to start it beginning of next week have a ring to finish first. Thanks for sending this out on a ray Bookfrogster and the card was 'much' appreciated :-) 

Journal Entry 7 by celticseahorse from Newquay, Cornwall United Kingdom on Friday, August 24, 2007

I've left this a couple of days before writing this as I think the sad events locally ( a major fire) interacted with the sadness in the book and I wanted to separate the two to gain some clarity.

I think for someone who knows the Fens well it must be an absolute delight but my memories are rather hazy so I got pulled more into the characters than the unusual beauty of the place. The women seemed especially scant Lil/May almost ethereal..but then I guess she was? A really beautiful woman and my heart ached for her.

As I try to write this the complexity and interweavings become even more apparent. The voice changing as it comes into the present but still somehow with the timbre of unreality as it is a voiceless one? There were odd moments when characters really rang true with some short pieces of description that really nailed them as beleivable or someone I could see in my minds eye but this seemed to happen more with the men than women.
I unfortuantely kept waiting for something to 'happen' but that wasn't really what this was about. Family myths/stories intertwined with the Fens and interlaced with the cosmos through the clouds a heady mix. I was watching life in the now and in the past through tides and time..so what seems slow and small as you read actually draws a family and relationship landscape as complex and large as the clouds. With a little space since I finished it, that landscape seems quite large. I am also left with feeling I need to wake (I meant walk there but wake may be more appropriate?) back into current time as if this is about something slightly in a time a little ago ? but if what I remember of the Fens that is a constant quality.

An extremely unusual book with some very special qualities. I didn't find it very easy reading. It is something I would like to dip into again sometime especially after a visit to the Fens :o)

I must also confess to becoming intrigued with the mind of the author who wrote something so different. A contentious comment here possibly is this a British form of magical realism? :o)

Thanks for ringing this Bookfrogster and Dirtmother for sending this book out into the world.

Now on its way to Geetheflea via the PO as it won't fit local box.
 

Journal Entry 8 by geetheflea from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, August 30, 2007

Arrived today! Thanks bookfrogster for organising and celticseahorse for sending the book to me and for great postcard! 

Journal Entry 9 by geetheflea from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 25, 2007

So sorry i had this book for a while. Just couldn't get into it so will be sending it on its way. Many thanks bookfrogster for organising the ray!

3rd October
Sent to ekranda. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 10 by ekranda from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Received in the post - can't wait to read it! 

Journal Entry 11 by ekranda from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Saturday, November 10, 2007

I really enjoyed this book!! Loved the eccentric personality of Goose - the image of her floating around in a bathtub during the flood was most amusing!! Was very impressed with the characters, plot twist and my only complaint was towards the end it got a bit confusing to keep up with the dream sequences during a fever - I guess you could say it depicted the whole delirium confusion well though! 

Journal Entry 12 by ekranda from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Saturday, November 17, 2007

I have sent Gooner a 2nd PM to try and continue the ray. Have decided that if i get no response within the next week or so i shall offer the book in the bookray forum instead so it can continue on its journey! 

Journal Entry 13 by ekranda at another bookcrossing member in by mail, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Monday, November 19, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (11/19/2007 UTC) at another bookcrossing member in by mail, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Gooner. 

Journal Entry 14 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 21, 2007

This book has just arrived,and is next on my TBR pile. Thanks to ekranda for sending it on to me, and bookfrogster for sharing. 

Journal Entry 15 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Saturday, June 28, 2008

Apologies for the delay in reading this.

On the whole I enjoyed it. In my humble opinion, the characters were completely eclipsed by the massive Norfolk and Fenland landscape. That was the main character for me.

Thanks for sharing, bookfrogster.

 

Journal Entry 16 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, July 15, 2009

With bookfrogster's approval, I'm planning to release this the next time I attend a meet-up!

Updated 19 October, 2009: I finally managed to get to Nottingham on Saturday, 17 October to meet up with a BC friend. I dashed down into the coffee shop basement and released this book and one other on to the shelves. Three BCers were gathered together, but I had to rush off.