Journal Entry 1 by frangipani08 from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Saturday, March 08, 2008

For the Booker Challenge.

As I have lots of rings to read at the moment, I will send this book on its way and read it last!


Fleebo (Brisbane)
goodthinkingmax (Sydney)
tqd (Sydney) ##BOOK IS HERE##
jubby (Sydney)
miss-jo (Sydney)
FreePages (Canberra)
Carole888 (Perth)
livrecache (Melbourne)
star-light (Melbourne)
frangipani08 (Brisbane)
 

Journal Entry 2 by Fleebo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 31, 2008

Wasn't expecting this one at this time! Thank you very much.

"From the award-winning author of 'Clear' comes an epic novel of startling originality. If History is just a sick joke which keeps on repeating itself, then who exactly might be telling it, and why? Could it be John Scogin, Edward IV's infamous court jester, whose favourite pastime was to burn people alive -- for a laugh? Or could it be Andrew Boarde, Henry VIII's physician, who kindly wrote John Scogin's biography? Or could it be a tiny Kurd called Gaffar whose days are blighted by an unspeakable terror of -- uh -- salad? Or a beautiful, bulimic harpy with ridiculously weak bones? Or a man who guards Beckley Woods with a Samurai sword and a pregnant terrier? 'Darkmans' is a very modern book, set in Ashford (a ridiculously modern town), about two very old-fashioned subjects: love and jealousy. It's also a book about invasion, obsession, displacement and possession, about comedy, art, prescription drugs and chiropody. And the main character? The past, which creeps up on the present and whispers something quite dark -- quite unspeakable -- into its ear." 

Journal Entry 3 by Fleebo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, July 03, 2008

I have had this book for way too long. I had honestly thought, from its description, that this would be one of my favourites of the Booker shortlist this year - but I was quite wrong. I started it and then read four or five other whole books in the meantime. Finally, I skim-read most of parts two and three, and eventually got back into the story.
There are a lot of characters in this book, and they each have a stream-of-consciousness style. The only people I liked were Kelly and Gaffar, tough with a soft side - nevertheless I would not have wanted to run into either of them in real life, whether they had a morbid fear of lettuce or not.
Dory was a pain. Elen was ambiguous. Fleet was a non-person. Kane and Beede... not sure whether I liked them or not.
And how many people were being possessed by medieval spirits? and was there more than one possessor? and what happened at the end? Who survived and who didn't? It was all very confusing.
Goodthinkingmax may well not want to take this book off my hands this weekend... if not, then I will pass it on to her when I get to Sydney next week. 

Journal Entry 4 by goodthinkingmax from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Friday, July 18, 2008

Thanks fleebo...you are back in Sydney to stay for the moment? Yay.

I have also been looking forward to reading Darkmans but am feeling more uncertain now after that review. I will try to have it read before I next see tqd. 

Journal Entry 5 by goodthinkingmax from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I loved this dark, yet humourous book and am going to seek out some other Nichola Barker stuff. It certainly wasn't plot driven and I couldn't read it all in one sitting but I thought the writing was extraordinary. I felt like I'd read a book after just one chapter. I didn't really understand it all (not sure that I was meant to?) and it ended quite abruptly without neat resolution. I was just so swept up in the writing and the absurdity portrayed in the mundane situations and descriptions, more like a dream or situations viewed under the influence! I loved the depth of the characters who went about their everyday business all teetering on the edge of madness. I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue and marvelled at the research that must have gone into this book, the vocabulary, history, philosophy, analysis of the most trivial of items! Fleet's mind and actions were wonderful and I also loved Kellie. Not a likeable cast at all but so fascinating. Not sure that this book should be sold as a ghost story or a supernatural one as the back cover suggests. I perceived it more as madness, absurdity and the existence of an alternate reality to the dark mundane one, than possession or haunting.

So that makes about two books from the shortlist I like this year!

I will pass or post to tqd soon. 

Journal Entry 6 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, August 30, 2008

Well, this one does look rather imposing, but goodthinkingmax did say she enjoyed it while passing it onto me at brunch this morning. (And I'm sure I didn't misunderstand and it wasn't the coffee she was praising. Even though that was excellent.)

Not sure when I'm going to find the time to read this one, but I am intrigued by it already... 

Journal Entry 7 by tqd at Balmain, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (7/14/2009 UTC) at Balmain, New South Wales Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I've had this one for far too long, and while it does look like something I probably would enjoy, its sheer size is just proving far too daunting.

Passing along to jubby (finally!) at lunch today. Sorry it spent so long gathering dust with me. 

Journal Entry 8 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Received from TQD today over a lovely lunch.

I have really been looking forward to reading this one, especially after hearing a favourable review on 'The Book Show' on Radio National a year or two ago.
But the size...!

Wish me luck. 

Journal Entry 9 by jubby at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, January 21, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (1/21/2010 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Oh dear!

I am so sorry that I held onto this book for so long I kept thinking 'I'll read that next holiday...', and then when Frangipani08's PM arrived in my inbox, reminding me that I'd had the book, well, I was racked with guilt.

I did have every intention of reading the book...but time and other books got in the way.

Passed onto Miss-Jo today over a lovely lunch.
Thank you.