Journal Entry 1 by dark-draco from Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, October 30, 2008

One of those books you always mean to read! I really enjoyed it, if that is the right word. It is very violent and yet nothing like what you read these days. The Nadsat slang actually reads quite easily and I found myself well able to understand it.

It is basically the story of 15 year old Alex, who spends his nights raping, killing and stealing with his gang. Violence seems the normal mindset of the younger generations, but when he is betrayed by his gang and caught by the police, he finds another sort of violence. Experimented on, his capability to do harm is taken away, but so is his love of music. And not being able to respond to the world around him, he finds that there are far too many people willing to take advantage.

A good read, but a warning - DON'T READ THE INTRODUCTION FIRST. It basically tells you the plot and spoils the reading of the novel. However, it is quite a fascinating read for afterwards.

I hope you enjoy it too. 

Journal Entry 2 by dark-draco from Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Friday, October 31, 2008

This is being sent out as a bookring - list of participants below:

mucker28 (UK)- did't reply to PM's, so moved to the bottom of the list
OnlyLiana (UK)
KirstyKat (UK)
kbmarsh (UK)
spythere (Switzerland)
EmgeeNL (Netherlands)
Martjxux (Italy)
Wichtelkoenigin (Germany)
Allthesepieces (USA)
IceAgent (Canada)
FoxyGirlAct (Austrailia)
Shelly-Sparkles (Austrailia)
Davemurray101 (Austrailia)
Mozette (Austrailia)
 

Journal Entry 3 by dark-draco at Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (11/26/2008 UTC) at Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Starting it's journey tomorrow 

Journal Entry 4 by OnlyLiana from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, November 28, 2008

Arrived safetly this morning. I will start reading this in the next couple of days when i've finished my current book.

Cheers dark-draco! 

Journal Entry 5 by OnlyLiana from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, December 27, 2008

Sorry to have kept this for so long. I tried so hard with this book but just couldn't get past the 2nd chapter so it is with great reluctance that i'm giving up *sigh*.

I have PMed the next participant for their address and I will be sending it on early next week 

Journal Entry 6 by OnlyLiana at Posted to another bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (2/3/2009 UTC) at Posted to another bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sorry I've taken so long to post this on, my bad. I finally trudged through the snow today to the post office.
Hope you enjoy this more then I did!! 

Journal Entry 7 by kirstykat from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 28, 2009

Could not get into this book at all. Still, one needs to try these things.
Winging it's way (all be it late!) to Amber-moon today.
I hope that you enjoy it, Amber-moon! 

Journal Entry 8 by Amber-moon on Friday, April 03, 2009

Righto!! I received a PM from Kirstykat about this book and despite saying that i knew nothing about being in this ring she convinced me that i was indeed next on the list!!I thought that my mate may have joined me up so went with the flow!
Having now received the book and the BCID it appears that my name,as i thought,is not on the list of participants! I`ve had a quick look at the book and know that its not one for me so i`m not even gonna take advantage and attempt it being as i`ve ended up with it!
I`ll PM kbmarsh and send it on to her but i still don`t understand why Kirstykat sent it to me!!!!! 

Journal Entry 9 by Amber-moon on Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Having had no reply to my PM from Kbmarsh i now intend to PM dark-draco to find out what she wants me to do with this book! 

Journal Entry 10 by Amber-moon at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 16, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (7/16/2009 UTC) at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted on to the `correct` next on the list!! 

Journal Entry 11 by Amber-moon at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 16, 2009

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted on to the `correct` next on the list!! 

Journal Entry 12 by EmgeeNL from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The book arrived. It's going on my TBR for now
 

Journal Entry 13 by EmgeeNL from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Finished reading the book last night. It is indeed a very violent story. I didn't have trouble reading it because of this though and the slang used in the book is real easy to pick up. And like dark-draco said don't read the introduction before you have read the book, because it gives away the story.

I already PM'ed the next on the list for his address as soon as I have it I will mail it off.

Update martjxox asked to be skipped so I've sent a message to wichtelkoenigin 

Journal Entry 14 by EmgeeNL at by surface mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Friday, September 04, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (9/4/2009 UTC) at by surface mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

The book is on it's way to the next reader, enjoy the book 

Journal Entry 15 by Wichtelkoenigin from Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, September 12, 2009

I've received this book by mail this morning.
Thank you very much for organising the ring and for passing it on.
I'm glad it can stay here for a while. 

Journal Entry 16 by Wichtelkoenigin at by mail, by mail -- Controlled Releases on Friday, December 04, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (12/4/2009 UTC) at by mail, by mail -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I have sent this book to Allthesepieces in USA this morning.

Thank you for letting me participate in this bookring, I enjoyed the book very much.

I first read it about 15 years ago, when a friend borrowed it to me. Having read it again, I still think it's a masterpiece of literature. I've also seen the Stanley Kubrick film again lately, which is also very remarkable.
 

Journal Entry 17 by allthesepieces from Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, December 11, 2009

I received this earlier today, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. I've heard a lot of talk about this one, but never had the chance to crack its spine. I have a few books to finish before this one, but I should be able to get started soon. Meanwhile, I'll send a PM along to the next participant so I'm able to send the book along quickly after I've finished with it.

Thanks for sharing this one! 

Journal Entry 18 by allthesepieces from Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, January 08, 2010

This is one of those books that I've been meaning to read, and now I can say for certain that I have read it. What I can't say for certain is what I believe the author was trying to accomplish with this story.

I don't know what happened. I had rather high expectations of this book, and although I wouldn't say I'm sorry I read it, I came out of this whole experience feeling a bit disappointed. Just minutes after I started, I found that I was enjoying reading the nadsat slang even more than the narrative, so I thought perhaps there was something I missed. I reread the introduction. I even reread parts of the book. Something's just not clicking for me.

I didn't find the plot particularly violent (or at least not very graphic). But considering I recently finished reading American Psycho, there probably isn't much violence left in the world of literature that will shock me.

I think perhaps I would have loved this book if it found me at an earlier time. I would have greatly enjoyed reading this back when I was just starting to question the necessity of evil for the sake of goodness. But that was some fifteen years ago. At this point in my life, the idea the author was working with just seems underdeveloped, and I'm able to realize there are more shades of grey than there are of black or white.

The worst thing about this book was its ending. I'm actually a little upset now that I've read about how it was added only to appease the publisher! I'm going to have to pop in the DVD a little later tonight to compare conclusions.

The best thing? Definitely had to be the nadsat vernacular! I had a lot of fun imagining what it might sound like, and thought the way each new word was introduced was quite clever.

Well, thanks for the chance to read this! I'm sorry I can't give it a better rating.

I'm snowed in! I'm hoping the weather will clear up enough by Monday that I can make a trip to the post office. Until then! 

Journal Entry 19 by allthesepieces at an einen bookcrosser, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, January 11, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (1/11/2010 UTC) at an einen bookcrosser, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to IceAgent in Canada! Happy reading!