Journal Entry 1 by Fleebo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 28, 2009

This is the only crime fiction that I have ever seen on the Man Booker Prize longlist (2008). It was roundly criticized by a lot of people on the Man Booker website, claiming that it is merely airport pulp, and no more literary than a Cornwall or Rankin. My dad liked it - possibly proving the point, as he never reads "Literature" - but we shall see. 

Journal Entry 2 by Fleebo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 28, 2009

I bought this book so long after the Man Booker Prize 2008 was announced that the following Man Booker Challenge readers will probably be quite surprised to find themselves on this bookring:

miss-jo
jubby
livrecache
Sujie
star-light
tqd
goodthinkingmax
DrCris
FreePages
Fleebo 

Journal Entry 3 by miss-jo from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, July 19, 2009

I can see the criticism, as I'm not sure that with a different name on the cover it would be here. It's not even the subject matter that makes me say that, it's also that it's not stand out in its use of language either. Otoh, it was not badly written and it made me think about life in a place where no one is safe and difference is death. So over all I'm glad I read it.

I'll pm tqd and get it moving. Thank you Fleebo.

Eta that tqd felt a bit overwhelmed by the idea of another Booker book. I'll try goodthinkingmax.

Eta that goodthinkingmax wants to read this, but has 6 bookrings looming at her already. She'd like to be dropped to later in the list. 

Journal Entry 4 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Received in the post today. Thank you. 

Journal Entry 5 by jubby at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, September 11, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (9/8/2009 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Comments to follow - having to dash - but posted off to Livrecache earlier this week. 

Journal Entry 6 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Well, this book's a nice surprise! I'd totally forgotten that it would be coming. I've one other bookring at the moment, so I should get to it soon. 

Journal Entry 7 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Well, as a Mann Booker title it was most unlikely, but although I'm not wildly into the crime thriller genre, I found it interesting – not least I suppose because its setting was unusual (for me) and I found the descriptions of life in Russia at that time most illuminating. I liked the explanation of the relationship between Leo and Raisa as the novel unravelled.

I found that nearly all the loose ends being tied up quite unlikely given the prevailing mood of the book, but maybe that was symbolic of the change in political times from Stalin to Kruchev. Somehow I don't think so. (What happened to – no that would be a spoiler.)

I shall PM DrCris now.
 

Journal Entry 8 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Monday, September 28, 2009

DrCris has asked to be skipped. I'll PM Sujie. 

Journal Entry 9 by livrecache at Melbourne, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, October 24, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (10/24/2009 UTC) at Melbourne, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to another bookcrosser. I hope you enjoy it. 

Journal Entry 10 by Sujie from Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Received today, thanks, livrecache. 

Journal Entry 11 by Sujie from Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, November 22, 2009

Sorry, this one was too nasty for me. I gave it to my husband DaveDELC and he read it and thought it pretty good - very realistic about the Soviet Union,whose history he read at uni, and more than an airport read (and he's read lots of airport trash!) but not for a wuss like me (animal and child cruelty just turns me). I'm not doing too well at the 2008 Booker.
PMing Freepages. 

Journal Entry 12 by star-light from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Monday, December 07, 2009

Caught! This certainly escaped my bookring radar. This is the 3rd bookring I've received within a week so I won't be getting to it this year. 

Journal Entry 13 by star-light from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Wednesday, January 06, 2010

I've decided not to read this after all. I had a quick flick through it and it just didn't look like something I'd enjoy.

I'm on the way to the mailbox now to send this to tqd. 

Journal Entry 14 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, January 11, 2010

Turned up in the mail today. Thanks, star-light! I have been looking forward to this one. (And not so many bookrings ahead of it now...) 

Journal Entry 15 by tqd at Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, July 14, 2010

This well-regarded crime novel (longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2009) opens in Russia in the 1930s, it is winter, and the local villagers are starving. Out to hunt and trap a cat are two young brothers. One is capable and courageous, the other is short sighted and bumbling, but full of adoration for his older brother. But it all goes horribly wrong.

The next chapter, we've moved onto 1953 Moscow, and we have a small boy being enticed away from his older brother, and then his horribly mutilated body is found by the railway tracks. The family are suspicious that the death was not an accident, but this is Stalinist Russia, and to suggest the existence of crime in the Soviet socialist paradise is frowned upon. And believe me, no one wants to be frowned upon in this society.

Brought in to reassure the parents and family that it was all an accident is Leo Demidov, a star of the Soviet secret police, and a true believer in all things Stalinist. But some of what the parents say starts to sink in, and Leo starts investigating.

But it's more than just a crime novel, because of the era in which it is set. It exudes the paranoia of Soviet Russia, where you mistrust everyone. It also covers some very interesting topics: the "non-existence" of crime in a socialist state because everyone is happy and satisfied so there is no crime; homosexuality within this society; education; the mentally ill.

Overall, I rather liked it, but not completely. The plot and ideas were definitely good/intriguing, and I was white-knuckled for the last 100 pages (and more).

But the characters seemed to flim-flam too much. One second they're all for denouncing anyone who looks at them funny, the next they're on the side of good. The characters seemed to change depending on what the plot needed, instead of being solid characters who drive the plot.

I wonder if I'm being somewhat harsh on it, because I read it as part of the Booker Prize long/shortlist reading challenge I do with friends every year. One would expect better from a Booker longlisted book, I felt. If I'd been reading it just as a crime novel, I might have been more generous with my thoughts.

As a crime novel, it was a good fast-paced gripping read, set in a very unusual milieu, and I happily turned the pages and enjoyed the read.

As a Booker novel, it disappointed as the characters seemed to be at the mercy of the plot: they needed someone to suddenly turn good, so they did. I didn't always buy it, and while I can forgive that in a crime/thriller novel, I expect more from a Booker book. 

Journal Entry 16 by tqd at Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (7/13/2010 UTC) at Sydney, New South Wales Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Passed on to goodthinkingmax last night, over many (many) beers and a rather delicious dessert pizza.

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 17 by FreePages at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Saturday, September 25, 2010

Child 44 has arrived in Canberra. Thanks to GTM for sending it my way :-)
Bookrings have been arriving thick and fast at the moment, so it might take me a little while to get to this one.  

Journal Entry 18 by Fleebo at Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, December 09, 2010

Received by mail from FreePages. Thanks to everyone who participated in this ring!