Journal Entry 1 by aleonblue from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Monday, November 16, 2009

From the Fantastic Fiction website:

"Six years after the phenomenal success of The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger has returned with a spectacularly compelling and haunting second novel set in and around Highgate Cemetery in London.

When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt, only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers -- with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.

The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery in London. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Marjike, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including -- perhaps -- their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.

Niffenegger weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life -- even after death."

Given to me by a friend - it's off on a little journey.....

Off on an Aussie-only (fpr the moment) bookring:

felecia-fairy (Gold Coast, Qld)
briz-cowgirl (Brisbane, Qld)
lakelady2282 (Lake Macquarie, NSW)
L1inda (Newcastle, NSW)
fushmush (Sydney, NSW)
Lisagt (Sydney, NSW)
Calissa (ACT)
livrecache (Melbourne, VIC)
wendyv (Blind Bight, VIC)- BOOK IS ON ITs WAY HERE
sorcha-sidhe (Quorn, SA)
KLL (Perth, WA)
sally906 (Darwin, NT)

Enjoy!
 

Journal Entry 2 by aleonblue at Aussie Post, RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 27, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (11/27/2009 UTC) at Aussie Post, RABCK -- Controlled Releases

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Sending this book on its way as the start of a bookring - enjoy! 

Journal Entry 3 by felicia-fairy from Gold Coast, Queensland Australia on Saturday, January 02, 2010

Read this book on Boxing Day and couldn't put it down!
A great story, although I found the ending a little unsatisfying, almost rushed.
The characters were wonderful and I really want to visit Highgate Cemetery now!
Will contact briz-cowgirl and send the book out next week. 

Journal Entry 4 by briz-cowgirl from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Received from felicia-fairy today, thank you! Just finished my stash of library books today, so I will be starting on this one tonight :) 

Journal Entry 5 by briz-cowgirl from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Friday, January 15, 2010

Wow! I really enjoyed this one, I would have finished it sooner had I not been on night shifts this week. Loved the two lots of twins in the book, but I think it was the cemetery that captured me the most - I googled Highgate not long into the book; it looks and sounds like an enchanting(?) place. And I always thought crows were a bit spooky (no spoilers!). The ending did seem a bit abrupt to me too, my only real negative of the story.
I have had The Time Traveller's Wife by the same author sitting on my bookshelf for some time, unread, so I will have to open it now :)
Waiting on lakelady2282's address to send it on. 

Journal Entry 6 by briz-cowgirl at Brisbane, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, January 15, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (1/15/2010 UTC) at Brisbane, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Heading off to lakelady2282, the next participant in this bookring! 

Journal Entry 7 by lakelady2282 from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Arrived safely yesterday arvo. Thanks aleonblue for hosting this and Rebecca for posting it out to me. Just have one bookring before it. 

Journal Entry 8 by lakelady2282 from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Monday, February 01, 2010

It is always a hard act to follow a very original book that has had a large readership. I'm not sure if the task was daunting for Niffenegger but in my opinion she was 90% successful. I found the atmosphere of Highgate Cemetery very convincing and also Martin's characterisation and for the most part the twins too but for me, Robert's motives just didn't sit right. It is only a quibble in a very otherwise enjoyable book. Other readers may disagree. Will contact L1nda soon. 

Journal Entry 9 by lakelady2282 at Hamilton, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 20, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/20/2010 UTC) at Hamilton, New South Wales Australia

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For the March meeting at 9.30 a.m. 

Journal Entry 10 by L1nda from Newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, March 20, 2010

In my hands safe and sound, thank you 

Journal Entry 11 by L1nda from Newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I loved this book, the characters were wonderfully believable and interesting. I found the ending a little disappointing, I felt I was left hanging, but I still think it was a fabulous read. Thanks aleonblue for sharing! 

Journal Entry 12 by L1nda at Mailed to next BC member of the Bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (4/1/2010 UTC) at Mailed to next BC member of the Bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Off to Fushmush.....enjoy! 

Journal Entry 13 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, April 08, 2010

It has arrived. I have one book ahead of it. 

Journal Entry 14 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, April 19, 2010

I’m feeling a bit meh about this book. Although it was a well –paced and engaging enough read, I just don’t feel like Niffenegger squeezed all she could out of the premise. The beginning of the story was interesting but it runs out of steam. There were two interesting twists but they didn’t have much of an impact. I didn’t like the climax of the story either. Surely Robert could have stopped Valentina from going through with it. He was very accepting of Valentina’s and Elspeth’s plans.

My friend mentioned that one thing she thought was done well was the London setting. As someone who has lived in London (I’m allowed to name drop, yes?) I could picture the streets and the locations that Julia and Valentina visit. Also, I’ve visited Highgate cemetery and I think I can even picture the street on which the apartment is situated. The blurb at the back mentions that Niffenegger became a tour guide at the cemetery for a while. I wonder if she was there on the day that I did the tour. Highgate cemetery is an interesting place and Niffenegger has captured it well. Well worth a visit.

I have PMed the next in line.
Update 28/04/10: No response. Trying again. 

Journal Entry 15 by fushmush at sent to the the next bookcrosser, Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, April 29, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (4/29/2010 UTC) at sent to the the next bookcrosser, Bookray -- Controlled Releases

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sent to the next bookcrosser in the ray. 

Journal Entry 16 by Lisagt from Holsworthy, New South Wales Australia on Monday, May 03, 2010

This book sounds very intriguing so I am looking forward to getting stuck in. Thanks for including me in the ray! 

Journal Entry 17 by Lisagt at Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, June 07, 2010

I finally finished this book last night and yes, I did enjoy it. I loved the atmosphere she created especially with the Highgate cemetary as backdrop to much of the action. Having read all the previous comments I tend to agree that the ending was a bit abrupt and flat even. Although there were a number of twists in the story I found the motives/actions of a couple of characters a bit hard to believe. (I don't want to spoil it for those readers to come.) I did enjoy the story of a more minor character Martin. On the whole however, the story kept me reading right up until the end.
Thank you for sharing! I will PM the next reader... 

Journal Entry 18 by Lisagt at Newtown, New South Wales Australia on Monday, June 14, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (6/11/2010 UTC) at Newtown, New South Wales Australia

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Posted to the next reader to enjoy... 

Journal Entry 19 by Calissa at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, June 15, 2010

This arrived safe and sound a couple of days ago and I've since finished reading it.

By and large, I agree with what has been said before. The settings were excellent, the premise interesting. However, the ending was flat and some of the character motivations difficult to understand. One of the plot twists lacked punch for me and overall I was left somewhat disappointed.

Still, I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it, so thanks to aleonblue. I will PM the next in line. 

Journal Entry 20 by Calissa at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (6/29/2010 UTC) at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia

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Posted off to livrecache today. 

Journal Entry 21 by livrecache at Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Monday, July 05, 2010

Caught on Friday, thank you very much. 

Journal Entry 22 by livrecache at Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Monday, July 05, 2010

I don't have much to add to what other readers have said. It was compelling reading, but I felt that Robert was a bit wet, and too easily manipulated. But it was an intriguing premise.
By chance, I happened to have read Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier last week, and it was also had the Highgate Cemetery as its background. In the acks Niffengegger mentions TC as being a guide there too. Interesting that those two authors should have been captured by it. It was quite serendipitous reading the books with the same setting one after another.
Martin and his compulsions were an interesting addition to the book, which otherwise might have been overwhelmed by twin-ness.
I'll PM the next person now, and keep the book moving. Thanks for sharing. 

Journal Entry 23 by livrecache at Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Monday, July 12, 2010

Control released today. On its way to wendyv.  

Journal Entry 24 by livrecache at Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Monday, July 12, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (7/12/2010 UTC) at Hobart, Tasmania Australia

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