Picked up at a flea market and is as yet unread. Will see if there is interest for a small ring as Mt TBR is growing every day!

From an online source: "When Framboise Simon returns to a small village on the banks of the Loire, the locals do not recognize her as the daughter of the infamous Mirabelle Dartigen -- the woman they still hold responsible for the terrible tragedy that took place during the German occupation decades before. Although Framboise hopes for a new beginning, she quickly discovers that past and present are inextricably intertwined. Nowhere is this truth more apparent than in the scrapbook of recipes she has inherited from her dead mother.

Using this book, Framboise recreates her mother's dishes, which she serves in her small creperie. And yet as she studies the scrapbook -- searching for clues to unlock the contradiction between her mother's sensuous love of food and often cruel demeanor -- she begins to recognize a deeper meaning behind Mirabelle's cryptic scribblings. Within the journal's tattered pages lies the key to what actually transpired the summer Framboise was nine years old, when the Germans occupied their town.

Rich and dark, Five Quarters of the Orange is a novel of mothers and daughters, of the past and the present, of resisting and succumbing. "

Sounds like a great read!

For a good review, visit this site --> http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/0060198133.asp

[Different Cover Pic]

I will send this book off on a local ring around Oz, while I clear Mt TBR.

The list of participants is as follows:

1. blakkat, Brisbane
2. amberC, Darwin
3. charliewendy, Melbourne
4. binkatron16, Canberra/ACT
5. miss-owl, Sydney
6. jubby, Sydney

... and back to me in Perth. *** Book on here, back home safely! ***

Here's the tuff-stuff about this ring:

* Reading is for pleasure so please relax and enjoy this book. However, to be fair to the other folks in the ring, please try and read, then forward this book along, within 4 weeks of receipt (otherwise 6 weeks).

** Please journal the book when it arrives with you so we know its OK. Please then share your thoughts in a review when completed. Finally (I know its a drag) do another quick JE when you send this along to the next reader.

*** Life happens, so if there is a delay with your reading, PLEASE please make another entry so everyone knows what's going on. Alternatively, PM me (otherwise you could be listed on earthdances naughty list!).

Thanks! And, enjoy.

Look, I actually snuck in first and read this book as I was between jobs & had some spare time...

I really enjoyed this book. It did take me about 15 pages to get used to the style of writing and the character of the protagonist, but once I was in, I was in.

With delicious descriptions of food, recipes, the rural French countryside, the characters..... I became totally hooked. What I found most wonderful were the descriptions of the mother, written by her daughter. Sometimes they were prosaic, and other times they were downright mean, but they always had a sort of 'romance' to them.

While the storyline was strong and interesting, it was the storytelling that I loved the most. However I will be really interested to see what other readers think of it.

This was my first book by Joanna Harris, I am so keen to read more.

This is being sent along now to blakkat, hopefully it survives the christmas postal panic rush (and I survive the PO queues!).

RELEASE NOTES:

FINALLY posted along to start off this ring... apologies for the delay.

Please enjoy the book - I look forward to reading your thoughts. Oh, and Happy New Year!

Arrived in the mail Wednesday - I have a couple of books ahead of it but will get to it as soon as possible! Thanks for sharing, missgonewest :)

I finished this book a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, I'm too tired to write a decent review though ;) The book wasn't quite what I was expecting but was still enjoyable enough to read :) Will pass this on once I have amberc's address.

Posted yesterday! Very sorry about the delay *sheepish look*

Arrived today. The packaging was torn but the book is unharmed.

i have a few other bookrings before it.

i feel bad, but i couldn't get into this book. i read the first 100 pages and it didn't grab me. probaby me not being in the right mood for it.

i PM'ed charliewendy on Friday and am waiting for his/her address.

RELEASE NOTES:

i have an address for charliewendy so off it goes on it's travels.

Book received today, 3rd of April. I will be able to start on it in a couple of days.
Thanks AmberC and miss-gonewest!

I really enjoyed this book. I found it quite a different perspective on WW2 and occupied France. It was quite disturbing in parts and a couple of times I thought it was going to take me somewhere I didn't want to go, but it never pushed the envelope too far. Some really well drawn characters and some delicious recipes!
PMing blinkatron16 for address so it will soon be on its way.

Thanks amberC and miss-gonewest

On its way to binkatron16 today

Received in the mail today.

I thought it was a beautifully told, although somewhat disturbing story. I really liked the vivid descriptions of the food and the characters.

PMing Miss-Owl for an address, then I'll send it on it's way.

Posted to miss-owl today. (2/5/06)

Four books arrived today! I'm not optimistic about the 4 week barrier but should be able to make the 6 week one.

Thanks to Binkatron16 for sending & miss-gonewest for sharing. :)

An enjoyable read from a consummate storyteller. Loved the alternating storylines (past and present) & although this device can annoy me, in this book it sustained the tension well. Framboise was a finely drawn & yet familiar character who quickly gained my empathy, which made the impassiveness with which she finally revealed her secret quite shocking.

And as for the food - luscious!

Sending on to jubby when I receive her address. (sent 10/6)

Received in the post today - thank you. I have a couple of other bookrings ahead of it, but will try to be quick.

Thank you again.

This is a great holiday read, and sadly this book arrived a little too early (it had to wait until July).

I just raced through it - I think the big font helped.

This was the first Joanne Harris I had read also. It was not what I was expecting. I thought she would be more A.S.Byatt... Thankfully, she wasn't that challenging!

'Boise was an intriguing character. I kept forgetting that she was nine years old - I think she was fibbing about her age!

The plot was nothing challenging, and there were few surprises, but I would really recommend this book for a plane read, etc.

Entertaining, Frenchy and droolworthy (all those descriptions of food!). A great holiday read.

Thank you for sharing this book with me. I do have a copy of 'Coastliners' on my bookshelf that I will have to read now.

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted off to Miss-Gone-West.

Thank you again.

This book is home safe & sound! Many, many thanks to you all for participating and making this a successful ring.

I have given this to my mum to read and will hopefully rabck or wild release once she has finished.