Upstairs at the Party

pan

This book primarily evokes life on campus in the 70s and the repercussions that spiralled out following a tragic event.

It's not necessarily a bad book, but it completely failed to seduce me. The characters bored me stiff and I didn't like any of them.

Not for me, sadly.
⭐⭐ 2 stars

#pop22 - featuring a party
@Cinfhen @Megabooks @KarenUK @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @jenniferw88 @Cortg @Laughterhp @4thhouseontheleft

Aims42 I love your mug 😻 3y

squirrelbrain Meh, but at least you ticked off a prompt! 3y

RaeLovesToRead @Aims42 Thanks! I got it from Como... it's about 750ml 😁😁 3y

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RaeLovesToRead @squirrelbrain I wish I could DNF 😔 I just can't seem to do it! But yes, another prompt down - I'm very behind on my challenge as usual 😅 3y

Cinfhen Too bad it wasn‘t a pick but at least you ticked off a challenge 🙌🏻😁 3y

RaeLovesToRead @Cinfhen Only 44 more left to go 😁😁😁 3y

squirrelbrain I *very* rarely bail on a book either. Maybe we should start a support group?! 3y

RaeLovesToRead @squirrelbrain The why-did-I-spend-£8.99-and-hours-of-my-life-on-this support group?! I am IN! 😄😋 3y

squirrelbrain Yes, the I‘ve-read-20%-so-it‘s-a-waste-not-to-continue support group! 3y

RaeLovesToRead @squirrelbrain Haha, definitely. We are suffering from Sunk Costs Fallacitis 😵 Genuine medical condition 3y

KarenUK @Squirrel @RaeLovesToRead I‘m a non-bailer too! I‘m in! 😉 3y

RaeLovesToRead @KarenUK @squirrelbrain We need a hashtag 😄 3y

squirrelbrain I‘m rubbish at coming up with hashtags… 😁 I‘ll defer to both of you….! @KarenUK 3y

59 likes13 comments

andrew61

Upstairs at the Party | Linda Grant

pick

Not sure if this will be completed bk for 21 as I am now in my annual end of yr chunkster. A story abt a girl who goes to university in the early 70s and the friends she meets, the opinions clothes and behaviours she adopts. A dramatic event then shapes the rest of her life and we follow both the uni years and the subsequent life she leads. An interesting reflection on how influential those 3 years become and an enjoyable read.

Cathythoughts Very good 👍🏻 nice tree ! 3y

Ruthiella I‘ve never read any Linda Grant but a lot of her books are interesting to me. I must dive in! 3y

CarolynM Lovely tree😍 3y

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Centique Merry Christmas Andrew! Hope you and your family had a lovely day 🎄🎅🤶 3y

andrew61 @Centique thank you Paula, and best wishes to you and yours, hope you have plenty of time for reading. 3y

Nute A beautiful photo. Merry Christmas, Andrew!💚🌟♥️ 3y

andrew61 @Nute and to you and yours kimberley. Hope 2022 is a good year for you. 3y

42 likes7 comments

Centique

Upstairs at the Party | Linda Grant

so-so

A number of friends on GR gave this 4 or 5 stars so take my comments with a grain of salt! Part 1 of this book - 150 pages - I really liked. The protagonist Adele‘s childhood through to university years told with interesting details. In Part 2 of 80 pages it‘s pretty much a rush from 21yo to late 50s and mostly summarised - Part 3 is a late 50s revisit to university and investigating an incident that had happened. ⬇️

Centique Grant seems an excellent writer - but I felt there were some boring scenes in here that didn‘t contribute much that I could see, while a lot of exciting and interesting things happened off page. On the other hand there are some great insights into ageing. So I guess I was just disappointed in it‘s inconsistencies after really enjoying Part 1 5y

CarolynM I get really frustrated with books like that. My most recent example is on the shortlist for this year's Miles Franklin Award so maybe I really did miss something there🙂

The Returns

67 likes2 comments

Centique

Upstairs at the Party | Linda Grant

“I should not underestimate the power of women‘s friendship, even when the lipstick bled into the lines around their mouths and their face powder stood in dusty crevices around their noses.”

🙌 This is a teenagers realisation. I‘d add in the wisdom amongst older women too - while so frequently cast as invisible and purposeless in the Western world.

Paperback.Propensity Beautiful quote 5y

CarolynM I think I have a copy of this somewhere. I'm going to go and look for it. 5y

batsy ♥️ 5y

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CarolynM No I don't have this one, I have

We Had It So Good: A Novel

Centique @CarolynM that sounds really good too. I‘m enjoying this one. She reminds me of Doris Lessing, but more modern I think. 5y

Centique @Paperback.Propensity thank you 😘 5y

69 likes1 stack add6 comments

whatrebeccasread

Upstairs at the Party | Linda Grant

pick

A well written quick read providing an intelligent reflection of women's friendship, secrecy, deceit and lies in recent history. I give "Upstairs at the Party" a positive 4 stars.

My full review is up on my blog, check it out to read more! ?

KateFulfordAuthor May I recommend my debut as a future read? See my bio for all the links you need. Thanks, Kate 7y

18 likes1 stack add1 comment

Janedeb

Upstairs at the Party | Linda Grant

pick

A blast from the past to read about university life in the 70s. The author‘s use of description was evocative for me. The author‘s development of the narrative as her protagonist delves into her past and comes to realise how incompetently mental health issues were dealt with is structured well and poignantly. A very good read.

notmaudgonne

Upstairs at the Party | Linda Grant

Holiday Reading: review on Instagram! ☀️📚

1 like

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