Welcome to Litsy!

This was a vacation purchase, found in a delightful Oxfam store (you Brits are mighty lucky!) This is an ominous novella filled with foreboding. Sylvie is 17 and spending a summer with her parents and a university group living as ancient Britons and getting a glimpse outside her life with her extremely strict and abusive father. The book veers towards its inevitable climax and was a compelling examination of our continued primitive nature.

A quick, impactful read. It's an infuriating exploration of how easily we can become complicit in victimization and how easily we can justify harmful actions. There's also commentary on class and regional differences that doesn't feel heavy-handed. "Enjoyed" isn't quite the right word, but I definitely appreciate this novel.

While the second half was tense and atmospheric, the first half felt dull. It was difficult to grasp any real understanding of the inner lives of any of the characters. That said, the ending was quite eerie and ambiguous. #shortyseptember23

This is the second or third time I‘ve tried to listen to this novel and it isn‘t sticking. The historical tidbits are interesting enough, but the characters and plot aren‘t getting any traction.

Moving on…….

Picked this one up after Litsy friends commented about the bog people featured in this on my review of Fen Bog Swamp. This was a short read, but haunting and bleak. A British nationalist is fixated on living off the land as early Britons did. He drags his wife and daughter to an expedition with a professor and group of students who are living in tents, and hunting and gathering. Less about the bog bodies than I expected, but impactful nonetheless.

Moss‘s writing is so tight, not a word is wasted in this short, tense novella.

#AdventRecommends
@emilyrose_x

A family joins an experiential anthropology class in reenacting Iron Age Britannia in this dark and suffocating work. The characters were one dimensional and the lack of quotation marks made for frustrating reading. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2022/08/review-ghost-wall-by-sarah-moss.html

Cor, she's a superb invoker of atmosphere...
Very good story.

Having heard her speak in Bath, I'm s here fan 😍😘🤩 and found this in the library.
I'm unable to buy books as our house is having building work and everything is in chaos!

#AlphabetGame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Letter G

Continuing with the theme of short, chilling novels full of dread and danger. I wrote in my GR review that it had the eerie vibes of both Schweblin's Fever Dream and the menacing mythological atmosphere of Alan Garner's The Owl Service. A book that made me want to run far away from what was taking place.

Wow ? this novella is brilliant ?part of my library ? haul , Sarah moss is a wonderful writer. Iv rejoined a local library partly because I have a huge TBR and now begrudge paying (d0 for a hardback and 8.99 or 9.99 for a paperback if I don‘t like it ; back to front I know but anything I do like from the library ? il then go out and buy it for my collection ?keep cool ? in the heatwave folks ?

Wow ? this novella is brilliant ?part of my library ? haul , Sarah moss is a wonderful writer. Iv rejoined a local library partly because I have a huge TBR and now begrudge paying (d0 for a hardback and 8.99 or 9.99 for a paperback if I don‘t like it ; back to front I know but anything I do like from the library ? il then go out and buy it for my collection ?keep cool ? in the heatwave folks ?

Moss drops us into the unexpected setting of an Iron Age re-enactment camp to tell a story of a young girl grappling with male chauvinism, disturbing family dynamics, and how to find her voice. Brilliant.

Well, what a story. All about a group of people reenacting life in an Iron Age settlement. Done for academic purposes along with the family of a over bearing bus driver. The tale is so compelling as Silvie guides us on this voyage around her father while dressed in a scratchy tunic.

I‘m loving this, why be comfortable on holiday, stay in an Iron Age settlement instead!

I read this book in one day and it filled me with dread the whole time. My anxiety was through the roof! So much is packed into this short book. I did feel like it could have been fleshed out a bit more and the ending was a bit rushed. I will definitely read some more from this author.

This is another short book with a lot of layers. It's claustrophobic & menacing. It has a lot to say about domestic abuse, feminism, and nationalism while making a point that people don't seem to have changed all that much. There are certainly negatives: sometimes it feels too short but other times too long and it's a bit heavy-handed. I didn't like where it ended either. I REALLY wanted to see the consequences of several decisions.

Ghost Wall is an eerie book about a 17-year-old named Silvie, who is spending two weeks living like an Iron Age Briton in the wilderness of Northern England, accompanied by her history-obsessed and abusive father and her submissive mother, as well as the professor and students of an anthropology course. This book gave me some serious Midsommar vibes, but, thankfully, it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable to consume as that movie was. 4⭐️

Yesterday's #bookhaul from my local indie book store! Have you read any of these? I'm so excited to check them out. Been dying to read Ghost Wall and Go Tell It On the Mountain, the other two were whim purchases that were new to me (The Seed Keeper was so new it wasn't properly in the system yet!). #catsoflitsy #indiebooks #bookstore

I recently read Summerwater and thought it was spectacular, so I thought I‘d give this one a try. It‘s enjoyable but not quite as good. I feel like it wasn‘t quite fleshed out as much as it could have been and ended rather abruptly. I will certainly be searching for more reads from Sarah Moss.

@AmyG Thank you so much for this wonderful gift! 💖 I‘m looking forward to reading this book (it‘s going on my March TBR) and I really appreciate your thoughtfulness (and upside down and backwards card 😂)! The package arrived cut open, but I think everything was still in there? 🤔

"I looked up, saw Pete watching me watch her, and blushed, felt the sudden heat in my face like pee in pants."
Today in odd similes.

"I was starting to fight my breathing, could get air out but not in, as if my body was already full up, as if there was no space inside my ribs."

And another spooky suspense for October.

Currently reading 💚

This book puts me over the top for my #Goodreads reading goal!
Ghost Wall was not at all what I thought it was going to be. I expected a horror novel. This wasn‘t one; though the subject is horrible.
I‘m not sure how to rate it. It‘s just not for me. #unpopularopinion
The narration was really well done and was the reason I stayed with it.
#audiobook

“They bring her out.”

#FirstLineFridays

#Insomnia means starting a new audiobook.

Ghost Wall is a short sharp novella that packs a punch. I can‘t say I enjoyed it or some of it‘s characters but I appreciated the writing and story telling abilities of Sarah Moss. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now I have gone back to the beginning to read one of Michael Connelly‘s first books, and I am gripped already.
I don‘t want to do anything else but read it..even talking to my hubby is a struggle😂😂😂

All the details about primitive living, the Iron Age were interesting and the surrounding nature, just in general descriptions were beautiful. Listening to this is were it's at, though some parts were hard to listen to and I was VERY angry.

A short novel about an experiential archeology class reenacting life in Iron Age Northumberland and the girl who's overbearing, abusive father drags her along. But the sexism & xenophobia at the heart of his desires to return to ancient times may ultimately destroy the experiment. A quick, interesting read. I especially enjoyed the audiobook since the characters accents are commented upon at times & the narrator does an excellent job of it.

An audiobook about a student reenactment of an iron age Northumbrian village

A short but haunting novella. My first Sarah Moss and wow can she write. Really glad I decided to read this one. I found myself thinking a lot about -My sister, the serial killer- while I was reading it, because of the common topics they explore at their core.

Short, fantastic read. Eerie, dread-filled, and one of the few books I‘ve read lately that really got in my head.

I ordered some books from some of my favorite indies. These came in today and I can‘t wait to read them! I also got sone hot sauce from Tijuana for Mother‘s Day!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Interesting #novella about a teenage girl who is taken on a trip to south England with her parents to live as prehistoric Britains lived. Took a little bit to get into but it picked up steam. Trigger warning for abuse. Read on #scribd

I was gripped instantly and finished this in one sitting. Granted, it was a short novel, but powerful. For the brevity of pages, the impact is immense and will linger for some time.

Loving this story so far!

Oh wow. Powerful and dark. A Brexit novel for sure. And a commentary on the violence that springs from male insecurity.

Will take me awhile to recover from the opening few pages. A definite dive into a novel shaped by Brexit.

1. Tagged book. On my TBR list since it came out and my book club is reading it for April. 2. I don‘t plan my books out for months like some. I have my book club lists for the year, then aspirations, but will divert time read something compelling that comes to my attention, or if there is a good group read happening on Goodreads or Litsy. @TheSpineView

Dark, powerful book.

This book may be short, but it packs a definite punch. There are so many underlining themes and messages in this story of a family whose father forces them to live as if they were in the Iron Age.

I'll be thinking and analyzing this one for a while.

#lmpbc arrived safely today @Libby1

Thanks so much for the gift card too - but you really shouldn't have!

Finally, finally, finally I have sent the #LMPBC books on, @jenniferw88 , which will eventually get to you, @jhod . You know from past clubs I‘m usually timely with sending things but anxiety has really gotten the better of me recently. ☹️

This is our new cat, Sir Maximus Longbottom - Max for short. He‘s the biggest cat you‘ve ever seen, weighing over 14 pounds. He‘s got super long legs, so we thought we‘d honour the lovely Neville Longbottom.

I‘m intrigued but wary. Starting this one now.

Enjoyable quick read.
A dark book, that highlights ignorance and cruelty and isolation...how those than can not (or are not allowed) to defend themselves fall victim to prejudice, violence and tyranny.
Links the past and the present and highlights youth raising up against oppression and enablement.

Disturbing, haunting & deeply powerful, Ghost Wall is the story of Silvie & her parents spending two weeks living like Iron Age Britons alongside a professor of “experiential archeology” & his students. What happens when a desire to experience authentically goes too far?

What really struck me about this novel was the criticism against idealizing the past. Given the state of the UK these days, more folks should read this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#NewYearWhoDis