Welcome to Litsy!

So I think if I had read this book at any other time, I would have really liked it. This book reminded me of like a British version of Franzen‘s novels. It was a Dickensian portrayal London post-brexit, rife with politics, corruption, hypocrisy. I normally enjoy books that dig into these topics but it hit too close to home and I‘m frankly exhausted by everything that is going on in my own country. So I found it hard and unpleasant to read

14-9 Jan 25 (audiobook)
A lot more complex than Mayflies, with a large cast of flawed characters, Caledonian Road centres on a year in the life of middle-aged writer, Campbell Flynn, in which his life unravels. At times it does feel like watching a train wreck as O‘Hagan foreshadows Campbell‘s (and many of his contemporaries‘) fall from grace.
Reflecting the zeitgeist (Me Too, Brexit and Putin-era Russia), this is a compelling and provocative read

Unlikeable people connected in intricate ways and just generally making the world worse. I‘m not making this sound like the pick that it is.

My first read completed for #AuldLangSpine and my first chunkster of the year.

O'Hagan shows the wonderful possibilities inherent in a big book - sprawling, ambitious, epic in scope, combining social and political commentary with character studies showing multi-layered portraits of humanity (largely at its worst - don't come here looking for likeable characters, but if you like a well crafted unlikable character, dive in!). Cont'd in comments

"Tall and sharp at fifty-two, Campbell Flynn was a tinderbox in a Savile Row suit, a man who believed his childhood was so far behind him that all its threats had vanished."

Happily kicking off the new year with this #AuldLangSpine chunkster (although you're right @CarolynM it doesn't read like a big book, I've whipped through the first 90 or so pages already)

@monalyisha

#Top24of24

It wasn‘t a great reading year for me, but at least it was better than 2023. The 2 top rows are my highest rated, the 3 at the bottom right the best of my romance reading.

All set for the New Year!

Liberty Scarf is for my IRL Book Club, one of the authors will be joining us at the end of the month (my first time as host with an author present 🤞)

The others are from @CarolynM #AuldLangSpine list. I'll be starting with the tagged (didn't realize how chunky it is! Read the first couple lines, it's engaging and intriguing right off the bat.)

Loaded onto the Kobo are two more from Carolyn: One Another and Rapture.

#12BooksOf2024 May

I read some great books in May, including my top 2 reads of the year. Caledonian Road was the best, Edenglassie by Melissa Lucashenko was runner up. Andrew O‘Hagan was also my highlight of this year‘s Melbourne Writers‘ Festival.

@CarolynM what a great #AuldLangSpine list! The only one I've read is Clear, and I loved it so that's always a great sign. Caledonian Rd, Death at the Sign of the Rook, and Driver's Seat are all available through the library, so I've got my holds placed and will start there. Edenglassie sounds right up my alley, and it is released here on Jan 2, which seems like a sign. And I'll have to see what else I can get my hands on!

@monalyisha

Oomph! That packed a punch 🤛. I think the epigraph says it all.

“After a certain distance every step we take in life we find the ice growing thinner below our feet, and all around us and behind us we see our contemporaries going through.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Reminiscent of Bonfire of the Vanities. Epic read 👏.

Dinners and charities, the authors and Dukes seem to be living the life along with the MPs working for the country, but if you lift your eyes and look behind all the glitter you‘ll see something different. People involved in money laundering, illegal immigration, modern slavery and the distribution of drugs. How will the important people react when all eyes are on them because they have been found out?

A sprawling saga of modern London that exposes the web of relationships at the intersection of aristocracy, politics, celebrity & business that facilitate & cover up corruption, abuse & bigotry. Meanwhile, for many outside that sphere, their social & family connections are more likely to endanger than empower them. There‘s a lot to think about, a lot to Spark anger at the inequality & injustice, but it‘s also frequently funny. I loved it.

Here are my suggestions for #CampLitsy24