The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
MrsM is sorry to report that she is on the Naughty Step today.
She has said terrible things about the Book of the Moment.
MrsM is a 'Potato Peel' refusenik.
It did not start well because it is an epistolary novel.
MrsM racks her brain to think of similar novels
that she has actually enjoyed.
Her mind goes blank.
Next, the endless list of recommendations
on the cover made her cautious.
MrsM does not consider the review from Saga
'Utterly delightful'
as a selling point.
She consults MissM who blushes and says:
'It was very relaxing to read.'
She emails literary friends:
ReadersGuide
'A sweet, cheering book that you can read in an evening.
Or, an evening and a morning,
providing no one is bothering you.'
Suse
'I started it last night and it's quite pleasant thus far. '
The Coffee Lady
'I'm embarrassed to admit I had never heard of it.'
She reads blog reviews:
MrsC
'Now I've read it ... I've been kicking myself
for not getting hold of it sooner.'
Eventually, MrsM had to start reading the book.
After half a page she asks MissM
'If I only read the first and last ten pages
do I need to read the rest? '
MissM concedes that MrsM would probably not miss much
but says that she is very disappointed by MrsM's negative attitude
and unnecessarily restrictive reading habits.
MrsM looks again at the pages of glowing reviews
and sees the words from the Times :
'Charming...one to lift even the most cynical of spirits'
Which just goes to show
you can't believe everything that you read in the papers.
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
MrsM is sorry to report that she is on the Naughty Step today.
She has said terrible things about the Book of the Moment.
MrsM is a 'Potato Peel' refusenik.
It did not start well because it is an epistolary novel.
MrsM racks her brain to think of similar novels
that she has actually enjoyed.
Her mind goes blank.
Next, the endless list of recommendations
on the cover made her cautious.
MrsM does not consider the review from Saga
'Utterly delightful'
as a selling point.
She consults MissM who blushes and says:
'It was very relaxing to read.'
She emails literary friends:
ReadersGuide
'A sweet, cheering book that you can read in an evening.
Or, an evening and a morning,
providing no one is bothering you.'
Suse
'I started it last night and it's quite pleasant thus far. '
The Coffee Lady
'I'm embarrassed to admit I had never heard of it.'
She reads blog reviews:
MrsC
'Now I've read it ... I've been kicking myself
for not getting hold of it sooner.'
Eventually, MrsM had to start reading the book.
After half a page she asks MissM
'If I only read the first and last ten pages
do I need to read the rest? '
MissM concedes that MrsM would probably not miss much
but says that she is very disappointed by MrsM's negative attitude
and unnecessarily restrictive reading habits.
MrsM looks again at the pages of glowing reviews
and sees the words from the Times :
'Charming...one to lift even the most cynical of spirits'
Which just goes to show
you can't believe everything that you read in the papers.
22 comments:
Ooh, you must be reeeeeeally cynical (she says, scrambling to remember whether she has said anything particularly sappy/syrupy lately that might have made you roll your eyes).
But it has a cute cover...
I haven't heard of it.
Sweet, predictable, harmless.
(I borrowed this book from the library some months ago, and actually DID read it in one evening and one morning - apparently no one was bothering me!)
Oh, now you've roped me into it. Didn't you like Pamela? Or that french novel where everyone was behaving badly which was later (like, centuries later) made into a movie with lots of wigs and possibly John Malcovitch? Perhaps there are cliff notes -- or I will tell you what happens, if you want. (A clue -- not very much -- it's pretty short.) Oh, Alice. But really, there are some things a person just cannot read. And no one can make you.
Actually, I like Miss M's review the best. That should be on the cover. No one would quibble.
Your cover is prettier than mine, if that is any consolation.
Oh.
Well.
Maybe I won't read it then.
As my husband always says it's not like they're going to put bad reviews on the backs of books!
Isn't that funny?
I backed off cautiously when I saw it....I knew it was not a book for me, and left it alone.
I just can't figure out that reveiew. Does it mean that one reads more quickly if one is being bothered?
You can't expect to enjoy everything you read, I HATED "The Life of Pi" whilst the majority seemed to love it.
The GLPPPS was serialised on Radio 4 as their "Book at Bedtime" a few weeks ago, I kept meaning to listen to it and never did - obviously I didn't miss much!
I am sure you would love the "44 Scotland Street" and the "Sunday Philosophy Club" series they both make me laugh out loud (but you have to read them in sequence)
I have picked it up a couple of times... but never actually bought it.
don't think I will now.
I have not heard of this book. I am like that with some books too. I currently am reading a book that I have given up on. I am halfway through it and nothing has happened! So I give up. It was very boring with no good story behind it at all!
Good luck with the next book.
I haven't heard of it either but won't be rushing to read it!
Sorry, but I really enjoyed this (as you found from my blog). Mr C's just finished it too and also liked it (more than I expected actually!)
I guess if we all liked the same things then life would be boring!
Hi I have just read this book i loved from start to finish,i borrowed it from the library and i am going to re read it before it goes back.Everyone in my work is going to try and get a copy.The name of the book caught my eye, and i thought easy reading thats what i need now.Take care ~Kate~
I just finished this book (audio tape on a trip simply because a friend told me it was excellent) and I entirely agree with you ... if I had to listen to one more minute of airhead whiny Juliet ... well, enough. What was Dawsey thinking? Was just about to review it on my blog. Funny timing.
I haven't read this yet, I was a little put off by too much praise! Your post makes me laugh and re-consider reading it just to see if I agree!
I loved it. Now wondering if I'm a literary lightweight... K x
all you need to learn from this is that if I haven't heard of it, it's not worth bothering with
dahlings
How refreshing!
I just came over, from 'Becca and Bella's' blog... Where I applauded her no-thank-you review. And had to come and applaud you, also. ,-)
Aunt Amelia
"It seems a long time since the morning mail could be called correspondence." ~Jacques Barzun
MrsM would like to point out that this post is intended as a wry comment on her own reading style which is characterised by a short attention span.
Her view on the book itself is that it seems a shame to deal with the important subject of the German occupation of the Channel Islands using caricatures.
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