read 43 classics

I loved everything about this story.

I loved every minute of this book and found myself reading it aloud (in my head) in my best 1940s detective voice. Plot and characterisation is particularly important to me in a book. Not only is the plot well constructed and interesting but I built up a rich picture in my mind of the characters as I read this story. Oh and I must mention the language which is pure 1940s and a joy to read. Would highly recommend.

I read it twice. I read about it to try and work out what I missed. Just not my sort of book I guess.

This novella took hardly any time at all to read and was enjoyable. It presents the enduring theme of marrying for comfort and status or waiting for true love.

What a sad story. The Clutter family were true innocents and their killers had a strange relationship which fueled this violent act.

Probably one of my favourite books of all time.

As I was reading this, it hit me. Killing an Arab by the Cure must be based on this book. I wikipedia’d it and sure enough it is. Standing on the beach…staring at the sun…it’s all there in the book!

Poor Daisy! All she wanted to do was get out, look around and make the most of the opportunities available to her – being in Europe and having the attentions of charming young men. But this was not the done thing in those days. Sadly the man whose attention she wanted the most decided she was too common for him due to her shenanigans and a night time trip to the Colosseum proved to be the last straw. This was a quick and easy read. I’ve never been a big fan of Henry James but I liked this one.

This is a play that’s been rewritten into a novel by Charles Osborne. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the play or maybe the film. It was a fun book to read and I had quite a clear picture of the characters in my head as I read.

It’s funny how the most annoying thing the ghosts do in the book is smash vases whereas if this had a more contemporary setting, I’m sure they would try and make it far more ominous in some parts!

I remember reading this when I was about 14 and really enjoying it. I enjoyed reading it again but it’s so dark! It made me think about whether boys would be more or less likely decline to such a primitive state and resort to murder in the modern day if they were in the same situation. Any thoughts before I share mine?