Reading Schedules and Other Misadventures
by Charlotte Reads Classics
I haven’t been posting very much because I have spent my time (productively) reading – probably one of my better excuses! I had three books to tackle for specific dates but I had forgotten how plans are more fun to make than to follow. The last eleven days or so have been working to this list:
- Clarissa, Letters 81-160, by April 30th, so as to not get left behind
- As I Lay Dying, for a book club meeting tomorrow
- Wolf Hall, by today, ready for the release of Bring Up the Bodies tomorrow
I’ve done it! The April chunk of Clarissa was finished at about 11.30pm on April 30th, I finished As I Lay Dying exactly a week ago, and I finished Wolf Hall about half an hour ago. Hurrah, now some writing to wind down / wrap up. Please excuse the mingling of books: I can’t face writing three separate posts.
Clarissa, Letters 81 – 160, April 6th – April 30th
Clarissa is finally out of the house! She had been kept inside being a disappointment to her family since I began the book back in January, which is a claustrophobic kind of feeling that I think I would have missed if I hadn’t been reading along with the dates. I don’t think I’d have been a very patient correspondent though, her attitude towards Lovelace and her tendency to miss what seems (to the modern reader) incredibly obvious is frustrating to say the least. I’m actually quite pleased to have a scoundrel in the book because otherwise the sheer good-naturedness of Clarissa herself would be a little too hard to bear. I’m pleased that there is a bit more action, but I think I need to devote a little bit more time to this book before it turns into a chore. Maybe I’m just not cut out for two timing my books!
Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel
This is my second read of Wolf Hall: I loved it the first time, but I adore it so much more now. I’m really glad I read this book again, not just so I’ll know where the second book will be picking up from, but because I got so much more from it. Yes, there were still a bajillion characters called Thomas but I was ready for them. I knew they were hiding in the woodwork so they didn’t catch me unaware.
I felt I really got to grips with the detail of the book and picked up on parts that completely overwhelmed me during my first read. There was more humour, more memories, more texture than I remembered from last time. I could just ramble about how brilliant a writer Hilary Mantel is – she’s up there as one of my absolute favourites. Read her books! Read them now!
You can have silence full of words. A lute retains, in its bowl, the notes it has played. The viol, in its strings, holds a concord. A shrivelled petal can hold it’s scent, a prayer can rattle with curses; an empty house, when the owners have gone out, can still be loud with ghosts.
Sigh.
The wait is nearly over. Bring Up the Bodies is out tomorrow, I’m SO EXCITED.
In other literary news, I have recently read (although not a classic) The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman, and was lucky enough to meet her last week! I solemnly swear to write about it properly very soon. But the book was great and M. L. was lovely and very interesting to talk to.
Charlotte Reads Classics 
I agree with your opinion about Hilary Mantel. She is really amazing. I have Bring Up the Bodies on it’s way to my mailbox – it will probably be here tomorrow. I’m so excited!
We’ll have to catch up when we’ve read it!
Brilliant, you have read ‘Wolf Hall’ twice, I have not yet started it, well I did look at that family tree and got frightened off by all the names, thinking I could never amass all that in my head. But so want to be on the band wagon! Soon, soon.
And M.L. Stedman, I so want to read that book, can’t wait to hear what you have to say and to have met the author, bravo!
I agree the family tree is vastly intimidating, but it is so worth reading. I really enjoyed the M. L. Stedman book, it was really different to anything I have read this year so far.
You had some excellent reads in April! I really enjoyed As I Lay Dying and Wolf Hall, and plan to start reading Bring Up the Bodies tonight. As for Clarissa, I have fallen miserably behind…am still working on the April letters and it’s mid-May.
Clarissa is much tougher than I had thought, and far too easily replaced by other books I want to read! We’ll get there eventually! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Bring Up the Bodies.