I'd nominate Zadie Smith's On Beauty as another example of a great retelling--I hadn't read Howards End when I first read On Beauty, and I loved the latter anyway.
And I'd love to hear if you stick with The Nightingale. I'm reading and posting on WWII fiction as my way of coping with 2024 (while working on a manuscript that's at least partly set in WWII), and I haven't read The Nightingale but of course it gets a million shoutouts and I've gone back and forth on whether to attempt it.
I came across On Beauty in my research but hadn’t heard of the reference, but I will definitely add it to the list! And what a wonderful coping mechanism 😆 I would love to know what your favorites have been so far. I think I will stick it out just so I can have a full opinion on it.
I'm staring at Rouge by Mona Awad on my bookshelf right now. Beautiful cover, I started the first couple of pages months ago and then got side tracked by another book. I haven't picked it up since. I've heard mixed reviews but I definitely want to finish it. I didn't read far enough to get a proper feel.
I hope you feel better soon! Friday. Saturday, whenever, I just love reading your newsletters. The kitties are hilarious! They are so adorable, it hurts. I lol'd at the pile of books, they really got in there.
they REALLY did lol and funny you mention the cover of Rouge because that is a topic for an upcoming newsletter! I haven't dived in yet but it keeps staring at me - my list of sidetracked books right now is embarrassing
And the Poor Things movie. I’ve run into more people (including relatives of yours) who didn’t like it. I loved it and am confident time will bring others to the party. Definitely a wall of Emma Stone, but Yay for that! And a daring style and presentation. Double Yay. Didn’t know there was a book basis so thanks for that intel.
So love to hear how much you loved ‘James’ - as we have previously discussed I was waiting for someone I trusted to talk about it! Hopefully I’ll get round to it soon - it’s giving Demon Copperhead level good from what I can sense?
I love that you love New Girl. Me fucking too - that show gets funnier and funnier everytime you watch! Who’s your fav? (I have to know)
I am genuinely honored you value my opinion on it - its Demon good but shorter so not quite the committment, and every bit as good! At about chapter 3 something happens that just really opens the whole thing up.
Ahhh I love them all so much but I am a huge Schmidt fan - he is just so himself and wacky and uptight and loves his friends. The actor was also in Veronica Mars so i have a softspot for him :) you????
I just realised I hadn’t given you MY favourite character! And I’d agree it is Schmidt. He just gets funnier and funnier with every single rewatch. Sometimes it’s Nick but I’d say without a day in every season Schmidt tends to be the funniest. Nick looses his fun a bit at times but Schmidt? Never x
Love this post! Retellings are one of my favorites. Just have to say, Hello Beautiful is decidedly NOT a retelling of Little Women 🙈 I think people got that from the blurb & then were really mad with what it actually is. IMO it has Little Women references in it & 4 sisters and that's where the similarities end 😆
I’m reading Monsters now. It’s pretty heady but I’m enjoying that about it. Very philosophical and very well written. Not one you can blow through. I wouldn’t take it to Palm Springs, for example.
I enjoy all all your posts, but this is my favorite yet.Brilliant! So insightful on James and slavery, also on retelling generally. I find James to be a pretty amazing novel. Thanks for the other recommendations.
I'd nominate Zadie Smith's On Beauty as another example of a great retelling--I hadn't read Howards End when I first read On Beauty, and I loved the latter anyway.
And I'd love to hear if you stick with The Nightingale. I'm reading and posting on WWII fiction as my way of coping with 2024 (while working on a manuscript that's at least partly set in WWII), and I haven't read The Nightingale but of course it gets a million shoutouts and I've gone back and forth on whether to attempt it.
I came across On Beauty in my research but hadn’t heard of the reference, but I will definitely add it to the list! And what a wonderful coping mechanism 😆 I would love to know what your favorites have been so far. I think I will stick it out just so I can have a full opinion on it.
I'd give The Storm That Made Us and Counting Lost Stars strong recs. I posted on both, and welcome any comments anytime!
I'm staring at Rouge by Mona Awad on my bookshelf right now. Beautiful cover, I started the first couple of pages months ago and then got side tracked by another book. I haven't picked it up since. I've heard mixed reviews but I definitely want to finish it. I didn't read far enough to get a proper feel.
I hope you feel better soon! Friday. Saturday, whenever, I just love reading your newsletters. The kitties are hilarious! They are so adorable, it hurts. I lol'd at the pile of books, they really got in there.
they REALLY did lol and funny you mention the cover of Rouge because that is a topic for an upcoming newsletter! I haven't dived in yet but it keeps staring at me - my list of sidetracked books right now is embarrassing
And the Poor Things movie. I’ve run into more people (including relatives of yours) who didn’t like it. I loved it and am confident time will bring others to the party. Definitely a wall of Emma Stone, but Yay for that! And a daring style and presentation. Double Yay. Didn’t know there was a book basis so thanks for that intel.
I heard it was a bit heavy on the weird sex parts so that might be why lol
So love to hear how much you loved ‘James’ - as we have previously discussed I was waiting for someone I trusted to talk about it! Hopefully I’ll get round to it soon - it’s giving Demon Copperhead level good from what I can sense?
I love that you love New Girl. Me fucking too - that show gets funnier and funnier everytime you watch! Who’s your fav? (I have to know)
I am genuinely honored you value my opinion on it - its Demon good but shorter so not quite the committment, and every bit as good! At about chapter 3 something happens that just really opens the whole thing up.
Ahhh I love them all so much but I am a huge Schmidt fan - he is just so himself and wacky and uptight and loves his friends. The actor was also in Veronica Mars so i have a softspot for him :) you????
Demon level good but shorter is music to my ears!
I just realised I hadn’t given you MY favourite character! And I’d agree it is Schmidt. He just gets funnier and funnier with every single rewatch. Sometimes it’s Nick but I’d say without a day in every season Schmidt tends to be the funniest. Nick looses his fun a bit at times but Schmidt? Never x
Love this post! Retellings are one of my favorites. Just have to say, Hello Beautiful is decidedly NOT a retelling of Little Women 🙈 I think people got that from the blurb & then were really mad with what it actually is. IMO it has Little Women references in it & 4 sisters and that's where the similarities end 😆
Ok very good to know!!! I haven’t read it yet but we all know the marketing execs get VERY liberal with their labeling 🤣
Oh yessss 😆😑
I’m reading Monsters now. It’s pretty heady but I’m enjoying that about it. Very philosophical and very well written. Not one you can blow through. I wouldn’t take it to Palm Springs, for example.
I love how you caught those kitties in the act 🙀😹
Oh they were caught alright!!! Hahaha. I think monsters might be a good chapter or two every week kind of book
Once again, GET OUT OF MY BRAIN, girlfriend. That is exactly how I’ve been reading it.
I enjoy all all your posts, but this is my favorite yet.Brilliant! So insightful on James and slavery, also on retelling generally. I find James to be a pretty amazing novel. Thanks for the other recommendations.
Thank you for being here and reading it all! I’m so glad you liked it because writing about these topics are not easy and I want to do it justice.
Feel better soon! Hopefully the kitties are being good nurses and giving you all the snuggles.
Oh they are and making it impossible to move for hours which is probably what I need!! 😂 thank you
Good job nurse kitties!
I just bought James and am looking forward to reading it soon.