tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post813325891508191691..comments2023-10-03T11:41:21.191+01:00Comments on The Truth About Lies: Too Many MagpiesJim Murdochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-79182076938286534352010-03-21T13:34:37.406+00:002010-03-21T13:34:37.406+00:00Perhaps the difference with this review, Lis, is t...Perhaps the difference with this review, <b>Lis</b>, is that I took you along with me. Mostly I begin a review in a superior position, knowing all, and I eke out bits to you until I think I’ve baited you enough. This time I began a review not knowing where the book was going. In fact I admitted to putting it down twice beforehand. Surely not a recommendation and I bet Elizabeth was wondering where the hell I was going with this. Whatever the reason I’m glad you enjoyed it.<br /><br />As for your daughter’s intention to create an entirely new name, I think that’s fascinating. I believe I’ve heard of it being done once before but clearly it’s not a common choice. Online my wife is known as Carrie Berry and it’s never bothered me one jot that she kept the name. It’s a good name. Berry’s not her maiden name but she was ‘Carrie Berry’ for thirty years and that’s who she is now. It has very little to do with her ex-husband. <br /><br />What gets me are those women who go for double-barrelled names. I’ve never understood that. And what happens when two people with double-barrelled names decide to wed? I’m sure there are rules but I can just imagine some difficult bugger wanting a four-barrelled name. (Actually I looked it up and there’s a five-barrelled name on record: Lady Caroline Jemima Temple-Nugent-Chandos-Brydges-Grenville (Lived 1858 to 1946).)<br /><br>Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-20228533680407651922010-03-21T04:05:52.956+00:002010-03-21T04:05:52.956+00:00Good grief, Jim, I don't know how I missed see...Good grief, Jim, I don't know how I missed seeing this post. I can only claim frantic busyness. <br /><br />I haven't told the blog world that my daughter is getting married next week. But your review here puts me in mind of something I haven't been able to get out of my mind for about three weeks - all to do with the business of names. <br /><br />I won't go into details save to say that my daughter and her future husband have decided to create a new name for themselves and their two and half year old child, a name that in no way relates to the names of their parents or forbears. <br /><br />We are having a time coming to grips with this, as I'm sure we will one day, come to grips with it that is. <br /><br />But it seems to me the business of names is very very important. For names are to do with identity among other things.<br /><br />This would have to be one of my favourite of all your reviews that I've read, Jim. I'm not sure exactly why. I love all your reviews but this one has scpooped out my insides. <br /><br />I'd like to buy this book. I'd like to read this book. I'd like to find out more about the author. <br /><br />On the other hand your review here has left me feeling strangely satisfied, as if the silence in between is enough for me and I don't want to delve more deeply. Knowing me, I will.<br /><br />How can I say it without sounding too much over the top? This review makes me admire the reviewer as much as, maybe even more so than, the author and the book reviewed. Thank you.Elisabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04015624747225433940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-10282910317529109842010-03-17T04:44:19.422+00:002010-03-17T04:44:19.422+00:00I know what you mean, Ann, and what’s so surprisin...I know what you mean, <b>Ann</b>, and what’s so surprising is that so often the things we end up thinking about are the subjects we think we’ve thought through to their logical conclusions, love probably being the top of that list.<br /><br>Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-76809104159254005712010-03-16T18:54:24.095+00:002010-03-16T18:54:24.095+00:00What an interesting book! I love those that make y...What an interesting book! I love those that make you think...make you ponder. I just finished a book that made me think and I'm surprised books still can today. I shouldn't be but I am. <br /><br />annAnn Elle Altmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02192162600274764681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-51053056660184806202010-03-15T14:48:46.299+00:002010-03-15T14:48:46.299+00:00I do my best, Kass, but in this case the book is b...I do my best, <b>Kass</b>, but in this case the book is better than my review besides it’s easy to make a good book sound good. And despite the fact I didn’t personally warm to the protagonist that is just a personal observation. I know from reading other reviews that there are those who will disagree with my assessment which is why no one should ever decide to read a book based on one review unless they realise from past experience that they are in tune with the reviewer.<br /><br />As for jam sponge (see <a href="http://www.purpleweightloss.com/recipeimages/jam-sponge-cake.jpg" rel="nofollow">picture</a>). It’s exactly what it sounds like.<br /><br /><b>Rachel Fenton</b> - yeah, not quite sure how I ended up doing it this way but it works. What I like is that it shows the book coming into focus. And, if you did decide to buy the book, I’m sure Elizabeth would be delighted.<br /><br />Thanks for the feedback, <b>John</b>. I was a bit wary about voicing my reservations when it comes to the protagonist; people can get put off so easily. I’ve just written a review of what I expect will become a bestseller where I had a similar problem, this time a passive lead, but that’s only one aspect of the book and, again, from comparing other reviews I can see that some agree and others never bring it up. The thing is to be honest without making a big deal of it.<br /><br />And, <b>Rachel Fox</b>, I’ve never been very good with names, faces yes, but not names. I have mixed feelings on their importance in book. In the novel I’ve just finished no one has a name and I coped just fine; the book before that had a cast of thousands and I got quite lost towards the end.<br /><br>Jim Murdochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786388638146471193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-90389771420937193062010-03-15T12:17:13.014+00:002010-03-15T12:17:13.014+00:00I always like different takes on the sad old remna...I always like different takes on the sad old remnant that is the book review. An interesting ramble, Jim, and I found all the names stuff especially interesting. I find it really hard to learn (for example) names of plants and I know it's partly that (as I have no plans to study them or work with them in any way) I don't particularly want to name them. I just want to see them.<br /><br /><br />xRachel Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-20623846172793582472010-03-15T07:54:32.902+00:002010-03-15T07:54:32.902+00:00It brought the book back for me, for which many th...It brought the book back for me, for which many thanks. Though your thoughts and mine didn't quite intersect. I liked the woman and her husband in different ways, in their togetherness and the ways in which they couldn't meet.<br />But she is a tremendous writer, no doubt about that.<br />And here I go, rereading again . . .John Bakerhttp://johnbakersblog.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-39458650821746310982010-03-15T06:23:35.621+00:002010-03-15T06:23:35.621+00:00I really like how you did this review - in instalm...I really like how you did this review - in instalments - and the way that you leave readers of this review no choice but to read the book!Rachel Fentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10046917627054462214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327348657265652781.post-57605199176696878442010-03-15T04:58:28.684+00:002010-03-15T04:58:28.684+00:00Ah Jim, you know you do book reviews so well that ...Ah Jim, you know you do book reviews so well that I fancy they read better than the actual book might. This was a gripper. I liked the way you reviewed as you read. It got me going. And I don't mind that you didn't tell me the conclusion. That's very sporting of you, on Elizabeth's behalf. <br /><br />You say you didn't warm to the heroine, but I don't think it will matter to women readers. We will subplot our own warmth in along with our own brand of ambivalence. <br /><br />"It must have happened in the crease between page 24 and 25." I love this and I love how intriguing you've made Elizabeth's book seem. <br /><br />What is a jam sponge?Kasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05233330248952156754noreply@blogger.com