Oof. My suspicion last week that Monday’s alarm would feel very much the rude awakening from the cosy, liminal bubble we’d been in-holiday inhabiting proved painfully accurate. Half the household started the week deeply disgruntled about the return of rigid routine, but ended it basking in the glow of growing independence after walking home from school solo for the first time.
Damn, I wanted to recommend Transatlantic to you! I'm loving the setting, the Surrealist stuff (esp the credits) and fiction that takes risks in showing that life is not just tragedy and evil and deprivation during a war, that people can fall in love and be silly while trying to do good things.
I LOVE that you’re enjoying it too (and that you wanted to recommend it to me! ❤️), Charlie! And yes, it’s EXACTLY that, that all those things can be true at once, even in the darkest times. I felt that grumpy Guardian review saying it wasn’t sure what it wanted to be, missed the point that it wanted to (and successfully was) many things at once. I definitely think you’ll enjoy the mini doc afterwards. Have you read the book?
How exciting to hear about your writing endeavours. Doesn't it always feel great when we get back to a long-lost project? ❤️ As for cultural delights, watched a few foreign movies last weekend, both of which were wonderful. One was Small Town by Nuri B Ceylan. Memory fails on the other title but another brilliant Iranian movie by a director that blurs the line between fiction and reality so well. It seems to be his style. I shall let you know their name.
I absolutely loved The Appeal! I bought it on a whim and, even though I was in a total reading slump, I ate it up. It had me guessing all the way and I loved the style. I haven’t picked up the second yet but can’t wait!
Brilliant! Yes the clever style made it so easy to read as well as compelling to read—perfect for shifting you out of a slump! I can’t wait to read the next one too! 👏🏻
Thanks Mel! I'm loving Substack, but have found myself completely consumed by writing for here and am so pleased I've found a bit more balance. Totally pantsing it you'll be pleased to here, but planning when I'll be pantsing at least!! ;)xx
Thanks as ever Claire and how exciting that you are making progress with your book.🙌 I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Day too, have read most of her books and am making my way through her How to Fail podcast episodes, 4 years worth. 🤣 🌻
I saw that Helen had also recommended The Appeal so will definitely be adding that to my huge pile. 📚 This week I finished the glorious Man At The Helm by Nina Stibbe who I know you love. 💕 I read the second in the series this weekend, Paradise Lodge and I didn't enjoy it at all, I was SO disappointed in it. Also disappointing was The Crossing by Elly Griffiths, the first in the Dr Ruth Galloway series, which came highly recommended - was excited by the prospect of the following 12 in the series. But it didn't do it for me sadly. 😫
You'll be pleased to know I finished Season 1 of Slow Horses and yes after a slow start - as you said - it was really good! 🌺 Looking forward to the next season to be started tonight. Also watched The Maid on Netflix which I loved but bawled my eyes out at the end. 😢
Thanks Sharon. I'm over the moon that I'm building novel-writing in as well as Substackery! Sorry you've had a disappointing reading weekend after the joy of Man at the Helm. I think Paradise Lodge is the only one I haven't read (and you've given me permission not to!). Oh that's interesting (and disappointing) about the Ruth Galloway series, as you're right everybody raves about it. And yay for Slow Horses. It definitely picks up midway through. It's particularly Gary Oldman, he's in the periphery a lot and then BOOM, you suddenly see him shine ... in his revoltingly grubby way!!
I’m sure the Elly Griffiths series is good, I might even try another one as the writing was good I just didn’t like all the archaeological references much. Plus it was her first novel I think too?
Sounds like it's definitely worth giving the next one a go at some point. But I'll keep everything crossed you've got a winner lined up for your next read!
Damn, I wanted to recommend Transatlantic to you! I'm loving the setting, the Surrealist stuff (esp the credits) and fiction that takes risks in showing that life is not just tragedy and evil and deprivation during a war, that people can fall in love and be silly while trying to do good things.
I LOVE that you’re enjoying it too (and that you wanted to recommend it to me! ❤️), Charlie! And yes, it’s EXACTLY that, that all those things can be true at once, even in the darkest times. I felt that grumpy Guardian review saying it wasn’t sure what it wanted to be, missed the point that it wanted to (and successfully was) many things at once. I definitely think you’ll enjoy the mini doc afterwards. Have you read the book?
I haven't read it yet; glad you think the Guardian was a bit grumpy too.
Definitely grumpy!
How exciting to hear about your writing endeavours. Doesn't it always feel great when we get back to a long-lost project? ❤️ As for cultural delights, watched a few foreign movies last weekend, both of which were wonderful. One was Small Town by Nuri B Ceylan. Memory fails on the other title but another brilliant Iranian movie by a director that blurs the line between fiction and reality so well. It seems to be his style. I shall let you know their name.
*Abbas Kiarostami's And life goes on. :)
Thank you so much Silvia! I always relish your recommendations 💛 Where did you watch The Small Town? It sounds beautiful.
I absolutely loved The Appeal! I bought it on a whim and, even though I was in a total reading slump, I ate it up. It had me guessing all the way and I loved the style. I haven’t picked up the second yet but can’t wait!
Brilliant! Yes the clever style made it so easy to read as well as compelling to read—perfect for shifting you out of a slump! I can’t wait to read the next one too! 👏🏻
Thrilled to hear you're novel-ing Claire....I've been wondering what everyone is up to and this makes me so happy. xo
Thanks Mel! I'm loving Substack, but have found myself completely consumed by writing for here and am so pleased I've found a bit more balance. Totally pantsing it you'll be pleased to here, but planning when I'll be pantsing at least!! ;)xx
Ah yes, the danger of the 'noble distraction'...because it's writing, of course...but not the same thing at all ;) xo
Thanks as ever Claire and how exciting that you are making progress with your book.🙌 I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Day too, have read most of her books and am making my way through her How to Fail podcast episodes, 4 years worth. 🤣 🌻
I saw that Helen had also recommended The Appeal so will definitely be adding that to my huge pile. 📚 This week I finished the glorious Man At The Helm by Nina Stibbe who I know you love. 💕 I read the second in the series this weekend, Paradise Lodge and I didn't enjoy it at all, I was SO disappointed in it. Also disappointing was The Crossing by Elly Griffiths, the first in the Dr Ruth Galloway series, which came highly recommended - was excited by the prospect of the following 12 in the series. But it didn't do it for me sadly. 😫
You'll be pleased to know I finished Season 1 of Slow Horses and yes after a slow start - as you said - it was really good! 🌺 Looking forward to the next season to be started tonight. Also watched The Maid on Netflix which I loved but bawled my eyes out at the end. 😢
Thanks Sharon. I'm over the moon that I'm building novel-writing in as well as Substackery! Sorry you've had a disappointing reading weekend after the joy of Man at the Helm. I think Paradise Lodge is the only one I haven't read (and you've given me permission not to!). Oh that's interesting (and disappointing) about the Ruth Galloway series, as you're right everybody raves about it. And yay for Slow Horses. It definitely picks up midway through. It's particularly Gary Oldman, he's in the periphery a lot and then BOOM, you suddenly see him shine ... in his revoltingly grubby way!!
I’m sure the Elly Griffiths series is good, I might even try another one as the writing was good I just didn’t like all the archaeological references much. Plus it was her first novel I think too?
Sounds like it's definitely worth giving the next one a go at some point. But I'll keep everything crossed you've got a winner lined up for your next read!
Just started The Disappearance of Emily Marr by Louise Candlish, 50 pages in and looking good 😊 🌻
👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks for the essay.
Thank you for reading! (Love your bio, by the way 👏🏻)
Cool. Thanks. It is the truth.
I started Transatlantic on Netflix & you’ve reminded me to pick it up again. 👍
Happy to help, Becky! It’s a great show, so colourful in every way, and that mini making of doc is a treat when you’ve finished it 💕