hashtagbrigade

pick

This book, a prequel to Jane Eyre, was fascinating. And so very sad. Unfortunately, I now see Mr. Rochester in a new, and unflattering light. He has been crossed off my #bookboyfriend list.

I really enjoyed reading this with the #hashtagbrigade , excellently hosted (as always) by @BarkingMadRead

#LitsyLoveBingo #FlowersOnTheCover #LitsyLove
#192025 #1966 @Librarybelle
#ReadYourTBR @melissajayne
#ISpyBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Librarybelle I used this for #1966 too! 21h

dabbe Agree 💯! 19h

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 22m

37 likes3 comments

Cuilin

The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Re-Imagined | Arthur Conan Doyle

#NoPlaceLikeHolmes

@pageshifter @AnneCecilie @indoordame @librarybelle @theAromaOfBooks @Aimeesue @kelli7990 @5feet.of.fury @Read4Life @AnnR @mom2bugnbee @pageturner1 @eeclayton @erzascarletbookgasm @aroyse @dabbe @cuilin @mollyanna @Tineke @Larkken @StayCurious @kimrenee @alldebooks @CogsOfEncouragement @catlass007 @CrystalE02 @curiouserandcurioser @Larkken @BeeCurious

Librarybelle The son had feelings for Mary, right? To me, I thought his covering for Mary was some weird shielding her from discovery out of love scenario. I think this also shows the dangers of leaping to conclusions - the patriarch immediately labeling the son as the culprit. 21h

dabbe @Librarybelle And the father's following of stereotypes: because the son was a gambler, well he must be a thief then too, right? Wonder if that's a hasty generalization fallacy that we both thought of? 🤔 19h

CrystalE02 The father's actions and process of thought got me, but it was the time period of the past. That was the way they thought back then. Mary would have been a pawn of her family at the time 18h

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Librarybelle Yes, @dabbe . Agreed! 13h

Aimeesue Son: I ain‘t a snitch! Dad: We must find the beryls to avoid National disgrace! Mary: I‘m not saying *I* did it, but Sonny Boy is innocent, I just know it! 11h

Cuilin @Aimeesue perfect summary, I can tell you hang out with the #hashtagbrigade lol 😆 11h

CogsOfEncouragement Love is crazy I guess, Holder's son would rather be in jail than put Mary there, no matter the circumstances. Mary's decisions make me sad. I'm sure Burnwell was using her for such a time as this. I don't trust him to have been true to her even if the scheme had worked. I think Mary did leave to be with Burnwell, I just don't think Burnwell will be interested in her for much longer and Mary will be worse off than ever. 10h

IndoorDame I definitely think lying, knowing you may end up in prison, to protect a woman you know doesn‘t love you is all about honor, and a kind of honor that you really don‘t see anymore. 9h

29 likes8 comments

BarkingMadRead

Wide Sargasso Sea | Jean Rhys

I‘m traveling today for my daughter‘s baby shower, and I don‘t want to forget to post again!! Not posting daily is really throwing me off!

Part 3: whoa #backtoAasnarrator #sheisinthornfield #gracepoole #Adreamsthereisafire 🔥#hashtagbrigade

BarkingMadRead @indoordame @staycurious @peanutnine @bookwormjillk @librarybelle @barbarabb @thebookhippie @thekidupstairs @ruthiella @mcctrish @aimeesue @eeclayton @graciouswarriorprincess
3d

BarkingMadRead @clare-dragonfly @5feet.of.fury @kwmg40 @dabbe @thebookhippie @willaful @rubyslippersreads @julieclair @currentlyreadinginco @rwmg @daena @larkken @kao @Deblovestoread 3d

Librarybelle The dream was interesting. It was a nice tie-in to Jane Eyre and how the fire started. I did like that connection. 3d

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Bookwormjillk Is that a picture of aka Bertha or me reading this book? Congrats to your daughter! 3d

IndoorDame I really like that it ends at Thornfield bc I think tying it back to JE so concretely, and starting the fire with a dream were great choices. But I thought the writing in this section was the weakest, and I‘m itching to reread JE now, and I‘m guessing if I do that feeling will only get stronger. 3d

IndoorDame Also terrifying photo! England is clearly bad for the complexion 😂😂😂 3d

BarkingMadRead @Bookwormjillk @indoordame 🤣🤣 I was trying to find Bertha in the red dress, but the pics were too blurry 🙄 3d

Aimeesue This section was so well done. The depiction of disordered thinking in someone with mental health issues was brilliant. 3d

5feet.of.fury I liked the ending, but it seemed like a big jump from part 2 to tie everything up 3d

Bookwormjillk @IndoorDame me too! 3d

IndoorDame @Aimeesue 💯 3d

Clare-Dragonfly I do have a theory about why Richard was so eager to marry her off after part 3: he was afraid she would marry Sandi, since they were apparently into each other. And he was Black, so obviously that wouldn‘t do. I still don‘t understand why she agreed to marry Rochester though 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3d

dabbe @Librarybelle The color red, too. Reminded me of the red room in JE. 3d

dabbe @IndoorDame 😂😂😂 3d

dabbe @Clare-Dragonfly EXCELLENT thought that makes total sense in a book where stream of consciousness is everywhere! 👏 👏 👏 3d

Librarybelle Yes, @dabbe ! 3d

willaful I feel like the book was almost in code. I was missing something I needed to really get it, background or knowledge or a different frame of mind. It was truly heartbreaking nonetheless. 2d

mcctrish @willaful same! I feel like I almost get it but not quite maybe I need to reread Jane Eyre 2d

julieclair @Aimeesue I agree about the depiction of disordered thinking. Her decisions seemed so “logical” if you assume her thoughts were “rational”. And to her, they were. 2d

julieclair I do wonder what would have happened if Rochester had really loved her and treated her as a cherished wife. Would she still have gone mad? 2d

julieclair @BarkingMadRead How wonderful about the baby shower! 2d

rubyslippersreads @dabbe @Librarybelle I thought of that too. 15h

43 likes22 comments

Librarybelle

Wide Sargasso Sea | Jean Rhys

so-so

I feel bad for not liking this one as much as other fellow #PemberLittens did. The second part was so confusing - I‘m not the strongest reader of stream of consciousness understanding, let alone from two perspectives. One has to feel sad for Antoinette whose life did not seem pleasant.

This had been on my to read list for a very long time, so at least I can check it off. #HashtagBrigade #192025 #1966

BarkingMadRead

BarkingMadRead That‘s what I love about Buddy reads, everyone feels differently about the book, and that‘s ok. 4d

Clare-Dragonfly I wasn‘t much of a fan either. I didn‘t have any trouble with the stream of consciousness and very little with the shifting POVs… I just found it lacking. 4d

Librarybelle That‘s a good way to describe it, @Clare-Dragonfly ! 4d

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Librarybelle @BarkingMadRead ❤️❤️❤️ 4d

dabbe @BarkingMadRead Agree 💯!!! 🤩🤩🤩 4d

rubyslippersreads I felt the same, @Librarybelle @Clare-Dragonfly 15h

Librarybelle @rubyslippersreads It does make me want you read Jane Eyre again sooner rather than later! 13h

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dabbe

Wide Sargasso Sea | Jean Rhys

pick

4/5 ⭐️s. In looking around, reviews are all over the place on this one. The writing was difficult to comprehend at times because of (I believe) the stream of consciousness POV shifts between Rochester and Antoinette, but I loved the challenge. I got lost inside Antoinette's mind and truly felt for her and her impossible situation. I now understand Rochester better, but that doesn't mean I like Mr. Byronic Badman anymore than I did in JANE EYRE. ⬇️

dabbe The descriptions of the landscape in Jamaica/Dominica were gorgeously lush; one could see why Antoinette's heart belonged there. A post-colonial look at Britain's and France's imposed domination over these islands was heartbreaking to read, but I learned so much history about this period that I didn't know before. Thanks @BarkingMadRead for guiding us through this one. #hashtagbrigade 🌺 5d

IndoorDame Yes! To all of that!!!! The contrast of the the lush landscape and the bleakness of post-colonial devastation was one of my favorite aspects. 5d

dabbe @IndoorDame And the contrast with the bleak coldness of England! 🤩🤩🤩 5d

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IndoorDame @dabbe yes! Makes England seem frightening! The first time I read this it was essentially a standalone read (maybe 3 or 4 months after I‘d read Jane Eyre) but I really want to reverse the order and reread Jane Eyre on the tail of this 5d

dabbe @IndoorDame I probably should, too. Especially where Rochester explains about his “wife“ to Jane! 5d

IndoorDame @dabbe It‘ll definitely be interesting to hear the actual language in that scene now! …. I‘m super open minded but I cannot imagine a version of that conversation where I forgive someone for not telling me that long before I moved in and we married 🤣🤣🤣 5d

Aimeesue Great review, and I agree - I loved this one, mostly because I‘ve always hated Rochester and couldn‘t figure out why on earth anyone would find JE romantic. Just Ew, boy. I thought the stream of consciousness in the last part was brilliant. Poor Antoinette. (edited) 4d

dabbe @IndoorDame Rochester to Jane: Oopsy-Daisy! 😂 4d

dabbe @Aimeesue Agree 💯! 🤩😀🤗 4d

70 likes9 comments

IndoorDame

Wide Sargasso Sea | Jean Rhys

pick

I found this opened up even more with a second read. I get why this isn‘t a popular book on Litsy, but I like experimental fiction & poetic writing & I‘m so impressed by what Rhys was able to do with Antoinette & Rochester‘s characters. The way she was able to open up their backstories, make them each both sympathetic & callous, and leave you in sync with the source story but also have things still feel ambiguous. #hashtagbrigade @BarkingMadRead

BarkingMadRead Well said! There are definitely parts I didn‘t like, but that is usually the case with most books. Overall, I enjoyed it, even the characters you love to hate 5d

lil1inblue This is probably one of my favorite books. I love what Rhys did with it. Just fascinating. 5d

IndoorDame @lil1inblue definitely one I‘m interested in rereading over time to see how it changes as I change and I get to know the book better. 5d

dabbe Excellent review! I couldn't have said anything better! 🤩🤩🤩 5d

IndoorDame @dabbe 🤗😊🥰 5d

62 likes1 stack add5 comments

5feet.of.fury

Wide Sargasso Sea | Jean Rhys

so-so

Part 1 very clearly demonstrated the hardships her family faced. The rest? I found to be incredibly disjointed &alternate POVs should add more dimension, no reason to do it to add more misery, we know he is terrible from Antoinette. I didn‘t find that it made sense as a contained story. The background for this book is longer than the book in this edition& I needed to look up the history. It might be art but I didn‘t think it was good.

5feet.of.fury Couldn‘t have done it without #hashtagbrigade @BarkingMadRead 6d

BarkingMadRead I was hoping this would make me think differently about R, but it only made me dislike him more! That POV change was not necessary, although I did like the POV in the third part. That second part was messed up 6d

5feet.of.fury @BarkingMadRead I liked the 3rd part, the haziness& the 2 POVs 6d

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Doppoetry It's recommended to read Jane Eyre before this novel, but even then this feels like it has little to do with Bertha, even if it gives an interesting insight into her supposed life before meeting Rochester. 6d

5feet.of.fury @Doppoetry I read Jane Eyre (admittedly, long ago) from the footnotes Part 1 pulled from a lot of Rhys‘s own life & it probably would have been better following that path instead of trying to make it fit with Jane Eyre in my opinion, or if anything was more expanded on. 6d

Doppoetry @5feet.of.fury Oh yeah, I agree, it would have worked so much better as a biography but having it fit the Bertha narrative was so messy 6d

46 likes6 comments

BarkingMadRead

Wide Sargasso Sea | Jean Rhys

Part 2: Rochester takes over the tale #becauseAistotallycrazy #rochesterwaspaidtomarryher #theytrickedhimforsure #thatsicknessofhismakesmewonder #Granboiscreepsmeout #AshalfbrowritesRaletter #heconfirmsthatRwastricked #yikes #RGetslost #obeah #voodoo #funtimes And now it‘s back to A narrating! #shevisitsChristophine #sheasksforsomevoodoomagic #RcallsherBerthanow #WTF #allhermoneybelongstoRnow #shestrapped #hashtagbrigade ⬇️⬇️⬇️

BarkingMadRead Back to Rochester
#danielwantshushmoney #berthahadathingwithsandi ⁉️ #berthaissadallthetime #shedrugsR #soofcoursehesleepswithamelie #whatcouldgowrong 🤷🏻‍♀️ #Aisnothappy #lotsofbitingandbrokenglass #ChristophineblamesR #shedoesntknowRHasturnedherin #CasksRtopaythemoffandgo #hemakesCleave #offtoajamaicahetakesA #hashtagbrigade 6d

BarkingMadRead @indoordame @staycurious @peanutnine @bookwormjillk @librarybelle @barbarabb @thebookhippie @thekidupstairs @ruthiella @mcctrish @aimeesue @eeclayton @graciouswarriorprincess
6d

BarkingMadRead @clare-dragonfly @5feet.of.fury @kwmg40 @dabbe @thebookhippie @willaful @rubyslippersreads @julieclair @currentlyreadinginco @rwmg @daena @larkken @kao @Deblovestoread 6d

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Aimeesue The Bertha thing is so creepy. NO ONE likes the name Bertha as a lovely and mellifluous name. Liar. (edited) 6d

BarkingMadRead @Aimeesue it is 💯 messed up. So gross and super passive aggressive 6d

Aimeesue @BarkingMadRead so controlling. Red flag! Red flag! 🚩 Sigh. Too late. 6d

Bookwormjillk I keep confusing Rochester with Max DeWinter. We keep reading about these messed up men who believe themselves to be victims. 6d

Librarybelle I was so confused when the narration kept changing. Admittedly, this one is a bit of a struggle for me…I feel like I‘ve not found a good rhythm yet with the writing, and we‘re near the end! 6d

mcctrish @Librarybelle I keep wondering if I‘m the crazy one because WTF is happening 6d

5feet.of.fury The Bertha thing, separating her from Christophine… husband is a creep. Wish the zombi got him 6d

mcctrish @Aimeesue Bertha is brutal 6d

5feet.of.fury @Librarybelle yeah, I do not get this one. I read through 2 pages & had no idea whose POV or what had happened. 6d

Librarybelle Glad I‘m not the only one, @mcctrish @5feet.of.fury 6d

IndoorDame @Bookwormjillk This actually does remind me a bit of Rebecca in the sense that all of the characters are unreliable, but there‘s still something about all of them that draws you into their worlds when they‘re the ones talking, and the whole place is intoxicating and bordering on fantastical. 6d

willaful I continue to have no memory at all of having read this.

I'm furious and disgusted with Rochester. He's totally yellow-wallpapering Antoinette. 6d

willaful @Bookwormjillk yup! 6d

Clare-Dragonfly I still don‘t get why Richard wanted Antoinette to marry Rochester so badly. She had plenty of money, she could have lived independently! @IndoorDame Yes, I was also reminded of Rebecca, and you‘ve articulated why very well! 6d

BarkingMadRead @Clare-Dragonfly I wonder if he just didn‘t want to feel responsible for her anymore? She would have been fine by herself, I don‘t know why he felt the need to marry her off 6d

julieclair I am so disappointed in Rochester. He used to be one of my book boyfriends, but now he‘s off the list! 6d

TheBookHippie Sorry I bailed. Too much life going on to read this darkness. 😵‍💫 5d

BarkingMadRead @TheBookHippie you do you! No judgement here! 5d

46 likes1 stack add21 comments

kwmg40

Rebecca | Daphne Du Maurier

pick

Still catching up with reviews from the past weeks. I really enjoyed rereading this book, one of my favourites, with commentary from @BarkingMadRun and the #HashTagBrigade.

I also rewatched the classic Hitchcock adaptation recently and it was interesting comparing the book and movie.

#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 59. Mimiky: Re-read a favourite book)

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 6d

BarkingMadRead I‘ve never seen that cover before! So cool! 6d

kwmg40 @BarkingMadRun This was the cover for the e-audiobook that I borrowed from the library. I thought I'd try audio for this reread. I also have a very old print copy, but the cover is a solid colour, so too boring to post! 6d

57 likes3 comments

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