I finished part one earlier and I have to admit, I'm struggling. The whole thing feels confused and uncontrolled and I'm not sure I like the extent to which the story had been fictionalised, it jars having read Manuscripts Don't Burn so recently. How is everyone else getting on? @saresmoore @bitterbear @vivastory @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
#MandMBuddies
* The tortuous syntax is driving me mad!
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Im liking it so far. It was a weird shift at the beginning of the second part that seemed to have a different documentary-type thing going on, and then we're back to Bulgakov. Weird. But Im liking it so far. 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I also found the mayakovsky part interesting. Didnt know much about his life. 7y
bitterbear I don't want to ruin anyone's experience with this novel... But I'm not thrilled with this so far.. 7y
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bitterbear I do think the writing is beautiful.... 7y
saresmoore I've been struggling, too! I'm just about done with part one. I agree, Moray, that it feels too fictionalized—but I've also been spoiled by MDB. And the writing is weird to me. It feels like I'm switching between three different books, even sometimes within the same chapter! @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear 7y
saresmoore @vivastory is off Litsy for the time being, just FYI to the group, so he won't be participating in the buddy read. 😕 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore @bitterbear @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I'm struggling to really understand what the writer is trying to do. I almost feel like she should have changed all the names and circumstances, allowing herself to be inspired by certain elements of Bulgakov's life but also providing the freedom she clearly wants to write her own story 7y
saresmoore @Moray_Reads That's a great point. I'm interested to see where she takes it, but there is a certain expectation based on the obvious title. I wonder, how prevalent is the opinion that Yelena Sergeyevna was Bulgakov's "Margarita" in real life? Also, what is Himes trying to do? I'm checking out her acknowledgements and wondering if reading more widely of Bulgakov would help me appreciate this more. 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore I've read almost all of his work and there's very little that I've noticed in Mikhail and Margarita. I love Yelena Sergeyevna's letters in MDB, she seems like the kind of woman you would want in your corner and definitely the wife Bulgakov needed (eventually!) 7y
bitterbear Lol did anyone continue this buddy read? Haven't heard from anyone in awhile... 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear I kind of got carried away and didn't want to spoil anyone. How are you getting on? 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads I finished already... 😂😂😂 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear (Me too!) What did you think in the end? 7y
bitterbear f😒cking hated it. 7y
bitterbear It didn't make any sense to me.... 7y
Moray_Reads Oh thank God. Another hater here 😂 I can't for the life of me work out what the writer was trying to do! I'm also not entirely convinced she's read the Master and Margarita or really knows anything about Bulgakov! 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads YES! I completely agree You know what would have been great if she had structured it like master...Also.. Margarita choice at the end didn't make any sense. Zero. All around this book stunk. 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear she didn't really engage with the text at all except for a couple of little references like the black cat and then the meeting with "Woland" at the end. There were so many interesting things she could have done. 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear Also cutting out Elena Sergeyevna completely when everyone knows she was his Margarita was really odd. I thought Liksom's Margarita was going to be a mixture of Elena and the fictional Margarita 7y
bitterbear It felt like she wrote a historical novel set in Russia and plugged in their names... very disappointing. 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear @Moray_Reads @saresmoore Im 88% done (sorry - this got SO SLOW for me), so not reading your spoilers until Im done. It picked up about halfway through, but Im honestly just ready to wrap it up. 7y
Moray_Reads @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled No hurry! I don't have much willpower when it comes to keeping to a schedule 😳 7y
saresmoore @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear I think I might call it a bail. 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads Haha I don't either😘😘😘 7y
bitterbear @saresmoore I don't blame you. 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore honestly, you're not missing out of you do. The whole thing left me bemused and irritated 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads @saresmoore yup... Agreed. 7y
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