Hosted each month by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, the Six Degrees of Separation meme picks a starting book for participants to go wherever it takes them in six more steps. This month’s starting point is:
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
I’ve not read this book, but shall go with nationality of the author as my first link. Tsiolkas is Australian (of Greek extraction). Another novel I have read by an Australian is:
The Good Parents by Joan London
Which I reviewed here. I read this thoughtful novel in which a daughter escapes to the city from Western Australia. When her parents go to visit they find her gone and their search for her will make them search their own lives.
My link is through the Capital City in Joan London’s name, which leads to:
A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
Another book I haven’t read, but I do love that cover. A Manual of Cleaning Women is a set of short stories, not a form I’m usually attracted to, but occasionally short stories are just the thing, which leads to:
Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann
This collection of shorter writings from McCann was rather brilliant, (see my full review here). My favourite was the shortest at just twelve pages – What Time Is It Now, Where You Are? starts off as a bit of meta-fiction, but ends up being completely touching.
The number Thirteen will be my link to:
Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor
McGregor is highly rated by many, but I have steered clear after reading his debut If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things. I read this pre-blog and I’ve retrieved my note about it from my master spreadsheet. I wrote:
I agree it’s beautifully written, poetic even, in the descriptions of the minutiae of everyday life, but this made it soooo slow. By the time the terrible thing actually happened it was an anticlimax. I do appreciate fine writing but the lack of pace made it an endurance task for me.
So I’m not sure I want to read Reservoir 13, which leads me to another book I’m not sure I want to read:
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
which is the follow up to the bestselling The Girl on the Train which I reviewed here, and was distinctly un-wowed by!
Into the Water is a 2nd novel. So we can end on a happier note, another 2nd novel which was really worth reading is:
I See You by Clare Mackintosh
Which was fabulous and very creepy indeed being a novel about being stalked. Read my full review here.
As always, the Six Degrees meme is always such fun. Why don’t you give it a try?
I really enjoy doing this meme – and reading other people’s versions too. Yours is completely different from mine. I like your links and I wondered about linking from The Slap (which sounds not at all my type of book) to another Australian author but in the end I went for a link to the book cover.
I wasn’t wowed by The Girl on the Train either, it left me feeling unsatisfied, irritated and rather out of sorts, so I don’t think I’ll bother with Into the Water. but I’m interested in The Good Parents – I’ll look out for it.
The Good Parents was one of those quiet books that sneaks up on you – I enjoyed it a lot. Off to see yours for this month now.
The Golden Age by Joan London is also what I’d call ‘quiet’, but which I really enjoyed reading.
You’ve included quite a few books you haven’t read – and maybe won’t read at all. I wasn’t bowled over by Girl on the Train either, so may not read the 2nd novel.
The links didn’t come to me with books I’d actually read. I’ll probably give in and read Into the Water – but not until it comes out in paperback.
Your first link made me laugh, because you could in fact have linked also on the idea of “good parents”. That was quite an inspired link!!
Sadly, I can’t claim ‘good parents’ as the reason I linked – I went purely with the Australian!
BTW Did you realise that the link on your name when you commented on my post was to your old blog? Just thought you might like to know.
It’s an ongoing problem I have – I can’t delete the old blog as it has lots of content that didn’t copy over (grr) and WordPress blogs won’t always let me log in as my id here – one day I’ll have moved everything and can delete it.
I’m very intrigued by the London book, it’s had less hype than her other ones & sounds like my kind of subject matter.
Mr Books is currently attempting Into the Water, but finding it rather put-downable atm.
The Good Parents was one of those understated quiet novels that beguiles you. I really liked it, but it’s the only one of hers I’ve read.
Go for it, Brona, I loved it too. (There’s a review on my blog).
I love the idea of this meme so might look at joining in at some point. I enjoyed reading your post and seeing how you linked books together. I recently bought Into the Water and Reservoir 13 and am keen to read them as soon as I can.
I hope you enjoy them Hayley – I’ll look out for your reviews – you may help to convert me yet.
I liked what you say about the links ‘coming to you’. I think that’s why I like this meme, it’s like those convos you have over coffee where you flit from book to book, darting about as the inspiration strikes.
Mine is at https://anzlitlovers.com/2017/05/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-the-slap-to/
Apart from The Slap, I haven’t read any of the books on your chain, although I have been meaning to read The Good Parents by Joan London.
Love seeing the different directions everyone heads in on these chains! Plus you’ve reminded me that I really want to read Thirteen Ways of Looking – I thoroughly enjoyed the only book of his I’ve read, Let the Great World Spin.
Lots of books to look into here. Thanks