I am Kerry, a thirty something History teacher who came up with the website as something to keep my brain active. I currently live in Spain but have taught in the Seychelles, Australia and ….Bristol!
Hi, Sorry this is nothing to do with your book reviews but I wondered if I could have some inside info about working at the international school in the seychelles? I’m thinking of applying?
Thanks Laura
I found my way here partly because i joined a book club looking for the stimulation of like minded book mad souls and after ploughing thru 5 awful books that the other members gushed about I wandered off into the night in desoair for the last time. One of them was The Book Thief. Boring, badly written, too long for what it had to say, mechancial plot, attmept to manipulate emotions like reader is a puppet but because the subject is “worthy”, ie nazis were bad, no one will criticize. Then there was The Kite Flyer, another feel good bit of improbability, and the baddest Taliban is nazi lover, so he must be real bad. Plot had so many glaring holes I dont know where to start but only that the author is supposed to be a doctor, yet he describes the non violent “hero-coward beset by shame” being beaten to a pulp by the bad taliban with knuckle dusters something which should have killed, cripple or left him with permanent brain damage, but so what. you cant beat a bit of the old ultra viiolence as young Alex knew so well
I had one of my worst book club experiences ever with the Kite Runner when I was living in Australia. Many of the older ladies took this as gospel truth and were full supporters of Bush and the war in Afghanistan. Despite its flaws I did enjoy parts of it and cried on the train reading it. I agree with you on the Book Thief, I am just ´Nazied´out basically.
Another bad one is The Emperor of Ocean Park. A law professor got a $4.7mill advance to write this 900 pager. Which anyone capable of thinking about reading 900 pages of anything would, if they kept alert, which can be problem with this sort of thing, and didn’t skim too much, likewise, would, I assert, Pick the place where crucial object hidden about page 300. Tricky. Heart goes out to aspiring young writers. There is also a pointless pretentious chess problem theme referred to. Hey look this is good for getting the negativity out of the system. Reading any good books of late? Or bad. A warning list isn’t bad idea.
I notice goodreads seem to like it a lot but that is not necessarily indicative of anything and may well make it overrated. I havent’ read it and definitely won’t now, especially at 900 pages. Yes, maybe I should do a list of books that are just absolute rubbish and not even overrated. Thanks for the useful comment.
y, a thirty something 
History teacher who came up with the website as something to keep my brain active. I currently live in Spain but have taught in the Seychelles, Australia and ….Bristol!
Rotten Books
Hi, Sorry this is nothing to do with your book reviews but I wondered if I could have some inside info about working at the international school in the seychelles? I’m thinking of applying?
Thanks Laura
I found my way here partly because i joined a book club looking for the stimulation of like minded book mad souls and after ploughing thru 5 awful books that the other members gushed about I wandered off into the night in desoair for the last time. One of them was The Book Thief. Boring, badly written, too long for what it had to say, mechancial plot, attmept to manipulate emotions like reader is a puppet but because the subject is “worthy”, ie nazis were bad, no one will criticize. Then there was The Kite Flyer, another feel good bit of improbability, and the baddest Taliban is nazi lover, so he must be real bad. Plot had so many glaring holes I dont know where to start but only that the author is supposed to be a doctor, yet he describes the non violent “hero-coward beset by shame” being beaten to a pulp by the bad taliban with knuckle dusters something which should have killed, cripple or left him with permanent brain damage, but so what. you cant beat a bit of the old ultra viiolence as young Alex knew so well
I had one of my worst book club experiences ever with the Kite Runner when I was living in Australia. Many of the older ladies took this as gospel truth and were full supporters of Bush and the war in Afghanistan. Despite its flaws I did enjoy parts of it and cried on the train reading it. I agree with you on the Book Thief, I am just ´Nazied´out basically.
Another bad one is The Emperor of Ocean Park. A law professor got a $4.7mill advance to write this 900 pager. Which anyone capable of thinking about reading 900 pages of anything would, if they kept alert, which can be problem with this sort of thing, and didn’t skim too much, likewise, would, I assert, Pick the place where crucial object hidden about page 300. Tricky. Heart goes out to aspiring young writers. There is also a pointless pretentious chess problem theme referred to. Hey look this is good for getting the negativity out of the system. Reading any good books of late? Or bad. A warning list isn’t bad idea.
I notice goodreads seem to like it a lot but that is not necessarily indicative of anything and may well make it overrated. I havent’ read it and definitely won’t now, especially at 900 pages. Yes, maybe I should do a list of books that are just absolute rubbish and not even overrated. Thanks for the useful comment.
Hi Kerry. Just put Karl on the train.
Hope to see you soon
Dave
Sheffield