George book secondhand just to see what the stories were like in print.
Firstly, I found it rather longwinded with too many characters in the first few chapters with no apparent connection to each other. I got through that OK but then as I progressed I found the book almost too difficult for my hands to handle. They are out of shape with osteo arthritis and very tender at times so holding a book with 729 (seven hundred and twenty nine) pages can be a problem. I mainly enjoy reading in bed which in itself presents a problem as I can only get comfortable on my right side, but can usually manage with a normal size book.
I did take the book to hospital and managed to read some of it there but by the time I was home and was into the middle of the book I was ready to give it away until I had a brilliant idea.....I had Phil go get our large cooking knife and cut the book in half!!
Worked perfectly and I now only have about 350 pages to contend with. As the book was secondhand anyway I didn't feel we were desecrating it and it can be bound together again with a strong see through tape on the outside and inside as well.
I still think 729 pages far too many to tell a murder story but I will perservere to the end as I've not seen this story as an episode of "Lynley". I am somewhat surprised to find the Lynley character has blonde hair in the novel and yet on screen he is depicted as tall, DARK and handsome. I think on screen they are somewhat kinder with the Havers character than Elizabeth George is in her novel. Havers is a character I really enjoy very much. She's feisty and nobody is going to get the better of her.
We have series 1-3 of the Lynley stories on DVD and series 4-6 are on order so we will enjoy them at our leisure minus commercials.
Have you ever done anything to make your life/days easier that surprised you when you did it?
Done what? and probably.
ReplyDeleteI clicked the wrong key and it was there before I'd typed the text. Never sure why that happens. Just me probably. LOL
DeleteI have only watched a little of the Lynley mysteries on TV and you are right, they are a great deal kinder to Havers. I have read most of them - and the early ones are considerably shorter. Perhaps her editors felt free to be brutal (and effective) before she had a 'name' for herself.
ReplyDeleteAnd I too have troubles with some of the humungous paperbacks. I haven't resorted to your method ...yet.
Thank you for telling me her earlier stories are somewhat shorter. I may see if I can find some on eBay.
DeleteI think the problem with this particular paperback it is small and thick rather than large and thinner, if that makes sense.
Sounds like a great idea to me.
ReplyDeleteOne of my better brainwaves perhaps? No real damage done to an already secondhand book which will now go to the op shop.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteHave to confess am not Lynley fan... Lewis, though, well now you're talking!!! Am a fan of PD James work also. But the books of hers also became too big to handle. Now I have the e-thing... and not time to read!!! YAM xx
I enjoy Lynley because of the interaction between the two main players. I too enjoy Lewis and Morse before him. I have read most of PD James and loved them and enjoyed the series on TV. I also enjoy Ruth Rendell and Inspector Wexford on TV also enjoyable. I refuse to use an e-thing as paper books still my choice and at least you can occasionally find them in the library although they too are resorting to e-books I find. xx
DeleteI knew it was something like that. Interesting to see just a title though, gets the imagination going. I have used a big kitchen knife to help me read, but not to cut the book in half. I bend the spine as far back as I can (my daughter hates me doing that) then I lay the book flat on the table with a heavy knife across to hold the pages flat so I can read while I eat. For reading in bed I have a "book seat", a small bean bag pillow with a plastic bar across the bottom to hold the book. I rarely use it now as I have the kindle instead. It weighs very little so it is much easier on the hands and hold so many books!
ReplyDeleteI have a few by Elizabeth George somewhere and some by PD James too.
I like the sound of the small bean bag for reading in bed which i where I mainly do all my reading. I still can't imagine reading from a kindle. I may see if I can borrow my daughter's for a short while but I don't want to be restricted to buying from only one source which I've heard can happen.
DeletePD James, Ruth Rendell are two of my favourites and also Maeve Binchy (or at least some of her books anyway).