This is a replacement for a very successful ring which suddenly stalled.

Next readers are:

13. cambridgelass
14. Winterson
15. wilksie - sending it on to PinkManager 1 August 2005
16. PinkManager (Athens)
17. sunflowergirl
18. parsleyraisin
19. Normy
20. Gooner

yay, it arrived today, so looking forward to reading it, i have started another bookring but will be reading this too as i like to have at least two books on the go.
really can't wait to read it have been waiting so long.
thankyou gooner

An interesting read, takes a while to get into the story this is due to the repetitive style of writing.
not just a story about violence but about life before and after, not often found in books like this one.
really glad had the chance to read, thanks gooner.
have pmed the next person on the list did so about a week ago, will try again and send as soon as get address.

RELEASE NOTES:

posted to winterson today.

Received yesterday, thanks. Looking forward to reading this one.

I think this book is fantastic!

I loved the way it was written. Looking at some of the previous journal entries made against the previous copy of this book that went missing, it seems that some readers thought the book a bit repetitive, but I loved the style. The writing reflects Paula's thoughts and the way she tries to justify her actions and recreate her past. It's all about healing and working through everything that has happened to her to be able to deal with it and move on.

It is quite harsh in places, but it's about domestic violence so how could it not be? The darkest parts seem to be the parts that are repeated and rewritten and rediscovered again and again. These are the memories that she is trying to work through and understand by repeating them and reworking them and changing the outcomes. But even where it does get quite dark the writing style seems to lift you out of it, to show you how she is moving on, and allow for some of the stronger elements of her character to show through.

Excellent writing and really impressive understanding of a woman's mind in this situation. Loved it!

On to Wilksie.

Arrived today, thankyou.
I'll start this as soon as I finish my current read.

The first book I have read by Roddy Doyle - and if they are all as good as this one it looks as if I have some catching up to do. A brilliant book. Very brutal and dark but at least it leaves us with some hope for the future for its heroine. I liked the way it was written, the repetition of some parts builds up more and more of the horror that was Paula's life. I'm glad I had the chance to read this - thankyou.
Sending it on to PinkManager in Athens.

I received the book today.Thanks,Barbara!

I'm just about to finish it.I'll PM sunflowergirl to get her adress.
This book is great!Now I'm a Doyle fan!The way he describes Paula's feelings is magnificent!

I've just got home from a week away and this book was waiting for me. I may be a little while getting to it as I have a couple of ring books to read first and I am swamped with work at the moment. I will get to it ASAP though.

Thanks for sending it on to me. :o)

This book was brilliantly written. It felt as if I was actually hearing Paula's thoughts, and that Paula was a real person. It is amazing that it is actually a work of fiction, and not even written by a woman. I loved the way the book was written, I got into it straight away and found it very hard to put down. I think it sums up the feelings you have in these kind of situations very well, it's a book that many people should read to have more understanding of domestic violence and to see just how it tears people apart.

* * * * * * *

I PM'd parsleyraisin a few days ago, once I have an address I'll send the book on.

I posted this book to parsleyraisin yesterday by 2nd Class Post so it should be there soon.

Received safely & resting on Mnt 2B.

Fantastic.

I agree with Sunflowergirl, Paula was totally convincing & I feel that I have spent time with a real person.

Thank you Winterson for your recommendation as I would not have chosen this myself.

Off to Normy today.

Thanks for sending this on ParsleyRaisin, I received it on the 1st Feb but haven't been able to journal - apologies. I'm not able to do much reading at the moment, so pleased to see I'm at the end of this ring before it goes back to Gooner, but let me know if anyone else gets added.

I'm looking forward to this one - thanks Gooner for replacing the stalled book.

A fantastic book - wonderfully written (although I did wonder if Paula, given her educational background, would really be so skillful with semi-colons!). I don't normally like repetition in a book, but I didn't feel there was too much of it, and it did add dramatic effect - like the chorus of a song, or the thoughts in our minds - some things you just have to keep going over.

I liked dotting backwards and forwards in time too - it was very well done. When you get to know someone you've over a period of time you don't find out everything in chronological order - you usually get the 'nice' stuff first, and then after a while the hidden stuff comes out. (I don't think I'm giving anything away here, after all it is about a woman who 'walks into doors').

A good choice of cover too - the young woman on the front fits Paula's description perfectly. She looks like Paula may have done when she still thought she had her whole life ahead of her.

I was also grateful for CHAPTERS! The last book I read just dragged on forever with no logical stopping point - this was a quick read (once I started) not only because it was gripping, but because I could read little snippets without losing the plot.

I wonder if Roddy Doyle's mum has a B&B?

Back to Gooner, who's waiting for it for her book group - I should be able to get to the PO tomorrow.

Because of unforeseen space & time restrictions, I have had to donate BC books which I registered years ago to charity shops. This is one of them.