Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
Fiction
1999 Atlantic Monthly Press
Read in March 2000
Rating: 2/5 (Fair)
Publisher's Blurb:
The first novel from a new literary voice brimming with sensitivity and lyricism, The Pleasing Hour is the story of an American in Europe whose coming-of-age defies all our usual conceptions of naivete and experience. Fleeing a devastating loss, Rosie takes a job as an au pair with a Parisian family and soon finds the comfort and intimacy she longs for with their children and the father, Marc. Only Nicole, the children's distant, impeccably polished mother, is unwilling to embrace the young American. But when Rosie realizes that her attachments have become transgressions, she leaves for the south of France. There she learns about Nicole's own haunted past and the losses that link the two women more closely than either could have imagined.
My Original Thoughts (2000):
Held my interest, but not great. Read it in one day. Bland. Abrupt shifts in tense.
My Current Thoughts:
I vaguely remember this book and am surprised I read it in a single day, since it sounds rather ho-hum. I have King's latest two novels (Writers & Lovers and Euphoria) on my shelf and plan to read both later this year.
I'm so glad that you do this Looking Back post (it would make a great meme). Each time I read your thoughts and then I look up the book on Goodreads. Almost inevitably I find that I, too, have read the book in the past, and my impressions of the book mesh with yours. I gave this one three stars, which is just enough to keep me reading to the end.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Deb! I've really enjoyed looking back through my reading journals, not only to see what I was reading two decades ago, but to document that information here on my blog in order to search for books and authors with greater ease than searching through over a dozen journals. Not all books are memorable, but it's fun when I rediscover something that inspires me to add it to my re-read list.
DeleteLooking forward to your next excerpt
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mystica! It's always fun to revisit these books from my past.
DeleteI went back to my blog to see if I have read King before and I have. I read Euphoria and liked it enough, minus the romance stuff. I do love these posts of yours. There are just so many books that I missed from previous years. Especially since blogging and all my review copies took over.
ReplyDeleteTi, I'm looking forward to trying Eurphoria. I have it on audio and plan to listen later this year. I'm glad you're enjoying these "Looking Back" posts. It's fun to see what I was reading all those years ago. Only six more years' worth of posts before I'm caught up. :)
DeleteSorry you didn't like it more. I've never read any of her books but if I do I think I'll pass on this one.
ReplyDeleteVicki, I've heard very good things about Euphoria and Writers & Lovers, both of which I have ready to read. I'll keep you posted!
Deleteyeah I read her newer books and thought they were all right .... but not sure I have to go back for this one.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I will probably start with Writers & Lovers. My mom just finished it and really enjoyed the story. I have Euphoria on audio and will get to it some time this summer, I think. I think you're safe to skip this one!
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