November 24, 2009

The End of the Chunkster Challenge - 2009


I had committed to reading three books for The Chunkster Challenge 2009 but I officially only managed to read two (I say officially because I am sure amongst my other reads so far this year I have read others that probably fit into the "chunkster" category but I only read two of the three books I had listed for the challenge). The two books I did manage to finish were Drood and Wolf Hall - both books that I loved (thankfully!). The book I had listed that I didn't manage to get to before the challenge ended was A Suitable Boy - and I am quite disappointed about this as this was the book that prompted me to join the challenge in the first place as it is a book I have been meaning to read for so long now. I have wanted to have a clear space of reading time to devote to this book but my reading habits and style (particularly at the moment) don't tend to lend themselves to this kind of reading - I like to have many different books going at the same time rather than devote myself to one large book. I think I am just going to have to bite the bullet and start this one - maybe the new year will be the perfect time??

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear that you didn't meet your target. I want to read A suitable Boy too. Maybe next year?!

JoAnn said...

A Suitable Boy is well worth the time! I spent a summer with it a few years ago and loved it! Wolf Hall is coming from the library. I've been at the top of the hold list forever, it seems.

Serena said...

You did pretty well. I knew I would never read that many for the challenge, so I didn't bother signing up.

Congrats on getting two read.

Steph said...

I made the mistake of taking A Suitable Boy with me a on a pseudo-vacation (it was a conference, but it was at a resort in Florida) in May, and made it about 400 pages in before the sun and the pool lured me away and I found I couldn't get back into it. I have hopes that I might read it for real in the future...

That said, I think it might be a book that lends itself to reading alongside other books, simply because it has SO many characters and storylines that it's entirely possible that they won't all be equally interesting for you (this was certainly true for me). Rather than slogging through the "dry" patches, you might be well served by reading something else for a bit, and then diving back in. Either way, I hope it works out for you!

jspeyton said...

Ah, well. At least you managed to finish two! I thought "Drood" was pretty good, and I've cast my covetous eye on "Wolf Hall" fairly recently. I'm glad to hear you liked that too. If you feel you have the time to read "A Suitable Boy" I'd go for it, but I wouldn't force it. Sometimes, we just have to wait for the right time with certain books. I'm sure it'll come eventually, but I wouldn't feel too bad if that time isn't now.

www.whosabiblioaddict.com

Karen said...

Hi Jackie - Maybe we need to organise a read along so that we can get to it??

Hi JoAnn - I hope you enjoy Wolf Hall when it finally makes its way to you!

Hi Serena - thanks! You have made me realise that I should focus more on the positives (i.e. that I did actually get 2 books read) rather than concentrating on the fact that I didn't make it to the third.

Hi Steph - thanks for this advice - that might be a good way to go. I have started ASB in the past and was really enjoying it - but just got distracted towards other books too easily!

Hi jspeyton - thanks for your thoughts. It is so true - sometimes you just need to wait for the right time for some books.

Anonymous said...

Like yourself Karen, I find it hard to start really big books although I usually enjoy them once I have. I just need to try and avoid being distracted by other, shorter books!

A Suitable Boy is one in the TBR pile, so if you do read it I might be motivated to tackle it.

booklineandsinker said...

i find that i do well with longer books in january, february, and march--maybe because the weather is so horrid here during that time! great job on getting through what you did. quite an accomplishment. :)

Karen said...

Hi adevotedreader - that is exactly my problem!! I will let you know when I am going to start reading so we can read along if you are interested in that? If not - totally ok too!

Hi Natalie - that is when our weather is at its best!!

Unknown said...

I so should have signed up for this challenge. I did read three chuncksters this year, though non of them were A Suitable Boy shich gathered duct on my bookshelf for several years before I admitted defeat and passed it along to my library's book sale.

Karen said...

Hi C.B - I hope that doesn't end up happening with my copy of A Suitable Boy - I REALLY want to read it!

claire said...

Karen, I hope you do get to finish A Suitable Boy in the next year. You won't be disappointed. I had never felt any part of it boring at all, everything was great, and for 1,000+ pages, kudos to the author.

I will be able to finish my third chunkster by the end of the year (Kristin Lavransdatter). :)