Just finished reading . . .

'Where or When' by Anita Shreve (1993) (audio - book)

8 out of 10

I have a very bad memory, and so I was half way through the first CD of this, when I realised I had listened to it before. Paul had got it me from the library, along with 'Sunnyside' by Glen David Gold.
I had read 'Carter beats the Devil' by Glen David Gold, and loved it, but I couldn't listen to Sunnyside in the car - too many characters, too many bizarre, unimaginable scenarios - it might be an excellent book, but not for accident-free driving. So I welcomed a re-read of Anita Shreve.

I think 'Where or When' is a considerable achievement. Anita S manages to enable the 2 main characters to be young teenagers and middle-aged people in parallel. All credit to the person who read the book for the recording, for carrying this off well. It is about fate, love, what-ifs. It is about finding happiness too late.

And now (having completely, but temporarily abandoned my alphabetical order rule) I have begun to listen to 'Wolf Hall' by Hilary Mantel. I have read this, not too long ago, and found it to be almost perfect. I am happy to face its length and complexities on car journeys, because I already know it. I will savour its language, I will immerse myself in Tudor England, I will ride the highs and lows with Thomas Cromwell, trying to understand his personality. I won't want to get out of the car.

In real life, I am absorbed in a real book - 'Sylvia's Lovers' by Elizabeth Gaskell. The title makes it sound a little racey but it was published in 1863 so it isn't.