Discussion thread for "Making it up as I go along"

[Clover]

I too have read a couple of items but I didn't find it very engaging and got a bit bored,so I moved on to another book but will go back to this one at some stage.

[Qwerty]

I'm on with the book put only 20% through it I was expecting a story or a tale but it seems like a biography can't say I dislike it just an odd book to read

[Gemini]

I have to say it improves Qwerty! I have finished it now, must write about it.

[Qwerty]

Ooohh no Gem I can't get on with it, I don't find chapters about mascaras and such interesting think she just likes to talk about herself not interesting stuff given it up 😏

[Gemini]

I felt the same Qwerty, and stopped after 40 % to read another book. Then back to this book (which I would not have bothered to had it not been a book club read) Later on there is less talk of make up and more on other topics..

[Daisy]

I'm still reading it. I have to admit if I hadn't felt duty bound to read it because it was my suggestion, I would have given up. I've just read the articles on South America and enjoyed them, and I will read it to the end, mainly because I feel I ought to. I thought it would be more in-depth and interesting than it's been so far.

Feeling a bit guilty for inflicting it on you all.

[Qwerty]

Ha ha don't feel like that Daisy it's the first book I have downloaded on my kindle OH bought me for my birthday back in April !! So the book made me learn to download although it wasnt difficult but it could have been lol, will try and go back to it maybe it's a book you have to do that 📚

[Gemini]

Qwerty, don't be put of joining in with future books will you?!
Daisy, you are not responsible just because you suggested it!
More suggestions needed btw, ladies for the next book.

[Daisy]

Gem - I know the author has had a huge battle with alcoholism, and has written about it very sensitively in at least one of her fiction stories. There are some insightful comments, but on the whole I'm finding the articles rather shallow - not quite what I expected.

[Qwerty]

Qwerty, don't be put of joining in with future books will you?!
Daisy, you are not responsible just because you suggested it!
More suggestions needed btw, ladies for the next book.

Don't worry Gem I won't be put off 😀

[Enfys]

I'm sorry to say I'd forgotten all about this, mainly because I still hadn't got a copy. Daisy, that's the point of a book group, to,suggest books people might not otherwise read, so don't feel,bad . I might try and order it at the library, I have so many unread books on my kindle I didn't want to add the them until I'd read a few more.

[Gemini]

MAKING IT UP AS I GO ALONG

Well, this wasn't quite what I was expecting!
Lots of unconnected articles, many about beauty products, and lots of 'Irishness'!
I wasn't engaged by it at first and read on to 40% with little enthusiasm. I then allowed myself to read a more interesting book before continuing.

I have to say I got much more into the book as it went further on. The threads of the articles became more linked and interesting with details of family etc.
The authors addiction and mental health problems and 'addiction', in her opinion to sugar and battle with food, her unsuccessful quest for motherhood, close relationship with niece and nephews, all helped me to see her more as a person rather than a tester of high end cosmetics!
I did find the non chronology of it rather annoying. Her father with dementia needing lots of care, and a couple of pages later travelling abroad taking charge etc. I would have preferred it to travel forward in time logically.

It is good to read a variety of styles of book for a book club, so I am not sorry I have read this. I can't say I would recommend it to anyone however, especially if they had to pay for it !

[Daisy]

I've finished it! I'll do my write up later in the week, when hopefully I'll have a bit of time.

[Daisy]

I suggested this book because I have read and enjoyed several books by this author, and in one in particular, I remember her writing very powerfully about a character who was an alcoholic. Marian Keyes herself always seems to come over as very outgoing and positive, but she has also battled depression. I was interested to see how these short non-fiction pieces reflected her as a person.

The earlier chapters especially I found very shallow and didn't quite ring true - I don't think I've ever met a woman that obsessed with cosmetics etc. It seemed the pace of her life was quite frenetic and I wondered how she found time for research and writing. Her battles to become a mother were the most touching chapters, and I can't imagine how awful it must be to go through such struggles.

Some of the later articles were more interesting, but I still had that feeling that the people didn't quite ring true and lacked depth. It may be that the articles were written to a word count, and never seemed to 'develop' properly.

So, I'm glad I finished it, but I can't see myself re-reading it.

[Clover]

I still haven't gone back to it but if others say it gets better as it goes along I'll give it another try. At the moment I'm reading a real page-turner lent to me by DD .