Current Read Review & Rip It's

This book has 973 pages. I'm on page 494. What I think so far is that it's "okay", but it's got me frustrated some. There's an assortment of characters that are woven together through the story and the author does a good job of getting you to relate to them. This is kind of hard for me to explain, but (for me) the problem lies in that he's having them go through so much awful stuff, over and over and over (and I'm only half way thru the book!). The truth is: I'm getting a little depressed. Can a book depress you? Should it? I read A LOT of historical fiction. This is by far the most depressing one I've ever encountered. I understand drama, I understand how hard times were in that century, but for me it's a bit over done.

This author's also heavily into decriptions, especially about the building of the cathedral, each arch, corner, window, beam, etc. and so many details are poured in page after page. It took forever just to explain how Jack tries to escape the old cathedral after setting it on fire. Geez, he turned a corner, and that way was blocked, then he turned another corner, and that way was blocked, and then he turned another corner, and that way was blocked - Okay, I get it! Let's move on already! (There's your 973 pages!)

Very RARELY do I just "give up" on a book before I've finished it (most recent was this summer - The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette- Ugh!). It has to be really bad. This book? If I hadn't read some of the reviews on Amazon last night and got the jest of how things turn out in the end, I don't know that I would pick it up again. Seems there is some light at the end of this tremendously sad saga.

Well, if Oprah can finish it, so can I. And I'll more than likely read the next one which takes place I think two centuries later (curiosity gets the best of me and I'll just skim along when bored or such as in this one). It's like a race, sometimes you just do what you have to do to get to the end. I hate leaving things unfinished.

On the knitting front:

My Sitcom Chic is going to Frog Land!! I'm so bummed about my increases!! Doesn't this look just awful!?? I know...ewwww! I'm doing the M1's and they all look so bad, what the heck am I doing wrong? Hmmmm, I'm not sure...

Plus the bottom edge curls UP like others have mentioned, so I think it's best to go up a needle size (or two) on the ribbing to avoid that. That's why I love Ravelry, that helpful advice of "those who have knit before you". I may leave out the increases all together as well since I'm making the large size anyway. Another great tip from Ravelry.

Off to frog and speed read.