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Post by Claire on Feb 4, 2012 13:08:15 GMT 1
Hi all our next reading circle is The House at World's End by Monica Dickens If anyone has the time and inclination they can read the entire series and discuss it, if not the first book will do! Discussion in approx 10-14 days.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2012 8:36:23 GMT 1
I've read it now
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Post by Claire on Feb 9, 2012 14:32:26 GMT 1
I'm going to start it next. I can lend a copy to anyone who needs one also.
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Post by susanb on Feb 9, 2012 14:47:40 GMT 1
It's the next book for me too....just finishing up a non-pony book (Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones)
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Post by darkhorse on Feb 9, 2012 15:41:49 GMT 1
I will try and join in with this one too. I have a copy somewhere if I can find it
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Post by Claire on Feb 9, 2012 22:38:04 GMT 1
just finishing up a non-pony book (Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones) Haven't read that for donkeys years - in fact I'd forgotten it even existed until now! At least the Worlds End one is a nice short one, unless anyone decides to do the whole series
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Post by fizz on Feb 9, 2012 22:42:58 GMT 1
I have copies if anyone needs to borrow one & Claire I am sending you your book back as I don't think anyone else wants to read them.
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Post by Claire on Feb 9, 2012 23:40:25 GMT 1
Thanks fizz
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Post by susanb on Feb 15, 2012 15:29:41 GMT 1
I'm plowing through this one slooooowly. My impression so far is that it would have gone over far better if I had read it first at the right age.........
Have to ask....when is a pony/horse/donkey/anything besides a cat going to appear??
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2012 15:47:31 GMT 1
I wouldn't class this series as pony books as such, but ponies do appear so hang in there susan
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Post by Claire on Feb 15, 2012 18:07:17 GMT 1
No its more of a general animal series with added ponies. However horses are mentioned right from the start with Carrie's longing for a horse of her own, and also the fantasy horse and the sequence in the Elysian fields in which she meets all the famous horses of yesteryear which I always find delightfully quirky. This runs thru the book as a constant equine theme. But yes there is some real life pony action coming up. I'm about half way thru as I got distracted by an adult mystery book I was also reading which I then couldnt put down as really wanted to find out what happened. No disrespect to the readability of Monica's book but I have read that one a number of times before so I wasnt quite as desperate to find out what happened next!
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Post by susanb on Feb 15, 2012 18:32:21 GMT 1
I'll keep plugging along....have been distracted too, with an adult book, for me a re-reading of Richard Hooker's M*A*S*H, the book on which the movie and later (to a lesser extent) the tv series were based upon
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Post by darkhorse on Feb 15, 2012 22:00:41 GMT 1
Just about to start this. I think I read it as a child but not for a long, long time!
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vera
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Post by vera on Feb 18, 2012 7:29:17 GMT 1
I haven't ever come across this one although I have read all the others. I went to the local library and I found two other horse series new to me, so I read one and a half (meeting my daughter so had the spare time) One was Jenny Oldfield, Black pearl Ponies and the other was I think Wildfield, that one I got half way through and would like to finish it. In the meantime I am looking out for House; I am assuming that is the first one in the series so would like to read it.
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Post by Claire on Feb 18, 2012 12:18:56 GMT 1
Vera there's a spare copy or two knocking around so ask if you'd like to borrow one Was that Wildwood Stables series by Suzanne Weyn. I've seen them at my library too but havent got round to reading them. What did you think of Black Pearl? I didnt rate the Ranch ones by her that much.
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vera
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Post by vera on Feb 18, 2012 22:12:04 GMT 1
it would cost too much to send a book to Aus, especially as I can probably pick it up cheaply, just have to find the right shop! Thanks for the offer though. I was not overly impressed with Black Pearl for the same reason not overly impressed with the Ranch ones. Children too young taking on too much responsibility and very predictable story lines. But I like the way she depicts horses. Yes it was Wildwood Stables by Suzanne Weyn. I was enjoying it; it seemed to have a little more depth of character and I liked the horse and pony. (Prince Albert and Pixie). They only had the one, No 2, whether the others were out on loan or just not part of their stock I don't know. I may try the main library in town one day.
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Post by Claire on Feb 19, 2012 13:59:07 GMT 1
Hope you find a copy cheap then vera, tho it doesnt cost a huge amount to send small pbs to Australia, but I suppose if you had to pay the postage back to who-ever lent it you'd prob be better spending it buying the actual book!
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Post by Claire on Feb 19, 2012 14:10:10 GMT 1
Well I have finished now. How is everyone else doing? I thought we might try something a little different for this book. I've noticed that a lot of adult novels have notes in the back for reading groups and list a few points which people may like to discuss - so thought I'd give it a go on our reading circle, and thought up a few discussion points for us. You can ignore any of them/all of them if you prefer and write whatever you want!
Discussion points:
* Did you enjoy the book (obvious question!)
* If you have read the Follyfoot series, how do you think this book compares to it?
* Did you feel there was a lack of realism in the book? If so was this a good or a bad thing?
* Who was your favourite character in the book, if you had one.
* What did you feel about the children's parents, especially the father?
* What were the good and bad points of the book in your opinion?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2012 20:02:02 GMT 1
That's a good idea Claire I did enjoy this series (no surprises there then ;D) I liked the Follyfoot series more though as it's for older children. What a wonderful place World's End is. I could quite happily have lived there with a menagerie! I didn't have a favourite character but I did love to hate the awful Aunt Valentina and Uncle Rudolph. What a selfish pair they were. And their father too. I wish this series and the Follyfoot books had been illustrated.
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Post by darkhorse on Feb 19, 2012 21:26:27 GMT 1
Good idea to put up some discussion points I did enjoy the book too but like Rosie I preferred the Follyfoot series, probably because it was more about horses. I liked the humour in World's End, it could be lighter in tone than Follyfoot as it wasn't about cruelty as much as Follyfoot dealt with. I dont think the book was very realistic. I see it as a wish fulfillment of all animal-loving children.Again, like Rosie, I would have loved to live there! I liked Carrie best, and also Lester. I saw the father as very selfish and a fantasist. The sort of person who should never have had children!
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Post by Claire on Feb 19, 2012 23:01:52 GMT 1
I do love the series. As rosie and darkhorse say its a fantasy life for anyone who loves animals, and of course kids alone without parents for supervision is every child's dream! Not realistic really, but I dont think it suffers for that. In fact I like the quirkiness and the odd bits of fantasy where Carrie and later John the horse visit all the legendary horses (as I said earlier). I think the book is also very British in all the eccentric characters, even the animals are eccentric!
Comparing to Follyfoot, I probably like both series equally but in different ways. Follyfoot is darker, more realistic, less humourous (tho it does have humour) and is more heavyweight. However in a way both series deal with people's attitudes and particularly cruelty to animals, and are both a lot about rescuing animals.
Going on to the father. When I read the book as a kid I didnt really see the father as that selfish, but now I do. I am not sure what Monica's attitude to him was as she has the children saying something along the lines of 'he's doing what lots of people would like to if they had the courage' (sorry cant remember exact quote) - in other words does she approve of people living such an alternative lifestyle. Certainly she seems to make the children's alternative life at World's End more appealing than the more 'normal' lifestyle of their uncle and aunt. And their father is portrayed as a dashing figure who looks like a pirate, whereas the aunt and uncle are unappetizing almost laughable figures. But on the other hand, as the series progresses past this particular book you get to see how the father's selfish attitude has repercussions. And even tho the Uncle and Aunt aren't pleasant it is actually them that provides for the children and not their father.
I like Michael and the special words he has for people such as Uncle Rhubarb and Miss Nutshell etc are funny. Carrie is a nice heroine as she really cares about animals. In fact I like all the characters, even the awful ones as they are so well done, if a bit over the top! I like the fact the animals as i said earlier have their own quirks and character traits such as the sheep that thinks he's a dog and the way John pretends to be lame to get out of doing things.
The only downside I think is that there is not much of a plot and it does ramble a little. I also think that people who don't like quirkiness or eccentricity and prefer things more down to earth may struggle with the book.
Apologies for the length of this post!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2012 12:44:36 GMT 1
I agree with you Claire about the children missing both their parents even if they are having a fab time living in their own filth ;D I guess Monica was pointing out a stable family environment is really the best thing rather than a selfish father swaning off doing his own thing? I also liked Michaels funny words like Uncle Rhubarb "don't call me that"
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Post by Claire on Feb 20, 2012 13:18:58 GMT 1
Susan - did you manage to finish it...?
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Post by Claire on Feb 21, 2012 13:56:31 GMT 1
Does anyone else think the book would make a good TV series? Gently humourous TV shows full of eccentric but loveable characters and the odd villain always seem to be very popular.
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Post by kunuma on Feb 21, 2012 19:04:14 GMT 1
On the scrounge for a copy to borrow if there is one floating about!
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Post by susanb on Feb 21, 2012 19:36:28 GMT 1
Not yet, but I'm plugging away....it was a long weekend here in the US (Presidents Day) and I got distracted!
Re the father....what a skunk! Ok, I understand the joys of being footloose and fancy-free, but that ENDS (or should) when you decide to have children! Then the phrase that springs to mind is "criminal neglect".
And...um....I'm thinking Monica spent a little too much time imbibing the work of her illustrious ancestor......perhaps in actual Dickensian times, children would be allowed to live in a ramshackle house by themselves, but in 1970? "Ringy-dingy: Hello? Child Services? I'd like to report some abandoned children".
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Post by Claire on Feb 21, 2012 21:03:59 GMT 1
Was Tom not technically an adult? Is a 16 year old allowed to live on their own? Even so surely they wouldn't be allowed to be in charge of 3 children. (Mind you nowadays its possible for a 16 year old to have 3 kids of their own!!!) Not sure what the rules were back in 1970, or even today for that matter. Not to give too much away as a spoiler susan but there was actually someone from child services hovering about later in the book! However yes, it does go with the rather unrealistic tone of the book, For me, I see the story as almost a fantasy, not something that could really happen. A fantasy of what animal mad kids would like to happen. A sharp contrast to the Follyfoot books which are full of realism.
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Post by susanb on Feb 21, 2012 21:14:27 GMT 1
In the US at least, I think it's 18, unless you file to be classified as an "emancipated minor"...essentially divorce your parents.
Re the elder getting charge of the younger kids....well, an 18 year old might gain custody of his/her younger siblings if the parents were dead, but I think it would be unusual, to say the least.
Going to have to go on with the book now, just to see what the (clearly incompetant) social services people have to say for themselves ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 11:53:27 GMT 1
Does anyone else think the book would make a good TV series? Gently humourous TV shows full of eccentric but loveable characters and the odd villain always seem to be very popular. Yes I do!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 11:59:32 GMT 1
Going back to the children missing their parents thing, it's after Lesters mum comes and tidies up the house for them in readiness for the "social workers" visit that they realise they miss the homely touch of their mother. And after all that the social worker thinks the house should be untidy so all the cleaning up was for nothing Also their mother goes off with their father sailing in the later books, I think, if I remember correctly
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