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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:28:27 GMT
Fiona jump in anytime you like, say what you think so far. It's great that you are here and are at last joining. And I hope to see more stories from you!
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 20:29:48 GMT
Hey Fiona when you're ready do let us know what you think of Pom Soup so far!
another thing I have to say is that even though I complained earlier about the ammount of time given to lots of different characters, it does amaze me how much detail the author had about each of them - it did impress me. THere was a background on nearly everyone in the village! I liked Malachy and I enjoyed the description of him falling in love with Layla. It was also great that he wasn't Thomas, the bully's son. I got the feeling that he and Layla would be together forever and I liked that. I would have liked to know more about what happened to Bahar next. She was interesting and lovely. I'd have liked to witness her to venture out into the village after her epiphany on Croage Patrick and perhaps meet a new man. Marjan too. It was good that she finally let go of her sisters and realised that she couldn't control them in the end. I'd say that this book will be very popular and will do well. It is so well written and the subject matter is complex ( THe revolution in Iran) and enticing - the cooking.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:31:27 GMT
I loved some of the mystical things too. I only wish I could say it as well as Megan can. The connection with food and moods adn the type of person was very interesting.
How did you feel when you found out that the oldest sister was married, sorry I can't remember the names
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 20:35:03 GMT
I think it was good that Bahar was married. It was interesting that she had a past. Infact I think she may have interested me the most of the three, perhaps it is because I learnt the least about her. It was clever the way she thought that it was her husband on the phone when Thomas Junior. I can imagine that happening. I knew it probably wasn't but she didn't. And yes Claire more on the sisters both in Iran and in Ireland is what I wanted. That's why I think a longer book was necessary to fit in both the recipes and the story.
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Post by Shirley on Dec 6, 2005 20:35:42 GMT
One thing I have to mention about this book is the cover. It's perfect. Some books have covers that just don't suit their content, but this one couldn't be better. The luscious wine colour attracted my eye straight away in the bookshop, and having read the book, I thought it was a great representation of what it contained.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:37:10 GMT
Maybe Marsha has a second bok coming with more details on the sisters., I don't know. In anycase it's something for her to think about
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Post by Shirley on Dec 6, 2005 20:37:46 GMT
I think that Marsha might be planning a follow-up to this book - there is definitely scope for it.
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Post by nicc on Dec 6, 2005 20:39:26 GMT
Yeah finally got here. It is 7 30 in the morn here for me, was up half the night with Tianna. Not sure if she has an earache or if her molars are coming through but I'm going to take her to the doctors today and just get it checked. Well what did I think of the book? I though it was good and enjoyed reading it but like you, Shirley and Megan i feltlike some things were descibed in great detail and others she just skimmed over. I would've loved to hear more about the sisters and there up bringing and there life before they moved to Ireland.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:39:56 GMT
I have a different cover to yours Shirley, deep red with mustard, a woman who could be one of the sisters. I think she has all the covers on her site.
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Post by Shirley on Dec 6, 2005 20:40:19 GMT
Sorry girls, my connection is so slow - it's taking ages to post anything!
I think the character that had most impact on me was actually Estelle, the Italian lady. Her story was quite touching.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:41:12 GMT
Hi nic, glad you could make it, hope Tiianna is feeling better soon.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:43:01 GMT
The woman who owned the bakery and rented the place to the girls. Yes she was wonderful. I love her house being so far out of town and the bush growing outside where she threw th ashes of her husband over. That was lovely.
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 20:45:44 GMT
Hey I've just remembered Marsha DID say that she was going to write follow up books to this one when she was on the Afternoon Show on RTE so we will find out more about the girls!! And if there is less about recipes and more on plot I will read it! Of course I know that some people will totally disagree with me about that but sure that's fine! And we will have been introduced to everyone in the village by then so we won't have to go through all of that again. I wonder will the priest leave the priest hood. Perhaps he will get together with Marjan! Wouldn't that be fun! He doesn't seem right to be a priest to me and I think he's paid God back for not dying when he fell off that bridge by now! I really liked hiim and I loved the way the Abghust stew made him and others want to follow their dreams. So the priest ended up writing a comedy play and Fiona the hairdresser directed it. That is what I most enjoyed about this book - its spirit and it is the reason why I think I would like to get to know the author.
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Post by nicc on Dec 6, 2005 20:46:54 GMT
The cover I have is a bowl of Pomegranates sitting on a deep brown table and the three sisters are in shadow on a beige background. I found it was abit hard to find on the shelf with all the other books, it seemed to blend in.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:49:06 GMT
I will read it one way or another. I didn't mind the recipes, quite enjoyed them actually and I think it was part of the charm. But it's good that we think differently about that.
I loved the way the food did that to the people, I wanted to try it myself!
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 20:49:09 GMT
I agree with you Shirley about the Irish cover. It is beautiful and very striking. One odd thing though, I went into Eason's to look for this book and it wasn't on the shelves anywhere I could see. I thought that was a shame particularly after Marsha Meehran was on television. I don't know if she comes under Irish writers - perhaps not. Anyway she wasn't in that section or in the best sellers. I think it is difficult for non-irish and non-best sellers to get any decent shelf space in Easons.
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 20:51:49 GMT
I liked Estelle the Italian woman also and her rose bush for Luigi. In fact there were many characters in this novel that I could have happily read about if it wasn't for the fact that I so much wanted to get back to the three sisters and learn more about them.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:53:41 GMT
I'm a member of a book shop here that sells books with discount. The only things they only have dutch books! Every 3 months I get a magazine from them and the book jumped out at me. I ordered it straight away and then Marsha was here on the site telling us about herself and her book.
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fiona
New Member
Posts: 16
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Post by fiona on Dec 6, 2005 20:54:09 GMT
Hi, I was still on page one when I realised there was a page two and you were all posting away!
I agree with Megan. I found the language very heavy especially for the story behind it. Also I found some of the characters slightly too cliche. I read the first two chapters and the last and I loved the last one. That's not to say that I didn't like the book, I loved the food element totally, but the story just didn't grab me enough to wade through the whole lot. Once I got a taste of the language and the food and the final chapter I left it aside for another time. The language reminded me of chocolat, which I enjoyed more. Fantastic writer- no doubt about that whatsoever!
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Post by nicc on Dec 6, 2005 20:54:59 GMT
Girls |i'm going to have to go. Tianna is getting a tad upset, poor darling. Will come on later and see what else everyone bhas written. Bye for now!
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Post by Shirley on Dec 6, 2005 20:56:27 GMT
I really liked the way the food and the presence of the girls in the village made the villagers realise their capabilities and the possibilities life holds for everyone.
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fiona
New Member
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Post by fiona on Dec 6, 2005 20:56:35 GMT
Just realised - I'm far tooo slow here!
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:57:00 GMT
A question that came up before: where there too many characters in the book for you?
For me, no, not in this book. I think they all had a small part to play to get the feel of the village, how it was for an outsiderand who would or wouldn't accept them
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 20:57:03 GMT
Has anyone read Chocolat by Joanne Harris? THis book has been compared to it. I've seen the film but not read the book. I took a look at a first chapter in a shop but became bogged down in description and left it. I think it is probably worth sticking with though. There is a mystical element to it also, which I would enjoy.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 20:59:00 GMT
Never read that book Fiona, saw the film though. I think some one else, a good while back, made that comparison too.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 21:01:50 GMT
Going way off topic here, just wondering how Charlie is getting on?!
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 21:02:41 GMT
So Fiona, you read Chocolat? I'd love to hear a bit about it.
Yes, Claire for me there was too much description given on too many characters at the beginning. I've realised though why she did it - she had to tell us about their background so that we could witness the effect of the girls and their cooking on them and their lives. However I would prefer that to have been done in stages throughout the book rather than a background on everyone at the beginning. Perhaps if they had come into the restaurant one by one over the period of the first few months I would have had more patience with each new character. At the beginning of the novel I wanted to get to grips with the three sisters before learning about anyone else.
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 21:06:17 GMT
Bye Nic,
I hope Tianna settles down soon. Poor little chicken!
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Post by megan on Dec 6, 2005 21:08:49 GMT
Yeah I wonder if Charlie is home and how her exam went! It will be interesting to hear what she thought of the book, if she has any energy to post up. I know that I'm usually knackered after an exam.
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Post by claire on Dec 6, 2005 21:12:03 GMT
I'm having a hard time at the mo keeping my eyes open. I'm going to have a hot lemon drink, hope it will clear my headache before I go to bed. Charlie probably won't post tonight, just hoping all went well for her.
Good day Nic, take care. Chat soon
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