The Bear & Badger Intimidating Book Club: Clarissa by Samuel Richardson, schedule in OP - The Bear and Badger

EvilRedEye

LivDiv wrote:

Somehow I still quite like R though. I'm still rooting for him.

I was vaguely on board up to the point he murdered Lizaveta and then I was like "Noo, not Lizaveta!"

EvilRedEye

Thinking ahead to next year, there are some really cheap copies of the Folio Society edition of Clarissa on eBay at the moment - the paperback is pretty expensive because it's such a big book (and has tiny next apparently) and it will probably work out the same buying a cheap no-slipcase version of the Folio. (The cheapest one actually sent me a discount email after I browsed it as well but I ended up ordering one with a slipcase.)

Nina

Managed to catch up, finished part one.

Can't say I've really been pulled in yet, I enjoy the way it's written, reads quite well and I never really have to reread bits.

Hard to tell, it's not really staying with me after I put the book down, I had to think what was meant by the horsey bit on the last page as I already forgotten about it. But when I'm reading it I'm enjoying it, and I look forward to read a bit further each day. The way objects and environments are described is probably the thing that I'm enjoying the most so far. Lots of attention to details.

EvilRedEye

It's your weekly 'start this week's reading today if you want to do a chapter per day' klaxon.

Blue Swirl

I got your back, ERE.

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EvilRedEye

How are we getting on? I'm getting the impression that each part builds to its own climax because it was a calmer week this week. The introduction of characters isn't letting up though.

My Folio Society copy of Clarissa arrived today. Interestingly the two volumes are the same size but Volume 1 is about 750 pages long and Volume 2 is about 1500 pages, they just use completely different paper stocks. Volume 2 is also significantly lighter for some reason and is actually pretty comfortable to hold. The text is smaller than usual for Folio but not so significantly so that it's hard to read. Still recommend picking up a cheap copy on eBay as a reading copy.

LivDiv

Had to do a bit of a push last night to keep up.
The last chapter was challenging with all the names being thrown about.
I dislike his friend, far too chipper.

Hoping the story moves on a bit now we reach part two. He's been asleep for most of the last few chapters.

LivDiv

Wait hang on that was the start of part 2. Getting confused.
Yeah hopefully the second half will pick up a bit.

EvilRedEye

EvilRedEye wrote:

My Folio Society copy of Clarissa arrived today. Interestingly the two volumes are the same size but Volume 1 is about 750 pages long and Volume 2 is about 1500 pages, they just use completely different paper stocks. Volume 2 is also significantly lighter for some reason and is actually pretty comfortable to hold. The text is smaller than usual for Folio but not so significantly so that it's hard to read. Still recommend picking up a cheap copy on eBay as a reading copy.

Oh, I was stupid - volume 2 just carries on the page count of the first volume so they're both around 750 pages each. Volume 2 definitely feels a bit lighter though.

Nina

Actually liked that he was asleep/delirious so much. The chaos of his thoughts, the people around, no one really had an idea what they were doing it seemed. Enjoyed the little details like Nastasha sucking tea through a sugar cube, the soup, the beers, all the people in a room that hardly fits any furniture and the main character physically there but mentally all over the place.

Thought it were a good couple chapters and am curious to see how this part will continue.

EvilRedEye

Your customary reminder that if you want to do this week's reading at a leisurely pace of one chapter per day then you need to start today.

LivDiv

Thought I would start that Ulysses I bought. You know what makes a tricky book even harder?
When it is printed completely back to front except for the first 5 pages which are still back to front but put at the begining of the book, which is now the end of the book.

Annoyingly I'm out of the returns window. I might contact Amazon tomorrow anyway, they are generally quite good with returns.

It confused the hell out of me. First I thought there were pages missing. Then the map of Dublin across two pages wasn't right. Then hundreds of pages of notes, eventually I clocked the page numbers.

It was also eye wateringly tiny text. I might Kindle it next time. It's too big to hold comfortably even with tiny text.

EvilRedEye

You might have to contact customer services outside of the return window but they might be sympathetic given it's completely defective.

LivDiv

Yeah that's what I'm hoping.
I mean I could still read it I suppose but it's a pretty big fuck up.

EvilRedEye

Right barrel o' laughs this, innit?

LivDiv

Haha. Yeah not what I would describe as whimsical.

EvilRedEye

To its credit though, despite a bunch of absolutely awful stuff happening, it doesn't come across as excessively melodramatic, more as a bunch of stuff that probably happened in real life compiled into a novel.

nick_md

One of my overriding memories is people were always wringing their hands.

Blue Swirl

Might be spoilers. Post removed.

Nina

Still reading, just started part 3 last night.

The part with the drunk guy trampled by the horse and the main character's shift in mood because of that was something I enjoyed following. A lot of mood swings, and a very detailed description of all. Almost makes me feel like I'm feverish myself. It's interesting cause I find myself often reading faster when R's thoughts start running and taking him over, which often results in me missing details in the situation, which seems to be similar to how R is trying to get a hold of the situation he's in. If that makes sense.

Blue Swirl

The writing does do a good job of simulating when your brain is in hyperdrive and just won't shut up.

EvilRedEye

Weekly reminder that ya gotta start today if you want to do this week's reading in a chapter per day.

LivDiv

Missed the deadline for the first time.
I think I might be done with it unfortunately.

I read the first chapter. I just hate Razhumikin. I get that him and Raskolinkov are supposed to be counters to each other. Both poor, both students yet totally opposite in how they treat people and how that seems to return on themselves. I would rather take an axe to the head than spend 10 minutes with Razhumikin though.

Kinda bored of Raskolinkov being ill as well. Almost every chapter is a character or group of characters hassling Raskolinkov while he is trying to sleep off a fever.

Only character I like is Zosimov because he is like "yeah, guys a mental, what ya gonna do".

EvilRedEye

I do feel like after Part 1 being pretty focused, it's just been interminable illness and stuff - you'd sort of hope to start seeing the shape of the plot by now but it isn't happening. Hopefully it starts to pick up a bit at the end of Part 3.

LivDiv

Yeah Im thinking the same.
Where is the cat and mouse chase the back of the book talked about?

EvilRedEye

Maybe Part IV?? Stick with it LivDiv! I'm sure Part IV is where the gold is!!

LivDiv

Haha.
I might come back to it at a future date I dunno.
Half the problem is Im quite a slow reader so this has been quite dominant in my reading time.

Blue Swirl

My copy mentions in the back blurb that the crime happens in the first part, and the punishment doesn't occur until the epilogue.

As more of why Raskolnikov did it comes to light, and as other characters get involved, he becomes easier to stomach. Early on, without the rest of the story to frame it, I would agree that he comes across entirely as a bell end.

Nina

EvilRedEye wrote:

I do feel like after Part 1 being pretty focused, it's just been interminable illness and stuff - you'd sort of hope to start seeing the shape of the plot by now but it isn't happening. Hopefully it starts to pick up a bit at the end of Part 3.

I had the feeling it was always supposed to be a very detailed story about the mental state of someone and not very heavily on plot.

Still loving it tbh, I really enjoy how it's going so deep into details. Kinda like when you're looking at a big painting and discover some new detail whenever you look at a new area of the canvas.

Also don't find it too bleak. It's more realistic (for that time and place), as it doesn't seem to add drama or sadness for no reason. There's a lot of actual nice interactions between characters, even though some might be because of deliriousness.

EvilRedEye

Gotta start reading today if you wanna do this week's reading at a pace of a chapter per day! Need to take my own advice this week.

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