The Literary Society

Yeah, I'm a medic . Didn't I mentioned that previously? Strange haha. I'm in my final year up in Yorkshire. Where did you apply? It's pretty hard work, being a medic - but it's a calling. So, once you're there, you don't really know any different haha, you just carry on as normal.

I think there's supposed to be only one more ASOIAF book, but God only knows when that one's coming out lol. I actually quite enjoyed the TV Series... can't wait for finals to be over in a month so I can start catching up on all this stuff!

I've not heard of Darren Shan, sadly - any good? I've heard lots of good things of Lemony Snicket, only people were a bit annoyed that some of the mysteries were never solved. That would irritate the pants off me lol, enough that I will not touch those books if I won't finish them knowing the whole story. There's plenty of time - even as a medic - to read non-fiction at uni. It's all about getting your work done and maintaining a good work-life balance. That skill is very difficult, but if you can make it work it's really rewarding.

Sorry for the week-long reply, been busy with revision. Not that I can complain, you've probably got ten times the work I've been set. I've firmed Cardiff but I'm a bit unsure if I can get the grades; I haven't worked all year because of personal reasons so I need to cram in three A Levels within the next few weeks and try and teach myself everything. If I don't get the grades though, I've set Neuroscience at Dundee as my insurance. I'd love the opportunity to study medicine though, it must be such a great privilege to be in that position where you can make a positive difference to peoples' lives.



Darren Shan is alright; I read his books when I was younger and really got into the story, but I'm not sure if I'd enjoy it as much now. There's a couple of books which I read as a child and couldn't stand, then decided to re-read a few months ago and had a complete change of heart. It's funny how a re-read can completely change your view on a novel.
I quite like endings where there's a bit of mystery left.. it lets the reader fill in the gaps an use their imagination to decide what happens in end. It's good to hear that you still have time to read at uni, I don't think I could live without my books.

Finally had some time to read recently, and getting well into The Feast of the Goat (about 320 pages in now), which is indeed very compelling.

Thinking to go with something shorter next; possibly a play. A Streetcar Named Desire or A View From The Bridge or All My Sons or Rhinoceros?

Ah, hello! It has been a while, I hope you've not been snowed under with all the work you have to do. While it is indeed true that the sheer magnitude of what I have to know for my exams is daunting, hard work is hard work haha. So, I wouldn't necessarily agree that our comparative workloads are so unequal. Everything's a matter of perspective, after all .

Cardiff as a firm, huh? That's great! Did you apply for Medicine there, and Neuroscience as a back-up plan?



I actually feel completely the opposite to you in terms of authors leaving loose ends haha. I simply cannot stand an ending that hasn't tied every mystery together in a nice, neat bundle. A reflection of my mindset perhaps. I shouldn't worry too much about not having time to read at uni - as I said before, there is always time to be made, and 24 hours in a day is a significant proportion of time, even if it doesn't feel that way at times .

Yeah Neuroscience is my back-up. So either way I know I'm going to uni next year! (basically in four months )

Don't worry, everything I mentioned previously was from A Feast of Crows. I only finished reading A Dance with Dragons a few days ago and it was much better than A Feast of Crows. That's probably because my favourite characters were in the fifth book, so it was a more enjoyable read. The book is massive though; I kept getting strange looks in school for carrying what appeared to be a tome. Anyway, I recommend you jump back onto the Song of Ice and Fire bandwagon. I can finally browse through the Game of Thrones threads around here (and on any website for that matter) without worrying about spoilers jumping out at me. Plus it's a nice experience reading through some fans' predictions and realising there's so much detail I'd missed. In my defence though, there are so many characters involved in the series at this stage that it's difficult to remember everyones' backstory.

LOTR is next on my fantasy to-read list, but I've just started War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Not really the type of book I'd read, but it's been recommended to me by a few people and I've noticed that a lot of authors that I read have named this book as one of their influences. What about yourself? Have you read War and Peace? And are you reading anything at the moment?

Finished Great Expectations last weekend - funny how the action in Victorian Literature seems to appear in the last 100 pages or so but I don't mind
Next on my list? I might have to wait until after exams....

It's probably got something to do with the serial format of them. They kept people subscribing, I suppose.

Finished Great Expectations last weekend - funny how the action in Victorian Literature seems to appear in the last 100 pages or so but I don't mind
Next on my list? I might have to wait until after exams....

I've just started reading GE, have a FIT copy of it from like 1900 (anyone else think books are more enjoyable to read if they're physically worn? You know what I mean hehe), love it! Dickens' humour is so under-appreciated, in GE it's a kind of self-deprecating humour isn't it.

Also in the middle of Moll Flanders, highly recommend you read it, I found it hilarious!! Easier to read than I thought as well, considering the period it's from.

Definitely Mine is a modern copy but has been on holiday - and bears the scars! A few years ago, this would have really bothered me. A level English has cured me of that.
I love Dickens' forward thinking and characterisation - Miss. Havisham is so memorable!

Will give Moll Flanders a go in the summer Thanks for the recommendation. Have you read Guilliver's Travels? It was written in the 18th Century (I think) and is pretty funny

The Frogs!

Aristophanes? LOVE that play, the Clouds is also excellent you wouldn't think you'd be able to laugh at something that old but evidently people never change :')

I know the croaking chorus from The Frogs of Aristophanes!

The very same! Oddly enough, I always remember that particular line from the Major-General's song in the G&S opera, The Mikado:



Unlike the other lines, it's apparently so: just croaking...

EDIT: Have you read The Wasps?