I may only have decided to actually read-along this book a few weeks ago but it's seemed like a long wait with this gorgeous tome residing in my living room and staring at me.
I've kept the introductions simple so that we can focus on getting started with the reading (I'm that impatient).
1. Introduce yourself!
I'm Charlotte, I'm 29 and I'll be reading The Crimson Petal and the White from Yorkshire, England. I like pinot noir, stinky cheese and...well, books. I don't like dogs, horror films or tea.
Despite having blogged here at Lit Addicted Brit for about five years, I've never actually hosted a read-along. I've been a participant plenty of times but never the host. I've heard nothing but great things about this book, though, so hopefully it's a safe bet.
2. If this is your first read, what are you expecting from it? If this isn't your first time, what has prompted you to re-read?
I'm hoping for something slightly quirky. Having an omniscient narrator who from the bit I've read so far is talking directly to readers is something I don't think I've ever read before and I'm really curious about how it works as a way of telling a story. Other than that, I'm just have general, lofty expectations.
3. Book porn time - share a picture of your edition.
So pretty!
4. This is some pretty chunky historical fiction. Is it the kind of book that you'd normally go for or is this more of a safety in numbers deal to help you tackle something out of your comfort zone?
One of my favourite books is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and I read a lot of epic fantasy so I'm not exactly a stranger to books with a more hefty page count. I'm hoping that Crimson Petal will be as sweeping as that in scope and that my heart will be as invested in Sugar's story. 19th Century England is a period of history that I find interesting, too, so I'm not too far from where I feel comfortable. Bring on the prostitutes and the reprobates!
