I’m a bit swamped at the moment so I haven’t really got time to do this subject the justice it deserves. But just in case anyone’s forgotten, here’s a quick reminder that the Orange Prize for Fiction winner will be announced tonight.
Personally I’m rooting for either Barbara Kingsolver, for The Lacuna (which I nearly gave up after the first couple of chapters but which I’m so glad I persevered at), or Lorrie Moore for A Gate at the Stairs.
My (purely hypothetical) money’s actually on Hilary Mantel for Wolf Hall, but, despite my earlier vow to read all the shortlisted books this time round, as I didn’t manage to read that one, (and to be perfectly honest, no amount of bribery would ever persuade me to read a novel set in the 15oo’s [seriously, life’s too short]), I’m not in a position to say much about that book at all. Except that it’s big. Very big. In fact it’s a veritable tome of a book.
But anyway, good luck to all the authors, and fingers crossed in particular for my two…..
Too Much To Say For Myself 
I was wrong. Barbara Kingsolver won. Yay!
it’s great to read books set in the 1500s! it’s fascinating to read about women’s lives then – especially the complete obsession with having boy children and seeing how women were so completely seen as property, to be moved between men depending on what would bring the most advantage to other men… interesting to see where things have changed and stalled.
i love philippa gregory’s books and she has said some really interesting, feminist things in interviews about how difficult life was for women in the past – that we can never appreciate enough how important feminism is and has been in allowing women to question and object to the inequalities that were seen as a given in society. the right to not be married, the advances in healthcare and medicine in western society, the right for women to be seen as people…i know they’re not seen as ‘high literature’ but in allowing you a glimpse into a women’s perspective on the very male centric view of history that is so prevalent (in that we learn about battles and kings and what the men did – of we learn about women we learn that they were married or not married) she is second to none!
Did you read all of The Very Thought of You? I made it to page 61 and found it utterly dull. Just started The Lacuna and enjoying it so far.