Held by Anne Michaels / some thoughts 

Haha I loved Held! The first vignette/story was a bit brutal to get through, but after I got through that one, I was hooked. I also toggled back and forth between the ebook and audiobook and found that I really enjoyed the audiobook narration. I think that's due to the poetic nature of the prose and it sounded even more beautiful and haunting out loud than when I was reading it in my head. On the other hand, I've DNF'd Enlightenment. That book was so boring. It was beautifully written but the pacing was glacial, even for me who usually enjoys a slow paced book.

This is such a divisive book! I'm so surprised that it wasn't for you. I loved it, it's my top read from the list so far. A keeper. Had Lincoln in The Bardo vibes for me. Incredibly beautiful writing and so thoughtful. I think I would get more out of it over multiple rereads. Love a book that doesn't completely reveal itself on a first read. There's so much to it. It uses photography as a metaphor and describes each short sharp moment like a photographic image, a snapshot in time. I'm blown away by it. It's very different to anything else on the list so far for me. I also loved My Friends and James but Held is particularly special.

Eric, I read the whole thing and am baffled. The first 1/3rd had me intrigued, but the rest of the book fell apart. There is no plot or character development. My take is that it's about the ephemeral nature of time and memory. I was frustrated with this "novel" and cannot recommend it.

So glad to see that you get frustrated with books too sometimes, Eric!! Makes us all feel a little better, I think.😅 I haven't read this one but I hated Anne Michael s Fugitive Pieces, when I read it a few years ago. I dnfed it at about 75%, but wished I had done it a lot sooner. I have no urge to give this one a try, so this just confirms that for me. Thank you 🙏

Damn. For me, this book is beyond beautiful. I feel like this book redeems humanity….And on a personal note, I felt held by this book. The section where Alan is talking about caring for his father with Alzheimer’s made me feel seen, as someone who is doing the same for my mother. Many tears were shed during that passage. I can’t tell you the last time I felt so moved by novel. This is a winner for me!🎉🎉🎉

OMG I'm so glad you made this video. I read Fugitive Pieces for the first time this year, but the first half to 2/3's was easily skimable. Much to poetic and lyrical for my tastes which is such a shame because I REALLY wanted to love this book.

Eric it’s a 4 hour audiobook, just get it done brother! Just pop in those earbuds and go for a stroll.

I dnf-ed this one as well, mostly for similar reasons you talked about. I’ve had it out from the library for over three weeks because I never felt interested in picking it back up after I had read some of it. I finally decided to part ways with it and move on :).

I finished that one but it was a mighty struggle. Even now I don't think I could write a simple summary of it - maybe "at different periods of time things happen to different groups of people".

This is how I feel about Solenoid even though it has some lush, compelling passages. Oh well!

Ngl I’m a little scared to read Held because i absolutely loved Fugitive Pieces and don’t want to be disappointed

Should finish it today. It helps to read it from a sea/ pool front balcony in Sri Lanka accompanied by two long time friends and eating Sri Lankan cuisine. Definitely not my cup of milk tea😂 Just read Wild Horses which i found well written but inconsequential.

I thought the first two chapters were great, really promising. Beautiful language and ideas presented, but after that it took a turn and yeah felt like a real slog to get through. Luckily it was short and I finished, but it was all over the place.

I haven't tried reading this book because the blurb sounded unappealing to me. I feel the same about the book Enlightenment by Sarah Perry (I'll watch your video on that book next). First impression, I felt like both and the latter in particular are potential sh--shows... and also I thought a part of the blurb "alive, but not still whole." is kind of iffy and potentially ableist when the character is paralyzed and it could imply a person with a disability isn't whole. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. Overall this year's Booker sounds kind of all over the place but also repetitive, particularly with the settings and themes. I follow the Booker because a lot of RU-vidrs I watch do but I only read the ones that get good reviews and sound like something I'd like (so not very many). This year I'm very interested in Orbital by Samantha Harvey and Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange (I randomly found There, There in my library a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it), and there's a couple of other books I'll probably read, too, but I'm waiting to hear reviews first.

I really enjoyed it, even though I felt the latter part was not as strong as the earlier parts. I did think it was beautiful.

This one will make my short list. I listened to it and then bought the hard copy. It’s not my number one (My Friends is) but I found it extraordinary. Loved it.

Agree , first 2/3 good .liked following the family.BUT it then fell off a cliff . Very disappointed.

I've heard another bad review of this book from another Book Tuber. I've no desire to bother with it.

Certainly not a word salad! No no no! Take the lines you quoted that made you stop reading. It's not just about the sound! Think of the meaning of the prefix "co-" in con-nection to the rest of the words and what that says about the character. And link that to radiation particles in the last part of the book, or to the photographic ghosts in the earlier part. And then con-sider the title "Held" and how all these people are held together co-hesively by this story, the ideas, the images ànd their personal con-nections (Sorry for that 😜) !It's mindblowing... For me this is maybe the best of the eight longlisted books I've read so far and probably the only one of those (maybe together with Stone Yard Devotional) that I'll read again. Not only was it an intellectual pleasure, but I found it very touching as well.

Wow. I really liked this. What a shame

Oh no!! 😂 I LOVED this book! It felt like a puzzle to be pieced together and I literally couldn’t put it down! Isn’t it funny how differently we react to books??

I am thoroughly enjoying the wildly different opinions of this book! This Booker panel really likes floaty, plotless meditations.

I usually never hesitate to DNF a book, and for that reason I’ve never read a book I didn’t like- that is until I read Held. I pushed through because of how short it was, and I’ll never do that again. It’s the worst book I’ve ever read, you were smart to stop! If it wasn’t working for you at the beginning, it’s not going to work for you at all because it just gets worse and worse as it goes on

So… Held Booker Winner 2024

I absolutely loved this cerebral meditation on the meaning and timelessness of love.

I struggled to the end of this, nothing gained by doing so, dnf is a good decision, I hung on in hope that it would make some sense, it didn’t. Word scramble, good description.

I'm in the camp of loving this book. I'm smiling that there is a book you truly do not like - and how you express it.

I'm shocked! It will make my short list.

I love this book. Yes, it's elliptical, but the characters and the images create so much meaning playing off one another. Very evocative. And it's certainly not without plot. There's a 1000 pages worth of story compressed into this small book.

I don't think I have ever seen you DNF a book. You are the most positive person on BookTube. So I listened to the first chapter...now I see why you DNF'd it. Not that it was bad. But you have to be in a 'certain' headspace to get through it. And I am not sure I will ever be in that headspace. Keep up the good work.

contorted confessions of confusion

Oh no! I was planning to start this novel in the next few weeks... I will give it a try anyway because I have loved previous Anne Michaels' novels.

It’s a book that doesn’t give it to you on a plate. In fact you may have to bring your own plate. It will however hold your hand. Feel the gaps. Breathe. Give it space. Be held. You will get out of it what it let’s you put in. Stunning book.

It took me by storm - absolutely loved it and wanted to start it all over again at once. Books really appeal in different ways 😊

This is me, but the book is Orbital (although I did finish it). Happy to know this happens to all of us sometimes!

This year's Study For Obedience? It's not one that appeals to me so I'm going to wait until the shortlist and see if it makes it. Totally agree with the "unworthy" point!

Thanks for your thoughts Eric. Held is a salty read. Some will get frustrated and some will love it. I really liked it. I liked the imagery in the novel, the pretty words and the snap shots in the moments within the timeline and the theme of enduring hope. I did struggle with the connections and had to read slowly and ponder. I think it came at the right time for me. Really enjoying the different styles and writing in the Booker Prize long list this year. I love all the different opinions. Really adds to the reading experience to hear pros and cons.

I too failed to finish HELD. There wa some beautiful writing but ultimately I did not become engaged in the hearts and struggles of the characters and did not want to spend more time with them. I felt the same about THE SAFEKEEP. MY FRIENDS remains my favorite.

Can Xue the author of 'The Last Lover' stated: "If a reader feels that this book is unreadable, then it's quite clear that he's not one of my readers." She didn't say 'unworthy' but it amounts to the same. It appears that Michaels is in the same camp (although, I haven't read any of her work).

Me too! Completely lost track of who / what is going on. I’ve tried, and tried but I give up.

Oh my ! I'm currently reading this one - in bits and pieces. What I'm finding is that this is a book meant to bring beautiful poetic moments and memories in small snippets. I'm no longer attempting character knowledge nor plot but am just enjoying the musings of the paragraph - some I agree lend to the overall story and some are like huh? But I'm finding joy in the way the author does poetic prose so I'm just trying to enjoy it on that level. I've heard a lot of complaints about the chronological disorder of the story and to that I can admit threw me a bit but since every separate moment is a memory in itself, I think I can enjoy it as a moment in time, and just move on. Hopefully I will finish this tmrw and be able to see if I still feel that way another 100 Pages in!!! 😂

Most of your review strangely ~sounded~ positive (to me) and if I hadn’t already read it your review would make me want to read it! Interesting! This reminds me of your review for Study for Obedience from last year (my favorite Booker book from last year) I always appreciate your input! I never miss a video of yours!

No matter how acclaimed, I've stopped attempting fiction described as lyrical, poetic, descriptive, etc. Life is too short; I don't have the patience; there are better options just a few clicks away.

Glad I decided to read this only if it made the shortlist. I'm not a fan of books that are showcases for pretty writing at the expense of plot, characterisation, and storytelling.

dnf but somehow so inspiring because this was one of my favorite reviews, including the musing on how long a reader should be able to hold in stasis a fictive world - personally, often I find myself flipping backward page after page until I find a paragraph which distinctly I remember reading. However, something else caught my attention: What is the author's job? I suppose this could be quite long so I'll limit myself to the preference that the author should find a happy ending impossible in real life.

You read my review of Held on RU-vid today. I struggled with knowing what to rate it. I was leaning towards a lower rating. So glad to know I wasn't the only one who struggled with it. BTW, I'm in your book club too. Small world.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this

I only made it about 40 pages. I’m not a poetry reader but have been able to enjoy several novels with strong poetic influence (Grief is the Thing with Feathers, Brown Girl Dreaming come to mind). I found this one very frustrating, overly abstract and non- linear and could not get a foothold in the story.

This is going to win the Booker. Cannot relate to the dislike. Think I'll do myself some toast and Marmite😊

I thought this was wonderful and it was a book that stayed with me. One for me that will be worth a re- read. Personally I’d give it another shot outside of booker season if you can find the time. Could be your Study for Obedience experience this year!

Sounds incredible to me.

So what did I come with after watching this video? Your shirt inspired me to watch "Escape from New York" again.

Agree with you about Held Eric. I got to the end. Not sure what I have read!

I love this book, for me is one of the best of the list

Thank you! Makes me feel so much better, as I've just bailed on "Wandering Stars."

Agree! Totally! Also dnf’ed wandering stars.

Those who have enjoyed this book. I want to recommend another beautiful book, again it is quite short. It is Clear by Carys Davies. Just another magic little novel❤

I LOVED Held. I hope you’ll give it another chance ❤

I also DNF this one. The line that got me was “If you were gagging at least you were breathing.” 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks for the warning. I'm yet to see a glowing review of this novel.

I finished it You’re right, it is a novel written by a poet. Didn’t totally work for me. Though I think I liked it better than Orbital. Enjoyed The Safekeep very much. James was excellent.

I weirdly enjoyed this didn’t really get it though haha. Am not surprised that some people wouldn’t like it though.

I once read Fugitive Pieces. Started it and restarted it a couple of times and finally finished it. All I remember it was a slog and not worth it. I won't even try to read this one.

There’s an app game based on The Carpenter’s Song??? Yes, I know the Beatles did it first, but the Carpenters OWNED that song!

Same..I finished it and gave it three stars. How many of the others have you read?

I finished it and now aggressively dislike it

I dnf’d it as well, just couldn’t get into this

I'm having trouble with it too

Uh oh. I just bought that book. Yikes!

But then remember your u turn on Study for Obedience? I think this is a similar one.

Eric, I absolutely agree with what you have said here and enjoyed listening to your feelings about this one. It's been a whole week and I still haven't picked this book back up. Not a good sign. I don't think I ever got over the early line: "giving Helena a slow, marinated gaze" I mean, come on, it's too close to a slow marinated glaze 😂 Maybe the author was hungry. It's a worthy DNF. Hoping you get to enjoy something less frustrating next!

DNF? What do those letters stand for? (More and more often in English, people insist on using shortcuts that make the language poorer and weaker😮, sorry)