childhood’s end – Cannonball Read 17

“Me! But nobody likes me best!”

A Vicarage Family by Noel Streatfeid

October 10, 2022 by GentleRain Leave a Comment

CBR14Bingo: Holiday (lots of holidays in this book) Another clearly beloved British children’s classic that I missed as a kid. A Vicarage Family is about (shockingly) a vicar’s family. More specifically it follows Vicky, the stand-in for Streatfeild, as she grows up during the Edwardian era. Isobel is artistic, Louise is pretty, Dick is the baby, and their cousin John is smart, but Vicky is always getting in trouble and doesn’t excel at anything. Her own strong sense of being wronged lead to her constantly […]

Reviewing this makes ME feel like an alien.

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

March 17, 2019 by Blingle Bells 2 Comments

Without a doubt, I have grown more as a reader since I started doing CBR a few years ago than in my entire 20+ years reading before it. It’s still comforting and thrilling to read books that are exactly the reason I love to read, but going completely outside of my genre is a different kind of experience. Fulfilling. I read Cannonball reviews (along with Pajiba and every other blog or news source I follow) through Feedly, and my only “rules” for myself are that […]

In which I call Arthur C. Clarke’s sci-fi classic ‘hella baller’

January 9, 2018 by tillie 1 Comment

Are you feeling hopeless at the prospect of 2018? Boy do I have the book for you. In childhood’s end the world is ruled by “overlords,” who clean up the world and end wars and bring peace to mankind – ain’t it swell? There can’t possibly be a caveat – – oh wait there is? [redacted for spoilers] Nevermind then. Right, so read this book, because at least we humans, as a species, are still kinda autonomous? “Evil men could be destroyed, but nothing could […]

Suddenly I’m that lady who talks about mystic aliens and stuff on subway.

April 12, 2017 by camilaputz Leave a Comment

There are two things I like to do which usually give me a somewhat eccentric aura if seen by strangers: hug trees and, out of nowhere, stop and look at the sky. The cosmos always fascinated me. Not only its colors, its stars, its movements, but also what I can only see with my imagination. So, nothing more obvious than my interest in sci-fi. I am part of a book club with some friends and Childhood’s end was the first book that we read in 2017. […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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