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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the...

And so it begins: Readathon Update


My reading updates, distractions, reading troubles, day troubles and sundry other non-trivial matters will be posted here. For everyone visiting here today, for cheering and otherwise, thank you for dropping by! If you were looking for my Challenge/Meme thread, click here.

Running Stats
Completed: 1 book
- Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch by Richard Hine
Snuck in the middle of: 1 book
- The Passage by Justin Cronin
Read: 396 pages
Overall time spent reading: 9 hours
Mini-challenges completed: Hours 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13

Hour 18:
So, this is going to be my last update for this readathon. At least, that's what I expect. I just finished Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch by Richard Hine and am now going to curl up with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. I'll read for as long as I can stay up, but I'm beginning to feel very tired and sleepy, so it won't be long. To all who are still hanging on, Yay, go on!!! I'll check back tomorrow sometime after I wake up and check what's happening! Till then, good night!

Hour 16:
Wow! I've been at this for almost 16 hours and I'm still going on. Admitted, I'm beginning to get slightly tired, and I spent most of my time reading The Passage, but it feels great that I didn't get too distracted as I expected to! I'm going to spend maybe an hour or two hour, longer if I can, and see how much more I can accomplish!

Hour 8:
So, almost one-third into the readathon, and I'm actually going slow. I didn't clock too many minutes yet, which is fine by me, but I need to stop getting distracted. I couldn't help with some of those distractions - stomach started rumbling, couple of phone calls, etc. Well, I hope it will be a great afternoon now! I stopped reading Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch, and am going back to The Passage.

Hour 5:
Horrors of horrors!! I just spent one hour working on my blog! I can't believe myself! Ugh! Off to reading now - hopefully for a long long time!

Hour 4:
After a totally fruitful time reading The Passage, I'm ready for a change, albeit reluctantly. The second and third parts of The Passage are much better than the first part, which was mostly droning and dragging. I had decided long time ago, that I won't read The Passage at night, thanks to a scary nightmare I once had. Before you start giggling at my expense, let me tell you that I don't usually have nightmares. And even I do, I am rarely shaken by the experience. I just turn over and go back to sleep. But this time, the experience was uncannily spooky. So well, I'll be probably returning back to The Passage after a while.

For now, I'm going to pick up Russell Wiley is out to Lunch by Richard Hine. I'm so far a little disappointed in this book, since it's moving at a very slow pace - too slow for a book supposed to be humorous or lively. But since I plan to review it this week, I'm going to give it my best shot and see how much more I can read.

Hour 1:
8:30 AM at the time of editing this post. I just hopped out of the bed a few minutes back, so no telling when I will fall asleep on my book. I did consider going back to sleep but my mind was too excited to do that. It was constantly taunting me and I finally had to give in and rush to get ready (What an irony that this "getting ready" isn't to go to work, :chortle:)

I hadn't planned my books for the day, since I wanted to go with whatever suits my mood. So here's what I am starting with - The Passage by Justin Cronin. What a spooky start to a lovely Saturday morning! There are many reasons why I am starting with this book, even though it is a chunkster. Well, that's one reason - I know I will not expect or even hope myself to sit with this one book for a long time. That means I will be reading a few chapters and moving on to the next book, without any internal struggle (akin to what happens when you try to set aside a book halfway). The other reason is that I am already one-third through the book, so I don't have to worry about time spent on getting to know the characters and getting familiar with the author's writing style. I spent a lot of time on the first few pages of a book just because I'm trying to get cozy with the book.

Let the reading begin!

Comments

Molly said…
Sounds like a great book for the read-athon --- it should hold your interest the whole time!

Have fun :)
Anonymous said…
(Non)traditional Buddhist readathon blessing:

Just as the books fill the shelves,
Pile together on the floor and stack up on the table
So may the joy of the readathon
Flow forth to brighten your day and lift your spirit.
Books already read, books in progress and books yet to be read.

By the power of every word on the page
May your book be delightful,
As scary as Lovecraft’s Cthulhu
Or as sweet as a box of See’s candy.

Let the power of the images evoked by words
Keep you stay awake long through the night
May no obstacle impede
Your day filled with books.

For all of those who are reading today
Who follow in the path of Dewey
May your day be filled with the four blessings
Of fabulous books, tasty snacks, comfy chairs and joy.
Bellezza said…
Remember, C.S. Lewis said, "We read to know that we are not alone," and today all of all days, we stand together. Have a joyous and blessed time!
Anonymous said…
Happy reading! You can do it :)
Amanda said…
Wow you're tackling a huge book to start with! Good luck and happy reading. :)
Cass said…
Let books be your dining table,
And you shall be full of delights
Let them be your mattress
And you shall sleep restful nights.
Amanda said…
This cheerleader is getting tired and will be off to bed soon, but I wanted to say once again Happy Readathon and have a great night!
just wanted to say hi your doing great
samantha.1020 said…
Reading is great and reading is good, keep on reading and don't eat too much food.

Ugh, I must be getting tired because I'm pretty sure that isn't how the cheer started :) Sounds like you are doing great so keep it up!!
You may have already headed off to sleep, but I just stopped in to remind you that you did great!
Hey Aths,

You're probably asleep by now, but I was checking my blog and thought I'd say Hi! I don't know how you managed to finish all of those mini-challenges (I only did three). Good job! Love the photo of your pup.

Roseann