Blind Date with a Book
07 March 2019
How did the dates go?
For Valentine’s Day we wrapped up a few of our fiction books and sent them out in to the world on blind dates with students and staff to see if they would hit it off. We were very pleased to see how popular they were and it’s been great reading the reviews of how the dates went.
While love certainly seemed to blossom for some, others were not quite so lucky but we hope all the couples had fun and learnt something along the way.
How did the dates go?
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Brave girl seeks new changes - only to find she's perfectly happy with her normal life.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Very Excellent book by a fantastic Author!”
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Describe your book date in one sentence: “This book should be a movie because the most horrible part of this horror novel is the illustrations inside.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “No, first of all, I don't like suspense novels, and secondly, I don't like the old-fashioned suspense novels.”
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Describe your book date in one sentence: “I couldn't put it down, I want to keep reading.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Yes, it was great.”
Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Very descriptive, but interesting.”
How would you rate this book? 6/10
The wind in the willows by Kenneth Grahame
Describe your book date in one sentence: “It was a cheeky lunch date that was filled with beautiful adventurous story telling.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Very likely.”
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
Describe your book date in one sentence: “There will definitely be a second date ♥“
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Very likely :)”
Retromania by Simon Reynolds
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Just like bumping into an ex after years of no contact, when you chat about good old memories and then promptly arrange a catch up for the future.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Yes, definitely. It's nice to find interesting non-fiction to read for pleasure (especially as a student).”
The inheritance of loss by Kiran Desai
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Heart-warming + thought provoking... but not for me - sorry!”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Never say never.”
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg
Describe your book date in one sentence: “It’s good, and it has not reached my expectation.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Not again.”
Nights at the circus by Angela Carter
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Surprising, amusing, a nice change from my usual choice of reading.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “It reminded me of the classic literature I read at school, such as La Peau de Chagrin from Balzac, a bit of fantasy in a serious historical context. I really liked Nights at the Circus, and will definitely look into British classic literature from now on! (I am French :-))”
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Describe your book date in one sentence: “This book is about path that we all follow, which fascinates and scares us at the same time.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Most likely.”
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Can you read aloud? Well, let see if you dare after reading this book…”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “I will.”
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Describe your book date in one sentence: “A slow start and unexpected finish”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “I doubt I will read it or similar again”
Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls
Describe your book date in one sentence: “It was interesting to read out of my comfort zone, hard to put down, irresistible.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Very likely”
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Reading this book was an amazing experience, saw the world from the point of view of a horse.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Very likely (9 of10)”
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Describe your book date in one sentence: “Story portraying will power and determination.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Extremely likely.”
E-book: A room with a view by EM Forster
Describe your book date in one sentence: “The style is somewhat grating and I got the impression that Forster doesn't like his character very much.”
How likely are you to read this type of book again? “Highly likely, though I'm not taken with this particular book.”