Another challenge finished! I was hoping to make it to twelve countries, but I was never able to get past page 19 of my Russian book selection -- might have to keep it for 2021. But I visited eleven different countries for this challenge, and finished six books from my own shelves. Here's what I read, with links:
Austria: The Exiles Return by Elisabeth de Waal
Belgium: The Professor by Charlotte Bronte
France: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Georgia: The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili
Germany: The Dancing Bear by Frances Faviell
Hungary: Temptation by Janos Szekely
Italy: Madame Solario by Gladys Huntington
Spain: Every Eye by Isobel English
Switzerland: In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Arnim
UK: Crossriggs by Jane & Mary Findlater
Ukraine: The Misunderstanding by Irene Nemirovsky
France: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Georgia: The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili
Germany: The Dancing Bear by Frances Faviell
Hungary: Temptation by Janos Szekely
Italy: Madame Solario by Gladys Huntington
Spain: Every Eye by Isobel English
Switzerland: In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Arnim
UK: Crossriggs by Jane & Mary Findlater
Ukraine: The Misunderstanding by Irene Nemirovsky
I loved nearly all the books I read for this challenge, but if I had to choose favorites, I'd have to pick Temptation, Every Eye, and Crossriggs, with In the Mountains as an Honorable Mention. And The Eighth Life! (didn't I say it was a great year? Tough to choose!). I'm definitely going to revisit some of my favorite countries in 2021 and hopefully some new ones as well -- in literature, since I can't go in person.
Thanks again to Rose City Reader for hosting this challenge! I'm looking forward to my 2021 list.
Congratulations! I might tackle The Eighth Life this year. I have a copy. But for sure I want to read more from von Arnim. Every time you blog about her, I think that and so far, I've only read Enchanted April.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to be disappointed by Elizabeth von Arnim! My final book of 2020 was a new reprint of her book Expiation, which was reprinted by Persephone last year. I'd never even heard of it and I absolutely loved it. I'll be so sorry when I've finished all her books!
DeleteNice list. I have In the Mountains on my e-reader but I can't remember if I've read it or not. If I did, it was definitely before I moved to Switzerland so I'll have to check it out again.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed In the Mountains. Several of her books are available for free as they're in the public domain, and some of them are getting new reprints. Aside from Expiation which was just reprinted by Persephone there's also a new edition of Father by the British Library Women's Writer series.
DeleteThanks for completing the challenge and posting your wrap up post! Although you didn't win the Jet Setter Prize, you got an Honorable Mention for visiting more than 10 countries. See the winner announcement post here: https://www.rosecityreader.com/2021/02/announcing-2020-european-reading.html
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