The Olympic Book Tag

Since my blog is somewhat dead now, because my reading motivation is close to zero at the moment the Olympic Book Tag came like a shot from bookheaven. Elisabeth with the Norwegian book blog, Bokstavelig talt, and her Youtube-channel, The Bookish North, tagged me and I am aloud to write down my answers.

Here it goes!

Question #1: The Opening Ceremony: What book did you think had an incredible opening?

One of my favourite books is Jane Austens Persuasion, and the opening shines through the entire novel, and will forever portray Anne Elliot's father as really shallow:

Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch-hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage; there he found occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs, changed naturally into pity and contempt.

Question #2: The Games: What is your favorite fictional competition? 

As unoriginal as it is, my answer has to be Quidditch from the Harry Potter-series.

Question #3: The Original: The modern games are based on the original Greek competition. What is your favorite book based on a classic? 

P.D. James can pretty much get away with everything, and she also gets away with the book Death Comes to Pemberley, based on Jane Austens characters from Pride and Prejudice.

Question #4: The Eternal Flame: What is one ‘ship that you won’t let die, even after the books made it clear it was never going to happen?

The Internet is full of this, today the big question is who will Rory Gilmore end up with in the Gilmore girls Revival. That is not a book (although I already have my answer), but I really don't believe in shipping like that.

Question #5: Gymnastics: What’s a book that had so many twists and turns it left your head spinning? (in a good way)

I recently read Margaret Atwood's The Blind Murder, and inbetween the modern day story about the elderly woman writing her memoirs there is a novel written by her sister several years ago. In the end everything you believed throughout the book is shot to h... and you see the book with a different perspective the next day you read it.

Question # 6: The Controversial Judge: What’s a book that you have a totally different opinion about than most other people?

I love Jane Austen, but the one book I have a serious problem with is Emma. There is no way I can like this young woman who butts into things and matters she has nothing to do with, and to tell you the truth Gwyneth Paltrows portrayal in the 90s didn't help.

Question #7: Beach Volleyball: What is your favorite fictional duo?

Roald Dahl would have been a hundred years old this September. I have listened to all his children's book this Spring (most of them for the first time), and my answer is Matilda and Miss Honey. Followed closely by Charlie and Willy Wonka.

Question #8: Weightlifting: What is the most massive book on your shelf?

I had a good look around, and my heaviest is my edition of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga. If I put that in one hand and my edition of 1001 books you have to read before you die I can get great arms.

Question #9: Track and Field: What is a book that you just tore through with world record speed?

Again with the Harry Potter and this time the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. When the English version came out I bought it and three days later I was all done. I do believe that it was the first time I had read an entire book in English, and understood it all.

Question #10: Synchronized Swimming: What is a book series that you kept reading, even though you didn’t have any idea why?

I read the first six books in Terry Pratchett's Discworld-series without knowing why. I don't believe in reading a book if you don't enjoy it.

Question #11: The Tortured Fan: What fictional family, group, nation, organization do you irrationally root for no matter how many times they break your heart?

I don't have a good answer to that question.

Question #12: Closing Ceremony: What book had an ending that just blew your mind?

It is hard to say that the ending blew my mind, but Jane Eyre is in my heart forever, and the fact that Jane and Rochester actually got married in the end blew my mind because I had serious doubts when reading.

XOXO