For day 6 of Bout-of-books we were told to post a review of something we’d read this week, but I decided instead to clump it together with today’s task instead. My review will be a short one as loads of other people have already said it much better than I ever could, but here’s what I’ve got.

I loved The Importance of Being Ernest so much that I decided to read all of Oscar Wilde’s 9 plays, by today no less, but I’ll get to that later. The play is about mistaken identities and all-the-while pokes fun at the Victorian middle classes.

I enjoyed it from the start, no more than when Lady Bracknell enters the stage. In the audio-version I listened too this part was played by Judi Dench and she was a great representation of the rigidness and immovability of the Victorian middle-classes. She objects to the protagonist, Ernest, marrying her daughter as his history and lineage aren’t in keeping with what she expects.

The real fun begins when Ernest returns to his country home and his friend Algernon turns up and assumes the identity of his brother. This part was ingenious and I had much fun listening to it.

I’ve just read part of a fantastic review for it over on GR that expounds on what each portion represents and where it means to poke fun at Victorian life, so I would recommend you go there for a full dissemination. As it is, I could never do the play as much justice.

Today’s challenge, the final day or Bout-of-books is this:

Stretch Goal

It's the last day of the readathon, so today's challenge is to take a look at the goals you set for the week (if you have them) and decide a) how you can stretch yourself to complete them or b) how you can revise them so you can meet them. Because yes, you can revise your goals! If you didn't set goals for the week, set a small one for yourself today!

At the beginning of the read-a-thon I set myself the ambitious and (I now accept) ludicrous challenge of finishing *all* of the books I’m currently reading. I also thought I’d try and read all 9 of Wilde’s play’s, as well! I had to adapt this hugely! I decided to spend today reading with the goal of finishing *1* book and I’m pleased to say I managed that. I finished Fleishman Is In Trouble and I’m happy I did. I read 1 more of Wilde's play's (a far cry from all 9!), but plan to read another now. I’ve also been beta-reading a novel for someone in the US this week and read roughly half of it, so I definitely read more this week than normal. I’d call that a success. I’m really glad I participated and will do so again.

I'm quite sick at the moment (I get a little sick every year after I return from the music festival in England), so didn't update yesterday. Anyway, today I'm going to do the challenges for day 4 and 5.

Day 4 challenge

If not this, then that

Basically this means: if you like such-and-such an author or type of book, then try this

author

I'm going to stick with what I'm currently reading and recommend Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-akner as I absolutely love it. I would recommend it for people who enjoy a character-driven story and who like to think a little deeply. It would also work for those who like to think outside the normal confines of society and question. Okay, that's a bit vague, so I'll say for fans of Jonathan Franzen and Margaret Atwood.

Day 5 challenge

I Want This Book!

I don't watch much T.V. and if I do it tends to be of a non-fiction variety, but there's this crime-drama T.V. show that I love called Animal Kingdom. It's about a very dysfunctional crime-family. Mostly it's about their screwed-up relationships with one another, but occasionally they pull jobs to bank-roll their lifestyles. It'd make a great character-driven book with just enough action to keep things interesting.

I also think James O'Brien's podcast on LBC would make a hilarious novel if it was dramatised.

Here's the challenge for day 3:

Pick your favorite book and recreate it OR reimagine the cover either live (with yourself or a willing participant as the cover art) or drawing, sculpture, crafts, painting, etc.

There were so many I liked that I put up 6! I'll give a brief summary of each one.

• Where'd You Go Bernadette

I like the simplistic nature of this one and I love that shade of green, so soothing.

Asking For It

The plastic image of the doll relates so much about this book and the way woman are objectified. It really speaks to me.

F*ck Love

Tarryn Fisher's covers are lovely, but this one stands out as beautiful

Every Heart A Doorway

What's not to love about this image?

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

I love cats and snow, so it's a perfect combination

Conversations with Friends

This cover is so vibrant and simple. I love it.

For bout-of-books I've decided to read all 9 of Oscar Wilde's plays. Yesterday I read The Importance of Being Ernest, which I loved. Today I read A Florentine Tragedy, which I didn't like so much but appreciated. Tonight I plan to read A Woman of No Importance.

Todays challenge:  Adaptation Aspirations