I love reading long books – they tend to have more depth, and a more interesting plot, so I really enjoyed completing the Chunkster Challenge.
The books I completed for this challenge were:
The 19th Wife – David Ebershoff (608 pages)
Perdido Street Station – China Miéville (867 pages)
The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins (464 pages)
Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell (1024 pages)
2666 – Roberto Bolaño (912 pages)
I read many more 450+ page books, but they were lighter thrillers so didn’t really feel like long books.
What is your favourite chunkster?
36 replies on “Chunkster Challenge Complete!”
Congrats on completing the challenge! Dickens’ Bleak House is my favorite chunkster.
Christy, I haven’t read Bleak House – I am put off because I have seen it on TV, so already know the story. One day I’ll get round to it though.
I watched the miniseries first too, which I loved so much it actually inspired me to read the book. I enjoyed the book thoroughly even though I knew what would happen.
Congratulations on completing the challenge, Jackie. I was able to complete it in time too. I only read 3 books for it, which was my goal.
Thank you!
Congratulations on completing the Chunkster Challenge, Jackie! I completed it too (just in time). It was a lot of fun, as always. I read a Wilkie Collins book as well.
Literary Feline, Congratulations on completing it! I didn’t realise the challenge finished today – such a coincidence that I chose to write this post today!
Great job! I can sometimes be intimidated by longer books.
Stephanie, Longer books can be the best – don’t be intimidated and give them a try!
This is the type of challenge I really should consider, as I tend to stay away from very large books. I know, bad Sandy. I did love Gone With the Wind, and I also really enjoyed The Hour I First Believed, which gave me plenty of exercise toting around!
Sandy, I haven’t read any Wally Lamb yet, but have some books here and hope to get to one soon. Perhaps you should sign up next year!
Congrats on finishing the challenge! I like chunksters, too, though the one time I signed up for the chunkster challenge, I failed abysmally in reading the books on my list. My most recent favorite chunkster is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Soo good 🙂
Aarti, Sorry to hear that you didn’t manage your challenge. I forgot all about the Bookers – I should have added The Children’s Book to the list!
Congratulations! I’ve finished this one too, but I had to put in those lighter books to make it.
FleurFisher, Congratulations! I love reading longer books, so this challenge wasn’t that hard for me, but I appreciate that it can be very hard if you don’t enjoy plot based books as much as me!
I love reading chunksters, because I feel like I’ve accomplished so much by the end! And also, if I’ve stuck it through, it means I love the book, so I love that there is a lot of the book! Nevertheless, when I see one I don’t know, I tend to avoid it like the plague. It takes a good lot of recommendations to get me to take the plunge. 2666 seems to be one of those books!
rhapsodyinbooks, Long books do need to be really good to get you gripped to the end. Any long book that gets good reviews gets me interested!
I love chunksters! I didn’t join this challenge this year, though I’m sure I could’ve completed it. I will probably join next year’s.
J.T, I’m not sure I’ll join next year, but I hope you enjoy it!
Congratulations on completing the challenge, Jackie, that is no mean feat.
My favourite chunkster is James Clavell, Noble House, I loved it and couldn’t put it down. I don’t know if I could take on a challenge like this though, so well done.
Kim, I have Shogun here and keep thinking about reading it. I think it will have to wait for a few months, but I would like to get round to it in 2010.
Jackie, Shogun is the beginning of the series; all of Clavell’s books about Asia have a common thread but stand alone as novels. They cover inter-related characters and families throughout history who live, travel and trade between Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore – There are six books in this series and I can see why they would be more or less Clavell’s life’s work. So far I have read Shogun, Tai Pan and Noble House and have King Rat on my TBR list. I read them out of order, but it doesn’t matter to the story.
I loved Shogun and I’ll be interested to hear what you think about it when you get to it.
Congrats on finishing the challenge, Jackie!
Thanks Melody!
Congratulations, Jackie! I love chunksters, too – most recently The Woman in White.
JoAnn, I have a copy of Woman in White here and hope to read it soon.
Well done on finishing this challenge Jackie! Unfortunately I ran out of time and only managed to finish two of the three books I wanted to read for this challenge – my favourite one would probably have been Drood – it kickstarted my Dickens fascination for this year.
Karen, Sorry to hear that you didn’t quite make it. I keep seeing Drood mentioned. It seems to have very mixed reviews, but it really appeals to me.
Why is this the first I am hearing of this challenge? It sounds like a great one!
I’m with you…I love reading the occasional loooong novel, because I feel like you inevitably HAVE to get sucked in (unless it’s absolutely terrible, in which case you’ll probably just give up on it). The last one I read was, I believe, THE WAY THE CROW FLIES by Ann-Marie McDonald (848 pages). I read it while spending 8 or so hours in Heathrow, and it was the perfect book for that long wait.
The next chunkster on my list is COMING HOME by Rosamunde Pilcher at a whopping 1,024 pages. I read a review of it on a blog and have been inspired to read it next time I really want to dedicate some time to a story.
Kari, I’m going to read Fall on Your Knees by Anne Marie McDonald next. It isn’t as long as The Way the Crow Flies, but it is still quite thick. I’m pleased to hear that she can keep your attention all the way through a chunkster.
Congrats on finishing! It’s always nice to be able to mark a challenge off your list.
I really enjoy long books, but for some reason, seem to usually pick up the smaller books. The Help was one chunkster I really enjoyed this year.
Melissa, I loved The Help too! I forgot all about that!
Congrats on finishing the challenge.
Thanks!
I’m a new reader of your blog and really enjoying it! Love the chance to get inspired about all the books I haven’t read yet, and hear your thoughts about ones I have read. The Chunkster Challenge sounds interesting – I’ve always loved long books! At the moment I’m in the middle of Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope (around 850 pages, I think) and I’m loving it.
Hi Amy! Thank you for commenting on my blog for the first time! I haven’t heard of Can You Forgive Her? before, so it is good to know that you are enjoying it. I hope that you find some great book suggestions on my site – let me know if you enjoy them (or if you don’t!) Thank you for your kind words.