Just to demonstrate how hard I found it to read Orlando, I’ve already finished reading The Catcher in the Rye and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle after finishing Orlando - which I started just after Christmas.
The Catcher in the Rye was one on My List. I’d actually remained in complete ignorance of the plot so had no idea what it would be like. It was pretty gripping, easy to read and with good toilet sized chapters (key quality of all good books). I spent the book excited to find what was going to happen… and then it ended.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was a more recent addition to My List. It was utterly enthralling and I spent the book excited to find what was going to happen (and even more excited to see if I’d start understanding what was going on). I think it is mostly wrapped up at the last possible minute.
What I didn’t anticipate was that the books would be linked, and not as trivially as it seems, by ducks. Fitting (for me. And here).