Thrift by Phil ChurchMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
To all of my teachers, I’m sorry! It’s not that long since I left school, and I have certificates to prove that, and although we weren’t quite as difficult in my day, we had our moments! Thrift brought so many memories flooding back of the ‘best days of my life’ that I found it hard to imagine this as any other school than mine.
I was reading this outside, basking in the sun, iPod on and only realised I’d laughed out loud when my neighbour, who was washing his car, stuck his head round the wall to see what all the hilarity was about. So much of the book is all the more funny because it rings so true.
The parents out there will probably worry that their children could be under the care of teachers like this - apathetic, mildly neurotic, demotivated people whose only supports are caffeine, sugar and alcohol.
Even if it doesn’t remind you of your own school days, it will remind you of people you’ve encountered and those exasperating moments where you feel like the only one with any sense of reality. You could take the overall perspective and apply it to almost any workplace where there are tiers of authority, from teaching to nursing to corporate environments. Thinking about it like that, I might be over-analysing, but you have to laugh that people are people whatever the age or location and just as exasperating.
You might think the inadequacies are brought to the surface in the pressure cooker of a failing school, but Mr Church shows us through glimpses at personal lives that’s not so. Sometimes people just really aren’t very good at life. Regardless of intelligence, some people are just better at getting things wrong than right. To add insult to injury, some people are unlucky as well as ill equipped. In this case the bad luck is apparently a lifelong thing. Ineptitude though could be induced and not inherent, or so you think here. Does he attract disaster or does he unconsciously engineer it? Or am I engaging in transference?
Written in the first person, Thrift combines cutting wit and observation with a voice of bitter experience in a quick and entertaining read. This is a great character novel where you find yourself rooting for the lead, not necessarily to succeed so much as not get found out. Great debut – hurry up and write some more!
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The Armageddon Chord by Jeremy WagnerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Hard to say what I think about this book exactly. I’ve read it in no time at all, so it’s certainly fast paced and accessible and it’s not the longest of novels. What I can’t decide is whether or not it’s meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek. It’s tagged as horror, although I’d say it was more of a supernatural thriller and quite light-hearted too.
When asked about my musical tastes, I always say Metal is my first love and my mistress and although I might stray from time to time, I always come back to her and she welcomes me with open arms. That’s why I chose to read this book. It appealed to the Bill and Ted lover in me. That’s sort of how it read too. That’s not a negative statement in any way.
Everyone’s heard of guitar heroes and guitar gods. I imagine that’s where the idea first took root for this story. As KISS sang, God gave rock and roll to ya and KISS crop up more than once in this volume (no pun intended on volume and I’ll stay away from saying anything goes to eleven).
I’ve told my other half that he’d enjoy the book. He’s a guitarist. It may give him delusions of grandeur though, so I might just hide it from him. It’s a fun read and picks up on a few things we sort of know about the music industry and suspect about billionaire businessmen. Festus a twist on Faustus perhaps?
One point where I think Hell, yeah but laugh at the same time is that Metal has always come under fire as being ‘unholy’ and the fans as being Satanists (Word auto-capitalises that btw, not me!) and this book defends the music and our right to wear black quite admirably. The demonization of Metal might be another point of origin, although who am I to say where a writer gets their ideas?
Why only three stars then? Well I can’t give 3.5 and it’s not quite 4 for me. There are a couple of incongruities in the storyline. I’ll not explain them because I don’t want to spoil anyone’s reading, but a continuity editor/buff would spot them too. Also a few linguistic hiccups and I’m a writer and proof reader so they made my mark-up alarm sound. Three stars rates my overall reading experience of the book and not only the story. Get a more vigilant editor, Jeremy!
The Armageddon Chord is an enjoyable read and would make a good screenplay in a Raiders of the Lost Ark sort of way. I don’t think you could pull it off as a terrifying horror but as a thriller with mystical overtones, yes. Read it – it’s fun!
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Enter The Dragon: How I Transformed My Life And How You Can Too by Theo PaphitisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The story of the football obsessed (and I mean obsessed!) family man and dragon and how he turned his life around. Well, where to begin a review? With other reviews, I think. Some people have slated this book for not being the business book they somehow thought it was. I have to disagree with them completely. Enter the Dragon is not billed as a business book. It’s a book by a very successful businessman who turned his life literally from rags to riches, hence the subtitle, but he never claims he’ll tell you how to be successful in business yourself.
What Mr Paphitis does in this book is describe a quite remarkable life, beginning as a child newly arrived from Cypress and struggling not only with the language barrier but also with dyslexia and having to get through school at a time when those difficulties were very rarely supported. Branded as ‘thick’ he could easily have given up there and then. Of course, we know he’s anything but thick and is not only very quick but also very shrewd.
Enter the Dragon does give some rules for business at the end (which are on Theo’s website too, so we know these are not the purpose of the book) and if you have an ounce of common sense you’ll find yourself agreeing with them. The thing that stands out from this book as the way Theo transformed his life is his attitude. He has the tenacity to keep trying and the determination to succeed. He has the sense to cut his losses and not carry them with him into the next venture. Most of all, he embraces his abilities with the key attitude that he can do anything he puts his mind to. We can all do that (within our physical limitations) but how often do we allow ourselves to believe it?
You might not get direct insight to business plans and how to play every move in the game from this book. If you sit back and read it and exercise a little common sense you can easily interpret the message though. If you give up, you’ll never be anything like Mr Paphitis. If you allow your heart to rule your head in business, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. If you bite off more than you can chew, you’ll choke. If you don’t do your homework, you’ll get caught out. It’s all about having the spirit and the sense to succeed. Theo’s had some near misses but he fought back with a powerful faith in his ability to spot an opportunity.
There’s a lot to be got from this book, whether you’re looking for a sense of direction in business or just want to know more about the dragon we’ve all come to appreciate for not pussy-footing around. If it’s how to you’re after, this is not the book for you. If you can apply a little independent thought to what you read and think about how you can change your attitude and approach, then it’s a very useful read. It’s nice to learn more about Theo the person as well.
Four stars Theo – a bit too much football for me, and yes I know that’s highly relevant to you and both your business and personal life – it just makes very little sense to me so I didn’t take much in for two chapters. Readers, you can still learn that it’s good to have more passions in life than ‘strictly business’ – this man is football crazy and I wouldn’t mind being a tenner behind him!
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The Heretic's Treasure by Scott MarianiMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ben Hope returns, not entirely willingly for more thrills, spills and mayhem, crosses and double-crosses and let’s not forget mortal peril.
The Heretic’s Treasure is slower to start than its elder siblings. That might have much to do with Ben’s attempts to lead a (relatively) normal life. I did find it easier to put the book down though and didn’t necessarily pick it up again for a couple of days. The previous three instalments in the Ben Hope series stole my attention completely whereas for the first half of this one, I remembered to do things like housework and going to sleep.
Ben is Ben and we know him by now. It’s always good to return to a familiar character in a series and find he’s still himself. He still appreciates his weapons and has his own strict moral code. There’s no disappointment there.
The layers of treachery are many as ever and we sometimes wish Ben had a better sense of smell for rats. If he did though, there’d be so much less plot. The villains this time round are good old nasty bits of work with so much more potential to do harm than ever before. They do make you wonder just how safe we all are whilst reading our Ben Hope books. Hope must be a man that’s beginning to loathe history as every time he must learn some more of it, the killing starts. The Heretic’s Treasure picks up nicely on the mysterious Akhenaten and the things his catastrophic rule of Egypt brought about. Millennia later his legacy, or what some people will do for it, still wreaks havoc for Ben. Because Ben was there though, no-one need ever know how close to world shattering things became.
As I’ve said in reviews of the previous instalments, you might spot the twists long before they happen, but it’s about how Ben deals with them. He doesn’t have the benefit of sitting quietly, reading about it and has to get out of those situations somehow, often with more luck than judgement this time.
Supporting characters are a little strange in this one. We spend a lot of time in the company of some of them and although they have a purpose in the story, we maybe didn’t need to know so much about them. I might read the next book and find out why, of course. It’s a series after all and characters can recur (unless they’re killed horribly as often happens when Ben’s around). There are some that are explored (did you read that as exploded? I did when I read it back!) in lots more detail than they need to be and some that could have been developed just that bit further. I did find myself thinking that more could have been done with the latter quarter of the story at the expense of some of the introduction and scene building. That’s just me though. Female characters aren’t as prevalent as personalities in this one. They’re more a source of strife and confusion for Ben. He is a man though, so it had to happen sometime.
Will Ben go back into the full time hero trade after this? He can’t seem to escape it. I look forward to reading the next novel to find out.
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The Doomsday Prophecy by Scott MarianiMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
As the third in the Ben Hope series, we’re expecting much more from the Doomsday Prophecy – we kind of know what Hope is capable of and we know just how far reaching conspiracies can be. We want the thrills and spills, we want to wonder whether these things might actually be happening out there, and we want a little bit more besides. It’s an addiction of sorts, the preferred fix for armchair adrenaline junkies.
The Doomsday Prophecy keeps us waiting a little longer for the action and the real intrigue to unfold, but then it more than makes up for leaving us dangling for so long. We’re all familiar with at least the idea of biblical prophecy, whether we’ve waded through it ourselves or not. Every time there’s trouble in the Middle East someone wheels out the predictions. Mariani takes it to a different level. Spoiler alert – Ben Hope does not fight God. At least not in the sense of fists and bullets flying.
The plot, as we were hoping, is action, adventure and intrigue indeed, then cross and double cross and even a bit of triple cross in there for good measure. So we might see it coming before it happens. That’s half the joy of this series. We know perfectly well there’s no way we as average human beings could get out of these situations and we want to see how the highly skilled and possibly slightly mad Hope does it.
The scheming in the Doomsday Prophecy is so multi-layered and far reaching that we can’t see for sure where it reached its zenith until Hope has the answers. We are kept guessing just who is at the top. It’s a little like playing a console game and just when you think you’ve beaten the boss, an evil laugh booms out and you fight on to meet the next one. To keep to the analogy, for every boss you kill, the danger mounts.
Mariani never give us huge amounts of character detail on anyone but Hope, and yet he somehow manages to create strong impressions of each so that we can intensely like or dislike, trust or mistrust the cast. Female readers will appreciate his female characters. In this one ladies, there’s one you’ll come to dislike, but its ok girls – Ben does too.
The Doomsday Prophecy gives us much more insight into Ben Hope, the man behind the operative. Again, Mariani tells us a lot in so few words that we hardly know why we know what we know. I may have been reading these books too much over a period of days, but I’m beginning to wonder if there’s not some subliminal code at work. Or perhaps it’s the simple fact that these books read like watching a movie - you see them as much as read them – so the impressions are that much stronger.
Round three to you, Mr Mariani – as soon as I’ve posted this, I’m starting round four.
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The Mozart Conspiracy by Scott MarianiMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Mozart Conspiracy as the second in the Ben Hope series is bound to have many echoes of its elder sibling The Alchemist’s Secret. It follows a similar premise and has many familiar touches. However, similarities are what you want in a series based on the same central character. You want to return to the life of the same person you read about in the last instalment. There would be little point in a series otherwise. Mariani picks up with Ben Hope as we got to know him before and it brings a smile to your face as it does with the idiosyncrasies of an old friend.
The Mozart Conspiracy is another well researched and plausible novel. It has some slightly more ludicrous stunts than The Alchemist’s Secret, some feats that, though we’d like to believe someone like Hope could pull off, we know rely somewhat on suspension of disbelief. Hopes grit and determination, training and skill, are perhaps some mystical force that we will learn of in the next instalment.
That’s not to say they detract from the story at all, spoil the plot, or indeed alienate the reader. They are perhaps a little overkill, a little unnecessary, but they are in keeping with Hope’s character and situation. It’s a mark of a well written hero that you can forgive him these things.
The villains of the piece are more sinister and more bloodthirsty. There is more violence and deeper intrigue. For fans of this type of novel, it’s exactly what you want in a second appearance of a hero. He got out of so much trouble last time it has to be worse this time, or we’d lose faith in him. In this episode, the scheming is far reaching and is bound to put a smile on the face of any conspiracy theorist.
Strong women back up the predominantly masculine cast of characters once again, and once again only bring complication to the scrapes Hope gets into. Because he’s a good guy though, he deals with it. Romantic interest is not overdone although plays a more significant part in this episode.
Echoes of James Bond come through here and there, but of the character and not the preposterous inventions of a government weapons lab. Since most of us drawn to this sort of novel probably grew up on Bond though, this is a welcome means to identify with Hope.
Once again a page-turner from Mariani and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Who can tell what dangers loom.
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The Alchemist's Secret by Scott MarianiMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I started reading this book prepared to roll my eyes and groan at the implausibility and impossibility that usually makes up the bulk of such novels, half expecting some miracle of alchemy, half some ludicrous stunt defying all laws of physics. Don’t get me wrong – there’s always entertainment in those novels – but this one keeps it within the bounds of plausible and even believable story telling.
The Alchemist’s Secret is non-stop action, adventure and intrigue with only the smallest smattering of romantic interest. The hero, Ben Hope, is a character you can accept and fully believe capable of the things he does. He doesn’t turn suddenly into some James Bond on speed producing prototype weapons or ludicrous science-fiction gadgets. He has his Browning 9mm, a whole lot of training and is simply good at what he does. Of course, only the SAS really know what the SAS know, and we always want them to be this good, or at least I do.
This is a refreshing example of its genre for a couple of reasons. Apart from the fact that it doesn’t require too much suspension of disbelief – I never had a “yeah, right, and I’m Catwoman” moment – the characters are not caricatures, the locations are real, the historical background is well researched and the politics too are quite realistic. The women are women and neither wannabe movie stars or screaming, fainting things. They’re quite normal for the day and have the strength a 21st century woman should have – not too much, not too little.
Hope is a slightly more atypical action hero – the education and extreme training, the tragic past, the tortured soul striving to make things right – but not overstatedly so. He just gets on and does what he has to do. He is likeable, which goes a long way to keeping the reader interested.
I started reading this the morning after having surgery and it was just the thing. Not too heavy in the language, not to protracted in the plot. I did think at first that once I came to properly it might be a bit too casual, but it wasn’t and when I haven’t been sleeping off the aftermath of being cut up, I’ve been reading The Alchemist’s Secret because I’ve been enjoying it. The fast pace and lack of dragged out details have helped me stay awake to keep myself well, so a great choice it turned out to be! It’s a page-turner with just the right amount of twists and turns, although you’ll probably spot them coming. That’s not the point – the point is how Hope gets through it. Nicely done, Mr Mariani – I shall read more of your work with pleasure.
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Catch 22 by Joseph HellerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Catch-22 is perhaps the most bizarre novel I’ve read. It’s tangential, disjointed funny and sad. It’s very much tongue-in-cheek for the vast majority of the time, but when it it’s not, it’s poignant. From some of the most insane dialogue to scenes of personal horror, the book ties together the literal madness of war and the gritty truth of it.
The idea of Catch-22 has become part of the general vernacular in most English speaking nations since the 1970s and most of us have used it to describe a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. The catch stems from the idea that as a combat pilot, you can only be grounded in perfect physical health if you’re mad. If you ask to be grounded though, you must be sane because only mad men want to fly combat missions. Having asked to be grounded, how do you then prove you’re mad? Do you go on parade naked? Do you attend a funeral sitting naked up a nearby tree? Do you have horrific nightmares at the thought of flying no more missions? You can try, but you won’t succeed because of Catch-22.
When you read this novel, you’ll quickly discover that such a catch can only exist because everyone is mad. From Private to General, there is not a sane man to be found. Even the psychiatrist is quite plainly mad. The result is some real laugh out loud moments as we follow Yossarian through his struggles to be sent home alive. But when we read of the horrors through which he has lived, we begin to understand.
There isn’t too much dwelling on the facts of post-traumatic stress, and if you didn’t know of such a thing, you would find it hard to spot in the novel - it is never discussed, never referred to and the resulting madness seems part of everyday life on base.
I found I came to like Yossarian and think him the most sane of all, especially in comparison to the likes of Hungry Joe, Colonel Korn and General Scheisskopf (you don’t need to know much German to see what Heller did there!).
I found Catch-22 wasn’t a novel I felt compelled to keep reading, largely because of its disjointed nature - it does hop around in time and space a lot – but when I did pick it up, I flew through it, often smiling to myself, often with an eyebrow raised. I smiled when I finished the book because ultimately I really enjoyed it. I now want to get my hands on the film and see just how true to the book it manages to stay.
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The Woman in White by Wilkie CollinsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wilkie Collins is renowned from his era as a master of mystery and suspense and The Woman in White certainly proves that mastery.
Writing in the style of composite narratives from different pens, Collins compiles ‘history’ and testimony to construct a complete narrative of a tale full of twists and turns, colourful characters and elaborate schemes. There is not a part of this novel that is not relevant in some way, nore is there a name, face, or place that has no part to play.
Collins draws on his legal experience to sift out irrelevance and tells us more than once that only those details required by the case in point are here told. The result is that readers don’t lose interest and don’t lose the thread despite the near 500 page length. It certainly doesn’t feel like 500 pages when it reaches its satisfying conclusion.
It’s a tale that could still be true 150 years after its publication - something that many people now pay insurances against – making it all the more engaging. Who is not just slightly paranoid about what other people might do that could send our lives spiralling out of control?
I can’t think of a single negative point to make about this book. I only wish Collins were around to make book-signing tours – I’d love a signed copy!
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Atonement by Ian McEwanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book. Whilst I found it quite informative in a self discovery fashion, and I thank Mr Mcewan for helping me make realisations about some of my familial relationships, I also found it quite plodding and at times had to read sentences more than once before they gelled; they seem written for the gratification of writing them and not with the reader in mind. Were I not a reader of the started so I’ll finish ilk, I might have put it down in dismay. Because essentially it’s not a bad book, I stuck by my principles and ploughed on.
The story itself meanders somewhat although at the moments of real import it stays true. Description of the World War II era is good and I appreciate only someone that lived through those situations could convey the true horror and fear experienced. As it transpires that the novel is written from the perspective of someone writing a second-hand, researched account, so ultimately from a third-hand perspective, why it feels so detached becomes clearer. Experiences in the hospital are less distanced and this also begins to make more sense. This clarification, though, comes at the very last. Had it been from the outset, I might have been less inclined to mutter to myself that for 350 pages this novel seemed very long.
Description is important in a novel, yes. Description can be great. Description in place of plot is frustrating. If it were a conversation, you’d find yourself trying to hurry it along to the point. I haven’t seen the film adaptation, but I might now have to watch it as I suspect this is one of the rare occasions where the film will be better than the book. The medium will no doubt be more suited to the depth of visual references.
When you read Atonement, you should bear in mind that it will make more sense eventually. It is best read, if you have the time to read at such moments, when not tired or at all distracted – those long passive sentences will be much easier to unravel.
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Introducing Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP): A Practical Guide by Neil ShahMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I bought this book because I wanted to find a way to move on in life. I had a feeling of what Shah himself says – “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
The book provides a highly accessible introduction to the techniques of neurolinguistic programming in nicely digestible chunks. It is an eye opener in many ways, especially as it is mindful in telling you that you can’t use this to change other people, but you can change yourself so that other people relate to you better.
Whether you want to learn how better to influence people, how to overcome phobias or how to prepare yourself for any situation, this book is an excellent starting point. It may be all you need in itself, and if not, Shah provides a helpful list of further reading and information resources to further your studies.
It warrants a second read or more to make sure you’ve fully grasped all of what it gives you. I found myself at times so enthused at what I was reading that I didn’t really take it in. Next read, pad and pen at the ready and then I can properly learn how to change my filter so that I no longer need to write things down in order to commit them to memory.
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan DoyleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
What’s not to like about Sherlock Holmes? Yes his manner is brusque and as Watson himself remarks not without egotism, but he solves mysteries before he even sees where they took place and is willing to overlook the letter of the law if matters can be set to rights in a gentler manner.
With every mystery, you try yourself to deduce the answer, and you might even come close, but quite often you’re as baffled as Watson at how Holmes connects the dots. Of course it always helps, in crime fiction, that the writer already knows the answer before he starts writing the story of getting there.
The twist with Conan Doyle’s stories is that you are guided quite strongly in one direction, feeling quite smug that you also know better than the bumbling police officers who only care about making an arrest, and your instincts may be right, but the exact solution is never quite what you first thought.
Some are a little more clear-cut than others but written in such a way that you fall into the pattern of the collection and quite happily go along with it.
It’s little wonder that Sherlock Holmes is as popular a sleuth today as ever, and is still the inspiration of Hollywood and the small screen alike. There are few current characters that have quite the whimsical charm of Holmes; the eccentric genius with a great depth of character that we never quite see but know is there. After all, when you eliminate the impossible, what remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
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The Lovely Bones by Alice SeboldMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
How to describe The Lovely Bones… Poignant, emotive, different.
I read this book in one sitting. It wraps you in its world, sharing with you the love, family, grief and renewal. It has a wonderful innocence about it and deep warmth.
It simply sees things through the eyes of murdered Susie Salmon as she adapts to her life after death and keeps watch over all brought about on earth by her death. It’s a story you’d like to believe could be real, albeit without murder as the cause.
You feel as though Susie is talking confidentially to you; that you can hear her when no-one else can and that is but one thing makes it so special. Innocence lost and innocence lingering; hopes, dreams, beliefs and unfairness.
At time of reading, I have recently, suddenly, lost my mother and while at times The Lovely Bones made me cry quite deeply, what I have brought away from it is a hope of renewal and continuance. Ultimately, as I read, I found myself smiling.
I can hardly believe this is a debut novel and will definitely read more by Alice Sebold.
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Birdsong - Special Edition by Sebastian FaulksMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Birdsong contemplates one of the most difficult and harrowing subjects of all time – the carnage of World War One from the point of view of a British soldier on the front line.
I really don’t know how to describe this book. It is slow to start and seems to be going nowhere, then becomes an emotive if not quite thoroughly descriptive war story that occasionally loses itself here and there.
Whilst I found it quite difficult to tear myself away from the story in those parts where it deals with life in the trenches, stark though they are, in other parts, particularly the last two chapters, I found it hard not to skip pages.
The style is often meandering with an almost illusory feel to it. Whilst I recognise it is hard to convey the depth of the horrors experienced, and the shock would certainly have made it feel a living nightmare, the disconnected feeling lasts throughout the book and persits with characters not involved in the war at all. It seems not to be a device by which to convey our soldier’s perspective.
I did enjoy Birdsong in parts and it is worth reading for those parts, but much seems irrelevant and detracts from the impact I feel this novel should have had. I will read more about World War One as I haven’t done for years and feel we should never forget the inhumanity of it, but I probably won’t read Birdsong again, or if I do I’ll skip straight to the meaningful sections and skip over a lot that said very little.
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War and Peace by Leo TolstoyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I understand why people are put off reading this book. It’s a mammoth undertaking just in page count, and the language is not as quick to read as 21st century English. Russian names make the mind reel to grasp some idea of pronunciation and the immense geography can be muddling.
But, and it’s a very big BUT, if you can put aside the latent fear of commitment to such a book, you will not be disappointed.
War and Peace describes the years of war in Russia against Napoleon, 1805 to 1812. Naturally the War proportion is dedicated to this. The Peace proportion revolves around a number of families, their ups and downs, all of whom have some tie to the war in that they have loved ones in the military, are involved in an official capacity, or are off to war themselves. Tolstoy weaves all together beautifully and simultaneously provides us with a valuable source on the history of the Russian Napoleonic wars, with the occasional short chapter given to discussion and analysis of war and of spirituality. He made great effort to ensure the accuracy of his facts, dates, and characters such as the Tsar and Napoleon.
It is a book from which you establish favourite characters and favourite situations. Some will love the Austen-style sub-plots of romance and emotional turmoil. Others will love the military aspect – battles and strategies and how they came into effect.
War and Peace is engaging, illuminating, and gives an incredible insight into the times in which it’s based. There are some quite amusing observations of national identity and they ring true against today’s perceptions. The descriptions of certain illnesses suggest first hand experience of them, at least as a witness. Very striking though is the psychological insight given through the introspection of his characters. As we read their self analysis, we recognise various motives, thoughts and emotions in ourselves. A lot can be learned about the self in reading this book in addition to history and much brief yet profound wisdom. His short description of grief through his characters is stark, honest and the most accurate I’ve read.
In his epilogues, the discussions of both history and spirituality are revisited in greater depth and perhaps give a better idea of what the title of the book truly meant to Tolstoy. War and Peace is frequently said to be the greatest novel ever written, and it would be hard to find another that undertakes such massive subjects, offers so much depth and does so in the form of a novel. For the sheer amount of exploration found in War and Peace, it is really not that long at all.
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I, Lucifer by Glen DuncanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don’t want to say too much about this book by way of what it’s about – it’s one you really have to read for yourself. Read the blurb then settle down to it.
I couldn’t put this book down. From the brilliantly immersive, descriptive language of sights and bodily sensations as Lucifer gets to grip with the five corporeal senses, to the biting analysis of modern day human life in the city, you will laugh, you will be painfully alerted to certain truths, and you will be turning the pages wanting to devour more of this brilliant novel.
I only dream of writing like this. Duncan certainly makes you realise to just how much you are oblivious, and how much you take for granted as a human being with five functioning senses and world of experiences just waiting for you. I’ll never walk down the street with the same perspective again. Or not for a while anyway.
There are few books, even fewer writers, that compel me to read lines aloud to people just for their brilliance, but I read them in person, over the phone, posted online… I was mesmerised from start to finish. Having finished, I know I’ll read it again before long.
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Joan of Arc by Ronald Charles Sutherland GowerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
There is no doubt that Joan of Arc is a figure who raises questions and inspires historians to find out more about her and the challenges she faced. In this book, Gower attempts to describe her life and achievements, but does so without any great understanding of writing a history.
This not a terrible book, but not what I’d call exactly good. It gives a reasonable overview of events as a narrative. The history it consists of is lacking depth. The author talks of a lack of sources then later of a fund of information although biased either for or against Joan of Arc. The task of the historian is to look past bias and extract the facts. He spends a lot of time listing names of those present at her trial and then at the ‘rehabilitation’ but gives us little more than their name, age and position. At times he tells us that someone gave testimony and it was important, but fails to elaborate. He then tells us that someone gave testimony but it was nothing of interest. Then why mention it at all?
He at one point says “and doubtless the reader will be glad to come to the end of this interminable procession, as is the writer”, which leads me to think he found examining the detail and evidence was not important and even a bore to him.
Gower clearly has an admiration for the heroine, understandably, but because of this his account is anything but unbiased. He seems to see her in the same romantic vein as Malory saw Arthur and his knights. The difference of course is that one was a real historical figure, the other a fictitious re-invention of someone that may or may not have lived and of whom there would be no detail anyway.
Reading this book, I felt as though I was listening to someone half asleep telling me something they’d been taught by someone else many years ago. It has a drowsy quality to it and is much like watching though semi-opaque glass. He passes over facts that could be given in more depth in a way reminiscent of a child’s school history report. To sum it up it has the impact of ‘and they fought a battle, and Joan of Arc got hurt but kept fighting, and they won, then they all went home. They had another battle a bit later as well.” Really, in a history of only 131 pages, you feel the butter is spread rather thin.
Were I Gower’s editor, I’d have him condense the book to an essay or treatise where his scant information would seem less threadbare. If not condense, then elaborate on the facts alluded to as being in his possession, but never examined.
Joan of Arc was a courageous young lady, who whether divinely or at least spiritually guided, or deluded in a very practical way, had great impact during the Hundred Years War, leading the French to some important victories. She deserves admiration, but she also deserves a less shallow history than this, or indeed for this to be described as a narrative and not a history at all.
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The Light at the End: a short story about the great dying of 2012 by Donna BurgessMy rating: 1 of 5 stars
I'm awarding this short story one star because it does have one redeeming feature in some of its descriptive prose. It has words missing; some run together so you have to guess what the hybridisation is and some simply incorrect usage.
That's not the main reason I don't want to rate more than one star. After building to a point where a cataclysmic end seems imminent in the next few pages, it just ends. There is no conclusion to it. No satisfaction of even a tragic ending.
I get that this might be part of the idea - that there is life, and then all of a sudden nothing, but there isn't even a "then there was nothing". You're left with the sensation that you should write your own final paragraph to it.
Granted, I downloaded it for free, but I had been looking forward to reading the 'tale of hope and family during Earth's darkest moment', but it reads like the first part of something that should be more.
The blurb puts a number of questions - "What do you do? Hide? Live your life as if tomorrow is promised to you? Do you give up? Do you hope? Turn your neighbors away at the door? Turn the gun on yourself? Turn inward or reach outward? Do you hold your family close and know that whatever happens you are together?" - which the story vaguely raises but never really examines. Some exploration of how the various characters arrived at their decisions might have made up for the lack of a conclusion.
This had real potential but just did not live up to it. I'm sorry - I really wanted to like it.
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is written as the memoirs of Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit of Bag End. I first read it when I was young enough to be scared of trolls and goblins not to mention evil dragons. There are certain scenes from it that will remain ingrained on my brain for life and others that I can’t really recall at all. That’s age and not the quality of the book.
Tolkien can be ponderous at times but is far less so in The Hobbit than in The Lord of the Rings. In this book it’s the Dwarves that sing, not the Elves. Tolkien does like his songs.
Bilbo embraces his adventurous side and sets out on the quest to reclaim treasure from the dragon Smaug. The book charts his encounters and the events along the way. It’s a time of turmoil in Middle Earth, the era before the dominion of Men. There are dangers at every turn for a young Hobbit. He has his blade, Sting, taken from a troll hoard, and his wits to protect him.
The Hobbit was so successful in 1937 that Tolkien was asked to write a sequel and so was born the Lord of the Rings.
The Hobbit is a far easier read than LOTR and a child can make short work of it, but it is by no means specifically a children’s book. Readers of all generations will enjoy this book and it will be passed on from one generation to the next as a worthy way to absorb some literature.
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Sex and the Kitty: A Celebrity Meowmoir by Nancy the CatMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nancy is an intelligent, articulate, cat. She writes an early autobiography, charting her life from early kittenhood, her first adventures into the world and her search for the perfect career in the limelight.
Nancy’s world is one where cats are able to do many things I’ve often suspected but never quite managed to prove. In her world, but for the lack of opposable thumbs, they’re right up there with humans.
The book is littered, no pun intended, with social references that frankly, a human couldn’t make without dealing with myriad publicists. Cats can be catty it would seem. The social commentary is brilliant. Types of cat very closely resemble types of people in their foibles and insecurities.
There are laugh-out-loud moments and many more snigger-to-oneself. I won’t quote a single one, because it won’t be as funny when you read it for yourself. Bought as a diversionary light read, I found this book quite enchanting. I’m awarding five stars because it doesn’t lapse into the unimaginative or unbelievable. Of course, by picking up the book you suspend disbelief, but this book successfully walks that fine line.
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Through The Magic Door by Arthur Conan DoyleMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have to admit, although Through the Magic Door is a mere 92 pages in this version, I gave up.
It started with great promise and sank page by page into plodding sameness. It's a 92 page book review. It conveys the joy and the benefit of reading, yes, but it delves into the lives of the authors whose books adorn his shelves and I found it became a chore to read.
It's a great concept. The Magic Door is a book, any book. Books can transport you anywhere and teach you anything. That's why we're on goodreads, is it not. I wanted more of the mystic approach from the beginning and less of the mutiple mini biographies.
Not my cup of tea and I'm gutted about that. I really wanted to enjoy the whole thing and not just the first few pages. Oh well.
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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Nick Carraway arrives at West Egg he has little idea of what life will be like for him there. He doesn’t know anyone in the vicinity but his cousin Daisy in the more fashionable East Egg. He unwittingly enters a social minefield, encountering many frightfully superficial people. Some are down to earth, some eccentric, some explosive. One is a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a conundrum and that is Gatsby.
Fitzgerald leads us through the inter-war landscape of Long Island and Queens with imagery that gives us as much idea as the narrator himself could have as a new arrival. Striking landmarks stand out, and the rest is largely unexplored.
The Great Gatsby is very brief. One evening’s reading. In so short a piece, Fitzgerald blends intriguing characters with colourful settings and historical context to create a spellbinding work that will leave you with a tinge of regret. Not regret for reading by any means, but regret for Gatsby. Read it and enjoy.
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Great Expectations by Charles DickensMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great Expectations were not what I actually had for this book. How wrong I was. The plot is captivating, the characters bewitching. Miss Havisham, whom we all know regardless of whether we’ve read the book, is iconic and although quite sinister is also endearing. Magwitch, the convict, is perceived as a threat but in truth has a good heart and unlucky circumstances. Mr Jaggers is a conundrum and it’s hard to tell where his true allegiances lie. He’s certainly at the epicentre of the whole affair. Mr Wemmick, well, I want to pop in for tea at the ‘castle’ and meet ‘The Aged’. But of all the deep and engaging characters, the one for whom I have the greatest affection is Joe Gargery, the blacksmith, Pip’s brother in law and father figure. I could box Pip’s ears when I think about the situation with Joe who never lets the boy down and never expects any more than what he considers his lot in life. Describing himself as ‘awful dull’, he has the wisest heart and most powerful sense of right and wrong of all. His is a kindness that shows true strength.
Dickens creates wonderful characters and never allows the plot to stagnate. The reader becomes immersed in the life of Pip, the young man with great expectations, and through the first person narrative is kept always out of the secrets and back stories until they are revealed to the boy himself. Some things may be predictable if you are accustomed to looking for the twists about to happen, but they in no way detract from the story since you wait to see how the truth will be uncovered. My less than great expectations have become great praise indeed for a masterly work.
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Middlemarch : a study of provincial life by George EliotMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
I downloaded Middlemarch because I'd read that it gave amazing psychological insight into the characters. I read it waiting for the insight to materialise. I finished it weeks ago and I'm still waiting. There are numerous sub-plots, all of which centre on marriages and inheritances, all of which are quite predictable. The Wikipedia summary probably gives you enough detail to surmise the entire story for yourself!
Characters are more like caricatures - the plain and pious young woman, the pretty and frivolous counterpart, the bumbling failed politician, the secretive and selfish banker - and their destinies turn out as you predict from the start. Most interesting is Tertius Lydgate, although Eliot (Evans) seems either unable to envisage, or perhaps too PC to express, the outbursts you want him to have. The whole novel suffers from this lack of force.
It repeatedly refers to current affairs in politics - parliamentary reform etc - but never goes into any detail, so anyone without a knowledge of British political history will have a hard time establishing the context.
I was left hugely underwhelmed by Middlemarch and give it two stars for the staying power it must have taken to write 1090 pages on provincial life in England in the 1830s. I'm sorry Mary Anne - I just didn't see the point.
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Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas HardyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really didn’t expect to like Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I’d never seen a TV or film adaptation and assumed it would be the same old rags to riches tale with a few highs and lows in between. What I hadn’t bargained on was the ending, which I’ll not betray.
It does indeed chart the rags to riches life of Tess Durbeyfield. At the opening of the book, Tess’ father, in a drunken state all too common for him, discovers that his family name is in fact a degeneration of D’Urberville and that they were once one of the great land owning families of England. The notions that he and his wife develop mainly impact poor Tess.
As the story unfolds and her life progresses there are no indications as to how things will ultimately turn out for her. There are happy times, there are sad times and there are desperate times. Most striking is not any one of those things in particular, but the way in which Hardy describes them. His scenery is wonderful and the depth of feeling tremendous. He conjures vivid pictures and creates compelling characters giving insightful social commentary on the rural folk of Victorian England and quite astute psychological insight to his main protagonists.
I found that I looked forward to picking the book up just to see more of his remarkable vision. I rate it four stars because I felt there was something just slightly lacking but not enough to dislike it or become indifferent. There is perhaps a certain dynamism missing for the 21st Century reader, although I’m quite sure that in 1891 it had lot more power. The twist in the tale must have been quite shocking to Hardy’s contemporaries and certainly came as a surprise to me. One that I might just read again in a few years.
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Wuthering Heights by Emily BrontëMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I now know why so many people name Wuthering Heights as their favourite novel. As a first and only novel, this is astounding. The atmospheric writing is such that I felt the temperature changes and heard the wind howling. I shuddered on the moors and warmed myself by the fires. I peered with trepidation out of the window to see what the tapping was. I was offended for Hareton, afraid for Cathy and felt the sense of wildness running through Catherine and Heathcliff.
Bronte's characters are beautifully written and there is no mistaking the personalities as they appear. In so many novels of the era I find I need to re-read sections to disentangle conversation. Here, without invasive 'favourite phrases' every single person has their own voice, their own delivery, whereby I knew exactly who was speaking. A distinct image of each appears to the mind's eye making every scene easy to picture.
I won't go into what happens. You'll have to read it and discover one of the best novels of all time for yourself. Truly deserving of the 'Classic' label. I bow to you Emily Bronte, and I shall celebrate for you on our shared birthday.
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A Christmas Carol by Charles DickensMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
So once again I'm late to read a book that most of the English-speaking world at least has read before they leave school.
I was captivated by A Christmas Carol. It's first and foremost a moral, cautionary tale, which is primarily why I'd never read it. I went to a Catholic school and received quite enough moral instruction on a daily basis.
But it's not just about learning a lesson. You find yourself wondering, and never get a solid answer, whether Scrooge has really experienced the visitations, or is in fact dreaming vividly as a result of the day's events. We've all had dreams so vivid that they seem like reality. Perhaps Dickens himself had a dream that sparked changes in himself. From what I understand he wasn't the nicest of men and a pricking conscience is one thing that will enter our dreams.
A Christmas Carol is done and finished in no time at all and is a real joy to read. Dickens' usual powerful characterisation enables an immediate knowing of each person. The descriptive language paints vivid pictures of people, ghosts and places transporting you into the world of Ebenezer Scrooge and you understand that he is a lonely man who simply won't acknowledge that fact.
Not long after my Mum passed away in October just gone, I had a dream not unlike the visit of the three ghosts, probably, I hope, as a result of reading the story, and it had a similar impact on me to the ghosts on Scrooge. So perhaps it is a morally edifying tale. Perhaps if I'd read it years ago, my dream would not have been necessary.
It's a story that makes you think about your life and how you conduct yourself and provides a strong visual to aid the analysis. I'm not at all like Scrooge, I hasten to add, but I'm human and there's room for improvement. A Christmas Carol does not need to be read at Christmas to have its impact. It is well worth a read and is a story I'll read again from time to time, quickly established as one of my favourite pieces of literature.
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The Three Musketeers by Alexandre DumasMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I downloaded this as a free Kindle book and enjoyed it so much I shortly after bought a paperback version for my Mum.
Porthos, Athos, Aramis and D’Artagnan, not to mention Planchet, Richlieu and Milady de Winter have become icons of literature and film alike. Every generation falls in love with this story. The reason for that is the rich tapestry Dumas creates with his characters, the surroundings, the historical context and the subterfuge. There is barely a moment when the heroes don’t find themselves caught up in conspiracy, risking life and limb to complete their mission.
The Three Musketeers is a riveting read from start to finish, and I was bereft when it did indeed finish. If I hadn’t tons of books waiting for me, I would gladly have started again from the beginning. This is a book you could discuss for hours and still find new points to explore - plots and sub-plots, honour and duplicity, rivalry and excellence. It’s a book you read in colour and sound, texture and scent. You sense and become part of the companionship. You worry for the heroes and dread the villains. You want to be there and that’s a remarkable thing in a book more than a century and a half old. The Three Musketeers is unrivalled and unforgettable. I want to BE a musketeer!
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Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
As Charlotte Bronte's first novel, there are many parts of Jane Eyre drawn from her own life experience, characters based on people she knew and places based on real locations. The book was seen as pioneering feminism in literature, exploring the thoughts and feelings of an independent minded woman. I grudgingly enjoyed the book. I didn't want to like it. I'd always imagined I'd hate it since it's not my usual type of reading. But I was intrigued with the beginning, curious about the middle, and although it was clear how it would end, I wanted to see how it would come about.
There are points where you think come along Charlotte, this is unnecessary, get moving. Taken from real-life influences, it's easy to see why she might feel she had to include everything as she did. There are points where you really want to know what's going on and these appear to be the true imaginative creation. What is the hidden danger lurking at Thornfield and what is it that Mr Rochester keeps hidden? All becomes clear, sadly with a lengthy lull in the plot from that point, and when it picks back up it's not to the same height from which it dropped. Some things happen a little too conveniently in light of the overall story and don't quite transition smoothly, but these are entirely forgivable.
You suspect something supernatural in places, and toward the end it becomes clear that Bronte has some leanings in that direction.
I wouldn't say quite wholly absorbing, although I did enjoy it and it did bring a tear to my eye at one point. It isn't up to the standard of her sister Emily's Wuthering Heights, but it's not far behind. I'd recommend Jane Eyre for quiet autumn evening reading accompanied by a cup of tea and a cosy blanket.
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Dracula by Bram StokerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Most people who are going to read Dracula have done so by their early twenties. Call me a late bloomer, but it wasn't until September last year that I finally got round to it. I'd imagined something arduous and verbose, and was pleasantly corrected.
Dracula is presented in the form of letters and journals from the main protagonists and as such never enters into lofty realms of inaccessible language.
I was taken aback at times by some of the most powerful descriptive tracts I've yet encountered. My mind recalls in particular to the storm scene in Chapter 7. It's hard to choose an example: "the whole aspect of nature at once became convulsed. The waves rose in growing fury, each over-topping its fellow, till in a very few minutes the lately glassy sea was like a roaring and devouring monster. White-crested waves beat madly on the level sands and rushed up the shelving cliffs."
Stoker is a master of absorbing the reader in his prose and with only one exception of ten or so pages, the story progresses with growing intrigue and sense of imminence.
It is not at all frightening to the reader, recounting the horror of the protagonists without letting it leak from the pages.
If you base your decision to read Dracula on any of the myriad films of the name, you will be surprised how different the book is from its many interpretations and spin-offs. You will love it and you will wish to see more of Vlad himself.
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Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary ShelleyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don't wish to give a synopsis, simply a review of what to expect from the novel and its style.
As with many novels of the era it is written in the first person as Victor Frankenstein tells his tale to a listener. It is told mostly from his perspective, although he recounts conversations thereby presenting the view of his creature.
Shelley does a remarkable job of entering the psyche of her characters as different personalities and moreso as her opposite gender. She portrays their conflicting emotions, their personal motives and experiences whilst at the same time giving such wonderful scenic descriptions that you quite easily see the story unfolding in your mind's eye. You can almost physically feel the temperature and smell the air of the locations she depicts.
It is a tale of ambition and folly and addresses the moral issue of following a path with no thought for consequence. Whilst I believe she intended it to be a commentary on men, the same just as easily applies to women in the modern world and we can probably all draw comparison with something we've done in our lives that we later paid for dearly. Perhaps not in such drastic proportions though.
Frankenstein is very easy to read and although there are references to books and scholars we probably have no experience of, this is easily passed over for the points they make regardless of the reference. That would be the only stumbling block, if you are a reader driven, like Frankenstein himself, to acquire the knowledge to light every corner.
This is a novel well worth a read for the depth of the story telling, the delightful language and the strength of characterisation. If you have seen the Kenneth Brannagh film, you may be a little confused in the reading and, spoiler alert, at no point does Victor ever say 'It LIVES!!'.
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The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis StevensonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderful read this is. Stevenson's touch is light and yet powerful and we can draw many personal conclusions from the tale. Jekyll and Hyde is such a familiar term to us all, but we tend to mean it to describe a person prone to mood swings.
What the true Jekyll and Hyde explores is not a temper tantrum but the levels of personality in us all. In truth, we all have a dark side, and some of us indulge it more than others. What would happen if our dark side took physical form and was left unchecked? What if that alter ego looked so physically different to us that no-one would ever know who it truly was? What if it not only came to life but also usurped our place in the world? How could we seek help?
This novella raises many questions if you wish it to. It is also a tale you can devour without taking it as more than an enjoyable read. Similar to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, it examines ambition and drive gone awry but it also examines the idea that each of us can be more than one person, that we each exercise a great deal of control over our primal instinct and desire for good reason, and how this can at times tear us apart.
Movies we've seen don't do this work justice and at such a small size there is no argument for not reading. Although in this edition there are only 88 printed pages. There's a small cluster of blank pages at the back from the binding, but you can use these to make notes, either on the novel, or on your own experiments leading to ruin :)
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The House of the Dead by Fyodor DostoyevskyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The House of Dead is a largely autobiographical novel based on Dostoyevsky's years in a Siberian prison labour camp. The title refers to the prisoner status which renders them dead to society. Although the book is perhaps not shocking in its narrative about the conditions, prison microcosm and attitudes, it is an eye opener all the same. We don't imagine conditions quite so severe and learn that British prisoners of the time lived a life of relative luxury by comparison. The diet, sleeping and bathing conditions will make you wonder how anyone other than the strongest ever survived. Punishments will make you wince in sympathy.
The characters take a while to come through, but that conveys the way Fyodor himself was received in prison rather well. It took a long time to adjust and the narrative reflects that.
Modern preconception is that Dostoyevsky is pretentious and hard to read. The language is very rich and heavy, but one must remember this is a highly educated Russian gentleman, writing over 150 years ago in his native language, which has subsequently been translated into English. His work is in fact more accessible than many English works of the era.
I enjoyed this book although I might be reticent to red it again, purely for the bleakness and oppression it conveys so well. Perhaps one year in the summer...
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The Screwtape Letters by C.S. LewisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Temptingly good, wickedly insightful...
This book was recommended to me as both amusing, thought provoking and also as a brilliant piece of writing. It does indeed tick all of those boxes.
In quite the reverse of that we expect from CS Lewis, The Screwtape Letters is written from the point of view of evil. In this refreshing discussion of ethics and human nature, the demon Screwtape provides instruction to his nephew Wormwood, a young and inexperienced temptor.
Screwtape essentially sums up the temptations and pitfalls of mortal life which are used by, and wherever possible instigated by, the demons to damn souls to Hell. Virtues are illustrated as the things Wormwood must prevent from developing in his ‘patient’ and vices to be promoted.
There are many ironic laughs in this book. We are chastised by means of reverse psychology in recognising traits we have, or that society as a whole has, within the ideals that Screwtape upholds.
Some of the passages in this book are quite prophetic in many ways, although they refer to human nature as it has always been. Chapter/Letter XXV in particular hit home to me as being highly relevant to 21st Century society and the almost hedonistic consumerism that so dominates our lives. Screwtape himself would now be an advertising executive, I imagine, bombarding us with ever bigger, flashier ways to part with our cash and place greater and greater importance on the ownership of non-essential ‘things’.
The Screwtape Letters really did make me think, and even putting aside the Christian doctrine, there is still a great deal said about basic morality and decency that applies to all humans, regardless of belief. If you are human, because I appreciate you might not be and I have no problem with that, The Screwtape Letters is worth reading.
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Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. JeromeMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
What can be entertaining about three men in a boat on a river with their pet dog in tow? Lots, and much of it very funny indeed.
The psychological, social and material observations still ring true today and I laughed out loud at very nearly all of them. Where this book lost me was in its historical and geographical tour guide of the Thames. While it’s good to learn some history, there is an assumption of prior knowledge that passes over the head of the reader not acquainted with the Thames and it does so at length.
If you want to read this as a travel book with some humour, then it’s ideal. If you buy it because the blurb sounds like it might be solely comedic then you’ll be disappointed. It’s a brief and enjoyable read nonetheless, but be prepared for the difference between book and publisher’s description.
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Ekaterinburg by Helen RappaportMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A history written as beautifully as a novel. Compelling, informative and moving.
The story of the Romanovs is one of great tragedy. No matter what could be the threat they posed to the revolutionary government, we can only think that what occurred can surely not have been necessary. In their last days they endured humiliation, mental and emotional torment, although the tormentors saw this as fair treatment.
The Romanovs have long been adored in history. Their mute acceptance of their fate goes a long way to rousing an enduring respect and sorrow for the family. Ultimately, they were a family who held on to one another to the last. We can relate to the feelings of Nicholas, who knew his family suffered because they were his. We understand the feelings of Alexandra watching over her children with a mother’s love but powerless to save them. We feel the confusion and varying degrees of uncertainty in the children. We sense the horror of their deaths and wonder how any man could have carried out such brutality. We all know that this terrible tragedy occurred. Our question is why and how?
Rappaport gives us great depth and detail from clearly painstaking research of the facts as they happened. This is a history book and contains huge amounts of information, but is written so beautifully and delicately that it reads with the ease of a novel. This is not like your schoolroom history book, bland and unreadable for enjoyment. It goes back to an older style of history writing where the main purpose is to tell the story and not blind with facts, although facts there are here in abundance.
If you are interested in the Romanov story, this will fast become one of your favourite explorations of those last, tragic days.
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The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
It's a while since I read this and when I did it was the height of its popularity and controversy. I do remember that, at the time, I read it very quickly and couldn't tear myself away from the pages. It is fast paced, intriguing and suspenseful and it did keep me entertained.
Now, though, I can barely remember a single thing about it. I can vaguely remember settings, but I can't remember what happened where or to whom, even in a vague sense of 'it happened to the girl'.
Perhaps this is because it does have such a pace that it doesn't really have time to sink in to the memory.
I would rate this a good holiday or train journey read where you want something fairly non-commital to pass the time. I wouldn't rate it as a future classic. When it was all the rage, it was part of current events and you could discuss with just about anyone. It was a bit of a flash in the pan, however, and most people, like me, have forgotten all about it.
If you like a pacey thriller with puzzles to solve, you will enjoy it, but if your kids or grandkids pick it up, all you'll be able to say is 'oh yes, that was really popular back in the noughties' :)
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Messiah by Boris StarlingMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I can’t remember where I picked this up. It was a while before the TV adaptation anyway. I do remember remarking what a brilliant screenplay it would make. I wasn’t at all surprised when I soon saw trailers for the mini-series, but I did look forward to seeing it.
Red Metcalfe is one of the most believable detectives I’ve ever encountered in crime fiction. Brilliantly written characters are just half of what makes this book unforgettable, though. Crime scene descriptions are mesmerising in the detail and in what is left out. Finding the link is a race against time for Red, who faces many of his own inner demons as he searches for the killer. The tension is palpable and the urgency undeniable, while at the same time you get the impression the murderer is simply taking their time to perfect their masterpiece.
To say much about any of it would be to spoil too much. This is a book you really have to read for yourself. If you’re a sensitive soul, it might keep you awake by it’s stunningly plausible horrors. If, like me, nothing much shocks you anymore, you still won’t sleep. At least, not until you’ve finished this book.
The blurb on the back said it would haunt your dreams. I don’t remember dreaming about it, but I did wake up with little scars running horizontally underneath my tongue as though someone had tried to cut it out. Psychosomatic? Natural phenomenon hitherto unnoticed? Or did it really haunt me…?
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Emma by Jane AustenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Emma is probably my favourite Jane Austen novel. Emma Woodhouse has a desire to see her friend happy and settled with her ideal match. What she perceives as the ideal match anyway. She doesn't mean to interfere, only to give fate a helping hand. She's shown a talent for it before. With the best of intention she causes heartbreak and quarrels, but doesn't learn to doubt her own judgement. The outcome always comes as a surprise to her and she finds herself always trying to make amends. Unfortunately those amends usually take the form of pointing out another mis-match for Harriet. You know, though, because it's Jane Austen, there will be a happy ending.
Austen as always creates relatable characters that are as relevant today as two centuries ago. It's hard to believe in fact that Emma was first published in 1815. The social commentary is spectacular, giving a real understanding of the sensibilities of the time. A brilliantly crafted novel and thorougly enjoyable read.
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Animal Farm by George OrwellMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm 98% convinced that animals do have these conferences and discussions and plan revolution, and really, who could blame them? It's many years since I red Animal Farm and I still have vivid mental images of the barn and especially of Boxer and Clover taking care not to tread on the smaller animals. I can see comparisons, as can anyone, to revolutionary Russia when I read this story and have to be careful not to over analyse and just enjoy it on its own merit. It clearly has historical influences, and was banned in the Eastern Bloc until the wall came down. As a piece of fiction, whatever the basis, it's a brilliant read and like 1984 has become part of popular culture. Definitely a favourite.
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1984 by George OrwellMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I see the 21st Century take on English, I automatically think Newspeak, especially the combining of words or names in the media who, if he were a prominent public figure, would name Mr Orwell 'Gorwell' or 'Geo'.
1984 is a novel that touches a nerve in all of us. That fear of the future and how out of our hands it really is that lurks at the back of our thoughts. In Oceania though, we wouldn't dare let it surface. The Thought Police would be on us in seconds.
We all hope that we'd be able to stand against such oppression and speak out against The Party. The difficulty would be that we all have fears and phobias and very few would withstand the horrors of Room 101.
1984 has become iconic and even those who've never even heard of it are familiar with at least some aspect of Room 101, Newspeak and Airstrip One. There are already touches of The Ministry of Truth in our lives with media organisations affiliated with political parties.
1984 is a relatively quick read. You aren't meant to know what every term and reference means. You're meant to accept them, get with the concept and read on. I found it gripping, gritty and inspiring. It will make you think and analyse the modern world just a bit more. It will make you stop taking what you read at face value, at least for a while. Well worth a read, worth the label of modern classic and definitely worth a place on the favourites shelf.
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Romeo and Juliet by William ShakespeareMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Being called Juliet, you can imagine I’m sure, this play was the bane of my school career compounded by the fact that it was on the GSCE syllabus for my year. But I admit, through gritted teeth, it is a wonderful play and a shame that most people only experience Shakespeare through the schoolroom these days.
It's a little melodramatic, but that is what audiences wanted. It's a tragedy and Shakespeare was quite brilliant at those. I still rate Hamlet more highly, but I was never teased with that!
Anyone who has experienced young or indeed forbidden love, family feuds, rival peer groups, or the struggle to do what the heart desires, will relate all the more to the characters and scenarios presented.
It can be difficult to read Shakespeare plays if you’ve not seen them performed or gained some experience. Don’t let that put you off. Just remember that the lines are written to be performed and you don’t need to pause at the end of each one!
I won’t exactly quote, because believe me, after a lifetime of taunting I can. Nowadays when someone comes out with the inevitable “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks” I tend to say “’tis Juliet and she’s lighting a molotov cocktail.”
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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
To Kill a Mocking Bird tackles issues we all face today but were more prevalent in America in the first half of the twentieth century. It tackles racism, rape, female equality and preconceptions of strangers. It also charts a loss of innocence and the internal struggles to deal with growing up. The book is held up as a moral compass for lawyers and children alike.
The warmth and childish innocence of the narrative whilst tackling difficult subjects through the experience of 6 year old Scout Finch make it both a heart rending and heart warming read. I can’t praise To Kill a Mocking Bird too highly and don’t imagine another book could ever replace it in my affections. One to read again and again, and pass on to the next generation.
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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Omnibus): The Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, The Return of the King by J.R.R. TolkienMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
There can’t be much to say about the Lord of the Rings that hasn’t already been said in numerous ways. I only want to add my voice to the huge number of supporters of this seminal work.
I read LOTR about twenty years ago and haven’t read it since. I don’t need to. All of the characters, places, events, even details like lembas (or waybread) have stayed with me all this time.
If I were to read it again, there are sections I would skip, particularly the unnecessary eleven lyrics. Pretty much all the bits Peter Jackson left out of the excellent movie adaptations. I know many other LOTR fans feel the same way.
Strange then that this trilogy has such amazing power and endurance when even those of us who love it remark on the sections we skip over. But that is a further beauty of it. It is a work that unites people the world over. Once you’ve read it, you can converse about it for the rest of your life because it is so vivid and its world so vast.
The most captivating part for me is the rising of the dead men of Dunharrow, but I suppose everyone relates to the chance for salvation.
LOTR is an unforgettable, genre cultivating masterpiece with a power of its own, and nothing I have read since in a similar vein has ever lived up to it.
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis CarrollMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I first read Alice in Wonderland as a little girl. I have no idea which edition and it was such a very long time ago that there are probably no images of it anyway.
I remember being both amused and confused, especially by the hatter and the caterpillar. The little cakes and interesting drinks were fascinating and the concept of drowning in one's own tears was quite worrying. If I could speak to Lewis Carroll after reading it again in later life, I'd have to ask what he'd been smoking.
Read this if you want a complete diversion from reality and to view the world as a child again with the strange distortions a child's mind can make.
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The Magician's Nephew by C S LewisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I bought this book, the 1970 edition, with what pennies I had at a Blue Peter Bring-and-Buy sale held in the assembly hall of my primary school. I can only have been 6 or 7 at the time and was lured by the flying horse on the cover.
Bear with me whilst I cast my mind back some ‘few’ years.
The book, as with all the others in the Chronicles of Narnia, centres around two children: Digory (who I later came to know was Professor Kirke in the books which follow in the chronology) and Polly.
Their adventures are very different to those of the children in the other Narnia books, not least because they witness the genesis of Narnia. They are transported by magical means to a dark void where Aslan sings an entire universe into existence. Amid the creation, Jadis attempts to kill Aslan with a piece of lamppost, which bounces off him harmlessly and instead takes root, growing into a new lamppost. Yes ‘that’ lamppost as we find out later in the chronology.
What follows is very much a God (Aslan), Satan (Jadis), Garden of Eden (Narnia), tree of knowledge allegory.
Digory is allowed to take an apple from the tree back to England where it heals his dying mother, and from the planted core gives rise to a great tree. When that tree is blown down in a storm many years later, Digory has the wood made into a wardrobe. Yes, ‘that’ wardrobe.
Although The Magician’s Nephew was the sixth book published in the Chronicles of Narnia, it is probably the world’s first prequel and is definitely best read first. It is, as I say, the genesis of Narnia, the establishment of Aslan as a God figure, and the explanation for both the wardrobe and its power as a gateway, and the incongruous lamppost at the entry to Narnia.
My analysis of the overall lesson from this book, because Lewis always has a lesson for us, is based on some knowledge of C S Lewis in general. That the wardrobe is made from wood grown from an apple of Narnia throws into question the whole imaginary presumption of the other books and suggests that Lewis is making the point that he doesn’t believe God or the life battles allegorised throughout the chronicles to be imaginary. They are real and to be witnessed if we only seek. Draw you own conclusions, but in childhood these points are entirely missed so it seems this wasn’t intended only as a children’s book, but perhaps to be read out loud by parents who would see the connections. I loved it as a kid, anyway, and went out and asked for the other books for Christmas, completely oblivious to the religious undertones.
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