December – Brother

I chose two short books this month, in the hope that I would be able to find time to read them both. It worked! It may have been a teeny tiny meeting, but I did manage to read the books!

Brother – David Chariandy

I don’t know why I found this book difficult to read, but I did, it was a chore. In spite of it being a short book, that should have been fairly easy to read, the book was almost too slow. The writing was good, descriptive and heartfelt but I didn’t want to read it, it didn’t grip me at all. The book tells the story of the immigrant experience of a Trinidadian family relocated to Canada. The mother works several jobs to feed and clothe her two sons Michael & Francis in an effort to keep them in school so that they don’t have to live the rest of their lives in such an impoverished area.

When we meet Michael, he is living with his grieving mother in a tower block in a district of Toronto with a high immigrant population. He sleeps in his childhood bunk bed, but the top bunk is empty and as we read the story we discover what happened to his absent brother Francis. Michael grows up in the shadow of his missing big brother, and we, as readers can see why. Francis was popular in the community and had a confidence about him that is enviable in a low-income society where violence is the norm. I didn’t love it, I didn’t really even like it that much, but I can see that it is well written and I still don’t really understand why I didn’t connect with it, so I scored it 3*, which is the same as the rest of the group. Maybe you need to give it a go?

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas – Agatha Christie

I love Agatha Christie, I love Christmas, what could be more perfect that Agatha Christie at Christmas? Nothing, that’s what. This book, however, was unfortunately not perfect at all. I was hoping that it would be festive, with some lovely descriptions of a gorgeous, beautifully decorated tree and the delicious smells of festive food, of plum pudding or mulled wine. Sadly there was nothing particularly Christmassy about the story, it takes place in a family home at Christmas, and that’s it.

Yes, it’s a Christie Whodunnit, and one that I didn’t already know (which is in itself a Christmas miracle considering how obsessed I was with her book as a teenager), so it was a fairly enjoyable read. The joy of the story is that it didn’t take much brain-power to follow the plot, which is a lovely thing in the stressful run-up to Christmas Panto season, but it did leave me feeling a bit disappointed. I have read many Christie books and they were all better than this one, that doesn’t make it bad, but it was weak. If you like Christie give it a read, If you expect it to be Christmassy, don’t bother! I gave the book 3.5* and the other members of the group scored it between 3-4* so it’s a definite maybe for your list!

Happy Reading!

Mel x

December – The Collector

Honestly, I need to stop this last minute panic to read the books on the day of the meeting, it’s not good for my stress levels. I am glad that I managed to finish in time though, because today is my Birthday, and what better on a lockdown birthday than Zoom book club? Nothing, that’s what?

The Collector – John Fowles

The Collector is a disturbing book. It is never a comfortable read when the story involves s woman being kidnapped and held hostage. The captor, Frederick collects butterflies, hence the title and the image on the book cover, he likes beautiful things and wants to possess them. When he decides that he wants to possess Miranda, a girl with whom he has had an obsession for years the story takes a dark turn. Fowles writes chapter 1 as Frederick and chapter 2 as Miranda, and covers the same period of time from each perspective, as a device this works beautifully. The most impressive thing about the writing in my opinion, is that Fowle manages to make the reader sympathise with and dislike both characters at different points in the narrative.

Amazingly, given the subject matter, I did not find the book hard to read. With books of this ilk I normally struggle, Room was heartbreaking and The Lovely Bones, horrific, but The Collector never felt quite as dangerous. Yes there is a darkness to the story and it does make you feel a little uneasy at the start, but there is something so naive about this boy that I actually ended up worrying about him. The battle of will and of wits between the two characters is fascinating and because it is written from both perspectives we get to see that play out beautifully. As I read on, I felt that someone was in danger, I just wasn’t sure who and that was very clever of the author. A fantastic book, beautifully written that keeps you so interested tat it’s hard to put down. All who read this book this month gave it 4.5* and I think it’s a must read, maybe just not at Christmas!

12 Years A Slave – Solomon Northup

This book was written by Solomon Northup as an account of his experiences as a Slave in the south of America. Northup was a free man, but he was kidnapped, his papers destroyed and sold as a lave simply because of the colour of his skin. As a historical document, this book was fascinating, and very useful I am sure for anyone wishing to study slavery in America. However as a novel, I found it lacking. I know I am supposed to be moved by it and I do care about the fact that this happened and I feel disgusted by it, but I just didn’t really engage with the book. I am not sure if it was the writing that was lacking because it was written by Northup about his own experiences and not by a great writer, but something didn’t work for me. There were times when it all seemed a bit far fetched and I struggled to marry my own understanding of the situation with what I was reading, but who am I to argue with the man himself?

If you are looking for a narrative that will help you understand what the slaves went through, then this is your book, but if you want a well written novel, I’d steer clear, because it is not particularly well written or engaging. I gave the book 2.5* because of it’s historical relevance, but the others gave it 4* and 4.5* so it probably is worth a read, if noting else you will gain some insight into 19th century America and the slave trade.

Happy Reading!

Mel x

November – The Future of Another Timeline

Time travel and feminism in a novel, what’s not to love? I was really looking forward to reading the first book this month. I knew very little about the second, apart from that it was translated from Polish…interesting….

The Future of Another Timeline – Annalee Newitz

The book disappointed me, and it’s not just because I was expecting so much from it, there were also some glaring issues that I just couldn’t get over. The story takes place across two different time lines and the characters jump through time between the distant past and now, but not into the future, this is not unravelled well enough for the reader. I probably could sit with the book and draw the timelines out to see how it all fitted together, but I would have to be more interested than I am to do this. The ‘now’ where the story begins is a 21st century where feminism and sexual and gender freedoms do not exist, abortion is illegal and dangerous and women are used to breed and little else. Tess has set herself the task of traveling through history, adjusting the timelines and therefore creating a safer and more free future for women.

The group of women including Tess, who are jumping through time to stop this awful future keep encountering a group of men who are working in the same way to achieve the opposite, a masogynistic future where women are bound to men. The novel covers issues like gender fluidity, transgenderism and gay rights as well as feminism, toxic masculinity, rape, and abortion. It almost feels like the author had a ticklish of issues that she wanted to raise and that took precedence over the story. I think what I’m saying is that she tried to do too much and somewhere along the way it just got really messy and weak as a story. There are inconsistencies surrounding the time machines, and what should no longer be a past event after times have been changed, but still is and in the characters themselves. Also, I thought that the ending was just a bit pants to be honest. I gave the book 2.5* and it was rated between 2* and 2.5* by everyone. Unfortunately, not the epic thought provoking novel that I had hoped that it would be.

Drive you Plow over the Bones of the Dead – Olga Tokarczuk

Utter brilliance! The book’s title is taken from a like in a Blake poem, and his works appear throughout the book. The lead character is an older, astrology obsessed, animal rights activist by the name of Janina, but don’t call her that, she hates it. This woman is wonderfully quirky, she gives the other characters names such as ‘Good News’, ‘Dizzy’ and ‘Big Foot’ based on their characteristics , and that is how they are know throughout the book. The story begins when the character Big foot is found dead, in a state of undress in his house by Janina’s neighbour Oddball. The two then work together to arrange Big foot into a ‘decent’ state while they await the police. Becoming convinced that the animals have taken their revenge on Big foot for hunting them down, Janina tries to convince those around her that this is the case.

This lead character is adorable, righteous and totally nuts, but that is what draws the reader to her. Also her love of animals and respect for the environment make it easy for the reader to empathise with her and to actually begin to wonder if she could be right about the revenge of the Deer. As a murder mystery the book works well, but as a study into human behaviour it is fascinating. It is remarkable how easy it is to love a kooky older character. I felt drawn to her in the same way that I was drawn to Ove in ‘A Man Called Ove’, they are both a little odd and cantankerous at times, but we feel their warmth.

I am not going to write any more, because I really don’t want to give the game away. I would recommend this book to everyone without hesitation because it is lush, and everyone at the November book club meeting scored it a 4.5*. So if you are looking forsomethingo a bit different, this is your book!

Happy Reading

Mel x

October – Absolute Beginners

October has been rather busy, but I did manage to read both books (Albeit it last minute for Absolute Beginners). Unfortunately for me, I was the only one who did! 😦

Absolute Beginners – Colin Macinnes

I’d like to say it started well, but it didn’t. The premise is interesting, and I was definitely interested in reading this book, but it is so drawn out that it becomes painful at times. I swear McInnes could write 100 words on his navel without even wondering for a moment if anyone actually needs this much detail. Scathing? Sure, but when you consider that the two other people who were even interested enough to pick up this book didn’t even finish it, then we know there is something wrong. Steph did manage to get half way before giving up on it, and to be honest I wasn’t the host I probably would have stopped at around the same point, however I persevered.

So here’s the thing; it was over descriptive and it dragged, oh how it dragged, for 200 pages it dragged, and then… the pace changed, the story took shape and our ‘hero’ actually became nothing of a hero. It was poignant and beautifully written and though the ongoing racial conflict framing the hero’s journey was hard to read at times, it became the book that I had wanted it to be from page 1. I loved the last 80 pages and I felt that I was reading something that mattered, unfortunately the preceding 200 pages didn’t.

As a <200 page book I truly believe this could have been fantastic, but as it stands I had to wade through 200 pages of blah to get to the 80 pages of genius. Which is reflected in my rating of 2.5*, Steph rated it 1* because she couldn’t even finish it and nobody else read it. I am glad I didn’t give up because if I had I would have never seen what the book could be.

Hiding The Past – Nathan Dylan Goodwin

Hiding in the past is a crime novel with the added intrigue of having a main character who is a forensic genealogist, which is definitely of interest to me. The story begins when Morton Farrier, who has been paid huge amounts of money to look into a clients family history discovers that said client has just committed suicide. As he has been paid handsomely and is not convinced that this was in fact suicide, he decides to complete research for the dead man putting himself and his girlfriend in danger. This is an old fashioned tale of the more he learns, the more he is threatened and the race to uncover the truth is on.

This was kinda fun, I quite enjoyed the plot (well most of it) and the characters and for a self published debut novel it is pretty impressive. We were not wowed by the book, but it kept our attention and we did all read this one, with Mart saying that she would be interested in reading the next in the series. I probably won’t, just because I have 2 shelves full of unread books, but I certainly would be happy to read on. Myself and Mart both gave the book 3.5*, with the others rating it between 2* and 2.5*. If crime mysteries are your thing, you may well like this one, give it a go, if only to support a self published writer who I’m sure would appreciate the chance to share his books with you!

Happy Reading!
Mel x

July – The ’86 Fix

Another lockdown Zoom book club meeting, and this time I managed to stay online throughout the whole meeting (though I did miss some chat when the connection dropped out). I am missing the girls, but loving having Mart join us, so Zoom may well become part of every meeting! 🙂

The ’86 fix – Keith A Pearson

I love time travel, and I remember 1986 well, so this sounded like exactly my kind of book. The first thing that struck me as I was reading was that I was halfway through the book before Craig (our hero) traveled through time. Half way through a 360 page book… It took the author half a book to set the scene, and it wasn’t particularly engaging, in fact it was slow and I was kinda bored. Then, finally we do travel back to 1986 where Craig thinks that he can put right the mistakes of his past and create a new and better future. At this point the story picked up and Pearson did a good job of writing 1986 without namedropping desperately to prove he knows the era (this is a pet hate of mine). I enjoyed this part of the book very much and did not put the book down for hours because I was keen to find out how the changes he made had affected his future life.

SPOILER ALERT (sorry, not sorry) – Yes I am including a spoiler, which is something that I usually try very hard not to do whether I enjoy a book or not, but in this case I think you have a right to know.

The book ends terribly in that it does not conclude the story. This book ends by telling the reader to buy the next book to find out what happens to Craig and I was actually very angry and disappointed in the author when I read this. Honestly, while I was reading I was wondering how the hell Pearson was going to manage to wrap the story up with so little left of the book to go, but I never for a minute thought that he would just not bother! SO now I was in a situation where I had been utterly bored by the book to begin with, then really buying in to it only to end up feeling ripped off. It was with heavy heart that I logged into my computer and ordered ‘Beyond Broadhall’ to find out how the story would play out. Was it worth the extra £6.99 to follow Craig’s story to the conclusion? No! Would I recommend these books? No! Would I buy another book by this author? No! It was a cheap trick to gain sales, fortunately I was able to read the second book and give the rest of the group a rundown of the rest of the story so we did not all have to buy a copy! I gave the ’86 fix 3* because it caught me enough to make me buy the second book to find out what happened, but I would not recommend it because the 2nd book was not good (2* at best) and it is too big an investment in both time and money in my opinion. The other club members scored it between 2* – 3* and none would recommend it to friends.

Coraline – Neil Gaiman

Oh I do love a good Neil Gaiman book, and this is a very good Neil Gaiman book. Aimed at young people this story is perhaps a little too creepy for very young children, but ideal for those aged 9+, that said the book absolutely held my interest throughout, so when I say 9+, I really mean 9 – 109. Coraline is a great heroine, she is adventurous and spirited and I rather like that the hero of this book is a girl as this is not often the case. The descriptions in Gaiman’s writing bring Coraline’s world to life; it feels dark and creepy without being obvious or clichéd.

A story of a child’s courage, the book is exciting enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. I read it in one sitting, which is not difficult but I really did not want to put it down. I love the idea that there are other worlds that children can discover and that harassed parents are blissfully unaware of, and I love the idea of children being strong enough to deal with untold evil and saving lives. Coraline is the kind of book that can empower kids to believe that they can achieve great things, I gave the book 5* and the rest of the group gave it between 3* and 4,5*. Coraline is a brilliant little read, give it a go!

Happy Reading!
Mel x

June – The Big Over Easy

We were back on Zoom for our meeting this month and the joy of that is that is that for the first time ever my sister-in-law was able to join us from 100+ miles away. Another fun night, thanks ladies.

The Big Over Easy – Jasper FForde

Having read The Eyre Affair years ago, I was really looking forward to Fforde’s ‘comedy’ take on a murder mystery. All of the reviews that I read had described this book as funny, hilarious or ‘a riot of fun’, really? Either I was reading a different book or I have a very different view of funny to all of those reviewers because it didn’t even raise a smile from me. The puns/nursery rhyme references are constant and honestly, it gets a little tiring. Randomly, in amongst nursery rhyme characters and stories we have some unrelated/made up characters (Jellyman) and a bit of Greek mythology, which doesn’t fit at all. It’s almost as though Fforde had a great idea but did not know how to execute it and ran out of ideas somewhere in the middle of writing it.

There is a quote on the book that (from memory) says that ignoring the nursery rhyme elements this book works beautifully as a murder mystery. I am at a loss, the plot is weak, the twists are numerous, but mainly just distraction and I honestly couldn’t care less who killed Humpty (an odd statement to have to make) because I just didn’t buy into the story at all. Having read the first 100 pages I really wanted to throw the book in the bin, but as a book club choice it got a reprieve and I pushed through. By halfway through the book I resented it, I wanted to read something else and this drivel was taking up all of my reading time, but I kept going. It did not get any better, half of the characters were not developed, the plot was all over the place and worst of all this incredibly ‘funny’ book just wasn’t funny (or even clever).

I rated the book 1.5* and I feel that was generous, however the rest of the group scored it between 3*- 4* so it does have appeal, just not for me thanks. It has also put me off reading any more of Fforde’s books, if I want a murder mystery I’ll pick up an Agatha Christie!

.Heartburn – Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron is a name that I knew primarily from film, this lady wrote and directed some of my favourites, including You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle and Silkwood, so I was expecting good things from this book. It started well, with an introduction written by Ephron which shows her sense of humour beautifully. I read the introduction and immediately thought ‘I LIKE this woman’, she is smart, sassy and has a wonderful way with words.

The book is based on her own life, her relationships and heartbreaks and this gave her the ability to add some wonderful observational humour which is very relatable, even if you have never been through the same issues. She portrays the lead character (herself) as a strong independent woman, but not fiercely so. The book is fabulous, it’s got a lot of heart and manages to draw you in and hold your attention well. Characters are well developed and although this is not a huge book, it is written so well that it covers everything that you need it to cover and more. I gave the book 4.5* because it didn’t rock my world, but it is a lovely little book. The rest of the group scored it between 3.5* and 4.5* so it is definitely worth a read.

Happy reading!

Mel x

May – In An Instant

The second month of lockdown and though I do have more time to read, I’m struggling to focus. Book Club via Zoom is a welcome distraction from the everyday monotony of life at the moment. It was a small meeting but filled with laughter.

In An Instant  – Suzanne Redfearn

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book at all, but having read the blurb, I had enough interest to whack it on the book club list and I’m glad I did. It is a really interesting idea, well written with some great characters. The story about the aftermath of a serious car crash, and how the group copes with the situation is told by 16 year old Finn who died in the crash (this is not a spoiler, it’s in the blurb) as she watches the drama unfold. The characters are so well written that I actually felt very strongly about many of them, some I loved, some I hated, but nobody was left unfinished, they each had a personality and motives for their behaviours. As a study in human nature, this was very interesting, particularly when I read the afterword and realised that the book was based on an experience that Redfearn had as a child.

Would you survive a crash off the side of a mountain road in freezing temperatures?Would you look after the others? Would you not even bother trying? Would you let your child go on holiday with another family? What would you do if you had taken someone else’s child on holiday and their life was now in danger? Would you go for help? Would you stay put, keep warm and wait to be found? These are just some of the questions that run through your head whilst reading this book, it really makes you think and honestly had me hooked. I picked up the book and read it within 24 hrs because I wanted to know what would happen next. Was it perfect? No, and one aspect really irritated me, but it was very very good and I would definitely recommend it. I gave this book 4.5* and the rest off the group scored it 4*- 4.5*, if you’re stuck for a summer read, give it a go, you’ll probably like it, you might even love it!

The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson

Well this is a modern classic, it doesn’t make it to many ‘100 books you should read in your lifetime’ lists, but it is considered a classic and has been made into a film twice and a TV show. There was a lot of hype surrounding the Netflix show which I ignored, mostly because I’m not really a fan of horror films/TV so I had no real idea what to expect from the book. What I did expect however was to be scared or freaked out by the story, having read that it is often considered the best ghost story of the 20th century. I’m honestly not sure how it was ever labelled the best, I can only assume that there were very few ghost stories written in the 20th century. The story was not scary at all, it didn’t even have me on the edge of my seat the way a good thriller does, it all seemed a little vague and though the writing is very good, the story is not and I truly don’t understand the status that this book has.

The characters in the book are fairly interesting and for the most part they are well developed. The synopsis: Dr Montague has an interest in the occult and as such has an interest in Hill house which is renowned as a haunted house. He rents Hill House for a summer, then invites several people (carefully chosen because of their past experience with paranormal events) to stay with him. Only two of those invited accept, they are Theadora and Eleanor and along with Dr Montague and Luke, who is the heir to the house, they will stay at the house for the summer. They are greeted by the housekeeper Mrs Dudley and her husband, who are happy to set the house up for the group, but will not stay there and have a very rigid way of working. I have my own theories about Mrs Dudley, that would explain the guests experiences in the house, but I will not share as they may spoil the plot. The book was OK, I didn’t hate it but I was disappointed, I wanted to be on the edge of my seat, I wanted unputdownable anxiety reading, what I got was a little story about a creepy house, meh… I gave the book 3* and the rest of the group agreed. It’s not a long or difficult read, but don’t expect earth shattering fiction.

Happy Reading!
Mel x

 

 

February – The Mars Room

Winter is nearly done and spring is on its merry little way. This week there are buds on the trees, crocus in the flower bed and I can go to work in the daylight, things are looking up!

The Mars Room – Rachel Kushner

The Mars Room intrigued me, on reading the blurb and I expected great things, sadly great things are not delivered. The Mars Room is a story about some prisoners who are all guilty of their crimes, though for the most part sentenced to more time than appropriate. This is infused with stories about their past lives and the lives of their lovers and victims, the problem is that the author tried to be clever by bouncing back and forth between characters and also in time and somewhere in amongst all that I stopped trying to follow it, I just didn’t care enough to stick with it. I felt little for the characters, aside from Serenity Smith, who it was easy to care for given that she was so broken.

The fact that the justice system in California is not fit for purpose is no surprise and the treatment of prisoners, while sad did not shock, sadly, it felt very much like reading a political message, rather than a work of fiction. The ending was lacking, firstly, It was unbelievable and secondly, it was abrupt and didn’t satisfy the reader. Having invested time in the story and stuck with it while it bounced about like a 3-year-old in a trampoline park, I felt shortchanged by that ending, but to be honest, by this point I was not surprised. Actually, I was shortchanged by the whole book, it really didn’t deliver on any level and my final thought on the story is ‘So what?’ I gave this book 2* as did the rest of the group. Honestly, read something else instead!

The Lady in the Lake – Raymond Chandler

In spite of loving detective novels, I had never read a Raymond Chandler novel until now. I am not sure why, but I do know that the Lady in the Lake will not be the last. I love the way Chandler writes, it draws you in and walks you through the story comfortable in the knowledge that Marlowe is in control and it will all work out in the end. So you don’t read, you watch. You watch as Philip Marlowe talks to suspects, cops and witnesses, you watch him sneak into houses and climb through windows and you watch as he gets himself into crazy stressful situations, but you never lose faith that he will find the answers and everything will be ok.

Derace Kingsley’s wife is missing and Philip Marlowe is hired to find her. When his search leads him to the discovery of a different dead woman; Muriel Chess, Marlowe has questions and people are going to answer them. Where is Crystal Kingsley? And who killed Muriel Chess? And what did Chris Lavery or Dr. Almore have to do with it? The only problem that I had with the book is that I knew how it was going to end as soon as the lady in the lake was found. Whether that is because I am a murder mystery fan (Hitchcock and Christie) or because it was too obvious I don’t know, but I am happy to read another of Chandler’s books and see! I gave this book 4* because I loved it. The rest of the group gave it 3.5 – 4* and we’re all going to read some more Chandler!

Happy Reading!
Mel x

January – The Exact Opposite of Okay

I didn’t choose these two books with a theme in mind, but there is a definite ‘Strong independent women’ link. The books are very different, but both have a storyline that explores a threat to the progression of women’s rights. 

The Exact Opposite of Okay – Laura Steven

This book is pretty much the exact opposite of anything that I would normally choose to read. It is a Young Adult book, which in itself is not a problem, as I have read some pretty good YA books, but the book being about the sex life of a teenage girl and the ramification of her choices, would usually make me walk away. I have little to no interest in what teenagers get up to sexually, and am acutely aware of how the internet can be used as a weapon by bullies, so what was to be gained from reading this book? In all honesty, it turned out, for me, not much.

Did I hate it? No! I thought it was pretty well written (though I think the author would have been wise to set it in the UK, as it didn’t feel like America), and I can see why it is very well regarded as both a cautionary tale and a feminist book for millennials. Firstly it’s easy to see how Izzy, young, free and independent would think nothing of sleeping with two guys, it is after all her business and hers alone. It is also easy to see how, in this day and age, when everyone has a camera in their pocket, a voyeur at a party might film these sexual encounters. Wrong? Totally. Likely? Unfortunately Yes! Teenagers these days have so much more to worry about than we ever did in the 1980s.

Is it okay to sleep with multiple men if you are a single woman? Is it okay to slut-shame women who do? Is it okay to film people being intimate and share this online? Is it okay that people share nudes with their partner and then after a split, these are shared online?  Is it okay that women are judged more harshly for having sex or being naked than men are? Is it okay that your text messages can be used as a weapon against you? Is it okay that once something is put online it can never really be removed? All of these questions and more are covered by this book, the answer is, of course, NO it’s not okay. But it happens, and if this book makes our kids think a little more and try a little harder to be decent human beings then it is a winner! I gave the book 3* because I think if I was target audience, it would really get to me. The rest of the group gave it 2 – 3*.

Stepford Wives – Ira Levin

So, this book was on a list of books that I thought I should get round to reading at some point, I had no expectations really, just hoped that it would be well written. I did have some knowledge of the story, in that for most of my life people have referred to women that they considered to be perfect homemakers as ‘Stepford Wives’. I had assumed this meant women who were pretending or forced to behave in this way, having been brainwashed, drugged or beaten into submission. The story, however, is even more sinister. I will not spoil it in case you have never read the book, but I was hooked.

for such a short book this had a huge impact. I watched as Joanna’s perfect new life in the town of Stepford unravelled. I felt panic as I realised that the town was hiding a sinister secret and I willed Joanna and her friend to discover what was going on and to get out of there. I loved this book, I read it in one sitting, It is a perfect rainy afternoon read. Even better, stick it in your bag when you are going on a train or plane, it isn’t heavy and is definitely worth a couple of hours of your time. I gave it a score of 5* and the rest of the group 4 – 5*, a little gem of a book which will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Happy Reading!
Mel x

November – Ordinary Grace

November, the first cold month of the year and the perfect time to snuggle up with a hot chocolate and a good book…or two.

Ordinary Grace – William Kent Krueger

I bought Ordinary Grace in New York about three years ago and it has sat on my shelf since. I needed a reason to read it, so I added it to the book club list and in October I finally turned the first page, then the second, third, and so on until it was finished. This is a beautifully written book, that sucks you into Frank Drum’s world in 1961 and then spits you out forty years later.

The book opens with the death of a young boy who is accidentally killed while playing near the railroad tracks. This is the first in a series of tragedies that unfold in New Bremen as the summer progresses. As the church minister, Nathan, Frank’s father is involved when anything happens in the town and being curious Frank and his brother see and hear more than is healthy for a couple of young boys. The book is reflective and beautiful, even though it is tragic, this can be seen in quotes such as this one “The dead are never far from us. They’re in our hearts and on our minds and in the end all that separates us from them is a single breath, one final puff of air.”

This is a story of relationships, all of them incredibly well written and real. Nathan’s friend Gus and his relationship with the family is central to the story and gives Frank and Jake the support of a third parental figure throughout their formative years. Gus is as close to the family as it is possible for an outsider to be. When the boys discover the intricacies of life and death, at such a young age and so close to home it rocks their world but Gus is there to help them through. I gave Ordinary Grace 4.5* and the rest of the group gave it 4*. A perfect summer read if you fancy something a bit different.

Lost Boy – Christina Henry

Aaaargh, so disappointed. Having read (beware the claws that catch) Alice and loved it enough to buy it for several people that year for Christmas, I expected great things from Lost Boy. Alas, this book left a lot to be desired. The biggest issue was the lack of description. Whether the author assumed that we already knew Neverland enough to picture it for ourselves or just neglected to paint a picture of this world I’m not sure, but for me, it was a huge problem. I do not know Peter Pan’s world and the lack of description left me unable to picture it at all. Yes, there is a map in the front of the book, but it is a crudely drawn 2D map, which does nothing to paint an adequate picture of this 3D world.

I suppose I should admit that I don’t really know the Peter Pan story. I mean, I know some of it, doesn’t everyone? but I was never a fan and hadn’t ever even bothered to watch the film, so really Neverland was a mystery to me. So, Henry tells the story of the lost boys, with one of the group as the lead character, and this is an interesting take on who they are and how they got there but it didn’t draw me in at all. Peter Pan is painted as a cruel manipulator and their world is one of violence, not the forever young fantasy that we have come to expect. If you want to read a wonderfully dark twisted take on a fairy tale read Christina Henry’s Alice, you won’t regret it. I gave Lost Boy 3* because the story was ok and I did want to finish it. The rest of the group gave it 4*.

Happy Reading

Mel x