Review: Olive Kitteridge

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really struggled to get through this - in fact, I skipped the penultimate chapter. Part of the issue is that it's a series of short stories (with Olive as the interconnecting theme) rather than a straightforward novel. I found keeping track of the different characters hardgoing at times (wasn't always clear if there were two characters with the same name or one character at different time points).

That said, I can't fault the writing or how well drawn the characters were. Even if a character only featured in one chapter, they were fully realised.

Oliver herself is difficult to be around. She is deeply unlikable at times but, to be fair, also relatable. So relatable that I'm not absolutely sure that I won't find myself picking up the sequel (Olive Again).





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Review: Leonard and Hungry Paul

Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think this was a noble attempt to do something different - to focus on how two ordinary, unambitious men (Leonard and Hungry Paul) can live fulfilling lives in their own way. Hungry Paul, in particular, was an interesting character. There is some implication he suffered brain damange at birth but otherwise no real explaination for why he is the way he is (a simple soul living a simple life).

However, as has been noted in other reviews, the problem with books about ordinary lives is that ordinary lives are a bit dull. Grace (Hungry Paul's sister) was a well-rounded character but her stress about her upcoming wedding was just boring to be honest. I would have preferred Hession to spend more time on her fears about having to look after parents (and Hungry Paul) in the future and what that would mean for her life than on how how the wedding planning was affecting her relationship.

Also while I didn't mind some of the farcial elements, I did balk when Hungry Paul sets up a "quiet club" in which people are meant to sit in silence for an hour. This is portrayed as a thought-provoking concept but, erm, the Quakers have been practising silent worship for more than 350 years now. So, not exactly a new idea.

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Review: The Lost Girls Of Paris

The Lost Girls Of Paris by Pam Jenoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great bit of hokum that's very much "inspired by" rather than "based on" true events. While there really were female operatives of the SOE and 12 didn't come back, this account of what happened does seem a tad implausible - veering into melodramatic Allo Allo "I wll say this only once" territory at times. Particularly unlikely is that a plucky American widow is the one to unearth their fates.

So if you want understand more about the female operatives of the SOE, read one of the books that Jenoff (who, to be fair, doesn't prevent to have written anything other than a work of fiction) recommends. If you want an enjoyable, engrossing, second world war drama, read this.

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Review: The Familiars

The Familiars by Stacey Halls
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If I could give this three and a half stars, I would. It's a good, well-plotted book. Fleetwood is a likeable, believable heroine. She does comes across more like a 30-year-old than a 17-year-old, but she's probably the equivalent of a 30-year-old today in terms of her stage in life (married and pregnant).

However, I think Halls is slightly going over old ground. Jeanette Winterson has also written about the Pendle witch trials (The Daylight Gate) and, to be honest, did a better job of it. Though comparing Halls (a first-time writer) to an established writer of Winterson's calibre is unfair; of course, Halls is going to pale by comparison.

Therefore, The Familiars is a decent read and is best judged on its own merits without comparison to earlier works. Few stories are that original anyway and somebody, somewhere will have got there first. It's just Halls' bad luck that someone was Winterson.

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Review: Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China

Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China by Jung Chang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chang's research, as always, is astonishing. In this intimate portrait of the Soong sisters, you get a real sense of who they were. I've seen one or two reviews be critical about the fact that the book focuses a fair bit on the men in sisters' lives. I can understand that - I think Chiang Kai-Shenk was given more prominence than "Big Sister" Ei-Ling.

But, all three sisters were in the positions they were because of who they were married to (or in Ei-Ling's case, who her sister May-Ling was married to). The reality was a woman would never have power without some connection to a powerful man at that time in China's history - though all three certainly played fundamental roles in helping the men in their lives gain and keep power.

Overall, an interesting read but one that was a bit of a slog at times. Possibly a good book to read on holiday when you have time to devote it.

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Review: Me: Elton John Official Autobiography

Me: Elton John Official Autobiography by Elton John
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Really good! Whether or not you're a fan of John, his autobiography has so much to offer. You get bitchy comments about celebrities (Rod Stewart and John apparently have a decades-long competition to see who can outshine the other), shocking tales of debauchery (he really was an enthusiastic user of cocaine...), and poignant tales of redemption. One of the saddest recollections is John's fraught relationship with his Mum and his Dad, particularly as he never able to really reach an understanding with either of them.

But best of all is John's self-awareness. He knows his temper tantrums are ridiculous, that his drug and alcohol problems didn't make him a nice person to be around, and that part of him will always be Reg Dwight.

I also listened to some of this on the Audible version. I can see why they got Taron Egerton to do the narration given his brilliant performance in RocketMan and he does do a great job. The problem is he's just too young. Hearing a 29-year-old man refer to something that happened "45 years ago" is a bit weird to be honest.

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Review: Doctor Who: The Women Who Lived

Doctor Who: The Women Who Lived by Christel Dee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a good 30 years too old for this but I actually found it quite fun and engaging. I've only really watched "new Who", so it was interesting to find out about some iconic female characters of "old who". Importantly, they've thrown in some villians as well as the companions/one-story heroines. If this meant as an empowering book for young girls, then the message should be that women are just as capable of making poor decisions/being selfish as men are!

Strictly for Doctor Who fans only though. A lot of things you're not going understand if you've never seen the programme!

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Review: The Wall

The Wall by John Lanchester
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The idea of the UK putting a Wall to keep "Others" out is, given Brexit, is an relevant and important one to explore. However, I was never really convinced that Kavanagh was in any real danger. The prolem with having him as the narrator is that you know that he's going to survive any situation because he's the one telling you about it!

Plus, as the book went on, I didn't think he had that much depth - he muttered about blaming his parents for the "change" happening on their watch (mainly because they acted guilty), but his relationship with them was never really explored. Would have been more interesting for Lanchester to address whether the parents (or their generation and, by extension, our generation) really were guilty etc.

I think my issue is that I'm just a bit bored wth male narrators - particularly white (I think), middle-class ones. They can come across as somewhat bland after a while.

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Review: Once Upon a River

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An absorbing read that, despite being chunky (500 pages), I managed to get through quite quickly (I finished the last 150 pages during a two-hour flight).

The underlying mystery of the book - how a child who appeared dead could come back to life and who that child is - slowly unfolds. But, the real joy of the book is the characters and how they interact. All of them, in their own ways, are at turns vulnerable and strong.

I watched the TV adaption of the 13th tale a few years ago and I regret that now. I wished I had read the book as I think I would have enjoyed it more. Mind you, the TV adaption did have Olivia Coleman (post Broadchurch but way before Oscar) and Vanessa Redgrave. So, the adaption was probably worth it for those two alone!

I might now investigate Bellman & Black (Setterfield's second novel) to see what that's about as, I think anyway, there hasn't been a TV adaptation of that!


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Review: World of the Unknown Ghosts

World of the Unknown Ghosts by Various
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So much fun to read this again.

Full knowing that most people reading this will be fans of the original, Usborne have not bothered to make any serious revisions (presumably, they took out anything racist/sexist by today's standards). Therefore, the stories and pictures are brilliantly quaint. They suggest using a notebook and pen to record any ghostly goings on because, in this World of the Unknown, mobiles aren't a thing.

Being a tad more sceptical than when I first read the book (13; I'm now 39), I realised that many of the ghost stories were very likely to be the result of bad lighting/drafty houses/someone being drunk. However, the story of the cursed WW1 Uboat seemed quite sinister - not because of the supernatural but because of the horrors of submarine life in warfare.

The book sweetly provides a list of further reading but, obvs, I have Google. And - of course - I will be Googling the history of pictures that the book claims aren't fakes immediately after finishing writing this review.



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Review: The Diary of a Bookseller

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was, at times, very funny and insightful. I've always tried to avoid Amazon but this book makes you realise just how damaging the rise of Amazon has been to the independent bookshop industry.

However, I think Bythell's acerbic observations of his customers can sometimes border on the downright mean. Plus, not sure he needed include every diary entry for the whole year as entries were repetitive etc.

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Review: To Be Taught, If Fortunate

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another lovely book from Chambers. The basic premise of all of her books seems to be what people could achieve if they just worked together and weren't so obsessed with being right.

Her skill is that her books never feel preachy or sentimental. Plus, she makes Sci Fi accessible for those (like me) who don't particularly like Sci Fi.

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Review: Matilda

Matilda by Roald Dahl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just as wonderful as when I first read it as a child. As an adult, though, I now realise how subversive and dark Matilda is in places. I was quite besumed that Dahl has a five-year-old reading Brighton Rock - a book I gave up on for being too bleak! Plus, that he has Miss Honey outline the difficulties of leaving an abusive relationship (albeit with an Aunt rather than with a partner) is quite impressive for a kid's book.

But, the magic of Matilda is that it shows kids of all ages that they should celebrate their talents. And that people who belittle others are just nasty bullies.

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Review: Mort

Mort by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don't think this was one of Pratchett's best offerings, but, in fairess, it is one of his early ones (apparently, iit is the first one he was pleased with because it was the first one to have a proper plot). Mort is endearing enough but not a patch on Granny Weatherwax, which is probably why this is the first in the Death series not the first in the Mort series.

Ultimately, though this is a Pratchett book. His mediocre is often better than another writer's best. I suspect I probably will continue the Death series. Discworld is a bit a addictive I've found...

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Review: Fire from Heaven

Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

To be honest, this was a cover buy. I love the Virago modern classics special editions that were brought out last year to celebrate the publishing house's 40th anniversary. I just, erm, I don't want to read them. I've bought four and, so far, I only managed to read one (Their eyes were wathcing God).

I think there's nothing wrong with cover buys but, when you're trying (like I am) to reduce the number of books you DNF (more than 30 this year alone!), you probably should accept you shouldn't get a book unless you would buy it even if it didn't have a pretty cover.

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Review: If Cats Disappeared from the World

If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting concept - essentially, what would be prepared to give up to have one more day of life? And, would you get to the point when you felt the an extra day of life wasn't worth whatever it was you were giving up?

Somehow, the concept doesn't quite work. Possibly, the translation doesn't quite work? Or the book just doesn't have anything that profound to actually say about life and death?

Overall, a good idea that just isn't fully realised.

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Review: Little Women

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed re-reading Little Women but I just wasn't able to drum up enthusiasm for re-reading Good Wives. The March sisters learning lessons when they're teenagers is quaint but it gets a bit too much when they start to get into their 20s (the Good Wives part).

I actually didn't realise until I was well into my 20s that the UK differs from the USA in having parts one and two of Little Women as two separate books. I suspect that is now changing, particularly with a new film version is about to come out, as the Penguin classics version I read contains both books. As in the US editions, "Good Wives" is considered to be part two.

Little Women is a lovely book and I think a worthwhile read for all teenage girls (and boys). As I am nearly 40, I'm probably just too old to appreciate it.

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Review: Lolly Willowes

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For first three quarters of the book, Laura (Lolly) is a middle-class, middle-aged woman slowly realising that she doesn't want to do what is expected of her as unmarried woman (i.e. be quiet and be helpful). Had the book ended when she decides to move to the country, Lolly Williams would have been a empowering book about a woman finding her voice.

But last quarter goes the proverbial bat poo crazy, leaving the reader go "yah what?" - Lolly does make a great speach at the end of the book explaining the need for the craziness in fairness. So while the last quarter is decidedly odd, I think it is justified.

A book for all introverts or anyone who resents the path that society expects them to follow.

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Review: Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I decided to re-read Frankenstein after reading Jeanette Winterson's Frankissstein. I was amazed to discover how much I had forgotten - I've forgotten so much that I'm actually wondering if I did ever read it (it was more than 20 years ago to be fair).

Now that I'm older and (technically) wiser, I've found the book much more flawed than I remembered. So much so that I gave up on it three quarters in. Surprisingly for a book by a female author, all of the female characters are one dimensional and fit into the saintly woman trope. Plus, Victor Frankenstein is - at times - a self-pitying bore. It's a shame so little time is dedicated to the creature's story. The idea that nurture (or lack thereof) rather than nature makes the creature into a "monster" is still an important message today.

Whatever the flaws of Frankenstein, that Shelley wrote this when she was only 19 is astonishing. She did have an unusually good education for a woman at that time and was surrounded by literary figures such as Bryon. But, still impressive all the same.

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Review: Frankissstein: A Love Story

Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I love about Winterson is that her writing is it's experimental. And, it's experimental in a good way - not the "experimental" for the sake of being experimental or for being different, but she genuinely wants to investigate an idea. I feel like she wrote this retelling of Frankeinstein because she wanted to further explore what it means to be human and how AI might change that. She doesn't come up with any answers; just possible scenarios.

Ry was an well-rounded character but, like the original Shelley, their job is serve as an observer. So, they're not quite as "unique" as some of the characters. My favoutite was "Ron Lord", which I'm guessing is a play on "Bryon". Reimainging one of England's greatest poets as a somewhat pathetic middle-aged misogynist was a nice comedic touch.

Frankissstein got me thinking so much that I've been inspired to re-read the original. It's been at least 20 years, so it's probably about time!

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Review: Notes on a Nervous Planet

Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Notes On A Nervous Planet is a good, accessible introduction to what anxiety feels like and the potential causes (and solutions). Haig's argument that the modern world (specifically, technology) is a major cause of anxiety is not exactly a new one, but it is one that bears repeating.

My issue with the book is that it over simplifies certain things. He advises people to try to find work they enjoy etc. I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job, but I recognise that's a privilege. Quite a lot of people have to do a job they don't particularly enjoy because that's the only the job they could find etc. Plus, his advice "don't stress about deadlines" completely neglects that the fact you missing a deadline affects someone else - meaning they miss their deadline etc.




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Review: Carpe Jugulum

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quite sad that this is the last of Lancre Coven books - have managed to read all six in the series this year! Granny Weatherwax really is a brilliant character, which is actually a minus in some ways. When she's not part of the narrative, the books do lag and particularly so when the other witches in the coven aren't around either. That said, it's a pity Agnes Nitt never became a standalone character as she's (to me anyway) the most relatable of all the witches.

I did tell myself that having gone a bit mad reading all of Lancre Coven books this year, I wasn't going to get into any more Discworld series. But, I know myself too well to think I'll stick to that. But, iI'm not going to buy any more Discworld books this year at least....



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Review: Educated

Educated by Tara Westover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An astonishing story. This is not, as I first thought, a misery memoir. It's the story of how damaging rigid belief can be.
Tara's father isn't a bad man and he certainly loves his children. But, he is so unable to consider any viewpoint other than his own that he causes both physical and mental damage to them. His distrust of doctors means all his children suffer injuries that they might not otherwise have done. He himself has a terrible burn that may have left him less disfigured had he sought medical help.

You realise how exceptionally bright Tara must to be able to do a PhD given the start of her education was so limited. Not that she found it easy of course. And the sacrifices she has had to make - essentially choosing between education and her family.

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Review: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A hugely important book. The Jack the Ripper legend has become such a part of British culture, specifically London culture, that we have forgotten the five women he murdered were actual people. In this book, their stories are finally heard. Rubenhold argues that for too long they have been dismissed as "just prostitutes" and somehow were partly to blame for how their lives ended. In fact, according to Rubenhold, only Mary Kelly (the last canonical victim) was known to be working as a prostitute at the time of her death.

But, whether or not they were "ladies of the night", all of them had limited options from the moment they were born. If you were born poor and female, a life of drudgery and constant child bearing was the best you could hope for. As Rubenhold suggests, it's no wonder that all five women had some sort of drink problem. Furthermore, while they all made mistakes and could be seen as own worst enemies, they would have been judged much less harshly had they been men.

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Review: Convenience Store Woman

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Keiko - the convenience store woman - is decidedly odd and is at a loss as to how not to be odd. She is deeply confused because she knows that society abides by a set of rules but doesn't know what those rules are or why she is supposed to follow them.

What is so great about this book is that it shows that Keiko's family and friends who are so concerned about how odd Keiko is are just as odd in their own way. They are utterly obsessed by what Keiko should be doing and never stop to consider that doing something merely because you're supposed to (without questioning why you're supposed to do it) is itself a bit weird.

A fabulous book for anyone who has ever felt that they were off sick the day everyone else learnt how to be normal.

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Review: Quaker Quicks - What Do Quakers Believe?: Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Quakerism

Quaker Quicks - What Do Quakers Believe?: Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Quakerism by Geoffrey Durham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good overview of what Quakers believe and try to put into practice. This is not the book for someone wanting to gain an understanding of how Quaker came to be or how have they developed over time (Durham himself says his book is aimed at the "casual observer" rather than those wanting to do an academic study of the Quakers), but it's a handy guide for those contemplating Quakerism.

As a practising Quaker, I found it useful. I often feel I am not a very good Quaker - I don't feel a strong connection to the divine at times and I don't work in a particularly Quaker job. However, Durham (and the other Quakers quoted) has reminded me that Quakers come in all shapes and forms and their sense of the divine can differ greatly. What connects them, and this is something I try to adhere to, is the desire live their faith through action. Being a Quaker is not so much about what you believe but how you behave.

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Review: Queen Victoria: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Widow

Queen Victoria: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Widow by Lucy Worsley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sympathetic portrait of a complex woman. There are many things to dislike about Victoria - she basically abdicated her duties to Albert, wasn't particular loving towards her children (mind you, given she had nine of them, she just did well to remember their names), and could be extremely selfish. But, Worsley argues that Victoria was a woman of her upbringing and her time. She was taught from a young age to believe that the world revolved around her, so that's how she behaved. Plus, the 19th Century wasn't exactly a great time for women's rights - deferring to your husband was what you were supposed to do.

Above of all, Worsely portrays Victoria as an extremely lonely woman. Before marrying Albert, she had no real friends (she wasn't allowed any as a child) and didn't really make any after he died. Friendship is based on being equals and that's quite hard to achieve when one of you is the head of an empire. Worst still, when she did attempt to have friends (such as John Brown), everyone around her got upset.

As Queen, Victoria was vastly more privileged than a lot of her subjects (particularly if they were poor and/or female). But, based on this book, you can't really envy her. Like our current Queen, Queen Victoria had to do her best with a life that she didn't choose and perhaps didn't really want.


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Review: Jane Eyre: Manga Classics

Jane Eyre: Manga Classics by Charlotte Brontë
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun take on Bronte's masterpiece. Lot of things have been lost in translation from novel to Manga, so probably best to enjoy this as a story that has a lot of same themes as Jane Eyre but isn't actually Jane Eyre.

I've never read Manga before so this was an interesting experience. Reading from right to left (essentially, the opposite of how Westerners typically read) took some getting used to but I eventually got the hang of it. It certainly helped that there's a bit at the front (which feels like the back...) telling how to read Manga!

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Review: The Joy Luck Club

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

At first, I thought this wold be a poignant story of the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. In particular, what happens when mother and daughters have different ideas about how the daughter should live her life.

However, I eventually gave up because it became too depressing. There seemed to be a definite case of damned you; damned if you don't. The mothers were miserable because they adhered to traditional Chinese and were submissive and were unhappy when their daughters didn't listen to them. The daughters were unhappy because they couldn't seem to cope with the choices available to them as modern Americans and their mothers never seem to approve of the choices that they did make. Above all, none of the mother/daughter pairs seem to reach any real understanding or learning anything from each other.

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Review: The Silence Diarie

The Silence Diarie by Jennifer Kavanagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book isn't out until October/November, but 100 copies have been published in time for British Yearly Meeting (an annual Quaker event) and I was lucky enough to be pick up one from the Quaker bookshop in Euston. However while Jennifer is a Quaker and the story will resonate with Quakers, the Silence Diaries aren't actually about Quakerism (overtly at least anyway).

For me, this book is about understanding who you are, recognising that who you are is not the necessarily same as who you tell people you are, and how we can never really know the inner life of someone else. It is also about finding your purpose and accepting that purpose can change or be multiple things.

I always enjoy Jennifer's writing (I've read her first novel, the Emancipation of B, and several of her non-fiction work). They're always the type of books that I'd like to write one day.

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Review: Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am rating this book because although I didn't quite finish it, I got near to the concluding part. I could see what was going to happen and, no, just no. King himself thinks this is his scariest book and that he was "horrified" by what he had written. The only reason it was published is because he owed a book to his publisher and this was the only thing he had.

It's a horrible book with an awful concept but it's well written and compelling. Had King not gone down the road he went down with this, it could have served as a poignant tale of coming to terms with death and grief. But, he did go down that road (which I think he now certainly questions whether that was the right thing to do) and I am so creeped out by this book that I don't want it in my house. It's going to the charity shop at the next available opportunity.

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Review: Bad Girls: A History of Rebels and Renegades

Bad Girls: A History of Rebels and Renegades by Caitlin Davies
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A thought-provoking history of the notorious woman's prison. It shows that while Holloway was a deeply flawed place, it did have its merits and its closure perhaps caused more problems than it solved. Importantly, it again raises the issue that prison may not be the best way to deal with women who break the law and that female prisoners have different needs from male ones.

What I felt Davies does very well is not to pass judgement on either the prisoners or the whose who worked at Holloway. Instead, she focuses on how Holloway's problems were complex and that they often the fault of the penal system rather than particular individuals.

My one regret is that I read the ebook version. I volunteer for a library for homeless people and I think this is exactly the type of book that they would want to read (even if they've never been in trouble with the law, they've probably been the victim of an unfair system). So, it's a shame I am not able to donate my copy to the library.

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Review: Kind of Coping: An Illustrated Look at Life with Anxiety

Kind of Coping: An Illustrated Look at Life with Anxiety by Maureen Marzi Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sweet little book about living with anxiety. I read it in an hour on my commute home, so it's easy to flick through. Will definitely be picking it up again the time I feel anxious for a bit of support.

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Review: The Dreamers

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think the cover (the UK one at least) and the title of this book are misleading - I thought it was going to be some modern fairy tale. Well, I suppose it is a fairy tale (I am not sure the "sleeping sickness" that people contract is medically possible) but it is a very dark one. There's a creeping sense of horror as more and more people become ill; nobody knows who is going to become ill next or what will happen to those who become ill. For me the book is less about what the "dreamers" are dreaming about but more about what happens to society when there's a plague. Essentially, it breaks down as people start to focus on survival.

Overall, The Dreamers is hard to classify. It's sort of young adult, sort of fantasy and sort of science fiction. It's not bleak enough to be described as dystopian but not exactly feel good either. I appreciated this book but I can't say I enjoyed it. I feel a definite need to now read something a bit more comedic/light hearted!

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Review: The Ravenmaster: Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London

The Ravenmaster: Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London by Christopher Skaife
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An entertaining tale of the history of the ravens at the Tower of London by the "Ravenmaster" Christopher Skaife. I mostly listened to the audiobook version, which I think is probably the best way to read The Ravenmaster. Skaife's enthusiasm for the ravens, the Tower, and his job comes across much more strongly when he's the one telling the story. You can well imagine him regaling tourists at the Tower with a tale or too (no doubt embellished here and there all in the name of telling a good story).

I could have done without hearing about his life as solider, but that's a personal preference thing. And, it's not randomly thrown in to be fair - it's often to draw parallels between the challenges his faced as a soldier and those he faces looking after the ravens.

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Review: Their Eyes Were Watching God

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A lot of the reviews for Their Eyes Were Watching God seem to focus on the "lyrical writing", which is impressive. But, what made me love this book were the characters - none of them felt one dimensional. Janie, of course, is my standout favourite. Hurston could so easily have made her a "victim" or an "inspirational figure"; Janie is neither - she is a woman who is just trying to understand herself and the world she lives in.

Apparently, after her initial success, Hurston faded into obscurity in later years and her recognition as, according to the blurb in the Virago edition, "one of the most influential African American writers of the 20th century" came after she died. I cannot imagine that a white male author with Hurson's considerable talent would have been forgotten in such a way.

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Review: The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters

The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Quite obviously, Hussain didn't write the actual words of this book. It's far too competently written for that. It's clearly the work of an experienced writer (the inside pages notes "with Ayisha Malik").

But, that said, I do accept she came up with the characters and the plot. Hussain isn't the type to put her name to something without having any creative involvement. Plus, kudos to her for being open about having a ghostwriter (not all celeb authors are so honest).

Regardless of who did exactly what, together, Hussain and Malik have come up with an endearing tale about siblings - about however much they annoy you at times, you will always be part of each other's lives. They have also added sufficient drama so that the book isn't overly sentimental.

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Review: Wyrd Sisters

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pratchett's revisionist take on MacBeth (and, according to Wikipedia, Hamlet as well) is very well done - with digs at everything from the political elite to the acting world. Granny Weatherwax is as brilliant as she was in Equal Rites (the first "Witches" book). But, Wyrd Sisters has lots of other great characters to enjoy as well: the other two wyrd sisters (Nanny Ogg and Magrat), the Fool who keeps inadvertently showing he's actually quite bright, and Hwel the Dwarf, who constantly seems to be channelling Shakespeare.

I can see why people love Pratchett and Discworld so much. I don't think have the patience to read every single Discworld novel but I may continue to read the Witches stories.

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Review: The Cut Out Girl: A Story of War and Family, Lost and Found: The Costa Book of the Year 2018

The Cut Out Girl: A Story of War and Family, Lost and Found: The Costa Book of the Year 2018 by Bart van Es
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On the surface, you'd think Lien was one of the "lucky ones" - rather than hiding away in an attic like Anne Frank or being sent to one of the camps, she spent the war living with foster families. But, the truth is more complex. Yes, she survived relatively unscathed but she had to deal with the trauma of losing most of her family, never being able to tell anyone who she was (i.e. Jewish), and being at the mercy of those who were supposed to be protecting her. Unsurprising, the war cast a long shadow on the rest of her life.

I have read several books about the Holocaust and I never stop being shocked at its horrors. This book, for example, highlights how Holland's Jewish population were almost completely wiped out. I assumed that to be the case with the German Jewish population but I just didn't realise that was the case with the occupied countries as well.

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Review: The Binding

The Binding by Bridget Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautiful book for anyone who loves physical books. The descriptions of book binding are lovely. But, of course, there's more to it than that. It's about memory and how memories are important to keep hold of even if they're bad ones.

I think it would probably be looking into things too deep to say Collins is saying memories are the same as identity. But The Binding does make you realise that no one has the right to try to understand your memories (or you) without your permission.

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Review: Into the Wild

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, the story of Chris McCandless is a difficult one. You could paint him as a privileged white boy who died because he was too arrogant to understand his limitations or you could see him as an adventurer who sang to his own tune. Being able to relate to McCandless because of his own adventurous but reckless youth, Krakauer more leans to the latter interpretation. But, I lean more towards the former. If McCandless had just listened to one of the several people who tried to offer him advice, he may well have survived his adventure.

Then again scores of people do really stupid, arrogant things when they are young - they're just lucky that their stupid, arrogant didn't prove fatal and it is just luck. We've all had " oh Sh*t!" moments when we've realised our ill thought out plan could have gotten us injured/killed had things got awry. That's why McCandless's story is so tragic. The luck was the difference between his folly getting him killed and him having a "oh sh*t!" moment. Mind you, you do wonder that had he survived, if he would have kept doing reckless thing until his luck ran out etc.



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Review: Transcription

Transcription by Kate Atkinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A realistic spy novel if they're can be such a thing. As a spy, Juliet encounters barely any high drama. Just an awful lot of mundane transcription (if only the Fascists would learn to speak up!). What, or rather who, she does encounter is a vast array of believable characters. I think "Godfrey" and "Perry" are much more typical of the type of men you would find in M15 rather than James Bond (or does he work for MI6).

A really good book.

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Review: Doctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams

Doctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A quick, easy read. After reading In Cold Blood, I needed something lighthearted where I could guarantee the good guys would save the day and this fitted the bill perfectly.

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Review: In Cold Blood

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A deserved true crime classic. Capote's masterstroke is to make you feel sympathy for one of the murderers (Smith) while never shying away from the horror of his crime or the fact he didn't express remorse. Hitchcock (the other murderer) is portrayed less sympathetically - generally because, unlike Smith, he never really accepts responsibility for his actions.

David Wilson, in his book about the Victorian serial killer Mary Ann Cotton, says that murderers are often caught because they make a mistake rather than because of the skills of those trying to apprehend them. This is certainly true of Hitchcock and Smith. Although they left few clues at the crime scene itself, they practically left a trail of breadcrumbs to themselves afterwards. It's their arrogance and inability to consider the consequences of their actions that are the cause of their undoing - the exact same traits that led them to kill in the first place.

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Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An engaging tale of what it is to be an "icon" - how much you have change about yourself, hide about your life, and what you're prepared to do to stay an icon. Think the concept would have worked just as well had it been the "five husbands" of Evelyn Hugo rather than seven (at least two of the husbands could have been amalgamated into one). Plus, it's bad timing for Jenkins Reid to have her book on the market when Stuart Turton has released "The Seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" - it's very easy to confuse the two books even though they're completely different plot wise

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