I'm totally confused on how to feel about this one. I could scarcely put this book down and yet can't say I enjoyed any of what I read. How is that poI'm totally confused on how to feel about this one. I could scarcely put this book down and yet can't say I enjoyed any of what I read. How is that possible?
Perhaps it is due to the unlikable nature of every one of the characters that inhabited this narrative, fraught with drama and yet of little intrigue. There wasn't one individual the reader could root for, which does not usually bother me and yet here it served to distance me from the text. The characters repeatedly make unforgivable decisions and I really struggled reading of individuals I could so little relate to.
I also felt disconcerted that much was known to the reader early on and, from there, we were merely following the characters as they attempt to discover what we already have. It lessened the early suspense that initially sucked me in and even the concluding twists were lessened in their appeal, as they had already been heavily hinted at and I had guessed at their origins.
I also extremely disliked the homophobic undercurrent. I was already struggling to relate to such troubled characters but this provided the final severing of all emotional ties to them. I also could not see what its inclusion added to the narrative.
This was only one of the many distasteful facets of the novel and whilst some morbid part of me continued reading to the bitter end, all I found there did to redeem it in any way and I closed the final page ultimately unsatisfied with this novel of such darkness and so little atoning light....more
This was a fascinating insight to an unforgettable and dark time in America's history, that both detailed the time before and after the assassinationThis was a fascinating insight to an unforgettable and dark time in America's history, that both detailed the time before and after the assassination of president John F. Kennedy whilst also providing an account of the lives of both victim and assassin. I found this delivered the necessary facts about the crime but, as a non-American and one who has little knowledge of American politics and history, I appreciated the early details of Kennedy's presidency this also provided.
The detail was profound, the narration precise, and the dramatics kept to a minimum leading me to consider this a wonderful account of the dark blight on political history, that culminated in the tragic loss of one man's life and one nation's leader....more
This is the perfect atmospheric read to accompany these gloomy winter evenings.
The Gothic wildness of the fens is almost untActual rating 4.5/5 stars.
This is the perfect atmospheric read to accompany these gloomy winter evenings.
The Gothic wildness of the fens is almost untouched by the heft of man that seems to be overtaking the rest of the world. It is a place undisturbed, expect by undefinable shrieks at night, the ghosts of superstition and folklore, and one lone mansion that borders the wilderness. Inside this house, the occupants largely attempt to exist in total disconnection with the fens but something about the strange beauty of it allures its youngest member and Maud will not settle into her relegated sphere of the world before she can explore all of the wild offerings that exist outside of it.
This novel was staged around a series of communications between the fully grown Maud and a journalist attempting to lure her into telling her story. Financial needs meant she finally relented and the reader was flung back to Edwardian England as the true story begins to unfurl in the present tense.
I adored Maud. Her forward thinking and feminist ideologies, her stubborn nature, and her ardent longing for the natural world all spoke to my heart and I was to unable to do anything but align with her cause. Her father, however, far less so, just as the story demanded of its readers.
Along with the strong-willed Maud, my heart also became enamoured with the majestic wilderness that consistently surrounded her. I could not fail but to liken this to my favourite read, Wuthering Heights. Cathy Earnshaw is as much a product of the moors as she is her upbringing and the same can be said for Maud. Also, in both, the mirroring of tempestuous passions between nature and the characters traversing its plains dominate the texts. Both were about far more than nature's undisturbed beauty but that is what spoke so clearly to me, through the intricacies of the plot, and ensured both as eternally unforgettable reads.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Michelle Paver, and the publisher, Head of Zeus, for this opportunity....more
The Secret History meets Girls on Fire meets The Graces.
"It seems that women are doomed to two fates. It is our lot to either be seen as unpredictablThe Secret History meets Girls on Fire meets The Graces.
"It seems that women are doomed to two fates. It is our lot to either be seen as unpredictable and irrational mortals, maligned and repressed by the actions of men; or sacred beings, goddesses of higher realm, among the Fates and Furies."
The Furies is yet another YA novel that focuses on the potential toxicity of female friendships. Quite honestly, those are all my buzzwords and I will devour anything on the topic, no matter how many seemingly similar novels appear on the shelves. This book, however, also had something far more sinister to offer the reader, that appeared in the prologue and framed the narrative with its horrifying imagery. And right from this initial scene of terror I was hooked!
Asides from the interplay involved in teen girl friendships, academic settings are another of my bookish buzzwords. An elite school is erected for these fictional creations that could draw its source from many real-world alternatives. The abundance and the pretension lured me into this world and when this veneer became scratched Lowe exposed the sinister history it tremulously resided upon. The historic abuse of women and the rumoured witchcraft of those females deemed unsavoury is not a new discovery, and yet what Lowe does with this most certainly is. She brings home the image of the witch and lets it rest and grow, unknown and yet right in the heart of the patriarchal regime that once condemned it to the outskirts.
This is a novel ripe with sensual and sexual undertones that tainted every scene with an atmospheric foreboding that disallowed any facet to be taken at face value. The suspense mounts incrementally and ensures the reader is hooked to every word, as myth and history begin to collide with reality. Nothing can be trusted. All will be revealed. And in the wake of this discovery the reader will be left reeling.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, Thank you to th author, Katie Lowe, and the publisher, Harper Collins, for this opportunity....more
In the synopsis, this novel is described as a "mesmerizing debut novel by Chip Cheek". The unputdownable nature of its contents and the speed with whiIn the synopsis, this novel is described as a "mesmerizing debut novel by Chip Cheek". The unputdownable nature of its contents and the speed with which I tore through the pages can certainly attest to that!
It is 1957 and two newlyweds make their temporary home in New Jersey, for the duration of their honeymoon. The streets are deserted, the homes are abandoned, and this popular setting for summer escape lies in a silent and gloomy out-of-season solitude. Thrown in such close proximity, and without the reprieve of other individuals, Henry and Effie decide to cut their trip short. But on the cusp of disembarking, they find their first time together saved with the unlikely arrival of a trio of wealthy socialites. They soon discover that these saviours will also deliver them so much more.
In amongst the sea of alcohol-infused debauchery this novel becomes unmoored upon, is an insight to 1950s American culture. The characters act either according to or purposefully against the accepted norms and the reader is introduced to the tricky social politics that governed this time. This isolated setting becomes the backdrop to this unburdening of these expectations and what resides underneath is a sexual and sensual awakening, a burgeoning awareness of the self, and many an erotic and gin-soaked scene that makes this novel both a riveting read as well as an unexpectedly profound one.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, Thank you to the author, Chip Cheek, and the publisher, Celadon Books, for this opportunity....more
It is early in the morning on May 6th, 1840. London has yet to properly shake off the shackles of the night but already the servants are awake and attIt is early in the morning on May 6th, 1840. London has yet to properly shake off the shackles of the night but already the servants are awake and attending to their duties. Lord Russell's house is no different, only he will not be rising from his slumber to witness them. He will momentarily be found in bed, with his throat slit from ear to ear, and it is this discovery that will spark one of the most notorious murder cases to plague Victorian London, involving the disparate likes of royalty, infamous literary figures, and every shifty street urchin for miles around.
This historical murder case is intriguing in its details but more so with the figures it involves. It is almost surreal to see the names of Dickens and Thackery adorn these pages, so surely have I built up alternative figures for them, from reading their abundant fictional words. It is also fascinating to see how this one murder affected both the literary and publishing world, at large. I will not divulge exactly how, but the potential merging of fact with fiction added another layer to this already convoluted tale.
The only mar in my reading experience was the slight waning of interest that ensued, once the majority of the facts about this case were revealed. The trial that follows was lengthy and of slightly less overall appeal than the initial, more sensational, segments. Nonetheless, this remains both an intriguing murder and case, and the turbulence in the brief historical time it covers should not be overlooked or forgotten....more
American Hippo combines together the two novellas in the River of Teeth series, River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow.
River of Teeth started with the verAmerican Hippo combines together the two novellas in the River of Teeth series, River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow.
River of Teeth started with the very implausible concept of hippos roaming the Louisiana marshland. Despite the apparent impossibility of this image, the basis for this notion came direct from reality and was once a proposed strategy to dually provide a protein source for those living in the vicinity as well as the hippos themselves aiding in clearing the weeds that lined the waterways. From this notion Gailey created a version of historical USA that was rife with hippo farms and lucrative entertainment complexes that lined the bayou.
I immediately fell in love with this alternative reality and this was only heightened by the body positive female with a pet albino hippo named Ruby, the genderqueer individual who is accepted for exactly who they are by all the other characters, and the general gun-toting, badassery that filled every single page.
The Western setting was one I had not previously encountered and I loved how I got to explore this section of the world, as the characters traversed across the terrain there. This action-dominated story-line did not leave me much room to pause, whilst reading it, which was my only small source of contention, but I loved this diverse cast and the dually hilarious and violent romp across the bayou, that they embark upon, nonetheless....more
This was a solid first introduction into Celtic mythology. Asides from detailing some of the major gods and mythological stories associated with them,This was a solid first introduction into Celtic mythology. Asides from detailing some of the major gods and mythological stories associated with them, it also gave a brief overview of the history of the land and how both intersected with and affected the lives of the inhabitants of ancient Ireland....more
This was a solid first introduction into Egyptian mythology. Of all the titles I have read in the hourly history series this was the one I had the leaThis was a solid first introduction into Egyptian mythology. Of all the titles I have read in the hourly history series this was the one I had the least prior knowledge of. Carlson did a wonderful job of recreating the setting and informing the reader about how everyday life was lived during these times. Whilst still finding this a wonderful introduction to the topic I did find that less of the focus was actually contained to mythology and the gods, compared to the other series titles....more
This was a solid first introduction into ancient Greek mythology. It provided an overview as to the major characteristics and abilities of some of theThis was a solid first introduction into ancient Greek mythology. It provided an overview as to the major characteristics and abilities of some of the major gods as well as a concise version of the mythological creation of our universe. The details about the mortals these myths effected were scant but as a general overview to the topic I thought it did a good job at delivering all it did....more
This provided a first introduction into Norse mythology but I found all this short volume sought to contain a little overwhelming. This differed fromThis provided a first introduction into Norse mythology but I found all this short volume sought to contain a little overwhelming. This differed from the other series titles in that it seemed to want to include more and did so in the same number of pages but with more scarcity of details. I felt myself losing grasp of names as quickly as they were delivered and would have greatly preferred more about less....more
As much as I love the online book community, I find it can restrict the books I read and purchase. I too often find myself checking out reviews or disAs much as I love the online book community, I find it can restrict the books I read and purchase. I too often find myself checking out reviews or disallowing myself to delve into books that are not on my tbr. Whilst on holidays in the book town of Hay-on-Wye I scrapped all of that and spent two glorious days buying and reading exactly just what appealed to me!
One such title was The Virgins, an adult, historical fiction, focusing on a group of adolescents, in the 1970s, and their pre-internet struggle to understand the new, adult world they are so close to entering. I read it, over the weekend I was there and found myself a new favourite within its pages.
I found the way it explored sexual dynamics and the individual's response to their adolescence to be illuminating in nature and yet also sensitive to the age of the characters it was referring to....more
Set out in an alternating timeline and interspersed with differing perspectives, as well as collected journal entries, letteActual rating 4.5/5 stars.
Set out in an alternating timeline and interspersed with differing perspectives, as well as collected journal entries, letters, and newspaper clippings, this tells the convoluted tale of a Russian refugee and the professor that would make then break her.
Zoya Andropova once attended, and now works at, an elite New Jersey school, filled with self-entitled girls who have an animal sense for her differences and weaknesses. The struggles of her everyday pale, however, when she meets her literary idol, fellow Russian émigré, writer, and professor, Leo Orlov. Leo brings a vibrancy to her bland existence but when she meets his wife, she realises where the roots of this vividity stems from.
This book was penned with such transportive artistry that I felt compelled to keep turning the pages. The characters, were a mixture of the pitiful, the unlikable, the wistful, and the lovable, yet I found myself equally drawn to each, so completely did Celt manage to construct their individual characters into a believable semblance of reality.
There are many allusions between these fictional characters and the infamous Nabokov marriage. My love for Lolita drew to me this book, but it was Celt's creation that held me captivated. The ending was stunningly executed and confirmed this author as one I will devour anything from, trust to deliver a whole host of emotions, and lacking any fear of breaking the boundaries of the expected.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Adrienne Celt, and the publisher, Bloomsbury, for this opportunity....more
This was probably the most read book during my childhood, for I was forever dipping in and out of this tome to re-immerse myself in the adventures ofThis was probably the most read book during my childhood, for I was forever dipping in and out of this tome to re-immerse myself in the adventures of the characters who formed much of my daydreams and play....more
In the Garden of the Fugitives has one of the most intriguing titles, covers, and synopsis!
This follows modern-day Royce andActual rating 4.5/5 stars.
In the Garden of the Fugitives has one of the most intriguing titles, covers, and synopsis!
This follows modern-day Royce and Vita as they reflect back upon their days as freshmen at Harvard university. Royce, some years older than Vita, spent a fateful summer on an archaeological dig in Pompeii, as part of his degree. More than ancient ruins were unearthed there and something, long-buried in the dust, is now returning that seems bent on destroying them both. Vita was the later recipient of the Lushington Scholorship, that allowed her to study film-making in America but also left her feeling indebted to her benefactor, Royce. She sought to cut him out of her life but a decade later, their paths have intermingled once again.
This thrilling literary fiction promised confessions, unreliable narrators, shocking grand reveals, a discourse on the creative spirit and an exploration of guilt and grief - and it delivered it all. I went into this expecting a thriller and, instead, was delivered discourses on South African apartheid, American left-wing politics, the process of wine-making, and the social politics of the ancient Greeks. But how this all ties in together is truly where he brilliance of this novel lay!...more
Original rating 4.5/5 stars, but two months on and I still think about this book, which surely makes this a 5/5 star read.
I had heard of the prowess oOriginal rating 4.5/5 stars, but two months on and I still think about this book, which surely makes this a 5/5 star read.
I had heard of the prowess of Boyne's writing but, having never actually experienced it for myself before, was blown away by his cunning social commentary, stunning exposure of landscape, and vision of the power-hungry and the self-serving.
This is a tale that shifts in perspectives, across decades, and through continents as it explores the life of one individual. Who this individual actually is, is not immediately apparent as we meet him only through the introduction of another. These other characters litter the novel and all provide their perspective in exposing to the reader the main attraction - an individual marked by his lack of compassion and his hunger for ambition.
This character is Maurice Swift. He drains the vitality from these individuals before disposing of them once has had drunk his fill, which likens him to the reader in that respect, who abandons their host in favour of another once his particular brand of insight has been garnered.
This exploration of one character also exposes society and how it differs as the decades shift. the treatment of and the reactions to homosexuality, wealth and decadence, the Nazi fascist regime, and the life of a writer are just some of the other topics that Boyne provides his commentary on and all combine to this make a riveting and suspenseful novel of epic proportions.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, John Boyne, and the publisher, Transworld, for this opportunity....more
Alias Grace is the fictional re-imaging of the historical figure Grace Marks. Grace was just 16 in the year 1843 when sheMy, so far, favourite Atwood!
Alias Grace is the fictional re-imaging of the historical figure Grace Marks. Grace was just 16 in the year 1843 when she was accused of murdering her employer, Thomas Kinnear, along with his mistress and housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. Grace's regal beauty and tender age redeemed her to the masses and a score of individuals pleaded for her freedom. Grace had little to say for herself, claiming short-term amnesia for the time surrounding the murder. James McDermott was also convicted but, unlike Grace, had no individuals fighting for him, apart from their shared lawyer, and swung for his misdemeanours. Just before he took his final breaths he announced to the crowd that Grace was responsible for Nancy's murder. Instead of following his fate, Grace was incarcerated in an asylum. Whether she was guilty or innocent has never been proven and Grace herself remained reluctant to redeem or condemn herself, continuing to claim a lapse in memory until her eventual death.
This fictional account follows Grace's story some years after the chilling ordeal. She is now only temporarily incarcerated at night and spends her days working as a maid in a grand household. Doctor Simon Jordan visits her new abode and, eager to uncover the secrets of this infamous case, sets up a series of meetings in which to explore the past by increasingly peculiar means.
Uncovering the mysteries of the past had me as enthralled and captivated as Dr Jordan. Learning the details of this case, through Grace's own words (albeit fictionally), was exhilarating. I appreciated how Atwood provided autonomy to the silenced, historical female and allowed her a space in which to voice her own story.
The intrigue continued far beyond the reaches of the page, as Grace's fictional story terminates as mysteriously as her real-world duplicate's. The reader is invited to provide their own closure as no sufficient one is granted, by both Atwood and by history. And so, Grace Marks continues to haunt and to capture the imagination....more
Things Bright and Beautiful follows a preacher, Max, and his new wife, Beatriz, as they venture on a mission to the hostile Advent Island. The stark iThings Bright and Beautiful follows a preacher, Max, and his new wife, Beatriz, as they venture on a mission to the hostile Advent Island. The stark interior of their new home, the tiring and endless series of chores, the unaccessibility of any sort of Western convenience, and the continual scuttling and creeping of untold scaled and winged creatures makes Beatriz's life a continual burden. But these prove to be the very least of her worries when their small island house becomes home to one more...
This novel proved as beautiful inside as out. Salam displayed both a prosaic and yet often unsettling style of voice that made this novel a beautiful yet eerie journey into the unknown, hostile landscape. The depiction of setting, where lush greens give way to unknown depths, and the evocative descriptions of the deadly beauty surrounding the characters made this a truly mesmeric read. It was often discomforting to be confronted with such an encroaching quantity of deadly nature, and the reader was thus cleverly twinned to the split-protagonists.
The exploration of religion provided many points of fascinating discourse. Max's fervent belief in his god is at odds with the standard beliefs of the island, and even his wife does not seem to share in his blind faith in the holy father. The world they once inhabited feels like a distant dream, with their present surroundings the new reality, and it was interesting to see the Western construct of Christianity struggle for dominance in a place so far removed from all the order and constraint they once knew.
Whilst completely absorbing, the slowness of pace started to lag a little, towards the mid-way point. This was a small snag in my overall enjoyment, however, but it did provide a few chapter's worth of turgidity and a slight mar on prior blind adoration with this novel....more
This is my third book read in the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist.
A Boy in Winter is a split-perspective tale, focusing on the residents of a smallThis is my third book read in the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist.
A Boy in Winter is a split-perspective tale, focusing on the residents of a small Ukrainian town after it is overrun by the SS in 1941. The differing vantage points to the action, afforded by the varied perspectives, made for a fully-fleshed account, of the horrors inflicted on the Jewish inhabitants, to be recounted.
Reading this made me realise both how limited my reading of this time period was and how I have never before read a book set in this region. Despite that, this was an easily accessible novel that managed to convey the facts correct to the historical time period and geographical setting without alienating readers unfamiliar with it. It sparked in me a desire to vary my future historical reading, as the startling bleak landscape and the captured sorrow of the characters made me understand how important it is not to forget or overlook this horrific period, in my pursuit of others that have previously sparked more initial enjoyment in me.
Despite all this book has given me to take away with, I can not say I completely appreciated my reading experience. I found myself a little distanced, on times, to the emotional focus of the piece. I could both understand what I was reading was horrific in nature but also found it was sometimes left for my imagine to infer this horror rather than it be gotten from the text, itself.
I also found that my affinity with the novel grew as the story-line expanded, and just when I thought I was at the apex it was quickly truncated. This rather blunt closure left me feeling more distanced than ever and, thus, decided my final three star rating....more
This is my fifth book read in the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist. Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.
This is the re-imaging of the infamous Lizzie Borden,This is my fifth book read in the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist. Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.
This is the re-imaging of the infamous Lizzie Borden, incarcerated for ten months for axing her father and step-mother to death and later released due to lack of evidence. This fictional recounting of the grisly, historical crime utilises the perspectives of Lizzie herself, as well as sister, Emma, their Uncle John, the household maid, and a mysterious (and completely fictional) stranger.
I begun my reading in utter awe at Schmidt's prosaic narrative style. She manages to so vividly portray the hazy Summer heat or the slick, sticky juice of a pear with a graceful ease that made this novel often poetic in its execution of imagery. I quickly assumed this was going to be a forever favourite and so my latter disenchantment stung me all the more.
I maintain that the writing style is one of the most captivating I have ever read. It may not be for every reader but I adored her metaphoric brilliance and the oft used juxtaposition of the beatific with the horrifying. I was also mesmerised by the gruesome story-line, whose facts have often been fodder for my grisly imagination.
These feelings were turned by the intrusion of the only truly fictional character added to this tale. His inclusion felt completely unnecessary and he was a very obvious plot device, used to convey information dumps and details from the past that tied this story together. I would have vastly preferred a more organic tying together of loose ends and, so, my former adoration was quickly severed.
I am still a firm believer in this author's prowess as an author, if not entirely, and unfortunately, an advocate for this book....more
I feel a certain sense of guilt when I don't enjoy a classic. I find myself filled with sorrow at having missed what is so beloved or important aboutI feel a certain sense of guilt when I don't enjoy a classic. I find myself filled with sorrow at having missed what is so beloved or important about a text to have allowed it to stand the test of time. Nethertheless, here we are.
Whilst this did not begin as an unenjoyable novel, I found myself weary with the repetition of Tom's antics, as this wore on. The headstrong Tom Sawyer, who made for such an initially witty and clever protagonist started to become, dare I say it, dull! I believe this was due to the series of scrapes and the numerous troubles he found himself in. These made for a fun reading experience, at first, as each chapter read like a separate yet interconnected short story. These many plights and fights soon began to bog the narrative down and I found the pace very stalled and, therefore, my enjoyment ultimately stunted....more
A magical realist tale set during the Great War and sporting a cover this beautiful could not fail to appeal to me! What I initially loved about this,A magical realist tale set during the Great War and sporting a cover this beautiful could not fail to appeal to me! What I initially loved about this, however, failed to continue to enthral me. This story was, perhaps, too quiet in its telling, for me. As evocative as the writing was and as sublime as the story-line continued to be, there was an almost treacle-like quality to the pacing that often had me wishing to pull myself free and hurry ahead rather than sit still and appreciate the current sweetness that surrounded me.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Jane Rosenberg LaForge, and the publisher, Amberjack Publishing, for this opportunity....more
"What a strange, unbroken beast is adulation! How unpredictably it rears its head, and tears against the bridle of its own making!"
This. Book!
I doubt"What a strange, unbroken beast is adulation! How unpredictably it rears its head, and tears against the bridle of its own making!"
This. Book!
I doubt I've ever read anything so vast in the immensity of undertaking all it attempts to do. The fact it also achieves in this feat is breathtaking. Alongside this murder mystery set against the backdrop of the 19th century New Zealand gold rush is an astronomical allegory, the likes of which I have never before encountered in any medium, book or otherwise. This is probably one of the most challenging reads I've ever tackled, but definitely worth the energy expended to do so....more
Set inside a magical toy shop, in the heart of 1940's London, where paper trees grow in front of your eye"Do you remember when you believed in magic?"
Set inside a magical toy shop, in the heart of 1940's London, where paper trees grow in front of your eyes, patchwork dogs act like breathing ones, and doll houses are bigger than most city compartments live Kaspar and Emil. Two brothers who travelled, with their estranged father Papa Jack, to this foreign city to make their home and perfect their craft. The toy shop has grown and every year, at first frost, the lost, the afraid, and the still-believers flock to the entrance to make this their home and their place of work, for the winter. But when the first flower of Spring thrusts its small head through the ice-hardened soil they must return to the normality that still reigns, outside of the toy emporium's doors.
This was a seamless blend of the realistic and the magical. This was very much a portrait of pre-war London, but there was also the utter enchantment that comes with the suspension of belief that occurs when whimsical wonders are placed alongside the every day. This truly does revert the reader back to their childhood self, where any dream is possible and questions are allayed in favour of the blind belief in magic.
However, this initial charming whimsy was soon overtaken by an undercurrent of fear. The beginning of WWII chronicles a change in this novel, that leads to both a severe return to the reality of the emporium's situation, as well as making this a startling bleak political insight. Prejudice is rife and the discourse returns countless times to the ideology of both cultural identity and gender stereotypes.
My utter captivation with this novel stemmed from its juxtaposition of ability to charm my imagination whilst also providing many sources of discourse for my mind to ponder over. It was the amalgamation of stark reality and the childhood suspension of belief that makes this such an enjoyable read but, ultimately, it was my delighted rapture with the emporium that ensures I will never forget my experience of reading it.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Robert Dinsdale and the publisher, Ebury, for this opportunity....more
Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is my ninth book read in the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist.
A merchant comes into far more fortune than he could hActual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is my ninth book read in the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist.
A merchant comes into far more fortune than he could have ever perceived owning, but with it comes the realisation of the extent of his own happiness and just how much his new situation can alter it. A courtesan experiences a change in circumstance that sees her once again thrust upon society, but she then is faced with the dawning understanding of her inability to take charge of her own destiny and design a life of her own choosing. And it is the corpse of an infant mermaid, maliciously featured and peculiar in design, that draws these disparate characters into a twist of fortunes none could ever previously have anticipated.
This was such a strange and bizarre story, and yet, in other respects, it wasn't strange and bizarre at all. Given the fantastical sounding title, I was anticipating the mermaid in question to have more of a larger focus in the story. The presence of such an entity was what directed the characters to interact and for events to unfold as they did, without the mermaid in question actually featuring much at all. Initially, I was awaiting for a diversion from reality and a return to the fantastical but I soon became immersed in the world and the intricate everyday lives of those who lived there.
This provided a fascinating historical insight with the lightest sprinkling of the otherworldy and delivered a resonating story-line which exuded emotion and enthralled me much more than any mermaid alone could have done.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Imogen-Hermes Gowar, and the publisher, Vintage, for this opportunity....more
This is the fifth instalment in the A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mysteries series. Although I believe this series can be read out of order, certaiThis is the fifth instalment in the A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mysteries series. Although I believe this series can be read out of order, certain events in the novel lead on from the books preceding this one.
The renowned literary detective, Sherlock Holmes, has combined forces with his equally as credible daughter, Lucy James. Together they must find a way to defeat those behind the conspiracy that would see the end to the British royal family and the political hierarchy as we know it.
Just like all the other instalments in this series, this novel can be summed up as a thoroughly entertaining read. It evoked all the best qualities of a cosy classic crime story and I adored the voyeuristic insights this afforded the reader, as to how the best deducing minds worked. Attempting to puzzle the clues together into a semblance of order, before the sleuthing masterminds, has been part of the fun of this series and, yet again, I found myself bested by the detective duo.
I did find this to contain a few more coincidences than its predecessors, that made me narrow my eyes at the trajectory of the plot, but nothing that deterred my enjoyment of reading this. The majority of events are logical, well thought out, and also contain actual historical figures (such as the Prince of Wales) that added a believable element to the piece.
This reintroduction to Sherlock and Watson has been such a joy and, as in the previous books, the authors did a marvellous job of resurrecting them. Their renowned brilliance, as well as the more recent entertaining addition of Lucy James, combine to make this a fun, fast-paced and worthy read for any classic crime reader or Conan Doyle admirer....more
This is both the fourth instalment and the prequel novella to the A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery crime series. It chronicles the first timeThis is both the fourth instalment and the prequel novella to the A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery crime series. It chronicles the first time that Sherlock Holmes becomes aware of his illegitimate daughter, Lucy James, even though their actual relationship to one another is as yet unknown.
Lucy has made her way from her American boarding school to London's most prestigious bank along with heir to the Rockafella's fortune, Johnny Rockefeller. Her purpose for doing so is to uncover the individual paying the vast sum that has allowed her childhood to be spent in such prestigious surroundings, and whether this may also unveil who her unknown parents may be. Sherlock has become embroiled in another seemingly unsolvable case, which begins with a young man found murdered in his bed, a possible drinking problem, and a woman who spells trouble.
How these two mysteries conjoined was unprecedented, and I gasped aloud as the final puzzle piece slotted firmly in to place. As with the other instalment to this series, that I have read, I found this to evoke the feelings from the original Holmesian canon, whilst also providing an exciting, and as yet unknowable element, in the form of Lucy James' character. Seeing these two worlds collide was such fun and attempting to solve the mysteries this short novella involved, before the two mastermind detectives could, only added to this feeling....more
This is the third instalment in the A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mysteries series.
A woman awakens to find herself on the steps of the British MuseThis is the third instalment in the A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mysteries series.
A woman awakens to find herself on the steps of the British Museum. She has no name, no home, and no memories that stretch further than the last few minutes. What she does have is a blinding headache, a golf ball-size lump on the back of her head, and an intuitive knack for reading both people and her surroundings, that she soon finds she can rely on to keep her alive. At least for now. What she also has is a policeman who believes her. Can this nameless woman find her way into the past to restore her memories? And what further mysteries will unravel if she manages to do so?
Despite not having read the first two instalments to this series I found I could immerse myself in the plot with relative ease, able to understand both the characters, themselves, and their various relationships to one another. I felt great joy in being reintroduced to the most infamous and favourite of literary detectives, Sherlock Holmes, and thought both authors did a marvellous job of re-opening up his world, to a modern-day readership.
Retellings must be a difficult subject for an author, I can imagine. To accurately portray an already renowned character and to dually make them the author's own sounds like quite a precarious feat. Yet I can undoubtedly state that this was such a worthy addition to the Holmesian canon: it felt both like a case I could easily imagine born from Sir Arthur Conan's Doyle own brilliant mind, and also something that had a distinct flavour that could only have been the authors' own.
Holmes was brought back to life with an authenticity I admired and getting to explore how his illegitimate daughter, Lucy James, was added to the plot, gave events an innovative twist. The pair find themselves deducing and sleuthing to find those responsible for the worst of the crimes to plague Victorian London society. This made the plot both alike to the originals, but with a female addition that altered things entirely.
Holmes was portrayed as he always has been - emotionally cold, greatly intellectual, and with an unruffled demeanour. His greatest flaws are also his greatest strengths, and were depicted as such. We also get to see a relative thaw to this notoriously icy facade, when his daughter finds herself in repeated trouble. Paternal worry reigns over his usual distant calmness and it was interesting to read of his character's arc, that remained unknown to Doyle's original readership.
Lucy James bore a resemblance to her father's character, and yet she had a more humane response to human suffering and a somewhat passionate approach to her detecting skills. The pair, however, worked well together, just as Watson's friendly and more emotive response always correlated well with Holmes' cool calm, in the original canon.
This book can be summed up as, in a word, fun! This evoked the flavour of classic crime, where both poor Watson and the reader attempt their own sleuthing but find themselves woefully inadequate to Holmes, when his most recent works of detective brilliance are ultimately revealed. I am glad that his daughter was allowed to shine alongside her father, as her mind worked in similarly unique and wonderful ways. James' character also brought in discussions of additional interesting topics that dealt with gender stereotypes and expectations, during the time-period, giving this a distinct feminist flavour I greatly appreciated....more
This was certainly strange and certainly beautiful. 4.5/5 stars.
This is a book that has been on my radar for some time yet, for reasons unknown, I wasThis was certainly strange and certainly beautiful. 4.5/5 stars.
This is a book that has been on my radar for some time yet, for reasons unknown, I was hesitant to pick it up. Rave reviews prompted me to consider it, but I always found the synopsis a little underwhelming following this. I am so glad I gave this a try, however, as it was a superbly penned and wonderfully poignant story that will continue to stay with me for a long time after reading it.
This is the story of Ava Lavender's strange and beautiful ancestors. She narrates the stories of her various family member's lives, leading up to, and concluding with, her own childhood. The family have been gifted with various supernatural abilities - from predicting future tragedies, to conversing with the dead, to being born with wings. They have also been plagued by the series of sorrowful events that have befallen them.
This narration of the various lives I initially thought would only take up a portion of the book, and not be the central focus of it. I enjoyed these snippets of past lives and eras, but found myself waiting for the story to actually begin. Once I realised that this was to form the novel's nucleus, however, I continued to immerse myself the story rather than focus on what was going to occur next. This minor hesitation is the only reason I have not awarded this a full 5 stars.
The central theme that links these disparate story-lines is more than just a familial connection. The themes of love, and the loss of it, permeates the entire book and makes this an ultimately painful read. But one not without hope, as each generation continues to expand and explore the depths of the human heart and the intensity of emotions it can deliver. This is not love in the swoon-inducing, romantic sense but love as a raging torrent of emotion that do not so much as inhabits but colonises you. Love as a thing that will make you carve out your own heart after the overwhelming grief from the loss of it. Love that exists in a form so powerful as to extend the flighty definition of a 'feeling' and create a miasma that exists long after the heart it was birthed from ceases to.
The beauty of this story really did lie in the strange and the sorrowful nature of this text. The magical realism aspects lent a whimsical fairy-tale vibe to the narrative, which was furthered by the darker themes that this book dwelt upon. The atmosphere of this book was forged from a combination of the chimerical events and the quixotic style of penmanship, with both colluding to make this a story that evoked an almost feverish effect as the reader becomes as fully encapsulated in emotion as the characters....more
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