Fiction reviews

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo - overall rating 9.8/10

(From goose1964)

(2012) I "borrowed" this from my son when he was home from uni - thought it was a good story but I guessed who did it.

(From chitchat)

(2012) Luved it, just read The Leopard, by same author, found it a bit to long, good tho.

(From kathcake)

(2012) Fantastic read i couldn't put it down highly recommend.

(From sixtynotout)

(2011) Enjoyed this book so much went on to read 4 other titles by Jo Nesbo. Cannot wait for his next book.

(From Annierowena)

(2011) Took it on holiday with me and I couldn't put it down. A real page turner.

Burial Rights by Hannah Kent - overall rating 9.5/10

(From AnnB)

(2014) It was wonderful to find out more about the history of Iceland, and the story was moving and very thought provoking. I agree with others it was beautifully written and well deserved to be short listed for various prizes, which it was! I would recommend it to any of my friends.

(From annlouise06)

(2013) I found Burial Rites to be beautifully written - very atmospheric and poetic. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I don't think it would be everyone's cup of tea!

(From HMHNanna)

(2013) A very moving and captivating book. I was transported to Iceland by Hannah Kents extremely descriptive writing.I felt that a few of the words that she used would have benefitted from an explanation at the beginning of the book. "Badstofa" being one of them, as it is used many times. It is a communal living and sleeping area, quite similar to the longhouses in Borneo.
It was a book that I couldn't put down, there was something going on in every chapter. When Agnes , the main character in the book, is narrating , as she does in several of the chapters, I was almost there with her. Since finishing the book , I have been to the library and borrowed books about 19th century Iceland, as I found the whole story so interesting.

(From magwis)

(2013) Beautifully written book. Felt that the main character would be reprieved and found it quite emotional at the end. Showed how relationships evolve even though they may not be sought. Powerful book.

SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS by LIZZIE LAMB

Lizzie Lamb is a dangerous woman, her books will cause you to starve your family, make you leave your washing to get soaked on the line and your dogs go unwalked!
In a book which combines romance, mystery, true passion and plenty broad Scots humour, Ishabel our heroine runs away from her perfect if pressurised life to the remote Scottish island of her childhood. Will she settle for her errant fiancee, or will the handsome kilted American hunk Brodie, swoop her up in his arms like a selkie shedding its skin? With a mad, talking parrot, a truly hilarious funeral scene and a muckle range of eccentric characters with skeletons in every pantry, this incredible book shows why Lizzie was right to retire and pursue her dream of being a writer. This would make a brilliant film, so pour yourself a wee dram, abandon the housework and escape with Lizzie!

I thought this was the best book I have read for a long time. Couldn't put it down. I tried to find more if his with no luck. One which was autobiographical and very boring.

Am new to posting messages so the book I was talking about was by Vergase

I agree that Phillip Pullman's Northern lights, indeed the whole trilogy, are fantastic books and I reread them as least once a year and learn something new from them each time. In my view, they are far better than the film as I am able to imagine the characters myself. If you need a book full of adventure try them yourself.

Philip Pullman is at the Durham literay festival very soon.

Feeling guilty as I am late with the review for The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. You kindly sent me a copy to review some time ago.
What a book. I loved it. It had echoes of Hitchcock's Rear Window! It was a real page turner and well worth the effort and wait. I really didn't know the answers until the very end. Just my kind of book. Thank you for the opportunity to read this.

The book I have just read and is brilliant is Carrying Albert Home, by Homer Hikam.
Elsie has an Alligator called Albert, and a husband called Homer, Now Homer loves Elsie, Albert loves Elsie and Elsie loves them both.
Elsie decides that Albert has to go home to Florida, and so begins the most heart warming, funny journey, so many adventures, from kidnapping, meeting John Steinbeck, This is a book for everyone, and any age . as there is no sex, no violence , it;s just an adventure, and so well written, that you feel as if you are on the journey with Albert, Elsie and Homer..
Due to be published later this October ,

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall, published 2007. I picked this up from a charity shop, intrigued by the title and the reviews. What a great book! apparently I "disappeared" until I'd finished it.
The main "protagonist" is grief-stricken after the love of his life dies. This is how he copes - and I laughed out loud at one point, the writing (and the layout) were so inventive. And a very neat twist at the end.
The book is based in "conceptual reality" - but please don't be put off by that. It is, quite simply, the most original and astonishing thing I've read in years.

Just read "Disclaimer" by Renee Knight - many twists and turns and I found it a good read - anyone else read it?
Last month's book club book was "The Book Thief" really enjoyed that - not sure about our new one though... "Now all Roads lead to France" - it was a Costa 2011 book winner so hopefully it'll be a good read!

"Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away" by Christie Watson. Beautifully written with wit and passion. The crime of female circumcision enters the narrative.

Academy Street by Mary Costello.
Tess Lohan grows up in Ireland and moves to New York. She is a sensitive person and your your heart goes out to her as you follow her through life. I cried a lot as I cared so much for her.
This is a short read and I thoroughly recommend it for the way the author allows you to follow Tess's deepest thoughts and feelings. One not to be missed in my opinion. Perhaps this sounds depressing but please don't let it put you off, it's a very good read.

Looking forward to reading Aubrey and the Terrible Yoot that I won. Unfortunately I haven't received it yet

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens

I have just finished this in one session, couldn't put it down. A tale of life. A tale of right of passage to manhood. A tale of survival against nature. A tale of romance. A tale of mystery. A tale of courage. A tale of a mountain. All in all a very good tale, written with imagination and knowledge. Who survives? Who dies? Read it and see.

Last year I read a free online book called 'The Present'. You can find it at www.truthcontest.com. It's an attempt to explain life, death, existence and everything else in only 101 pages. It covers an extraordinarily wide range of topics, from evolution and spirituality to The Wizard of Oz and The Beatles, but claims that the only 5 things you really need to know are the following:

1. OUR TRUE HISTORY
We have spent 700 million years on Earth evolving from bacteria into mankind, and have lived as every animal in our evolutionary line along the way.

2. YOU ARE IMMORTAL
When you die, you get reborn in a new physical body. From your perspective, it seems as if no time has passed.

3. EVERYTHING WILL BALANCE
Good and bad luck will always cancel each other out eventually, even if multiple lifespans are required for this to happen.

4. YOU ARE A SPIRITUAL BEING
You have a mind that thinks, and a spirit that receives the mind's thoughts. The spirit should be seen as the more important part of us from now on; the mind should be turned off when it is not needed.

5. THE PRESENT IS EVERYTHING
People spend too much time thinking about the past and the future, and consequently fail to live in the present - the only thing that exists.

It's the best explanation of the truth of life that I've ever come across. I suspect it will become internationally well-known over the next few years. Here is a link:

www.truthcontest.com/entries/the-present-universal-truth/toc.html

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler is well up to the high standard of her previous books. A beautifully written story about a family and its peccadilloes, in a coolly understated style. I was sorry she didn't win the Booker Prize, for this book and the excellent body of work she has produced.

Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan

This is the author's first book and I could not put it down. It is set in Bristol and is about a boy who is abducted. The story is told by the mother, a detective and media blogs. Wonderful book, however now I have to find another one to keep as absorbed as this one has!

Book Review: 'ETTA AND OTTO AND RUSSELL AND JAMES', by Emma Hooper.

The debut novel by author Emma Hooper, 'Etta and Otto and Russell and James' is as much a human character piece and an exploration of relationships as it is a story about journeys - the physical journey that Etta takes, as well as the meta-physical journey that the main characters have taken up to this point in their lives.

The story centres on the dementia afflicted main character Etta. The one thing she has always wanted to do but never had the chance was to see the ocean. So sets off on an epic journey on foot, heading east to see the water. She is eighty-two years old, so this is definitely the final chance she will ever get. Her husband Otto is left behind with a note stating that she will try to remember to come back. But he accepts that Etta intends to make the journey alone, and rather than follow, he busies himself with cooking and creating paper mâché animals, while all the time writing notes for Etta to read when she returns. Then there's Russell, Otto's neighbour, whose known them both since childhood, and who has always loved Etta. Will he search for Etta even if Otto does not?

Text Structure & Organisation: The author has chosen to incorporate several stylistic writing features into her book. Firstly, she has taken the brave step to omit quotation marks and commas when writing speech. The story is presented in letters and flashback. Additionally, paragraphs and narration blend directly into another, without a break. While these sections of the narrative were intentionally written in this way, jumping from one character to another, and one time period to the next, the danger is that this can make for a confusing read, as can be the lack of punctuation.

Composition & Effect: Once we put aside the highly implausible notion of an eighty-two year old woman attempting a 2000-mile trek across Canada on foot, we find that the story is not so much about the walk, but rather the characters' deep reflections of their lives, past and present. Etta could have been driving a car, or sat in a train seat, the key thing is that the journey will last not just hours or days, but weeks. Hence, ample time to think, to reflect. This also provides the perfect vehicle for the author to flit between past and present, as the characters contemplate the experiences over their lives. And with James, the coyote, the author is able to have Etta converse and share her thoughts during her long, lonely journey. This is of course for the readers benefit since James cannot really talk (a bit like in the film 'Castaway', where Wilson the Volleyball serves as Tom Hanks' character Chuck Noland's personified friend).

However, despite a developed enough narrative up to the point where Otto returns from the war, and he and Etta get together, there is suddenly a huge gap between that point and the present day. This leaves many unanswered questions. What has their lives together been like? What could have been the final push that prompted Etta to leave her life companion behind to make a trek across the country? Yes, she wants to see the ocean, but why can't Otto just come with her? Surely with her faltering memory, he would be of great help. And how did Russell cope once his best friend got together with the girl he loved, especially since he met Etta first and made no secret of the fact to Otto that he liked her?

Finally, the book has a wholly ambiguous ending. Yes, it's not uncommon for authors to leave abstract sections of their stories to the reader's own interpretation. However, after joining the characters on their long journey, we needed a clearer resolution, and more definitive answers to our final questions. What will Etta do once she reaches the sea? Will she return to Otto? What becomes of Russell in his own adventure up north? Or is this it, the end of their lives in the manner and final places the characters have chosen?

In summary, an accomplished first novel. The story moves with a gentle momentum, evoking a resonant sense of beauty and emotion. At times unstated, at times melancholic, but deeply touching, overall.

"At times unstated, at times melancholic, but deeply touching overall" 6 out of 10

Book Review: 'ELIZABETH IS MISSING', by Emma Healey.

The riveting debut by author Emma Healey, winning the Costa First Novel Award and being voted in the Top 3 of the year's best novels by Guardian readers. It is the story of an unsolved mystery from the end of World War 2, with the clues only now resurfacing in the mind of Maud, the dementia afflicted main character. The book release coincides with the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two (well timed but unintended, the author concedes).

A note in Maud's pocket tells her that 'Elizabeth is missing'. But everyone around her insists nothing is wrong, that her concerns are just a figment of her own imagination. Her daughter. Her carer. Elizabeth's son. Even her granddaughter probably thinks she's just a batty old 81-year old. And little wonder. Maud's been getting very forgetful recently. She purchases tins of peach non-stop, thinking she's run out despite having an overloaded cupboard. She makes a fresh cup of tea, forgetting to drink the one she made just minutes before. She even walked out of a store with unpaid for items the previous year. Because she forgot to pay. But Maud is convinced she's not mistaken, and is determined to discover what has happened to her friend, Elizabeth. But what has this to do with the unsolved disappearance of her sister Sukey all those decades ago?

'Elizabeth Is Missing' is as much a human character piece and an exploration of family relationships as it is a mystery. It is interesting the way the contrasts between the numerous relationships are explored - Maud's childhood with Sukey and her parents, her relationship now with her daughter Helen, her granddaughter Katy, her son Tom, as well as with her carers and friends/colleagues from Oxfam; the Sukey-Frank-Douglas triangle, the connection between Douglas and the 'Mad Woman', the situation between Elizabeth and her son, Peter. But throughout, it is the family binds that are impossible to ignore, and ultimately the deep love for their cherished ones that drive the characters' actions. And there is a lot to suggest that the author's own family relationships influenced her characters' actions and personalities.

The book sensitively illustrates the extreme difficulties facing people suffering from mental illness, and the way this affects those around them. The author expertly words her narrative to convey the sense of confusion and tangled memories that dementia induces in sufferers. Maud's reality flits between past and present, as her flashbacks intersperses with her current thoughts. This allows the author to create seamless links between then and now (e.g. the larder scenario in the past leading to the larder scenario in the present).

There is another recurring trend throughout this book, however. It seemed that Maud's father was the only really decent male character within the story. He values honesty (even if, ironically, he never actually refuses Frank's ill-gotten food gifts). Additionally, he despises bad language and profanity, isn't said to ever miss work (as a postman) as he supports his family, and later spends day after day searching for his missing daughter (illustrating his devotion as a father). In contrast, all the other male characters have major question marks surrounding their nature. Douglas leaves his mentally ill mother to fend for herself while he moves away into comfortable lodgings. Frank, despite helping many people with transporting their belongings during the aftermath of the war, is a foul-mouthed alcoholic arrested for rations fraud (and that is even before any suspected murder). Elizabeth's son, Peter, appears to have his own interests at heart more than the care of his mother. We have the male serial killer, Kenneth Lloyd Holmes. We have Maud's son Tom who is happy to leave his amnesia-afflicted mother to his sister's care while he lives in Europe (another continent) with his own family. Even the male police officer is quick to make fun of Maud rather than be a little more sympathetic of her condition.

However, this is likely an incidental by-product of the way the story pans out, with the need for enough believable suspects to make for a compelling mystery.

In summary, this is a well-crafted, tightly-wound story, grounded in reality with plausible characters. The author even resisted the urge to go for a Hollywood, twist-in-the-tale ending. Although this would have been interesting to see, the book is stronger as a result of her remaining consistent with the tone set. A humdinger of a first novel!

"A humdinger of a first novel! Riveting, Tightly-wound, & Captivating Until The End." 8 out of 10

Book Review: 'VIVIENNE WESTWOOD', by Vivienne Westwood & Ian Kelly.

The first ever personal memoir from punk/activist/fashion legend Vivienne Westwood proves to be a 464-page tour-de-force. Writing in collaboration with award-winning biographer, Ian Kelly, we get a lot more than just a scrapbook of memories, with the text structure jerking back and forth via snapshots of the author's life. Instead, we receive an exceptionally insightful look at the life of an icon. The book is incredibly well-written, with detailed additional narrative expanding upon the themes explored, and is packed to the brim with never-before-published photographs from Vivienne's life.

The book charts her humble beginnings, and early struggles as a single mother after her decision to end her brief first marriage. Her tumultuous partnership with Malcolm McLaren is then recounted, simultaneously providing a vivid portrayal of the inception of punk, the fusion of fashion and music, and the impact of the British punk scene in the late seventies. First-hand accounts from her sons, friends, and colleagues, illustrate how Vivienne worked her socks off to make her designs, her business, her clothes store at 'World's End', etc., a success. However, McLaren, for all his great ideas, seemed to be conspicuous by his absence when it came to compulsory hard labour. He was hardly ever there for their child (let alone Vivienne's first son), and was constantly putting her down and taking sole credit for her work. The 'Sex Pistols' arrived, and departed. Not too long after, McLaren followed suit, leaving for America, chasing his latest affectation, another woman clung to his arms. However, this proved a catalyst for Vivienne to come into her own on a truly global scale. The book follows her rise and rise, right up to her current status as fashion mogul extraordinaire, world-renowned activist, and 73-year-old grandmother.

An aesthetically striking book. Though somewhat over-long (it does appear to drag on in parts), it is a discerning look into the life of a pioneer. An icon who re-invented herself as she moved with the times. But who remained an artist throughout, true to her calling. Frank, comprehensive, and inspiring.

"Insightful look into the life of an icon. For fashion aficionados everywhere!" 7 out of 10

Book Review: 'I LOVE MY GRANNY' by Giles Andreae & Emma Dodd.

A bright and cheery picture book from Orchard / Hachette Children's Book. Though incorporating a common theme, i.e. the relationship between guardians and their kids, and/or adults & children in general, the book goes against the grain somewhat and places the focus on grandparents for a change. Or more precisely, a boy's affection for his grandmother.
Emma Dodd's colourful illustrations perfectly complement Giles Andreae's text. The rhyming prose is well-thought out, warm and poignant. Reading this out aloud in Key Stage 1 will provide the impetus for lively discussions, with additional suggestions from pupils as to how special grandmothers (and grandparents in general) are.

"A warm book about a boy's affection for his grandmother." 8 out of 10

Book Review: 'BEST DRESSED PETS' by Nicole Jarecz & Lisa Regan.

A fun sticker activity book, most suitable for young girls aged 3 to 8. It does incorporate a very common feature - peel-off stickers contained in the centre to sticker over designated places throughout the rest of the book (Panini, Merlin and Topps sticker album collections have had this facility for years). However, it is nevertheless a well presented book containing Emma Dodd's colourful pencil sketches of young women and their pets, and stickers of different clothes and accessories which have to be used to dress the women and their cats/dogs. Lisa Regan's text provide the clues as to which clothes is appropriate for which page. For young fashion aficionados everywhere!

"A fun sticker activity book for young girls." 7 out of 10

Book Review: 'MANGO & BAMBANG: THE NOT-A-PIG', by Polly Faber.

'Mango & Bambang: The Not-A-Pig' by Polly Faber is a light, fun & humorous read. The book is presented in a delightful way, with a purple striped cover / purple page border design, and great cartoon illustrations by Clara Vulliamy. Similar to books like 'The Spiderwick Chronicles', 'Fortunately, The Milk', and 'The Legend Of Frog', the design elements significantly enhance the reading experience.
The book is divided into 4 chapters. Though chronological, each chapter could very well have been self contained stories presented as a set of 4 shorter books. The book appears to be aimed at girls of primary school age, although young readers of both gender will enjoy it. It will definitely be helpful just after the transition from picture-heavy books to ones with more written text.

As for the story itself, it reminds us a little of 'Paddington'. Bambang is a tapir from Malaysia who has gotten himself lost. Trapped in a busy, noisy, scary city, he hides by camouflaging himself across a zebra crossing (hence the book's striped cover design). Unfortunately, this causes a huge traffic jam, and it isn't until a kind girl called Mango persuades him with a tea invitation (consisting of banana pancakes) that he musters up the courage to move. Invited to stay with Mango, Bambang inadvertently gets up to all sorts of trouble. However, he redeems himself in a way only a tapir can by helping Mango prepare for her clarinet performance at the Big City Concert.

There's a bounce in the way the text sounds when read. Plus, it's refreshing that Polly Faber chose a slightly unorthodox animal for her central character (as opposed to the usual cats and dogs, pigs and sheep, bears and hares that fill such books). Bambang and Mango make a dynamic duo, and the significance of friendship resonates throughout the book. Readers will look forward to more adventures with the pair.

"a light, fun & humorous read for kids.…" 8 out of 10

Book Review: 'THE WOLF WILDER', by Katherine Rundell.

Katherine Rundell follows up 'Rooftoppers' with a compelling adventure infusing fantasy and fairy tale. This is a story about a mother & daughter team of wolf wilders. They take in the unwanted pet wolves of the Russian aristocracy and teach them to fend for themselves, to fight and hunt, before releasing them back into the wild. The story opens during the time when a division of the Tsar's army, led by the unforgiving General Rakov, begin to exert corruptive control over the region. Placing the blame for recent wolf attacks squarely at the feet of the wolf wilders, they arrest the mother, imprisoning her in the pre-gulag prison of St. Petersburg. The daughter, Feodora, is left with no option but to go on the run with her wolves, while simultaneously devising a way to rescue her mother. What transpires is a tale of revolution and fighting for what's right.

The presentation of the book is quite simply beautiful. With a watercolour painted cover incorporating silver foil-stamped lettering, and atmospheric, painted illustrations by Gelrev Ongbico, there is a sense of real anticipation picking up this book. And the little icons at the corner of almost every page serve as a perpetual reminder of the snow-filled, almost magical, setting. Similar to books like 'The Spiderwick Chronicles', 'The Legend Of Frog, and 'The Great Pet-Shop Panic', these design elements significantly enhance the reading experience.

The story itself is a well-crafted adventure taking place over a hundred years ago. The author exquisitely weaves a magical and wild setting for her host of untamed characters - a feisty heroine who appears at times more wolf than her 3 feral companions, and the foreboding villain opposing her. And like in the classic 'Emil & The Detectives', it is children banding together to fight injustice. The narrative is not without flaws, though. At the beginning of the story, a new wolf, Tenderfoot, is delivered to Feo and her mother to 'wild'. The burgeoning relationship between Feo and Tenderfoot, and the introduction of the kind Russian soldier Ilya into their circle, is gradually developed, filled with characterisation and humanity. However, rather abruptly, we fast-track several weeks ahead to find Ilya arriving with news of Tenderfoot's demise (Page 73). No tension, no elaborate description as to how it happened, it just seemed very rushed. Following this, the reader has to exercise a real suspension of belief with how 4 adult soldiers, all carrying guns, and an armed army general no less, are unable to take down a 12-year-old girl armed only with a home-made ski. The soldiers then burn down Feo's house, and physically intimidate and arrest her mother. Despite these terrible events adding to the tragedy of Tenderfoot's killing, we seem to witness Feo's grief dissipating rather quickly. Just 3 pages after her escape, Feo is pulling faces (Page 88) and making jokes (Page 89). This is in sharp contrast to how crushed she becomes when Grey suffers tragic consequences later in the book. Finally, we have the training scene on page 279. Young readers will enjoy the all-action preparation, akin to Rocky training for the big boxing fight. But children performing push-ups for a day do not transform into fighters ready to take on adult prison guards armed with guns. In fact, since they're planning to storm Kresty Jail the following day, it'll more than likely wear them out.

However, the intended target audience are unlikely to be bogged down with such plot foibles, irrespective of how implausible they may seem. Instead, they will find 'The Wolf Wilder' an imaginative, enthralling and captivating read. In conclusion, an enchanting literary triumph.

"Compelling adventure infusing fantasy & fairy tale, set against the backdrop of the Russian winter" 8 out of 10