frankie Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 If it wasn’t for Harry I would probably never be a member of BCF because it’s Harry that started my internet life. Thank goodness for J. K. Rowling and Harry! Seeing as I love the TV show QI I was hopeful for this book, but actually loving the show probably made the book not so good for me. Most of the facts were copied from the show so I already knew them- especially as I watch the repeats on Dave. The book was a little dry too. Although the facts were interesting, and it's kind of amazing to think that all these things that you think you know aren't actually true. The way it's presented is just not as good as the TV show which I find funny, and of course quite interesting! If you haven't seen the show you probably wouldn't think to read the book, but if you have seen the show you'll get little from the book. If you haven't seen the show then the book is worth the read- but I'd say go for the TV show if you can. Too bad you didn't enjoy the book as much as you'd hoped, Lucy. One would wish to get a book of all new facts about general misconceptions and not just the authors repeating the stuff from the show Anyways, I'm thankful for your review because I don't think we get IQ here in Finland and now I'm really interested in the book and will be looking for it at some point. Thanks Lucy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted December 26, 2010 Author Share Posted December 26, 2010 Thank goodness for J. K. Rowling and Harry! Yes, the great things they bring! Too bad you didn't enjoy the book as much as you'd hoped, Lucy. One would wish to get a book of all new facts about general misconceptions and not just the authors repeating the stuff from the show Anyways, I'm thankful for your review because I don't think we get IQ here in Finland and now I'm really interested in the book and will be looking for it at some point. Thanks Lucy! Do look out for it...and look out for the show too....if you can find it somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted December 26, 2010 Author Share Posted December 26, 2010 (edited) Synopsis (from Amazon) Jacob Hunt is a teenager: brilliant at maths, wicked sense of humour, extraordinarily organised, hopeless at reading social cues. And Jacob has Asperger's. He is locked in his own world – aware of the world outside, and wanting to make a connection. Jacob tries to be like everyone else, but doesn't know how. When his tutor is found dead, all the hallmark behaviours of Jacob's syndrome – not looking someone in the eye, odd movements, inappropriate actions – start looking a lot like guilt to the police. And Jacob's mother must ask herself the hardest question in the world: is her child capable of murder? Review I am quite happy to say that Jodi Picoult is a favourite author of mine, however recently I've found her writing to be a little hit and miss. For example I loved Handle with Care- it was my favourite read last year, and quite probably my favourite Picoult book, but I really was not impressed with Second Glance, which I wouldn't even give a second glace (haa haa aren't I hilarious?). For these reasons I was excited about reading House Rules but also a little...anxious is I suppose the most fitting word. I was really interested in the subject and hopeful that it would be done well. As someone who works with children- some of whom have learning disabilities, and has a degreee in psychology. Kids like Jacob are the type that I eventually want to work with, I hope to take a masters in Educational psychology in the not too distant future. I wanted this book to be informative and still have the interest that Picoult usually gives me, a sort of mystery and a crime story, and of course the emotional side which really gives Picoult's writing heart. As far as an account of life with- and for a child with Asperger's syndrome I thought it was pretty honest and informative- it told me things I did not know (although I can't claim to know a great deal about Asperger's, having only studied autism on a wider scale) and gave the human side- what it felt like for the family, and even for the 'sufferer'. As for the crime side, it was done well, and did have me wondering to some extent right up to the end- although I did work out a key part of the plot long before it was explicitly said I worked out quite early on that Jacob was covering for Theo, and I didn't ever think that it had been Theo who murdered Jess, although I did think that she had been murdered- possibly by the boyfriend. I did think that she was being abused by the boyfriend was a bit of an unnecessary plot line but I guess it kept the reader thinking he did it. It could be that it gave a valid reason for Jacob to set him up, but I don't think that fits with the profile of someone with Asperger's. Jacob wouldn't have set up Mark to get back at him for what he did to Jess, because he didn't feel empathy- although he may have seen that as a reason why Mark would have killed Jess and set it up so the police would see that too. As a first Picoult read I would probably put a few books as a first choice before House Rules. For a first time reader I would probably recommend either My Sister's Keeper or Handle with Care, but if you have read and enjoyed Picoult's writing in the past I don't think you will be disappointed by this one. 4/5 Edited December 26, 2010 by Lucybird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted December 29, 2010 Author Share Posted December 29, 2010 My Review of the Year is up on my blog now... Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 (edited) Synopsis (from Amazon) Set in Birmingham, The News Where You Are tells the funny, touching story of Frank, a local TV news presenter. Beneath his awkwardly corny screen persona, Frank is haunted by disappearances: the mysterious hit and run that killed his predecessor Phil Smethway; the demolition of his father’s post-war brutalist architecture; and the unmarked passing of those who die alone in the city. Frank struggles to make sense of these absences while having to report endless local news stories of holes opening up in people’s gardens and trying to cope with his resolutely miserable mother. The result is that rare thing: a page-turning novel which asks the big questions in an accessible way, and is laugh-out-loud funny, genuinely moving and ultimately uplifting. Review I really liked Catherine O'Flynn's What was Lost so I was excited when I saw that she had a new book out. I must admit that well I found this book had a certain something to it it didn't hook me the way that What was Lost did, I can't imagine remembering much about The News Where you are in a couple of years. I think actually what I liked the most about it was that it was set in Birmingham and I could recognise places from it. I did think the characters were really well written, I liked Mo especially because she had that seriousness that is kind of funny and cute in kids. I like Frank's Mum too, she was kinda sarcastic and funny too. It wasn't really what I expected. The blurb on the back of the book didn't really describe it very well. I had the impression that Phil's mysterious death was the main plot line but actually it wasn't even a plot at all till half way through, and then it was only a niggling thought. It didn't become a major plot until the end and then it wasn't because Frank was investigating it. 4/5 Edited December 31, 2010 by Lucybird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 You can find my new thread here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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