~Weave's World of Books 2011~

[vodkafan]

I couldn't believe Room was like £1.99 or something to download on the kindle...thanks to you Weave that was the first one I snapped up.

[Weave]

I couldn't believe Room was like £1.99 or something to download on the kindle...thanks to you Weave that was the first one I snapped up.

 

Good stuff Vodkafan!

[Weave]

Wonderful Fool by Shusaku Endo ~ Started: 21.02.11 ~ Finished: 28.02.11

 

 

Synopsis ~

 

In this sardonic novel, a young Frenchman, Gaston Bonaparte, descends upon a typical Japanese family. Expecting French sophistication, they find instead a tall, ungainly figure with the face of a horse. Gaston seems to lack common sense, and manages from the moment of his arrival to convey the impression that he is a complete fool. But with his overwhelming love of people and animals and his capacity for self-sacrifice, Gaston slowly shifts the family's perceptions, and challenges their ingrained moral apathy .

 

'Wonderful Fool' is the story of Gaston Bonaparte, a man like no other who is about to arrive from France (via various stops) by boat to Japan where his pen~friend Takamori and his sister, Tomoe are waiting for him. From the minute they meet him, their lives are changed forever, Gaston Bonaparte makes an impression wherever he goes.

 

What I thought of 'Wonderful Fool' ~

 

I have had 'Wonderful Fool' on my to be read pile for a few months and I am sorry I did not read it sooner, what an amazing book!, it is told in a straightforward way and at the start of the book you do wonder if there is an actual point but halfway through, you see the point.

 

Despite the book being 50 years old, Japan is showed in such a way that you would not know when it is set, which was great to read but frustrating at the same time for me because I like to know everything but it did not take away any of the enjoyment I got from reading the book.

 

The book had a nice flow to it, the characters are well written, Takamori, a young man who does not have serious aspirations in life but does take pride in his work, Tomoe, his younger sister, who is more career minded, loves her family and has no plan to marry and if she ever does marry, it will not be for love, and finally Gaston, the wonderful fool of the tale, Gaston's outlook of the world is simplistic, he sees goodness and love in everything and takes the greatest pleasure in the smallest of things, despite being surrounded by the beauty of Japan, he is more interested in the people, stray dogs, much to the horror of Tomoe. Gaston is just a wonderful character and a pleasure to read, a man who changes the world in small ways.

 

Shusaku Endo's own catholic faith is shown in the book which for me was lovely to read, it was in no way forced, which was refreshing.

 

I highly recommend this book, a definite feel good read and I am looking forward to reading more books by Shusaku Endo.

 

Rating ~ 10/10

Edited March 4, 2011 by Weave

[Charm]

Great review hun, glad you're enjoying your reads this year so much

[Weave]

Great review hun, glad you're enjoying your reads this year so much

 

Thanks hen

[Weave]

Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian ~ Started: 01.03.11 ~ Finished: 02.03.11

 

 

Synopsis ~

 

Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the 2nd World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley, but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London.

The story ~

 

'Goodnight Mr Tom' tells the story of 8 year old Willie Beech, a evacuee from London, who has been sent for his safety to Little Weirwold, its September 1939 and Great Britain is on the brink of the Second War World. Willie is housed somewhat reluctantly by Tom Oakley, a widower following the untimely death of his wife and son from scarlet fever 40 years before. Tom is known in the village as being rude and not being part of the community, so his life is changed when Willie arrives, a small, terrified, undernourished boy, who thanks to his abusive mother has a very low opinion of himself and believes the lies his mother has told him about people in general.

 

Willie and Tom (or 'Mister Tom' as Willie calls him) connect and learn from each other, Willie learns that there are people that care for him as he develops friendships within the village and finds acceptance at school and his talent for drawing is nurtured and encouraged, Tom learns to open his heart again as he accepts Willie (or 'William' or 'Will' as he is now called) into his life, and becomes part of the community and somewhat cautiously begins to ask for help in his care of Willie.

 

What I thought of 'Goodnight Mr Tom' ~

 

I first read 'Goodnight Mr Tom' when I was teenager and I decided to read it again when I recently watched the tv adaptation of 'Goodnight Mr Tom' with John Thaw as Mr Tom, which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the book the second time as much as I did the first time, this time around, I am older (and hopefully wiser) and the book meant more to me, especially the development of Willie from a frightened young boy to a happy, healthy and contented boy who has found the love he deserves and sees himself for what he is worth. Tom Oakley is a brilliant character, as with Willie, you see a change, Tom finds himself when Willie enters his life, he has not been responsible for anyone apart from his himself and then his beloved dog, Sam for 40 years but with Willie he becomes the father he never had the chance to be to his own son (who was also named William). A incredibly powerful read about family, friendships, loss and love, a book that shows that strength can be shown in different ways.

 

A joy to read, highly recommended.

 

Rating ~ 10/10

 

******

 

I am Number Four (Lorien Legacies) by Pittacus Lore ~ Started: 02.03.11 ~ Finished: 03.04.11

 

 

Synopsis ~

 

John Smith is not your average teenager.

 

He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him.

 

But you can’t run forever.

 

So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about – and who care about him. Never in John’s short life has there been space for friendship, or even love.

 

But it’s just a matter of time before John’s secret is revealed.

 

He was once one of nine. Three of them have been killed.

 

John is Number Four. He knows that he is next . . .

 

The Story ~

 

'I am Number Four' is the first book in the Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore (a Loric Elder, from the Planet Lorien, which is three hundred million miles away. He is approximately ten thousand years old. He has been to earth hundreds of times, and he is here now ~ according to amazon).

 

John Smith is 15 years old and may seem like an average teenager but he is not, he is an alien from the Planet Lorien, a planet he left with 8 other children at an early age and their guardians following an attack by the Mogadorians, another race of aliens, who have used all of their planet's resources and Lorien now has been left the same way. The children wait for the time when they can return home. All of the children have powers, including telekinesis and as they get older more powers will appear, these are their legacies.

 

Before the children left Lorien they were protected with a charm which only allows them to be killed in a set order, numbers 1,2 and 3 have already perished at the hands of the Mogadorians, John is next, the remaining 6 children (including John) are in hiding over the world. John and Henri (his guardian) have been running since they arrived on Earth but John has now found a place he can called home and he is not leaving without a fight.

 

What I thought of 'I am Number Four' ~

 

'I am Number Four' was enjoyable in parts and the story has a great premise with potential, the characters are good, Number Six was definitely my favourite, it was just a pity she did appear until later in the book. John and Henri were also good characters but John did complain despite knowing how much danger he was in (but he is a teenager). Its a fun read. The second book, 'The Power of Six' is due for release in August and I will read it because the book kept me interested enough to want to find out what happens to the rest of the children.

 

A fun read with a great idea for a story.

 

Rating ~ 6/10

[Charm]

Great reviews hun, I quite like the sound of I Am Number Four, do you think I'd like it?

[lauraloves]

Great reviews think I will maybe add these to my wishlist

[pickle]

Great review for No 4 I am tempted by it, do you think you will go and see the film at the cinema?

[Janet]

I *love* the film of Goodnight, Mister Tom.

 

I'm glad the book was so good - how does it compare to the film? I have a different Michelle Magorian book on my Amazon Wish List (something about Going or Coming Home, from memory?) but haven't read any of hers.

[Weave]

Great reviews hun, I quite like the sound of I Am Number Four, do you think I'd like it?

 

Hi Charm, how are you? I think you would enjoy 'I am Number Four', it has a great story, and you know, you're great stories

 

Great reviews think I will maybe add these to my wishlist

 

Hi Laura, how are you? I hope you get a chance to read them

 

Great review for No 4 I am tempted by it, do you think you will go and see the film at the cinema?

 

Hi pickle, how are you? I don't think I will go and see the movie to be honest, probably wait until its on dvd, from what I have read about the film, the book is definitely better

 

I *love* the film of Goodnight, Mister Tom.

 

I'm glad the book was so good - how does it compare to the film? I have a different Michelle Magorian book on my Amazon Wish List (something about Going or Coming Home, from memory?) but haven't read any of hers.

 

Hi Janet, how are you? , the film is very similar to the book, I also have 'Coming Home' too to read, I read that years ago too, I hope you enjoy it

[lauraloves]

 

Hi Laura, how are you? I hope you get a chance to read them

 

 

I'm ok thanks how are you? I'm hoping that I get to read them too, so many books so little time

[Weave]

I'm ok thanks how are you? I'm hoping that I get to read them too, so many books so little time

 

I hear ya Laura, I'm the same

[Maureen]

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde ~ Started: 02.02.11 ~ Finished: 12.02.11

 

 

Synopsis ~

 

Hundreds of years in the future, after the Something that Happened, the world is an alarmingly different place. Life is lived according to The Rulebook and social hierarchy is determined by your perception of colour.

 

Eddie Russett is an above average Red who dreams of moving up the ladder by marriage to Constance Oxblood. Until he is sent to the Outer Fringes where he meets Jane – a lowly Grey with an uncontrollable temper and a desire to see him killed.

 

For Eddie, it’s love at first sight. But his infatuation will lead him to discover that all is not as it seems in a world where everything that looks black and white is really shades of grey . . .

 

'Shades of Grey' is the story of Edward Russett who lives in a future society called 'Chromatacia',created after the collapse of our own future society, which is known as 'The Previous', all life is run by 'The Rules' which were laid down by Munsell, the man who founded 'Chromatacia'. The ability to see colour is of the up most of importance in Chromatacia, which can be limited in most people to different degrees of colour, Red or at most two colours. People who do not have the ability to see colour are known as Greys and are the lowest in the social order, which is known as Colourtocracy. Everyone at the age 20 must complete their Ishihara (the test for colour blindness) to find out what percentage of colour they can see, once the Ishihara completed, the individual is now part of the collective of Chromatacia.

 

Edward Russett is a Red, his parents were Reds and he can see Red but it has not been confirmed how much and is about to take his Ishihara to find out when he sent to East Carmine to complete a chair census, a punishment for playing a practical joke on a prefect's son. Edward and his father Holden, go to East Carmine as Holden is also the holiday relief Swatchman (instead of treating his patients with medication, he treats them with swatches of colour). What begins as a chair census turns into something entirely different when Edward meets Jane, a Grey, with a cute nose and a fierce temper, who is more aware of the world than Edward has ever been, and the more time that Edward spends with Jane and in East Carmine, the more he finds out, everything is not as straightforward as Edward originally thought.

 

What I thought of 'Shades of Grey' ~

 

I love The Thursday Next series also by Jasper Fforde, it was with some trepidation when I began reading 'Shades of Grey', I was very used to Thursday and her world and I did not know what to expect with 'Shades of Grey'. I am glad to say that I loved Edward's world as much as Thursday’s, 'Shades of Grey' has more of a scientific approach and a very different take on the dystopia genre, which I found refreshing and I think other readers will too.

 

As always, Jasper Fforde's sense of humour runs through the book and there is many laugh out moments, all of the characters are written well and have strong personalities, they have their own quirks and ideas of the world, and Edward's reaction to them goes from bemusement to outright hilarity, which I loved reading.

 

A definite must read for Jasper Fforde fans and for any new fans out there.

 

I am looking forward to Book 2 of the series ~ 'Shades of Grey: Painting by Numbers'.

 

 

Rating ~ 10/10

 

Oh, this does sound like my kind of thing. So the three top books on my tbr pile are this one, Room and Never Let me Go.

[Weave]

Sixty~Nine by Ryu Murakami ~ Started: 03.03.11 ~ Finished: 08.03.11

 

 

Synopsis ~

 

In 1969 we were seventeen. We listened to the Beatles, the Stones, the Doors, the Velvet Underground, the Grateful Dead, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Bob Dylan. We read Rimbaud, played guitars, smoked pot, fell in love, rebelled against the establishment, protested the war in Vietnam, barricaded our high school, and produced the first rock festival in our home town - a small city in a remote southwestern corner of Japan. "69" is a roman de clef about coming of age during a time that left its mark on baby boomers around the world - a time when we really believed we could change the world before it changed us. By turns hilarious, cynical, frivolous, and poignant, the book is infused from start to finish with Ryu Murakami's relentless energy and optimism; and it simply refuses to get tedious, preach, or "literary" for a single moment.

 

The Story ~

 

Its 1969 and Kensuke Yazaki is 17 years old and the world is his oyster, well his world in the small city of Kyushu and his school, Northern High. Its all about the music, poetry and his endless pursuit of girls for Kensuke (or 'Ken' as he preferred to be called). Along with his friends, Adama and Iwase, Ken wants to set up a music festival and make a film, highlighting the hypocrisy of education and life in general because when you are 17 years old the whole world is against you.

 

What I thought of 'Sixty~Nine' ~

 

'Sixty~Nine' is different from the previous novels by Ryu Murakami I have read, 'Piercing' and 'In the Miso Soup' were darker and showed the other side of Tokyo. 'Sixty~Nine is a lighter and funnier read, and a departure for Ryu Murakami, which made for interesting reading. Ken, the main character was funny and very self involved, my favourite character was Adama, he was the voice of reason for all of Ken's endeavours, Ken lived in a dream world at times whilst Adama remained on earth and he was also very funny, especially the part with the neurotic chickens.

 

A fun, feel good read.

 

Rating ~ 8/10

Edited March 8, 2011 by Weave

[frankie]

I'd never heard of Ryu Murakami before reading that Cult Fiction book where one of his novels was recommended and I added it to my wishlist. Now I'm very curious about him, and I like the sound of 69. Thanks for the great review Weave!

[Weave]

I'd never heard of Ryu Murakami before reading that Cult Fiction book where one of his novels was recommended and I added it to my wishlist. Now I'm very curious about him, and I like the sound of 69. Thanks for the great review Weave!

 

You are very welcome Frankie, and always, if you want my copy, let me know

[vodkafan]

You are very welcome Frankie, and always, if you want my copy, let me know

 

That does sound a very cool lightweight read Weave I will add that to my wishlist. I sometimes have wished I was a teenager then in the 60's, I was decade too late as I was born in 61, and the mid-late 70's were pretty depressing as I remember. Thanks

[frankie]

That does sound a very cool lightweight read Weave I will add that to my wishlist. I sometimes have wished I was a teenager then in the 60's, I was decade too late as I was born in 61, and the mid-late 70's were pretty depressing as I remember. Thanks

 

Me too, a lot of cool stuff happening around that time

[Weave]

That does sound a very cool lightweight read Weave I will add that to my wishlist. I sometimes have wished I was a teenager then in the 60's, I was decade too late as I was born in 61, and the mid-late 70's were pretty depressing as I remember. Thanks

 

I prefer the 60s to the 70s too vodkafan, I was born in '73, so I missed it and had to cope with 70s clothes and questionable music (well at least there was Marc Bolan )

Edited March 8, 2011 by Weave

[Weave]

Oh, this does sound like my kind of thing. So the three top books on my tbr pile are this one, Room and Never Let me Go.

 

I hope you get the chance to read them all Maureen

 

Me too, a lot of cool stuff happening around that time

 

Very much so, good times!

[Charm]

Hi Charm, how are you? I think you would enjoy 'I am Number Four', it has a great story, and you know, you're great stories

 

Sounds good, thanks hun

[Weave]

Sounds good, thanks hun

 

No problem hen

[Janet]

Hi Janet, how are you? , the film is very similar to the book, I also have 'Coming Home' too to read, I read that years ago too, I hope you enjoy it

Thanks, Paula.

 

Sixty~Nine by Ryu Murakami ~ Started: 03.03.11 ~ Finished: 08.03.11

 

I know you love Haruki Murakami - are the two related?

[Weave]

I know you love Haruki Murakami - are the two related?

 

Hi Janet, how are you?, they are not related