Judy's reading list

[JudyB]

From the library I have borrowed:

Home by Julie Meyson (hoping to finish this soon. It's good but am getting restless with it. I feel guilty that I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would because I am very conscious of the work and research that's gone into making the story and it is very interesting. Possibly you can never really get truly excited about someone else's family tree or house tree - in the case of this book).

The Lovely Bones - Alice Seebold

Lady Catharine's Necklace - Joan Aitken (the character of Lady Catharine is taken from Pride and Prejudice) I've been eyeing this up in the library for nearly a year now but only just got round to taking it out).

Giving Up on Ordinary - Isla Dewar (a lady I visit and I have got into Isla Dewar. Secrets of a Family Album was my favourite and I was going to stop after two of her novels and then try some more later in the year. However this came highly recommended so it's on my pile).

For 2007 I hope to continue reading through the Rougon-Macquart cycle by Emile Zola - The Earth is next. I've also got a couple of Dickens and a couple of Charlotte Brontes on my bookshelf. Plus plenty on the shelves at work! :D

[Purple Poppy]

Judy said;

The Lovely Bones - Alice Seebold



I would be interested to hear what you make of The Lovely Bones. A very mixed reaction here on the forum.
PP

[everydayxangels]

Judy said;


I would be interested to hear what you make of The Lovely Bones. A very mixed reaction here on the forum.
PP

Agreed. Incredibly mixed. I personally didn't enjoy it all that much. It was okay, but there are more wonderful books I'd rather enjoyed. I personally liked her own memoir of her rape, Lucky, much better. that sounds incredibly sadistic, I'm sure. but the writing was much better.

[everydayxangels]

Plus plenty on the shelves at work! :D

Where do you work? I dont mean specifically where, but what kind of place that would have lots of books on the shelves.

[JudyB]

In a library - I discover a lot of books when I'm shelving.

[everydayxangels]

In a library - I discover a lot of books when I'm shelving.

that's pretty sweet! if I didn't get the job at my bookstore, I would have tried to get one at the library.

[JudyB]

Additions to reading list - I'd forgotten that I'd noted some books down in my diary.

Educating Alice - Alice Steinbach
Two Lives - Vikram Seth
Sunday Night Book Club (short stories)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom

I'd also like to have a try at Bookcrossing though I need to find a book I can let go of - I like to keep all my books.

Apologies for spelling mistakes on last list - spelt both Alice Sebold's and Julie Myerson's names wrong.

[Janet]

I'd also like to have a try at Bookcrossing though I need to find a book I can let go of - I like to keep all my books.
I'm registered... but I have the same problem as you!

I might try to find a book to release on Saturday - I'm going to the theatre at Straford-Upon-Avon. :D

[JudyB]

I'm registered... but I have the same problem as you!

I might try to find a book to release on Saturday - I'm going to the theatre at Straford-Upon-Avon. :D

Have you released any so far?

[Janet]

Have you released any so far?
:blush: No.

I caught one a while ago (in a charity shop in Penrith), but I couldn't finish it. Actually, I found it the other day - I could release that one.

I really should make more of an effort, but I hate parting with books.

Are you registered?

[JudyB]

Finished The Lovely Bones this morning. I thought it was okay and found it quite compelling; I think mainly because I wanted to know what happened to Mr Harvey. Liked the perspective of having Susie in heaven and find that quite thought provoking. I would love my gran to know how often I think of her since she passed away 15 years ago.

Have now moved on to Moving Away From The Ordinary by Isla Dewar.

:readingtwo:

[JudyB]

Finished This Book Will Save Your Life by A M Homes yesterday - it took me a while to get into it (p150) but from that point on (which was very funny) I really enjoyed it.

I've now moved on to Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I have been updating my To Be Read list on LibraryThing (link below) - all books in that list are tagged TBR. :readingtwo:

[Renniemist]

Judy I would be interested to know how you get on with Half a Yellow Sun. :)

I read Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie last year and really enjoyed it.

Half a Yellow Sun is on my wish list which is getting longer and longer. :readingtwo:

[Polka Dot Rock]

I've now moved on to Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Ah I got this from a, erm, supermarket last weekend (my mum bought it for me - how kind!). Have you finished it Judy? What did you think?

[JudyB]

Ooops just realised that I've severly neglected my own thread! Here are my thoughts about Half a Yellow Sun (from LibraryThing) -

I 'enjoyed' this novel particularly the fact it was written from three perspectives. As events unfurled I was curious to read the various viewpoints. It's not an easy read in that it deals with the awfulness of civil war and it's shocking to see so many lives ripped apart. As I suspected though the novel let me in on a world I would otherwise have not learnt about. Events took place during the decade I was born so I have had to read up a little on the situation and in turn have learnt something from it.

Since reading the above I've also read The Interpretation of Murder:-

I was gripped by this from the beginning. The opening paragraph about happiness was very profound. I liked everything about this novel - the setting was particularly interesting and added to the atmosphere of the novel. The mystery kept me guessing to the very end and the narrative from differing perspectives added to this.

I'm now reading The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Richard and Judy will be discussing Half of a Yellow Sun this Wednesday as part of their book club.

[JudyB]

Review of The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

I really enjoyed this and was gripped by the mystery surrounding Julian Carax and his novels. I thought the characterisation was good and the plot twisted and turned before coming to a conclusion. My knowledge of Spanish history was non-existant so for the purpose of putting The Shadow of the Wind into some sort of context I read up on it - so I also had a good read and learnt something new!


I've now moved on to The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (Summary taken from book)


On his eighty-third birthday, Eddie, a lonely war veteran, dies in a tragic accident trying to save a little girl from a falling cart. With his final breath, he feels two small hands in his - and then nothing. He awakens in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a lush Garden of Eden but a place where your earthly life is explained to you by five people who were in it. These people may have been loved ones or distant strangers. Yet each of them changed your path forever.

[JudyB]

I've read The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom and quite enjoyed it.

Have also read - this week - Case Histories by Kate Atkinson which I really enjoyed - I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed Kate Atkinson's writing. Her characters were brilliant and I was gripped to the end.

I've now moved on to The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - it's compelling reading so far. (This is my chunky challenge for April).

[JudyB]

Still really enjoying The Historian - so glad that lady recommended it to me.

[Louiseog]

I liked the Historian. Never managed Half of a Yellow Sun which I thought I would enjoy as my parents were there at the time!
The type was too small :doh:

[JudyB]

Have just started Kept: A Victorian Mystery by D J Taylor - birthday present from my daughter.

Summary taken from WHSmith

Egg-stealing in the Scottish highlands, fraud and felony on the streets of London, and strange goings-on in the fens. Captivating and ingenious, full of suspense and teeming with life, "Kept" is a Victorian mystery about the extreme and curious things men do to get what they want. It is August, 1863. Henry Ireland, a failed landowner, dies unexpectedly in a riding accident, leaving a highly-strung young widow. Not far away, lives Ireland's friend James Dixey, a celebrated naturalist who collects strange trophies, a stuffed bear, a pet mouse, and a wolf that he keeps caged in the grounds of his decaying house, lost in the fog on the edge of the fens. The poachers, Dewar and Dunbar, with their cargo of pilfered eggs; Esther the observant kitchen maid, pining to be re-united with her vanished admirer; the ancient lawyer Mr. Crabbe made careless by snobbery; John Carstairs, in search of his cousin, the elusive widow; an enigmatic debt-collector, busily plotting an audacious robbery; various low-life henchmen; and Captain McTurk of Scotland Yard, patiently investigating the circumstances of the Mr. Ireland's death and many other things besides- all are drawn into a net of intrigue with wide and sinister implications. Ranging from the lochsides of Scotland to the slums of Clerkenwell, and from the gentlemen's clubs of St. James's to the Yukon wilds, "Kept" is a gorgeously intricate novel about the urge to possess, at once a gripping investigation of some of the secret chambers of the human heart and a dazzling re-invention of Victorian life and passions.

[JudyB]

Just finished Kept: A Victorian Mystery by D J Taylor. :readingtwo:

I enjoyed this and could see the influences of the Victorian writers in it. I love a good Victorian mystery and this certainly had the feel of a real Victorian novel. Found myself confused at times by the jumping around of characters - would forget who was who at times. However the description of the Great Train Robbery was brilliant and it was interesting to see how it would all come together. Up until now I was unaware of the Great Train Robbery so benefitted from learning something new from this novel - always a bonus.

[Polka Dot Rock]

Judy! I see you are reading Daphne du Maurier's Julius at the moment - how is it so far? I still have that on my TBR shelves :)

[JudyB]

I've had quite a good read of it today so am really into it.

[JudyB]

Enjoyed Julius - wrote a short review for LibraryThing:-

It's been a long time since I've read Daphne Du Maurier and I found Julius to be a good read. Wasn't sure where it was leading so was left guessing until the end. It's quite a shocking tale. ( http://www.librarything.com/pics/ss8.gif )

Next on the list was One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson. I was a massive fan of Behind the Scenes of the Museum but was disappointed by Human Croquet. It's good to read her novels again and I think she writes crime well. My LibraryThing review is below:-

Really enjoyed this - it kept me guessing all the way through although it got confusing at times with all the different viewpoints/characters. I think Kate Atkinson writes crime well - here's hoping there's another one on the way. ( http://www.librarything.com/pics/ss8.gif )

[JudyB]

Currently reading:-

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (No 1 Ladies Detective Agency 8) by Alexander McCall Smith

Summary (taken from book)
In the life of Precious Ramotswe – a woman duly proud of her fine traditional build – there is rarely a dull moment, and in the latest instalment in the universally beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series there is much happening on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road. Mma Ramotswe is experiencing staffing difficulties. First, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni asks to be put in charge of a case involving an errant husband. But can a man investigate such matters as successfully as the number one lady detective can? Then, Mma Ramotswe has a minor falling out with her assistant Mma Makutsi, who decides to leave the agency, taking her near-perfect secretarial skills with her.


Along the way, Mma Ramotswe is asked to investigate a couple of tricky cases. Will she be able to explain an unexpected series of deaths at the hospital in Mochudi? And what about the missing office supplies at a local printing company? These are the types of question that Mma Ramotswe is uniquely well suited to answer.


In the end, whatever happens, she knows she can count on Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, who stands for all that is solid and true in a shifting world, and there is always her love of Botswana, a country of which she is justifiably proud.

[happyanddandy]

Judy - I do love the Precious Ramotswe books (don't you just love her name? You can see her right there can't you? In the sweltering heat.) Must push the remaiing ones I haven't read up the TBR pile. :smile2:

[JudyB]

Just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

I just want to shout from the rooftops what an excellent book it's been!

It will get 5 stars on my LibraryThing page. I will write a review soon.

[happyanddandy]

Well I just have to get it now and put it on mount TBR!!

[JudyB]

Just finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and yet again want to shout from the rooftops how brilliant it was. Thought Splendid Suns would be a very hard act to follow but this novel set in Nazi Germany was as much a human story set against conflict and cruelty as Splendid Suns was and yet it was a different and very original approach. A wonderful heartwarming read - five stars again on LibraryThing.

[JudyB]

Currently reading:-

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

Summary taken from Waterstones

In 1941, Irene Nemirovsky sat down to write a book that would convey the magnitude of what she was living through, not in terms of battles and politicians, but by evoking the domestic lives and personal trials of the ordinary citizens of France. She did not live to see her ambition fulfilled, or to know that sixty-five years later, "Suite Francaise" would be published for the first time, and hailed as a masterpiece. Set during a year that begins with France's fall to the Nazis in June 1940 and ends with Germany turning its attention to Russia, "Suite Francaise" falls into two parts. The first is a brilliant depiction of a group of Parisians as they flee the Nazi invasion and make their way through the chaos of France; the second follows the inhabitants of a small rural community under occupation who find themselves thrown together in ways they never expected.

Nemirovsky's brilliance as a writer lay in her portrayal of people, and this is a novel that teems with wonderful characters, each more vivid than the next. Haughty aristocrats, bourgeois bankers and snobbish aesthetes rub shoulders with uncouth workers and bolshy farmers. Women variously resist or succumb to the charms of German soldiers. However, amidst the mess of defeat, and all the hypocrisy and compromise, there is hope. True nobility and love exist, but often in surprising places. Irene Nemirovsky conceived of "Suite Francaise" as a four- or five-part novel. It was to be a symphony - her War and Peace. Although only two sections were finished before her tragic death, they form a book that is beautifully complete in itself, and awe-inspiring in its understanding of humanity.

[JudyB]

Reviews:-

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Having read Zola and Flaubert I felt that this felt like a French novel - of which I am a fan. It is such a shame that Irene Nemirovsky was unable to complete this novel as the first two parts to it were evocative of a time and situation that most of us can only imagine. It would have been interesting to see the stories conclude but what Irene Nemirovsky was able to write certainly gives us a taste of that time.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
This was such a compelling and compulsive read that it was both quick and easy despite being 600 pages long. Two stories entwine one revealing another. I guessed at one of the secrets but wasn't sure if that was intention so that we could then witness the main character's ignorance turn to realisation. A good summer read.

The Sound of Laughter by Peter Kay
Having just read and thoroughly enjoyed 'The House at Riverton' I was a bit concerned about following it with 'The Sound of Laughter'. Intially I missed a plot, characters etc but by p24 after the Quality Street incident I found myself regularly laughing out loud and whizzing through this. So far, so so funny. Highlights include The Wizard of Oz performance and the France trip. Finished this this afternoon - I laughed all the way to the end.

Bee Season by Myla Goldberg
There were parts of this that I enjoyed for example the spelling Bee and parts that I found hard to relate to for example Aaron's quest for a new religion - although I did relate to Aaron's disappointment at being usurped by his sister in his father's attentions. On the whole it was a good read.

[JudyB]

Currently reading:-

The Savage Garden by Mark Mills

A haunting tale of murder, love and innocence lost set in post-war Tuscany from the award winning author of 'The Whaleboat House'. Behind a villa in the heart of Tuscany lies a Renaissance garden of enchanting beauty. Its grottoes, pagan statues and classical inscriptions seem to have a secret life of their own -- and a secret message, too, for those with eyes to read it. Young scholar Adam Strickland is just such a person. Arriving in 1958, he finds the Docci family, their house and the unique garden as seductive as each other. But post-War Italy is still a strange, even dangerous place, and the Doccis have some dark skeletons hidden away which Adam finds himself compelled to investigate. Before this mysterious and beautiful summer ends, Adam will uncover two stories of love, revenge and murder, separated by 400 years! but is another tragedy about to be added to the villa's cursed past?

synopsis taken from Waterstone's website

[JudyB]

I read about a book today that is billed as the next Kite Runner - it's called The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany - it's now on my wish list on LibraryThing and I'm going to order it from the library.

The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany
An international bestseller, 'The Yacoubian Building' is a mesmerising and controversial novel that is at once an impasssioned celebration and a ruthless dissection of a society dominated by bribery and corruption. The Yacoubian Building -- once grand, but now dilapidated -- stands on one of Cairo's main boulevards. Taha, the doorman's son, has aspirations beyond the slum in the skies, and dreams of one day becoming a policeman. He studies hard, and passes all the exams, but when he is rejected because his family is neither rich nor influential, the bitterness sets in. His girlfriend, Busayna, finds herself unable to earn a living without also providing sexual services for the men who hire her. When Taha seeks solace in a student Islamic organisation, the pressure mounts, and he is drawn to actions with devastating consequences. 'The Yacoubian Building' follows Taha's trajectory from innocence to tragedy. The people whose lives orbit his -- the inhabitants of the building -- are also facing their own difficult choices. From those living in squalid and cramped conditions on the rooftops, to the homosexual editor of Le Caire newspaper and a womanising aristocrat, all of the contradictions in Egyptian society are here. Religious feelings live side by side with promiscuity; bribery and exploitation alternate with moments of joy and elation; modernity clashes with the vision of a more ancient society. Alaa Al Aswany's mesmerising novel caused an unprecedented stir when it was published in Egypt. It is at once an impassioned celebration and a ruthless dissection of a society dominated by bribery and corruption.

[JudyB]

Review:-

The Savage Garden by Mark Mills

I quite enjoyed this - there was enough mystery to keep me reading but it was also lacking in something - not sure what but I wouldn't describe it as a riveting read. One of the better books I've read this year but not one of the best.

[JudyB]

Currently reading:-

Winter in Madrid by C J Sansom

1940: The Spanish Civil War is over, and Madrid lies ruined, its people starving, while the Germans continue their relentless march through Europe. Britain now stands alone while General Franco considers whether to abandon neutrality and enter the war.

Into this uncertain world comes Harry Brett: a traumatised veteran of Dunkirk turned reluctant spy for the British Secret Service. Sent to gain the confidence of old schoolfriend Sandy Forsyth, now a shady Madrid businessman, Harry finds himself involved in a dangerous game – and surrounded by memories. Meanwhile Sandy’s girlfriend, ex-Red Cross nurse Barbara Clare, is engaged on a secret mission of her own – to find her former lover Bernie Piper, a passionate Communist in the International Brigades, who vanished on the bloody battlefields of the Jarama.

In a vivid and haunting depiction of wartime Spain, Winter in Madrid is an intimate and compelling tale which offers a remarkable sense of history unfolding, and the profound impact of impossible choices.

(synopsis taken from LovesReading website)

[JudyB]

Review

Winter in Madrid by C J Sansom

It was the statement 'if you enjoyed Shadow of the Wind then you may enjoy this' that brought this novel to my attention. Reading the blurb on the back cover however, I was concerned that there would be too much emphasis on the spy thriller for my liking. My fears however were unfounded as it revealed itself to be a very human story with characters that you cared about. It's combination with the setting of the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War made it a compelling and informative read. I've learnt so much from reading this. If you enjoyed Shadow of the Wind you will probably enjoy this. An excellent read.

[JudyB]

Review:

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I found the Adam Ewing entry difficult to get into initially but as I started to connect with it it ended. Enjoyed the Robert Frobisher, Luisa Rey and Timothy Cavendish stories but then lost interest with the Orison of Somni - 451 and Sloosha's Crossing. At that point it was either give up or skim read so that I could be reunited with the other stories and hopefully still pick up on the essence of the book. I skim read until Timothy Cavendish and then read properly until the end of the book. I'm disappointed to say that I think I missed the point despite enjoying the stories - particularly the Luisa Rey one. I feel that somehow I haven't done the book justice - I have a real problem reading fantasy and science fiction (it's like a light goes out) - and therefore probably missed out on some of the book's complexities. I did feel it was well written I just feel disappointed with myself for not coping with sci fi and dystopia.

[Kylie]

Oh, don't feel disappointed with yourself Judy! I struggled a lot with this book and I'm a huge fan of sci-fi/fantasy. And dystopian books are my absolute favourites to read! I wish I'd skim-read Sloosha's Crossing myself; I don't think I would have missed much if I'd done so! ;) I think you should be proud of yourself for persevering with it and finishing it! :mrgreen:

[JudyB]

Aaah thanks Kylie - I really enjoyed the bits I did like so I think that's what kept me reading - plus I needed to know what happened in the Luisa Rey Mystery

[JudyB]

Just read:-

Set in Stone by Linda Newbery

synopsis from Waterstones website

When Samuel Godwin, a young and naive art tutor, accepts a job with the Farrow family at Fourwinds, their majestic home, little does he expect to come across such a web of secrets and lies. His two tutees are as different as chalk and cheese - the beautiful younger sister Marianne, full of flightiness and nervous imagination, and Juliana, controlled and sad. With their governess, Charlotte Agnew, Samuel begins to uncover slowly the horrifying truth behind Juliana's sadness and Marianne's emotional fragility. Their discoveries change their perception of life at Fourwinds for ever and none of their lives will ever be the same again. With her usual brilliance and ease, Linda Newbery has written a haunting and faultlessly plotted novel with characters that leap of the page and stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

Review:-

For anyone who enjoys a good Victorian mystery this is a light and quick read reminiscent of Wilkie Collins. It's got all the usual ingredients including a few twists and turns.

[happyanddandy]

Thanks for the recommendation Judy - I had deja vu reading the synopsis - perhaps I picked it up and read it in Waterstones :smile2:

[JudyB]

It's on my LibraryThing list - you might recognise the cover.

[JudyB]

Just read:

Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy

Synopsis: Hardy described "Desperate Remedies" as a tale of 'mystery, entanglement, surprise and moral obliquity'. Cytherea has taken a position as lady's maid to the eccentric arch-intriguer Miss Aldclyffe. On discovering that the man she loves, Edward Springrove, is already engaged to his cousin, Cytherea comes under the influence of Miss Aldclyffe's fascinating, manipulative steward Manston. Blackmail, murder and romance are among the ingredients of Hardy's first published novel, and in it he draws blithely on the 'sensation novel' perfected by Wilkie Collins. Several perceptive critics praised the author as a novelist with a future when Desperate Remedies appeared anonymously in 1871. In its depiction of country life and insight into psychology and sexuality, it already bears the unmistakable imprint of Hardy's genius. (taken from Amazon website)

Review: This was Thomas Hardy’s first published novel and it seems that in an attempt to become established he chose the popular genre of sensation. Desperate Remedies has all the ingredients of such a novel - identity fraud, murder, detection, and atmosphere - but felt more like a Wilkie Collins novel than a Hardy. The writing seemed detached and it lacked the poetry and description that made Far From the Madding Crowd such a memorable, absorbing and beautiful novel. However, what Desperate Remedies lacked in Hardy’s usual writing quality it contained in plot and I found it an enjoyable and compulsive read and with the pace picking up during the last 100 pages it left me guessing right to the end. A recommended read.

LibraryThing rating: ****

Other books read by same author: Far From the Madding Crowd *****, Jude The Obscure ****

[Angel]

Judy - I read Desperate Remedies last year and I really enjoyed it! I agree that it doesn't feel like a 'classic' Hardy but you can sense the talent developing. I love a Hardy book - one of my all time favourite authors :blush:

[JudyB]

Nice to see another Hardy fan - glad I spotted this on the shelf at work - I've just ordered my own copy to keep plus Two on a Tower.

[JudyB]

Just read:

The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe

Synopsis: 'What I want you to have, Imogen, above all, is a sense of your own history; a sense of where you come from, and of the forces that made you.' Rosamund lies dying in her remote Shropshire home. But before she does so, she has one last task: to put on tape not just her own story but the story of the young blind girl, her cousin's granddaughter, who turned up mysteriously at her party all those years ago. This is a story of generations, of the relationships within a family - and of what goes to make a child. Called "the best English novelist of his generation" by Nick Hornby, Jonathan Coe extends his range in this magnificent account of a Shropshire family in the last half of the twentieth century.

Review: Yet again Jonathan Coe has gripped me through his wonderfully sensitive and compelling writing. The story is told through the tapes recorded by Rosamond prior to her death. We join other characters in the book who are listening to them for the first time and when there is a break in the middle we share the characters' impatience to continue the story. Covering three generations the story reveals events that repeat themselves suggesting that behavioural patterns have consequences for the future. This was a very quick read - it's not a long book, it's easy reading because it flows so well plus once you pick it up it's impossible to put down.

Library Thing rating: *****

Other books read by same author: The Rotters' Club *****, The Closed Circle ****, What a Carve Up ****1/2, The House of Sleep ***1/2

[Renniemist]

Thanks for the good review Judy. I too enjoyed The Rotter’s Club but have yet to read any of the others.

I don’t know when I will get around to reading The Rain Before It Falls, which I picked up at Gatwick last month, but thanks to your review it will be further up the TBR pile.:)

[JudyB]

Thanks Renniemist. If you like socio/political satire with Jonathan Coe's usual human element then I'd recommend What A Carve Up or The Closed Circle which is the sequel to The Rotter's Club. The Rain Before It Falls is very different as while it's a very human story it doesn't have his usual humour/satire. I finished it yesterday and it really gave me food for thought today - I kept thinking about the characters and events and what Jonathan Coe was trying to say - very thought provoking.

[Renniemist]

Thanks Judy. I will put What A Carve Up and The Closed Circle on my Christmas list.:D

[JudyB]

Just read:-

The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany

Synopsis: The Yacoubian Building holds all that Egypt was and has become over the 75 years since its namesake was built on one of downtown Cairo’s main boulevards. From the pious son of the building’s doorkeeper and the raucous, impoverished squatters on its roof, via the tattered aristocrat and the gay intellectual in its apartments, to the ruthless businessman whose stores occupy its ground floor, each sharply etched character embodies a facet of modern Egypt -- where political corruption, ill-gotten wealth, and religious hypocrisy are natural allies, where the arrogance and defensiveness of the powerful find expression in the exploitation of the weak, where youthful idealism can turn quickly to extremism, and where an older, less violent vision of society may yet prevail.

Alaa Al Aswany’s novel caused an unprecedented stir when it was first published in 2002 and has remained the world’s best selling novel in the Arabic language since.

Review: Another window on another culture. 'The Yacoubian Building' focuses on the occupants of one building and spans many classes. It tells the story of 5 different main characters woven together coming to different conclusions. This was a good book, it was well written but personally I didn't find it compelling although the stories took on a greater impetus as the book progressed. Incidentally this has been made into a film - released in the UK in September 2007.

LibraryThing rating: *****

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author: None - would possibly look out for others.

[JudyB]

Just read:-

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

Synopsis: '...holding her solitary way among a crowd of wild, grotesque companions; the only pure, fresh, youthful object in the throng.' 'Little Nell' cares for her grandfather in the gloomy surroundings of his curiosity shop. Reduced to poverty the pair flee London, pursued by the grotesque and vindictive Quilp. In a bizarre and shifting kaleidoscope of events and characters the story reaches its tragic climax, an ending that famously devastated the novel's earliest readers. (synopsis taken from Waterstones website)
Review: I can't wait to see this televised at Christmas! Charles Dickens has created his usual mix of heroes and villains that linger in the memory. It's a compelling story that kept me guessing to the end. Although Dickens can be wordy his stories are just brilliant and he always creates an empathy towards his virtuous characters. I wouldn't class this as my favourite as it lacks the atmosphere and drama of some of his others (Great Expectations, Bleak House, and Dombey and Son), added to which I found it quite slow at times but nevertheless a good read.

LibraryThing rating:*****

Other books read, by same author: Dombey and Son *****, Great Expectations ***** , Bleak House ***** , The Signalman and Other Ghost Stories ***** , The Haunted House ***** , Hard Times *****

[Kylie]

Nice review Judy! I've been interested in reading this book for a while now but I got sidetracked by A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations.

[JudyB]

Just read:-

Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk

Synopsis: Set in a moderately posh suburb of London, acclaimed British novelist Rachel Cusk's Arlington Park is a captivating exploration of how the simple act of living can become an excruciating exercise in self-deprivation, hypocrisy, and desperation. Set over the course of a single day, the novel follows a group of young mothers who feel both anger at the husbands who seemingly imprisoned them in a world of minivans and coffee klatches, and resignation about the fates they seem destined to fulfil.

While Arlington Park may deal in toddlers and tater tots, it is certainly not another generic Mommy Lit clone. Cusk is a skilled writer, and in her hands, a dreary lunch at the mall food court is transformed into "lost property, but for people." As the day progresses, we watch as Juliet chops her hair off in a small, if meaningless act of rebellion, Amanda stifles a burning desire to scream at a neighbour's kid for ruining her white sofa, Maisie blames her parents for not loving her enough while throwing her daughter's lunchbox at the kitchen wall, and Christine stuffs chicken breasts while silently cursing her husband for spending too much time getting ready for a dinner party. In each scene, the oppressiveness is almost unbearable, prompting readers to practically beg these women to flee as far and as fast as is humanely possible.
Of course, in driving her readers to the edge of frustration and outrage, Cusk succeeds in creating a novel that penetrates deeper than most. Still, after turning the last page, you might find yourself reaching for a little Mommy Lit candy to take the edge off. --Gisele Toueg
(from Amazon website)

Review: The descriptive passages in this novel are so spot-on as are Rachel Cusk's observations of human nature. Although this has a definite feel of Virginia Woolf it doesn't feel contrived; it moves along naturally combining the familiar style with a modern slant. At times time seems to stop in this novel allowing the reader to take stock of the surroundings. It's a wonderfully well written book.

LibraryThing Rating: *****

Other books read by this writer: New writer for me

[happyanddandy]

Souns like my kind of book Judy - I shall look out for this one - thanks :smile2:

[JudyB]

Thanks HandD - if I'm not being presumptious I think you might also enjoy The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe - it's a well written story about three generations of a family.

[happyanddandy]

Thanks HandD - if I'm not being presumptious I think you might also enjoy The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe - it's a well written story about three generations of a family.


thankyou - I recognise this authors name - is it 'The Rotters' Club' author? One of OH's favourites :smile2:

[JudyB]

Yes it is - that's another recommended read - similar to Black Swan Green.

[JudyB]

Just catching up on my book reviews.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Synopsis: This is one of the earliest novels of industrial alienation, tellingly linked to the plight of 19th-century women. It tells of the relationship between Margaret Hale, a girl from the old rural south, and John Thornton, a mill owner from the new industrial north. (synopsis taken from Amazon).


Review: Although this was well written and made some important points about industrialisation as observed first hand by Elizabeth Gaskell it was let down by its lack of event. Despite being informative, and valuable as a realistic picture of the social landscape of the time, it lacked the plot to drive the reader to continue. Continue though I did, but it was a long and slow read. I found myself continually comparing it to Emile Zola's Germinal which depicted the working conditions of the miners in France. It is a far more dramatic tale, again drawing on Zola's first hand observations, but I found in making this comparison that I could see Elizabeth Gaskell's strength in that she was able to tell the story from the point of view of both the industrialists and workers. I will read other work by Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South feels like a work with a purpose to inform rather than to entertain and my expectations are that her other novels may be more plot driven.

LibraryThing rating: *****
Other books read by same author: None but hope to read more.

[JudyB]

Just read:

Eleven Terrible Months by R L Royle

Synopsis: Eleven Terrible Months explores what really happens in a haunted house and how it affects the people living there. This book is terrifyingly realistic and you'll laugh and cry as you come to know the Walkingtons, the family subjected to the haunting. The Walkingtons - Sue, Roy and their three teenage children - were just like any other working-class Yorkshire family until January 1998, when they moved into their new home; a 3-bedroomed council flat in Beeston, West Yorkshire. What followed was a hellish year that almost ripped the humorous, tight-knit family apart. They eventually fled in November 1998, with their lives and nerves in tatters. What exactly happened to the Walkingtons during their time at 289 Millshaw Grove? In their own words, three of the five members of the Walkington family detail their lives at the time, their separate and shared unexplainable experiences, and the emotions, opinions and consequences thrown up from their eleven terrible months back in 1998. With frights so real they'll give you nightmares, lashings of laugh-out-loud humour, and interesting explorations of family dynamics; Eleven Terrible Months is a fiction novel that you will never forget. (taken from Waterstones' site)

Review: This is a story which relates the events within a haunted flat and also the dynamics of an ordinary family. Although it was very creepy in places, the real interest however, turned out to be the story of the family itself. I completely related to the mother's story and found the story of the teenage son, Chris, thought provoking, while funny and sad at the same time. This was mainly because it highlighted the tenuous nature of family relationships and how communication isn't always as effective as it could be, consequently Chris was misunderstood at times. I admire R L Royle's ability to understand the fragile nature of such relationships especially as she is able to relate the story from so many different viewpoints. It is those differing viewpoints which make the story so good - showing how the same events can affect the characters so differently. I found Sal's story to be the creepiest and a couple of incidents set me thinking about things that I knew of that had happened. Coincidently something fell in the room next to me while reading this part - needless to say, I had to sleep with the light on afterwards! A wonderful read!

LibraryThing rating: *****

Other books read by this writer: None

[Michelle]

I am so glad you enjoyed it Judy. :)

[JudyB]

Thanks for recommending it Michelle.:D

[Nici76]

This one is on my list to buy!

Great review Judy!

[JudyB]

Thanks Nici - I was chatting to someone at work today about it and she reckons a house she lived in was haunted - similiar stuff happened to the book!!!:hide:

[JudyB]

Two more reviews to add:

Sweeney Todd or The String of Pearls: The Original Tale of Sweeney Todd by Anon

Synopsis: The String of Pearls - the original tale of Sweeney Todd, a classic of British horror - was first published as a weekly serial in 1846-7 by Edward Lloyd, the King of the Penny Dreadfuls. One of the earliest detective stories, it became an important source for Bram Stoker's Dracula. After 157 years of obscurity, it appears here for the first time in book form.

A distraught Johanna Oakley wanders the streets of London seeking news of the missing fiance, Mark Ingestrie. She is befriended by Colonel Jeffrey, who is searching for his lost friend, Thornhill, last seen in Sweeney Todd's Fleet Street barber-shop. Todd's apprentice, Tobias Ragg, is struggling to break free from his terrifying and sadistic master, while the barber himself is frantically trying to sell a string of pearls. Meanwhile, just around the corner in Bell Yard, the enigmatic Jarvis Williams has landed himself a fine job - making the most delicious pies in London, to Mrs Lovett's secret recipe...Originally published as a weekly serial in 1846-7, this chilling tale is available for the first time in book form. (taken from Amazon)

Review: Although this is a shocking story it is actually a fun read. The narrator speaks directly to the reader- at times with humour - making us very conscious of the story unfolding before us. For the reader unfamiliar with the tale it is a shocking story; for those who are familiar with it the fun is being party to the irony within the tale. Readers are less likely to be acquainted with the role of the asylum in Sweeney Todd - as the most realistic aspect of the story it is also the most shocking and unforgettable. This has all the ingredients of a good old-fashioned Victorian mystery - I loved it.

LibraryThing rating: ****

and

Boy A by Jonathan Trigell

Synopsis: 'A is for Apple. A bad apple.' Jack has spent most of his life in juvenile institutions, to be released with a new name, new job, new life. At 24, he is utterly innocent of the world, yet guilty of a monstrous childhood crime. To his new friends, he is a good guy with occasional flashes of unexpected violence. To his new girlfriend, he is strangely inexperienced and unreachable. To his case worker, he's a victim of the system and of media-driven hysteria. And to himself, Jack is on permanent trial: can he really start from scratch, forget the past, become someone else? Is a new name enough? Can Jack ever truly connect with his new friends while hiding a monstrous secret? This searing and heartfelt novel is a devastating indictment of society's inability to reconcile childhood innocence with reality.

Review: I was a bit apprehensive about reading this not really sure what to expect. However I found myself gripped from the first page to the last. Predominately this story has to be described as thought-provoking, not only do you find yourself exploring the issues concerned but sometimes you find yourself looking at your own reactions. True that the format of the narrative manipulates them by revealing the story bit by bit but equally I feel this serves to take the black and white out of the situation and allows the reader to consider its complexities. I finished this last night; 24 hours later I’m still mulling it over, seeing patterns and thinking and rethinking. It seems trite to say I’ve been on a journey but I do feel that genuinely.

LibraryThing rating: ****½
Other books read by this writer: None but will look out for others.

[Kell]

I just very recently read Boy A myself, and you're right - it's a very thought-provoking read. I was never sure where my sympathies lay as they kept shifting. It can be uncomfortable in places, feeling sympathy for someone who has committed such a heinous crime, but at the same time, you can see him really trying to make an honest go of things this time round, and that's to be applauded.

With events over the last 15-or-so years (with specific reference to the Jamie Bulger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Bulger) case), it really is hard-hitting and an interesting look at all sides of the arguement of whether or not young offenders shoudl be given new identieis when they are reintegrated into the community, and the effect that living a lie can have on a person's whole life.

[JudyB]

Review for:-

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

Synopsis: 'You cannot pretend to read a book. Your eyes will give you away. So will your breathing. A person entranced by a book simply forgets to breathe. The house can catch alight and a reader deep in a book will not look up until the wallpaper is in flames.' Bougainville. 1991. A small village on a lush tropical island in the South Pacific. Eighty-six days have passed since Matilda's last day of school as, quietly, war is encroaching from the other end of the island. When the villagers' safe, predictable lives come to a halt, Bougainville's children are surprised to find the island's only white man, a recluse, re-opening the school. Pop Eye, aka Mr Watts, explains he will introduce the children to Mr Dickens. Matilda and the others think a foreigner is coming to the island and prepare a list of much needed items. They are shocked to discover their acquaintance with Mr Dickens will be through Mr Watts' inspiring reading of Great Expectations. But on an island at war, the power of fiction has dangerous consequences. Imagination and beliefs are challenged by guns. Mister Pip is an unforgettable tale of survival by story; a dazzling piece of writing that lives long in the mind after the last page is finished.

Review: I fell very slowly in love with this book and once I reached that point I found it compulsive reading. I love Great Expectations and it was an interesting idea to use it in the context of a Pacific island. Through the use of the novel the writer was able to explore many issues including the power of storytelling, cultural differences and beliefs, and the Romansbildung. It is a gently told story seen through the eyes of the main character a young girl who is consumed by the character of Pip. The difference culturally of Pip’s character to the girl’s causes her to question her own culture and makes her think about the world beyond the island and like Pip she too goes through her own Romansbildung. My only criticism is the ending which almost seemed unnecessary - I felt I had got everything I wanted from the book and didn’t see the necessity of answering certain questions - I felt that they were questions that the character wanted answering more than the reader. Beautiful story with a particularly beautiful cover.

LibraryThing rating: ****

Other books read by this writer: None but will look out for others.

Review by JudyB

[JudyB]

Reading circle book from Headline

Reading in Bed by Sue Gee

Synopsis: Opening at the Hay Festival, and ending with the prospect of a spring wedding, Sue Gee's new novel is a lively story of tangled relationships and the sustaining powers of good books, loyal friends and conversation. Friends since university, with busy working lives behind them, Dido and Georgia have long been looking forward to carefree days of books and conversation, when each finds herself caught up in unexpected domestic drama. Dido, for the first time, has cause to question her marriage; widowed Georgia feels certain her husband will return to her. Meanwhile, an eccentric country cousin goes wildly off the rails, children are unhappy in love, and perfect health is all at once in question. This novel will bring a writer who 'transforms the stuff of ordinary life into art' (Philippa Gregory, "The Sunday Times") to her widest audience yet. (taken from Waterstones website).

Review: Using a narrative that moves from one character to another Sue Gee has created a novel in which you care about the characters so much that you continue to think about them after you have put the book down. Her writing is very poignant - she captures feelings and emotions succinctly - reading about Georgia’s loneliness is quite painful at times and yet this story is not without it’s moments of gentle humour and recognisable family dynamics. I have often shelved The Mysteries of Glass (also by Sue Gee) at work and every time I do it catches my eye - next time I see it I will take it home to read.

LibraryThing rating: *****

Other books I have read by same author: None but will look out for others.

[JudyB]

Headline Reading Circle Book

The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose by Diana Janney

Synopsis: Harriet Rose, like any other teenager, is naive, overconfident and has always felt she has something important to say. However, unlike most of her peers, her hero is Marcus Aurelius, in imitation of whom she has been composing philosophical reflections on life for some time. When Harriet's father dies, the urge to write these meditations is greater than ever. Then, on her fourteenth birthday, she receives a unique gift. Her doting mother and grandmother have had her by-now-substantial collection of meditations published. Having appointed themselves roles -- Mother: publicist; Nana: sales rep; Harriet: esteemed author -- they vow to get the book into the hands of a wide readership. Once this formidable team gets into gear, there's no holding back, and Harriet is hurled into a lifestyle that not even she, in all her infinite wisdom, could have been prepared for. Bookshop orders soon stack up, and Harriet is plunged into a whirlwind of launch parties, newspaper coverage and television appearances. But is all this attention exactly what she thinks? And, more importantly, can her happiness -- or her naivete - last?

Review: This was a delightful read - light and uplifting with touches of humour. It’s an unusual book and Harriet is a wonderful anti-hero; even during her arrogant and misguided moments you find yourself completely onside willing her to overcome the various obstacles she faces. I defy anyone not to have a favourite Harriet Rose meditation by the end of the book.

LibraryThing rating: *****

Other books I have read by the same author: None but will look out for more.

[JudyB]

Burning Bright by Tracey Chevalier

Synopsis: The new top ten bestselling novel from the much loved author of Girl with a Pearl Earring Flames and funerals, circus feats and seduction, neighbours and nakedness: Tracy Chevalier's new novel 'Burning Bright' sparkles with drama. London 1792. The Kellaways move from familiar rural Dorset to the tumult of a cramped, unforgiving city. They are leaving behind a terrible loss, a blow that only a completely new life may soften. Against the backdrop of a city jittery over the increasingly ****** French Revolution, a surprising bond forms between Jem, the youngest Kellaway boy, and streetwise Londoner Maggie Butterfield. Their friendship takes a dramatic turn when they become entangled in the life of their neighbour, the printer, poet and radical, William Blake. He is a guiding spirit as Jem and Maggie navigate the unpredictable, exhilarating passage from innocence to experience. Their journey inspires one of Blake's most entrancing works. Georgian London is recreated as vividly in Burning Bright as 17th-century Delft was in Tracy Chevalier's bestselling masterpiece, Girl with a Pearl Earring. (taken from Waterstones website)

Review: I really enjoyed this - being thrust into London at the end of the 18th century and being able to understand the world in which Blake (and other writers and artists) lived particularly in the context of the French Revolution. It inspired me to read more about Blake so it took me beyond the story contained within the novel. I loved the descriptions - particularly of the walk through London - and I enjoyed the friendships formed between the characters. A good read.

LibraryThing rating: *****
Other books I have read by this writer: Falling Angels*****