Noll's 2015 Book Blog

[Nollaig]

Three new reviews posted above - and I'm one book shy of being a quarter of the way to my annual reading goal

[Athena]

Great reviews! I'm so glad you loved The Humans.

 

Wow, you're making great progress then, seeing as March has only just begun ! If you keep it up you'll reach your annual goal before it's perhaps even December!

[Nollaig]

I suspect I'll run out of steam at some point during the year, so I'm really just trying to cover as much ground as possible now to keep the goal attainable Though I'm doing better than I have any year in the last 3 or 4, so that's good.

[Kylie]

Great reviews, Noll. You're having an excellent reading year, aren't you?! So glad that you're spending more time with us on the forum, too. 

[Athena]

So glad that you're spending more time with us on the forum, too. 

This, very much this!!

[Nollaig]

Great reviews, Noll. You're having an excellent reading year, aren't you?! So glad that you're spending more time with us on the forum, too. 

 

 

This, very much this!!

 

Awwwwwwww thank you ladies, that's so sweet of you to say I'm trying really hard to be as involved as I can be because I know I have a tendency to wander off and that has resulted in me hugely drifting away from quite a few people I used to talk to frequently.

 

I am having a good reading year, and my mojo is still fine at the moment - I dunno why but I'm not questioning it, just enjoying my books!

[chesilbeach]

Interesting review of The Humans, Noll.  Personally, I found it a slow burner at the beginning, and found it grew on me more and more as I turned the pages, and by the end I wanted to hug it as I loved it so much.

[Athena]

Interesting review of The Humans, Noll.  Personally, I found it a slow burner at the beginning, and found it grew on me more and more as I turned the pages, and by the end I wanted to hug it as I loved it so much.

All good books deserve a hug .

[Nollaig]

I found The Humans so funny at the start I couldn't help but instantly love it. Totally appealed to my cynical attitude towards humans

 

I found myself immediately recommending it to a few people once I'd finished. It is very good.

 

I'm reading World After by Susan Ee at the moment, and its proving quite interesting - I like that she doesn't shy away from making things difficult and scary. Also reading Pawnee by Leslie Knope, in small doses, due to the display of it on my computer and tablet being terrible. (Best €12 I ever spent - not.)

[Michelle]

With regards to The Ritual, I know what you mean - I felt the first part of the book was rather creepy, but then it all went too far for me. Adam has a very definite style, which I find hit and miss - however, I really did enjoy No One Gets Out Alive - for me it was a much better pace, and didn't take things to that really weird stage.

[Nollaig]

Someone else on here couldn't even finish No One Gets Out Alive.... but given that we feel the same about The Ritual I might give it a go, because I do like the sound of it

[Michelle]

If you look at his books on amazon, overall they get a good rating, but there are plenty who don't like them. As I said, he has a particular style, which not everyone will like. No One Gets Out Alive does go overboard on the level of violence, but I did like the story, and the haunting aspects.

[Nollaig]

I loved his style until it got really weird. If NOGOA forgoes the really weird, then it might just work. Not sure about the violence but hey I picked up The Ritual in an attempt to scare myself, so I'm all for it

[Marie H]

Great review of The Humans. 

I found The Humans so funny at the start I couldn't help but instantly love it. Totally appealed to my cynical attitude towards humans

 ,

Though I think that Matt has more faith in human nature than I have  ......The term misanthropy has been used to describe me more than once 

[bobblybear]

Someone else on here couldn't even finish No One Gets Out Alive.... but given that we feel the same about The Ritual I might give it a go, because I do like the sound of it

 

That was me. I found it very repetitive, and the characters didn't ring true.

[Nollaig]

Ah yes, sorry I never remember who has said what about books I'll just get a digital copy of it and give it a go at some point, but I'm in no rush anyway.

 

His characters in The Ritual were pretty decent (apart from a few thrown in at the end who totally did not ring true!)

[bobblybear]

Noll, I'm more than happy to post you my copy. PM me if you are interested.

[Nollaig]

Awww sorry Bobbly I'm only seeing your reply now - that's very sweet of you, but postage to Ireland is super expensive (about half - two thirds the cost of the actual average paperback!) and as it might not even be one I'll like, I think it would be better off going to someone who definitely likes his books (or a charity shop, if you do that). I do appreciate the gesture though

[Nollaig]

The Sense Of An Ending - Julian Barnes

 

Synopsis: Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.
Now Tony is retired. He's had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove.

***

Review: The Sense of an Ending is a novella, therefore short in length, but certainly not lacking in depth of prose. I actually took several days to read this story, wanting to make sure I didn't miss an iota of the beautiful writing. It meanders along at a gentle pace; a series of recollections by Tony Webster of his college days and his life thereafter. The best thing about this book is the subtle way it conveys the unreliability of memory, and the subjective nature of personal observation. Though we may interpret a thing in one way, or intend our expressions in another, the objective truth may very well be different; our own involvements more or less influential than we intended, expected, or later recall. Perhaps as a method of self-preservation, we rose tint our personal histories so as to soften the sharp edges of our actions and obscure their consequences. This is the realization that our narrator in his old age begins to arrive at, as he revisits his youth and attempts to unravel the cause behind the death of a friend.

None of the characters, except Tony himself, particularly drew me in, but I felt all characters but Tony were essentially secondary to the point of the story. It never would have been possible to fall completely in love with the characters, viewing them as we do through the biased lens of Tony's aged memory. That said, the desire to find out what happened to Adrian is quite compelling, and although the journey is a roundabout one, it is enjoyable. While much of the novella is comprised of a setup which leaves the reader feeling well-informed, ultimately we come to realise our perception is as skewed as that of the narrator, and wonder what could possibly have happened to Adrian that we should, apparently, so readily know. And then the answer comes, and it is tragic.

Although told from the perspective of a man who can only discover the impact of his actions in hindsight, his observations of the world are sharp, insightful and often witty. Many times I found myself highlighting whole passages in this novella, as they so beautifully captured and expressed their intended sentiments about aging, nostalgia, memory and subjectivity. Beautiful contemplation of our flawed human nature. Definitely recommended, but take your time reading it.

Rating: 4/5

Edited March 12, 2015 by Nollaig

[pontalba]

Great review, Noll.  I loved this as well.  It definitely qualifies for one to reread a few times, or every so often.

[Nollaig]

Thanks! It definitely is, and I love the cover. I think I'll have to get a hardback copy of it sometime.

[Nollaig]

The Sky Is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson

 

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two boys. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

 ***

Review*: Firstly, I think it worth pointing out that I read an ebook edition of this novel, meaning I did not have the benefit of the apparently beautiful photography in the UK edition, featuring Lennie's handwritten poems and musings on random objects. That probably would have knocked it up to a 3.5, but even then I just wasn't hugely taken in by the story. I will admit that a lot of the writing is quite beautiful, if bizarre and senseless in the case of most of the sky references (and horrendously annoying in the case of anything that comes out of Sarah's mouth).

But unfortunately, I felt the plot and characters were very thin. It does take quite a lot for any male YA character (designed to be the object of someone's affections) to impress me in any way, but even without that I felt that the more 'positive' male figure, Joe, turned up out of absolutely nowhere, fell in love with Lennie within days for no apparent reason (see Bella/Edward) and as such the entire thing rang hollow. His personality doesn't even figure into it. Toby was somewhat more credible; the only character acting in a justifiable capacity. While I don't think it's a reaction I would have, I can see why the gaping hole left in his life by one Walker girl might be filled physically by that of the other. I get the concept of needing physical reassurance that the death of a loved one has not also sucked oneself into non-existence. As for Lennie... I can't buy her need for similar comfort from Toby, considering she self-admittedly had never even noticed boys before that. At a stretch, I can understand taking comfort in Joe, and feeling guilty about that, but Toby? No. I'm sure it happens, but it's not something I'm going to relate to or sympathize with.

I actually thought the most interesting thread of the novel was one of the least explored ones - the consideration of the missing mother Paige Walker (this thread being literally the only respite from repetitive scenes in a remarkably minimal amount of settings, involving Toby, Joe, or the solo bridges between the two in which Bailey is lamented.) There was just nothing of substance here. We didn't know Bailey enough to lament her ourselves, Lennie's emotions are so fickle its hard to grieve through her, and really if it hadn't been for the nice writing and curiosity about their mother, I doubt I would have finished it. Really not sure what all the hype is about.

Rating: 2.5/5

 

*I'm a very hard marker on YA books, so other YA frequenters may thoroughly enjoy it.

[Nollaig]

Only Ever Yours - Louise O'Neill

 

Synopsis: In a world in which baby girls are no longer born naturally, women are bred in schools, trained in the arts of pleasing men until they are ready for the outside world. At graduation, the most highly rated girls become “companions”, permitted to live with their husbands and breed sons until they are no longer useful. For the girls left behind, the future – as a concubine or a teacher – is grim. Best friends Freida and Isabel are sure they’ll be chosen as companions – but as the intensity of final year takes hold, Isabel does the unthinkable and starts to put on weight. .. And then, into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. Freida must fight for her future – even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known. . .

***

Review:  Unapologetically harrowing, Only Ever Yours is a roller coaster of psychological and social horror that starts at ground level and plunges down into the depths of despair. I'm not going to try to convince anyone that this is an easy read, but it is a worthwhile one. Imagine a society which subverts women and renders them as literally nothing more than lab-grown, son-bearing or desire-fulfilling slaves to men. Imagine being a woman raised in this society, where being 'academic' is among the worst insults for you, and being fat is the most life-altering disaster that can befall you. Many of the attitudes in this story ring horrifyingly true, as little more than an extreme magnification of the objectification and sexualisation that occurs in our society.

The novel touches on issues such as eating disorders and other compulsive behaviors, mass conditioning and the repression of individual feelings, intellect and self-expression. These issues are explored in an environment populated by social media platforms, disturbingly similar to the ones members of modern society use to carefully construct the lives and selves they wish to convey to others. The context is a post-apocalyptic attempt to 'save' the human race, and the detailed world-building is fantastic, gradually layered from the ground up with no walls of explanatory text but also no confusion about what is going on.

None of the characters are particularly likeable except maybe Darwin (what a name!), the #1 boy who takes an interest in Frieda. I've heard this unlikeability noted as a criticism against the book, but this is basically Mean Girls in a world where your life depends on aesthetically being the in the top third of your year. I actually felt the girls fantastically represented a variety of reactions to the pressures of such a society, and most of them are extreme versions of women I have met in my lifetime (prone to manipulation, backstabbing, backhanded compliments, reluctantly conforming, turning a blind eye etc), which for me says so much about the conceptual relationship between the world of Only Ever Yours and the one we all know. I am taking one mark off because I found some of Freida's pivotal actions to be a little uncharacteristic towards the end - I can't elaborate due to spoilers, but it felt a tad like her actions were forced to bring about the desired ending. I'm also not sure why anyone would feel it was in humanity's best interest to eradicate any surviving animal life when the apocalypse came, but maybe I missed something. Apart from a few little niggles, however, it's brilliantly written.

I have heard mixed responses to the genuinely shocking ending, and while I wish to give nothing away (much as I want to detail my praises of it), I will say that I think the ending is spectacular. I could barely breath for the last few pages; the sheer panic and desperation of trying to survive such a wretched world made me feel trapped and claustrophobic. The ending is nothing short of haunting, and will stay with me for some time. Genuinely a very important book that should be read by all young women who are emotionally mature enough for its content.

Rating: 4/5

[chesilbeach]

Excellent review … I'm too tired to discuss it tonight, but I'll be back tomorrow!

[Nollaig]

Wahey, I look forward to it