Janet's Log - Stardate 2016

[Janet]

 

 

The Warden by Anthony Trollope

 

The ‘blurb’

'It was so hard that the pleasant waters of his little stream should be disturbed and muddied ...that his quiet paths should be made a battlefield: that the unobtrusive corner of the world which been allotted to him ...made miserable and unsound'.

 

Trollope's witty, satirical story of a quiet cathedral town shaken by scandal - as the traditional values of Septimus Harding are attacked by zealous reformers and ruthless newspapers - is a drama of conscience that pits individual integrity against worldly ambition.

 

In The Warden Anthony Trollope brought the fictional county of Barsetshire to life, peopled by a cast of brilliantly realised characters that have made him among the supreme chroniclers of the minutiae of Victorian England. It is the first book in the Chronicles of Barsetshire.

 

Hiram hospital is a charity almshouse that provides a home and financial contribution for twelve elderly men and a modest income and a home for the Warden, the reverend Septimus Harding and his daughter Eleanor where they live quietly. But across the country, the papers are questioning such charitable institutions, looking at why the people in charge should benefit in terms of the salaries they are paid. When Eleanor’s suitor John Bold gets involved, Harding finds himself flung into the unwelcome limelight. Harding’s son-in-law, an Archdeacon of the town who is married to Harding’s elder daughter thinks Harding should fight his corner, but Harding is horrified at the way he is being depicted in the papers and isn’t really ready or equipped to fight…

 

This is the first (of six) of Trollope’s Chronicles of Barchester. The second book in this series is the Counties Challenge book for Wiltshire so I thought I would start with this. It’s quite short and gentle tale but one which I enjoyed and I’m looking forward to Barchester Towers.

 

Mind. The. Gap. Between. The. Chapters…!

 

I listened to this on Audio Book and it was ably narrated by Timothy West, but was a bit odd to start with due to the enormous gap between the end of one chapter and the start of the next. Seriously, I thought the first few times that my iPod had stopped working! It’s only a small negative and I did get used to it. I’ll probably read the second in book form as I imagine it’s quite long to listen to.

 

The paperback edition is 256 pages long and is published by Penguin. It was first published in 1855. The ISBN is 9780141198996.

 

4/5 (I enjoyed it!)

 

(Finished 4 October 2016)

 

 

[Janet]

The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall

The ‘blurb’
The Well of Loneliness tells the story of tomboyish Stephen, who hunts, wears trousers and cuts her hair short - and who gradually comes to realise that she is attracted to women. Charting her romantic and professional adventures during the First World War and beyond, the novel provoked a furore on first publication in 1928 for its lesbian heroine and led to a notorious legal trial for obscenity. Hall herself, however, saw the book as a pioneer work and today it is recognised as a landmark work of gay fiction.

Stephen’s father expected his child to be a son, but instead got a daughter who was christened with the name her parents had already chosen. Stephen is an awkward and shy child who enjoys hunting and dresses like a man. Her relationship with her father is good but her mother does not understand Stephen and the two have a tense relationship. Stephen develops a very close friendship with a young man called Martin but is horrified when he falls in love with her and the pair part company. She later falls in love with an American woman but this relationship is also doomed. When her beloved father dies, Stephen’s mother Anna can’t cope with her daughter’s lifestyle and so Stephen moves to Paris where things begin to look up for her, but it seems that happiness is destined always to elude her…

I am so behind with my reviews! When I finished this I emailed myself a few initial thoughts but now, nearly two months later, I can’t remember to what they all refer, but I shall do my best to get my thoughts down!

I approached this novel with some trepidation, having read a few negative views of it, and it’s true to say that it took me a very long time to get into it, and a long time to read. However, I did enjoy it, especially once the action moved to Paris, where people were more accepting of Stephen. It is true that this is a bleak novel and is obviously of its time, and it’s easy to see why it was banned having been published in 1928 where homosexuality was illegal for men and considered an inversion for women. I felt very sad for Stephen, especially at the end of the novel and it left me feeling a bit down, but also very glad that for the most part people are more accepting now. I don’t think I’ll be trying anything else by her though, despite not hating the book!

The paperback edition is 448 pages long and is published by Wordsworth Editions. It was first published in 1928. The ISBN is 9781840224559. I read it on Kindle.

3/5 (I enjoyed it!)

(Finished 5 October 2016)

 

[Janet]

Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy

The ‘blurb’
The arrival of two newcomers in the quiet village of Mellstock arouses a bitter feud and leaves a convoluted love affair in its wake. While the Reverend Maybold creates a furore among the village's musicians with his decision to abolish the church's traditional 'string choir' and replace it with a modern mechanical organ, the new schoolteacher, Fancy Day, causes an upheaval of a more romantic nature, winning the hearts of three very different men - a local farmer, a church musician and Maybold himself. Under the Greenwood Tree follows the ensuing maze of intrigue and passion with gentle humour and sympathy, deftly evoking the richness of village life, yet tinged with melancholy for a rural world that Hardy saw fast disappearing.

The Mellstock Choir, of which Dick Dewy is a member, are doing the rounds in the village singing carols on Christmas Eve. When they reach the schoolhouse and meet the new teacher, Fancy Day, it is love at first sight for Dick – but he’s not the only one with his sights set on her. She has other admirers including the new vicar Mr Maybold and farmer Shinar. Mr Maybold causes a division in the village when he proposes replacing the choir with a fancy organ – to be played by Miss Day.

Dewy gets his chance to woo Fancy at a dance, but they are interrupted by the farmer who then walks her home. Downcast, Dewy becomes withdrawn and it is some time before he meets up with her again. Things seem to improve, but a series of misunderstandings may mean that Dewy is denied happiness with his love…

This is the second book that Hardy published and the fifth book of his that I’ve read. It has a very different feeling from his later and best-known books – it is far more cheerful! It’s a gentle story and as with his other books, is beautifully written and very poetic. I enjoyed it but I don’t know that it’s going to stay with me in the way some of his other books have. I will have to see if there is a decent film adaptation of it.

The paperback edition I s 228 pages long and is published by Penguin. It was first published in 1872. The ISBN is 9780140435535. I read it on Kindle.

3½/5 (I enjoyed it!)

(Finished 13 October 2016)

 

[Janet]

The Enchanted Places: A Childhood Memoir by Christopher Robin Milne

The ‘blurb’
Millions of readers throughout the world have grown up with the stories and verses of A. A. Milne; have envied Christopher Robin in his enchanted world; laughed at Pooh - a bear of very little brain - and worried about Piglet and his problems. But what was it like to be the small boy with the long hair, smock and wellington boots?

At the age of fifty-four Christopher Milne recalled his early childhood, remembering 'the enchanted places' where he used to play in Sussex. The Hundred Acre Wood, Galleon's Lap and Poohsticks Bridge existed not only in the stories and poems but were part of the real world surrounding the Milne home at Cotchford Farm.

With deftness and artistry Milne draws a memorable portrait of his father, and an evocative reconstruction of a happy childhood in London and Sussex. It is a story told with humour and modesty.

I loved the Winnie the Pooh books as a child, and that fondness has not diminished in adulthood! I didn’t actually know that A A Milne’s son had written books so when I came across this in the Bookbarn I thought it might be interesting to read about the real Christopher Robin.

This is the first part of Milne’s autobiography and covers the young Christopher’s life in Sussex where he played in the Five Hundred Acre wood near his home (real version of the Hundred Acre Wood that appears in the books) – it was a typical middle-class boyhood of the time where Milne spent more time with his Nanny than he did with his parents – his father was a particularly detached parent, and Milne junior grew to resent him, stating that he “had got where he was by climbing on my infant shoulders, that he had filched from me my good name and had left me with nothing but the empty fame of being his son." The blurb states that his childhood was happy, and it’s true that parts were, but it wasn’t as idyllic as I thought it would be. Milne junior keeps harping on about not escaping from the fictional Christopher Robin and one can’t help but think that he could easily have done that (bearing (no pun intended!!) in mind we’re talking the days before the internet existed) by not publishing his story!

I know this review makes it sound like I didn’t like the book at all, but I did. Although I didn’t warm to Christopher Robin Milne, I did enjoy reading about his childhood which wasn’t all bad, and he did eventually find happiness in Dartmouth with his wife where they ran a book shop together. It’s very sad that he remained estranged from his parents, seldom seeing his father and only meeting up with his mother once in the fifteen years of her life after A A Milne died. Very sad. I would probably read the next part if I were to come across it in a charity shop!

The paperback edition is 162 pages long and is published by Pan. It was first published in 1974. The ISBN is 9781509821891.

3½/5 (I enjoyed it!)

(Finished 16 October 2016)

 

[Janet]

 
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

The ‘blurb’
The day Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison opened the Whistle Stop Cafe, the town took a turn for the better. It was the Depression and that cafe was a home from home for many of us. You could get eggs, grits, bacon, ham, coffee and a smile for 25 cents. Ruth was just the sweetest girl you ever met. And Idgie? She was a character, all right. You never saw anyone so headstrong. But how anybody could have thought she murdered that man is beyond me.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a mouth-watering tale of love, laughter and mystery. It will lift your spirits and above all it'll remind you of the secret to life: friends.

Evelyn Couch is bored with visiting her mother-in-law with her husband at her nursing home every week so when she goes into the lounge one week and starts chatting to an elderly woman called Ninny Threadgoode she finds it a welcome relief. Each Saturday she seeks Ninny out and the old woman tells the younger about her life in Whistle Stop – a small town in Alabama where life is sometimes hard, sometimes fun and never dull…

I loved many of the characters in this book, but particularly Idgie, Ninny’s tomboyish sister-in-law and Ruth Jamieson whom Idgie loves, and I especially enjoyed Evelyn in the present time. Throughout the novel she develops from a frumpy unsatisfied housewife into a confident and fulfilled woman and it was lovely so see her personality growing.

This is without doubt one of the busiest novels I’ve ever read! It was my second attempt at reading it – the story is told by various voices and in various timeframes which I struggled with when I tried it a few years ago but, determined not to let the book pass me by, I suggested it for Book Club - and this time round I got into it straight away and found it a delight – and it made for a great discussion as there are so many elements to it including strong female characters, the depression, murder, prejudice… we talked for a long time about this book.

I have the film on DVD somewhere – I must dig it out and watch it some time.

The paperback edition is 416 pages long and is published by Vintage. It was first published in 1987. The ISBN is 9780099143710.

4/5 (I enjoyed it!)

(Finished 24 October 2016)

[Janet]

A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark

The ‘blurb’
When Mrs Hawkins tells Hector Bartlett he is a 'pisseur de copie', that he 'urinates frightful prose', little does she realise the repercussions. Holding that 'no life can be carried on satisfactorily unless people are honest' Mrs Hawkins refuses to retract her judgement, and as a consequence, loses not one, but two much-sought-after jobs in publishing. Now, years older, successful, and happily a far cry from Kensington, she looks back over the dark days that followed, in which she was embroiled in a mystery involving anonymous letters, quack remedies, blackmail and suicide.

The story centres around the residents of a shared house in Kensington including Agnes ‘Nancy’ Hawkins, the narrator of the book and a war widow who works for a struggling publishing house, and a Polish dressmaker called Wanda Podolak who receives a poison pen letter about non-payment of tax. Other letters follow and Wanda is sick with worry.

In the meantime, Hector Bartlett, an aspiring author has his novel rejected by Nancy for its poor content and quality of writing. She makes the mistake of insulting Bartlett and, when the company folds, she finds it difficult to find another position in her field of work – it seems that what Bartlett lacks in writing ability he makes up for in influence in the writing and publishing world.

The two storylines at first seem to have nothing in common, but as Nancy investigates it seems that there is more to the letters Wanda is receiving than meets the eye…

I loved this book – it put me very much in mind of The Pursuit of Love for some reason, even though they’re not set in the same era, that one being set between the two World Wars and this in the 1950s. I suppose it was because both are in the age before technology took off in such a bit way, so telephones and motor cars, but not much television and absolutely no computers! Also similar classes perhaps? I simply loved Nancy Hawkins – what a fab character.

I listened to this on audio book – it was read by Juliet Stevenson who is fast becoming one of my favourite narrators.

The paperback edition is 203 pages long and is published by Virago. It was first published in 1988. The ISBN is 9781844085514.

4/5 (Very good)

(Finished 26 October 2016)

 

[Janet]

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The ‘blurb’
Pip's life as an ordinary country boy is destined to be unexceptional until a chain of mysterious events lead him away from his humble origins and up the social ladder. His efforts to become a London gentleman bring him into contact not just with the upper classes but also with dangerous criminals. Pip's desire to improve himself is matched only by his longing for the icy-hearted Estella, but secrets from the past impede his progress and he has many hard lessons to learn.

Having read the alternative choice for City of London in the Counties Challenge, A Christmas Carol, several times, I selected this as an alternative.

On Kent Marshes, a young lad stands among the graves looking at the names on the headstone where his parents and siblings are buried. Philip Pirrip, known as Pip lives with his older sister and her husband, the local blacksmith Joe. He is disturbed by a man who has escaped from a prison hulk – a ship moored in the river. The man persuades Pip to get him a file in order to take off his shackles and frightened, Pip complies. Later the man is captured and Pip thinks no more of him. He is later sent to a large country house where the mysterious Miss Havisham lives – she wants him to entertain her and her young charge Estella.

Glimpsing what life could be, Pip becomes discontented with his lot, and when he is invited to move to London and to improve himself he jumps at the chance and soon puts his past life out of his mind, but the past cannot stay buried forever and before long it catches up with him.

I have now read six Dickens books and it’s easy to see why his books became classics – this was very enjoyable. The parts that were set in Kent were particularly good – I suspect the fact that I played on the marshes myself as a child in Higham, where Dickens lived for the last fourteen years of his life. Six down, ten to go!

The paperback edition is 512 pages long and is published by Vintage. It was first published in 1860 to 1861 in serialised form. The ISBN is 9780099511571.

4/5 (Very good)

(Finished 5 November 2016)

 

[willoyd]

I listened to this on audio book – it was read by Juliet Stevenson who is fast becoming one of my favourite narrators.

4/5 (Very good)

I'm definitely a fan of Juliet Stevenson's reading - she is perfect for Jane Austen too. Muriel Spark is one of those writers who I have found has definitely grown on me - getting right under my skin. I love how she doesn't waste a word, and how plots twist and turn in such varied directions, stretching credulity, but never quite snapping it.  I've got quite a few to read, but I must also start revisiting some, Far Cry From Kensington included.  I did so with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie recently, and it proved an even stronger read second time round!

Edited December 21, 2016 by willoyd

[Janet]

 

Smith by Leon Garfield
 
The ‘blurb’
London street urchin Smith is 12 years old, and an experienced pick-pocket. One day on Ludgate Hill, he robbed an old gentleman, and one minute later watched him silently murdered by two men, who chased him for the document he had stolen but could not understand.
 
Smith artfully dodges the two men and winds up in the odd company of a wealthy blind man, who takes Smith into his home and provides him with an education. But this new comfort is lost when Smith himself is suspected of the very murder he witnessed.
 
Smith lives with his two older sisters and makes his living picking pockets on the streets of London.   When he steals a document from a man who he then sees murdered, he realises that the document must be of some importance but, unable to read, he sets about trying to find someone to teach him and after being turned down by several people he is taken under the wing of an elderly magistrate.  However, things take a turn for the worst for Smith when he is accused of the murder and he faces a perilous time in order find the real perpetrators and prove his innocence.
 
I have never read any books by Leon Garfield – he completely bypassed me as a child, but I have often seen this book in charity shops and so thought I’d give it a go and I really enjoyed it.  It’s very atmospheric – like Dickens for children. I’m certain that if I’d read it years ago it would have been a favourite.  I will definitely look out for my by this author on my travels. 
 
The paperback edition is 304 pages long and is published by Puffin. It was first published in 1967. The ISBN is 9780141355214.   
 
3½/5 (an enjoyable read)
 
(Finished 8 November 2016)

[Janet]

I'm definitely a fan of Juliet Stevenson's reading - she is perfect for Jane Austen too. Muriel Spark is one of those writers who I have found has definitely grown on me - getting right under my skin. I love how she doesn't waste a word, and how plots twist and turn in such varied directions, stretching credulity, but never quite snapping it.  I've got quite a few to read, but I must also start revisiting some, Far Cry From Kensington included.  I did so with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie recently, and it proved an even stronger read second time round!

I'm definitely planning to read some more of Muriel Spark's books.  I have a few Audible credits in hand, so maybe I'll listen to another one.   

[Janet]

 

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

 

The ‘blurb’

A mysterious island.

 

An abandoned orphanage.

 

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

 

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow impossible though it seems they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

 

I am behind on my reviews, but really the ‘blurb’ says it all about the story and there is not much I can add to it.  The book itself is gorgeous and was an enjoyable read but I didn’t love it as much as I expected to.  I think maybe the fact that it took a few weeks didn’t help – it’s probably best to read it quickly, but time did not allow. That said, I will probably read the rest in the series at some stage. 

 

The paperback edition is 368 pages long and is published by Quirk Books. It was first published in 2011. The ISBN is 9781594746031.   

 

3½/5 (I enjoyed it)

 

(Finished 27 November 2016)

 

 

Has anyone here who has read it seen the film?  If so, what did you think?

[bobblybear]

Great reviews, Janet! I want to read Muriel Sparks but have never come across any of her books at the library. I'm going to keep an eye out for Kindle cheapies over Christmas to see if any are available.

 

Great Expectations is next on my Dickens TBR list but I need a break from him after reading David Copperfield. I'm surprised at the length of the book; I'm sure I read a review (not on here) recently that suggested it wasn't a very long book.

 

I have Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children on my wishlist. It has received many rave reviews, but I'm not sure if it's my kind of book. It's another one I keep checking on Kindle to see if the price comes down. I suspect that I will like it, but not love it as many others have.

[Janet]

Thanks.    I know Audible have a few Muriel Sparks books in their Christmas sale so I might try another.  A Far Cry from Kensington was great to listen to.

 

Great Expectations is next on my Dickens TBR list but I need a break from him after reading David Copperfield. I'm surprised at the length of the book; I'm sure I read a review (not on here) recently that suggested it wasn't a very long book.

According to this site (I'm not sure if it really is accurate) David Copperfield is his longest novel.  

 

1. David Copperfield: 357,489 words
2. Dombey and Son: 357,484
3. Bleak House: 355,936
4. Little Dorrit: 339,870
5. Martin Chuzzlewit: 338,077
6. Our Mutual Friend: 327,727
7. Nicholas Nickleby: 323,722
8. The Pickwick Papers: 302,190
9. Barnaby Rudge: 255,229
10. The Old Curiosity Shop: 218,538
11. Great Expectations: 186,339
12. Oliver Twist: 158,631
13. A Tale of Two Cities: 137,000
14. Hard Times: 104,821
15. The Mystery of Edwin Drood: 96,178 (first 6 of 12 parts only)

 

I've read the highlighted ones so far, plus A Christmas Carol.  It's my Mum's favourite Dickens' novel.  I'm planning to read that one in 2017. 

[Janet]

 

Meadowland: The Private Life on an English Field by John Lewis-Stempel

The ‘blurb’
What really goes on in the long grass?

Meadowland gives an unique and intimate account of an English meadow’s life from January to December, together with its biography. In exquisite prose, John Lewis-Stempel records the passage of the seasons from cowslips in spring to the hay-cutting of summer and grazing in autumn, and includes the biographies of the animals that inhabit the grass and the soil beneath: the badger clan, the fox family, the rabbit warren,the skylark brood and the curlew pair, among others. Their births, lives, and deaths are stories that thread through the book from first page to last.

Picture a meadow. What do you see? Not much? Maybe you see trees, grass, a few butterflies? Look in the distance and you might see a crow… well in this book we look at a meadow through John Lewis-Stempel’s eyes and see that what we might view as ‘just a field’ is so much more.

I bought this book on a whim 2015 and tried reading it straight away but found it too much… too samey. So I put it to one side for a while and in 2016 I read it in monthly instalments (the way the book is written) and I got so much more out of it. The prose is gorgeous (I found that the similes became too much read all in one chunk, but monthly they worked) and Lewis-Stempel really brings nature to life. It’s easy to see why this book won the Wainwright (UK Nature and Travel) prize in 2015. It’s not really the type of book I normally read (although I do like non-fiction) but has inspired me to try some more in this genre in 2017.

The paperback edition is 304 pages long and is published by Black Swan. It was first published in 2014. The ISBN is 9780552778992.

4/5 (Very good)

(Finished 4 December 2016)

 

[willoyd]

According to this site (I'm not sure if it really is accurate) David Copperfield is his longest novel.

That's really interesting, and surprises me quite a lot. I've got a complete set of Folio Society Dickens novels, all typeset in the same way, and in terms of pages, Copperfield (803) comes in behind Nicholas Nickleby (c810), Dombey and Son (c820) and Bleak House (c850) - I haven't checked others (and have rounded numbers because I'm too lazy to go back upstairs and write down more accurate figures!). Almost 50 pages is quite a lot to overtake. I don't have any other evidence to question these figures, but am now intrigued!

 

I'm also suprised that they all come in longer than Middlemarch (315000) - I thought that was one of the longest, but obviously not. Just goes to show how far out one's perception can be!

 

Later edit:

I've done some trawling on the internet, and the variety of word lengths given is quite remarkable: for instance 5 sites, and 5 different word counts for David Copperfield, ranging from 339000 through 357484, 358362 and 366265 to 382964! However, it does look as if it's between David Copperfield and Dombey & Son for the longest Dickens, although I think D&S edges it. Bleak House looks 3rd, followed by Martin Chuzzlewit, Little Dorrit, Our Mutual Friend, Nicholas Nickleby and Pickwick Papers in that order as those with over 300,000 words. But none of this is certain!

Edited December 23, 2016 by willoyd

[Janet]

I was going to say I wonder who counted, but I guess they've done a word count on a computer!

 

I took a picture of my Vintage editions (and have since put them back in alphabetical order!) and like you say, it's a toss up between David Copperfield and Dombey and Sons. 

 

[willoyd]

I took a picture of my Vintage editions (and have since put them back in alphabetical order!) and like you say, it's a toss up between David Copperfield and Dombey and Sons. 

They do look good as a set! Whatever the lengths, I loved David Copperfield, giving it a 6/6 rating. Took me a few goes at getting into it, but was encouraged to give it another more concerted go when it was selected for our book group, and am so glad I did. Having read a few, I'm now trying to go through them in chronological order, picking up the majority I haven't read on the way. Stuttered a bit this year, and must tackle The Old Curiosity Shop soon. Of what I've read so far, my favourite is Bleak House, one of my top five books of all time, but there hasn't been an even mediocre one yet.

[Janet]

 

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

 

The ‘blurb’

On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways . . .

 

Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?

 

Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

 

A young woman, Petronella, stands on the brink of womanhood.  Married to a wealthy trader, Johannes, she travels from her rural town to Amsterdam to take up her place as his wife and head of the household.  But Nella is in for a rude awakening, for when she arrives, there is no sight of Johannes and instead his sister Marin greets her - but the greeting is not a warm one as Marin clearly resents Nella.  When Johannes eventually arrives he is initially distant later treats her more like a sister than a wife and Nella struggles to make her place in this odd family where the black servant Otto is treated more like a friend than a member of staff and she is treated as an intruder.  When Johannes presents her with a beautiful doll’s-house, a replica of their home, Nella engages a local miniaturist to help furnish the doll’s house.  But there is something sinister going on and when Nella discovers a dark secret she has to fight to try to save her new, strange family.

 

I downloaded this onto my Kindle in January 2015 but something was putting me off trying it.  My hand was forced when one of my Book Club members chose it for her read – and I’m so glad she did.  The novel, which was inspired a real miniature house owned by a woman called Petronella Oortman which is on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, is set in 1686 and I tend to avoid historical novels set before the 1800s, but Jessie Burton does a great job with this and I quickly found myself engaged with the story and the characters.  Although I guessed an important element quite early on, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment and there were other surprises along the way.  This is a very readable book and one which provoked a lot of discussion at book club.  I shall definitely try the author’s next book, The Muse at some stage. 

 

The paperback edition is 400 pages long and is published by Picador. It was first published in 2014. The ISBN is 9781447250937.   

 

4/5 (Very good)

 

(Finished 5 December 2016)

[frankie]

 

 

 

 

This is without doubt one of the busiest novels I’ve ever read! It was my second attempt at reading it – the story is told by various voices and in various timeframes which I struggled with when I tried it a few years ago but, determined not to let the book pass me by, I suggested it for Book Club - and this time round I got into it straight away and found it a delight – and it made for a great discussion as there are so many elements to it including strong female characters, the depression, murder, prejudice… we talked for a long time about this book.

 

I'm so glad the disruptive (?) narrative didn't get in your way of finishing the book this time and enjoying it so much! I do wish you'd watch the movie soon, I'd like to hear how well you thought the chosen actors suited the characters of the novel Such a great movie!

[Janet]

I will have to try to watch it in January.  I'm not very good at watching new films    I tend to watch old favourites over and over! 

[frankie]

I will have to try to watch it in January.  I'm not very good at watching new films    I tend to watch old favourites over and over! 

 

I used to be the same way! I would watch Sliding Doors and Girls Just Want to Have Fun and such like time after time!  And I'm lazy about watching movies to begin with, these days... But I dare say, once you make the decision to watch the movie and watch for the first few minutes, you'll grow into it quickly

[Janet]

Wren Boys by Carol Ann Duffy

The ‘blurb’
It is a cold day in Ireland, the 26th of December; frost lies thick on the blackthorn. A man walks the just-waking village, banging on every door, summoning the boys. Today is St. Stephen's Day, when legend has it that the Saint was betrayed by a wren's call, and the boys are off to the forest where they hope to find the traitorous bird and capture it by nightfall. But what will they do if their prey escapes them?

Inspired by the many myths of the wren and the Irish tradition of hunting it, Carol Ann Duffy's beautiful new Christmas poem takes us on a chase through a snowy, rural landscape and ends with a merry celebration. With gorgeous full-colour illustrations by Dermot Flynn throughout.

2015’s annual Christmas offering from the poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy – I normally read these in December but I held off buying this one as Peter has bought me a few in the past, so I saved it for this Christmas. I have a soft spot for Carol Ann Duffy, having studied her collect The World’s Wife for English A Level as a mature student and I do enjoy these seasonal poems by her. This one, based on an Irish story, was no exception – not my favourite, but still very enjoyable.

The hardback edition is 48 pages long and is published by Picador. It was first published in 2015. The ISBN is 9781447271482.

3/5 (I liked it)

(Finished 5 December 2016)

[chaliepud]

Hi Janet, going back to Mrs P's Home for Peculiar Children, I loved the first book, the second not so much and enjoyed the third. I've also seen the film and thought it was good, but in my opinion bore little resemblance to the book!

[Janet]

Hi Janet, going back to Mrs P's Home for Peculiar Children, I loved the first book, the second not so much and enjoyed the third. I've also seen the film and thought it was good, but in my opinion bore little resemblance to the book!

Thanks.    I'm not sure if I'll read the other books but I will look out for the film when it eventually comes on TV.  It's a shame it's different from the book, but that's so often the way! 

[Janet]

Merry Christmas, everyone.   

 

My son has gone to his girlfriend's house (he's back for lunch), my Mum and Peter have gone to church, (but I've been coughing all night so I haven't gone with them - I'm watching the service from Bristol Cathedral on the BBC instead!    ) and my daughter is still fast asleep, so I thought I might as well catch up on some reviews! 

 

I hope everyone has a great day.  

 

Edit: Bristol Cathedral is wonderful, but the sound from this service is terrible!  The hymn sounds like it's being sung with an echo!

Edited December 25, 2016 by Janet