Nollaig's Reading Challenge

[Chimera]

So... so far you have recomendations for:

 

Heart shaped box by Joe Hill

Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

The 39 Steps - John Buchan

No country for old men

 

and I suggested The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in another thread...

 

Not sure we're helping you to narrow down the options here

[Nollaig]

Oh wow, thank you guys!! I didn't actually expect anyone to respond haha! Thanks so much!!

 

Well, I actually need to read Northanger Abbey anyway as I have an exam to do on it in May, so I might read that as my classic (it got two votes) and wait a little longer to pick a contemporary text to read alongside it.

 

If anyone else pops into this thread - please feel free to recommend anything in the brown list!

[Lucybird]

I'd say go for Jodi Picoult- Change of Heart. It's one of my favourites by her, pretty much on par with My Sister's Keeper

[Nollaig]

I also have Tenth Circle, courtesy of Ceinwenn.

 

I've actually started Heart Shaped Box, but all the other suggestions have been bumped up my mental list and I'll attempt to get to some of them later this month, particularly No Country For Old Men.

[Nollaig]

 

Perfume

(1985)

 

Genre: Absurd/Horror/Magic Realism

Synopsis:

Survivor, genius, perfumer, killer: this is Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. He is abandoned on the filthy streets of Paris as a child, but grows up to discover he has an extraordinary gift: a sense of smell more powerful than any other human's. Soon, he is creating the most sublime fragrances in all the city. Yet there is one odor he cannot capture. It is exquisite, magical: the scent of a young virgin. And to get it he must kill. And kill. And kill.

In-Depth Ramble: This book is beautiful and weird in equal amounts. It's an extremely beautiful book, the writing, while heavy at times with descriptive pose, will draw you into it so much you won't want to miss a single word. It took me about a week to read it (and it's quite a small book) simply because I wanted to really absorb the information laid out among the pages. I, somewhat strangely, have a very poor sense of smell, and it's not something that I really took any notice of until I read this book. The prose is almost exclusively based around olfaction, even when not describing the experiences of the main character, Grenouille. It paints a picture of Paris with smells so wonderfully dipicted that I felt convinced I would recognise Paris through my own inadequate nose.

 

The prose is an ample portion of the experience which constitutes this book - the actual storyline is most certainly not entirely what pulls it along. However, the storyline, when it clearly raises it's head, is in posession of unusual features. It is by no means a realistic book, and it is entirely beyond my comprehension how this book is classed as a crime/murder/thriller type story. It is most certainly not about a man who chases virgins around Paris to kill them - the murders are secondary, portrayed as almost irrelevant (and they don't really begin until quite late into the novel). Indeed, such is the skill of the author that the reader too begins to see these victims as irrelevant - what matters is aqcuiring a smell even more profound than those described so magnificently thusfar. The writing is so accomplished it draws the reader into Grenouille's mind and introduces a rather twisted but glorious view of existence.

 

What matters is not how absurd the story becomes, and it does, but it is the passion and the raw human instinct driving Grenouille towards what is most perfect for him in his corrupt world. I think any reader who fails to be carried along by this desire is missing the most fundamental effect of this book. The story becomes increasingly unlikely as it progresses until it reaches a most amusing but also most exquisite ending. There is some element of true perfection in what Grenouille achieves at the end of the novel - the creation of a scent so perfectly satisfying to that one sense possessed by mere mortals, that it drives our most basic instincts wild. I personally found something ethereal in that, but perhaps I am reading into it too much. I think for all its implausibility the ending is the most apt one the author could have written, it is melancholic, bittersweet and impossible. It is sublime. Nothing leaves the heart longing like what must be fundamentally denied to it, like perfection, and I daresay as such this book is one I shall return to time and time again.

 

Rating: 10/10

Edited April 15, 2009 by Nollaig

[Nollaig]

 

Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders

(2007)

 

Genre: Murder/Mystery

Synopsis:

London, 1889. Oscar Wilde, celebrated poet, wit, playwright and raconteur, is the literary sensation of his age. All Europe lies at his feet. Yet when he chances upon the naked corpse of sixteen-year-old Billy Wood, posed by candlelight in a dark and stifling upstairs room, he cannot ignore the brutal murder. With the help of fellow author Arthur Conan Doyle, he sets out to solve the crime - and it is Wilde’s peculiar genius and his unparalleled access to all degrees of late-Victorian life - from society drawing rooms and the bohemian demi-monde to the criminal underclass - that prove the decisive factors in their investigation of what turns out to be the first in a series of bizarre and apparently inexplicable killings.

In-Depth Ramble: The first Oscar Wilde mystery is quite the unique affair. I was primarily eager to read it because I am such a fan of Oscar Wilde himself; as such, probably the harshest kind of critic there is for such a book as Gyles Brandreth's, but no fan could ask for a more wonderful fictional tale. It is clearly well researched, and executed with exceptional talent. It is a carefully crafted, beautiful portrayal of a most wonderful artist, and an honest depiction of the ordinary man he was also. I have never read anything quite like it, but it's certainly true as one critic says, 'Oscar Wilde could not have done it better himself!'

 

The story features several historical characters, and an entirely fictional plot. Indeed, Arthur Conan Doyle features throughout the novel, and Robert Sherard openly plays Watson to Oscar's Sherlock Holmes. The novel is brilliantly written, the plot progresses at the perfect pace and reads like a classic murder mystery. The language, the setting, the style of writing will draw you back a century as easily as any writer of the time. As for the plot, I vaugely suspected part of the outcome, but it is clear throughout we are never really supposed to know. Only a man with such as mind as Oscar's could possibly deduce whodunnit! However it is, and I believe Brandreth intended this, more importantly a portrayal of Oscar Wilde. While the story is told from Robert Sherard's perspective, and Sherard is known in his several biographies of Wilde for being more taken with Oscar than with facts, it's clear that the appreciation for Wilde's genius Brandreth holds is also shining through. He manages to capture the wit, the genius, the very charisma that made Wilde a celebrity in his day.

 

Initially, I wasn't at all certain about the book. Being a well-read fan of Wilde's, I recognized every 'Wildean maxim' this novel quotes, and there are quite a few included - so many that I wonder what is left for the second two books! This doesn't detract from the novel as such, but it did very much draw my attention to the 'constructed' character of Wilde. I cannot really fault it however, it does Wilde's character great justice, the depiction of his persona is exactly as I have always imagined it, and to anybody who is not so familiar with Wilde, it is the most perfect introduction to the man. Such reference to the man and such portrayal as there is indicates only extensive research and genuine regard for the task at hand. It captures him faithfully; not merely the genius, but the man with all his imperfections, endearing his character to the reader as easily as meeting Wilde himself would have done. In this novel a reader will catch a glimpse into the compelling, secret world known only to Wilde's friends. Truly, it is for fans and unfamiliars alike - there is something for all to appreciate.

 

I must say, I'm extremely excited about reading the next two installements, if only to spend some more time with Oscar. Indeed, the narrator of the books, Robert Sherard, tells the tale after the death of Wilde, and the occasional melancholic recollections of the event brought tears even to my eyes. The lamentations of Wilde's close friends will stir your heart as surely as Brandreth makes you feel Wilde was your friend also. "She died in Paris!" says Oscar in this story, " - As all the best people do".

 

 

Rating: 10/10

Edited April 15, 2009 by Nollaig

[chesilbeach]

I'm so glad you enjoyed Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders. I've read the second book in the series (without realising it was the second!) and thoroughly enjoyed it, and I definitely want to read this one as well. When I start buying books again, it will be at the very top of my list.

 

Arthur Conan Doyle is a recurring character in the books, and if you're interested in finding out more about him, I would recommend Arthur & George by Julian Barnes. On the premise of being a fictionalised retelling of his involvement in a real life criminal case featuring the other title character, George, it is an affectionate look at his life without being a stuffy, strictly factual biography. I read it at my book group, and thought it was completely captivating, particularly knowing it was based on a real crime (and a rather odd one at that).

[Kylie]

I enjoyed your review of Perfume, Roxi. I have this on my TBR pile and am looking forward to reading it more now (I've read a lot of not-so-good reviews of it).

[lexiepiper]

I have to say, I love the Perfume cover

[Jo-Bridge]

Great review of Perfume! I really liked this book too- its definately an original!

[Nollaig]

Squee! Thanks guys

 

I've read more books, but I'm only sticking reviews of ones I really liked here, the rest on on my blog.

[lexiepiper]

With regards to Perfume and Oscar Wilde and The Candlelight Murders, what's the language like, it's it old english, or more modern? Aka, could I read them?

[Nollaig]

Ah yeah, they're not really fancy old English or anything, Perfume is descriptive and beautifully written, with very condensed imagery which can make it take a couple of readings of a paragraph to get it fully and so on, but it's a worthwhile experience. Oscar Wilde is in no way difficult to read, he manages to capture all the eloquence of classic literature but without making it hard to read - I'm not entirely sure how he does it!

[lexiepiper]

Ooo that sounds good, I might look in to getting them at some point

[Nollaig]

This is just quickly written, but it takes a lot of formatting to put it into my link-filled blog, so I'm leaving it here for now.

 

Waiting - Ha Jin

 

Waiting is not a story about love, it is a story about life. Life in a culture a world away, where there is no freedom and no emotion, only obligation and rules. The author does not try to explain anything, he merely paints the picture and leaves it for the reader to interpret. He does not explain, he simply speaks matter of factly about the repressive conditions of existence within Communist China. At the same time, the prose is so wonderfully informative that it draws you right into the world - what at first may seem shocking later becomes surprisingly expected. On top of this then, is a story about human connection. Which is perhaps, why this is a difficult book to gather coherent thoughts about - human relations are in no way simple. The resulting feeling upon closing the covers is not just any one feeling - it is actually an amalgamation of various responses conflicting with what has just been experienced. Such is life.

 

In the lives of Lin And Manna we see a world where there are no choices, only acceptance of roles given, and it is difficult to imagine how human relationships can survive. Indeed, the rigid, almost formulaic existence of these people makes it seem they do not survive. In Lin Kong's wife, Shuya, one sees the ultimate acceptance of a structured life that is not of her own doing. At first, such acceptance seems intolerable to the reader, we must by nature almost pity her, or even despise her, for not opposing or even questioning the enforced conditions of her life. In Lin Kong's relationship with Manna Wu, the reader sees a hope for something more - as frightening as the idea of never experiencing real emotions is, so the delight in this discovery is reassuring. For the majority of the book, the individual in us screams for the sucess of this genuine relationship, even in the face of the dutiful wife. In time and with understanding of circumstances however, I think it is safe to say Shuya is possibly the easiest character to relate to. She is understated but an overarching presence throughout the novel - the defining factor of Lin's relationship with Manna; in the end, Shuya is what it all comes down to.

 

The story is pulled along primarily by the characters, which ultimately never become entirely loveable - perhaps they are just too human. Lin in indecisive and at times completely inconsiderate, so it is difficult to either respect or condemn him. Manna is entirely human, and as such it is not always easy to like her. What they all are, however, is compelling - this vision of a life so different from our own which will in many ways ring true with any reader. The ending is not one I expected. I had several ideas about what might happen - but what did happen was the most obvious outcome. In a way, it was the best. It was the most... reassuring. I think even disappointed readers will find a sense of comfort, and as for myself, I thought it was superb. In a way, it provides far more hope than any other ending could have, for the lives of the ordinary people. It is the most wonderful account of emotions, ties and living. This story, being set in another place and time, will fool you into thinking it is going to end like fiction, but it doesn't. It ends like real life.

 

9/10

Edited April 18, 2009 by Nollaig

[Nollaig]

 

Out Of Nowhere

(1999)

 

Synopsis:

A boy wakes up in bed in a room built of stone. He knows his name is Stephen, but he can remember nothing else about himself. He discovers that he's in a remote monastery being looked after by a group of monks. Beyond the monastery walls, all traces of human life have simply disappeared. Villages deserted, doors left open, with taps left running, but no people. And with all means of communication down, he has no way of knowing if the rest of the world has disappeared too.

Then the visitors arrive, strange men with unnatural powers, and when he discovers who they really are it turns his whole world inside out and changes everything he ever believed.

 

General Ramble: Out Of Nowhere is a mix of everything, bit of sci-fi, bit of fantasy, bit of horror, bit of suspence. It defies categorisation in a sense, but essentially if you're a fan of Lovecraft or movies like "28 Days Later" - this is the book for you. It's more psychological, more brutally honest and more disdainful of humans than your average Young Adult book, and so has a depth of suggestion that will appeal to older readers. Well written, easy to read, hilarious in parts and frightening real in others, this novel is a fantastic offering from an award-winning Irish author.

 

In-Depth Ramble: Out Of Nowhere is a "28-days-later" style young adult novel, only arguably with a better plot. From the outset there is a complete lack of awareness regarding the goings on in the outside world - like the children Stephen and Kirsten the reader knows only that something is not quite right. Being set in an abbey in western Ireland, despite the year being 1999, is disorientating temporally, which greatly compliments the unreality of the apparent new world these people find themselves in. The novel does demand placement in the 'fantasy' genre for it's apparent 'supernatural' elements, but more than anything it reflects a genuinely unsettling Lovecraftian distortion of our own world. There is a sense of the familiar being tinged with things that just aren't quite as they should be (and which have no obvious explanation). This is far more psychologically troubling than the average horror or a typical fantasy would usually try to achieve. Perhaps the best example (and my favourite!) of this is the recurrent appearance of the two children's doppelgangers. While they are harmless in this novel, doppelgangers have a (literary) history of psychologically disturbing as opposed to than physically harming, and this level of fear is very much the level the book works on.

 

The characters are not the strong point of the book. They play certain roles at best - and many of the monks are more likeable than the two main characters. However, it's very much a plot-driven book, built on suspence.The characters become an extension of the reader, for the purpose of exploring this strange new world (for seeking out new life, and new civilisations?), for gaining insights into other races, other existences. At the same time, the monks are strongly (although one-dimensionally) characterised which works favourably as the story progresses. Some monks are religious, and believe devils are responsible. The secret history of the ex-'freedom-fighter' monk Philip, upon revelation, rings disturbingly true; it brings a distinct reality to the violence in human nature, which then contrasts with the necessary work of the 'unnatural' Agents, the Fix-It Men. In Simon a philosopher is seen, and his role of questioning adds another layer towards the end of the book when explanations are required - Simon mentions Plato but a certain delightful existentialism seems to eminate from the Fix-It Men.

 

The structuring of the novel is superb. The writing is straight-forward and each chapter is short. In terms of narrative, it's mostly third person (when referring to the people) and first person (from the perspective of the other-worldly, murderous 'agents'). This draws the reader's sympathies towards the supernatural races, thus forcing an objective and unfavourable view of humans. Whelan has natural wit and avails of sarcastic humor throughout, which reflects mainly on the state of the modern world. While this book is intended for young adult readers, older readers will appreciate these subtle remarks - particularly Irish readers. Probably the most beneficial structural element is the division of the book into three parts - one of which deals with how the world is responding to this phenomenon. The author, having already written two young adult books about the political state of early 1900's Ireland, doesn't miss an opportunity to ground his fantastical story in the real world. He involves the international political uproar regarding the occurence, suggesting in a rather humorous manner how the world might deal with such an incredible event.

 

If this book can be said to have any fault, it is that it is too short. Perhaps this is my own personal criticism, because reading it as a child, it seemed much longer. It is only 240 pages, and while it is a well rounded, and certainly complete story, it does touch upon a whole history unbeknownst to humans. The novel could easily have made a full blown horror/science fiction masterpiece with the concepts (and another 200 pages) fuelling it, but that is not to say it is not superb in and of itself. The ending piles more onto the reader than the previous 180 pages, and while it just about gets away with the complete shift in atmosphere, it does seem to emphasize it's own failing by just not adding more depth to the explanation. YA books are YA books though, and I can't deny that as a YA myself I thought this book was pure genius - and I'm more grateful that ten years on it still packs a punch.

 

Rating: 9/10

Edited April 18, 2009 by Nollaig

[bethany725]

Thanks for the ramblings, Roxi.

 

I'm putting Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders on my list.. sounds perfect for me!

[Nollaig]

Awesome Beth, hope you enjoy it!

 

Okay, I'm going making serious cuts on my list.

 

I've tried to read a couple books, and it's just not happening.

[Nollaig]

This is yet another post-it to remind myself of titles I want - I like to keep this info together in one thread

This is just, in general, an Oscar Wilde post. I'm not going to make a whole thread, as it won't be active, so I'm going to edit this with updates. Why am I typing this? No one is going to care

 

ANYWAY....

Oscar Wilde Biographies:

 

Oscar Wilde: His Life and Confessions - Frank Harris (1916)

The Life Of Oscar Wilde - Robert Sherard (1906)

The Real Oscar Wilde (supplement) - Robert Sherard (1917)

Oscar Wilde Twice Defended - Robert Sherard (1934)

Bernard Shaw, Frank Harris and Oscar Wilde - Robert Sherard (1937)

Oscar Wilde and Myself - Lord Alfred Douglas (1914)

Oscar Wilde: A Summing up - Lord Alfred Douglas (1940)

Son Of Oscar Wilde (Revised by Merlin Holland 1989) - Vyvyan Holland (1954)

The Wilde Album - Merlin Holland (1997)

The Real Trial Of Oscar Wilde - Co-edited by Merlin Holland (2003)

 

***

 

Also: The Secret Life Of Oscar Wilde - Neil McKenna (2004)

 

***

 

For anyone who reads this and is interested in relation of the above people to Oscar himself:

 

- Frank Harris was a friend of Wilde's.

- Robert Sherard is another friend of Wilde's, his most prolific biographer of the time, and although too fond of Wilde as to be unbiased in documentation, his accounts are considered some of the most accurate with regard to fact.

- Lord Alfred Douglas a.k.a "Bosie" was a close friend of Wilde's, and it is said, lover. Douglas's father Lord Queensbury was determined to end the friendship, and it was following a court case arisen from repeated clashes that circumstances led to Oscar's being convicted of 'gross indencency'.

- Vyvyan Holland is the younger of Oscar Wilde's two children - the name Holland was that which his mother Constance Lloyd took for her family to dissociate them from the scandal surrounding Oscar Wilde's death. Vyvyan's brother was Cyril Holland, who died with no family of his own. Vyvyan married and had one son:

- Merlin Holland, Oscar Wilde's only grandchild, and most recent biographer. He is living in France at 64 years of age, and has one son, by the name of Lucian Holland, currently 30 years old and is the only great-grandchild of Oscar Wilde.

 

 

***

 

 

Thusfar Estimated Availability:

 

Frank Harris: Available in many editions, all expensive except the horrid one

Robert Sherard: "The Life Of Oscar Wilde", nearly

Edited May 4, 2009 by Nollaig

[Rawr]

I see why it took you so long to make this post x_x

 

It seems really cool and if you can get your hands on a couple of those, will be brilliant, good luck!

[Nollaig]

Read and loved Pride and Prejudice.

 

I'm NOT going to write a review, of it or any other classic I read, as I quite frankly think it a ridiculous idea, considering entire books, university modules etc have been dedicated to that exact task.

 

I am going to include a few random thoughts though.

 

Firstly - I don't think Jane Austen is an amazing writer - I can see why girls get drawn in (though I can also see why Stephanie Meyer draws girls in, so that's not saying a lot) but more clearly I can see why many others have a general inability to comprehend the minds of Austenites. She's very funny, and she knows how to write in an attention-grabbing manner, so I thoroughly enjoyed everything about the book, not least the fact that Mr. Darcy turns up every five minutes even though it's highly unbelieveable that he should do so; but I certainly don't think she's all that.

 

My other main... observation, shall we say, is that of characterisation. They're so one dimensional! That's not necessarily a bad thing, not at all in fact when it is the strength of this, albeit singular, character that credibly drives the plot. This genuinely isn't a complaint, it's light reading as classics go, and I wouldn't have expected anything wholly thought-provoking anyway. I just thought it interesting that the book entitled Pride and Prejudice really was about the two title vices literally and soley embodied. As it happens, the plot was quite enjoyable, if a little predictable and fairytale-esque.

 

And don't try to tell me they both changed in the end - not in their character, just in their acknowledgement of having been idiots for the entire book.

 

All in all though, I really, thoroughly loved every page of this book, and am quite seriously considering reading it again.

Edited May 5, 2009 by Nollaig

[Nollaig]

Since Pride & Prejudice, I've read The Historian and The End Of Mr. Y (a whopping 1200 pages between the two!) as well as 150 pages of a 200-page review book and 150 pages of Beauty. There were about 40 pages of We Need To Talk About Kevin in there somewhere, and before P&P I was reading (but I just realised, I never finished) the second Oscar Wilde mystery, which I read about 250 pages of. That's a total of nearly 1800 pages in a month. That's actually not too bad, all things considered. And I've still another week to pack in the ends of the three main unfinished books.

[Nollaig]

 

 

The Historian

(2005)

 

Genre: Historical Fiction/Gothic

Snyopsis:

Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to 'My dear and unfortunate successor'. Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of - a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history. In those few quiet moments, she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright - a hunt for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the Dracula myth in a captivating tale that blends fact and fantasy.

General Ramble: Great as a piece of historical fiction, great if you love the solid facts and figures that inspire legends without ever necessary being like them. Perhaps not so great if you're looking for a re-telling of Dracula, or just another vampire novel. This book was researched for 10 years before being sold to a publisher in 2 months - and it is the research which carries and completes it, defines it and dinstiguishes it from any other genre. Well worth a read if you're into history or historical fiction, and don't mind it being at the expense of the depth of character and plot.

 

In-depth Ramble: The book starts off wonderfully. Probably the most unlikely element of the writing was the fact that it was being told largely by a man and the writing was a bit too flowery for that, but that doesn't affect the novel. The langauge is superb, there is a distinctly eastern atmosphere and almost immediately an air of the supernatural is involved. One of the biggest challenges for this book was always going to be how involved the supernatural element would be - real vampires have to be supernatural, but everything else about the book is so firmly rooted in history that smoothing the lines to make it a credible read was always going to be tough. For the most part, Kostova succeeds. In fact arguably the only time at which she fails is when she blurs the lines so much that you don't notice when it becomes an accepted fact by the characters that vampires are real. Conversely, also, once you get to the point of believeing, even assuming, that the vampires are real, the supernatural element seems to become less threatening. It's accepted at face value to the extent that the supernatural becomes as atmospheric as a typical vampire relative to Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Read as: not very.

 

Ultimately, this leads to the most difficult task of all: the portrayal of the historian, Dracula, himself. Several accounts I've read were disappointed by his portrayal, and I also felt the ending was rushed, undeveloped, ill-portrayed and unsatisfying, simply because of the high standard the book to that point had raised. However, on reflection, the high standard was never of character development. It was of historical facts. Dracula was perhaps just a little crushed under the weight of his own history, laid out in several hundred pages prior to his appearance. With regard to other characters, although the revelation of identities is quite obvious a couple hundred pages earlier, the reunion at the end of all the characters is stiff and unconvincing. The end of the father's story and the beginning of the daughter's story, the connection between which is realised at this point - don't really fit together too well. What the author tried to do was potentially great, but certain characters I think were not strong enough to carry it. Most had not developed into anything definitive beyond a researcher prone to the most convenient coincidences, and none had any real depth. What it comes down to in the end, I think, is that Kostova seemed to put her research first, her characters second, and the actual story third. This means that the research is deep and comprehensive throughout, to the point of dwarfing the characters. When the characters, including Dracula come to the forefront, they are lost amidst underdevelopment. And lastly, the plot holding these characters in place, beyond their research, is somewhat unbelieveable to say the least.

 

None of this is to say that I disliked the book however - I think you just need to know what to expect. For anything I could criticize in the book, the most defining aspect - the historical research (which most certainly carries the entire plot and and structuring of the book) - is flawless and sets it apart not only from other books which suffer poor characterisation and plots ANYWAY, but also within it's own genre. It's an entirely new, historical look at vampires. So, I think the book will suit fans of historical fiction, and of Vladimir Tepes, more than anything - MERE vampire fans will probably struggle through this as it is by no means like Twilight or Dracula. It doesn't really even fit onto the same spectrum, despite it's connection with Dracula. It's not a vampire book, it's a history book with a little bit of vampire thrown in. Even if the book was 300 pages shorter to accommodate those who couldn't stand the drawn-out accounts of, well, everything, I'm certain they wouldn't like it any more than at 700 pages, as for it to have been in any way historically coherent it would have been extremely condensed. All in all, average as plot and characters go, but it excels in it's key element - well worth one read if history is your thing.

 

Rating: Not sure about this.... maybe 8/10?

[Nollaig]

 

The End Of Mr. Y

Scarlett Thomas

(2007)

Genre: Fiction/Sci-fi/Thriller?

Synopsis:

When Ariel Manto uncovers a copy of The End of Mr. Y in a second-hand bookshop, she can't believe her eyes. She knows enough about its author, the outlandish Victorian scientist Thomas Lumas, to know that copies are exceedingly rare. And, some say, cursed.With Mr. Y under her arm, Ariel finds herself thrust into a thrilling adventure of love, sex, death and time-travel.

 

General Ramble: I can't summarise. Hence the length of the in-depth ramble. Essentially this book is fantastic - highly readable, contemporary, quirky and inbued with philosophy, physics, religion and thought experiments about the very nature of existence, it manages to imbue science fiction and fantastical elements into what reads as easily as any typical fictional novel. If you like accessible and quirky but thought-provoking, this is the book for you. Unless you don't like explicit sex or anything related there-to. In that case, you may want to run away.

 

*** Note: There are no explicit spoilers, but there are references to occasional small events and certain plot structures. ***

 

In-Depth Ramble: Ariel's character seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it sort, which personally I loved. She's the eptiome of raw honesty. It may take a while to decide which side you're on, but ultimately her view of her self as worthless and her issues will drive you to sympathy or feeling uncomfortable. The book on the whole presents very real personal issues in a very blunt and shockingly honest manner - some might say gratuitiously so. I don't think it's ever gratituitious, but I do think that perhaps the author tries a little too hard. All the same, whether she's trying too hard or not, the point clearly gets across and the point itself is what will divide people. Her life may seem bleak to those who love solidarity and aimless to those who need an external imposed structure on their own, but I see Ariel as being free.

 

The novel locks you into Ariel's perspective so you simultaneously feel you are completely cut off, even blinkered, from the real world, the sane world, the neurotypical world - it's wholly inaccessible. I felt curtailed in it - in a good way, I was in Ariel's head and saw the world through only one eccentric person's eyes. At the same time as it made me feel cut off from normalcy, there's a whole sense of knowing more than any ordinary people could ever know, being open to possibilites (and worlds?) beyond the imagings of anybody in software code - it's like stepping outside of the inherently subjective human frame of mind and getting a glimpse of Kant's things-in-themselves. In a way, it's almost like being in the Troposphere yourself - you're sitting inside the mind of a person and travelling with them on their adventure. In fact, most of the revelatory moments in the book occur within the Troposphere, rather than in the confinement of the real world. It's difficult to move around in the Troposphere, but the human mind is still at it's most free within it.

 

It is the mystery clouding the true nature of the Troposphere that pulls the reader through Ariel along the path of discovery. This nature is eventually explained through the very thought experiments Ariel has dedicated her life to exploring - the very kind that this book in itself essentially is. These thought experiments are based in the quantum physics accepted today, which is part of what perhaps makes them so appealing. Thomas makes the complex nature of these theories simple in her explanations to a point where most readers should grasp at least the basic idea of what she's talking about. For those with an awareness of the fundamentals of quantum physics already, it does not disappoint. So while these theories don't pop up constantly - but rather constitue some short discussions and eventually a riddle that solves the climactic problem in the plot - it's clear they're quite fundamental, and for me were at the epicentre of the whole novel.

 

For the most part, the plot plods along nicely and is constitued mostly as I said by the ongoing attempt to discover what the Troposphere actually is. It's fairly fast paced, theres little unnecessary content and still amazingly, the characters are sufficently developed. Without much detail Adam and Heather tend to give off certain vibes, attraction and replusion respectively, and it's difficult to decide whether these are merely Ariel's feelings, or whether they've been genuinely inspired in the reader by given facts. Then again, being in the Troposphere does tend to muddle your thoughts with your host. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud lines inspired by Ariel's quirky view of life and all in all it's an impossible book to put down. Unfortunately, towards the end, the plot starts to fizzle. It's clear post-discovery-of-Troposphere-nature that something epic should happen - and given the way the novel has progressed anybody would be forgiven for expecting a mindblowing finale. Especially when a character turns up with a bag of sweets and two rocket launchers from God. Unfortunately, we just don't get it. It's as if Thomas gets swept up in her own excitement and ploughs through all the standard checkpoints for 'good plot development' without checking to see had she met the standard. She hasn't - because she's just moving too quickly. That's not to talk down the actual events, just the way in which they are portrayed. There are two 'climactic' trips towards the end, both are short - the secondary one involving the mice (mice seem to be a recurring theme) isn't very satisfying although it is FANTASTICALLY described. The speed at which Thomas suddenly starts moving works well here to portray the sheer speed of travelling through time at the speed of thought. Unfortunately, the end of the trip is a let down and the immediate jump into what should be the ultimate climax of the book makes you almost miss it. After all the difficulty in discovery throughout the previous 400 pages, suddenly everything is too easy. I personally am willing to let that go, however, because everything else is just too awesome.

 

A few final notes about the general content and the epilogue. I know it's a first person narrative, so it's not easy to go into detailed histories of other events and lives. I still however would have liked to find out more about the actual events at Project Starlight, perhaps through someone involved? And I would have liked to see the conversation where Adam gets his rocket launchers. I would have liked to see an expansion on the two final trips. The epilogue is a source of disettlement among readers, it seems. Thomas herself says that it was a risk to include it. I think she could have gone about it better - there is a point earlier in the novel where the fundamental journey in the epilogue IS implied - somebody could then have summarised the journey to put it into the readers mind, so Thomas could later IMPLY but never directly STATE the final character involvement in it. All the same, I think people who don't like the epilogue need to bear in mind the relevance of language and metaphor throughout the novel - I don't think the idea could have been portrayed in a better way, and it IS only a metaphor. I thought the actual idea, like the overall novel, was fantastic.

 

Rating: 9/10

Edited May 24, 2009 by Nollaig

[Nollaig]

Pack Up The Moon

Anna McPartlin

(2006)

 

Genre: Chicklit

Synopsis:

It was a night of laughter and celebration. But when John dies in a dreadful accident, his girlfriend Emma is plunged into despair. She loved John more than life itself – and now death has taken him from her. She feels nothing, she has lost everything, her world spins out of control. Or so she thinks. For Emma has friends – good friends who rally round. But the memory of that night returns to haunt each of them in different and trying ways. And Emma knows that if she is ever to laugh at life again, or find the love she once had, she will have to let go of the man she thought she couldn’t live without. She must let go and trust her heart.

Pack Up The Moon never directly refers to the poem by W. H. Auden featuring this line about the death of a loved one. Anyone who suspects this reference however, will be immediately offered a taste of what can be found in this novel – a kind of lamentation for somebody who was so wholly your world that it seems senseless to suggest you could continue without them. But that is not all this book is about. It is more particularly focused on the living that does, in fact, remain to be done no matter what, and the joy that can be found with time. The whole novel is constructed with a sense of retrospection and nostalgia. At times it felt like reading a memoir, and upon reading the ending I realised this feeling serves as a testament to the writing ability of the author. It includes a short bio about the author’s own life on the cover – and you can see how it comes into play. The rawest moments of heartfelt emotion are so sincere they cannot but be drawn directly from her own experiences, thus touching the reader on a most basic human level.

 

 

Readers will know from the outset that John dies – it says so in the synopsis on the back cover – so the challenge that remains for the author is to convey a character whose death the reader will mourn after only a precious few chapters knowing him. She succeeds. Not because of the particular person John was, but because of the emotion with which he is conveyed – the sheer contentment inspired by his very his presence in Emma’s life and the jarring pain of his being ripped out of it. A similar sense of emotion-fuelled characterisation continues throughout the novel – McPartlin doesn’t overlook anybody, and I think it is more the secondary characters which give the novel it’s emotional edge. While I didn’t specifically relate to any of the characters themselves, in reading about them there is a sense of familiarity, like catching a glimpse of an old friend just for a moment. Doreen is every wise old neighbour and every second mum in the world all at once, Declan is every cheeky student we have taught, or gone to school with, dated or even been ourselves at some point in our lives. Despite the heart-breaking beginning, the novel as a whole is an uplifting release from the emotions that burden us all.

 

 

On it’s most basic level however, this novel is about the inherent tension between the opposing emotions we experience in the acceptance of loss, the crippling sense of missing someone who isn’t coming back; the tension between needing to be alone and being lonely – the lines between what we want to indulge in and the basic need to proceed. The author translates the reconciliation between emotions into a language which any reader can understand and apply within their own lives. Ultimately this serves to provide a sense of healing, which is perhaps what I liked best about this book. There is real happiness, real sorrow, drama, disappointment, and hope but above all a sense of learning to live life. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry – but you’ll close it’s covers feeling satisfied and at peace with the difficult subject matter presented in it’s pages; with tears in your eyes but a smile on your face.

 

 

9/10

Edited June 4, 2009 by Nollaig