Chesilbeach 2010

[Charm]

I've had a quick flick through the next one, and it does look like it's back to the old setting, so hopefully it will be normal service resumed!!

 

Thank goodness for that! I've bought the next two

 

One thing I forgot to mention in my reviews, but I'll say now is ... there are way too many references to the clothes people are wearing, in far too much detail. I couldn't give a damn whether someone's wearing a button-down shirt or a tank top or a dress shirt or a polo shirt and what level of access to their weapons it gives them. I think half the time it might be because the descriptions of the clothes often seem alien to me, whether it's because they're not British descriptions of items of clothing or because I have no interest in fashion and have never worried about the name of a certain type of shirt, other than it's a shirt, I don't know; I just know it bugs the hell out of me!

 

Oh absolutely! They always wear the same thing nearly all the time anyway.... with Anita and her Nikes. Do you think Nike sponsors her? It gives me that impression every time she mentions them!

[Weave]

Great reviews, especially the one on 'The Outcast', you described the book brilliantly I have 'Brooklyn' on my TBR pile, I am looking forward to reading it

[chesilbeach]

Oh absolutely! They always wear the same thing nearly all the time anyway.... with Anita and her Nikes. Do you think Nike sponsors her? It gives me that impression every time she mentions them!

I'd never thought of that, but now you mention it, perhaps she was hoping for sponsorship fees to boost her royalties!

 

Great reviews, especially the one on 'The Outcast', you described the book brilliantly I have 'Brooklyn' on my TBR pile, I am looking forward to reading it

Thanks, Weave! Have you read any other T�ib�n?

[chesilbeach]

Title: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Rating: 3/5

 

Synopsis (from book cover):

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect Facebook friends. It's little wonder, since she's had a fairly rough life. Her father left when she was a baby, her stepfather just died and her mother's almost given up - in fact, she's sent her to live with her grandmother in cold and sleepy Maine to 'keep Zara safe'. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother just can't cope. Zara's wrong. The man she sees everywhere - the tall, creepy guy who points at her from the side of the road - is not a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie. But not the cute, sweet kind with little wings. Maine's got a whole assortment of unbelievable creatures. And they seem to need something - something from Zara..

 

Review:

Oops, I'd been really looking forward to this book because I loved the cover That'll teach me!

 

Actually it was a fairly enjoyable YA fantasy about a teenager who finds herself in a perilous situation and gradually learns about the supernatural world around her, and why she has been drawn into it. The main story is good, but not great, and entertaining but not captivating.

 

To be fair, I loved the quirky way the author chose the chapter titles and tied them in with the content. We know from the very beginning that the Zara's stepfather had recently died, and she was very close to him, and was there when he had his heart attack. She now uses the naming of phobia's as a way of coping, particularly in stressful situations, so the author has chosen to name each chapter after a phobia, with Zara explaining the meaning of it. I thought that was an interesting idea particularly, as that phobia is then touched on or becomes important to the story in that particular chapter.

 

The other thing that occurred to me throughout, was that it was a very visual book, in that I could almost feel like it was a very detailed outline for a film and wondered if the author had ever been a screenwriter or been involved in the film industry.

 

I did enjoy it but it wasn't the best YA fantasy I've read, however, I have already bought the sequel, mainly because I've yet again been seduced by the cover art.

[chesilbeach]

Title: Succubus Blues

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Bantam Books

Rating: 3/5

 

Synopsis (from book cover):

When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they can often pay with their souls, but why get technical? But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without the sucking away part of the guy's life. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore - free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't. But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny...

 

Review:

More supernatural fantasy, this one including angels, demons, vampires and succubuses (succubii?). I liked the main character, Georgina, as she was funny and smart, but I kept getting a bit confused as to whether humans were aware of the supernatural world around them or not. Mostly it seemed to be hidden from them, but other times it was like they knew. This didn't make much difference to the story, but it did bug me a bit while reading.

 

I really enjoyed Mead's Vampire Academy YA series, but this didn't quite hit the same note for me. If I ever run out of books to read (not likely!) I might look up some more in this series, but to be honest, there are other writers and series in this vein that I prefer, so I'll be concentrating on those first.

[Fi.]

Title: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Rating: 3/5

 

I've read both Need and Captivate, mainly because I bought them together but I enjoyed Captivate a lot more than Need. The writing was just as visual in the sequel but didn't scream screenplay like the first one so I hope you enjoy it! And aren't the covers gorgeous? They're half the reason I even picked them up!

[chesilbeach]

Thanks, Fi, that's good to know. I'll probably read Captivate in a few books time, so I'll let you know if it's better than Need! But yes, the covers are absolutely beautiful

[chesilbeach]

Title: Devil In Disguise

Author: Julian Clary

Publisher: Ebury Press

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from book cover):

Fab, filthy and funny, Julian Clary's "Devil in Disguise" is a tale of friendship, celebrity and the lengths people will go to for both...

 

Review:

Molly is a young singer/actress while Simon sees work as a means to an end, which is to earn enough money to be able to go out and get drunk, and the two of them been best friends since first meeting in college. While Molly is away with a touring theatre company, she stays in a boarding house run by the eccentric Lilia Delvard, whose fame and fortune days are long gone. It's difficult to say much else about the plot without giving away too much of what will happen (I've even cut down the synopsis, as it gives away a little too much!).

 

Another fantastic piece of devlish humour from Julian Clary. I read his first novel earlier in the year, and when I saw this one in the bookshop I just couldn't resist. It was wickedly funny, but with such a warmth for its characters, I found it unputdownable. I also lent it to a friend and he also devoured it in a single sitting, saying it was brilliantly funny and a total page turner.

 

It's not perfect as I felt the denouement was a little rushed, but Clary certainly seems to have a flair for storytelling, and I will definitely be looking out for more!

 

A final comment from a Strictly Come Dancing fan - I loved the little mentions for the Strictly judges, particularly as the book was written when Julian was performing in the tour, but I can't remember if it was a coincidence or whether he renamed the character of the landlady, but at the time he was partnering Lilia Kopylova, so I'm not sure if she should feel flattered or offended!

[chesilbeach]

Title: Martin Lukes: Who Moved My Blackberry?

Author: Lucy Kellaway

Publisher: Penguin

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from book cover):

Hi! Let me introduce myself. I'm Martin Lukes, Special Projects Director at A-B Global (UK). In your hands is a highly unique book, which pushes the envelope literature-wise. As you will see, it is a 120 per cent honest account of a year of my life - a phenomenal year of personal progress, corporate scandal and marital drama. It not only chronicles my promotion to one of the foremost executive positions globally, but is also a profound journey of personal learning, aided and abetted by my coach, Pandora. I am often asked why I want to share my deeply private philosophies with such a wide audience. I always say, it is because I am passionate about learning. I have grown from my own mistakes, both in the professional space and the personal one, and I believe that there are many key takeaways for you here too. "Who Moved My BlackBerry[trademark]?" is a creovative[trademark] work - to use a phrase of mine that has now entered the business lingo. I anticipate it will be the must-read of 2005. All my very bestest, Martin.

 

Review:

When I worked for an insurance company, one of the few perks was having access to a free copy of the Financial Times. Not because of any of the business news, but because of the brilliant column from Lucy Kellaway. I had no idea she's started writing novels, so when I came across this one in Waterstone's, I just had to pick it up.

 

For anyone who works in an office this is a must read. Even as I sit here writing the review, I've got a huge grin on my face because this was a screamingly funny book, but a sometimes cringingly too close for comfort look at the politics of modern business.

 

A year in the life of Martin Lukes, a director at A-B Global (UK), this story is told purely from emails and text messages sent from the man himself. The reader gets occasional glimpses of company wide messages, but never gets to see responses to Martin's mails, only the replies he sends, so you have to work out the other side of all the conversations, but it's fairly obvious and actually adds to the enjoyment.

 

Office politics, work life balance and the aspirations of a man in full mid life crisis mode give so many opportunities for anyone who works in the modern business world to identify with someone in the story. It's like a literary version of buzz word bingo!

 

I absolutely adored this book, and it did make me laugh out loud a lot, as well as sit grinning like a Chesire cat while reading. Kellaway has lost none of her observational or satirical skills since I last read her column, and I will be definitely be looking for more of her books.

[chesilbeach]

Title: Nocturnes

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publisher: Faber and Faber

Rating: 2/5

Synopsis (from book cover):

In a sublime story cycle, Kazuo Ishiguro explores ideas of love, music and the passing of time. From the piazzas of Italy to the Malvern Hills, a London flat to the 'hush-hush floor' of an exclusive Hollywood hotel, the characters we encounter range from young dreamers to cafe musicians to faded stars, all of them at some moment of reckoning. Gentle, intimate and witty, this quintet is marked by a haunting theme: the struggle to keep alive a sense of life's romance, even as one gets older, relationships flounder and youthful hopes recede.

Review:

There is an art to writing short stories, every word is important and needs to be considered due to the brevity of the text. Unfortunately, Ishiguro doesn't appear to have an eye for it. These five short stories on the theme of music all feel as though they are an extract from a novel, incomplete or have encapsulated the essence of the story or characters successfully.

As the author was recommended on the strength of his novels, I would like to try more of his books, but I definitely won't be bothering with any more of his short stories.

[chesilbeach]

Title: Narcissus In Chains

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton

Publisher: Headline Book Publishing

Rating: 3/5

 

Synopsis (from book cover):

'Something in the look on my face must have frightened him, because his eyes widened, and I saw something like human fear cross his reptilian face.' I'm Anita Blake and I kill monsters. The last thing I want to think about though when I get home after a night out is work. But someone has abducted a wereleopard from the Narcissus in Chains club. It's a dark world out there with shapeshifter crime and were-creature struggles. I may not have seen Jean-Claude, the Vampire Master of the City, for six months, but I need his help now, whatever the consequences. Someone is targeting the lycanthropes and we have to save them.

Review:

A return to form for this series for me. I was happy to see Anita back in her own environment, and the return of Jean-Claude and Richard and their respective entourages resulted in a more entertaining read. I'm still fed up with the constant references to clothes and what everyone is wearing all the time, especially as they are all American descriptions and I still don't know what they all mean!

[chesilbeach]

Title: Linger

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from book cover):

Grace and Sam must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping dangerous secrets. For Sam, it means grappling with his werewolf past ... and figuring out a way to survive the future.

But just when they manage to find happiness, Grace realizes she's changing in ways she could never have expected ...

Review:

I absolutely loved the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, Shiver, and it was such a great story encapsulated in the one book, I'd been hoping it would remain as a stand-alone story, so when I found out there would be two more I had mixed feelings. However, as time drew nearer to the release of Linger, my anticipation mounted and I couldn't wait to read it when it was finally released.

What a wonderful book Linger turned out to be. Stiefvater plugs into the gamut of teenage emotions including Isabel's anger, Cole's depression, Sam's insecurity and loneliness and Grace's hidden sadness and worry. I did miss the closeness and intimacy of the story of Grace and Sam with the inclusion of Isabel and new character Cole as narrators, but both felt necessary as the story develops and leads up to a heart wrenching climax and cliff hanger for the final part of the story.

There is an undercurrent of sadness running through this book. It pervades every line of the writing, and left me with a feeling of melancholy as I finished the book. Stiefvater's writing is beautiful yet measured, and her style is clean but emotive.

I was a little disappointed with one aspect in that one of the elements I loved most of Shiver was the descriptions of landscape and homes and even trucks, yet this was missing from Linger although I guess the setting hadn't changed at all, so the need it wasn't there, nevertheless, I missed them.

Overall though I loved it, and will wait eagerly for the final installment so I'll be able to read the whole saga in one fell swoop!

Edited August 2, 2010 by chesilbeach

[chesilbeach]

Title: Waking The Witch

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis (from waterstones.com):

Columbus is a small, fading town, untouched by the twenty-first century. But when three young women are found dead - victims of what appear to be ritual murders - things start to get very dark, and very dangerous ...Private investigator Savannah Levine can handle 'dark and dangerous'. As the daughter of a black witch, she has a lot of power running through her veins, and she's not afraid to use it. But her arrival in Columbus has not gone unnoticed. Savannah may think she's tracking down a murderer, but could she be the killer's next target? Of course she could always ask her old friend (and half-demon) Adam Vasic for back up. But Savannah has her own - very personal - reasons for keeping Adam well away from Columbus. And in any case, she can rely on her own powers. Can't she ...?

Review:

Savannah's first full length story is a cracker as she decides to cover her first solo investigation unbeknownst to Paige and Lucas who are enjoying a well deserved holiday. I loved how Armstrong shows Savannah trying to prove that she has conquered her hot-headed, impetuous nature and act like a mature, experienced investigator, all the while making some mistakes and some enemies along the way.

Lots of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes, the story of the case is pacy enough to keep you turning the pages leading to an almost Scooby Doo style reveal at the end, something I certainly hadn't seen coming, and it is left with the promise of more Savannah stories to come.

A worthy addition to the Women of the Otherworld series.

Edited August 3, 2010 by chesilbeach

[Charm]

Title: Narcissus In Chains

A return to form for this series for me. I was happy to see Anita back in her own environment, and the return of Jean-Claude and Richard and their respective entourages resulted in a more entertaining read.

 

Totally agree! I was so pleased to see the return of Richard and Jean-Claude. Whist Edward is an interesting enough character, a whole book based around him (especially one as big as Obsidian Butterfly ) was too much! Glad you're enjoying the series as much as I am

 

 

Title: Waking The Witch

Lots of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes, the story of the case is pacy enough to keep you turning the pages leading to an almost Scooby Doo style reveal at the end, something I certainly hadn't seen coming, and it is left with the promise of more Savannah stories to come.

A worthy addition to the Women of the Otherworld series.

 

Yay! So pleased to hear this after some disappointments lately, I will definitely be ordering this one next time round

[chesilbeach]

Title: The Morganville Vampire series, books 1-6

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Allison & Busby

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis (for Glass Houses - book one from waterstones.com):

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they come out fighting when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood ...

 

Review:

These books have me completely hooked. Very easy to read, but great page-turners, and for once, the vampires are actually menacing and scary (albeit in a YA style ). I've read the first six books very quickly as each was left with such a jaw dropping cliffhanger that I had to move onto the next one each time!

 

I have the next two books on the shelf, but the end of book six seems to be the time in the story to take a bit of a breather, so I'm resisting the urge to carry one with book seven straight away and read something different

[chesilbeach]

Title: City of Bones

Title: City of Ashes

Title: City of Glass

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis for City of Bones (from book cover):

Sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is an ordinary teenager, who likes hanging out in Brooklyn with her friends. But everything changes the night she witnesses a murder, committed by a group of teens armed with medieval weaponry. The murderous group are Shadowhunters, secret warriors dedicated to driving demons out of this dimension and back into their own. Drawn inexorably into a terrifying world, Clary slowly begins to learn the truth about her family - and the battle for the fate of the world.

 

Review:

These three books make up the Mortal Instruments trilogy and I think they really warrant reading all three fairly close together and immerse yourself in the world that Cassandra Clare has created.

 

The world itself is the world we know, but there is a hidden side to it. Our way into the story is through Clary, and New York teenager and her best friend Simon, who suddenly find out about and get thrust into a place of demons, angels, vampires and werewolves. The mundanes (humans) in the story are oblivious to this hidden world that exists all around them, but for some reason, Clary starts to be able to see through the glamour, and is drawn to the mysterious Jace.

 

I enjoyed reading these books, there were interesting characters and the secrecy of the Shadowhunters in the mundane society made the adventure seem all the more exciting. The epic nature of their quest makes for a thrilling adventure, and I loved that each of the characters has their own part to play and their own story which contributes to making them feel real and alive.

 

I loved the relationship between Jace and Clary, and had sort of guessed how it would be resolved, just not sure of the exact details, and I lost my heart to Simon with all the things that happened to him throughout the story.

 

However, I did find the concept of Idris and Alicante a bit confusing - was it part of our world or a different one altogether? Maybe I missed something in the explanation of it, but I didn't really understand how it worked.

 

Now, this is a very strange observation I know, but there was an episode of a Victoria Wood television series about 20 years ago called "We'd Quite Like To Apologise..." about getting stuck in an airport waiting for a flight for a holiday to Alicante in Spain, and the association with that was so strong for me, that I couldn't help but smirk at the reference each time Alicante was mentioned. Was the Alicante in Idris supposed to be the same Alicante in the real world of Spain? I'm sure this wouldn't bother anyone else who read the books, but unfortunately, it just took me out of the story occasionally.

 

On the whole though, a very satisfying series of books, and I've recently heard that another two books have been commissioned by the publishers, but I haven't seen any more details, so it will be interesting to see where she takes the story. I'm also looking forward to the prequels, the first one due out in a few weeks time, called Clockwork Angels

Edited August 15, 2010 by chesilbeach

[catwoman]

Awesome review mate, added to the wishlist!

[lexiepiper]

Great review, I've been wanting to read these for ages! I really should get around to it!

[chesilbeach]

Title: Stolen

Author: Lucy Christopher

Publisher: Chicken House

Rating: 5/5

 

Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk):

Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in th planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

 

Review:

Compelling, absorbing, engrossing - you won't want to put this book down once you start it. Gemma's letter evokes all the emotions you'd expect from the story of an abducted teenager, but what surprised me was how I came to feel about Ty from Gemma's retelling of his story.

 

The heat and isolation of the outback is brilliantly described, and the observation of the natural world in Australia is detailed and beautiful, and in another context could make the reader yearn to visit, but in the heightened emotional situation of this story it is a claustrophobic prison that you're desperate to escape from.

 

Or are you? The author challenges you to listen to Gemma tell you Ty's background and his explanation of events leading up to his meeting with Gemma in the airport in Bangkok, and you too begin to question his motives and consider whether there could be a future for these two.

 

The conclusion is wonderfully open ended, leaving unanswered questions, and giving the you the option to decide on what you think the truth is.

Edited August 23, 2010 by chesilbeach

[chesilbeach]

Title: The Dog Who Came In From The Cold

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Publisher: Polygon

Rating: 2/5

 

Synopsis (from waterstones.com):

Following on from the huge success of the "44 Scotland Street" series, Alexander McCall Smith has 'moved house' to a crumbling four-storey mansion in Pimlico - Corduroy Mansions. It is inhabited by a glorious assortment of characters: among them, Oedipus Snark, the first every nasty Lib Dem MP, who is so detestable his own mother, Berthea, is writing an unauthorised biography about him; and one small vegetarian dog, Freddie de la Hay, who has the ability to fasten his own seatbelt. (Although Corduroy Mansions is a fictional name, the address is now registered by the Post Office).

 

Review:

I love the 44 Scotland Street series, and was excited when I found out Alexander McCall Smith was starting another serialised novel, this time set in London, but using the same framework of the everyday lives of the inhabitants of a house divided into flats. I read the first book, Corduroy Mansions last year, and thought it was good, but didn't have quite the same spark as the Edinburgh equivalent, but decided I would definitely carry on with the series to see how it progressed. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by this installment. I don't find the companionship with the characters in this story that I do in the others, and I just don't seem to connect with any other them.

 

The serialised format gives short 4-5 page chapters, easily read in a few minutes. This worked well in the previous books, as it kept the interest going for each characters story, as you would have a few chapters on one plot, then switch to another and so on. I always felt myself looking forward to the next bit about each of the people, but in this book, I just didn't care about any of them to bother about who was coming next.

 

I sometimes wonder whether some authors write too much, and Alexander McCall Smith is one of those authors. With the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, the Sunday Philosophy Club, the 44 Scotland Street and the Corduroy Mansions books all now long running series, and with at least one book out per series each year, I wonder if perhaps it's all starting to get a bit stale. I gave up on the No.1 Ladies after the first five books, and am giving up on Corduroy Mansions after two, but will continue for the moment with the other series, as I still enjoy them, but I hope that for the sake of adding another series to his repertoire, he perhaps stops with any more new series, and concentrates on the ones he has, and perhaps even calls time on some of those as it's all just becoming a bit too formulaic, even for me.

Edited August 23, 2010 by chesilbeach

[chesilbeach]

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Author: Stephen Chbosky

Publisher: Pocket Books

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from waterstones.com):

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

 

Review:

Told as a series of letters to an unknown recipient, this story of Charlie's journey through a year in high school perfectly evokes what it is like to be a teenager. It's a time when we all desperately struggle to fit in, yet all feel like we never quite manage it, and this book sums that up magnificently. Woven through the letters there is an underlying sense of tension with Charlie's story unfolding to an unsettling revelation, but there is also the joy and fun of growing up and first experiences of drinking, drugs, relationships and sex.

 

This book was a joy to read, yet made me feel sad and melancholy as well, and in fact, made me feel exactly how I remember as a teenager, trying to find my place in the social hierarchy at school, testing the boundaries with my parents and beginning to experience life as an adult.

 

A touching, heartfelt coming of age story, beautifully told.

[frankie]

So glad you enjoyed it chesilbeach!

[chesilbeach]

Thanks frankie! So far, it looks like joining the Rory Gilmore challenge is paying dividends

[bookworm44]

Thanks for the great reviews! I've just added several books to my tbr pile. I'm especially looking forward to reading Brooklyn by Colm Toibin.

 

 

[chesilbeach]

Title: Flyaway

Author: Lucy Christopher

Publisher: Chicken House

Rating: 4/5

 

Review:

The second book from Lucy Christopher that I've read in as many weeks, although this time aimed at a slightly younger audience - probably 10-13 year olds - but another fantastic book.

 

Isla finds herself in a distressing situation when her father is taken seriously ill while they are out together looking for the migrating swans arriving at the lake near their home. Through Isla's story we find out how the different members of the family deal with his illness along with the longstanding feud between her dad and her grandfather. A young cancer patient at the hospital befriends her and an art project gives her the inspiration to try to help a young swan, while all the time the family find ways to cope with the trauma of her fathers health.

 

The characters in this book are all utterly believable, each having their own ways of dealing with the worry and uncertainty of illness, and Isla is a convincing, sympathatic narrator. Although the story of the swan teeters on the brink of fantasy, it is also wonderfully written and brings together the many threads of overall plot.

 

I can't wait to see what the next book from Lucy Christopher will be, but I know that I will be first in the queue at the bookshop to get it.