poppyshake Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman Waterstones Synopsis: Newly arrived from Ghana with his mother and older sister, eleven-year-old Harrison Opoku lives on the ninth floor of a block of flats on an inner-city housing estate. The second best runner in the whole of Year 7, Harri races through his new life in his personalised trainers - the Adidas stripes drawn on with marker pen - blissfully unaware of the very real threat all around him. With equal fascination for the local gang - the Dell Farm Crew - and the pigeon who visits his balcony, Harri absorbs the many strange elements of his new life in England: watching, listening, and learning the tricks of urban survival. But when a boy is knifed to death on the high street and a police appeal for witnesses draws only silence, Harri decides to start a murder investigation of his own. In doing so, he unwittingly endangers the fragile web his mother has spun around her family to try and keep them safe. A story of innocence and experience, hope and harsh reality, Pigeon English is a spellbinding portrayal of a boy balancing on the edge of manhood and of the forces around him that try to shape the way he falls. Review: This is writer Stephen Kelman's fictional response to the murder of ten year old Damilola Taylor. Harrison is new to the UK, he's learning about the country and how to fit in. He lives in an inner-city tower block with his mother and elder sister Lydia on an estate where people are poor and crime is rife. There's the notorious Dell Farm Crew .. a local gang to be avoided or appeased at all costs, Harri's classmate .. the lovely Poppy Morgan, Terry Takeaway (so named because of his light fingered tendencies) and his wayward dog Asbo and Lydia's rather slutty friend Miquita. Harri's father and younger sister are still back in Ghana so it's his job to be the man of the house. These are some of his early observations ... 'In England there's a hell of different words for everything. It's for if you forget one, there's always another one left over.' 'There's a million dogs around here, there's nearly as many dogs as people.' 'Pounds look quite stupid - the Queen looks like she was trying not to laugh when the picture was taken.' 'All the tree fruits around here are either poison or disgusting. Even the mushrooms are too dirty to eat. Connor Green ate them once and fell asleep for three whole days, when he woke up he forgot what his name was or his favourite Poptart flavour, he had to learn it all over again.' Harri befriends a local pigeon by feeding it, forever after he calls it 'my pigeon' and see's it as a guardian angel. The pigeon adds his own narrative to the story from time to time which brings an unusual mystical element to the story. You have to adjust your opinion about pigeons because this one's a bit 'Virginia Woolf' .. though he's a bit more vulgar and not as wordy. When a local boy is knifed to death, Harri and his friend Dean (who's deemed to be the brains as far as detective work is concerned because he's seen all the shows) are determined to discover the identity of the murderer. They look for clues and evidence, try some surreptitious questioning and have a go at catching fingerprints in sellotape. They have no idea though of the trouble they're inviting. I loved Harri's innocence and gullibility .. like all eleven year olds he believes every outrageous story told to him .. you can almost see his eyes widening as he recounts what to do if a dog attacks you .. 'there's a secret switch up the dog's bumhole that when you touch it their mouth opens automatically and they let go of whatever they were biting' .. His speech is a mixture of street slang and Ghanaian patois (or more correctly pidgin English) which is sometimes hard to follow ... he uses some words repeatedly 'asweh' for one which I pretty soon cottoned on was 'I swear' and 'hutious' which I'd no idea about but have since found out means 'frightening'. He also talks about things being 'bo styles' and 'dey touch'. If you're going to write from the viewpoint of an eleven year old boy you had better be convincing otherwise it's going to fall apart badly. For me Stephen Kelman got it absolutely spot on. From page one I was convinced by Harri's narrative. Sometimes he annoyed the life out of me, in the way that an annoying younger brother might (I often felt like saying .. as his sister Lydia continuously does ... 'advise yourself') but mostly I found him endearing. One of my favourite passages, just because it touched me so much, was the account Harri gives of the first time he see's their flat ... 'Me: I think the door will be blue.' Lydia: 'I think it will be green.' Both the two of us were wrong. the door was brown, they're all brown. It was my job to test everything. I won the job because I asked first. If you snooze you lose. First I tested the lights. They all came on straight away. Then I told it. Me: 'Lights working!' Then I tested all the taps. They all worked. You didn't even have to wait donkey hours for the water, it came straight away. I tested the taps in the kitchen, then the bathroom, then I told it: Me: 'water working!.' Then I tested the floor for loose bits or holes. I did it by jumping all over. I jumped on every bit of floor. It took donkey hours. I made it go faster by dancing a little bit. Then I told it: Me: 'Floors good!' Then I checked all the roofs for holes where the rain might come in. All I had to do was look at the roofs. It was easy. Me: 'Roofs good!' Lydia: 'Shut up, I've got a headache!' Then I tested for furniture and other things. I went around looking for things and whenever I found them I just told it. Me: 'Got a sofa!' Me: 'Got a table!' Me: 'Got a bed!' Me: 'Got another bed!' Me: Got a fridge' Me: 'Got a stove' I told everything I found, even if it was only small. I opened all the cupboards and drawers and told what was inside. Me 'Got knives!' Me 'Got forks!' Me: 'Got spoons!' Lydia: 'I go sound you. Shut up!' Me: 'Got plates!' Me: 'Got bowls!' Me: 'Got a smasher!' Asweh, there were so many new things it even made my eyes go blurry. I never suspected to see so many new things just in one day. I even forgot Papa wasn't there. I only remembered at night when Mamma was snoring. When Papa's there he rolls her on her side like a big sausage so she can't snore anymore (Mamma says she doesn't snore but how would she even know, she's asleep!). The carpet in my room wasn't big enough to reach all the floor. You can still see some wood underneath. I lifted up the carpet to look for money. Somebody wrote a greeting on the floor .............F*** You........... I don't think the greeting was for me. Nobody even knew I was coming. Loved it, loved it loved it! It made me laugh and cry. The ending is one of those real pull you up by the bootstrap endings, I felt like someone had punched me. Not everyone loves it though, it's another of those books that divide readers and critics. I think it all comes down to how much you believe in the character of Harri. The language is fairly strong throughout, but given the subject matter (life on an inner city housing estate) it would be pretty inauthentic if it wasn't. 10/10 Edited December 20, 2011 by poppyshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 It sounds great! *Toddles off to add to Wish List* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) Am glad you enjoyed Pigeon English Poppy. I felt exactly the same about the book and really look forward to reading more from Kelman in the future. I still think it is such a shame this did not pick up the Man Booker prize but at least being shortlisted managed to gain it the attention it deserves. Edited December 17, 2011 by tunn300 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Love Letters of Great Men - Edited by Ursula Doyle All things considered, it's hard to think that Henry VIII was ever soft hearted enough to write love letters. The one included here is to Anne Boleyn, and you can't help thinking that she would have been better off selling it on Ebay and using the proceeds to buy a one way ticket to farawayland. He included this little epistle with a gift, but before you start thinking he was nothing but a slushy old bear .. the gift was his own image set in a bracelet Credit to him though for knowing that a necklace wouldn't be much good to her (sorry .. that was below the belt .. or above it .. oh dear, I'll move on.) Napoleon's letters are a touch accusatory, it seems that whilst he was off fighting wars, Josephine was a bit lax at keeping in touch .. he writes 'what do you do all day, Madame?' and also 'do not put yourself out; run after pleasures; happiness is made for you. the entire world is too glad to be able to please you and only your husband is very, very unhappy'. A lot of the letters are comical but some are also quite sad. Amongst my favourites were those sent by John Keats to his love Fanny Brawne (and that he could write such tender letters to someone called Fanny Brawne raises him in my estimation .. if you introduced yourself as that nowadays the man would never stop laughing .. mind you I'm having trouble.) Oh goodness your reviews crack me up! I understand the fanny thing, but what would 'Brawne' suggest in these modern, vulgar days? (I'm not even sure how that name is pronounced, which adds up to, say, 40% of my confusion.) I'm so happy I already own a copy, so I don't have to buy one! John writes lovely things like 'I have been a walk this morning with a book in my hand, but as usual I have been occupied with nothing but you'*sigh* ... however he is a touch jealous and goes on to say that he resents 'my heart having been made a football'. Awww that is such a sweet thing to say! I already ranted about modern techonology today in my PM to you, so I'll not rant anymore, I'll just say: manual letters kick digital letters ass! Pastoralia - George Saunders This is a weird and wonderful set of stories, set in modern America where consumerism and corporate speak rule. It's laugh out loud funny in places, crude though and littered with bad language. If you've got a bit of a bizarre, dark, sick, cynical sense of humour then these stories are for you. I didn't think I had but it made me laugh lots so what do I know. The only downside is that it's a bit repetitive in a 'life is sh*t' type of way and relentlessly grim so you tend not to want to read them all in one go .. there's only so much cynicism you can take in one sitting. 8/10 Sold! (Yay, it's on the 1001 Books list ) I've also been buying a few books on Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury group recently. Willoyd, Poppyshake and Frankie, it's all your fault! Don't drag me into this, poppyshake's been getting me into Woolf in the first place, followed by willoyd! I'm innocent!! Do you lick them In a 'if I can't have them, no-one can' sort of way? If so, I approve! I always thought you two were respectable people! *hopping on on my high horse* Once in a House on Fire - Andrea Ashworth This sounds so depressing, but what's a girl to do when poppyshake likes the book and has given it 9/10? Well, the girl's to add it to her wishlist! My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time - Liz Jensen Another book to add to my wishlist... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 (edited) A Pale View of Hills - Kazuo Ishiguro I'm really happy you enjoyed this novel! I agree, not that much happened in the novel but still it kept me on the edge of my seat (although not in a common detective story -way) and there was this air of not knowing all. It stays with you a long time, doesn't it? I also feel I need to re-read the book again. Weave, I noticed your posts about Ishiguro to poppyshake, I'd fully recommend A Pale View of Hills. I've not yet read Never Let Me Go, but I'm very much looking forward to it. I'm a little bit intimidated by it though, the person who gave me my copy said that there were some fantastical elements and I'm not sure if I'm up for that. Review: I don't remember ever being so frustrated by a book, I had a bit of a sinking feeling after the first two or three pages but lived in hopes that it would pick up. I abandoned it after struggling through the first two or three chapters but then picked it up again and ploughed on. All I can say is that it didn't reward me for my perseverance. It's not so much the story, it's the way the story is told ... it's vague, long winded and convoluted. The characters don't grip you (or they didn't grip me ... they didn't even loosely grasp me) I didn't care for them or their situation. I had to read the story aloud in order to fix it in my head and to stop my brain from wandering off to greener pastures .. even the washing up tempted me away. Despite loathing it with every fibre of my being I haven't given up on Henry James (which I'm sure he's relieved about) I've heard his books are written in different styles and I feel sure there will be one to suit me but I'm warning him, another experience like this one and I'm giving up on him. I would rather read Madame Bovary again than The Ambassadors When I started reading your review, I began to think whether this is a contender to Madame Bovary. And then I got to the end of the review, and. O the horror, the horror! You'd seriously rather read MB again than TA?? I'm seriously intrigued now The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie I feel like I have the opposite problem here to the Henry James dilemma in that I may have read Agatha's best story first and that would leave me nowhere to go but down. I've had some recommendations though since and I'm definitely going to give them a try because I love the way she writes and the atmosphere she creates. Perfect winter reading. As much as I enjoyed The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (the novel, not the crime!), I have to say that worry not, Christie's written far superior detective novels And Then There Were None is one of my favorites, as well as Murder on the Orient Express. These are probably amongst her most liked novels but they are that for a reason. If you want something a bit different, you could try Christie's plays, for example The Unexpected Guess and The Spider's Web, which I enjoyed. Also adding Pigeon English to my wishlist! I so need to look into the library section and not try and get all these from online bookstores, you are pushing me towards bankruptcy Edited December 25, 2011 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Don't drag me into this, poppyshake's been getting me into Woolf in the first place, followed by willoyd! I'm innocent!! Innocent? Hah! I always thought you two were respectable people! *hopping on on my high horse* As if you wouldn't do the same thing! (Or at least think it.) As much as I enjoyed The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (the novel, not the crime!), I have to say that worry not, Christie's written far superior detective novels And Then There Were None is one of my favorites, as well as Murder on the Orient Express. These are probably amongst her most liked novels but they are that for a reason. If you want something a bit different, you could try Christie's plays, for example The Unexpected Guess and The Spider's Web, which I enjoyed. I had the same worry as Poppyshake (that I was reading the best book first), so it's a relief to know there are many more fantastic Christies to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 I always thought you two were respectable people! *hopping on on my high horse* Where on earth did you get that idea from? This sounds so depressing, but what's a girl to do when poppyshake likes the book and has given it 9/10? Well, the girl's to add it to her wishlist! Really, it's not. Andrea is as funny as anything. How she retained a sense of humour given the situation I don't know, but she did and it's so evocative of the era too. That's not to say that it's not horrifying in places, it is, but the way she tells it elevates it from being just a misery memoir into something entertaining and inspirational. I'm glad you've put it on your wishlist frankie .. it deserves to be more widely read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 When I started reading your review, I began to think whether this is a contender to Madame Bovary. And then I got to the end of the review, and. O the horror, the horror! You'd seriously rather read MB again than TA?? I'm seriously intrigued now Yes, it's true but only because Madame Bovary isn't difficult to read .. I hated and was bored by it but I understood it. The Ambassadors is another sort of animal altogether, nearly everyone who read it for the reading circle either abandoned it or loathed it (I managed to do both .. at different times) because it's so convoluted. It might improve upon re-reading .. certainly more time spent on it would be beneficial because it's not the sort of book to read to a deadline. Ooshie quite liked it but I'm not convinced that the story and me could ever be friends, I only just stopped myself from microwaving it on high for three minutes As much as I enjoyed The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (the novel, not the crime!), I have to say that worry not, Christie's written far superior detective novels And Then There Were None is one of my favorites, as well as Murder on the Orient Express. These are probably amongst her most liked novels but they are that for a reason. If you want something a bit different, you could try Christie's plays, for example The Unexpected Guess and The Spider's Web, which I enjoyed. I'm glad to know it I'm definitely going to read And Then There Were None, lots of people have said it is a favourite. Also adding Pigeon English to my wishlist! I so need to look into the library section and not try and get all these from online bookstores, you are pushing me towards bankruptcy I read a library copy (and a large print one as well .. I thought my head would cave in!) but now I've read it, I want my own copy but that can wait until I see one in the charity shops or at Hay (which I really hope to visit again in 2012.) I am seriously going to try and hate a few more books in 2012 ... I hardly ever do and that's because my reading is too safe. That way I can save you a few pennies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 I'm already looking forward to seeing photos of your next trip to Hay, so you have to go! Less safe reading in 2012? Wow, you're game. This can only be good news for the rest of us though, as your reviews are bound to be even funnier for books you loathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Oh dear - both Madame Bovary and The Ambassadors are on my TBR list for next year. Could be interesting?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 I'm already looking forward to seeing photos of your next trip to Hay, so you have to go! I will go but it may only be for the day this time .. still, it will be long enough to go in all the bookshops, sprawl about a bit on Richard Booth's sofas and eat dinner at the 'Three Tuns' .. perfect Less safe reading in 2012? Wow, you're game. This can only be good news for the rest of us though, as your reviews are bound to be even funnier for books you loathe. I'm already doubting that I can achieve it. Despite acquiring several books already, I haven't jumped out of my comfort zone yet. Still, they were all Christmas presents, or bought with Christmas money, and as such I can't go wasting other peoples hard earned cash on books I might hate. Once the new year starts and my bank balance has recovered (ie June ) then I'll visit the charity shops and see what I (don't) like the look of .. it will all end in tears. Oh dear - both Madame Bovary and The Ambassadors are on my TBR list for next year. Could be interesting?! Kylie would be the first to tell you to disregard my opinion of Madame Bovary and she wouldn't be alone because of course, it's a book that's universally admired. Ooshie, frankie and myself have practically had to set up our own support group in order to deal with the literary isolation. I can't actually pinpoint exactly why I disliked it, I didn't like the characters at all but that doesn't always stop me from enjoying a book, if it's helpful, the main word that comes to mind when I think of it is 'ugh'. As for The Ambassadors .. good luck Seriously though, it needs to be read leisurely, I tried to do it to a timescale and things fell apart (like my brain ) I'll be interested to see what you make of both, especially the latter. It's a tricksy sort of animal. Both books have something in common in as much as the authors placed an enormous amount of importance on finding the right words to use .. personally speaking I think a few sloppy word choices might have improved things a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) I'll let you know how it goes - I'm now quite looking forward to tackling them, especially Madame B. I've got the new translation by Lydia Davis champing at the bit! BTW, I'm always a little sceptical of books that are universally admired - they become books that people profess to enjoying, sometimes when they haven't even read them, and subject to quite a bit of fanatic support! There's quite a few 'great' books where I've felt the same as you do about these two, for instance Moll Flanders, 1984, Slaughterhouse 5, The Reader, anything by DH Lawrence, and that's just the last year or so. Edited December 29, 2011 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 I guess it wouldn't do to all like the same books, although I do get puzzled when I dislike a popular book .. like I must have missed something. I fall in and out of love with Thomas Hardy all the time, 'Tess' I can take or leave .. 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' I love. I haven't read any of the great books you've mentioned (though more than one of them are waiting on my shelves ) Now I look at your list again, I have read 1984 and quite enjoyed it (no, that's the wrong word .. I was too disturbed to enjoy it). I marvelled at it but it was a book with such a lot of negativity and hatred in it that I felt quite disturbed afterwards. If all my nightmares came true then this world would be very much like Oceania. I'd much rather be eaten by dinosaurs or abducted by aliens than find myself there. I wouldn't let Alan put his new TV on the wall but even so we have TV's in three rooms now, I said to him .. we're doing all the work for BB .. he'll just connect them all up when we've finished He just laughs. He hasn't really taken me seriously since I packed my art nouveau fairy away after seeing the Dr Who episode 'Weeping Angels' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky Waterstones Synopsis: 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. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up. Review: This was everything I love in a book. The characters were interesting, the story was absorbing and the writing was sublime. It's the sort of book you don't want to put down, even for a moment. The sort you would quite happily sit and read all day until it's finished. I started reading it in the car, on my way home from the library, whilst waiting for Alan to stock up on stuff (technical term) from the DIY store and it's a testament to how engrossed I was that I didn't even notice how long he'd been gone because usually I'm huffing fit to burst. Written entirely from Charlie's point of view and in letter form (to an anonymous recipient), it's a story about his coming of age experiences. All Charlie's thoughts, feelings and emotions are stripped bare and laid before you. Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes embarrassing, sometimes painful, sometimes quite ordinary but such is your connection to Charlie that you feel all these things with him as if you really are sharing his brainspace. He's an outsider, a bit of a geek, he cries easily, is incredibly naive and most, if not all, kids his own age think he's weird. There are reasons for this, some are immediately apparent some are revealed more slowly (and shockingly) but things begin to change for Charlie when he meets Sam and Patrick, a couple of step-siblings who accept and celebrate him for who he is. The book often gets compared to Catcher in the Rye (I believe Chbosky quotes it as an inspiration) and there are definite similarities in that they are both coming of age angsty stories and written in a similarly confidential way. Though I loved Catcher in the Rye, I found this much more affecting, probably because Charlie is a more obviously vulnerable and endearing character than Holden. I loved all the book, music and film references and the way that Charlie made mixtapes up for those he loved. I also loved his English teacher Bill who encouraged him to read and appreciate books (twelve books in total, which Charlie then describes as his favourites including .. To Kill a Mockingbird, On the Road, The Great Gatsby & The Catcher in the Rye). Actually I may consider tackling his list myself at some future point. They're making a movie of it ... oh dear! .. but the author is directing so that's a good sign. I must say I didn't have Emma Watson in mind when I pictured Sam but that's probably because she will always be Hermione to me. Fingers crossed anyway 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I'm so glad you reviewed this book Poppyshake, as it's not a book I would ever have considered reading, wrongly assuming it was one of those chick-lit type books which really aren't my thing. However, I've now added it to my 'books to look out for on my next foray to the local library' list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Hmm - I've had this on my wish list for years, but a comparison with Catcher in the Rye makes me want to rush to Amazon and delete it immediately! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Don't do it, Janet! I would say The Perks Of Being A Wallflower has a more engaging main character than Catcher In The Rye (which I didn't enjoy much) and I got emotionally involved in it, whereas I felt isolated from and irritated by Holden in Catcher In The Rye. That's just my tuppence worth, anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 I'm so glad you reviewed this book Poppyshake, as it's not a book I would ever have considered reading, wrongly assuming it was one of those chick-lit type books which really aren't my thing. However, I've now added it to my 'books to look out for on my next foray to the local library' list Thanks poppy you will love it I'm sure, I hope so anyway. It's not in the least chick-litty (which isn't really my thing either though I do delve into Maeve and Marion when I need cheering up!) it's very moving, I cried often along with Charlie. You can't help but get so attached to him that you cry and laugh with him. Hmm - I've had this on my wish list for years, but a comparison with Catcher in the Rye makes me want to rush to Amazon and delete it immediately! Don't do it, Janet! I would say The Perks Of Being A Wallflower has a more engaging main character than Catcher In The Rye (which I didn't enjoy much) and I got emotionally involved in it, whereas I felt isolated from and irritated by Holden in Catcher In The Rye. That's just my tuppence worth, anyway I agree with Claire Janet and now feel guilty for ever writing about the similarity because I know some people are violently opposed to Catcher in the Rye and really their only connection is that the two boys are troubled individuals pouring their hearts out onto paper. But whilst Holden is a difficult character to connect with and understand, Charlie is easy and the story is far more approachable and enjoyable. Don't delete it Janet *pretty please* ... read it instead .. you won't regret it. You have Poppyshake's absolute guarantee on that Try and find it at the library and read the first chapter or so, I'm sure that will allay your fears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Okay, guys - you've convinced me. I've added it to my library wish list - it's available in 5 county libraries but is on loan in all but one, with one reservation so I may have a bit of a wait on my hands. (Not that I'm short of books in any way!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Good girl I'm happy now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Innocent? Hah! Yes! What's so funny? As if you wouldn't do the same thing! (Or at least think it.) Lick a book? Well I never! I prefer chips. Rocky road. Pretty much anything. Where on earth did you get that idea from? Now that I've thought about it, I can't say, I have no idea Sorry, must of thought about some other people! Really, it's not. Andrea is as funny as anything. How she retained a sense of humour given the situation I don't know, but she did and it's so evocative of the era too. That's not to say that it's not horrifying in places, it is, but the way she tells it elevates it from being just a misery memoir into something entertaining and inspirational. I'm glad you've put it on your wishlist frankie .. it deserves to be more widely read This makes me think of Augusten Burroughs's Running with Scissors. A memoir about a very painful childhood/teenage, but he writes about it in a way that one can't help but laugh and sometimes forget that these things are serious and not funny at all. I believe you haven't read that book but have it on your TBR pile, read it And I'm happy I've (among others) convinced both you and Kylie that you certainly haven't read Christie's best and have loads of very great reads ahead of you Oh dear - both Madame Bovary and The Ambassadors are on my TBR list for next year. Could be interesting?! It might be interesting for the people who read your reading blog and might giggle at your rants I'm already doubting that I can achieve it. Despite acquiring several books already, I haven't jumped out of my comfort zone yet. Well it's not yet 2012, is it? Don't worry, I'm sure you will find gems when you delve into books you might not read otherwise And things would be too perfect if we loved all the books we read. No one can be that lucky. And I believe we also learn from books we hate. At least that they should not be re-read, if nothing else. Edited December 30, 2011 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 The Windvale Sprites - Mackenzie Crook Waterstones Synopsis: When a storm sweeps through the country, Asa wakes up the next day to find that his town is almost unrecognisable - trees have fallen down, roofs have collapsed and debris lies everywhere. But amongst the debris in his back garden Asa makes an astounding discovery - the body of a small winged creature. A creature that looks very like a fairy. Do fairies really exist? Asa embarks on a mission to find out. A mission that leads him to the lost journals of local eccentric Benjamin Tooth who, two hundred years earlier, claimed to have discovered the existence of fairies. What Asa reads in those journals takes him on a secret trip to Windvale Moor, where he discovers much more than he'd hoped to. Review: I like Mackenzie and so as soon as I'd read he'd written a book I was interested. I expected it to be a bit more edgy because he's a bit of a quirky character but it's fairly standard fairytale stuff about a young boy who finds a dead fairy in his garden pond following a storm (infact following THE storm of 1987 .. and one of my fave bits of this book is the prologue which tells the reader all about a man called Fish who went on TV and dismissed claims that a hurricane was coming with a scoff.) There's humour in the book but not as much as I would have liked given that Mackenzie is a funny guy, and there's evil too but again not quite enough. But this book isn't aimed at me, it's aimed at children and though I think most adults would enjoy it, it's not as involved as say a Rowling or a Pullman story is. Children will love it though and the illustrations .. also done by Mackenzie .. are stunning, absolutely lovely and they bring a lot to the story. Well written and beautifully illustrated, I did enjoy it but I didn't think that there was much here that was new. Arggghh I hate being negative, especially when so much loving care has gone into it. As I said, I'm not really it's intended audience .. I probably expected too much. 7/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Kylie would be the first to tell you to disregard my opinion of Madame Bovary and she wouldn't be alone because of course, it's a book that's universally admired. Ooshie, frankie and myself have practically had to set up our own support group in order to deal with the literary isolation. I can't actually pinpoint exactly why I disliked it, I didn't like the characters at all but that doesn't always stop me from enjoying a book, if it's helpful, the main word that comes to mind when I think of it is 'ugh'. Yes, as much as our support group loathed the book, we do acknowledge other people have enjoyed it. So willoyd, just go for it! And if you do end up disliking it, we have cookies and coffee/tea in our support group meetings :giggle. BTW, I'm always a little sceptical of books that are universally admired - they become books that people profess to enjoying, sometimes when they haven't even read them, and subject to quite a bit of fanatic support! There's quite a few 'great' books where I've felt the same as you do about these two, for instance Moll Flanders, 1984, Slaughterhouse 5, The Reader, anything by DH Lawrence, and that's just the last year or so. I haven't read any of the great books you've mentioned (though more than one of them are waiting on my shelves ) Don't be too fearful, poppyshake! I know we don't have completely, 100% identical tastes, but I just wanted to try and comfort you by saying that I enjoyed Moll Flanders and I loved Slaughterhouse 5 and I wouldn't feel bad about recommending those two to others. The other three off willoyd's list I've yet to read. A great review on The Perks of Being a Wallflower, poppyshake, I'm so happy you enjoyed the novel! Emma Watson as Sam? What, why? No. I won't watch it then. I have nothing against her as an actor or individual, but she's nothing like I pictured Sam Hmm - I've had this on my wish list for years, but a comparison with Catcher in the Rye makes me want to rush to Amazon and delete it immediately! Okay, guys - you've convinced me.I've added it to my library wish list - it's available in 5 county libraries but is on loan in all but one, with one reservation so I may have a bit of a wait on my hands.(Not that I'm short of books in any way!). I'm certainly glad that the others already convinced you, otherwise I would have a great task ahead of me. Personally I liked Catcher in the Rye just fine, I had no major problems with it, but TPoBaW is infinitely better and definitely worth the read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Yes, as much as our support group loathed the book, we do acknowledge other people have enjoyed it. So willoyd, just go for it! And if you do end up disliking it, we have cookies and coffee/tea in our support group meetings Yes, all new members welcome .. tea and sympathy provided Don't be too fearful, poppyshake! I know we don't have completely, 100% identical tastes, but I just wanted to try and comfort you by saying that I enjoyed Moll Flanders and I loved Slaughterhouse 5 and I wouldn't feel bad about recommending those two to others. The other three off willoyd's list I've yet to read. Well, that's comforting to know for sure and usually if a books is on my shelf I will get around to reading it even if it doesn't come highly recommended and those two I'm pretty sure are on the 1001. And you're right, we do learn something when we dislike a book. When I read The Ambassadors I learnt that cleaning the kitchen floor is more entertaining than the words of Henry James A great review on The Perks of Being a Wallflower, poppyshake, I'm so happy you enjoyed the novel! Emma Watson as Sam? What, why? No. I won't watch it then. I have nothing against her as an actor or individual, but she's nothing like I pictured Sam Thank you I know, I can't picture Emma as Sam either but maybe she'll surprise us. I must say some of the casting choices are weird these days ... I just read somewhere that Ralph Fiennes is to play Magwitch .. I'm not sure about that either. I'm definitely going to read Running with Scissors, it fits in with one of my January goals so fingers crossed that I can stick to the plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 (edited) And you're right, we do learn something when we dislike a book. I learned that I agreed with Kurt Vonnegut! He thought his book didn't work as well. Edited December 31, 2011 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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