A few days ago I read a post that mentioned the Thirteenth Tale written by Diane Setterfield, and despite searching for the blogger that wrote it, I just can't find it! My point was that she didn't like the book and I did and I just wanted to show her post as an alternative to mine!
Fortunately I had just started the book when I came across her review and I liked what I had read so far and so wasn't put off by the review. It does seem to be that you either love or hate this book and I certainly loved it.
It is certainly not a chick lit book all light and fluffy! It is a rather strange book where the reader doesn't quite know who or what to believe and the story weaves between the present day and the past - quite effectively I thought, but not everybody likes a story that doesn't stick to one timeline.
Basically, an amateur biographer is invited to chronicle the story of a very reclusive author who is renowned for never quite telling the truth about her background. There are weaves and twists and turns and I enjoyed reading this book, although I did wish that the ending was a little bit stronger rather than the nebulous ending that didn't feel right to me, but then again I have a strong preference for knowing EXACTLY what happens at the end of a book.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Friday, 15 February 2008
888 book reviews
I have now read a couple more of my Triple Eight challenge books and they were both very strange!! The first one that I finished was 30 Days in Sydney: the writer and the city by Peter Carey.
The premise of the book is that a Sydneysider returns to Sydney from New York for thirty (!) days and then writes about his experiences. It is a small book so you'd think that I finish it fairly soon, but I started it, put it down, and didn't pick it up again for ages as I just couldn't really get into it!
But then I thought that I had really better finish it since I am off to Sydney soon. Anyway - a strange book, more about Peter Carey's friends and what they got up to rather than about Sydney itself. Despite the fact that there were some interesting bits I didn't think that there was much structure to the book, it just didn't flow or seem to have any clarity! Then again, that's just me, I am sure that other people enjoyed the book, but I very much doubt that I'd try and read it again!
The other book was Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin and although I have put it in the romance section it is not your typical romance, in fact, it is not your typical novel! At first I wondered what I was letting myself in for by the time I had read a few chapters as it is quite a peculiar book with it's own language (much like fantasy books though so I should be used to it!). What was intriguing was the way the author would start a new chapter with new characters and events without making any connection between characters, so the whole books is a bit more like a collection of short stories that in the end all merge to form the one story.
My biggest criticism of Winter's Tale is that the blurb at the back of the book is misleading in that it suggests that the lead character deliberately sets out to travel through time to bring back the woman he loves after she dies. This is not actually the case, Peter Lake does not set out to do this, he does mourn her, but doesn't intend to go back in time to bring her back.
Nevertheless this is an intriguing story that took me a while to get into and even when I closed the book at the end, I was still puzzling over quite what it was all about! I think that the in the end the reader simply has to put his or her own interpretation on the story and what it all means.
And now I am reading the biography of Alistair Cooke - so far so good, it is interesting reading and is thus far well written! I shall be back at some point to tell you about that one!
The premise of the book is that a Sydneysider returns to Sydney from New York for thirty (!) days and then writes about his experiences. It is a small book so you'd think that I finish it fairly soon, but I started it, put it down, and didn't pick it up again for ages as I just couldn't really get into it!
But then I thought that I had really better finish it since I am off to Sydney soon. Anyway - a strange book, more about Peter Carey's friends and what they got up to rather than about Sydney itself. Despite the fact that there were some interesting bits I didn't think that there was much structure to the book, it just didn't flow or seem to have any clarity! Then again, that's just me, I am sure that other people enjoyed the book, but I very much doubt that I'd try and read it again!
The other book was Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin and although I have put it in the romance section it is not your typical romance, in fact, it is not your typical novel! At first I wondered what I was letting myself in for by the time I had read a few chapters as it is quite a peculiar book with it's own language (much like fantasy books though so I should be used to it!). What was intriguing was the way the author would start a new chapter with new characters and events without making any connection between characters, so the whole books is a bit more like a collection of short stories that in the end all merge to form the one story.
My biggest criticism of Winter's Tale is that the blurb at the back of the book is misleading in that it suggests that the lead character deliberately sets out to travel through time to bring back the woman he loves after she dies. This is not actually the case, Peter Lake does not set out to do this, he does mourn her, but doesn't intend to go back in time to bring her back.
Nevertheless this is an intriguing story that took me a while to get into and even when I closed the book at the end, I was still puzzling over quite what it was all about! I think that the in the end the reader simply has to put his or her own interpretation on the story and what it all means.
And now I am reading the biography of Alistair Cooke - so far so good, it is interesting reading and is thus far well written! I shall be back at some point to tell you about that one!
Sunday, 13 January 2008
Book Challenge - A Wedding in December
This the last of my five From The Stack book selection - all chosen from that ever growing pile of books that I have yet to read!
A Wedding in December is a rather interesting book, it weaves a number of stories together and although it does take a bit of work to remember which story belongs to who, it does all work together very well. There is even a story within a story as one of the characters, Agnes, is writing a story and this story-within-a-story is a good one too, I wanted to read more of this one!
There are plenty of surprises and revelations in this story, but I wont reveal any. What I will say is that it is an intriguing read with an appropriate ending (I sometimes feel that book endings don't quite work and can leave me dissatisfied) and I would recommend this book to anyone.
A Wedding in December is a rather interesting book, it weaves a number of stories together and although it does take a bit of work to remember which story belongs to who, it does all work together very well. There is even a story within a story as one of the characters, Agnes, is writing a story and this story-within-a-story is a good one too, I wanted to read more of this one!
There are plenty of surprises and revelations in this story, but I wont reveal any. What I will say is that it is an intriguing read with an appropriate ending (I sometimes feel that book endings don't quite work and can leave me dissatisfied) and I would recommend this book to anyone.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Book Challenge - Dancing with Eva
This book was written by Alan Judd and for some reason I actually have his signature inside the book!! I know for certain that I did not go to a book signing or meet him in person. I do, however, have a vague recollection of buying this book at the Martello Bookshop in Rye and they often have books signed by the author.
Well, on with the review - this is the fourth book of my Book Challenge and it has been the most surprising so far as the end of the book has quite a twist! Naturally, I wont be mentioning any spoilers here as I think that there is nothing worse than reading spoilers (whether for books, film, theatre, whatever!) particularly if you weren't actively looking for them!
Dancing with Eva is a relatively short book and it gives you the conversation between two people over a day and a night - Eva and Hans are talking about what happened to them during the Second World War - in particular, it is Hans that wants to talk about this, Eva is somewhat reluctant.
The author skillfully builds up the story and maintains the mystery right up until the end, although as I was reading the book, I was not aware that there was a mystery to be had, which is part of what makes the book so good. All I was aware of was that Hans wanted to talk about the war but Eva didn't and the story covered Eva's suspicion of Hans and how he managed to get her talking about something that she had not spoken of for decades, indeed, Eva feels that the conversation is something of a catharsis even as she resents Hans' questions.
I certainly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone, I am just sorry that I left it on my shelf for longer than I should have done, but that just goes to show that you never know what you will find between the covers! I don't know why I sometimes hesitate to read a particular book, what I do find though is that once I have bought or borrowed a book, if I do not read it within the week, it tends to find its way onto my shelves and languish until I take pity on it!!! ;-) Or...as is more probable - I am desperate for something to read and just cannot find anything that I fancy right there and then!!
Well, on with the review - this is the fourth book of my Book Challenge and it has been the most surprising so far as the end of the book has quite a twist! Naturally, I wont be mentioning any spoilers here as I think that there is nothing worse than reading spoilers (whether for books, film, theatre, whatever!) particularly if you weren't actively looking for them!
Dancing with Eva is a relatively short book and it gives you the conversation between two people over a day and a night - Eva and Hans are talking about what happened to them during the Second World War - in particular, it is Hans that wants to talk about this, Eva is somewhat reluctant.
The author skillfully builds up the story and maintains the mystery right up until the end, although as I was reading the book, I was not aware that there was a mystery to be had, which is part of what makes the book so good. All I was aware of was that Hans wanted to talk about the war but Eva didn't and the story covered Eva's suspicion of Hans and how he managed to get her talking about something that she had not spoken of for decades, indeed, Eva feels that the conversation is something of a catharsis even as she resents Hans' questions.
I certainly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone, I am just sorry that I left it on my shelf for longer than I should have done, but that just goes to show that you never know what you will find between the covers! I don't know why I sometimes hesitate to read a particular book, what I do find though is that once I have bought or borrowed a book, if I do not read it within the week, it tends to find its way onto my shelves and languish until I take pity on it!!! ;-) Or...as is more probable - I am desperate for something to read and just cannot find anything that I fancy right there and then!!
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Book Challenge - Sword of God
While it's fresh in my mind, I want to comment on Sword of God by Chris Kuzneski.
I read it, but only really because I had to as I listed it as one of my book challenge books! I didn't feel gripped by it as I felt that the writing was a bit mechanical and formulaic, besides which, the story was very familiar - I am sure that I have read another book that is all about preventing a terrorist attack on Mecca.
Mind you, this book is the third one about the same characters - Payne and Jones, so perhaps I should have read the others before reading this one, but there wasn't any indication on the back of the book that it was the third one, otherwise I don't think that I would have picked it up in the first place!! I mean, why read the third book first!!!?
Anyway, the book wasn't a page-turner and nor has it induced me to want to dig up the others. I remember getting hooked on the Clive Cussler books about Dirk Pitt - those were page-turners and I think that I now have all of his books!!
I read it, but only really because I had to as I listed it as one of my book challenge books! I didn't feel gripped by it as I felt that the writing was a bit mechanical and formulaic, besides which, the story was very familiar - I am sure that I have read another book that is all about preventing a terrorist attack on Mecca.
Mind you, this book is the third one about the same characters - Payne and Jones, so perhaps I should have read the others before reading this one, but there wasn't any indication on the back of the book that it was the third one, otherwise I don't think that I would have picked it up in the first place!! I mean, why read the third book first!!!?
Anyway, the book wasn't a page-turner and nor has it induced me to want to dig up the others. I remember getting hooked on the Clive Cussler books about Dirk Pitt - those were page-turners and I think that I now have all of his books!!
Monday, 10 December 2007
Book Challenge - Woman in White
(see my earlier post about the Book challenge if you want to know what a Book Challenge is all about!!)
If you have never read the Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, then I strongly recommend that you do so! I am not a fan of the classics as I find them quite hard going; even though I do feel that I should read more of the classics rather than the modern novels that I prefer! This book was definitely the exception and I really did enjoy it.
Woman in White...well...what can I say; it is a mystery that is written from the viewpoint of several of the characters (not in a jumpy and confusing way) and really gives you a full sense of what is going on without revealing the mystery until the author is ready to let you in on it!!
I found this a very engaging and enjoyable book and am very pleased that I have read it!! All the characters are well portrayed in that I could really imagine what they were like. What did wind me up about the book though was the occasional portrayal of the "weaker sex" and it did drive me mad, but then you have to remember that this book was published in 1860 when women were expected to defer to their menfolk (!) and so this attitude is understandable, but it still drives me mad!
I am now reading the third book in my challenge - Sword of God - I should be posting about it by the end of this week.
If you have never read the Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, then I strongly recommend that you do so! I am not a fan of the classics as I find them quite hard going; even though I do feel that I should read more of the classics rather than the modern novels that I prefer! This book was definitely the exception and I really did enjoy it.
Woman in White...well...what can I say; it is a mystery that is written from the viewpoint of several of the characters (not in a jumpy and confusing way) and really gives you a full sense of what is going on without revealing the mystery until the author is ready to let you in on it!!
I found this a very engaging and enjoyable book and am very pleased that I have read it!! All the characters are well portrayed in that I could really imagine what they were like. What did wind me up about the book though was the occasional portrayal of the "weaker sex" and it did drive me mad, but then you have to remember that this book was published in 1860 when women were expected to defer to their menfolk (!) and so this attitude is understandable, but it still drives me mad!
I am now reading the third book in my challenge - Sword of God - I should be posting about it by the end of this week.
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Book Challenge - Hemingway's Chair
Now that I am taking part in the Book challenge (see earlier post) I feel as though I should be reviewing the books that I am reading.
So...I have finished one - Hemingway's Chair. I have been reading it during work breaks as it is the only way I can get myself to read something that perhaps I am not that keen on as if I have nothing else to read then I HAVE to read what I have got. Of course, if I get into it, then I read it at home too (usually just before bed so that I end up turning the lights out too late!).
Anyway - I am not sure that I enjoyed Hemingway's Chair. It was an intriguing read, that's for sure, if I hadn't liked it at all then I would not have even finished it!
Michael Palin tells the fictional story of an assistant postmaster with a bit of a fixation on Hemingway and if you are expecting a bit of a funny story from Michael Palin then you are looking in the wrong place as this little book is not humourous at all.
Instead we get to see what happens when the Post Office management is replaced and the assistant gets involved in all sorts of shenanigans, revealing the depth of his connection with Hemingway. I wont give away any detail, but the ending of the story was somewhat strange, the whole build up to the conclusion of the story seemed a bit contrived to me, which is why I didn't really enjoy the book.
If nothing else, the story does show that Palin himself knows quite a bit about Hemingway, in fact, he wrote another book - Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure - which is a travelogue following in the footsteps of Hemingway. (I haven't read this, but get the feeling that I would enjoy this more than the book that I have just read!)
So...I have finished one - Hemingway's Chair. I have been reading it during work breaks as it is the only way I can get myself to read something that perhaps I am not that keen on as if I have nothing else to read then I HAVE to read what I have got. Of course, if I get into it, then I read it at home too (usually just before bed so that I end up turning the lights out too late!).
Anyway - I am not sure that I enjoyed Hemingway's Chair. It was an intriguing read, that's for sure, if I hadn't liked it at all then I would not have even finished it!
Michael Palin tells the fictional story of an assistant postmaster with a bit of a fixation on Hemingway and if you are expecting a bit of a funny story from Michael Palin then you are looking in the wrong place as this little book is not humourous at all.
Instead we get to see what happens when the Post Office management is replaced and the assistant gets involved in all sorts of shenanigans, revealing the depth of his connection with Hemingway. I wont give away any detail, but the ending of the story was somewhat strange, the whole build up to the conclusion of the story seemed a bit contrived to me, which is why I didn't really enjoy the book.
If nothing else, the story does show that Palin himself knows quite a bit about Hemingway, in fact, he wrote another book - Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure - which is a travelogue following in the footsteps of Hemingway. (I haven't read this, but get the feeling that I would enjoy this more than the book that I have just read!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
