Time and space are frequently traversed in this masterful novel by Sebastian Faulks. The protagonist, Robert Hendricks, is a doctor with a past that, if he's not keen to hide he's certainly keen to forget. That is until he receives communication from a man called Alexander Pereira, whom wishes to meet Hendricks and discuss a subject of mutual interest.
The main themes brought out in the novel are those of memory and the seemingly inevitability of the brokenness of humanity that must be faced. According to Hendricks, anyway. The 20th Century, to him, is that of psychosis - a century in which the world truly saw the worst of the human race. And, to be fair, he isn't exactly wrong.
From the lesser known battlefields of Italy in the second world war, a desperate love story that is so fragile and beautiful because of its necessary transience, to the search for hope through curing the seemingly invincible battles of the mind, the threads of Robert's journey are brought together and examined. Individually and collectively, they are significant, Pereira encourages him.
What Hendricks seems to fear most is an empty and wasted life. He has seen more than humans should ever seen, done both physical and mental battle, and he feels it is pointless. However, through his visits to Pereira, he starts slowly to examine them in a different way. By the end of the novel, he has found if not some sort of peace, then acceptance.
The end of the novel is, I think, the most heartbreaking and moving part of the story. An undercurrent of the novel is Hendricks' relationship to his father, or lack thereof. He was only two when his father died and his mother was unwilling to speak of him. Pereira, after much agonising, draws back the veil and Hendricks finally gets some kind of closure, but still while confirming some of his fears of mankind. However, it's not all bad. What Hendricks gets from his father is that which he needs - the knowledge that he is loved and that love, despite everything else, can bring meaning and wholeness to things that can otherwise be seen as fruitless and empty.
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Review: Spindle's End, Robin McKinley
Robin McKinley brings a new shape to an old tale, Sleeping Beauty, that packs a punch and laughs in the face of the damsel in distress type.
In the land where the tale is set, magic pervades everything. One humorous example is that residents have to ask good-willed fairies to come and de-magic their kettles at least once a week, for the fear that they will get something altogether different from the desired hot water.
Magic and non-magic people live together harmoniously - mostly. And this is where the conflict enters. On the princess' name-day, a day of tumultuous celebration after the many years of the queen trying and failing to conceive, Pernicia, (a wicked fairy), arrives, having taken exception to the fact that she wasn't invited. She lays the famous curse upon the child and leaves all to panic.
Katriona, a young fairy from Foggy Bottom in the north of the kingdom takes the baby away for safety. Only the King and Queen's closest fairy adviser knows, and promises to send a sign when the time is right. Katriona, who only came because she was chosen by lot, is utterly bewildered by the change in circumstances but does not shy away from the challenge.
After a few months' hard journeying, she arrives home with the baby - whom she decides to call Rosie, from the baby's given 21 names - and reveals all to her Aunt. Her Aunt, knowing the gravity of the situation, casts a glamour over the village so they just think Rosie is another niece of Aunt's.
All is well for the next twenty one years, for the most part. Rosie grows up strong, confident, assured and finds her place with the local blacksmith. Aunt and Katriona, however, are aware that the older Rosie gets, the more desperate Pernicia will be to find them.
The story really diverges from the original when Pernicia appears at a ball given for the princess' 21st birthday. When the guests are consumed by the magic sleep, only Rosie, Narl (the local smith and a closet fairy) and the animals are awake. They do battle with Pernicia and her horde of evil creatures, and the triumph of good over evil is brought to a satisfying close.
Written with spunk, confidence, and humour, Spindle's End is a great read for anyone with a love of fantasy and magic, but also a healthy dose of feminism/subversion of the damsel in distress. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In the land where the tale is set, magic pervades everything. One humorous example is that residents have to ask good-willed fairies to come and de-magic their kettles at least once a week, for the fear that they will get something altogether different from the desired hot water.
Magic and non-magic people live together harmoniously - mostly. And this is where the conflict enters. On the princess' name-day, a day of tumultuous celebration after the many years of the queen trying and failing to conceive, Pernicia, (a wicked fairy), arrives, having taken exception to the fact that she wasn't invited. She lays the famous curse upon the child and leaves all to panic.
Katriona, a young fairy from Foggy Bottom in the north of the kingdom takes the baby away for safety. Only the King and Queen's closest fairy adviser knows, and promises to send a sign when the time is right. Katriona, who only came because she was chosen by lot, is utterly bewildered by the change in circumstances but does not shy away from the challenge.
After a few months' hard journeying, she arrives home with the baby - whom she decides to call Rosie, from the baby's given 21 names - and reveals all to her Aunt. Her Aunt, knowing the gravity of the situation, casts a glamour over the village so they just think Rosie is another niece of Aunt's.
All is well for the next twenty one years, for the most part. Rosie grows up strong, confident, assured and finds her place with the local blacksmith. Aunt and Katriona, however, are aware that the older Rosie gets, the more desperate Pernicia will be to find them.
The story really diverges from the original when Pernicia appears at a ball given for the princess' 21st birthday. When the guests are consumed by the magic sleep, only Rosie, Narl (the local smith and a closet fairy) and the animals are awake. They do battle with Pernicia and her horde of evil creatures, and the triumph of good over evil is brought to a satisfying close.
Written with spunk, confidence, and humour, Spindle's End is a great read for anyone with a love of fantasy and magic, but also a healthy dose of feminism/subversion of the damsel in distress. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Saturday, 11 February 2017
Review: The Summer Book Tove Jansson
A grandmother and her granddaughter, Sophia, spend summer together on an island, whiling away the days and hours. Sophia's father is there, too, but never spends much time with them.
Sophia and her grandmother spend most of the time exploring the island. Sophia seems to demand a lot from her grandmother, quite often shouting at her when she thinks her grandmother isn't telling things right. Her grandmother, in turn, remembers and regrets all the things that she used to do that she cannot do now.
The book itself is told in a set of sort-of vignettes - all the same characters and settings are in place, but each with a different focus.
The pace is slow, languorous and dreamlike. The island is like a tiny idyll, an escape from the world and you could forget that a world outside of the island actually existed. Time doesn't seem to exist here; everything just happens in the present and there isn't any thought of the future until the very end when things have to be packed up for Autumn.
It is a short read but very pleasant, a novel to be enjoyed at a steady pace.
Review: Billionaire Boy, David Walliams
So many of my younger male students have been reading books by David Walliams in my English class, it was high time that I checked them out for myself. On the recommendation of my colleague's eight year old son, I tried Billionaire Boy. It was only a few pages in that it became easy to see why Walliams has children reading his books in droves.
Joe Spud is a billionaire, thanks to an amazing invention of his dad's, Len Spud. It's a product called Bumfresh and it's a revolution in the bum-wiping industry.
Together in Bumfresh Towers, they live the high life. Joe can have anything he wants, and then some.
But Joe is lacking one thing - a friend. At his snooty private school, no one wants to be Joe's friend because of where his money came from. So, he asks his dad to move him to the local comp.
So far, so good. Joe makes friends with a boy called Bob but doesn't reveal his billionaire status until he is accidentally outed by the local friendly shopkeeper, Raj.
After some back and forths between Joe and Bob, plus a whole load of drama when everyone else in the school finds out about Joe, they both realise that what they just want is to be friends, no matter what else.
Billionaire Boy is written with warmth, intelligence, and a whole lot of good humour. If you want a genuinely good children's book read (for you or your little ones) I highly recommend this.
Joe Spud is a billionaire, thanks to an amazing invention of his dad's, Len Spud. It's a product called Bumfresh and it's a revolution in the bum-wiping industry.
Together in Bumfresh Towers, they live the high life. Joe can have anything he wants, and then some.
But Joe is lacking one thing - a friend. At his snooty private school, no one wants to be Joe's friend because of where his money came from. So, he asks his dad to move him to the local comp.
So far, so good. Joe makes friends with a boy called Bob but doesn't reveal his billionaire status until he is accidentally outed by the local friendly shopkeeper, Raj.
After some back and forths between Joe and Bob, plus a whole load of drama when everyone else in the school finds out about Joe, they both realise that what they just want is to be friends, no matter what else.
Billionaire Boy is written with warmth, intelligence, and a whole lot of good humour. If you want a genuinely good children's book read (for you or your little ones) I highly recommend this.
Review: A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness (based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd)
I was looking through the huge stash of books that I had borrowed last summer from my school library but hadn't managed to read yet. I picked up A Monster Calls, not knowing anything about it or that a film adaptation was about to be released. The librarian had recommended it, so there it was in the pile.
I tore through the book in just a couple of hours. For those who don't know anything about the story, it is about a little boy called Conor who has to deal with something that all of us would hope never to experience - a parent (in this case, Conor's mum) living with cancer.
Conor wakes up having had a nightmare - the nightmare - which has been afflicting him for months. All he wants is some help, but help comes in an unexpected form; a monster, which appears outside his window. Conor doesn't know whether or not to believe that the monster is real, but over time, he accepts that he is. The monster has appeared to tell Conor three stories, none of which seem very helpful or fair at first. Conor is also suffering at school, isolated and bullied in turn. When Conor finally understands what the monster is trying to tell him, he reveals what his nightmare has been about, and this is a huge moment of catharsis.
It is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking books I've ever read. Building on Siobhan Dowd's original idea, Patrick Ness has created a story that gets you in the heart and soul. It definitely needs a box of tissues to hand, even if you're not a usual crier.
I tore through the book in just a couple of hours. For those who don't know anything about the story, it is about a little boy called Conor who has to deal with something that all of us would hope never to experience - a parent (in this case, Conor's mum) living with cancer.
Conor wakes up having had a nightmare - the nightmare - which has been afflicting him for months. All he wants is some help, but help comes in an unexpected form; a monster, which appears outside his window. Conor doesn't know whether or not to believe that the monster is real, but over time, he accepts that he is. The monster has appeared to tell Conor three stories, none of which seem very helpful or fair at first. Conor is also suffering at school, isolated and bullied in turn. When Conor finally understands what the monster is trying to tell him, he reveals what his nightmare has been about, and this is a huge moment of catharsis.
It is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking books I've ever read. Building on Siobhan Dowd's original idea, Patrick Ness has created a story that gets you in the heart and soul. It definitely needs a box of tissues to hand, even if you're not a usual crier.
Friday, 6 January 2017
Review: Snow is Falling, Nora Roberts
Nora Roberts is something of a legend in the publishing world. She has over 190 books to her name and many of them bestsellers.
Snow is Falling contains two stories: Gabriel's Angel and Blithe Images.
Gabriel's Angel: classic meet-cute. Gabriel, a tortured artist, is hiding in a cabin in the woods while he tries to rediscover his passion for painting, While driving back from town with supplies through heavy snow, he very nearly has an accident with another vehicle. Cursing when he realises he has to help the driver, he is in for a surprise. The driver of the other vehicle is a woman, Laura Malone, who also happens to be very heavily pregnant. Gabriel takes her back to the cabin to await rescue.
It's a classic romantic formula - they slowly fall in love, marry, and Gabriel vows to raise the baby as his own. Laura is frightened that her former life will catch up with her and the baby will be taken away. Through Gabriel and his parents, however, she finds peace, security, and slowly but surely creates a space for herself.
Blithe Images: This one I had a little more trouble with, simply because of the male protagonist (more on that later). Hilary Baxter is a small town girl creating a storm as a successful model in New York. But when she meets Bret Bardoff, a magazine mogul with a vision for a winning spread, Hilary finds herself losing control of her heart (and seemingly mind, in places). Bret Bardoff is basically like a Christian Grey character, so I had little time for him. Turning up unexpectedly at Hilary's flat and other places she should feel safe; constantly teasing her and controlling her by turns; appearing at Hilary's family home telling her parents (not asking Hilary) that he's going to marry her; I couldn't warm to the story the same way I cosied up with Gabriel's Angel. I can't fault the writing, it's classic Nora Roberts style and it works. But definitely not my kind of 'romance'.
Snow is Falling contains two stories: Gabriel's Angel and Blithe Images.
Gabriel's Angel: classic meet-cute. Gabriel, a tortured artist, is hiding in a cabin in the woods while he tries to rediscover his passion for painting, While driving back from town with supplies through heavy snow, he very nearly has an accident with another vehicle. Cursing when he realises he has to help the driver, he is in for a surprise. The driver of the other vehicle is a woman, Laura Malone, who also happens to be very heavily pregnant. Gabriel takes her back to the cabin to await rescue.
It's a classic romantic formula - they slowly fall in love, marry, and Gabriel vows to raise the baby as his own. Laura is frightened that her former life will catch up with her and the baby will be taken away. Through Gabriel and his parents, however, she finds peace, security, and slowly but surely creates a space for herself.
Blithe Images: This one I had a little more trouble with, simply because of the male protagonist (more on that later). Hilary Baxter is a small town girl creating a storm as a successful model in New York. But when she meets Bret Bardoff, a magazine mogul with a vision for a winning spread, Hilary finds herself losing control of her heart (and seemingly mind, in places). Bret Bardoff is basically like a Christian Grey character, so I had little time for him. Turning up unexpectedly at Hilary's flat and other places she should feel safe; constantly teasing her and controlling her by turns; appearing at Hilary's family home telling her parents (not asking Hilary) that he's going to marry her; I couldn't warm to the story the same way I cosied up with Gabriel's Angel. I can't fault the writing, it's classic Nora Roberts style and it works. But definitely not my kind of 'romance'.
Review: According To Yes, Dawn French
Rosie Kitto, a former primary school teacher, packs up her life in England and starts a new adventure in Manhattan, secretly desperate to escape the sadness of her former life and to start fresh elsewhere. With her warm heart, creativity, and positive outlook on life, everyone loves Rosie.
Except for Glenn Wilder-Bingham, whom also happens to be Rosie's new employer. Determined to keep her twin grandsons shielded from their parents' messy divorce, she hires Rosie to take care of them and give them some stability.
The whole family, from the twins and their eighteen year old brother, to Glenn's husband, love Rosie. Glenn, meanwhile, feels like Rosie's arrival means she is slowly losing her iron grip on her small kingdom.
I loved the characters in this book, particularly Rosie and the twins. Their relationship is very sweet but not shallow - Rosie knows why she is there and is determined to love the twins fiercely and be a calm port in their storm.
However, where the characters are genuine and substantial, other parts of the novel don't feel quite as good. The dialogue and description sometimes felt a bit clunky down to technical issues, inserting commas where there should be full stops. It gave the effect of not being able to pause for breath. Certain events in the book (SPOILER ***********Rosie ends up sleeping with not just Glenn's husband but also with the twins' father AND the twins' older brother***************) and their consequences don't feel quite believable in how they are dealt with.
Overall, though, it was a nice read - very funny in places, heartwarming characters, and a nice happy ending.
Except for Glenn Wilder-Bingham, whom also happens to be Rosie's new employer. Determined to keep her twin grandsons shielded from their parents' messy divorce, she hires Rosie to take care of them and give them some stability.
The whole family, from the twins and their eighteen year old brother, to Glenn's husband, love Rosie. Glenn, meanwhile, feels like Rosie's arrival means she is slowly losing her iron grip on her small kingdom.
I loved the characters in this book, particularly Rosie and the twins. Their relationship is very sweet but not shallow - Rosie knows why she is there and is determined to love the twins fiercely and be a calm port in their storm.
However, where the characters are genuine and substantial, other parts of the novel don't feel quite as good. The dialogue and description sometimes felt a bit clunky down to technical issues, inserting commas where there should be full stops. It gave the effect of not being able to pause for breath. Certain events in the book (SPOILER ***********Rosie ends up sleeping with not just Glenn's husband but also with the twins' father AND the twins' older brother***************) and their consequences don't feel quite believable in how they are dealt with.
Overall, though, it was a nice read - very funny in places, heartwarming characters, and a nice happy ending.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)