FINISHED: Trains and Lovers

So, I finished this quite a while ago and have only now got around to reviewing it. Sorry all.

I really enjoyed this book, it was what it said it would be. A collection of short stories about 'love' bound together by a train journey from Edinburgh to London where the four main characters happen to be sitting around the same table.

I don't want to give the game away by discussing the plot too much, or even reveal some of the beautiful lines McCall Smith has written so I'll just say if you're looking for a quick, easy yet beautiful and touching read this is the one for you.

9/10

STARTING: Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith

Recommended by the lovely KayleyReads and as someone in a long distance relationship I do spend a long time on trains travelling to see DB. This seemed as if it would be relevant to me!

FINISHED: Wolf of the Plains (minor stories but nothing you can't find out from googling Genghis Khan)

I rather liked this book, I've always been intrigued by family hierarchies and clan leaders and leadership passing from father to son, even though I don't agree with it as a political idea. The idea that some families are born to rule others is a seducing idea, especially in fiction.
Although this isn't strictly fiction, put together from the Chinese(?) translation of Genghis Khan's diaries.

I enjoyed the main thread of the story, that of Temujin (soon to be Genghis Khan) and his family's displacement after the death of his father and their fight for survival and then recognition. I was intrigued by their way of living, their skill with archery and swords, even if the fight scenes left me longing for more internal dialogue which I thought was far more interestingly written than anything else in the book. To be able to see inside each character, even those of the 'enemies' and see what drove them, their pride and their insecurities, I thought it was brilliantly done.

I'm not usually one for the historical fiction, I usually find it to.. romanticised, but this was enjoyable and well written. Whether I read the next few will depend on the story arc, I have little interest about any clashes with the 'civilised', I just want careering about on horses and firing arrows and stuff.

7/10

STARTING: Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden

Figured I might as well tell you what I'm starting immediately, or I'll have finished it before I put it up here like last time! Another suggestion from DB :)

STARTED and already FINISHED: Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

So, I started and finished a book before I even posted about it on here, this is mostly because I spent the weekend at DB's house and he doesn't have internet, and also I travel 5 hours each way by train to get there. Plenty of reading time!

So I tried to read this book about four years ago when the Swedish film adaptation came out (which is pretty much perfection by the way, ignore the english language remake) and it was too dark for me, too complex I think, but I figured I should give it another try. I really really enjoyed it.

There was far more going on in the book than in the film, far more characters with complex relationships, and it felt like just the right amount. The story wasn't just VAMPIRE, it was politics and relationships and childhood and loss all bundled into one beautiful, if not disturbing at times, package.

I'm very impressed but I don't want to spoil the book or the film for anyone so I'll stop here. But it was great, and I really enjoyed reading it.

9/10

FINISHED: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (no spoilers)

This book chewed me up and spit me out. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and just... everything you needed in a book about a break up.

Min (short for Minerva...) is our main character, she likes old movies at her local independent cinema, spending time with her friend Al, baking... other things.
We follow her relationship with the popular Ed Slaterton through a letter she is writing to him after their break up.

It is beautifully written, cutting between the past and the present in the way that a letter of this nature would. The illustrations are gorgeous (I think I may have to buy the hardback to appreciate them fully) and really add to the story.

Handler writes Min so well, you identify with her immediately, feel what she feels, recognise in your own life things that have happened to her.

I was so impressed with this book, it was almost unrecognisable from 'A Series of Unfortunate Events', as it should be. I hope he continues to write for older readers.

If anything, the story was a bit predicable, but I think that was partly the point, that Min should have seen it all coming and ended the relationship long before they did. So impressed if rather bereft.

9/10

Currently Reading: Why We Broke Up

I'm about 60-something% through this book and I really like it.
I won't say too much as I expect to do a detailed review once I've finished, but I like the letter style, I like the adorable illustrations (which may lead me to buy it in hardback form) and I like the main character. She reminds me of myself, which isn't always a good thing, but here I feel like it is.

Let's just say it's going well and I don't think it will be too long before I give you a full review!

STARTING: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

I'm really sorry to break this to you all, but Lemony Snicket isn't real person. In reality he is Daniel Handler. And he has a new YA book out. So naturally I had to read it.

I've been waiting for it to come out in ebook format as the hardcover was expensive and it has finally arrived, although if I really like it I will probably shell out for the physical version as it is truly beautiful to look at.

Meet back here soon for a full review?

FINISHED: The Stars' Tennis Balls by Stephen Fry (spoilery)

So this book... it was not what I expected!

It starts off all cutesy and long distance relationship and people with too much money in private school, going on sailing trips with fathers who are cabinet ministers... and then the IRA get involved.

And there's a mental institution, and the obligatory wise father type figure. And then murder and such. I can't really say more without spoiling the story for you.

So it was pretty grim, but I liked it! It was a fun read, even if it did jump about all over the place. I felt the characters were underdeveloped and I could have known them a lot better...

6/10

STARTING: The Stars' Tennis Balls by Stephen Fry

My my... Mr Fry knows how to pick awful titles doesn't he?

Another book suggested by DB, he seems to have good taste in fiction so we'll give this one a go!

A Grovelling Apology to a New Author

My name is Mary, and I was wrong about 'Hungry, the Stars and Everything'. I was terribly wrong.
I am so sorry Emma Jane Unsworth. I really hope you didn't google your book title and stumble upon that one line stab I put into the heart of your carefully crafted novel.

I started the first chapter and it didn't fit with the synopsis I'd read, it was outside of the story I was expecting, it involved a child seeing the devil out of her window, I didn't know what that was doing there (I'm still not entirely sure, although it was an interesting aspect of Helen's personality).
I decided I didn't like it and put it down, made a throwaway line about it in a blog post about my inability to settle on a book to read and thought little more about it. But it stayed on my kindle, near the top of the list of 'most recently read' books.

And then I found myself alone in DB's flat on a Friday morning in an unfamiliar area. Disinclined to get lost in a part of London entirely new to me, I picked up the kindle and started reading. And I kept reading. And I read all morning. And then all the way on the train back to Birmingham from London, and then a lot last night. And then the vast majority of this afternoon.

And oh god, how wrong I was. So so wrong.

It was beautifully crafted, the structure like nothing I've ever read before. Skipping backwards in time and then immediately back to the present, intertwining the future and the past so you were never entirely sure where the story was going but you were desperate to find out.
I was equally invested in both of Helen's relationships, running side by side in the book but in reality years apart. I felt so emotionally attached to these couples, wanting to scream at Helen to stay with one, or to leave the other or just to put the bottle of wine down. Just put it down Helen for god's sake. It's not worth it.

I just... it captured me. And it did caught me off guard.
And it was rather beautiful.

Sorry Emma, I didn't give you enough credit. I hope I'm fixing that now!
I look forward to your next book!

8/10

Stuck in a bit of a rut...

So.. I finished The Casual Vacancy and now I can't settle on anything to read. This is exactly what happened after I finished The Book Thief.

I finished Elmify's 'Fools Paradise' which was entertaining considering she wrote it in high school and I liked it a lot, but I couldn't really think of anything to say about it other than "this was fun and cute and not badly written considering".

I started 'Hungry, the Stars and Everything' and hated it. Hated it from the first page. And I don't even know why. It wasn't badly written, it's just, I read the first two chapters and had no empathy with the main character at all. It wasn't even that I disliked her, I just had no interest. So I gave up. It's a while since I've done that with a book.

I've halfheartedly started "The Stars' Tennis Balls' by Stephen Fry but I don't really want to carry it to London with me (my suitcase is already full of seminar reading) so I want to read something on my kindle. I think this new year of university has included so much reading that the last thing I want to do when I come home is look at more words. But I have to stop feeling like that, otherwise I'll just not pick up books and I miss reading when I'm not doing it.

I'll find something, I'm sure. But if any of you have any ideas, feel free to comment!

FINISHED: The Casual Vacancy (INCREDIBLY SPOILERY)

I have an awful lot of feels about this book. So many feels that they cannot be contained in a spoiler-free review, so just... click away now if you don't want to be spoiled and come back once you've finished.

-------------------------------------- SPOILERS FROM HERE ---------------------------------------

Not only was this book written by Jo Rowling, one of the most important literary influences on my life, but it's about a topic incredibly close to my heart, the class divide in the UK.

It's no secret that Jo had a pretty awful time in life before Harry Potter and it's no secret that I went to the local comprehensive filled with a wide variety of people from incredibly different backgrounds. Let's just say I'm no stranger to how horrid life can be to some who don't deserve it.
So this book hit a few nerves.

We are introduced to a number of families intertwined by their involvement in the local parish council. With the death of Barry Fairbrother (a member of the council) this tiny community is plunged into war with itself, rich at war with poor, husbands at war with wives etc. as they fight about the local council estate and the drug clinic that serves it, but I won't try and explain the plot here, I wouldn't do it justice and there are a number of other reviews that will do it far better.

Let's just say that this novel hit me hard, and it didn't let up. The feelings of Barry's wife before and after his death, her annoyance with his preoccupation with the local council estate at the expense of her and their children, her grief after his death but her anger that he spent his last day alive with the wildchild Krystal Weedon, having her interviewed for the local paper rather than celebrating their wedding anniversary.

Krystal's life, acting as parent not only to her 3 year old brother Robbie, but to her own drug addled mother, fighting to keep her in a methadone program so Robbie won't be taken away by social services, is certainly not an easy one. The scene in which Robbie is left on his own on a park bench whilst Krystal and her 'boyfriend' Fats go to have sex was crafted beautifully as Robbie wandered around the park, passing many of the other characters of the book, all too occupied with their own problems to worry about the small boy drifting closer and closer to the river.
His death and eventually Krystal's had me in tears, the descriptions of the way she saw the world and what she had wished to do with her life were heartbreaking.

This book was incredibly clever and crafted in such a way that I cannot do it justice in this review without copying out the book and annotating it. There were so many little things about it that I recognised and that made me smile or cry. Well done Jo, how did we ever question your ability to write for adults?

10/10

Tomorrow

So, JK Rowling's new novel The Casual Vacancy comes out tomorrow and you don't need me to big it up any more than the rest of the media will do. Suffice to say I am incredibly excited for this book and shall be picking up my copy from my local Waterstones tomorrow and no doubt walking down to the seafront all bundled up to read it on a bench.

I will be taking a break from Bad Science with the release of this book, but do not fear, it shall be finished and reviewed, but I feel it is enough of a dip-in book to justify this break.

ROWLING <3

STARTING: Bad Science by Ben Goldacre

After being outraged at Jeremy Hunt's new job as health secretary, and venting my feelings on facebook, my lovely godmother sent me a copy of this in the post. It seems right up my street what with the first chapter being on 'Brain Gym', something I endured in Primary School but never thought to question... Let the questioning begin. Of everything.

FINISHED: Reaper Man (somewhat spoilery)

I FINISHED IT. I really did! I read the last quarter this morning and it was lovely and beautiful and just... Pratchett every time leads you through his book with hilarious one liners ("Mrs Evadne Cake was a medium, verging on small."), hilarious running gags such as the aforementioned Mrs Cake forgetting to turn her premonition off and answering questions before they are asked, and then, just near the end, hits you with beautiful lines which lead you to question who you are, how you live, and why we are alive.

Pratchett's Death remains one of my favourite characters in contemporary fiction, his humour, and love for humanity despite his job just make him a fantastic character to read about.

The story involving Windle Poons dragged a little in the beginning, as I often find with Pratchett's wizards, but was definitely worth sticking with for some of the jokes that came about from it, such as Lupine the reverse werewolf. A wolf for 3 weeks out of the month until the full moon when he becomes a wolfman.

If you haven't read any Pratchett I strongly suggest you do so. And stick with it, because the laughs and the stories are worth the effort!

8/10

Update: Book Rainbow

So.. it's been a bit quiet here for the past month, hasn't it? Sorry about that!
I promise I'm getting there with Reaper Man, I really am! I hit 80% today, so I'm nearly done. What with trying to meet up with people before I go back to uni and having started a new job for a few weeks in a school it's all been a little bit manic.

So, to the real point of this blog post. After watching Rosianna's video about her new room and seeing her amazing, colour coordinated bookcase, I took it upon myself to reorganise mine. Not only because my bookshelf has been horribly neglected since I left for university last year, but also because it had collected a layer of... stuff. Receipts, hair products, cables. It was getting ridiculous, so I thought it deserved some TLC and I had work to put off today.

Not all of my books and DVDs are in this bookshelf, some are in other bookshelves in the house, some are in Wales and some are in the attic. Madness.

HERE IT IS.

The full book shelf, complete with reading lamp stolen from my mother's office, broken camera and wooden viking.

 A closer look at the book section and my two ridiculous union flags.

 My red books, I have yet to read Revolutionary Road.

I can only apologise for the fact that I own Alan Carr's autobiography, I haven't read it I swear.
Shame the same can't be said for Sharon Osbourne's which you can see a little of on the right.

My white books, all of Jeffrey Eugenides' books happen to be in this section, although they're not together.

I thought I would add in a closeup of my dvd collection too!

See you when I've finished Reaper Man!

Currently Reading: Reaper Man

So, getting into Terry Pratchett again, his sense of humour is just right when it comes to books about Death and his job. Just on the right side of the gallows as it were.

I'm only about 20% through, but I'm definitely getting into the other plot as it were (there are usually two concurrent plots which intertwine in all of the Pratchett I've read) and usually I don't like them as much as the ones about Death or his 'family' but this one is the exception.

Highly amused so far :)

www.goodreads.com/fivebyfivewhat

August Update

Hey guys, just thought I should keep you abreast of what is going on over here whilst posting has been a bit slow.

Summer has left lots of time for reading but not lots of time for blogging, but here are some things that have been keeping me busy.

- Going to Cornwall with DB's family, basking in the mid 20s heat and bodyboarding in the sea
- Day tripping to Newcastle to see the new Batman film as well as having awkward conversations with previously incarcerated Geordie men about the Olympic opening ceremony (how do these people find us...?)
- Going to the Olympics to see the tennis!
- Chilling in the house watching the Olympics and eating too much junk food with DB

So umm... that's what I've been up to. Things still to come include working at Leeds Festival and filling my September with seeing friends and family before I move back to Wales for the school year.
Hopefully the blogging will become more regular after Leeds but I'm not promising anything.

Currently reading: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

Being a top explorer at the Eden Project with DB and his brother

FINISHED: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Not ashamed to say it, I loved this book. I thought Lizzie was beautifully written and totally relatable, and I also loved getting Darcy's point of view occasionally, rather than him just being this aloof mystery as men can often be presented as in romance novels.
Mrs Bennet drove me up the wall, as did Lydia, but it only added to how much I adored Lizzie and Jane.

The writing had its moments where I struggled to understand it, and I had to use the dictionary a couple of times, but it all added to the feel I suppose.

Just... I haven't enjoyed a classic book like this since I read Dracula years ago.

8/10

Summer Holiday Reads

Summer has always been a time of reading for me, as a child my family rarely went abroad as we had a touring caravan and therefore explored most of England and Scotland instead. That left plenty of time when it was raining to sit in the front of the caravan, listening to the rain and reading by the light of the overhead lamp I would claim as mine every holiday.
Now years have passed and said caravan has been sold to a family friend and now I am holidaying with DB's family as my parents head south, but the summer read persists in my brain. Even in years when my reading has dropped down to about 5 or 6 books a year, the majority of those would be read during the summer holidays in the garden or by the patio doors stretched out in whatever sunlight I could find. Yes, apparently I am a cat.

This year is no different and I spent last night deciding which books would be my reads of this summer holidays, I shall list them here and review them when I return.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

 

Having been intently watching the Lizzie Bennet Diaries since it began this year I've decided to finally start to read the original source material. I've seen enough spin offs (Bride and Prejudice, Lost in Austen) to have a good idea of the story, but I'm sure this won't take away from the original!

Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

 

 I've read a couple of the Discworld novels ever since I saw the TV adaptation of Hogfather and thought it was fantastic. Death has always been my favourite character and this one seems to feature him heavily which I'm sure will leave me very happy.

Hungry, the Stars and Everything by Emma Jane Unsworth

 Unsworth is the partner of Guy Garvey, lead singer of Elbow my favourite band, and if she's half as talented with words as he is I'm sure this will be a fantastic read. Her blog isn't half bad either! (Although it hasn't been updated in a while)

A Fool's Paradise by Elmify

 
A story written by Elmify of YouTube fame, whilst she was in high school. She read an excerpt in a video and it seemed really interesting and it cost me all of £1.50 so I didn't see why not! You should definitely check out her videos, they are hilarious and wonderfully eloquent.


So those are my summer reads, I shall review them all upon my return! What are you planning to read this summer? Anything recommended by Richard and Judy? Me neither...

FINISHED: Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

So, Noughts and Crosses, I wasn't so sure at first, but it really surprised me. I am really impressed. A dystopian YA book that doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of awful situations.

Bombs go off, people die, awful decisions have to be made and I loved that. I was really impressed.
Blackman doesn't shy away from issues of race and occasionally issues of gender, handling them really well. Her characterisation is nigh on perfect too.

If I have two problems with it, and they are very small, they are that occasionally she sprints through periods of time without too much explanation and that her prose isn't brilliant, but I suppose it is a YA novel so I can cope with those issues.

Overall, I am really impressed and will be going returning to this series soon!

8/10

STARTING: Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

A book I've been seeing on shelves in Waterstones for years, each time saying "one day I'll get around to reading that" and finally I am. We'll see if it lives up to the hype! Not sure if it's the first in a series or standalone but I'm not sure I want to spoil the story by finding out.

Check out my goodreads to see how I'm getting through it! http://www.goodreads.com/fivebyfivewhat

Once a tag cheater, always a tag cheater.. [7 Deadly Sins of Reading]

Ok, I admit it. I haven't been tagged to do this. Scandalous I know, but to be honest, I'm bored and need to do something other than rewatching YouTube videos I've seen numerous times before, so here we go! Remember those old myspace quizzes that used to start off innocuous but then end up being suddenly about your sex life? I used to do those all the time.. not that 13 year old me had anything to tell...
Well that inadvertently ended up in a weird place... let's get on with the tag before I say something else.

 The 7 Deadly Sins of Reading

GREED
What is your most expensive book? What is your least expensive book?
Most expensive would probably have to be a special edition copy of 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' that I saved up for in my early teens and now cherish. It currently resides on the bookshelf in my room in my university house.
Least expensive would have to be a copy of 'Artemis Fowl' that I got for 99p and still have not got around to reading...

WRATH
Which author do you have a love/hate relationship with?
Darren Shan. Seriously, I adored his books as a kid, but as I've gotten older I still want to devour everything he writes out of pure unadulterated loyalty but they now seem formulaic and easy to predict. Disappointing. Sorry Darren...

GLUTTONY
What book have you deliciously devoured over and over with no shame whatsoever?
I went through a stage of just rereading the books I already owned for about 4 years so this could be a long list, but to just choose one... (not counting the Harry Potter books of course) 'Paper Towns' by John Green. I just adore it, so beautifully paced, even once you know the storyline.

SLOTH
What book have you neglected reading due to laziness?
'Sophie's Choice'. That makes me sound like a terrible human, I was told to read it before my A Level course on ethics so bought it and now, even after my first year at university, I still haven't even opened it. Bad Mary. Bad.
Oh and every autobiography on my shelf, I always buy them, thinking they'll be fascinating and never get over halfway through. They're not cheap either!

PRIDE
What book do you most talk about in order to sound like a very intellectual reader?
'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides, well really anything written by him. Or 'Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit' by Jeanette Winterson, you'd be surprised how much credit you get by reading that off your own back, rather than for a course.

LUST
What attributes do you find most attractive in male or female characters?
To say that I find certain attributes attractive in characters would be to imply that I have some conscious choice in the matter, but I seem to find that the male characters I am drawn to are usually evil, or perceived as so by the protagonist (read Severus Snape) and female characters are usually feisty, independent and often rude. Rampaging feminist, what can I say?

ENVY
What books would you most like to receive as a gift?
Anything that someone things I would benefit from reading, I love it when people give me their favourite books to see if I can discover something new!

STARTING: Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

[EDIT: In resizing the picture on this post it has moved it up in the chronological order of my posts.. thanks Blogger. If you want to read the review for this book you'll need to look back a few posts :)]

And now for something completely different!
A recommendation from both my parents, they've finally got me to start reading Jeffrey Archer, so we'll see how this goes! I think this book is part of a trilogy but I doubt I'll read them all in a row.

Let's see if it lives up to the hype created by my family!

FINISHED: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Finished last night after it took a turn for the absurd...

*HERE BE SPOILERS*

after being locked up in Thai prison after being inadvertently used as a drugs mule and caught at customs, dear Bridget is sent a live bullet from a mysterious source and ends up staying in Mark Darcy's house under the pretext of her flat not being safe..

*SPOILERS GONE*

It all gets a bit contrived, but the comic writing never falters and I was giggling away til the end, just ask DB, he got the brunt of it.

Very much enjoyed this book, perhaps it didn't have the charm of the original, but it wasn't far off!

7/10

Currently Reading: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Hey guys, so it's been a while! I suppose these things always take a turn down in posting when the summer comes around, less opportunities to procrastinate I suppose! DB has given me a ridiculous amount of books to read over the summer despite my plans to take my Kindle to Cornwall on the family holiday to save on space... hmm...

So Bridget Jones is going well, just as funny as the original, if not slightly funnier due to Mark Darcy's frequent bizarre appearances just at the wrong time, as always. Poor Bridge.
At least she's finally thrown away all those horrid self help books which perpetuate the "male hive mind" myth. Good for you Bridget, you fictional character.

I'm getting there guys, why not check out my goodreads to keep an eye on my (somewhat slow) progress?

http://www.goodreads.com/fivebyfivewhat

STARTING: Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason - Helen Fielding

After watching the first Bridget Jones film for the first time in ages, and having read the original book years ago whilst on a holiday on the Isle of Skye, I thought I'd give the sequel a try, after telling DB that I didn't want to read anything that was in a series for a while. Classic Mary.

FINISHED: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl

Really enjoyed this, Belle's insights and humour make it an easy read and I finished far quicker than expected to, rather like a few men in the book... The tales of Belle's working life are interspersed with anecdotes from her pre-call girl life and the story is all the better for it. Far funnier than 50 Shades of Grey will ever be, and far more realistic too. 8/10

STARTING: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl by Belle de Jour

Apologies for the lack of photo but I'm posting on the fly today. I have just started reading what in my head I call 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' as I was a fan of the tv adaptation of this book starring Billie Piper long before I even thought about reading the book. I thought I should try the original source material! That and I was sick of books setting themselves up for trilogies or quadrilogies, I just wanted to read something on its own for once.

FINISHED: Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

I started this book knowing it was part of a trilogy and I do plan to read the second installment although not immediately.

I really enjoyed the characterisation of this book, and the way it was told through separate people's viewpoints often going over the same events. Although the story's main plot was somewhat predictable, it was nevertheless enjoyable and kept me turning the page. Say what you want about Jeffrey Archer, his prose may not be beautiful, but his stories keep you interested.

Not thrilling, but enjoyable, I will come back for more soon!

6/10

FINISHED: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (spoilery)

**THIS REVIEW IS GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT SPOILERY SO IF YOU PLAN TO READ THE BOOK THIEF OR HAVE NOT YET FINISHED IT PLEASE STOP READING AND COME BACK ONCE YOU HAVE ALSO SUFFERED EMOTIONAL TRAUMA AT THE HANDS OF A BOOK**

Oh Markus Zusak, why? Why did you have to cause me so much pain with your beautiful, beautiful book? Oh it was gorgeous, every sentence so beautifully constructed, every plot turn wonderfully thought out. But I'll give you some structure to this review rather than my mindless blathering, ok, I might still blather, but I'll try my best to keep it under control. I promise.

The book is narrated from the point of view of 'Death' or the 'Grim Reaper' as 'He' is often known. Almost like Terry Pratchett's Death but in ways very different, this Death has seen too much, he is jaded but not yet hopeless and is, as he says "haunted by humans". In Death we have an almost-omniscient narrator (as he says in the novel, humans aren't the only ones to whom God does not reply), and a narrator with the ultimate hindsight.
With this in mind, Death reveals many characters' ultimate fates as soon as they are introduced to us, when, where and often how they will die, and the deaths of others are always revealed before they happen in the narrative. This brilliant plot device removes any sense of suspense or tension when it comes to whether or not a character will survive but does not somehow relieve the whole book of an underlying sense of fear and worriment. Whereas other books, such as the Hunger Games series (although not necessarily to their detriment) leave each chapter on a cliffhanger having you desperate to read on, The Book Thief offers you breaks, and it is not a short book, but the characters rarely left my head for long.

In The Book Thief, Death follows the life of the titular 'book thief' Liesel Meminger as she grows up in Nazi Germany. At the beginning of the novel, Liesel is given up by her mother to foster parents after the arrest of her father who was a communist (although Liesel is unaware of what this means). Her foster parents, Hans (the uber-father as it were) and Rosa (the rude and often abusive woman who despite her temperament loves her family and is "a good woman for a crisis") look after her well, although she is somewhat haunted.

Liesel is a beautifully drawn character, she is brave yet often fearful, full of confidence but also self-blame for things beyond her control. She develops from a terrified, illiterate, abandoned young girl to a strong young woman, a 'word-shaker' who is willing to fight for her own beliefs regardless of the cost.
 
Not only is the protagonist wonderful to read about, but the cast of supporting characters are gloriously drawn, from Rudy (the Jesse Owens loving, cocky young boy with a heart, as well as hair of gold) to Max (the Jew with feathers for hair hidden in the basement of Liesel and her foster parents). We are made to care about them in their own right, they are as crucial to us as they are to Liesel.

But I would like to say a few more words about Death, he could be quite easily overlooked as a character in 'His' own right, but his personality is carefully carved in telling the story of Liesel, a supernatural being with a fascination and sympathy for humans, who struggles with the weight of his job, who describes the sky in varying terms (my personal favourite being "the sky was grey, the colour of Europe"). He cares and he hurts and yet carries on, telling Liesel's story so it shall not be forgotten. And although fictional, nor should it be.

I have read so many novels about World War 2 in my time, but The Book Thief helped me see it with fresh eyes and also broke my heart repeatedly. So beautifully crafted and written with such care, this novel deserves to be read and reread for years to come.

10/10

Currently Reading: The Boof Thief (no spoilers) + update and apology

Sorry I've been away for so long! What with moving back home after year 1 of university and then visiting DB at the other side of the country I've had a lot of time to read but not a lot of time to blog.

I'm 55% of the way through The Book Thief and I love it so far, I picked it up thinking it was a book for children but I'm not so sure any more. The main character is easily identifiable and really rather sweet, her parents at odds with each other but muddling through and the secret in the basement seems to offer some promise at a story arc.

I am adoring this book, the way it is narrated and the way not a lot seems to happen other than daytime monotony set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany I remember from being taught it at age 11 onwards.

Loving it so far, will keep pushing through it and should have it finished within the next week hopefully!

STARTING: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Recommended repeatedly by John Green of the Vlogbrothers and I wanted to read something very different to anything I've read recently, I'm not sure how much of the plot you're meant to know before you read it so I'll let you all google it if you want to know, I think it's one of those you're meant to discover for yourself along the way.

FINISHED: Uglies

Disappointed, very disappointed.

I loved the world building of this novel, it was a fantastic idea and one that really appealed to me, but the story and characters remained uncompelling and predictable, I didn't care about what happened to them, I was never worried if they were in danger as I was convinced everyone would be fine.
Too predictable for my tastes and I won't be reading the rest of the series, possibly better for younger readers not old enough to cope with the violence of The Hunger Games.

4/10

Currently Reading: Uglies (spoilers with warnings)

Well it all started off so well, the world building was excellent and as this is only my second dystopian novel I was wondering if it would hold up as well as the Panem of the Hunger Games did.

But it's heading downhill, it's starting to become unbelievable, not technologically, but just with regards to a major plot point...

HERE BE SPOILERS

STARTING: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

A book recommended by the people of YouTube who helped me find The Hunger Games.
Let's hope this is as successful a find!

(Oh and I'm reading on a kindle now so the pictures of my hard copies of books will be few and far between, I'm relying on google images for covers now)

FINISHED: The Loop

So I finished The Loop by Nicholas Evans last night, don't have a huge amount to say about it other than it was very easy to read, I enjoyed the reading experience but I didn't get a whole lot from it, but that was what I was expecting and what I wanted from it.

For a girl who really likes wolves this was definitely the one of his books to read and I found it fascinating when occasionally he chose to narrate a segment from the point of view of the wolves, especially on the hunt.

If you like wolves, if you like American ranches, unambiguous love stories and something that is easy to read I'd definitely recommend this for you!

6/10

Oh and I've started updating my GoodReads page again after starting it last year and then never touching it. Bear in mind this doesn't contain every book I've ever read, only some of the ones I have read or reread since July last year, I stopped updating it in around October and am just starting again so stick with me!
http://www.goodreads.com/fivebyfivewhat

STARTING: The Loop - Nicholas Evans

First Nicholas Evans book in quite a while. I read the Horse Whisperer long before I should have, I was far too young, but I remember thinking it was good... let's see if his second book holds up.
This was given to me by my mother knowing how much I like wolves, although I get the feeling the wolves won't feature a lot...

FINISHED: The Marriage Plot (minor spoilers)

I finished The Marriage Plot on Saturday night, but needed a while to let myself mull over it.

I loved it, I absolutely sped through it. And when I got to the end, much to the amusement of DB, it got so emotionally intense that I had to put it down 3 pages before the end and go back to it later.

The story follows three Brown University students through their graduation and beyond, Madeleine, Leonard and Mitchell entangled in a love-triangle, although not all of them realise the triangle exists.

Mitchell was by far my favourite narrator and character, mostly because I empathized with him most, his drawing to theology despite his lack of belief, his introspection. I was at my most comfortable when the book was being narrated by him.
Madeleine, although I started off thinking she was a brat, grew on me massively, we start the book not knowing why she wakes up on the day of Graduation hung over and mortified, and as the book reflects on previous events, whilst running chronologically at the same time (an impressive feat for the author, fantastically done) I decided I liked her a lot more.
I found the book uncomfortable to read when Leonard was the narrator, but I feel that was Eugenides' intention although it would be a spoiler to reveal why.

It made me laugh and it made me cry, often very close together, but it has stayed with me, possibly as I find myself approaching the time of my life described by the characters in the novel.

'The Marriage Plot' was very different to both of the previous Eugenides books, but one thing remains the same, Jeffrey Eugenides' prose is to me, the most beautiful to read anywhere in contemporary fiction, I just hope he keeps it up.

9/10

Currently Reading: The Marriage Plot

Oh Jeffrey Euginides, you've pulled it back for me again.
I started off this book really disliking the main character, Madeleine, feeling she was spoilt and arrogant but, not only have my feelings changed, but I have been drawn so significantly into the plot in such a short time. I started reading this book yesterday and am already over a quarter of the way through.

To sum up how I'm feeling, here is a what I posted on my tumblr about 2 hours ago when I put the book down after reading a substantial amount in a short amount of time:


"You know when you get so engrossed in a book that you can’t remember turning the pages, you don’t remember what was playing over your headphones, all you can think about is the story and the characters and the pain and the joy in their heads.
It’s been so long since I had that.
Thanks again Jeffrey Eugenides."

I was so stuck in the book I didn't want to stop reading, but I had to force myself to, not only because I had to read about German Federalism for my first exam next Wednesday, but also because I didn't want to finish it too quickly. All too often I can get engrossed in a book, finish it in a day and then feel this enormous sense of loss and a feeling that I wished I'd spread it out a bit more. So here's my attempt today. I have put it down. Because I want to spend more time with these characters, even if the majority of it is simply inside my head.

STARTING: The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

I love Jeffrey Eugenides.
And that's why I'm slightly nervous about finally getting to read his new book. I devoured The Virgin Suicides and adored Middlesex (which I reread over Christmas), they're very different and again he seems to be following his trend of having no trend when it comes to the subjects of his books.
But as long as his writing continues to be as soulful and beautifully paced as it has been in the past I'm sure I'll be very happy.

I'll keep you updated!

FINISHED: The Fist of God (no spoilers)

So, after starting it what must have been about 6 weeks ago, I finally finished Fist of God last night! After slowly trudging through the first half before and during the Easter holidays I picked it up after returning to uni and got really into it. I absolutely flew through the last third which I think I read in a matter of days.

Had this been a book I had picked up myself, rather than a recommendation from DB I think I would have put it down after the first couple of chapters but I'm so glad I didn't! It was a very rewarding read in the end. The narration is split between varying characters in different states and different ranks, from civilians who work in banks to the highest of the high in the Israeli Mossad.
I had varying theories as to who the mysterious 'Jericho' was (the spy leaking information to the coalition forces throughout the lead up to the war), but was left laughing out loud at the final revelation as I had completely failed to guess correctly.

Not the easiest read in the world, but as this genre and style of writing was completely new to me that is not hugely surprising. Forsyth was definitely in his element in the last third of the book, intertwining the viewpoints and actually getting to the meat of the story. If I had problems with this book they were that there was too much build up to events and too many viewpoints. Some of the narrators of certain points of the book were entirely unnecessary but, in Forsyth's defence, they may have been included to throw people off the scent with regards to 'Jericho'.

Overall a very satisfying read, I felt a sense of achievement when I got to the end of this book, rather than my usual sense of loss at having left a fictional universe. Perhaps not the best book with which to start my foray into recent historical fiction, but I'll definitely look into Forsyth's books again!

7/10

Currently Reading: The Fist of God - Frederick Forsythe

Not going to lie, not something that I would normally read, but after I persuaded my dear boyfriend (henceforth known as DB) to read 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green, he insisted that I read something he suggested. And this was it. My dad was also thrilled that I was finally reading something that he had already read. I have stayed away from Lee Child and Ben Elton thus far, but we shall see how long this lasts!
For those of you not in the know, I'm currently studying International Politics at university and it seemed to DB that this would be something I would enjoy as it is what I would affectionately term as 'historical fan fiction', although according to the internet it is a 'thriller novel'.
Set during the Persian Gulf War, a British SAS man who can pass as an Arab is sent into Kuwait as a part of the resistance to take down Saddam Hussein.

I've never read anything based on actual historical events before, and at first I found it very difficult to read, as it just seemed to be full of random male characters who appeared to have nothing to do with each other, but as the story started to pull together I found myself being pulled into the story. I very much like who I shall deem as the main character of the story, the SAS man (as he is named on the blurb of the book) and hopefully I'll get to read a lot more of him before the end of this book. I also find it hilarious when characters come into the book whom I know from my university reading such as Benjamin Netanyahu, it just seems so bizarre to me that these are people who had roles in these real events, but are interacting with characters clearly made up by the author who has no real link to these events. Strange but true. Like I said, historical fan fiction.

I am 255 pages into this 624 page long book, so I still have quite a way to go, but I am definitely enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would! If this one has a satisfying ending I will definitely read more of Forsyth's books.

Seeking Fiction

I, Mary [surnamenotdisclosed], of sound mind and honest good intentions am starting a book blog. Yes, you heard me correctly.

As long as I can remember I've loved to read. Perhaps it's the curse of being an only child, or just the way I was brought up, but I've never not had some book, or a few, on the go at any one time.
So I've decided to put that information to good use and start this blog.

I'm going to post every time I start a new book, perhaps blog a bit whilst reading (spoiler-ful and spoiler-free, there will be warnings!) and then once I've finished it I'll post a review. That's the plan.

Good intentions guys, this is as much for my records as it is for any readers, but I hope you enjoy it as I start seeking fiction.