Saturday 30 June 2012
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
Monday 25 June 2012
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.
Saturday 23 June 2012
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
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
Wednesday 13 June 2012
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
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
Saturday 9 June 2012
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!
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!
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