April 2016 – Page 2 – My Good Reads

‘The One-in-a-Million Boy’ – Monica Wood

104-year-old Ona Viktis has lived a fairly quiet life. She has something of a reputation for being a little awkward, but generally she keeps herself to herself. However, we learn that recently she has been visited by a young boy fulfilling the requirements of a Scouting badge and he has – with his curious passion for the Guinness World of Records – awakened something in Ona. The two have formed an unlikely friendship, but one week he fails to turn up; his father, Quinn, arrives instead.

What Quinn fails to reveal to Ona immediately is that his son has died. Quinn is doing his duty by his son, and finishing what he started.

Through a combination of methods, the relationships between the boy and those who loved him are laid bare. We see, in varying ways, the effect loss has on people and how they deal with it.

A curious read, with some poignant moments, that left me with a warm glow.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy received in exchange for an honest review.

‘Glass Sword’ (Red Queen 2) – Victoria Aveyard

‘Glass Sword’ picks up straight after the events of ‘Red Queen’, and we are thrown quickly into the bloody aftermath of the escape.

This novel focuses a lot more on the emotional impact of events on our key players, which might irritate some readers. It’s not that there isn’t action – there’s a fair few skirmishes – but it’s all part of a much bigger picture so in the grand scheme of things you could argue that not much happens.

That’s what my detached head response says. But as Aveyard keeps pointing out, anyone/anything can betray anyone. My heart has a much stronger response to this novel and I lapped it up whole-heartedly.

Without giving plot details away, this novel focuses on the attempt to find the Newbloods, those Reds with powers, before Maven can get to them. We get to see some interesting new characters, and there’s a definite sense of a strategic pulling together of various threads. Mare develops in ways that aren’t always welcome, but I felt for her as she struggles to become what people want her to be. Her changing relationships with Cal and Kilorn have me totally clueless about which way this romantic element will play out. There’s also a small part of me that would love Maven to be redeemable. I teared up at the loss of some favourites (and, no, I won’t spoil it by saying who) and was more than a little intrigued by the appearance of some new characters.

There’s been some criticism of the revelation that there are to be four books in this series. With an ending like this, however, I personally can’t wait. A powerful, yet ominous, final image that has me desperate to know what comes next.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy (sorry to not get round to reading it until a lot later than publication)

‘The Course of Love’ – Alain de Botton

The Course of Love is a novel that explores what happens after the birth of love, what it takes to maintain love, and what happens to our original ideals under the pressures of an average existence.

A work of fiction that plays with our expectations, this is a love story like no other. We watch Kirsten and Rabih meet, fall in love, get married and have children. We are witness to their thoughts and feelings as they reflect on their relationship and their reactions to each other. Searingly honest, this is an unsentimental exploration of what it means to be in love while coping with daily life and its pressures.

I imagine many readers will find themselves nodding at points during this novel as they recognise an idea or feeling. I certainly did, and I found the philosophical exploration of some of these behaviours fascinating.

It is not a criticism when I say this novel tells a fairly mundane story. To paraphrase the author a little, many of us will live utterly mediocre lives. For me, the enjoyment of this story comes from the exploration of ideas and emotions.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

‘Lady Midnight’ – Cassandra Clare

At a massive 698 pages in paperback, this is a novel you have to be prepared to invest some time in. If you’re a fan of Cassandra Clare’s writing, this won’t seem much of a hardship!

This is the first in a new series, set in the ShadowHunter world but five years after the events of the Mortal Instruments series. It focuses on the Blackthorn family who run the Los Angeles Institute and their investigation into mysterious demonic killings that seem to be linked to the deaths of the Carstairs.

In this novel we are given some familiar characters, but the focus is firmly on Emma Carstairs and her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn. There are plenty of action scenes, some magic, romance – lots of it – and one or two unexpected twists that really suggest this series could be even better than the previous one.

While there were passages within the novel that interested me less than others (which I suppose is inevitable in such a large book), I quickly became absorbed by the events within this book. It doesn’t shy away from some pretty difficult subjects, and the questions posed by some of the events in the novel – along with the consequences for the characters involved – really did have me in knots at times.

There are some wonderful aspects to this novel: the exploration of the parabatai bond and its meaning for those involved; the role love and honour play in our decision-making; one or two interesting discoveries involving some familiar faces; Kieran’s relationship with Mark Blackthorn and the ending. Oh, the ending…

I can’t be the only one cross that I have to wait until April 2017 for ‘Lord of Shadows’, part two in the trilogy.

‘Paperweight’ – Meg Haston

This was a difficult book to get into. It tells the story of seventeen-year-old Stevie who has dealt with her mother’s disappearance and the death of her brother in increasingly self-destructive ways. When the novel begins we learn that Stevie is awaiting the anniversary of her brother’s death as this is the day that she plans to kill herself.

A lot of the details that see us come to understand Stevie are revealed slowly throughout the novel. This meant that, initially, I found the character selfish, obsessive and quite unpleasant at times.

We are witness to Stevie being checked into a treatment clinic where she is receiving support for an eating disorder. It seems an odd thing to notice, but her frustration at being diagnosed bulimic rather than anorexic was a chilling alert to just how mentally fragile she was. This was a quite intriguing insight into someone living in the grips of a mental disorder, though I was taken aback by the level of detail given about some aspects of her experience.

For me, the most interesting parts of the novel were either the developing relationships between the girls in the clinic, or the relayed sessions Stevie has with her therapist where we see her growing self-awareness and willingness to engage with the problems she has tried to escape.

‘The Imaginary’ – A.F. Harrold

‘The Imaginary’ is a curious book; intended for children, but definitely one that adults will love.

It tells the story of Amanda Shuffleup and her imaginary friend, Rudger. Amanda, an only child, has a vivid imagination and her utter belief in the existence of Rudger was great fun to read. At times, she is very self-absorbed and her behaviour towards Rudger was almost cruel. She shows little regard for his feelings, and this was a fascinating look at how children make sense of their world.

One day the sinister Mr Bunting appears at Amanda’s door. He has caught the scent of Rudger and needs to feed off him in order to keep alive. This character is more than little creepy, but in the ‘Coraline’ sense rather than out and out scary. As Mr Bunting and his own imaginary friend pursue Rudger, we witness some fairly harrowing events.

For me, one of the most satisfying parts of the experience was looking at the illustrations by Emily Gravett. They perfectly complement the events and ideas within the novel, and make us address our own fears about growing older and losing the people important to us.

‘Red Queen’ – Victoria Aveyard

Published in early 2015, I am kicking myself that it has taken me so long to feel in the place to read this debut novel.

‘Red Queen’ is the story of seventeen-year-old Mare Barrow, a Red who is regarded as lesser than the ruling Silver elite simply because of the colour of her blood. Mare is a petty thief who, through some pretty powerful intervention, finds herself living in the Royal Palace. As a threat to the established order – because she has a talent like nothing that has been seen before – Mare is given a whole new persona and so begins a very dangerous game.

From the opening pages of this book I was gripped.

Throughout the book we are introduced to numerous characters and situations that were quite compelling. Mare’s relationship with Prince Cal was an obvious device on which key plot elements hinge…but as you’re reading it, it doesn’t matter. As the characters get caught up in the machinations of the Silvers and the desire of the rebellious Red Guard to overthrow the status quo, it’s hard not to get caught in the intensity of this novel.

Mare, along with a number of characters, is but a pawn in a much bigger game and this novel perfectly illustrates the adage of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.

While I was desperate to finish this book, I was also quite upset at the realisation that there will never again be a first meeting with a new favourite.

‘Truthwitch’ – Susan Dennard

‘Truthwitch’ seems to be a book that is dividing people. I’ve heard lots about it – mostly gushing praise it has to be said – but those who don’t like it seem to really dislike it. I’m not entirely sure why there is such antipathy to it; nor do I really fall into the category of regarding this as an ‘instant classic’.

There is no doubt that there is much about this novel to appeal to readers of all ages. It’s a richly imagined world, with lots of action scenes and there is the obligatory romance, though this at least is bubbling under the surface for most of the novel.

Initially I was a little put off by the relationship between the central characters of Iseult and Safiya, who seemed to be looking for trouble for no obvious reason. One seems to lead the other into trouble and yet nothing is said. However, they are strong characters and I grew to admire them as the novel progresses.

The world in which these two girls live is a little hazy. We’re told that there are three empires in power, and that the end of a truce period is drawing near. Some are doing well under this regime; others are not.

What we’re told from the outset is that there are many types of magic in this world. Each witch has power of a different type. Safiya is a Truthwitch, meaning she could be a valuable commodity in the wrong hands. Iseult is a Threadwitch, meaning she can see the ties that bind people together. From the outset we are given clues that, together, these two girls might be very important. Certainly, their skills put them at risk.

The plot is fairly straightforward. The two girls are being pursued by a number of people, and it’s a desperate battle to get the right people to the right place at the right time. Along the way, we get hints of past intrigues, political events and some interest to come. While it might have been helpful to have this fleshed out little more, it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the story.

For me the most interesting characters were Iseult and Aneudin, the Bloodwitch. The scenes where Iseult returns to her family were captivating, and I loved the fact that the bad guy wasn’t quite as bad as we’d been led to believe. I found that the parts of the story featuring these two characters were far more entertaining to read than those involving Safiya and Prince Merik.

At times during reading I have to confess to being both confused and even a little bored. However, on the whole I felt I couldn’t wait to find out more about how these events would be resolved and think this is definitely a series to stick with.

‘The Trouble With Goats and Sheep’ – Joanna Cannon

Throughout this novel there are references to religion and how beliefs can shape our behaviour. The central idea of people being divided into goats and sheep, and the idea that anyone is in a position to decide who is who, was fascinating. Hearing some of the characters espouse their theories reveals much about them, and encourages us to consider our own response to the events and characters described.

‘The Trouble With Goats and Sheep’ is a debut novel that is set in the summer of 1976. Ten year olds Grace and Tilly are curious about the world around them, and their curiosity is piqued when one of the neighbours goes missing. They are determined to be the ones to solve the mystery of what happened to Mrs Creasy, and so begins one of the best books I’ve read in a while.

This is not a book where much actually happens. We follow Grace on her investigation, and I loved her innocence as she observes the events happening around her. Seen through this child’s eyes, some of the absurdities of adult life are all too clearly highlighted.

Focusing on a fairly small cast of characters who live on The Avenue, Cannon slowly reveals all manner of hidden secrets. Cleverly interspersing past information with Grace’s investigations we slowly piece together some of the events that are alluded to throughout the novel, which all appear to play their part in the disappearance of Mrs Creasy.

Learning the hidden details of these characters’ lives was unsettling on more than one occasion. The Boo Radley of the novel – Walter Bishop – is a character that I felt deeply about. Though the setting is unashamedly of its time, the questions we are forced to ask about ourselves and our behaviour remain relevant for all time.

‘Acne, Asthma and Other Signs You Might be Half-Dragon’ – Rena Rocford

I admit that the title of this book was what attracted me when I saw it on my book group Buddy Read list. Reading the blurb/reviews, I’m afraid to say that I felt this would be a fairly lightweight read that might be good fun but nothing more. It’s fair to say that I had fairly low expectations for this novel before I began reading.

The cover evokes a real sense of mystery. It suggests foreign lands, mysterious creatures and is – if I’m being honest – totally at odds with the somewhat crass title. The image of the main character is also nothing like the image we are given in the novel – unless she is suffering from the lowest case of self-esteem I’ve ever read about!

The idea behind the novel is fairly straightforward. Allyson, our central character, has moved around a lot and is quite used to not fitting in. At her current school we are given clear reasons for her sense of alienation – she is actually part Kin, meaning she is part-mythical creature. Upon learning this fairly major detail (which nobody in her family has thought fit to mention) Allyson is caught up in events that are crazier than anything you could make up in your wildest dreams.

From the outset mysterious creatures and odd situations are thrown our way, and none of the characters in the novel bat an eyelid, which I found incredible. This was like some bizarre cartoon – nothing really made sense, events followed on from each other unbelievably quickly and you can’t help but feel that this is something people should grow out of. I’m sure this book will have its fans, but I wasn’t really one of them.