Latest Posts – Page 119

‘Go Set A Watchman’ – Harper Lee

When it hit the news that a manuscript for ‘Go Set A Watchman’ had been found I completely understood the concerns that many readers will have had. ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ is a modern classic, and one that so many people hold dear for numerous reasons. How on earth would publishing the novel that was rejected add to anything? I admit to thinking it seemed like a fairly cynical money-making ploy, and certainly seemed like a rather frail woman was being taken advantage of.

When the novel was first published I was quite surprised by the furore surrounding some of the revelations. It was the idea that this was the book that become ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ that intrigued me and my interest to see the book as part of a process was what, ultimately, persuaded me to purchase a copy.

It took some time to read. Not because it was challenging, or because I couldn’t get into it. If I’m being honest, the character of Scout is such a defining character that I could not read this without thinking of her as she was. The story didn’t really seem to go anywhere. There was nothing awful about it, but nor did I really find anything to rave about.

For me this is a novel that has to be read alongside ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, and purely to see it as part of a process of writing.

I can’t help but think this is a valuable document for lovers of literature, but not a book to recommend to readers for its own sake.

‘Broken Promise’ – Linwood Barclay

David Harwood is a single parent, recently made redundant, and he is living in his home-town of Promise Falls with his parents. Things could be better. As is often the way with fiction, things are about to get a lot worse!

Without going into details, he gets caught up in the aftermath of what can only be described as a horrific murder.

I raced through this, desperate to find out if my hunch about the ‘bad guy’ was correct. It was, but I wish I’d learned more about why he’d acted as he did. The ending also felt a little open-ended for me, but given that this is part of a new series I assume this is to set up what comes next.

I was given a free digital copy of this by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Girl on the Train’ – Paula Hawkins

If you’ve read and enjoyed Gone Girl then this would seem to be the book that people push you towards. I can see why – it’s touted as a thriller, has a flawed narrator, leads the reader up the proverbial garden path on more than occasion and there are some rather gruesome moments. While I enjoyed Gone Girl, my feelings towards this are less secure.

The general premise is straightforward enough. Rachel catches the same train to and from work every day. On the way she passes what she sees as the ideal couple – who she christens Jess and Jason. One day she sees something from the train that leads her to question whether their relationship is as good as she thinks. Then Megan – the real name of the woman she has christened Jess – goes missing and is discovered dead.

Unfortunately, I really disliked Rachel at the opening of the novel and I wonder if this is a deliberate ploy to get us to reassess our feelings towards her as she gets caught up in events that are way beyond those she imagined from her seat on the train. Her alcoholism and selfish disregard for all around her is irritating, though quite realistic. The characters that she interacts with seemed too one-dimensional and I also found the use of multiple narrators meant the story was quite difficult to piece together clearly.

I got a niggling feeling that the character of Tom was more pivotal to the plot than we were being led to believe quite early on and the red-herring of Scott (Jason in her alternative world) was irritating. As the book progressed I felt desperately sorry for Megan, but it felt as though so many ingredients were being thrown in to this pot by the end that I just wanted it to end.

A great holiday read, but I really don’t think it deserves the hype.

‘Awake’ – Natasha Preston

A really mixed bag of reviews for this, and it does seem to be something of a love it or loathe it kind of book. I received a free digital copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing I will say is that this is the kind of book that you will race through if you can get over the rather awful beginning. I’m some way out of my teens and perhaps just a little sceptical to have fallen for the rapidity with which Scarlett falls for the new boy in school, Noah. However, with the story being told from varying perspectives it is quickly clear that there is more to Noah than meets the eye.

As so many readers have pointed out, not having many memories before the age of four is quite normal. As we learn more about why Scarlett has ‘forgotten’ her memories we get drawn in to the world of the Eternal Light. I know very little about how cults operate, but I can’t imagine so many people would remain in this kind of environment without questioning some of the things that occur within it – certainly not based on what we learn about the group from within the pages of the novel.

I won’t reveal plot details here because one of the things that kept me reading was the way this could never be pinned down in the way you might expect. This could have been a powerful book. It’s readable, and if you stick with it you will probably enjoy it. Unfortunately, you then start to realise all the things that are nonsensical within the novel, and find reasons to pick holes in it. The ending also felt horribly contrived in order to leave the way open for a follow-on. For me this was a novel that was full of promise, that didn’t really deliver.

‘Concentr8’ – William Sutcliffe

Due to be published 27th August 2015, I have to thank NetGalley and Bloomsbury Childrens for giving me an advance digital copy of this novel.

The cover stands out, but it was the description of the book that stood out for me. Set in a future London, Concentr8 is the cheaper version of drugs used to treat children with ADD. It quickly becomes the ‘go-to’ drug, and a way of keeping what are perceived to be troubled teens in line.

Blaze and his crew have been taking Concentr8 for as long as they can remember. When supplies are removed, rioting breaks out across the city. What makes Blaze and his friends take hostage one of the Mayor’s employees we never really find out. What we get is an account of the five days following this decision.

We witness these events from many viewpoints, but never Blaze’s, and this was one of the most infuriating things about the novel. We are granted a tantalising glimpse into Blaze’s mind when he arranges an interview with a broadsheet journalist. He is evidently articulate and has academic potential, but social policies have ensured he is denied opportunities that would make a difference.

This was an interesting concept, and it certainly gets you thinking about how certain behaviours are managed, but I would have liked more.

‘The Black-Eyed Blonde’ – Benjamin Black

This was my attempt to read something from a genre I’m not familiar with. I have only a passing interest in detective movies/novels and I admit to reading this because it was passed on to me to try, rather than it being a deliberate choice.

The story focuses on the attempts of Private Detective Phillip Marlowe to find the former lover of beautiful heiress, Claire Cavendish. Tales of dodgy dealings and double-crossings abound, and there was a certain fascination for me in reading a book so firmly placed in this time-period.

I confess to feeling completely distant from the events/characters. The ‘big reveal’ was heavily hinted at, and I found the whole thing dated in style. I’m aware this may have been intentional, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.

I may well try ‘The Big Sleep’ or another Raymond Chandler to see if the original is, in this case, better than what comes later…

‘Another Day’ and ‘Every Day’- David Levithan

1st August – I received a free digital copy of ‘Another Day’ – which isn’t due to be published until August 25th 2015 – from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing I have to do is admit that I haven’t read the companion book, Every Day. I would imagine that for people who know the story this would only be of interest to get a different perspective of events. Coming to the story fresh, as I did, meant I spent the first part of the story confused and trying to establish just who was who, and how their stories were linked. However, once the basic story was set up I was hooked.

The idea behind the story of A is fascinating. Each day allows us to see another facet of Rhiannon’s character, and to explore concepts about identity.

I will amend my review once the book has been published, but it should be enough to let you know that I’ve already downloaded the previous book and am looking forward to seeing how it changes my reading of the story.

18th August – Having now read ‘Every Day’ I found interesting to see how the two books complemented one another. Of course, nothing new is really added in this original version in terms of the plot but seeing the events through the eyes of A meant some of the blanks are filled in. If I had one gripe it’s that there’s never a satisfactory reason given for the pull between these two characters, but I am curious to see whether or not the mysterious Poole is to become the focus of another story.

‘Center of Gravity’ – Laura McNeill

I received a free digital copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that this is not the kind of book I would normally go for, but I am so pleased I gave it a try. A marriage in decline is not a pleasant thing at any time – but to observe the rapidity of this experience was quite unsettling.

On the surface Mitchell and Ava seem to have it all. Very quickly we are alerted to the idea that not everything is as rosy as it seems, though it takes Ava some time to come to this realisation. While I was initially unsure about the telling of the story from multiple viewpoints, I found this helped strengthen my feelings for the character of Ava.

I don’t like to give spoiler details in my reviews, but I found this well-plotted and hard to put down. It felt horribly realistic at times, which might not be to everyone’s tastes, but I think it is a book that deserves to be read.

‘Pillow Talk’ – Freya North

I confess to having a bit of a soft spot for romantic fiction by certain writers – Lisa Jewel, Jill Mansell, Freya North – and there were parts of this book that I loved. Unfortunately, I felt more than a little detached from this book and I can’t quite put my finger on the reason.

The idea of two high-school sweethearts who meet again after seventeen years did, I confess, set alarm bells ringing. If you haven’t been in touch with someone for that length of time, there’s usually a good reason. When their high-school relationship is actually revealed – a chaste kiss, some meaningful looks and a handful of conversations – I know we’re meant to realise they’re soulmates who are destined to be together, but I just felt they were deluded.

Putting my own prejudices aside, I felt there were some lovely moments within the novel. The relationship between the young Petra and her mentor Lillian was heart-warming, and the gradual breaking down of the barriers between Petra and Arlo when they meet again had me yearning for things to work out between them. Some of the minor characters annoyed me intensely, and I found it hard to get past this.

Reading this book was like deciding to eat the whole Easter egg when you were young. It felt good at the time, if self-indulgent, but left you wishing you hadn’t bothered at the end.

‘The Gospel of Loki’ – Joanne M. Harris

I must be one of the few people who haven’t picked up on the resurgence of interest in Loki fostered by Marvel comics and a certain film series. With only a nodding acquaintance with Norse mythology I originally picked this up because I wanted to know more, and reviews suggest that Harris knows her stuff.

What can I say other than I loved it! The narrator, Loki, is the god of trickery and deception – which means he’s doing some pretty awful things. However, he does them with such relish that you can’t help but find the whole thing enjoyable. Discussing this with a colleague who knows her stuff, all the stories she mentioned were there. Now I’m curious to find out more.