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‘The Song of Achilles’ – Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles

When we first meet Patroclus he is a young prince, awkward in his own skin, and definitely feeling that he is seen as a disappointment to his father. When he is exiled to the kingdom of Phthia, Patroclus comes to spend time with Achilles – the boy who is rumoured will grow up to be the greatest Greek fighter of all times.

We watch the boys grow up together and, even though they are very different, they form a strong bond. This disappoints Thetis, the mother of Achilles, who does all she can to separate the two young men.

An interview I read with Miller while I was reading this talks of her desire to understand why a character such as Achilles acts as he does (which didn’t seem to be of much interest to Homer). This, I think, explains why the first half of the book feels rather slow-the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus has to be established so that we understand the love they share.

Once we venture into the war of Troy, Miller’s writing really came into its own for me. Richly evoked, while holding little back, and seamlessly blending the worlds of mortals and gods.

The concepts explored in this story are, indeed, timeless and it really made me wish I had more than a passing acquaintance with some of the stories of Greek mythology.

For anyone who thinks Classics is a dull subject…I’d say read this and you may be pleasantly surprised.

‘We Come Apart’ – Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan

We Come Apart

Sarah Crossan appears to be on a mission to highlight for teen readers the joy that verse can bring – and when it’s as good as this collaboration I am not going to complain.

Scheduled for publication on 9th February 2017, I’m really grateful to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this early.

The story is told through two distinctive voices. On one hand we have fifteen year old Jess, spiky and caught up in a lot of trouble, but hiding the sad reality that her step-father beats up her mother and makes Jess record it. Then we have Nicu, a fifteen year old Romanian whose family have come to make enough money to enable them to return home and marry Nicu off. Neither character has it easy, and telling the story through their alternating voices allows us to reflect on the information they give us.

When the two teens meet it takes a while for them to engage with each other. Although the book felt like a quick read, it took them a while to break down their initial wariness of each other and take time to establish a bond. I liked the fact that – not through want of wishing on Nicu’s part initially – this was more about friendship and mutual support than a romance.

The voices created were distinct, and I felt represented the characters and their personalities well. I was more than a little stunned by the speed at which we reached the rather shocking climax, and though it felt unresolved in some ways I have to say the ending left me rather dewy-eyed and hoping, desperately, that some good would come out of what happened. Then I reminded myself that it was only a story!

 

‘Heartless’ – Marissa Meyer

Heartless

Lady Catherine is destined for great things – or she will be if her ambitious mother has her say. As a favourite of the unmarried King of Hearts, Catherine’s future as Queen seems determined. Unfortunately, Catherine has very different ambitions.

A curious mishmash of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Edgar Allen Poe poems this was an intriguing tale. From the outset we are plunged into a world of magic and mayhem, learning all about the life of the infamous Red Queen before she takes on her title.

There’s no doubt that when the story focused on the characters and events that we would expect to see in Lewis Carroll it was a riot. However, a substantial part of the story was focused on the romance between Catherine and Jest, the King’s fool (who isn’t quite what we think). For me there was just a little too much focus on the romance – but, perhaps on another day I’d have have found this more appealing.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for the advance reading copy, but I’m not entirely convinced that this will win new fans.

 

‘Beware That Girl’ – Teresa Toten

Beware That Girl

It comes as little surprise to me that there are talks to turn this into a movie. Set against the background of an elite Manhattan school, we watch two girls – with plenty  to hide – play a dangerous game, and it has all the characteristics of a tense film. Unfortunately, though I had the sense that this could have been a great book, it just didn’t do it for me.

The story is told through a split narrative. Sadly this meant that I never felt I got to know either character well enough to really care about them or what happened to them. On one hand we have rich girl Olivia, used to getting everything she wants, and then we have scholarship girl Katie. Both girls have their secrets, which they will do pretty much anything to protect. So far, so familiar.

During their senior year the girls meet Mark Redkin, a member of staff whom everyone seems to fall in love with. Superficially, he seems to be everything someone could want but it soon becomes clear that he is not quite what he wants everyone to think he is. From the first time we meet him, there are obvious signals that something pretty nasty is going to happen.

I found the setting and characterisation of this book largely responsible for my not really engaging with it. I don’t think that Kate, as a survivor of serious domestic abuse, would have been left in quite as isolated a position as she is, and Olivia is so clearly struggling with addiction and mental health issues that I’m amazed she was let into school without more careful monitoring.

The role that abuse played in this story was uncomfortable. The constant flashbacks to Kate’s life didn’t help me understand her better and felt more than a little gratuitous. And as for Mark’s treatment of nearly everyone he encounters…call me naive but alarm bells would have been ringing way before he even stepped foot in the door.

It was once we got towards the end of the novel that I got a glimpse of what this could have been.

Having been somewhat disappointed with this, I think I have to just say that I didn’t click with the characters/story and yet I can see this gaining a lot of fans.

‘Beautiful Broken Things’ – Sara Barnard

Beautiful Broken Things

An assured debut, which focuses on the friendship between Caddy, Rosie (who have been friends for years) and new girl, Suzanne. The impact of this novel didn’t really hit until quite late on in the story, by which time I was hooked.

As Caddy turns sixteen she yearns to be more like her best friend, Rosie. Her ambition for the year is to have a ‘significant life event’ – she is determined to be more interesting and self-confident. What she doesn’t realise is just how much she does have going for her.

Caddy’s insecurity plays a large part in the set-up of this story. When Rosie starts talking about the new girl she has befriended, Caddy is jealous and worries that she is about to lose her closest ally. In Suzanne she finds another new friend – someone who encourages her to become more outgoing and to do things that she would never have dreamed of doing. While this seems good, it does come at a cost.

As the three girls spend more time together, we learn that Suzanne is – in many ways – broken. Having suffered abuse at the hands of her stepfather for years, Suzanne is on something of a downward spiral as she struggles to accept what has happened to her.

For me, the fact that we watch these events through Caddy’s eyes makes the impact of the novel more apparent. There was a real sense of inevitability to what transpired, but nothing felt overly forced. I had to steel myself to read the closing chapters and feared the worst.

While the subject matter will not be to everyone’s tastes, this was a story that really does raise questions. Having now finished this, I’m eagerly awaiting my copy of ‘A Quiet Kind of Thunder’.

‘Replica’ – Lauren Oliver

Replica

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this from edelweiss and the publishers, but it languished on my iPad until the New Year as I was trying to catch up with some other reading. At least reading it now it is published means I can tell people about it and they don’t have to wait ages to get their hands on a copy.

Lauren Oliver has been one of those writers that I’ve found excellent when she gets it right. Here, she is pretty close to doing that.

Initially the ‘flip’ element of the story might seem like a gimmick. We are given two versions of the same event, though the differences in the narratives are just enough to not make it seem like we’re reading exactly the same story. In Lyra and Gemma we have two intriguing narrators. Each girl gets to experience something new in this novel as they go on a journey of self-discovery with a difference.

The key premise of the story focuses on the Haven institute, a mysterious place that is doing something with replicas (i.e. human clones) though nobody is entirely sure what. When the institute is blown up, Lyra and one of the male replicas escape. They meet Gemma and Jake, two teenagers who have more of a stake in this story than they realise. During our encounter with these teenagers we – as they do – learn more about what Haven was and just how it links to the girls’ stories.

I don’t want to give too much away, as this is definitely a book to go into knowing no more than you’re told at the outset. Suffice to say, though I wanted to know more about the background of the institute and would have liked to see what happened afterwards, this was a clever read that only revealed itself to be so as you draw near the end of the experience.

Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing what students I teach make of this – and I’m curious to know whether reading a physical copy of this so you can flick between the stories makes any difference to the experience.

‘The One Memory of Flora Banks’ – Emily Barr

The One Memory of Flora Banks

If our memories shape us, what do those people who have lost the ability to make memories do? The artwork on the cover hints at the idea that memory can be fractured, and we rely on all the pieces coming together to create a whole. Due for release in early January 2017, I was excited to receive an ARC of this novel from NetGalley – and having finished my read I really hope the rest of 2017 is as good!

Our narrator, Flora, is what could be deemed an unreliable narrator, though this is because she has lost the ability to create short-term memories after an incident that occurred when she was ten years old. Flora is quite childlike, which may be because her retained memories come from before this age. Living with her parents in Penzance, Flora seems to accept that she will never leave her family home and that everyone knows who she is even though she can’t remember them.

When I first started reading I found the style of the book quite abrupt. It gave the merest hint of what Flora’s daily life would be like, and it was more than a little disconcerting.

There were a few things that niggled me as I was reading – namely, the idea that Drake’s kiss was the one thing that Flora could remember – but things all made a lot more sense as I neared the conclusion of her story.

As I read the novel, I was struck by the strength of character that Flora shows. I will certainly take from this read the idea that we all need, no matter our age, to give time to think about ourselves and what is important to us.

A huge thank you to the publishers, Philomel books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication.

‘Paper and Fire (The Great Library 2)’ – Rachel Caine

Paper and Fire

In the world of the Great Library knowledge is valued, but it corrupts  many of those who are privy to this knowledge. The second in the series shows Jess and Glain completing their training, but their determination to ask questions about Thomas – presumed dead in the last book – causes untold trouble.

There’s little in the way of recap here, but I quickly picked up the key details in spite of it being some time since I read book one. We’re thrown into the action very quickly, and there’s a real sense of menace to this.

It was good to see the main characters from the first book together here. Throughout, I had a sense that there was something going on with Wolfe and Santi – but it wasn’t quite as I expected. Caine throws a lot of awful things at these characters as they struggle to find their way against the Library and those in control. I’m only pleased that they managed to retain their sense of self throughout – and not get too badly punished (though it came close on more than one occasion).

I think the inclusion of the extracts of contact between those in control is fascinating. It’s a great way to make us see just what Jess and those who sympathise with him are up against. An explosive ending, and it really looks like the third part in the series will be one to look out for.

‘Stunning’ – Sara Shepard

Stunning

Eleventh in the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ series, and if you’ve got this far you know what to expect.

There is an increasing suspension of disbelief as I read this series. Firstly, I cannot believe the parents of these girls are so oblivious to the issues they are facing; secondly, it amazes me that the girls themselves are so easily manipulated and, lastly, it’s all far too convenient how new characters wander into the series and just happen to be connected to all the others in some way.

In this instalment, Emily finds out more about the baby she gave up. Spencer is starting to find her feet as she prepares to go to Princeton. Aria is back with Noel, but learns some things about his parents that threaten to drive a wedge between her and Noel. Hanna continues to bumble around desperate to get Mike back. And in the shadows lurks A – a new A – who might or might not be Ali, determined to make the girls suffer (but not ever bring things to a head or the franchise would break down!)

So, pretty it isn’t and there is a very real sense that someone is cashing in on the success of the TV series. Only five more to go…

‘The Naturals’ series – Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Naturals – finished 5th November 2016

Seventeen year old Cassie has a special talent for reading people. She has never thought it a particular skill, until the FBI come calling with the revelation that they are setting up a group to help profile cold cases – a group of teenagers with very unique skills.

Cassie has never really got over the death of her mother, and she is convinced that involvement in this process will allow her to gather clues as to the identity of her mother’s killer. It soon becomes clear that nobody in this program is quite what they seem, and when we receive information about a new killer it seems that this one might be closer to Cassie than was previously thought.

Admittedly the idea is quite preposterous, but it was highly engaging and has appealed to teen readers – both boys and girls – in school.

Killer Instinct – finished 22nd November 2016

Having already been caught up in some rather uncomfortable events, the Naturals hope to be focusing on cold cases. The teenagers are left reeling after the events of the first book, and it’s hardly surprising that they are worried about Locke’s replacement.

Agent Veronica Sterling is Briggs’s ex-wife and the FBI Director’s daughter. She was also one of Daniel Redding’s intended victims, and has a close relationship with Dean. From the off, she’s an intriguing character and her presence brings a little more to the characters.

This story focuses on a killer who seems to be copying Redding’s MO. The intercutting of the killer’s thoughts is quite unsettling, but this was a cracker of a story.

There was, for my liking, just a little too much angst over Cassie’s dilemma regarding whether she fancies Dean or Michael more. It was a bit of a distraction, but I suppose it made her seem a little more human.

All In – finished 2nd December 2016

Cassie and the other Naturals are called to Las Vegas after three bodies are discovered on three consecutive days. Initially thought to be accidental deaths, with the different killing methods it soon becomes evident that this bears the marks of a serial killer.

I loved how we got to learn a little more about Sloane and her background, and the other Naturals are developed clearly. Cassie is also dealing with issues arising from her past, but the group worked so well together as they tried to get to the bottom of this.

In a development from the earlier books we are told that these killings are linked to many others, and that a shadowy cult may well have a bigger part to play in this than anyone realised.

The story was well-plotted and I really was gripped as we started to get more background to the events. I’m just desperate to find out what happens in ‘Bad Blood’.

Bad Blood – finished 24th December 2016

Cassie’s journey with the FBI Naturals program is drawing to a close and, in this finale, we watch as Cassie and her companions try to work out exactly what is going on. Everything Cassie thought she knew about her mother’s disappearance is being called into question. There’s an awful lot going on behind the scenes, and it’s all too apparent that the Naturals themselves are being hunted.

We are led down one or two garden paths here-quite literally. Following their discovery that the deadly killer Nightshade is linked to the group known as the Masters, Cassie becomes convinced that this case could well be linked to her mother’s disappearance.

There remains a fascinating insight into the procedure of profiling, and the psychology behind a killer. What I particularly liked in this novel was the growing understanding that we see Cassie coming to of herself and her situation.
While the story itself reached what could be deemed a satisfying conclusion in many ways, I was totally unprepared for the shocks we were given regarding one or two characters. These revelations cast into doubt a lot of what had come beforehand, and lent a somewhat more creepy air to the earlier novels in the series.

My main gripe with this was that certain characters, who I’d come to have more than a little soft spot for, were slightly more in the background than I’d have expected. I also can’t help but wonder whether Barnes will be tempted to add to this series as we watch characters such as Laurel develop.

All in all this series was a surprise hit for me – and one that I wish had been around when I was younger.