So, this young adult book about a nine-year-old boy unaware of the significance or horrors involved in his father's job as commandant of Auschwitz, haSo, this young adult book about a nine-year-old boy unaware of the significance or horrors involved in his father's job as commandant of Auschwitz, has been lambasted for cutesiness, ignorance, misrepresentation, and gaping plot holes--I discovered, after reading it. However, the author insists that this is a "fable." And as such, I found it brilliantly written, gripping, and poignant....more
I did enjoy this, though not as much as the previous three Sarah Waters that I have read (The Paying Guests, Fingersmith, Affinity).
What struck me theI did enjoy this, though not as much as the previous three Sarah Waters that I have read (The Paying Guests, Fingersmith, Affinity).
What struck me the most was what must surely have been a deliberate linguist device that Sarah Waters used in order to conjure up a feel of the 1940s. And once I'd noticed it, I couldn't stop noticing it. Afterwards, I read lots of reviews, expecting to find many references to this, but was surprised to find not one.
*** LIKELY LINGUIST DEVICE SPOILER COMING UP ***
Almost on every page, it seemed, were the expressions "that was all" (or present tense variant "that's all") and "like that" (e.g. 'place like that', 'things like that', 'something like that', 'boys like that'). Repeatedly. Throughout. Did no-one else really notice this? I didn't mind. It was more amusing than annoying. And it did sound (middle-class English female narrator) 1940s....more
This book was too long (485 pages). Way too much detail, though beautifully written. All the dialogue of children and teenagers felt too precocious--tThis book was too long (485 pages). Way too much detail, though beautifully written. All the dialogue of children and teenagers felt too precocious--though entertaining.
The set-up for the meat of the story took the first 50% of the book. I much preferred the second half, in which we see some gay/Christian friction.
The story read like an autobiography. Did any of this happen in the author's life?...more
I rarely read a second book in a series, but on this occasion I just had to know how The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry completed itself. ... It waI rarely read a second book in a series, but on this occasion I just had to know how The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry completed itself. ... It was cleverly done....more
I forgot not to read historical fiction just because other people loved the book. Must remember: Sarah Waters is the only author of historical fictionI forgot not to read historical fiction just because other people loved the book. Must remember: Sarah Waters is the only author of historical fiction that I enjoy....more
A multi-layered trip. ... Plum Kettle is overweight and depressed. She has no friends and no life. She has booked herself stomach-stapling surgery to A multi-layered trip. ... Plum Kettle is overweight and depressed. She has no friends and no life. She has booked herself stomach-stapling surgery to become slim, at which point--she believes--her life will start and her dreams of desirability and love will become reality.
But there is a dramatic intervention alongside some hard-core feminist counter-terrorism. Women fight back against societal norms and expectations in the most satisfying and entertaining ways....more
A few years ago I discovered that the place I was renting was managed by Nicholas van Whatsisface's ex-wife, which I found quite alarming. I assuaged A few years ago I discovered that the place I was renting was managed by Nicholas van Whatsisface's ex-wife, which I found quite alarming. I assuaged that alarm by playing Sheriff Fatman by Carter USM repeatedly.
Having just finished reading this book, which I found adorable (and frequently laugh-out-loud), I am stunned to discover that the author was a member of the group Carter USM. He wrote Sheriff Fatman. ...more
I signed up for reading BOOK 1 of the three 1Q84 books. I was really enjoying the absurdity, uniqueness, and clarity of the writing style. It was headI signed up for reading BOOK 1 of the three 1Q84 books. I was really enjoying the absurdity, uniqueness, and clarity of the writing style. It was headed for five stars. ... But oh, the dismay on discovering that the entire story was up in the air at the end of the 500+ pages and that I would need to read two more books of similar length to discover how the story resolved itself. I feel pretty cheated that I've spent weeks of my life reading minutiae that did not add to the story in any way, just to discover what happened.
However, this book was so different, magical, and touching. Aomame and Tengo shared a unifying experience as ten-year-olds in a school classroom. Aomame soon moved to a new school. Twenty years later, neither has forgotten that moment. But neither has sought out the other. What will it take to reunite them?
The magical elements of the story were enjoyably off the wall, but I frequently had the impression that the author made them up as he went along. They didn't seem to contain any internal logic or consistency.
Overall I was charmed and engaged and was rooting for the main characters....more
I didn't understand the book, so consequently often found it tedious to slog through. The few isolated sections that did make sense were fairly entertI didn't understand the book, so consequently often found it tedious to slog through. The few isolated sections that did make sense were fairly entertaining, but as they did not hang together it felt a pretty pointless read....more
This book made me cry. It is raw. Very well written and so readable, yet awful. It is three decades of the plight of women in Afghanistan. I thought IThis book made me cry. It is raw. Very well written and so readable, yet awful. It is three decades of the plight of women in Afghanistan. I thought I was reading The Handmaid's Tale at times, yet women lived and still live in conditions such as these. ...more
The stars are for the world building and the plot.
However, I felt repeatedly irritated by the author pointlessly sexualising his female protagonist. The stars are for the world building and the plot.
However, I felt repeatedly irritated by the author pointlessly sexualising his female protagonist. Frequent references to the likes of condoms, blow jobs and wet T-shirt competitions left me feeling that the author was abusing his own main character. Andy Weir sadly came across as a creepy sleazebag....more
Powerful story based on the Black Lives Matter movement. A white cop shoots dead an unarmed black teenager. The plot is gripping and well-crafted, thePowerful story based on the Black Lives Matter movement. A white cop shoots dead an unarmed black teenager. The plot is gripping and well-crafted, the characterisation and writing skillful.
I personally would have enjoyed this book a lot more had there been far less tangential detail. I found pages of what everyone was eating for breakfast, for example, to be frustrating....more
The plot is so full of fascinating detail. I found myself repeatedly shifting between the book and Google to verify Dan Brown's extraordinary assertioThe plot is so full of fascinating detail. I found myself repeatedly shifting between the book and Google to verify Dan Brown's extraordinary assertions (largely hidden-in-plain-sight visual elements in masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci). An excellent read....more
4.5 stars. ... This is A Man Called Ove, but set in Glasgow. It's almost as wonderful, but didn't make me laugh and cry in the same way.4.5 stars. ... This is A Man Called Ove, but set in Glasgow. It's almost as wonderful, but didn't make me laugh and cry in the same way....more
The obsessive stalker story line drew me in. I loved the first person account and the whole narrative addressed to 'you.' Because we're in psycho Joe'The obsessive stalker story line drew me in. I loved the first person account and the whole narrative addressed to 'you.' Because we're in psycho Joe's head the whole time, his justifications for murder and kidnapping are chillingly unjudged.
Sadly though, for me, there was so much padding and detail that I felt the book was never going to end. I was aching to get onto another book. Perhaps a third of it could have been cut out for a better-paced read.
But I cared and I was engaged. Despite Joe being a crazed sociopath, I wanted his romances to work. ......more
What a knockout ending! No-one anywhere ever would have seen that coming. And after finishing the book, I discovered there's a hashtag: #WTFThatEndingWhat a knockout ending! No-one anywhere ever would have seen that coming. And after finishing the book, I discovered there's a hashtag: #WTFThatEnding.
Great writing, gripping plot, a little too much asked for in terms of suspension of disbelief--but well worth it if you just go along with that. ...more
**spoiler alert** I'm happy now! Thank you for fixing that, Daniel Glattauer.**spoiler alert** I'm happy now! Thank you for fixing that, Daniel Glattauer....more
Perhaps because I so rarely read science fiction, I found the setup of this book so hard to understand. I struggled with the roles and purpose of SEC,Perhaps because I so rarely read science fiction, I found the setup of this book so hard to understand. I struggled with the roles and purpose of SEC, Company, the Kurst, Estrade, etc. I found most of the book poorly explained and thought it would never end.
On the plus side, I did care about the characters—both the natives of Jeep and the Earth visitors and settlers, I found elements of the story engaging. And I absolutely loved that the cast was entirely female. ...more
