Chocky - short but good!

Chocky, by John Wyndham is a book about Matthew Gore, the adopted son of David and Mary who, subsequent to Matthew's adoption, have a child of their own, called Polly. So far, so good. But when Matthew is eleven, he starts to talk to, and indeed argue with, a presence that nobody else can see. His parents think he is too old to have an imaginary friend, but go along with it, thinking it's just a phase he's going through. But when this presence, who Matthew says is called Chocky, seems to be causing Matthew to ask difficult and unusual questions and to say disparaging things about humanity in general, his parents become increasingly concerned and seek professional help. And when Matthew performs an extraordinary feat to save both himself and his sister from drowning, the newspapers become interested in this amazing boy, and this brings unwanted attention. Slowly we realise that Chocky is not a figment of a child's imagination, but a being from a far off world. But what does it want with Matthew? This is a short but interesting story of innocence and manipulation. I really liked the relationship between Matthew and his father in particular. Some of the dialogue and situations may be a bit dated, but the overall feeling of parental fear and dread for a child, and the undercurrent of unease throughout the book is great. You can never quite settle and be totally confident of what is happening for quite some time. Well worth a read, with the added bonus being that it won't take very long to do so!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 160 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audiobook, ebook.

Anansi Boys - Masterful!

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, is the story of Charlie Nancy who has grown up alone with his mother in South London after she walked out on his father (who nicknamed him Fat Charlie). Charlie is quite happy with the arrangement as he didn't get on with his dad - who was outgoing and charming, whereas Charlie has no self confidence at all. Charlie works for a finance company run by a bit of a crook and is engaged to Rosie, who insists that he invite his father to the wedding. But when he tries to do this, he finds out his father has just died. He travels to the USA to attend the funeral and discovers that not only has he got a brother, called Spider, but that his father was a god - and this knowledge changes his life for ever. Okay, I'm just going to say it ... I love Neil Gaiman! When I started reading this book it was like rediscovering an old, but incredibly comfortable armchair that you have somehow been too distracted, or busy, to sit in for an absolute age ... and now that you've managed to flop back into it, an enormous feeling of "AHHHHH, THAT'S BETTER!" washes over you. The plot is involved and the characters are many, but the dialogue is so believable - it sparkles, but is also spiky. The book is both funny and unnerving and not everyone comes out of this alive, but the characters definitely stay with you. The author creates a world that is familiar, yet otherworldy at the same time, which I know isn't for everyone, but but his work speaks to me in a way no one else seems to manage - it's like coming home and receiving a warm hug. Apparently this is book 2 of the American Gods series, but I didn't know that before reading it and didn't find myself wondering what was happening, or felt lost at any point, so am happy to say that it's not necessary to read American Gods first. Superb story telling and just so fun to read, especially if you can get hold of the audio version read by Lenny Henry, which I cannot recommend enough! Thank you Neil Gaiman for being in the world and bringing such amazing stories to it. 

My STAR rating: FIVE

Length: 464 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Two Brothers - Insightful.

Two Brothers, by Ben Elton starts in Berlin in 1920, when two babies are born on the same night and become twins in all but blood. The new "parents", Freida (a doctor) and Wolfgang (a musician) raise both boys - Paulus and Otto - as if there were brothers, never telling them that Freida is the birth mother of only one of them. The boys live happily as part of the thriving Jewish neighbourhood in which they live, and form a close bond with two girls: Dagmar - the daughter of a wealthy Jewish family who run a department store; and Silke, the daughter of one of their neighbours. As they grow up, both boys fall in love with Dagmar (poor Silke) and compete for her attention. However, this is all against the backdrop of the rise of Nazi Germany, where being Jewish soon becomes lethal, and the close knit ties of family and friendship are torn apart, particularly when Frieda reveals the truth about the boys in an effort to save at least one of them. This is, unsurprisingly, a heartbreaking story and a hard read at times. You root for the main characters but fear the worst, and there is an inevitability to the outcome for almost everyone that is truly depressing. It is an interesting concept and there are sections that are full of emotion and you cannot help be pulled in. However, I did find that there were also repetitious passages that stalled the story on occasion, and where some judicious editing might have been helpful. Overall, it's hard to say that this is an enjoyable read because of the subject matter, but it is very digestible and gives an incredible insight into life before, during and after the Nazi era for the Jewish community who called Berlin home.  

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 624 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley - Adventure all the way!

The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley, by Sean Lusk is a novel that starts in London in 1754 where Zachary Cloudesley is being raised by his father Abel, who makes clockwork creations that dazzle all who see them. Although Zachary's mother died in childbirth, he is a happy boy, but has a strange gift that no-one really understands - at the touch of a hand, he can see into the heart and mind of a person. But when Zachary has an accident in the workshop that almost blinds him, his father decides that perhaps it would be best if his son was raised by his Aunt Francis - an eccentric lady who surrounds herself with a menagerie of animals. When Abel is offered a chance to use his skills to serve his country in Constantinople, he decides to do it, but things go horribly wrong and he is made a prisoner. After many years, Zachary sets out to try and find out what happened to his father, even though Zachary feels that his father struggled to love him and still blamed him for the death of his mother. It is during this epic journey that Zachary finds out about the world beyond his Aunt's house and his place in it. This is an enjoyable tale of unusual gifts, inventions, politics, intrigue, tragedy and sexual awakening. Yes, pretty much all bases are covered. There's almost something for everyone between the covers of this tale. Zachary is a likeable character - wise but innocent, brave but foolhardy too ... How he is not killed during his expedition to find his father is somewhat miraculous, but hey, let's go with it. Luckily, he is surrounded by great supporting characters - such as his wet-nurse who takes no nonsense, his Aunt who believes she knows what's best for everyone, and his father's most skilled worker who holds a secret. Definitely a story that takes you on an adventure from start to finish and with many twists and turns. A thoroughly enjoyable way to spend your time.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 368 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Trespasses - heartbreaking romance across the divide

Trespasses, by Louise Kennedy, is set in Belfast at the height of "The Troubles". Cushla is a Catholic primary school teacher who also works the odd shift in the family pub, and also tries to keep her alcoholic mother safe when she goes on a bender. When Michael, a much older, married and Protestant barrister walks into the bar one day and rescues her from the attention of some boisterous soldiers, she is instantly drawn to him. They begin a love affair in secret against the back drop of sectarian violence. But this state of happiness cannot last, especially when things get even more complicated by Cushla befriending the family of one of her pupils - a family who are persecuted purely because the mother and father are from different religions. What, at first, feels like a good thing, leads to devastating events that Cushla could never have predicted. This is a great story with interesting characters who are complicated, flawed and not always likeable. However, it's a book that I found hard to put down - it is heartbreaking, irritating, disturbing and funny too. Just like life! For a debut book - amazing! Definitely an author to look out for.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 320 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook. 

The Familiars - which witch is which?

The Familiars, by Stacy Halls is set in and around Pendle, Lancashire in the early 17th Century and is based on real people, some of whom were caught up in the infamous Pendle Witch Trial of 1612. Our main protagonist is Fleetwood Shuttleworth, the mistress of Gawthorpe Hall, who is 17 years old, happily married and pregnant ... for the fourth time! Despite suffering terrible morning sickness, she hopes that it will be fourth time lucky and that she'll finally produce an heir for her husband, Richard. But when she finds a letter addressed to him from their doctor saying that his wife will not survive another pregnancy, she is crushed - not only by the news, but also as to why Richard hasn't said anything to her about it. But when she has a chance meeting with Alice Gray, a young midwife who promises to help Fleetwood give birth to a healthy baby, she takes her on. At first, Alice prescribes various herbs and tonics, and Fleetwood's health improves, but then Alice is accused of witchcraft (like a lot of "wise" women at that time) and Fleetwood sets out to try to help her, no matter the cost to herself and her baby. I really liked Fleetwood, what a great character - full of determination and heart, and willing to challenge the status quo at a time where women had very little say in what happened to them during their whole lives. Full of vivid characters and imagery, plus a good dose of historical details, this is a well rounded story where you can learn something about the past without really trying. Engaging plot and dialogue, this is an excellent read. I can highly recommend it, despite some of the more grisly and disturbing aspects - welcome to the 17th Century folks! This is definitely an author I will be seeking out again.

My STAR rating: FIVE

Length: 448 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

Bitter Orange - lies upon lies

Bitter Orange, by Clare Fuller, follows the musings and reminiscences of Frances Jellico who is near death. Visited by a man who calls himself the vicar, she harks back to the summer of 1969 when Frances, then aged 39, gets a job surveying the garden architecture of a large country house (Lyntons). Up to that point, she had been looking after her recently deceased mother, and Frances takes the job on a whim,  ready to experience the world. Upon arrival, she discovers that there are two others also working at the house - Cara and Peter, an exotic couple with a tortuous past. Frances soon becomes infatuated with them both, and cannot resist spying on them through a hole in the floor in her bedroom. They seem to become firm friends, but all is not as it seems and tall tales are told over long, lavish dinners drinking wine from the long abandoned cellars of Lyntons. When they also discover a stash of furniture and household items, they take to borrowing them ... or even selling them. The jobs they should be doing take second place to what has become a bohemian lifestyle and Frances falls deeply in love with Peter ... but where might that leave Cara? And as time goes on, she cannot be sure that anything they have told her is actually true. Told in a series of flashbacks, this is a story with many ebbs and flows and one that heads deeper and deeper into tragedy. Whilst I had sympathy for the naive Frances, I found it difficult to like Cara and Peter and I just wanted Frances to get out of the situation before it was too late. The volatility of the couple was just too much drama for me and I would have left them to it. I certainly didn't fall for them, but found them rather self absorbed and irritating most of the time. I did like the descriptions of the house and gardens and would have liked more of that, as well as the relationship between Frances and the local vicar ... if only she'd listened to him! There were also hints of a ghostly presence at times, which felt a bit out of place and totally unnecessary. So, a bit of a mixed bag, and I mostly enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I don't think it's a book that will stay with me for very long.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 268 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3CD, ebook.

Headlong - art history mixed with farce

Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Headlong, by Michael Frayn is an art history farce. Martin Clay is asked to assess a few paintings owned by Tony Churt, his buffoonish neighbour, during which, he catches a glimpse of another painting that he believes could be a lost masterpiece by Peter Breugel the Elder. Martin is convinced that if he could "discover" this painting and bring it to the attention of the art world, it would make his reputation (as well as a lot of money!). But in order to do that, he needs to get the painting away from Tony. And so he begins to plot ... first to find out whether the painting is what he believes it to be, and if it is, how to extricate it from the current owner without them twigging. Tony sets out to purchase it in a very convoluted and not exactly moral manner which, potentially, could bankrupt him - something his wife is not exactly keen to do considering they have only just had their first child. We follow Martin on his exploits, going down many a rabbit hole of research about the painting, and getting sucked into the unhappy marriage of Mr and Mrs Churt. It's not long before everything starts to spiral out of control and there seems to be no way back. This is an entertaining book - partly because of the humour and partly because of the history lesson - I learned a lot about Peter Breugel and how paintings can disappear and reappear through the centuries because of politics, war and luck. Martin Clay is a likeable, yet irritating character, and I wanted to give him a good shake and shout WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Especially when the relationship between himself and the wife of his "target" became something other than professional! I felt most strongly for Martin's long suffering wife who had to put up with the wanton recklessness of her husband, although, to be fair, it may well have been the symptoms of a breakdown. She managed to support him and maintain a calmness that I'm not sure many in real life could have managed. If you like a bit of silliness mixed with art, then this is the book for you.

My STAR rating: 4 STARS.

Length: 395 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print, audio CD, ebook.

The Signature of All Things - Botany Rules!

In The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert, our main protagonist is Alma Whittaker, the daughter of Henry, a botanical explorer who came from incredibly humble beginnings in London in the shadow of his own father, who worked at Kew Gardens. With guile, sheer determination and little light theft, Henry became rich and married a Dutch lady, Beatrix, whom he lived with in Philadelphia. Then we see Alma, their precocious child, growing up and becoming a botanist in her own right, despite it being the nineteenth century and not really "the done thing" for a woman. After being the centre of her parents' attention for so long, life changes when they adopt a local girl who is beautiful beyond words. This causes tension throughout the rest of her life. Foiled in love at a young age, Alma throws herself into her botanical research and discovers the joys of moss (yes, moss) and becomes a published author. Many years later, she persuades her father to employ a botanical illustrator to help document the plants he has collected, at which point she falls for this much younger man. They marry, but each party's idea of what a marriage should consist of differ hugely (Alma is desperate for passion and sexual gratification, but her husband is only interested in her mind). Her new husband is sent away to Tahiti to locate some particular plants for Henry, but dies shortly after, and all that is returned is a trunk containing a few illustrations of plants, but mostly, sketches of "The Boy" (which helped to explain a few things). After her own trip to Tahiti, Alma continues her work and starts to delve into the mysteries of evolution. This book is a bit of an epic journey and an insight into all things botanical during the nineteenth century. I found those elements the most interesting and satisfying. I liked Alma for the most part and it was heartbreaking when she thought that she had found love, but was disappointed yet again. There were good supporting characters, with the possible exception of a childhood friend who attached herself to Alma and her sister, then married Alma's first love out of the blue and finally ended up in an asylum. To me this felt bolted on and unrealistic, as did Alma's obsession with her own body and what she got up to with it in the privacy of the "bindery room". Again, this almost appeared out of nowhere and the scene was repeated, and repeated many times. Unnecessary, in my opinion and detracted from the story. I loved the narration by Juliet Stephenson (one of the main reasons for me picking this book in the first place), and, on the whole, an interesting read.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 592 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Goldfinger - AGAIN!

In search of a quick and light holiday read, I reached for Goldfinger, by Ian Fleming. But it wasn't long before I started to think that the story was incredibly familiar. Initially, I put it down to my having seen the film, but then suddenly realised that I'd actually read it as an ebook back in 2017! However, this time I was indulging in the audio edition, superbly narrated by Hugh Bonneville, and decided I was too far down the road to stop. I thought it would be interesting to look at the blogpost I did at the time and see if I felt the same way about it as I did then ... and I have to tell you, dear reader, not quite! In this, the seventh outing for the spy with incredible longevity, the action starts with James Bond being a little disgruntled. He is finding it increasingly difficult to live up to his 007 billing and is wondering about his future - does he really want to continue killing people? While on an enforced stopover in the USA, he is asked to help someone who is convinced that the man he has been playing cards with is cheating. Bond takes on the challenge and proves this to be the case, running off with the beautiful girl who had been an unwilling accomplice to the fraud. Back in London, Bond is called in to investigate the smuggling of gold out of the country by none other than Auric Goldfinger - the card cheat himself! This sets Bond on a collision course with one of the richest men in the world, with death and destruction coming along for the ride. The action sweeps across Europe and then to the USA, where Bond is forced to help plan, and execute, the biggest heist in history - with the gold reserves at Fort Knox being the target. Goldfinger and his henchman, Oddjob, are completely despicable, and for once, Bond's attempts at romance are, for the most part, thwarted by the inclusion of lesbian characters ... although, sadly, the author didn't seem to have the balls (no pun intended) to carry this through to the end. And this is where I felt distinctly uncomfortable with the language used regarding the female characters in this book, the attitudes expressed towards women and the ridiculous ending where Pussy Galore (oh my, what can I say about this name!) succumbs to Bond's charms. This grated on me somewhat and definitely dates this book. Despite this, there are some superb passages, where the author demonstrates his usual eye for detail with the joyful descriptions of food, cars and people. And like last time, my favourite scenes feature the tense and thrilling round of golf between Bond and Goldfinger ... in fact, I would go as far as saying that it's worth reading the book just for this! (Indeed, maybe, just read that bit!!!)

My STAR rating: THREE (one less than last time).

Length: 320 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.98.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

Home Fires Burning - nostalgic but totally relevant

Home Fires Burning, by Robert Inman is the story of a small southern town in America whose tight knit community is in danger of being unravelled by the impact of World War II. The narrative centres on Jake Tibbetts, who, like his grandfather and father before him, is the editor of the local newspaper. Jake is a forthright man, who takes it upon himself to be the conscience of his community - he believes in honour, duty and responsibility, and always seems to be angry about something. He takes his wife for granted and is disappointed by his alcoholic son, Henry, whose child he is now raising as Henry is no longer on the scene. With the young men of the community fighting overseas, there is a feeling that things are changing, and Jake isn't ready for it. When Henry is reported dead, and his heavily pregnant wife turns up on the doorstep - a wife nobody knew anything about - Jake starts spinning out of control and sinks into a bottle. As his behaviour becomes more erratic, he is in danger of turning all his friends and family against him as he tries to comes to terms with the ever increasing upheavals in this once quiet town. Let me put it out there ... this is a great book. Full of trauma, confusion and angst, but told with heart and humour. Jake is a difficult man to like, but you can't help it. The supporting cast of characters are believable, and the way the story is woven together, with snippets about Jake's forefathers and Henry's escapades, is incredibly smart. This type of small town community may have already vanished, so this may be more of a nostalgic look at how things used to be ... but the sentiments featured, the difficult relationships exposed and the need to adapt to a scary future are very current. Home Fires Burning is a fairly old book so you may have trouble finding it ... but if you spot it in a second hand shop, then snap it up!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 392 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print; ebook.

Dead Beat - Derring Do ... Wizard Style!

Dead Beat, by Jim Butcher, is the seventh in his Dresden Files series, which follows the escapades of Harry Dresden, Chicago's first and only Wizard Private Investigator. Usually, Harry works closely with his friend, Karrin Murphy, who heads up the Special Investigations Department of the Chicago PD, but in this outing, Karrin goes away on holiday. Despite her being away, however, Karrin is always on his mind as Marva, a vampire he thought they'd vanquished 12 months previously, catches up with him in a cemetery (where else!) and threatens to destroy Karrin's career unless Harry procures The Word of Kemmler for her. Harry agrees, but is determined to find out what The Word actually is ... and is horrified to discover that it is the ultimate "How to ..." book for necromancers ... basically, with this book, you could become a minor god and wreak whatever kind of havoc floats your boat over the world. Determined to find out who is after this kind of power and how to stop them, Harry rescues Butters, a medical examiner under attack by a necromancer, who then goes on to assist Harry. He also meets the mysterious Sheila, who is not what she seems, but appears to be exceptionally helpful as well as beautiful. Harry must focus on the task at hand and not be a) seduced by Sheila which would lead him down a demonic path; b) work out how to stop the six battling necromancers from wielding the power of The Book; and c) save his fellow wizards from complete destruction. Oh, and it's Halloween! I don't know if it is because I hadn't read one of these books in a while, but I found this to be such an enjoyable ride - thrills, spills, spells, and total fantasy with a bucket load of humour. The new characters were great, the dialogue sparky and the action non-stop. I also felt that there were some seeds sown in the plot (like the presence of Sheila) that will be seen again in future works. If nothing else, having the image of a zombie dinosaur roaming the streets of Chicago planted forever in my mind makes this book worth every single penny. Fantastically narrated by James Marsters once again, this is a great read for those who love a bit of fantasy/crime/humour. Roll on book number eight!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 464 print pages.

Price I paid: £5.96

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; audio CD; ebook.

Mayflies - Talk About a Rollercoaster!

Mayflies, by Andrew O'Hagan, is the story of a friendship pushed to the limit. The action opens when Tully Dawson and his friend Jimmy (nicknamed Noodles), are in the prime of their youth and head off on a trip to Manchester to see THE bands of the day in one almighty bender of a weekend with their small circle of friends. It's as intense as the friendships between the lads, but none more so than between Tully and Jimmy, with Tully being the heart and soul, as well as the instigator, of pretty much all their adventures. And yet, there is already a fragility to Tully in that he doesn't want to become his very down to earth father ... Tully wants to be in a band. Fast forward 30 years and Tully, now 51, a teacher, and still living in his native Scotland, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He asks Jimmy (now based in London) to help him get to Dignitas in Switzerland - which he agrees to, reluctantly. This, inevitably causes friction with Tully's long term partner who has been kept in the dark about his decision to chose his own way of leaving this world, and everyone must now deal with the fallout of that decision. I'm not sure that the word enjoy can be used in this context. I can admire this book for raising difficult topics, but found it hard to like Tully who, I felt was little on the selfish side and extremely inconsiderate of his partner's feelings in the whole matter. It felt that, through life and now his death, everything had to be done Tully's way. Tully must have had a huge amount of charisma, though that didn't come across to me - maybe because I'm not a "lad". The intensity of friendship forged during troubled times when growing up, however, was evident and was the core of the book for me. This is an exploration of how those friendships can last, even when distance and time separates people, and, most especially, that when it comes to the crunch, those friends will always be there for you ... which is something we probably all hope for! Yes, there is humour, but there is also a lot of darkness, given the subject matter, and it is heartbreaking at times. Despite my misgivings, this book is definitely well worth the read.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length:288 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.49.

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Dark Dawn Over Steep House - grimly entertaining!

Dark Dawn Over Steep House, by M.R.C. Kasasian is the 5th (and I think last) book in the Gower Street Detective series. We are back in Victorian London with Sidney Grice - a personal detective - and his ward, March Middleton, who is also the narrator of the piece. They are asked to investigate the case of a missing daughter, but, as always, there is much more to this case than meets the eye. It leads to the uncovering of a serial offender who attacks women (of course), and a lot of red herrings to chase down - during which, March gets in way over her head and risks it all to solve the case. At the same time, an unsolved mystery from some time ago rears its head again ... that of Steep House ... and as both cases begin to dovetail into each other, they bring Sidney and March to the brink. Full of humour and lots of action and plot twists, this is highly entertaining, though the crimes described can be very gruesome at times. Sidney is as rude and pedantic as ever, and March brings her own highly developed funny bones, which are sprinkled with liberal doses of sarcasm, to the party. These two characters really spark off each other which is always a delight. For me, I was happy to see less of Molly, their ridiculously incompetent servant, as her continual malapropisms can become a tad wearisome when overused. I was, however, delighted to see George Pound back on the scene ... hurrah and huzzah, love is in the air again for March! There was a bit of a shock at the end, which left me reeling - but I won't say any more than that for fear of spoilers. I read the audio edition, which is narrated by Emma Gregory, who has all of these familiar characters down to a T. If this is the last in the series, it was a great one to end on, one of the best in my opinion, and I'm really going to miss these characters!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Human Traces - Traumatic Epic (another one!)

Human Traces, by Sebastian Faulks, follows the lives of two men and those they love and lose along the way. It's another huge book, both in terms of length and also breadth of the topic - the nature of humanity! It starts in the 1870s with Jacques Rebiere, son of a peasant who lives in Brittany, and Thomas Midwinter, a Lincolnshire merchant's son. Jacques, who is taken under the wing of a local priest who sees the potential in his scientific mind, wants to find a cure for his beloved brother Olivier who is kept in the stable because he hears voices. Thomas, meanwhile, is unwillingly forced into medicine by his father. Both meet by chance in Deauville, forming an instant respect and admiration, and they determine that when they qualify as doctors, they will work together to further the study and cure of people like Olivier. They toil through many years and in trying circumstances, until they finally get their chance to create a new kind of clinic in Austria. By this time, Jacques is married to Thomas's sister, Sonia, and Thomas finally finds love with an ex-patient. However, the strong bond they once had begins to loosen as their thoughts and theories on how to treat the people in their care starts to take different paths. Tragedy is never far away, and, into the mix, the First World War also features. There aren't many laughs in this epic story of two men driven to the point of their own madness by their desire to understand and cure those whose mental health has deserted them. Both Jacques and Thomas are used as cyphers to show how the medical profession at the time dealt with such patients and the new ideas that were coming out about the nature of man, his origins and the reasons behind such conditions as schizophrenia and dementia. Whilst some of this is interesting, the immensity of the details given - which included full transcripts of lectures or papers the characters were delivering - left me a little cold. I didn't quite believe some of the actions of the characters either, including a strange affair by one of the men, which made me lose sympathy and interest in them - I think because it kind of came from nowhere and didn't really go anywhere. I can admire the level of research and the epic nature of the work, but sometimes the work felt more like a lesson than a story and my attention began to wander. There was also, for me, a bit of an imbalance in that so much time and space was given to the early years of both Thomas and Jacques, and the beginning of their time in their clinic, but then the ending felt raced through. It was almost as if the writer had said all they wanted to say and so decided to end the book without a satisfactory conclusion for my part. But then, life often isn't all wrapped up in a neat little bow .. but somehow, I'd like my fiction to do so ... unfair I suppose, but there it is! Hard going at times, but with passages full of feeling and heart, this was a curate's egg of a book for me, but I know others will feel very differently. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 615 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook. 

Into the Silence - A True Epic

Into the Silence by Wade Davis is a monumental work in terms of depth, detail and length! At the heart, it is the story of the three attempts to climb Mount Everest by British-led expeditions in 1921, 1922 and 1924. However, the backdrop to this is World War I and the effect it had on the men who took part. They had seen so much death, and many of them were still suffering both mentally and physically from that time. Conquering Everest was also driven by the influence of "Empire" ... despite all the evidence to the contrary, there was still a certain belief amongst the upper class that somehow, the British could still achieve anything they set their mind to - whether they had any experience of it or not. The teams of mountaineers were made up of a hotchpotch of experience and skilled climbers (like George Leigh Mallory) and total beginners, not necessarily in the best of health but who had the "gumpf" to have a go. Much of the first expedition was to try and map out the area and find a potential way to the summit. The next involved specific attempts to reach the top which failed miserably - primarily due to the belief that using oxygen was somehow ungentlemanly and "cheating". On this expedition, George Finch, an excellent climber, who had done the research and built devices to deliver oxygen at altitude and was pushing for its use, was pretty much ignored because he had not gone to the right school or university ... yes, the class system was very much alive (and still is to this day)! This attitude cost lives, just like the idiocy of the generals in the first world war who wasted so many sons, brothers, husbands and fathers through their incompetence and pig headedness. However, the experience of this trip led Mallory to also believe that without oxygen, the climb to the top of Everest would be impossible. In 1924, despite his misgivings, Mallory returned to Everest and on June 6th, he and Sandy Irvine - a 22-year-old Oxford scholar with little experience - set out from their camp at 23,000 feet to make an attempt to conquer the mighty mountain. They never returned. Mystery still surrounds the fact as to whether they made it to the top and met their end on the way back down, or whether they never reached their goal at all. There is so much in this book that it is hard to take all of it in. I found the first expedition particularly hard going as it detailed where everybody went pretty much every day, and I got lost amongst the place names (and indeed, all the people). However, as the book reached the last expedition, it was definitely more gripping. I felt anger, curiosity, excitement and sadness. Yes, there were heroics on show, but also stupidity and ignorance, and the disregard for the local population from many of those involved, without whom nobody would ever have succeeded, was shocking. It has left me understanding a bit of history I was only vaguely aware of, and for anyone interested in Mount Everest, this would be a must read, despite the heavy going at times ... but then, maybe that's in keeping with the challenge it is describing! 

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 672 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.00

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download, ebook.

Blood Count - suspend your disbelief!

Blood Count by Robert Goddard is a thriller in which the past catches up with surgeon Edward Hammond in an unexpected and dangerous way. Thirteen years ago, he was paid a substantial amount of money to perform a life saving operation on Dragan Gazi, a unsavoury Serbian gangster, who subsequently went on to lead his men in the slaughter of thousands during the Balkan civil wars. But now, with Gazi on trial for war crimes in The Hague, his family blackmail Edward into finding the Italian financier who knows where Gazi's many millions can be found. If Edward doesn't succeed, his ill-advised operation will be exposed and his reputation and career ruined. But Marco Piravani isn't an easy man to find, and so begins a dash across Europe that Edward hopes will give him some kind of redemption. There is so much action in this book that it can leave the reader a little breathless at times. Lots of characters, not always believable ... in fact, mostly unbelievable ... populate the pages to either place, or remove, hurdles in front of our hero - and sometimes, it seems both! There is a hint of a love interest, both regarding Edward's ex-wife and a former lover of Gazi who gave birth to his child, but it is only a hint. The real star of the book is the break-neck chase across the continent ... with Edward hot on the heels of Paravani, and then Gazi's family hot on the heels of Edward. But honestly, this is a totally bonkers plot, but told really well by the author, who has definitely mastered the art of the page-turner. So, park your logic and common sense for the duration and you cannot help but race through this ridiculous romp of a story.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 336 print pages.

Price I paid: £0.50

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

The Goldfinch - a tour de force!

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, follows the troubled life of Theo Decker, who, at the age of thirteen, survives a bomb attack in a New York museum. The blast kills his mother - although he doesn't know it at the time, as he is trying to comfort a dying man who persuades him to save The Goldfinch (a painting his mother had specifically brought him to the museum to see) and also to deliver his ring to his partner, Hobie. When Theo gets his head around things, he visits Hobie and discovers that a young girl who he'd also spotted in the museum before the blast is now in residence with Hobie. "Pippa" has been badly injured and Theo keeps coming to visit until she is sent to live with relatives. In the meantime, Theo is taken in by the Barbour family - whose son, Andy, is one of Theo's school friends. Eventually, Theo's very absent father turns up and takes him to Las Vegas to live with him and his partner. His father is a gambler and his partner doesn't want to be a mother to this strange child, and Theo is very much left to his own devices until Boris, a wild and exotic boy from school, takes a shine to him and they strike up a loving but very unhealthy friendship involving drugs, alcohol and absenteeism. When Theo's father dies on the run from people he owes a heck of a lot of money to, Theo heads back to New York and throws himself on the mercy of Hobie, who takes him in, with Theo eventually becoming his business partner in the antiques trade. But things sour, and Theo ends up making some very poor life choices, which lead him back to Boris. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014, and a very, very long book, this would usually put me off, but this story is well worth the effort,  even though it does sag at certain times and gets a little rambling towards the end. Full of trauma, longing, disappointment, misunderstandings and drugs, this isn't for everyone and, indeed, is not always an easy read. But there is also a lot of love in this book - even though much of it was on the destructive side. The characters are not easy to like and you can't always believe that Theo could make such poor decisions, but you still end up rooting for him, as well as for Boris, who we know is a very, very bad boy! And what about the fate of painting? Well, The Goldfinch starts as a source of comfort and the one constant in Theo's troubled life, but as he grows up, this all changes ... but to find out how, as well as the impact of this change, you will have to read the book. 

My STAR rating: FIVE. 

Length: 880 print pages.

Price I paid: Free (borrowed from my husband).

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; unabridged audio CD; ebook.

The Essex Serpent - a story of obsession!

The Essex Serpent, by Sarah Perry is a novel set in Victorian England and is full of strong, but not always likeable, characters. Cora Seaborne is happy when widowhood means she can finally escape her abusive husband and moves from London to Essex to pursue activities that were barred to her in her married state. With her, are son, Francis, who is a curious and obsessive boy, and her companion, Martha. Both women are strong minded and opinionated and welcome the freedom that the Essex countryside brings them compared to the stifling "society life" they had endured in London. Cora is a keen naturalist as well as a scoffer of superstition and religion, so when she hears of the rumours that the mythical "Essex Serpent" has returned to a coastal parish called Aldwinter, she sets off to "discover" what she believes is a previously unknown species of animal. And it is here she meets the local vicar, William Ransome, who also does not believe the rumours but who is trying to calm his panicky parishioners. Despite them not agreeing on anything, they and their families become firm friends. As strange events and tragedies hurl the area into further unease, Cora and Will develop intense feelings for each other that threaten to tear everything apart. This is a very enjoyable story, with lots of characters besides the two main families who all bring something to the tale - particularly Martha, who has an amazing social conscience and big heart, and the obsessive and driven Dr Luke Garrett, a surgeon whose unrequited love for Cora is almost his ruin. Great dialogue, characters and full of menace and threat, as well as mystical moments, this is a study of how obsession, in all its forms, can make you selfish and self-absorbed, and make you hurt the ones you love without you realising it. I highly recommend this book and almost gave it full marks, but felt that it meandered somewhat and lost a little focus towards the end. Still worth the read and I can totally understand why this has been made into a TV series.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 432 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; MP3 CD; ebook.

Mr Loverman - don't waste time

In Mr Loverman, by Bernadine Evaristo, we follow the life of Antiguan born Barrington Walker, who is seventy-four and has lived in Hackney, London since the 1960s. He lives with his wife, Carmel, with whom he has raised two daughters, Donna and Maxine. "Barry" is flamboyant, loves quoting Shakespeare and wearing dapper suits. But his life with Carmel is not a happy one, and one of his daughters barely speaks to him. His wife is convinced he is cheating on her with other women, but she is only half right - yes, he is cheating, but it isn't with other women. Barry is secretly gay and has found comfort over the years from many sources, but, primarily, with his childhood friend Morris, with whom he has had an on-off affair since they were both 14 years old, back in Antigua. Barry keeps threatening to divorce Carmel and go and live with Morris, but always backs out. But things are coming to a head once more and it's time for Barry to come out of the closet once and for all, or risk losing the true love of his life. This is a fantastic read. Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, the characters are well rounded and the cracking dialogue throughout is hugely entertaining. You feel for all the characters who have found themselves in an impossible position, and you root for them to make the change so that they can try to live the lives they have always wanted in the time they have left. A story about not wasting your life trying to conform to the expectations of others, this will leave you with a warm glow and wanting more. 

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 240 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; audio CD; ebook.

The Lessons - Love Hurts

In The Lessons by Naomi Alderman, we follow the life of James, who, from an early age, never seems to fit in anywhere but makes it to Oxford University where he thinks all will be well. But even here, he feels like an outsider and is on the point of leaving when he finds himself, almost by accident, among a circle of intense friends who live together in a house owned by fellow student - the immensely wealthy Mark Winters. Mark is a kind of puppet master, being incredibly generous, fun and loving one minute, but horrifically cruel and destructive the next. Mark moves into the house with his girlfriend Jess (far too good for him!) and becomes embroiled in the life and loves of Mark - helping to pick up the pieces when drink, drugs and dangerous sexual relations, primarily with men, threaten his benefactor's destruction. Life carries on, with more parties than studies, but graduation finally happens and the housemates break up and go their separate ways but not before Mark strings James along, awakening a desire in the latter that is instantly thwarted. But a tragedy pulls them back together, with James falling back under Mark's spell. But can James really help Mark without losing himself completely? This isn't an easy read and some of the characters are hard to like, and maybe unbelievable at times. But as a study of toxic love, it is a masterclass. You want to shout at James when you see how bad Mark is for him ... why oh why does he keep going back for more? But then, occasionally, you realise how damaged Mark is, and what may be lying underneath the self-centred chaos that emanates from every pore. With echoes of Brideshead Revisited, this is a more modern take on doomed relationships amid fabulous wealth! 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 288 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; MP3 CD; ebook. 

The Testaments - great start to the year!

The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood was a hangover from last year's challenge in that it was a winner of the Man Booker Prize in 2019. It is set some 15 years after The Handmaid's Tale and features narratives from three characters - Agnes, who has grown up as the daughter of a Commander in Gilead; Jade who has grown up in Canada, and Aunt Lydia - a woman responsible for the training and placement of Handmaids in Gilead. We hear about their backgrounds and how the religious totalitarian state of Gilead has impacted on their lives. Most interesting to me was the Aunt Lydia thread, where we find out about how her life changed when she was trapped inside Gilead at the time of its formation, where she had to adapt to survive, and how she continually evolved to the extent where she now is plotting the downfall of the regime. OfFred, the protagonist of the first book is referenced, although we don't know exactly where she is, but her actions from 15 years ago are now having consequences for the characters in this book. I don't really want to say too much more about the plot as it will give away too much to anyone who might wish to read this book for themselves. What I will say is that the skill of the author is evident in bringing these disparate characters together and, that despite their vast differences, the fact that they can and do work towards a common cause is rendered believable. Even though the character of Jade was jarring at times - she is a rebellious teenager with a bit of a mouth on her, so that's no great surprise - you cannot help but root for her. Not always an easy read due to the disturbing treatment of women in particular (well, it is Gilead!), this is still a very welcome sequel and I was left a little bereft when I finished it!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 448 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed as an audio book from the library.

Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Welcome to 2023

Welcome to 2023, a brand new year that I really, REALLY hope will be an improvement on the last. I managed to read 26 books in total, 10 of which were Man Booker Shortlisted titles. I am still reading an 11th in audio (I always have an audio and either a print or ebook on the go at the same time), which I'll carry over into the new reading year. 

This year, as you may have seen from the blurb at the top of this blog, I am not getting distracted by another challenge than to get through the piles ... and I mean piles ... of books that have been patiently waiting their turn to be read. And to stop me picking and choosing and leaving all the larger tomes to last, I am introducing an element of chance. Each time I need a new book to read, the dice will decide! And with that in mind ....

I am pleased to announce that the first roll of the dice has been thrown in order to select the number one print book of this year ... and it turned out to be ... DOUBLE SIX! And what is the 6th book in pile number 6? It's The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, which is a bit of a chunky beast, but I'm ready for it!

Rolling dice (credit: Clipart Library)