Holes (83) - a dark tale in the desert

Holes, by Louis Sachar is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a young boy who is the victim of a miscarriage of justice - just the latest in a long line of bad luck his family have had for hundreds of years. Falsely accused of stealing, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a boys' juvenile detention centre. In this place, the boys all must dig one hole every day, in the baking heat of a desert sun. Slowly, Stanley realises that the digging is not about "building character" as acclaimed by the warden, but they seem to be searching for something. The incentive to "find something interesting" in their hole is to have the rest of the day off. Stanley becomes friends with a fellow in-mate Zero, who he teaches to read in exchange for help digging his daily hole. When Zero runs off into the desert one day, the assumption of the guards is he will come back when he's thirsty, or become buzzard food - either way, they are not bothered. When he doesn't return, all traces of him are erased at the Camp - well, who's going to notice if this orphan disappears - but Stanley cannot stop worrying about him and heads out to try and find him ... This is a quick read, but an interesting one. We find out about the Yelnats' family curse and how the history of "Green Lake" is intertwined with it. The boys are the stars of this book - how they interact and talk to each other feels very authentic. I enjoyed this tale of friendship which is rich in descriptive text as well as dialogue. You cannot help feeling hot and dusty too as you follow Stanley in his search for his friend, which leads, ultimately, to a discovery that will affect all at camp Green Lake.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 233 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from local library.
Formats available: print; standard audio CD; ebook.

Anne of Green Gables (41) - sweet Canadian childhood tale

With time running out this year on my challenge, I was looking for some shorter books to read of the Top 100 List, and came across an audio version of this book for just 95p, so I went for it. Am really pleased that I did. Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery is the gentle tale of a red-headed, freckle-strewn orphan named Anne Sterling. Anne has not had a good start to life. She has been living in an orphanage for some years, with no sign of anyone wanting to adopt her. Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a middle-aged brother and sister who have a farm on Prince Edward Island and want to adopt a boy to help them. There's a mix up, and instead of a boy being sent to the Cuthberts, Anne is sent instead. Initially wanting to send this odd girl back, who never seems to stop talking, Matthew persuades Marilla to give her a chance. Slowly but surely, Anne melts the heart of her adoptive mother and worms her way into her affections. We follow Anne as she makes a new life for herself and changes things for those around her in the countryside of Canada. Smart, funny and filled with the endless wonder of the world around her, Anne also has a penchant for getting into trouble. This is a likable, gentle tale that warms the heart without being too cloying. It's an easy read, with lots of things to amuse and a little darkness for good measure. Definitely worth the effort.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 496 print pages.
Price I paid: 95p (a bargain for an audio book!)
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Emma (40) - misunderstandings, matchmaking and snobbery

Good old Jane Austen! Whether it's a nostalgia thing - with remembrances of the Sunday afternoon drama on the BBC of my youth, which would invariably be an adaptation from Dickens or Austen, I cannot help but warm to the style of this author. Emma is not drama on a big scale - no big car chases or things blowing up - instead, the drama is intimate and personal. A misdirected comment or look had ramifications that would impact on the lives of those around you. Emma Woodhouse is our heroine, and she is the centre of society in the village. Devoted to her father who fears danger in everything outside his home, she regularly sparks off Mr Knightly, an old family friend, who tries to keep her in check when he sees her going astray. Emma decides to take the humble Harriet under her wing, and thinks that Mr Elton, the new vicar, would be a suitable match for her - instead of the local farmer who had set his cap at Harriet. Emma persuades Harriet to her way of thinking, but after rejecting the farmer, is appalled to discover that Mr Elton has set his sights on herself, rather than her friend Harriet. Emma rejects him, at which point his true character is revealed and he slinks off to Bath and returns with a catty, self-serving rich wife. Enter Frank Churchill, the son of her best friend's husband. He pays Emma a lot of attention and everything thinks this will end in marriage. Emma is initially flattered, but is determined not to marry, and also thinks that he might be a match for Harriet (she is a determined matchmaker!). Then there is the delicate and mysterious Jane Fairfax, who is staying nearby and who Emma somehow feels is a rival of some kind but can't quite put her finger on it until she starts to worry that her oldest friend, Mr Knightly, might have some feelings for this beautiful creature. Too concerned about sorting other people's love lives out for them, she did not realise that she should have been focusing a bit closer to home... and suddenly realises that no-one can marry Knightly except herself! This is a well written tale of manners and as with all Austen there is humour and a lightness of touch. Lots of characters, all interwoven into this tale where you hope that it comes good in the end.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 358 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats: print; abridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

I Capture the Castle (82) - a journal of delight

Who knew that the diary of a seventeen year old girl could be so thoughtful, funny and deep. I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith (who is probably better known for writing One Hundred and One Dalmatians) tells the tale of the artistic, but down-at-heel Mortmain family. The father wrote an acclaimed book many years ago, but since that time, his wife has died and he remarried the exotic Topaz - an artist's model who plainly adores him - and moved to a dilapidated castle on a forty year lease. He has been suffering writers block ever since and becomes increasingly distant from his children - Rose (pretty, but not very practical), Thomas, the youngest child and Cassandra - the middle daughter. It is Cassandra, an aspiring writer herself, who is the voice of this novel, which is set sometime in the 1930's. Now as poor as church mice, having sold anything of value, the family is struggling to feed themselves. Cassandra starts to write a journal to get all her feelings and thoughts out  - even if they are starting to veer towards despair. Then, the Cotton family arrive from the USA. They are the new landlords, but instead of the long-awaited eviction notice for non-payment of rent, this new family takes the Mortmains under their wing. Rose, fed up of being poor, sets her sights at Simon, the eldest brother - whereas Cassandra forms a friendship with Neil, the younger sibling. When Simon asks Rose to marry him, she says yes, trying to convince herself that she really is in love. All looks good until Cassandra falls for Simon herself, and it becomes increasingly obvious that Rose is only in it for the money! Things come to a head on the romance side at the same time as Cassandra and her brother put into action an extremely risky plan to get their father writing again! This might sound like your average romantic novel, but it is not. There is a lightness of touch to the tale and some beautiful descriptive passages of the countryside, the characters and, bizarre as it may seem, living in poverty. It's a great read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent narration of Jenny Agutter in the audio version I invested my time in. More than happy to recommend this book, though I think it is one more for the female half of the population!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 432 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: Print; abridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Tess of the D'Urbevilles (26) - not many laughs

If you are looking for a book to brighten your day and bring a little ray of sunshine into your life, then DO NOT read Tess of the D'Urbevilles by Thomas Hardy. Blimey it's grim. Set in the late 19th century, it is a tale of poverty and innocence lost. Our eponymous heroine falls victim to the whims of her father who, upon discovering that he is descended from an ancient and well-to-do family (the D'Urbevilles), is convinced that there may be a way to restore the now named Durbeyfields to their former glory. This comes to a head when her father gets drunk one night and Tess has to take his place on a trip to market, which results in the accidental death of their horse. Thinking that if they can successfully "claim kin" with a distant relative they have heard of, their fortunes might turn around, the teenage Tess is shipped off to work at the grand house of an old lady named D'Urbeyville, without realising that her husband had bought the title rather than being born into it. Unfortunately for Tess, this lady has a lecherous son who takes a shine to her and pesters and flatters her continually despite her efforts to dissuade him. The inevitable happens and he takes advantage of the innocent teenager and leaves her bewildered and pregnant. She heads back home and hides away, feeling great shame. Her baby does not survive for long and Tess eventually goes back into the world to work as a dairy maid some distance from her family home. At the dairy, she meets Angel Clare who is soon smitten with her. She feels deeply attracted to him too, but keeps him at arm's length, determined that she is not good enough for anyone. Yes, there is romance, but it is all so fraught and there are scant moments of happiness. Needless to say, this does not end well and Tess struggles through life constantly troubled and fearful. This book is well crafted and the descriptive texts of the countryside at different times of the day are excellent. You feel the pain and the hard work and stress ... but for me, there is just so little relief from this that it's difficult to say that it is an enjoyable read. Great narration from Peter Firth did not save Tess for me, who, with a modern perspective, you can feel sympathy for, but you still want to shake her for such weakness at times.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 384 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; unabridged audio CD; ebook.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (5) - darker and darker

In this, the fourth outing for Harry Potter, the adventures of the young wizard take a decidedly darker turn. JK Rowling recognises that with each passing year, the characters must mature, and this is reflected in the narrative of this book. The book starts with Harry finding himself going to the Quidditch World Cup with his friends Ron and Hermione. The excitement and joy of the match (think of England, 1966, Wembley ... but on broomsticks!) gives way to fear when the hooded Death Eaters go on the march, followed by the display of the Dark Mark in the sky. The Dark Mark is a call to arms for the followers of Lord Voldemort (the wizard who killed Harry's parents), and the wizarding community are thrown into confusion ... is he really back? With this backdrop, Harry returns to school at Hogwarts, but soon becomes the centre of attention when his name is unexpectedly pulled from the Goblet of Fire and he is chosen to take part in the Triwizard Tournament. Nobody believes that he didn't put his name in for this event and his popularity takes a tumble - even his best friend Ron stops speaking to him. The Tournament begins and Harry manages to get through the events, helping out the other contestants along the way. However, on the point of victory in the last event, he and Cedric Diggory, a fellow Hogwarts contestant are transported to a cemetery, where they face Lord Voldemort in bodily form ... yes, HE IS BACK! There are some shocks in this book, and not everyone comes out alive. The action cracks along at a fast pace, and while there is definitely less humour, there are still some lighter moments to relieve the tension. The characters have grown on me and I really do want to find out what happens to them. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is not high art, but as an escape from everyday life into another world that doesn't hugely tax the brain, it's a winner.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 752 print pages.
Price I paid: free - borrowed from local library.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

The Stand (53) - an epic of good vs evil

When I saw that there was a book by Stephen King on the Top 100 Reads list, I was slightly concerned. I associate him with horror, and that's not a genre of book that I would ever choose to read after scaring myself silly reading some James Herbert novels in my youth. However, within a couple of minutes of starting The Stand in audio format, I was hooked. It is an action-packed thriller ( I think dark thriller, rather than full on horror) which has incredibly deep themes - life, death, good, evil and the frailties of humanity. Disaster befalls the world when a deadly man-made super flu is accidentally released into the atmosphere. What follows is a nightmare of cataclysmic proportions - with a 99% infection-rate, with nobody surviving once infected - within a few short weeks, the population of the USA (in which the book is based) is devastated. You cannot get comfortable - victims of the flu are introduced and bumped off in quick succession. Finally, we start to get to know a few people who seem to be immune - Stu Redman, Larry Underwood, Fran Goldsmith and to name a few. They are spread all over the country, and have watched all those around them die a horrible death. Society completely breaks down - there is no-one left to keep the power on or to keep the water supplies clean! Apart from their immunity, the survivors start to experience the same dreams. One features a kindly old lady sitting on her porch playing her guitar, and the other features a shadowy, faceless, threatening figure - variously known as the dark man, or the walking dude. Those who feel the pull of the old woman (Mother Abigail) and her inherent goodness, start to travel to where she lives, pick her up and end up in Boulder where they try to form a new community of survivors. Those who feel the pull of the dark man congregate in Las Vegas and also start to organise themselves into a community. On the surface, the two might look similar, but life in Vegas is full of fear, mistrust and painful deaths. The Boulder community feel that the dark man is gathering his forces on the other side of the Rockies and will bring destruction to them sooner or later - and start to realise that they must make a stand, and try to put a stop to the tide of evil that threates to overwhelm them. This is a book that will keep you guessing and it is hard to know who will ultimately triumph. Relentless and exhausting at times, this is ultimately a very satisfying read ... all 47 hours and 47 minutes if it!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 1344 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.