The Power - turning the world upside down!

In this disturbing novel, teenage girls develop the ability to deliver electric shocks ... which becomes known as The Power. Men fear this phenomenon and try to seek ways to control those exhibiting this power. However, when the girls discover that they can trigger the ability in older women, the men lose any control they previously had, and things start to go terribly wrong. Society begins to unravel and the world becomes a very different place. Politics, religion and the criminal underworld are taken over by women, with alarming results. The centuries of male domination and unfair and violent treatment of women comes home to roost as the "gentler" sex  stop being so gentle, and revenge is meted out without mercy. This momentous change is seen through the eyes of several main characters: Allie, a foster kid who was abused by her carers but who has become the focal point of a new religion; Margot, a politician who exploits her position as well as her daughter; Roxy, the daughter of a gangster who is betrayed by her family; and Tunde, a male reporter who sees the writing on the wall as the story unfolds across the world. The Power, by Naomi Alderman is often a tough read, where the premise is, I suppose, that power always corrupts, no matter who holds it. But if women did hold the power, would men be treated so appallingly as women have been throughout history? I would like to think not, which is why I found this book a bit dispiriting at times. It is, however, gripping and the main characters are compelling. I really wanted to find out what happened to them all in the end. This is a book that stays with you, and some parts still give me the shivers. It would be extremely interesting to hear the reaction of men who read this book ... would they recognise the situations the characters find themselves in, and wonder what their fates would be if they were women in today's world?

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 15: A book about feminism.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - no ruby slippers!

Having seen the 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz many, many times, I was curious to find out how that adaptation differed from the book by L. Frank Baum which had inspired it. Whilst the main characters and the story arc are familiar, there are some distinct differences too. We begin with young Dorothy and her doggie companion Toto, who are swept away in their Kansas house to the strange land of Oz. On arrival, she has, quite accidentally, killed the Wicked Witch of the East and is, as a result, feted by the oppressed Munchkins. She is given the witch's slippers - which are silver and not ruby (as in the film). She is desperate to get back home to Kansas, and is told to go to the Emerald City and ask the all-powerful Wizard for help. And so she heads off, meeting three new companions along the way - the Scarecrow who would like to have a brain, the Tin Woodman who is desperate for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion, who needs to find some courage. Dorothy is sure that the Wizard will help them too, and so they join up and head off to the City together. The journey is not a smooth one, and they meet different people and hazards along the way, each helping the other. When they finally get to meet the Wizard, they are told that they must kill the Wicked Witch of the West in order to be granted what they have asked for. Dorothy is against this course of action, but soon understands that there is no other way for her to get home. The Witch is, indeed, wicked and will not go quietly - bringing all her resources to bear to destroy them ... including the Winged Monkeys. There is lots of action and fun to be had in this book, but there is darkness and violence too. A very black fairy tale indeed. I did enjoy it for the most part, but there were sections of the journey that fell a little flat for me and at times it felt a bit like ... and then this happened, and then this happened ... rather than the story flowing naturally. Good characterisation of the main characters and some magical and unexpected elements make The Wonderful Wizard of Oz an enjoyable, but not spectacular read.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 33: A childhood classic you've never read.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 272 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Surprisingly uplifting!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a book that creeps up on you. At first, I felt a little uncomfortable looking at the life of an exceptionally socially inept individual who is a constant source of amusement to her work colleagues. She is a creature of habit - wearing the same outfit to work each day, eating the same lunch and spending every weekend in a solitary vodka-induced haze. The only real contact she has with another human is via a mid-week phone call with her Mother - but there is no comfort to be found there. There's no love in her life and no friendship either, but she seems "completely fine" with this. And why not? She has never experienced these things so how could she possibly miss them? So far, so seemingly bleak. But do not abandon hope, for author Gail Honeyman works her magic, and brings you into Eleanor's world bit by bit until you start to understand why she is the way she is, and a wave of empathy washes over you. When an unexpected friendship develops with Raymond, the IT guy from work, Eleanor starts to broaden her horizons and finally starts to face up to the past which has shaped her life and left her with deep mental scars. This is, at times, a painful read, but is also funny and heart warming without any fear of it getting sickly sweet. Eleanor is a fantastic character and one that I suspect many of us will recognise - we all know someone who seems a little bit odd! However, this is a celebration of and a reminder to us all that small acts of kindness to people you meet might just save someone. So worth the effort, I thoroughly recommend this book to one and all. It truly deserves all the plaudits it has received and has earned its place at the top of the bestseller lists.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 16: A book about mental health.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

Death Masks - Witty urban fantasy

Harry Dresden is a Private Investigator working in Chicago - but he has a unique USP - he's a wizard! Whenever something too weird for the police shows up, Harry is called in to help out. In Death Masks, his fifth outing in the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Harry's world gets very complicated when he is challenged to a duel by the champion of the Red Court of Vampires, is hired by a priest to find the Turin Shroud which has been stolen, is called in by the police to help identify a mangled, headless corpse AND his ex-girlfriend (and semi-vampire) Susan comes by for a visit. There are thieves, daemons, vampires and knights all vying for Harry's attention, and many of them seem to be trying to kill him. Through all the twists and turns, thrills and spills, Harry maintains his dark sense of humour, which always gives these books spikes of wit and lightness even when things look their most bleak. There is a lot to take in, with, I suspect a new mortal enemy, the apparently unstoppable Nicodemus, making his first appearance in this series ... and what a foe! Harry battles the forces of evil with his magic and a smattering of brute force, as well as trying not to be on the losing side of his duel to the death. There is also a lot of emotional heart in this book, with Harry trying to come to terms with personal loss in a variety of forms. I am really enjoying this series of books and find that Harry is an engaging character. I would, however, like there to be more use of the female characters, who are woefully underused, although Susan did get more of the spotlight than usual in this episode! Highly enjoyable for anyone who likes gritty, action-packed urban fantasy, with a streak of funny running through the middle. I highly recommend the audio edition, narrated by James Masters who fits this role like a glove!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 9: A book about a villain or antihero.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 448 print pages.
Price I paid: free, as part of Audible free introductory offer.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

War of the Worlds - how soon it all falls apart!

As I sit here writing this blog, the sky has gone dark, the wind is howling and it has started to snow! It almost feels like the end of the world, which is how the narrator of The War of the Worlds expresses his feelings after he experiences an invasion by Martians. Written in 1898 by H.G. Wells, this book provides the graphic first person account by a civilian who witnesses the arrival of a mysterious vessel close to his home. He, like others, are fascinated by the metallic object that sits within the pit created by its landing. The object starts to unscrew and excitement mounts as people are eager to greet these visitors from Mars. But the excitement soon turns to terror when the thing that finally emerges starts blasting a Heat-Ray at everyone and anything near it. Any attempt at communication by humanity is dealt with in the same way. More vessels land and panic increases with the realisation that the weapons of the military just cannot compete against such a force. The Martians cause devastation as they move on London, firing waves after wave of black smoke which kills everything it touches ... as if the Heat Ray wasn't enough. Within days, humanity is on the brink, with the Martians starting to capture people to use as food. The red weed that has travelled with them from their home planet also starts to thrive and overrun the countryside. It is all our narrator can do just to keep out of their way and survive without going insane. This book is very dark, holding nothing back from the reader as it describes the Martians and their activities, as well as the impact their invasion has upon humanity which pretty much goes to pieces both physically and mentally. However, this book is a great read and hard to put down. So ahead of its time, it still holds up today and, quite frankly, I feel is much more realistic in terms of the final outcome than something like the ridiculously gung-ho Independence Day (as enjoyable as that is). I heartily recommend this book which, if, like me, you only know parts of the story from the epic Jeff Wayne musical interpretation of it, will help to fill in some of the detail and get you closer to the action. The daddy of science fiction!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 22: A book with alliteration in the title. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 180 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3-CD, ebook.

La Belle Sauvage - A little disappointing!

As a massive fan of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, I could not wait to read La Belle Sauvage, The Book of Dust, Volume One, which takes the reader back into the parallel universe inhabited by Lyra Belacqua. In this opening salvo, Lyra is still a baby and is being looked after by the nuns at Godstow Priory. Opposite the priory, on the other side of the River Thames, sits the Trout Inn, where eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead lives with his parents and, of course, his daemon, Asta. Everyone in this world has a visible entity called a daemon, who takes the form of an animal and accompanies you throughout your life. Malcolm's pride and joy is his canoe - La Belle Sauvage - and he spends many happy hours on the river. His world is turned upside down when he sees a man dropping something, and when Malcolm finds it, intending to return it, he witnesses the man being detained by the authorities. He finds that the item dropped contains a message, which he feels is important, but doesn't understand. When he later learns that the man has been killed, he finds that local scholar, Hannah Reid, may provide some answers via her studies using an alethiometer. An air of menace begins to grow both at school and in the general population, and when Malcolm learns that Lyra is in danger he goes to warn the nuns, but events are overtaken by a flood. He rescues Lyra and, together with Alice, the servant girl from the pub, they try to get her to the safety of her father, Lord Asriel. I loved the first half of this book - it felt like an old friend who had come to visit after many years of being away. Malcolm is an engaging protagonist, though maybe unrealistically wise and more capable than his eleven years would suggest. The ground is laid for the future story to unfold and the action bowled along. I particularly liked the scenes between Malcolm and the nuns. However, during the flood scenes, things started to go awry for me. Yes this is a fantasy novel, but there were faerie-like characters and ethereal scenes that seemed at odds with the rest of the book and I didn't think they added anything to the story. In fact, I would go so far as to say that they were a bit confused and actually interfered with the main action. Maybe they will turn out to be significant further down the line? And so, by the end of the novel, I was feeling a little disappointed, which I almost cannot bear to admit. There is still much to admire and maybe, if you hadn't read His Dark Materials, the book would be more enjoyable. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next instalment will be better.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 17: A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 546 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from local library.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Song of Achilles - Tears before bedtime!

So you think you know all there is to know about Greek legend that is Achilles .... think again! In The Song of Achilles, by Madeleine Miller, our narrator is Patroclus, a gentle boy who happens to be the son of a harsh king. When he accidentally kills a bully, he is exiled to the court of King Peleus and meets Achilles for the first time. Achilles is everything Patroclus is not - handsome, athletic, confident and, as if that wasn't enough, he is also half-God - the result of a liaison between Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis! Despite their differences, friendship blossoms and the two become inseperable. When sent to an isolated training camp, they become closer still and they have their first sexual encounter. Initially full of teenage angst and uncertainty about their relationship, their feelings are so strong that they become devoted to each other on all levels. However, Achilles is destined to become a "hero" and his mother, Thetis, will not tolerate anything that threatens this destiny. They are separated for a while and Achilles is secretly married to Deidameia, but even this does not dull their feelings for each other, and when they do find each other again, Patroclus is determined never to leave his side. Eventually, Achilles' destiny comes calling, and so begins the Trojan Wars. Patroclus tries to protect him as much as possible - they both know that it is Achilles fate to die once the Trojan Prince, Hector is slain. But nothing can interfere with destiny for very long (at least not in Greek myths). Despite the background of war and violence, this is a book of incredible tenderness. Using Patroclus as the narrator throughout, gives the book a core of quiet determination - he knows and sees Achilles faults but, like anyone who is in love, he forgives them, even when it hurts. This book is a triumph - all the characters are well defined and the emotions believable. I would highly recommend it - although you may shed a few tears by the end.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 12: A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 368 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio cassette, ebook.