The Marriage Portrait - an imagined life

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is inspired by a young woman from the 16th Century - Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici, who died shortly after her marriage to Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara, aged just sixteen. We know this from the beginning so there really aren't many spoilers here. But we do see how Lucrezia gets to this point. We follow her childhood, where she was much more interested in her father's menagerie and spent more time with the servants in the kitchen than becoming a "lady" like her sisters. Lucrezia hadn't even thought about marriage, but then her elder sister, who had been promised to Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara, suddenly died. Alfonso, keen that the link between these two powerful families would still happen, offers to take on Lucrezia instead, and she is prepared for the wedding. She enters into the marriage with some romantic notions, after all, Alfonso was very handsome, but as nobody really explained to her the full ramifications of what being a wife would really mean, her wedding night was a bit of a painful shock. This is no love match. Although Alfonso barely speaks to her, he visits her every night, desperate for her to produce an heir, which is all he really wants. So when one doesn't appear, his behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and when Alfonso takes her to a remote country villa, far away from her family, she begins to suspect that he is planning to kill her, so that he would be free to marry again... This is a very well written story full of character, action and emotion in a period setting. However, it is not always an easy read, as it vividly details the treatment of women at this time (1561), who are commodities to be bartered and discarded at the whim of men. I found the total lack of empathy for females appalling. Indeed, few of the male characters come out of this book with much to merit them. Lucrezia is full of vim and vigour and the reader totally roots for her to somehow escape what appears to be her destiny. There is a portrait of this young woman which has been the inspiration for stories and poems, and now this book. What really happened to Lucrezia may never be known, but it doesn't stop us wondering!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 448 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Secret - Reacher back on form!

The Secret by Lee Child and Andrew Child (the father and son team!). This is number 28 in the series featuring Jack Reacher, but is set a few years before the very first Reacher book, so we get to see a bit of his back story during the time he was still in the military police. The scene is set in Chicago where a hospital patient is shown a list of names by two strangers and is asked an impossible question. He can't and minutes later, he "falls" to his death out of the window. Surprisingly, this death raises a flag with the Secretary of Defence, who calls together a task force from a range of agencies, and Reacher is the Army's representative. Not known for his fondness for office politics, Reacher sets out to investigate, having to work with people he doesn't know if he can trust, and uncovers a secret that goes back 23 years. I read this book in three days - it romps along at a mighty fast pace and is a great holiday read, or for times when you don't want to be thinking too hard. It takes you out of yourself and into Reacher's world of 1992, when he is still a military cop. It is gripping and has all the elements you would expect from a Reacher book, but with a few little twists. Of course there is violence, but not a ridiculous amount. It is what it is. If you like a gripping thriller, with an edgy hero that is great to read on the page but who you really wouldn't want to meet in real life, then this could be the book for you. I don't think you need to have read another Reacher prior to this one to enjoy it and get a feel for the rest of the books in the series. I had been finding some a little on the violent side, but this strikes a better balance. I hope the father and son combo can continue in this same vein.

My STAR rating: FOUR

Length: 396 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my brother-in-law.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Unruly - for those who their history on the sweary side!

Unruly by David Mitchell takes a plunge into the world of the English monarchs from the time where England first became "England" after the Romans left, right up to Queen Elizabeth I. It's an irreverent look at the ups and downs of ruling (mostly downs!) and of being ruled by a person who is either a thug, or thinks they have a god given right to rule, or indeed, both. As a comedian who studied history at Cambridge University, the author obviously has a soft spot for his subject, but holds no punches when describing what they get up to. These lucky individuals attained great power - usually through the happy chance of who their parents were, but sometimes by force. But no matter how they came to the throne, they are portrayed as a bunch of narcissists, with little if any self-control who lived fast and usually died very young. There are many beheadings, wars and general shenanigans. I'm not sure any of them come out with much glory and it certainly is NOT a ringing endorsement of the monarchy as an institution. Told at break neck speed, it's often tricky to keep track of who is who (particularly in the audio edition which I read), so I'm not sure I actually learned a great deal. However, it is fairly entertaining though immensely sweary ... a lot more than I was expecting ... which got in the way for me and became very wearing after a while. I would have loved more facts or indeed, time spent on individual monarchs rather than the dismissive snipes that some of them came and went with incredibly rapidly. But I suppose we all have our favourites! A slight disappointment, but fun in places.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 448 print pages.

Price I paid: £7.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Sea Glass - fine story telling

Sea Glass by Anita Shreve is the story of Honora Beecher and her husband, Sexton, who, in 1929, have just got married and moved themselves into a derelict cottage on the coast of New Hampshire. Honora tries to make the house a bit more liveable and collects sea glass along the shoreline - a hobby that fills her heart with joy. Sexton is a typewriter salesman who has grand ideas about his future, and risks all their money on a massive loan to buy the house they are currently renting. Unfortunately, the stock market crashes and they become penniless - and nobody wants to buy a typewriter! Sexton finds work at a local mill, and is away all week, leaving Honora spending more time by herself or with a new friend who lives along the coast. Their marriage becomes shaky as Sexton becomes more emotionally distant and they both become embroiled in a labour conflict that erupts into violence. This is a great holiday read, with characters that you care about, a bit of romance, politics and civil unrest. It's all there, but written with such a lightness of touch that it's hard to put down and you suddenly find yourself on the last page. Anita Shreve was a great writer of the ups and downs of relationships, and the emotional depth shown within the characters is clear to see, and indeed feel, in most cases. My one gripe was that I found it hard to like Sexton and wondered why Honora was with him in the first place. But that could be just me! An enjoyable book nonetheless.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 356 print pages.

Price: free, borrowed from my Mum.

Formats available: print, audio CD, ebook.

A Game of Thrones - At Last!

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin is the first volume of an epic fantasy series titles A Song of Ice and Fire, the TV adaptation of which took the world by storm. I have had this on my "to read" pile for years and I now I've finally got round to it! Yes, it's a hefty tome, but it is not a hard read. Each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the characters, each of whom are well drawn, which helps the reader to get to know their motivations and quirks very quickly. Eddard Stark, Lord of the North in the land of the Seven Kingdoms is happy to be left doing this own thing, but when King Robert Baratheon (an old friend whom Eddard had helped unseat Aegon Targaryen from the throne) comes North and asks him to be his "Hand" (i.e. right hand man) following the untimely death of the previous incumbent, Eddard can't say no. He takes his two daughters, Sansa (a total romantic) and Arya (a complete tomboy) with him. Sansa is promised to the King's son, Joffrey, and can't wait to get married. Arya is more interested in learning how to fight with a sword. Eddard tries to support Robert, and becomes increasingly suspicious of the Queen (Cersei) and her brother (Jaime) who he fears are secret lovers and that none of Robert's supposed heirs are in fact Robert's children. But Eddard is just one man, and the underhand politics and plotting soon take over events and he is accused of treason after the death of the King. This brings the Stark family into conflict with Queen Cersei and her son, Joffrey, of the powerful House Lannister and war looks set to break out. While all this is going on, in a far off land, the last of the Targaryens (of dragon fame) are trying to muster an army to reclaim the throne, and when her brother is killed, this falls to Daenerys, a young woman whose marriage was used as a bargaining chip, but who now looks to lead this army. There's so much going on, with many threads and a multitude of characters - it probably helped that I had seen the TV series, but it's not necessary. The book definitely adds layers and complexities that the series couldn't. This is a story that's not for the squeamish - no-one is safe, and the treatment of women particularly feels shocking in this day and age. It is definitely medieval in feeling, where power is everything and life is short. A great read and one that transports you to another land. Everyone will have their favourite characters, but Tyrion and Arya are mine so far. Am trying really hard not to dive into the next book straight away!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length:836 print pages.

Price I paid: £1.50 from a charity shop.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Mystery Man - Darkly entertaining!

Mystery Man, by Colin Bateman, is the story of the owner of No Alibis, a Belfast bookshop that specialises in crime fiction. Written in the first person, we discover that he is a total hypochondriac and pretty much scared of everything. He's also totally obsessed with Alison, the woman who works in the jewellery shop across the road. Next door to his shop is a detective agency which seems to have gone bust, and its clients begin to come into the bookshop, assuming our Mystery Man (you never get to know his name) can pick up where the detective left off and solve their case. He has read enough books to assume he'd be able to pull an investigation off, as long as the cases don't involve any danger. So, he takes one on - the case of a missing wife who, he assumes, has just run off with a new lover. But, in an effort to impress Alison, he goes along with her idea to break in next door to get a glimpse of the real detectives files, only to find his dead body mouldering away under a pile of car fresheners. This catapults them into the midst of a deadly plot by a serial killer to eliminate anyone who may know a long hidden secret dating back to Nazi concentration camps ... and they soon realise that they are now on the list! This is very entertaining caper with many light moments, despite the bodies! Our "hero" gives a running dialogue of all the action as well as his innermost thoughts, and while it might seem impossible (both to him and the reader) that anyone could fall for him ... Alison steps up to the mark with her bravery, good sense and can do attitude. They make a good, if unusual team and the dialogue sparkles between them. A murder mystery with a difference, and one that keeps you guessing for the vast majority of the book. The writer is obviously a fan of crime fiction and drops in details for the aficionado ... but it won't really matter if they pass you by, they do not interfere with the action which bowls along a a good pace. I used the audio edition which was narrated by Stephen Armstrong, which was really easy to listen to. A very entertaining read all round, particularly for those who like their humour on the dark side!

My STAR rating: FOUR

Length: 416 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audiobook, ebook.

The Revenge of Seven - A bit disappointing!

The Revenge of Seven, by Pittacus Lore is book 5 of the Lorien Legacies. I started this series a good few years ago, and decided to dip back into it as I needed something light and easy to digest for a wee while. And this is definitely a book that will not tax the old brain cells too much. The story of the Loric Garde (youngsters from the planet Lorien who have been brought to Earth to escape the destruction of their planet by the Mogadorians) picks up pretty much where the last one ended - Eight is dead (killed by Five), Ella has been captured, and the rest of the Garde are on the run. Ella discovers that she is on a Mogadorian spaceship in the clutches of their leader, Setrakus Ra, who tells her that he is her grandfather! His genetic modifications have created the creature she sees before her and he wants to mould her to become like him, and rule the Earth together. Ella wants nothing more than to escape ... and if she can kill Setrakus Ra, and the traitor Five (who is also on the ship), in the process even better. Meanwhile, Four (John Smith) is trying to reunite the remaining Garde, so he sets out for Florida to find Six, Nine and Marina, but is sidetracked into going to New York to try and foil an apparent plot by high ranking humans to invite the Mogadorians to Earth, which will then result in an invasion. But nothing is quite what it seems and it is already too late - they are already here ... and a big battle takes place. While all of this is happening, Six, Marina and Nine head to Calakmul, where they discover that "Lorien" is not a planet, but an entity, and it has started to spread across the Earth ... will it be in time to save humanity? Tune in next time ...! Whilst there is a lot going on, the plot seemed to drag and felt little repetitive at times. I remember being much more invested in the characters in the previous books ... maybe I've left it too long between readings! Or maybe I've grown out of them. Now I am debating whether to continue with the series and invest any more time into it ... even though I have already invested so much. I do want to find out what happens to the characters but, for once, I found some of the narration in the audio edition off-putting and unsubtle in places - one of the narrators was very shouty and one-dimensional! Not the best read of the year so far, by a long way.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 320 print pgages.

Price I paid: £7.99

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.