Litte Doritt - Four months in the reading!

As usual with a novel by Charles Dickens, there is a cornucopia of characters and events to get your head around in Little Dorrit, some of which I could have quite easily done without. However, the main action centres on two families - the Dorrits and the Clemens. William Dorrit has been languishing in Marshalsea debtors' prison for many, many years, in fact his daughter, Amy was born there. Why so many years ... well, once you are in debtors' prison, you cannot get out until you earn enough money to pay back the debt, which, if you are in prison, is hard to do! Amy looks after her father and her two siblings as best she can, and earns some money through her needlework. It's a hard life, but she quietly gets on with it and is content when her father is content. Arthur Clemens has worked in China for 20 years, and returns to England upon the death of his father. However, his mother does not welcome him home and he becomes estranged from her, but not before he meets Amy, who has been working for his mother. He is intrigued and follows her back to the prison and makes himself known to the family, offering some support. They form a friendship, but their lives diverge when Arthur sets up in business with a friend, and William Dorrit inherits a lot of money. The whole family leaves the prison and start moving in very different circles - Amy does not find this change of fortune easy and struggles to find her feet, especially when her own father dies. Through no fault of his own, Arthur loses all his money and ends up, you guessed it, in the Marshalsea prison. This is where Amy, or Little Dorrit as she prefers Arthur to call her, finds him once again. There are sub-plots and shenanigans aplenty, which can become a tad confusing - well, I find them confusing anyhow. However, the main story and characters are a delight and this is a very enjoyable and accessible work. It has real heart and helps to shine a light on how easy it can be to fall foul of "the system" and how hard it can be to get back on track. Dickens was certainly taking a swipe at this at the time of writing (1855-1857), but much about the dip into poverty, and subsequent struggle to get out of it is still relevant today. This is a long book, and it has, unbelievably, taken me 4 months to read it in audio - probably due to me not finding as much time to read audio as I have in the past. However, if you have enough time to spare, then you could do worse than delve into the pages of this novel.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 31: A book mentioned in another book. (Mentioned in Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books)

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 848 print pages.
Price I paid: £1.99
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

Circe - Greek myth and mayhem brought to life

Earlier this year, I read The Song Of Achilles and enjoyed it so much that when I saw a new book by the same author - Madeleine Miller - I couldn't resist it for Popsugar prompt number 18. And I'm pleased to say, I was not disappointed. Ms Miller has a style of writing that really appeals to me. From the opening page of Circe, she immediately transports the reader into the world of Greek myth. However,  you do not need to be well versed in the legends of gods, monsters and mortals to enjoy this retelling of Homer's Odyssey. The story focuses on what is a relatively minor character from the legends - Circe - who is the daughter of a god and a nymph. Overlooked by her father, mother and siblings, Circe tries to make her own way in her immortal existence, but finds herself drawn to the human playthings of the gods. She discovers that she has power and uses it to devastating effect, causing her to be outcast on the island of Aiaia. Realising that it is her lot in life to be a witch, she tries to become the best witch she can possibly be. Her encounters with men who visit the island usually end up with her turning them into swine. However, this isn't always the case and when Odysseus arrives with his men, he becomes her lover. This sets her on a fresh path - that of motherhood, where all the trials and tribulations of being a single mother are laid bare. And it doesn't matter one jot whether you are a goddess or not. Will Circe ever find the happiness and companionship she craves? Circe should be a hard character to feel sympathy for, but she is written so well that you cannot help rooting for her, even at her most destructive. Some may crave the role of eternal goddess, but what would you do with your time? Who would be your friends? Could you find love and contentment? This book can be taken as a rollicking good yarn, with action and adventure all the way, but there are so many things that Circe makes you consider about the role of women in the world, the challenges of motherhood, love and fidelity. An enjoyable read, I am definitely going to look out for anything written by this author.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 18: A book that's published in 2018.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.00 (borrowed from library as an ebook)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - a book with real heart

In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the story unfolds through the correspondence of Juliet Ashton, an author who has been struggling to find a topic for her new book. It is 1946, and she, like everyone else is trying to rebuild her life after the war. When she receives a letter from from Guernsey, she finds herself drawn to the sender and cannot resist replying. She discovers how the people of Guernsey coped with the occupation of their island by the Germans, and how the ridiculously named Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was formed. Soon, others from the society are sending her letters too, and we see each character come to life in their own words. There is bravery, heartbreak, love, loss and a great deal of humour. Juliet is drawn more and more to these people and decides to travel to Guernsey to meet them, leaving behind a dapper - but pushy - American who is determined to marry her. Now on the island, she is drawn into this special circle of people - becoming part and parcel of their lives. Can she ever go back to her old life? Started by Mary Ann Shaffer, this book was finished by her niece, Annie Barrows, when Ms Shaffer became too ill to complete it. Sadly, she didn't live to see its publication and subsequent success. This is a very enjoyable read, with a whole host of great characters on show. I thought it would feel very bitty due to the nature of the action taking place via letters and telegrams, but somehow, this engendered the novel with great pace. It may not be a thriller, but it is definitely a page-turner. The authors make you care about the characters that inhabit the book, and you can't wait to find out what happens to them. It's always a good sign when you are a bit sad that you have finished a book (great contrast to my feelings on Moby Dick!) A book with a lot of heart that didn't disappoint.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 18: A book written by two authors.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 256 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.00 (borrowed from library as an ebook)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio, audio CD, CD-ROM, ebook.

Moby Dick - I thought it would never, EVER, end!

In case you were wondering why I haven't posted a review in some time, I can sum it up in two words ... Moby Dick! Little did I know how time consuming this tome would be. Written in 1851, this is a classic book, that I downloaded ages ago and thought I must read at some point. So, when one of the prompts in the Popsugar Challenge was to read a book set at sea, I thought ... boom ... already got one ready to go! I know that many people love this book and the reviews on Amazon testify to this, but I found it to be plodding and full of completely unnecessary information. It started well with the narrator, Ishmael, finding himself in Nantucket, and determined to go to sea on a whaling boat. Yes, the language was "of the time" but that was fine. However, once he'd found his boat - The Pequot - things took a distinct downturn. There were huge passages of information about different whales, different whaling nations, how to slaughter a whale and on and on and on ... I kept turning the pages thinking, "Where has the story gone?" Finally it would reappear and, once again, I'd start to get into it - but a few pages more and off we would go on another tangent. I found this deeply irritating and exceedingly dull. The eponymous whale is mentioned throughout, but we don't actually encounter this fateful creature until very, VERY late on. By which time, I was rooting for Moby to come and destroy everything and everybody. The author, Herman Melville, has given the world a book about the danger of an obsession so deep rooted that it can send someone over the edge of reason, as well as take others with him. (Personally, I couldn't understand why anyone would follow Captain Ahab to his doom - he just annoyed me from the get go and I struggled to find any redeeming elements in his character). However, I felt that the author was entirely too obsessed with "informing" his audience about the tiniest details about whales and whaling, that it took away from the story. I know I may be in a minority, but overall, my recommendation would be ... don't bother. There are SOOOO many better books to read. Unless you HAVE to read this book for a literature course, please, please avoid it. There, I've said it. Sorry Mr Melville, not for me!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 25: A book set at sea.

My STAR rating: TWO. (I gave this two because the actual story element is good - there is just way too much asides and ramblings that just get in the way for me.)

Length: 544 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.00 (thank goodness I didn't pay for it!)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio, audio CD, ebook.

The Secret Life Of Cows - gentle musings

The Secret Life Of Cows is a series of observations made over many years on Kite's Nest Farm where author, Rosamund Young, lived and worked with cows, sheep and chickens. This book focuses primarily on the lives of the cows - of which there are many generations. When the Youngs started to really observe their cows, they realised that each had their own character and was very much an individual, with their own preferences for other cattle and indeed humans. They have friends, they like to play, but above all, they like to eat. The farm is a great advert for looking after livestock in a way that allows them to exhibit their natural instinct for when they want shelter, when they want food and what type of food they want, when they need help from humans ... and when they just need to be left alone. For anyone who has an interest in animals, this is a book that you will enjoy. I would have preferred more of a narrative thread rather than the bitesize chunks that don't really link with each other. This made for a disjointed read. So, more of a coffee table book in my opinion - something you can pick up and put down over a long period of time to absorb short musings on all things bovine. It's gentle, takes no time to read and may change the way you think about cows when you next see one in a field.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 26: A book with an animal in the title.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 140 print pages.
Price I paid: free, this was a present.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

The Night Circus - magically dangerous

Ever wondered what the world could be like if magic was real? Well, in The Night Circus, we get a little taste of such a world. At heart, this book is a love story between two characters (Celia and Marco) who are trapped at an early age into a deadly competition by two "gentlemen" who have, for an interminable amount of time, been debating about which type of magic is the superior. Each child is trained in the different magical methods and, after many years, the results start to appear in the form of The Night Circus - a mysterious circus that only opens after sunset. Now grown up, they each create different attractions in the circus and also start to influence and adapt each others creations. They become aware that they are competing with each other, but cannot help but fall in love - even before they really know who the other is. Their world is full of interesting people - from the performers in the circus, to the audience, some of whom become ardent followers (Les Reveurs). The circus gets bigger, and more people become unwittingly embroiled in the competition, and Celia is the one who starts to really feel the strain of holding all the magical elements of the circus together. When she and Marco discover that the competition can only be won by the death for the other, they desperately try to find a way out. Author Erin Morgenstern has created a story which has a fairy tale quality. At times dreamy, and at others dark, the action weaves around time and space which can leave the reader (well, this reader) a little discombobulated. There is a lot to take in and I am sure I missed things, or didn't quite realise the significance of an event at the time. Full of fascinating characters and imaginative scenes where the magic takes centre stage, there is much to admire about this book. And apart from the odd sense of confusion, I did enjoy The Night Circus - but I think I might have enjoyed it even more if it was told in a more linear fashion.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 8: A book with a time of day in the title.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 656 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Look Who's Back - disturbingly funny!

It's always interesting when you read a story about a person who feels a bit like a fish out of water, but what if the author takes this one step further, using a person that history would rather forget? That's the risk Timur Vermes makes in Look Who's Back, when he brings Adolf Hitler back from the grave, 50 years after his death. It's 2011, and Hitler wakes up in a park (we, and he, have no idea how or why). Somewhat disorientated, he slowly realises that this is not the Berlin he is familiar with. He comes across a newspaper vendor who assumes he is an out-of-work actor playing the role of his life by never breaking character, and touting for business in the area. Hitler does not disabuse him of this assumption and finds refuge with this man. The advantage of this for Hitler is that he gets to read all the newspapers and starts to catch up on the events of the present day - barely believing that his beloved Germany is now run by a woman! The vendor makes an introduction to one of his regulars, and Hitler is recruited for a satirical TV sketch show, where he becomes a sensation. Some viewers are offended by what he says (as they should be), but most think it is hilarious ... little do they know that, being who he actually is, he really means every word he says. What his employers think of as burning satire is, for him, a vehicle to reach the masses with his fervent nazi beliefs. Despite it's subject matter, this is a deeply funny book wrapped around a cautionary tale. The people we may think hold the oddest of views, can express themselves in such a way that at first you may think it's funny, and nobody could possibly take it seriously. However, hear it often enough and it can start to take traction and resonate with so many people that it can turn the world upside down. The humour comes in seeing Hitler trying to get to grips with the modern world, and also his reaction to the politicians and society he sees around him. This makes him determined to put the German people "back on track" and makes it his mission to do so. I read the audio edition, narrated by the marvellous Julian Rhind-Tutt, who almost explodes during the increasing rants from Adolf. I really enjoyed this book and felt it was over all too soon.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 6: A novel based on a real person.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 384 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.