Challenge Review 2009

Another year, another set of a challenges. Mostly successes and yet another chance to learn about my reading habits! Many thanks to all those who hosted these great challenges. May the next year be full of many more...

Challenges completed

Deweys's Reading Challenge:
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
Looking For Alaska - John Green
Into the Forest - Jean Hegland
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett

RIP IV:
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

Herding Cats II:
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Nation - Terry Pratchett

YA Challenge 2009:
The Black Tattoo - Sam Enthoven
Paper Towns - John Green
An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick
What I Was - Meg Rosoff
Once Upon a Time in the North - Philip Pullman
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
The Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale
Nation - Terry Pratchett

Incompleted Challenges

Challenge with Rhinoa:
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle
Piece by Piece - Tori Amos
The Happy Prince and other stories - Oscar Wilde
Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

I didn't get the chance to finish Lolita, but it will be one of my first books for 2010. And hopefully we'll carry the challenge over for another year!

Rhinoa's Manga Challenge (I failed miserably and didn't even start!)

Challenges for 2010

So far, I will be carrying over the Arthurian Challenge and Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge, and will be very selective about others that I join!

The Year in Review 2009

Yet another good year for reading, with some truly excellent titles, though perhaps not as many as I had hoped. I have also been rather slack with my reviews and will endeavour to write them as I go in the coming year, rather than leave it until I have forgotton the details!

Five particular books stand out as my favourites of the year:
Skellig - David Almond
Looking for Alaska - John Green
What I Was - Meg Rosoff
Eleanor Rigby - Douglas Coupland
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield

David Almond, Meg Rosoff and John Green have gone straight into my all time favourite young adult and children's author category!

It also seems that I have begun the last two years on a real high, with my first book of the year ending up as one of my favourites...no pressure for 2010 then!

Books read this year
Looking for Alaska - John Green
The Last of the High Kings - Kate Thompson
The Happy Prince and other stories - Oscar Wilde
Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
New Moon - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
Outcast - Michelle Paver
Oath Breaker - Michelle Paver
Shakespeare Wrote for Money - Nick Hornby
Skellig - David Almond
Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Simon Armitage translation
The Good Fairies of New York - Martin Millar
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop - Lewis Buzbee
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
The Master and the Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov
The Accidental - Ali Smith
Enduring Love - Ian McEwan
The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
The Black Tattoo - Sam Enthoven
Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke
The Puppet Master - Joanne Owen
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
What I Was - Meg Rosoff
An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
Once Upon a Time in the North - Philip Pullman
Into the Forest - Jean Hegland
Eleanor Rigby - Douglas Coupland
The Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
Shakespeare - Bill Bryson (reread)
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
I am Morgan le Fay - Nancy Springer
Paper Towns - John Green
The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett
The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle
Ghost Hunter - Michelle Paver
Dewey - Vicky Myron
The Bride's Farewell - Meg Rosoff
Piece by Piece - Tori Amos
Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan
Nation - Terry Pratchett

Graceling - Kristin Cashore

Read for: YA Challenge

Although the first in yet another fantasy series billed for young adults, Graceling would certainly appeal to adult readers. I won't say too much about the plot because, lets face it, you've all read the book itself or other reviews, so you probably know everything you need to.

Set in the Seven Kingdoms, where a small number of people are born with a Grace, or special talent, the book revolves around a feisty heroine, Katsa. Born with a killing Grace, Katsa acts as an assassin for her uncle, the King of the Middluns, and as such, is feared by most of her people. Katsa gets close to noone, except her eccentric cousin, that is until she meets Po, a Graced fighter from the kingdom of Lienid. Searching for Po's kidnapped grandfather, Katsa must travel far across the Kingdoms and come to terms with her feelings towards her own Grace.

Graceling is yet another exciting and entertaining fantasy novel with a strong and interesting female leading character. Although nothing particularly original, the story was gripping and the characters flawed but passionate enough for the reader to become engrossed in their journeys. Yet again, I felt myself drawn to the leading male character, Po, and his burgeoning relationship with the somewhat difficult Katsa. His journey felt slightly less predictable to me, and the development of his character and his relationship with his family was somewhat more intriguing.

A very enjoyable read. I shall certainly be reading the sequel, Fire.

Other blog reviews:
Always Dreaming
Becky's Book Reviews
Books and other thoughts
Em's Bookshelf
Gemini Moon
Medieval Bookworm
Stella Matutina
The Written World

Advent Tour 2009

I am pleased to be participating in yet another Virtual Advent Tour, and seeing as today is the 21st of December, I would like to share a little about the winter solstice with you, along with some photos of my solstice celebrations yesterday (i.e. snowy woodland frolics!).

The winter solstice is both an astronomical and cultural event. In its astronomical meaning, the solstice occurs when the tilt of the earth's axis is furthest away from the sun, thus for people in the higher latitudes, this is observed as the shortest day of the year. The seasonal significance of this is that from this day on each year, the days begin to lengthen, and light returns to the world. It is this that has been celebrated each year for millenia, with the first records of the festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples in the 4th century, though it will likely have originated much earlier.

Yule was traditionally celebrated with feasting, drinking and general merriment, as pagans rejoiced in the banishing of the winter months. Other traditions that have since been incorporated into the winter festivals of many other cultures and religions include decorating homes with evergreens, yule logs (of the wood or chocolate varieties!), singing and christmas carols (known as wassailing) and the giving of gifts.

Yule is still celebrated around the world, by pagans, and others alike, with the festival undertaking many changes with other cultures and religions taking on facets, but all include a celebration of light. As today is unfortunately a work day, I celebrated Yule yesterday with a long walk through woodlands and past the frozen lake of the Blickling estate which was beautifully covered in snow. On Christmas eve I will be joining my family for a few days feasting, followed by my last historical excursion of the year, Hampton Court, assuming I can make it there in the snow!

So here is wishing you all a very festive Yule, Christmas and New Year, and any other traditions you may be celebrating. May the light return swiftly for us all.

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

Read for: RIP IV Challenge

Yet another relatively brief review, not just for lack of time, but because I am truly not sure that I can do this book justice, and because I was truly lost for words upon reading it.

The bleak opening of McCarthy's The Road, introduces us to a man and his son walking through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, along the titular road, in the hope of finding...what? Nothing is left, the world is barren, dark and cold. Fear permeates everything. Fear of starvation, fear of injury and disease, fear of the cold, fear of the unknown, and fear of what is known. McCarthy's world includes that most terrifying of post-apocalyptic ideas, the loss of humanity. And I don't mean the human race being wiped out, but the survivors losing what it is that makes them human. The world he describes is truly dog-eat-dog, and forces his characters (and his readers) to face the stark reality of their existance.

The only word I can think of that really encompasses the world that McCarthy has created, the challenges and events that his characters experience, and the feeling that they evoke is...devastating. The cause of this devastation is never unveiled, it is unimportant. McCarthy is not preaching about what we are doing to the Earth or our fellow man. The story is solely the survival of these two people. Not just their physical survival but their desire to survive. More than once the son expresses to his father than perhaps it would be better if they died, and in the circumstances, completely understandable. It is the father's strength, his love for his son and his hope, his inexplicable, all-encompassing, sometimes unbearable hope that I found most devastating. More than once, I felt hollow, as if all hope and joy and desire had been sucked out of me. And I was merely reading this book.

The Road is emotionally draining. I defy even the most hard hearted to not be moved by it. I am not however suggesting you will be blubbing over the book, mopping your eyes with endless tissues. Quite the opposite. I could not cry, it was too devastating, and that hollowness stayed with me long after I finished reading. In fact it was several days before I could consider reading another book.

But do not for one second think that I am suggesting you do not read this book. Powerful and difficult it may be, but it is also one of the most beautiful and haunting books I have ever read.
Proof entirely that Cormac McCarthy is an extremely talented author. And a perfect introspective winter read, assuming you are in the right frame of mind.

I believe the film is finally being released in January...anyone think they are interested in seeing it?

(Ok that apparently wasn't as brief as I thought!)

Other blog reviews:
Bold.Blue.Adventure
Fluttering Butterflies
Becky's Book Reviews
Leafing Through Life
Things mean a lot
The Written Word
Stella Matutina

(have i missed yours?)

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

Read for: RIP IV Challenge

Set in Bon Temps, Louisiana, Dead Until Dark is the first in the incredibly popular Southern Vampire Series. The heroine, Sookie Stackhouse, is a small town waitress with a gift (or disability as she sees it) of being able to read people's thoughts. She is a sweet natured and naive girl, who keeps people at arm's length and her psychic problem makes it hard for her to conduct a normal relationship. So all her prayers seem to have been answered when a vampire walks into her bar, and she can't hear a peep from his mind. Soon she becomes drawn to the mysterious vampire, though many people disapprove, perhaps one in particular. Women are being murdered in the local area, and all have one thing in common...their relationships or such with vampires.

What I haven't mentioned of course, though most people need no such explanation...is that in this series, vampires have "come out of the coffin" so to speak. This is the idea that appealed to me most for this series, as I love the idea of vampires wandering into a 7-11 to buy a four pack of synthetic blood! And these vampires are by no means the good, we're going to save the world a la Buffy/Angel type vampires. They are just the same as any other person, they have the ability to be good and the ability to be truly evil. Although they also have far superior strength, the ability to glamour and a thirst for your blood...

I really wanted to love this book. I enjoyed watching the first series of True Blood, which is perhaps the only reason I picked up the book in the first place, but I felt mightily underwhelmed by it. Sookie's character is indeed sweet and generally not one would expect for a heroine in a vampire series, and Bill is as expected every bit the Southern gentleman (for a vampire). But I could not bring myself to care particularly much for either character, and there was certainly no chemistry between them that leapt out at me from the page. Its's a shame, as I really enjoyed the series, which may have given me different expectations and thus ruined the book for me. Bill in particular, I fell for on the screen, but his character ironically comes across as quite 2-dimensional on the page. I am certainly in the minority here, as these books appear to be very popular, and I know I shouldn't judge a series solely by its first installment (look at potter), but let's just say I have a hunch that they won't grow on me.

Pre-Twilight, I have never particularly been into fictional vampire-romance series like this, so I very much doubt I will be reading more, though I am tempted to watch series 2 of True Blood and see how that goes...

Other blog reviews:
the bookworm
Books & other thoughts
Melody's Reading Corner
Stella Matutina
Medieval Bookworm

(let me know if I have missed yours)

The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield

Read for: RIP IV Challenge, Herding Cats II

I cannot imagine there are many bloggers out there who have not yet read this book, but if there are, I heartily recommend you push it to the top of your lists!

The Thirteenth Tale is the story of Vida Winter, a best-selling novelist who in her old age has finally decided to tell her life story. Her real life story that is, not the countless fictional stories she has told journalists in the past. To do this, she decides to hire Margaret Lea, a bookseller and obscure part-time biographer, and invites her to the crumbling Gothic mansion of Angelfield, reminiscent of Daphne Du Maurier's Manderley. Margaret agrees to undertake the task and soon becomes captivated by the mysterious Vida Winter and the truths and lies that are so intricately woven into her life. Slowly, the true story of Winter and Angelfield unfolds, with twists and turns worthy of the greatest Gothic novels. Parallels with Margaret's life become apparent, and both women eventually have to confront the ghosts of their pasts.

It is hard to believe that this is Setterfield's first novel. The depth and quality of her writing belies a far more experienced novelist. Angelfield is itself a character in the story, silent and haunting, concealing the true events of the past, revealing them only in part as Margaret's investigation continues. It is the house that intrigued me most, this house that had seen so much, contained so many secrets, with no voice to betray them. And Setterfield's use of language is fabulous, the story rolling off the page in a deliciously rich and classic style, yet without pretension. The house becomes alive and with it, the stories of the wilful Isabelle, and most importantly, the strange twins, Adeline and Emmeline.

It was recommended by several bloggers that I wait until I had read Rebecca and Jane Eyre before picking up The Thirteenth Tale, and I am so glad that I did. Although the stories are quite different, and the protagonist connected with the story and the house through far different circumstances than Mrs de Winter and Jane, the books have a similar feel to them, and TTT is clearly an homage to the other classics. However, I did not expect to be so drawn into this mystery and so captivated by its characters and the missing titular Thirteenth Tale. A truly enjoyable read.

I read a description somewhere that The Thirteeth Tale was "a love letter to books and reading". I couldn't agree more.

Other blog reviews:
Becky's Book Reviews
Bold.Blue.Adventure
Melody's Reading Corner
Stainless Steel Droppings
Valentina's Room

(let me know if I have missed yours)

Awards and absences

Many thanks to the lovely Tina of The Clean White Page, who has kindly gifted me with this Santa Clause Award (yes, that looks suspiciously similar to the lemonade award, with a festive addition!). The rules are simple, to pass the award on to five more people. So my five are:

Naida of the Bookworm - I may not always comment, but I always love reading your blog.
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot - for putting up with my uber slow reading for a joint review!
Darla of Books & other thoughts - for constantly adding to my TBR list!
Tanabata of In Spring it is the Dawn - for constantly inspiring me to learn Japanese!
Michelle of Fluttering Butterflies - whose blog is always a pleasure to read.

I can't remember every having been this constantly busy (though I am sure I say that every time), but I will endeavour to post some reviews over the festive period, I still have a lot to catch up on! But many thanks to all the new visitors to my blog and for your lovely comments, you are all most welcome!

Winter wandering

Here is a tale of the trees in a wood
They were never that pleased on the land that they stood.
So they upped and they walked as far as they could
'Til they felt the sun shine on their branches.

I was little boy lost and I was little boy blue
I am little Jack Frost but I am warm through and through
It's not easy to hide when your heart's on full view
Oh, tonight, cruel world be forgiving
Oh, for once in my life I am living.

There they did stand and there they did stay
When there came a young biy who was running away
From a mad world, a bad world, a world of decay
And it's comfort he sought in their branches.

I was little boy lost and I was little boy blue
I am little Jack Frost but I am warm through and through
It's not easy to hide when your heart's on full view
Oh, tonight, cruel world be forgiving
Oh, for once in my life I am living.

There we found love and there we found joy
And the warmth in his heart oh, it filled the young boy
And his friends taught him magic and secrets of old
While the trees kept him safe with their branches.

I was little boy lost and I was little boy blue
I am little Jack Frost but I am warm through and through.
It's not easy to hide when your heart's on full view
Oh, tonight cruel world be forgiven.
I was little boy lost and I was little boy blue
I am little Jack Frost but I am warm through and through
It's not easy to hide when your heart's on full view
Oh, tonight cruel wold be forgiving
Oh, for once in my life I am living.

Little Jack Frost, Kate Rusby

Shakespeare - Bill Bryson

"Our revels are now ended. These our actors,

As I foretold you, were all spirits, and

Are melted into air, into thin air:

And like the baseless fabric of this vision,

The cloud-capp'd tow'rs, the gorgeous palaces,

The solemn temples, the great globe itself,

Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,

And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,

Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff

As dreams are made on; and our little life

Is rounded with a sleep."

The Tempest, Act 4

I dipped into this book when it first came out, but did not read it all the way through. During my crazy summer of Shakespearean theatre, I felt it was the perfect time to read it properly, to learn more about the man himself, life in Elizabethan London and hopefully have a giggle along with Bryson's writing.

I was only slightly disappointed. Bryson himself was the first to point out that this is indeed a slim volume compared to some of the epic tomes written on the playwright and his works. However, for this biography, Bryson has attempted to stick to the facts, not only about the man, but his work and the city and nation that he lived in. This has perhaps limited the amount that Bryson could actually tell us about Shakespeare, but has also restricted the pages of conjecture and supposition that you can easily find in most biographies. This makes for a unique look at Shakespeare, theatre and London of the 16th and early 17th centuries.

As a self-confessed Shakespeare and history nerd, I of course adored this book and all the tidbits of information on my favourite playwright that it gave me. I was not expecting the wealth of information on life in Elizabethan London, nor the modest humour with which Bryson writes (perhaps I was expecting cheap laughs, or a less sensitive American hand...we Brits are quite possessive of dear Will you know!). I found the book interesting (though perhaps not riveting) and educational, although I do have one quite major gripe.

What is it about Shakespeare that gets tens, nay hundreds of thousands of people reading his work every year? Why it is the work itself of course. Shakespeare's plays. Little gems of the English language, every one, full of humour, drama, romance and history, horror and war, magic and mystery. These are what I am continuely inspired to read, travel miles (and withstand torrential rain!) to see performed and watch on film. Bryson speaks very little about the plays themselves, aside from a clinical examination of their language, structure, content and occasionally authorship. There is no passion in his description of their words and meaning, no joy in his quotes or any other sign that he actually enjoys them at all. In fact, it does make me wonder what drew Bryson to write the book in the first place. Perhaps he spotted some money that could be made, or perhaps that is me being too cynical. I hope so.

This would not stop me from recommending the book to anyone, indeed I believe I have enough passion to make up for any lukewarm writing about one of the funniest and most insightful playwrights I believe has every published (whether you debate the authorship is neither here nor there). But is was a little disappointing. I think I shall reread 1599 by James Shapiro or try Frank Kermode's The Age of Shakespeare or Peter Ackroyd's Shakespeare in the hope of absorbing a little more passion from a biographer.

An excellent companion to my Shakespearean summer and a perfect starting point for anyone interested in learning about the wonderful William Shakespeare, though perhaps a little too light for some.

Other blog reviews:

things mean a lot

a striped armchair

RIP IV Challenge completed

Although a little behind on my reviews, I did indeed complete the Readers. Imbibing. Peril. IV Challenge, and thoroughly enjoyed it as always! I undertook Peril the Second, to read at least two books from my pool. I managed three, and an extra two titles not in my pool. I shall hopefully review them soon. Another great year for this challenge, rapidly becoming one of my favourites. Thanks must go to Carl for hosting the challenge, introducing us to new artists and setting some great giveaways.

Books read:
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

Read for: YA Challenge

On several occasions recently, I have heard about a book that has received good reviews or hype, only to pick it up and be a little disappointed by the blurb on the back cover. Almost every time it has been a young adult book, that I am slowly moving away from reading, despite the recent flurry caused by my joining the 2009 YA Challenge. Despite this, almost every time I actually read one of these books, the quality of the writing far outweighs the cover blurb and I am forced to remind myself that these are not written by the author, but by the publishing house. It is far better to attempt reading the first few pages of a book, to see if it strikes any accord with me before I decide whether or not to buy/borrow it.

On that note, The Knife of Never Letting Go was no different. And yes, I read it, and oh yes, I loved it. Although off to a slightly lukewarm start, with a character I could not immediately identify with, in a setting that felt all too familiar, Ness soon established his tale as something quite different. Our main character, Todd is a young man on the cusp of adulthood. His home, Prentisstown, is a somewhat backwards town, with a notable difference from own our world. Here, a race of alien beings called the Spackle have introduced a virus that has wiped out all the women, the mothers, daughters, all of them. The men have survived, but the virus has had an interesting effect on them. No man's thoughts are his own. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts all the time, nothing can be kept to oneself. Another interesting side effect of the virus is that they can also hear the thoughts of other animals, though usually more primative and instinctual, such as those of Todd's dog, Manchee.

Although strange to us, this is the world Todd has grown up in, so his entire world is shaken when one day he finds a spot of quiet by the swamp. Soon Todd discovers that many many truths have been hidden from him and nothing is truly as it seems. To say any more about the plot would reveal too much, but suffice to say that the action is perpetual, with few chances to take a breath or pause to absorb the events. The Knife of Never Letting Go is not a happy book. Don't get me wrong, there are laughs here, or rather moments that make you smile, usually concerning the adorably dim Manchee and his affection for Todd. However Ness does not hold back, and his characters are forced to experience the truest darkness of human nature, either by their own hands or others, which creates a rollercoaster ride of emotion for the reader. I was quite exhausted by the end.

I honestly did not expect to find this book live up to its reviews. The plot and opening pages seemed a bit woolly to me, but very little perseverence was required for me to quickly discover the sheer astounding quality of Patrick Ness' writing and storytelling. To call it absorbing or gripping would be an understatement. I loved the concept of Noise, and the allusions to the tremendous dividing line of gender and what that means for society. Again, I cannot say any more without giving the plot away.

Suffice to say, here is yet another book where the blogging world has been right on the button. A fantastic novel, whether young adult or not (this book is quite violent in places), it was not unexpected that I would feel drained and perhaps a little unfulfilled at the end. This is of course because there is a sequel, the Ask and the Answer, which I shall shortly be hunting down at the library, though I'll be lucky to get my paws on a copy!

My message to you dear reader...get out there and read this. It is surely one of the best young adult fantasies I have read in a very very long time.

Other blog reviews:
things mean a lot
Stuff as Dreams are Made on
Becky's Book Reviews

The Book of a Thousand Days - Shannon Hale

Read for: YA Challenge

Read simply because it was written by Shannon Hale, I'll admit that the blurb on the back didn't immediately grab me, seeming to be for younger readers. Trusting Hale's wonderful writing though, I persevered and am so glad that I did!

Our heroine is Dashti, a mucker maid who joins the service of Lady Saren, moments before the Lady is locked away in a tower by her father, for refusing to marry Lord Khasar and betrothing herself to the young Khan Tegus. Saren becomes miserable in her seclusion and Dashti uses all her healing skills to help comfort her. After two and a half years in the tower, with the very real threat of Lord Khasar in the city, the girls make an escape, only to find new challenges and difficulties on their path to freedom.

The story is a lot more complicated that that, but the intricacies of Hale's storytelling are a delight to read, thus I do not want to spoil them for you here. The Book of a Thousand Days is another adaptation of a fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, Maid Maleen. Although clearly based on a fairytale, I also found this story interesting socially and is a classic adventure romance.

Dashti is a lovely character, plucky though resigned to her status and position in society, she is primarily very loyal to her Lady and takes her role very seriously. Tegus is a good lead male character, though with the all important flaws. I found Lady Saren most irritating at first, but her character and the orders she often gives Dashti added a great deal of mystery for me, and I was curious throughout the tale what her motivation might be.

I would recommend it for anyone who loves a good fairytale retelling, or simply a good yarn.

Other blog reviews:

Rhinoa's Ramblings
Becky's Book Reviews

Eleanor Rigby - Douglas Coupland

Gifted to me by my particularly prolific bad blogger friend Rhinoa, this was my first experience of Douglas Coupland.

Eleanor Rigby is a novel about loneliness. And by that I am referring to both meanings of the word. Liz Dunn is alone; a forty-something woman who lives alone, with no friends and has never had a romantic relationship. Everything changes when Liz receives a call from a hospital informing her that her son has been admitted.

Liz finds herself building a relationship with her long-lost son, Jeremy, who is afflicted with severe multiple sclerosis and having to adapt to no longer living alone. Jeremy is quite an enigma. His illness causes him to have visions, that are sometimes beautiful and sometimes quite terrifying. But his free and enigmatic outlook on life, and death, is refreshing and lighthearted, and ultimately liberating for the repressed and lonely Liz.

The title is an obvious homage to the Beatles song, but while it is about loneliness, it is also about rediscovering oneself and learning to grasp life and not let it pass you by. While sad and bittersweet, Eleanor Rigby is also witty and warm and never becomes depressing or morose. As someone to is not a stranger to loneliness or depression, Eleanor Rigby was particularly meaningful to me and I was quickly won over with Coupland's entertaining prose and smart dialogue.

A lovely story, I cannot recommend this enough!

Other blog reviews:
Rhinoa's Ramblings

Into the Forest - Jean Hegland

Read for: Dewey's Books Challenge

Into the Forest was the first on my list for this challenge after reading Dewey's fantastic review. A pseudo post-apocalyptic tale of two sister living alone in their home in the forest after society collapses and our modern way of life becomes a thing of the past. Unlike most such novels, no disaster has struck the world, it is more a slow decline. Yet chaos reigns, power becomes a rare commodity and food becomes more and more scarce.

It is in this world that we meet Nell and Eva, two sisters, who although very different, have a close bond with each other and their bohemian parents. Having grown up in this forest home, they are already somewhat distanced from city life, and this is perhaps why they have survived so long. The story follows the girls and their everyday struggles, while through a series of flashbacks, we also learn about their parents, and life before.

Hegland does not dwell on the cause behind the loss of our way of life, and it soon becomes apparent that knowing any further details are irrelevant. The tale itself concerns the girls and their struggle to maintain a normal life and sense of family, isolated as they are. Now don't get me wrong, there are some plot holes, that might annoy some people a little too much. I won't go into any detail as they would involve major spoilers!

Needless to say, some events and character descriptions are written in an incredible amount of detail, while others are glossed over. There are also a few dubious decisions made by the author in the direction she takes her characters in the latter half of the book. But what struck me most was Hegland's writing. Boy does it make up for every and any other flaw in this book! The lyrical prose follows every aspect of the sister's lives, often in painful detail. The sheer idea for example of a girl to whom ballet and music mean everything, having no music to listen to once the electricity stops, to be forced to dance only to a metronome, is written so beautifully that it is heartbreaking.

The aspect that I loved most about this book though, was the forest. To start with it is merely the location in which the characters live, with little detail or thought put into it. Then it becomes a place of beauty and reflection, to remind them of what they have, before it is all suddenly and brutally taken away. For a long time, the forest seems dark and sinister until later, it becomes a lifeline through which the girls are forced to find ways of feeding, clothing and housing themselves.

Although a book with some flaws, I would recommend it if only for Hegland's writing and the beauty in which she can set a scene of situation, rip it all away, then allow it to recover. A truly different and refreshing take on the usual end-of-the-world novel.

Once Upon a Time in the North - Philip Pullman

Read for: YA Challenge

To continue my short reviews, I'll get straight to the point!

Once Upon a Time in the North is another book set in the world of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. In the same format as Lyra's Oxford, this delightful little hardback is actually a prequel. The story follows aeronaut Lee Scoresby as he meets Iorek Byrnison for the first time.

Unlike Lyra's Oxford, Once Upon a Time in the North captured my interest from the very beginning. The fact that neither Lee nor Iorek were the most important characters in the trilogy actually made the book even better reading. It is often the minor characters that intrigue me and this was especially the case with Scoresby. Very little is revealed about him during the series, aside from his character and friendship with the armoured bear, little is told of his back story. A daring choice of follow up installment, I do not know if this was a particularly big hit or not, although I really enjoyed it. Beautifully packaged, the book also contains a game and some letters from Lyra herself.

Still earmarked with Pullman's excellent literary style, though not bogged down in the religious aspects that were a bit much for some in the later books, Once Upon a Time is an adventure through and through. This would certainly be understood if read with no prior knowledge of the series, though anyone who desires a little more insight into Scoresby's history and the tale of how he met Byrnison, will likely find the story more satisfying. As always, Scoresby's daemon, Hester, is a joy to read about and is most certainly my favourite daemon in the series. Sadly, as is often the case with such novellas, not enough is revealed and the reader is left wanting more.

Where is the Book of Dust I ask?

Other blog reviews:
Rhinoa's Ramblings
Things Mean a Lot
In Spring it is the Dawn

An Abundance of Katherines - John Green

Read for: YA Challenge

After falling in love with John Green's writing in Looking for Alaska, I took the opportunity while visiting the Elliot Bay Book Company in Seattle, to buy both An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns.

An Abundance of Katherines is about Colin Singleton, a high school graduate and child prodigy who has just been dumped by his girlfriend, Katherine. In fact, all Colin's girlfriends have been called Katherine...all nineteen of them. After being dumped shortly after graduating, Colin and his best friend, Hassan, decide to go on a road trip, while Colin continues to work on his Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability. On this road trip, Colin and Hassan find themselves in middle of nowhere Gutshot, where they meet Lindsay, not a Katherine but something very different.

Katherines is a little more daring than Looking for Alaska, while at the same time, very little appears to happen. Although I did not find myself becoming particularly attached to the characters in this book, I did enjoy the writing, particularly the mathematics that pervade the story. I also liked Green's use of footnotes for these mathematical formulae and other amusing tidbits.

Sadly, I did not love Katherines as I did Alaska, but it was a well written book regardless. I would recommend it as an example of John Green's intuituve and insightful writing, although as other bloggers have pointed out, not everyone would consider this book suitable for younger teens.

Other blog reviews:
1 more chapter
Becky's book reviews
things mean a lot
The Written World

Have I missed yours?

What I Was - Meg Rosoff

Read for: YA Challenge

After having enjoyed How I Live Now so much, and after reading Nymeth's review, I picked up my next Meg Rosoff novel, What I Was.

Narrated by our protagonist as an old man, the story is predominantly set in the early 1960s, the year in which he "discovered love". Sent to a school for hopeless cases on the East Anglian coast, the narrator finds little of interest in his daily life, with boring school work, bunkmates and professors that he can't stand, yet no home that he wants to return to. It all changes one day, when on a cross country run, he meets Finn, the boy who lives by the sea, and everything changes. Finn, the mysterious boy who rarely speaks a word, who lives by himself in a small run down cottage on the beach. As far as books go, I loved this more than How I Live Now, even when I didn't think that would be possible. As a story though, this resonated perfectly with me. Child on the cusp of adulthood, searching for something he does not understand, something he does not yet have, nor does he know to want it. Until he meets a boy who has all those things.

And Finn, oh Finn. If it is possible to fall for a character in fiction, I fell for him. Such gentleness and hardness all at the same time. Mysterious, yet longing. Each time when I thought I had come to understand him and his friendship with the narrator, I realised I knew nothing of him. It is Finn that is the heart of this story, and Finn whom we are all searching for or longing to become. And that is the beauty of this story. I don't think I can describe it as well as Nymeth, except to say that there is that line, between wanting to love someone, and wanting to be them, that their life is somewhat superior to your own, and that is explored so delicately here.

How is it that as an adult now, I keep discovering these wonderful, insightful books aimed at teenagers? I am quite envious, having not read anything even remotely comparable at that age. Yes there is a twist in What I Was, and although I knew from other reviews that it was coming, I did not look for it and thus did not expect it. I was somewhat sideblinded, and yet not in the typical dramatic way. This twist is perfectly relevant to the story and ultimately how the reader sees the characters. I long to reread the book now that I am aware of this revelation, and I truly hope that it will add to my enjoyment of the book, rather than detract from it.

Other blog reviews:
Things mean a lot "What I Was is also about how idealizing a person can sometimes keep you from seeing how they really are; can make you miss what's right in front of your eyes. And then who do you love? The person of the construct in your head?"

Have I missed yours?

Holiday Swap

Last year I participated in the Book Blogger Christmas Swap, from which I received the most beautiful gifts from Quixotical and hopefully myself put a smile on my Swapee, kicking-k's face. My Christmas Swap contact was Dewey, and so this year I would like to join up again, in honour of her, and hopefully put a smile on someone else's face. And of course, get a little something myself, because what girl doesn't love gifts, most especially when the gifts are from the people who know us so well!? So if you are interested, take a look at the Holiday Swap website and enjoy the run up to winter.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie

Read for: YA Challenge; Dewey's Books Challenge

Another book that seems to have been subject to all the hype recently, although less so on this side of the pond. I picked it up in the States, after spending some time with a Navajo woman and driving through Flathead and Spokane land.

The Absolutely True Diary is exactly that, narrated by our part-time Indian, Junior, who grows up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. After a disastrous start to high school, Junior requests a transfer to a different school, in a rich, predominantly white town, miles away from his home. He soon discovers that change brings numerous challenges, both at home and at school.

Rather than being a story about an Indian boy suffering the trials and tribulations of life and leaving the rez in order to have a better education, it is more the story of a teenage boy suffering the typical trials and tribulations of life. Two things make Junior stand out from the average American boy. One being that he suffered brain damage as an infant, which affects his speech and has caused some physical problems. The other is that he is Native American, growing up in poverty on the Spokane reservation. Although perhaps it is the latter reason that the book has been so hyped, it is not the only reason to pick up and enjoy this book. In fact, quite the opposite. Sherman Alexie has written a touching tale about a boy trying to find his way in the world, surviving his health problems, bullying and his family's poverty, to obtain himself a good education and possibly a bright future. Yes it is made all the poignant by his ethnicity, but much of the humour comes from the typical teenage mishaps and discoveries.

Having said that, Sherman Alexie has obviously drawn on his deep intimate knowledge of life on a reservation to write a wonderfully humourous and often sad tale which gives us some insight into a world that most Americans know little about. Regardless, this is an amusing and touching tale that will strike a chord with any teenager (or anyone who remembers being a teenager) who has felt like an outsider.

Other blog reviews:
Bold.Blue.Adventure
Becky's Books
You Can Never Have Too Many Books

Have I missed yours?

Puppet Master - Joanne Owen

Inspired by Eastern European folklore and the puppet theatres of old Czechoslovakia, Puppet Master is an homage to both, bringing to life the eerie legends along with its own slice of fairytale.

Set in the Prague of 1898, the tale centres on a young girl, Milana, who's mother disappeared shortly after the death of her beloved father. Together, the family had run the local puppet theatre, and both the setting and language hark back to a time when puppets were one of the main arts and forms of entertainment. Milena is intrigued by the opening of a new puppet theatre, and its Master, a mysterious man with two devoted apprentices, the identical twins Zdenka and Zdenko. But the Puppet Master is more than he seems, and his power does not only lie over his marionettes. He plans to take over the city with a dazzling show of his power, and claim Prague for his own. Milena is the only one who can stop him, and together with her wise and slightly eccentric aunts, Tereza and Katerina, she must face her own fears if she is to save her family and the city from the Puppet Master's terrifying power.

What's not to love about this story. Set in turn of the century Prague, the story is seeped in history and legend, made all the more visceral by the author's aversion to modern language. Both her storytelling and writing fit the period beautifully, allowing the reader to become completely immersed in her world. Like My Swordhand is Singing, another Eastern European book I have recently enjoyed, Puppet Master revels in its setting and the truth behind its legends. Not only does it deliver an entertaining gothic horror story, but it also packs a cast of powerful female characters and I dare you to not be inspired to read the folklore behind the tale.

One review that I read likened the story to the work of Tim Burton and the surrealists that inspired him. Now I am a huge fan of Tim Burton (yes, HUGE) and this tale, although perhaps somewhat tame in comparison, has all the eeriness, mystery and gothic horror that one would expect from a Burton story. With puppets. Yes. Are you not sold yet?

One thing I am inspired to do is visit the Norwich Puppet Theatre, one of only four dedicated puppet theatres in the country...Jack the Ripper the panto anyone?

Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke

I always feel a little sad when a series comes to an end. And you just know this is going to be the end...with a title like Inkdeath...what else could you expect!?

Inkdeath is the third and final book in the Inkworld trilogy, and after the shocking conclusion to Inkspell, there was no way I was going to miss this one. Starting off immediately where Inkspell left off, which I can say no more about, as it will entirely ruin the ending of that book. Suffice to say, events are not particularly happy and the characters have to get themselves out of quite a mess in this book.

Inkspell really redeemed itself after the series got off to an iffy start in Inkheart. Characters were a little more fleshed out, plot developments were more intriguing and the Inkworld was very well described. Inkdeath had my attention throughout, not least because at least one of my favourite characters' life hung in the balance through most of the tale. However, the plot was a little disjointed, and the writing delved too often into quite deep metaphysical debates on whether or not we can shape our own destinies if everything is already written on the page. This is a concept that I am not sure many children would understand, nor would they want to give a great deal of thought to it. And to be quite frank, I lost interest in those parts of the story, and tended to skip the pages that concerned them, a habit I ususally try to avoid. Also, this book seemed a lot more violent than the previous instalments, which though it did not bother me, I can imagine being quite offputting for parents.

The ending was somewhat conclusive, though left the story open for further development...but I for one hope they leave it where it is. A somewhat unsatisfying conclusion for me personally, though it was not possible for me not to read it!

What did you think?

The Black Tattoo - Sam Enthoven

Read for: 2009 YA Challenge

Bought for me by Rhinoa, this is not a book that I had come across, nor do I think I would have picked it up. Billed as a book with good vs evil, kung fu and vomiting bats, I was intrigued though more than a little wary.

The Black Tattoo is a highly fantastical tale of friendship, family, epic battles and above all...hell. Jack's best friend Charlie is singled out by a mysterious man in the street and encouraged to take a special test, one that would change his life. After this Test, Charlie finds his body covered in a Black Tattoo, a determination to take up his destiny in the way he chooses with an increased and sometimes violent temper.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of this novel was Enthoven's vision of hell. Not what I expected at all, it managed to embody all the creepiness you would expect from hell, yet with a fair amount of humour. Enthoven's vision certainly is not a typical one, but he manages to maintain the suspense right throughout the book, so even at the end, I was not sure who would prevail.

A highly entertaining if a little odd read!

Other blog reviews:
Rhinoa's Ramblings

The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans

A big fan of the film, it took a trip to Montana in order for me to pick this book up. Set in the stunning mountain state, the Horse Whisperer concerns exactly what it says on the tin.

The story begins with a wealthy, somewhat dyfunctional family in New York, who are struck suddenly by a terrible accident involving their daughter. This accident, filmed so wonderfully for the screen, is equally poignant on the page, if not more so. Written in a lot more detail than I expected, the accident is horrifying and suspenseful...all the more worse because you know what is coming. Its aftermath is all too familiar to many a family, but in this case, the mother, Annie, focuses her pain and anguish on the horse. His survival and recovery is the key to not losing her daughter, Grace, into a pit of depression from which she may never return.

Thus Annie contracts Tom Booker, a Montana horse whisperer with a past of his own, to help her daughter's maimed and traumatised horse, Pilgrim. Evans' writing beautifully captures this magnificent state, all the more poignant due to my being on a Montana ranch and working with horses at the time. Evans has obviously done his research, and for much of the book I felt the same ardour and enjoyment that I had for the film. However, the end ruined it for me. And I truly mean ruined. Not the subtle, classy and painfully touching ending that the film had (albeit unresolved for some), but a dramatic conclusion that I felt was entirely over the top and unwarranted. Some may disagree, and I definitely have the downside of having seen the film before reading the book. But I am saddened that I did not love the book as much by the end, and am no longer inspired to read more by Evans. It felt a bit like a cop out to me, cashing in on Hollywood drama, which ironically, Hollywood did not deliver.

What did you think?

A samhain to remember...

Hi, I am still here and I am still reading your blogs...honest! Not only have I moved into a friends house over the past week, but I have also had an offer accepted to buy a house, so its been a little chaotic here. Plus I still have the same nasty cough I had two months ago...not fun. BUT, last night I did get to see my first opera, Tosca, performed in the amazing Hatfield House. Drinking wine while touring the beautifully lit state rooms by night, before retiring to the Marble Hall for the performance (in Italian) on a purpose built stage under the famous Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I. Quite a night, I can tell you. But anyhoo, back to the reviews (albeit brief ones) and hopefully a bit of reading...

Samhain blessings to you all. xx

Mediaeval banquet part two

The evening's revelry continued...

Even a knight pays the price for losing the apple bobbing contest

Even the peasants joined in the fun

Wenches!

True ladies of the court

Warning...two of these will give you nightmares

Archery...health and safety style

Being seranaded with terrible mediaeval poetry!

Friar Tuck, Robin Hood and the wily jester!

Still able to pose for photographs at the end of the evening!

Mediaeval banquet part one

As many of you know, Rhinoa and I both reached a significant birthday this September, and we decided to celebrate in style, with something a little different...a mediaeval banquet. As you can probably tell, I am a big fan of all things mediaeval, and I was delighted when we were able to hire Norwich's famous Dragon Hall for the shindig (see my old advent post!). So together with another of my friends, we three and 60 of our good friends, descended from near and far on the City of Norwich for quite the party. Our evening (and aftenoon for many!) was complete with hog roast, ten homemade desserts (oh yes!), copious amounts of ale, wine and mead, stocks, and of course...compulsory costumes. I think a fabulous time was had by all, I only wish I had the time, energy and money to do it regularly! I thought I would share some pictures of the culmination of my mediaeval summer...

Preparing for battle or the banquet?

A mediaeval banquet is never complete without giant jenga!

The birthday trio

The birthday girls, Rhinoa and myself

More guests

We were never safe from peasants and stinking beggars

Desserts!

Savouring the ambience of the Great Hall before the feasting began

Feasting!

Devouring the hog roast!