Mediaeval Spectacular - Pensthorpe

In the build up to our birthday banquet, I spent a fantastic weekend with mediaeval market stalls, crafts, cookery, weapons, fire-eating, fighting at the Mediaeval Spectacular at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, followed by jousting and hawking at Hedingham Castle. I thought I would share a few photographs with you! Fun was had by all!

The Brothers of Conflagration

The story of the Ark

Lunch

The market

King Arthur and his court prepare for the tournament

The evil Mordred!

Battle commences

Arthur knocks Mordred to his knees

But the battle is not over...

Mordred resorts to dirty tactics, capturing Guinevere

World War Two at Anglesey Abbey

To continue my journey around English stately homes and houses, my next visit was to Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire. Now a National Trust property, Anglesey Abbey is a beautiful Jacobean-style house located in the countryside an hour or so north of London. A former priory, built in the 1100s, it was purchased by Lord Fairhaven who improved and decorated the house. The house is lovely, surrounded by some very attractive gardens, but what took us most by surprise was the World War II re-enactment that was taking place during our visit!

Our day out was completed perfectly with dinner in the beautiful city of Cambridge, and tickets for the last night of the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival to see The Merry Wives of Windsor. Yet more Shakespearean fun!

Enduring Love - Ian McEwan

Enduring Love is another book that I have recently entered blind, completely ignorant of its story or theme, spurred on only by reviews and recommendations. This does leave me somewhat apprehensive of enjoying a book, but in this case, the opening chapter sealed my fate. A gripping encounter at the scene of a terrible hot air balloon accident got this novel off to a scintillating start, unbearable to read, but impossible to put aside.

The story then follows the narrator, Joe, and his partner Clarissa, in their struggle to come to terms with the tragedy and the events that follow. In the aftermath of the accident, Joe has an encounter with another helper, Jed, who develops an unhealthy obsession with Joe, stalking him and waiting outside his apartment for him to be alone. Joe's reaction is not particularly rational, and causes the situation to escalate out of control, as all the characters' lives begin to unravel around them.

This book struggles constantly with the themes of religion, science and rationality, none of which is mutally exclusive. Joe's career as a science writer puts him at further odds with Jed's religious fervor and emotional instability and spurs him to take matters into his own hands. The entire book felt like the moments before a car crash, the tension painfully real and growing towards the inevitable conclusion, though it is perhaps not what the reader expects. Although McEwan's ability to write tense and painful situations is undeniable, I found it hard to really care about his narrator. One can only empathise with the impossible situtation Joe has found himself in, but his attitude and reactions to events made him a somewhat unsympathetic character.

Not an easy read, but impossible to put down and I would still recommend it.

Let me know if you have reviewed this book.

The Accidental - Ali Smith

Catching up on reviews months after reading the books is never a good plan, so I apologise for my somewhat disjointed and distant reviews of late.

The Accidental was my first taste of Ali Smith's writing. An unusual novel, it follows a disjointed family on a holiday in Norfolk (somewhat close to home!); mother Eve, with writer's block; children Astrid, obsessed with videoing everything, and Magnus, depressed that he may have been responsible for a friend's suicide; and step-father, Michael, who is a little too friendly with his university students. One evening, Amber enters their home and their lives, mistaken by each family member to be there on another's invitation, until she well and truly settles with them. Each member of the family becomes entranced by Amber, who never reveals who she really is or why she is there.

Written in three sections, fittingly entitled the begining, middle and end, The Accidental follows the family over the several weeks with Amber, and then their return to their lives at home. 12-year old Astrid was by far my favourite character, and the chapters dedicated to her story held my interest the most. With a voice most original and captivating, Astrid's representation of a 12-year old's world felt so real, it was as if a child had wrote it.

The stream of consciousness style of writing is certainly not for everyone, but I found each character's voice unique and with their own vulnerabilities. Perhaps the only negativity I felt for the book is Amber herself. I just never connected with her, could never bring myself to care enough about her. But thankfully this book was not about her alone, but each character had their part, their tale to tell. Thanks to Ali Smith's skilful writing, the story had come full circle by the end. I will admit that I did not fall instantly for Smith's unusual style, but it has intrigued me enough that I shall be reading more of her work, especially Girl Meets Boy, her contribution to the Canongate Myths.

Other blog reviews:
Valentina's Room
Rhinoa's Ramblings
Things Mean A Lot

(have i missed yours?)

The Master and the Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov

Possibly one of the oddest books I have ever read, the Master and the Margarita took me quite a while to get through! I was lent it by a friend who insisted it was his favourite book, and I must admit that it took me a while to get into the somewhat bizarre story.

Where should I start...what an imagination! Set in 1930s Soviet Moscow, the Devil appears in the city, masquerading as a magician in one of the city's theatres causing havoc amongst the Russian literary circle and ultimately the city itself. Followed by an entourage of misfits, including a huge talking cat, the Devil's plans appear to wreak utter chaos among the populus. His story soon becomes entwined with that of the titular Master, a reclusive author of a novel about Pontius Pilate (which in itself becomes a secondary storyline set in the last days of Christ's life), and his lover, the Margarita.

Complete with a stunning cast of minor characters to rival even Dicken's work, The Master and Margarita is an example of political satire at its best, with humour and wit, yet bursting with the fantastical and with an air of the ridiculous. I am by no means an expert in Russian literature, and I imagine reading a good translation would be essential for enjoyment of this novel, which I felt was achieved with the Penguin edition. The characters are definitely the main allure of this strange story, with an amusing twist on the typical devious demons, loveable heros and plucky heroines. I will not pretend to have understood this entire novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and think I would benefit from a reread later once the shock and bewilderment has worn off! Any further description may put you off reading it, so I shall leave it at this...

Worth a read if you fancy something different!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Read for: YA Challenge

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is narrated by 'Charlie', the titular wallflower, who begins the novel as a somewhat shy and unpopular high school student. In the form of letters he writes to an unknown reader, the story follows Charlie as he makes friends, experiences love and life and ultimately comes to terms with his own difficult childhood.

A deeply moving coming-of-age tale, Wallflower traverses some difficult topics, including depression, suicide, drug abuse and child molestation. Yet it manages to be a sweet, charming book, with a sensitive protagonist who is easy to care about. An intelligent and honest boy, Charlie is intuitive yet awkward, which makes following his journey all the more meaningful.

Published in a series of MTV novels for young adults, this book will appeal to anyone interested in teen fiction, especially ones that delve into the more challenging aspects of growing up.

Other blog reviews:
Things mean a lot

(have i missed yours)

Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge

Yeah yeah, just one more challenge! But how better to continue my year of Shakespeare? Hosted by The Little Bookworm, the Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge runs from September 1, 2009 - April 26 2010 (Shakespeare's birthday). Read 6 of any of Shakespeare's works or any book inspired by a Shakespeare play. You can also watch any movie from or inspired by a Shakespeare play.

Interested? You can join the challenge here and post your reviews here.

I shall be reading plays and sonnets along with continuing my theatre outings. Enjoy the excellent Mr Shakespeare's work!