Here Lies Arthur - Philip Reeve

Read for: Arthurian Challenge; A Tournament of Reading

Picked up purely off the back of Nymeth’s review and because I’m having a bit of an Arthurian (and other mediaeval/middle ages/historical literature!) year, Philip Reeve’s Here Lies Arthur did not disappoint.

This tale of the legendary Arthur shies away from glossy cliché, portraying him as a brutish and not particularly intelligent warlord, who travels around the country with his thuggish band of fighters, ravaging villages, seizing gold and land, and generally taking whatever he wants.

The tale is told by Gwyna, a slave and one of the victims of such attacks, who flees in terror from her burning village and escapes by diving into a frozen stream. She is rescued by a mysterious man, who turns out to be none other than Myrddin, Arthur’s bard, who soon factors her into his mischievous plans. Myrddin explains that what others see as magic, are simply tricks and stories weaved from half truths, into something far grander, the stuff of legends. He uses Gwyna to help him weave the tale of the lady in the lake, passing the sword Caliburn (Excalibur!) to Arthur, who himself falls for the trick. Myrddin is then forced to hide Gwyna in plain sight, dressing and passing her off as a boy, Gwyn, who spends several years working for the bard and learning to live as a boy. She finds the life far better than that she had known, and becomes accustomed to male ways, until she is forced to experience the reality of war firsthand. Soon though, she becomes too old for Myrddin to hide her as such, and she is forced to rediscover her womanly ways, in a life she finds boring in contrast.

To say much else would begin to give away some of the fabulously creative ways that Reeve has incorporated the other characters from Arthurian myth. Most notably Guinevere, who is recognisable as Gwenhwyfar, a middle-aged widow, but whose fall from grace is not entirely the tale you will remember.

Although aimed at children and young adults, Here Lies Arthur is incredibly realistic and astute, dealing with the horrors that children of the age would indeed have experienced. Reeve treats his young readers with maturity and respect, and in return creates something I found to be a joy to read. It is work like this that can inspire so many young people to read, especially in this age of videogames and television. This maturity also makes the novel a fantastic read for adults and I found myself completely absorbed in Gwyna’s tale.

Although primarily an excellent spin on the Arthurian legend, the subplots of gender identity and the lines between what makes a story legend or truth, make this tale that bit more unique. But it is Reeve’s writing and storytelling that make this particular tale something special. Highly recommended.

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Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

Sadly, in my busy state of affairs over the last few months, I have not kept up with my reviews. I finished Her Fearful Symmetry months ago and thus am unable to give this particular book the review I wanted and that I felt it deserved.

After, like most of the female population of the UK at least(!), absolutely falling for Niffenegger's first novel, The Time Traveller's Wife, I rushed out to purchase the hardback of her second full-length novel, something I try not to do! Although this review is not too spoilerific, I have mentioned some details that some readers may rather not know before reading the book...you have been warned.

Her Fearful Symmetry is literally a story of life and death, and is a slow book from the start. We are introduced to Elspeth Noblin, a successful 40-something living in an apartment overlooking London's Highgate Cemetary, and dying of cancer. It is Elspeth's death that is the catalyst for the story and she remains ever-present throughout. Her will is executed by her younger neighbour and lover, Robert, a PhD student writing a thesis on the cemetary where Elspeth is eventually buried. The estate passes not to Elspeth's estranged twin sister Edie, but to her American nieces, Julia and Valentina, also twins. The slow build to this book is the introduction of these characters, and the eventual arrival of the twins in London. We are not early on given the reasons behind the estrangement of Elspeth and Edie, although the answers are in Elsepth's diaries, bequeathed to her lover Robert, who cannot bring himself to read them.

The tale begins afresh with the young girls' arrival and subsequent meetings with Robert, the house-bound obsessive-compulsive neighbour Martin, and eventually Elspeth herself. For this is indeed a ghost story...the story of Elspeth, bound to her apartment, her former life and a new set of rules. She has no corporeal form nor indeed a voice, but must find a way to communicate with the new inhabitants of her apartment. She lives in a drawer, finds ways to build up her strength and even manipulate dust on a table into words. However, although the tale is Elspeth's, it is the twins that are the heart of this story. Polar opposites, the wilful and domineering Julia and the timid, fragile Valentina are inseparable, though their new life in London begins to drive a wedge between them. Valentina is stifled by Julia, unable to begin the life she truly desires, and it is her discovery of Elspeth and her burgeoning romance with Robert that drives much of the book.

Her Fearful Symmetry is certainly not as instantly gratifying as the more commercial Time Traveller's Wife. This however, felt more like a labour of love, with the author obviously spending a great deal of time researching in London, feeding every detail to the reader. The story builds slowly, allowing us to become accustomed to the characters, their lives, and their intricacies before allowing them to meet each other. Although this makes for a more satisfying understanding of the characters themselves, little appears to happen in the first part of the book, which was a time a little tedious. Becoming darker and more complex in the second half, the story suddenly turns towards the end into something quite sinister. But then it is all over too quickly and I for one would have liked that sinister Gothic feeling to perhaps have lasted longer.

Niffenegger's characterisation is top-notch however, with the heart-broken Robert, the dreamy Valentina, and the defiant Elspeth. I could not bring myself to care for Julia, though that was likely the desired reaction, but the relationship between the house-bound Martin and his wife Marijke was so delicately handled that I often wished it was more their story than Elspeth's. Rather than a pointless subplot, which it could so easily have become, the love between the fiery Marijke and the damaged Martin felt so real and beautiful, with hope for their future equally gained and lost as the story developed. It is the atmosphere of the cemetary itself that I completely fell for. With enough personality to embody its own character, the cemetary is so integral to both the joyful and the sad parts of the story. Unfortunately I have lent my copy to a friend, so cannot include here any of the passages that I was particularly enamoured with.

Without giving too much away regarding the darker side of this story, it is ultimately one of love and loss, both romantic and familial. As a novel, it is mature, artistic and complex, with a level of creativity I had not expected Niffenegger to reach in only her second novel.

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Ghost Hunter - Michelle Paver

All good things must eventually come to an end.

Those who read my review last year of books four and five, Outcast and Oathbreaker, will already know how excited I have been about the sixth and final installment of Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.

Set 6,000 years ago, Paver's series follows the young Torak in his fight against the Soul Eaters and save the clans of the Forest, Mountains and Sea from evil. Torak is accompanied in his journey by his Raven clan friend, Renn, and his pack-brother, Wolf.

In the final novel, Torak finds himself up against the last and deadliest of the Soul Eaters, the Eagle Owl Mage, Eostra. Wolf is now a fully grown adult and has his own family and cubs with mate Darkfur. Eostra is casting a dark cloud of evil over the clans, and Torak leaves to stop the evil mage and exact revenge for his father's death. When Wolf's pack is mortally attacked, he too is forced to leave the Forest, and all three friends find themselves on a dark journey. Without giving anything away, suffice to say that Ghost Hunter is possibly the most exciting book of the series. With characters old and new, Paver expertly takes the story down new paths with Torak and his companions again forced to make some difficult choices.

It is the tangible nature of Paver's world that is so compelling. The smell of the trees, the feel of the earth, the method of making a bow, knife or skin paddle boat. These are not words pulled from thin air, but observations made by the author as she spent time with the Inuit and Sami peoples of the Arctic. Paver's storytelling is intricate, as she draws together these details while weaving a tale full of beauty and horror. Torak's plight is unimaginable. An orphan struggling to survive in a world he little understands, his mission against evil thrust upon him, Torak is forced to find his own way and confront his greatest fears.

I consider myself a spiritual person, one with a deep connection to the world around me, something I share with the clans in Paver's world. These hunter-gather tribes have a solemn reverence for and understanding of Nature, something which should appeal to the young audience that Paver is aiming for. I was never afraid that this series would disappoint, though I was very intrigued with how the series would be ended. With this wonderful tale carried expertly through six books, we are granted a finale so thrilling and heart-wrenching, that this particular reader considers well well worth the wait.

Although satisfied with the outcome of the tale, there is an inevitable sense of loss when such a beautifully crafted series comes to an end. I cannot recommend this fabulous series enough and hope that it will reach the wider audience that it deserves.

Paper Towns - John Green

It's hard to believe that little over a year ago, this particular blogger was unaware of the existence of a somewhat well-known and renowned American author named John Green. His first main novel was the astoundingly brilliant Looking for Alaska, one of my favourite books of last year, followed by An Abundance of Katherines, which I must admit, did not rock my world.

Paper Towns is the third young adult novel from this fabulous young John Green. I was a little wary, after being disappointed by Katherines, but need not have worried. Paper Towns is the story of high school student Quentin Jacobsen, who has lived next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman since he was two years old. They were best friends until one day, at nine years old, they discovered a dead body. Now high-school seniors, Quentin is still besotted with the wilful and independent Margo, but they no longer speak. So one night, when she climbs through his bedroom window and invites him to help her in her all-night mission for revenge, Quentin cannot refuse. The night is insane and daring, impulsive and every bit as exciting as Quentin could have hoped, but the next day at school he discovers that Margo has disappeared. However, Margo has left clues for Quentin and his friends to follow, and he soon finds himself on a journey that will change his life.

It is safe to say that Paper Towns is not what I expected. What begins as an adventurous romance soon turns into something quite different. Quentin is the anchor of the story. The main protagonist, it is Quentin's desire to find Margo that drives the plot, and his confusion about her that keeps the reader so involved. He is so normal that it is easy to identify with him. Margo on the other hand, while intriguing, is very hard to understand. She is the enigma, the mystery that is slowly revealed. Paper Towns is witty, warm and magical, touching deeply into the meaning of truth and friendship and what it is to feel hope, despair or love. Although the ending may also not be what the reader expects, it is the journey that makes the story worthwhile.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant! Green will most certainly go down in my book as one of the most astute authors when dealing with characters making that final transition to adulthood.

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The Last Unicorn - Peter S Beagle

Read for: Challenge with Rhinoa

Although considered by many to be one of the greatest classic children's fantasy novels of the last few decades, The Last Unicorn is largely unknown this side of the Atlantic. Now I will confess to having seen the animated film adaptation only once, as an adult, and really was not particularly impressed. But then, with many films, it is hard to appreciate them as an adult, when you didn't grow up with them, so I gave the book a chance.

The Last Unicorn is exactly that. A unicorn quite happily living her sheltered existence in her forest, until she overhears two hunters talking, and realises that she may indeed be the last living unicorn. She leaves the wood in search of her kin, only to be caught by Mommy Fortuna, and caged as part of her travelling menagerie. She is rescued by the mysterious Schmendrick the Magician who joins her on her journey. The two companions seek King Haggard and his Red Bull, en route encountering many hazardous situations and a new friend, Molly Grue.

Although based in fairy tale, with poetic prose and characters from myth and legend, The Last Unicorn feels somewhat conflicted. In places far more mature than a simple children's fairy tale, much of the story feels far too adult to be understood or appreciated by younger readers. At its heart, it is a tale of seeking what was lost, and accepting what can never be. A beautiful yet sad and bittersweet tale, and altogether a very pleasant surprise for this reader. And as with so many books I have recently read, it was the writing that I loved the most, here is a little taste.

"The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless colour of sea foam but rather the colour of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea."

Thoroughly recommended for lovers of fairy tale and fantasy alike. And hopefully the first of many Beagle novels for me.

The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett

Read for: Dewey's Books Reading Challenge

I am probably one of the last people to read and review this adorable little novella, but it was well worth it. Alan Bennett is one of Britain's most well loved playwrights, although I am not sure how well known he is outside our small Isle.

The Uncommon Reader is the short tale of a most unusual encounter and how it affects one person's life in particular. That person of course is the British Queen, who comes across a mobile library when she is persuing her corgis across the lawn of Buckingham Palace. After apologising profusely for the racket, she finds it only polite to borrow a book and takes her leave. Although she did not particularly enjoy the book, she persevered and borrowed another, awakening in herself a deep passion for literature. A passion that slowly begins to affect her everyday life and her very public job.

I most definitely had a smile on myself through this one! The Queen is very much a figurehead in my country. Although we acknowledge her presence and place in our history, most (save the royalists) are glad that she has so little authority, and as such, show very little interest in her private life, which she keeps under wraps. This book gave a little insight into an idea of a person, one who is so very public. That idea was amusing and warm, stern and responsible, but who hadn't truly lived in the way your average person has. Such a sheltered life, I almost pity the woman, though thinking back to the changes she must have witnessed over the years, I imagine she might be a very interesting person to have a cup of tea and a chat with.

Full of British politicians and quirky Palace employees, and of course, the Queen herself, The Uncommon Reader is a tale of one woman realising, it is never too late to discover a passion that can completely change your life. A highly enjoyable though very short read, and oh so worth it!

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I am Morgan le Fay - Nancy Springer

Read for: Arthurian Challenge

"I am Morgan le Fay, and I will never die. I hover on the wind, and fate falls out of each slow beat of my wings. That is what my name means: Morgan the fate, Morgan the magical, fey Morgan of the otherworld, Morgan who must be feared. But I was not always Morgan le Fay. When they killed my father, I was only little Morgan. "

Quite faithful to the famous legend in places, all the familar faces are present, Morgause, Merlin, Uther, Igraine and Arthur himself. But this story is most certainly Morgan's, eschewing many events of the traditional tale in favour of following Morgan from childhood to her eventual rise as a woman of great power. This is the second of Springer's Arthurian tales, following but not necessarily linked to her first novel, I am Mordred.

Morgan herself is a feisty young girl, her father's "firebrand", and it understandably confused when her mother is bedded by a man resembling her father, at the same time of his death. Morgan's whole world is uprooted, and she and her sister Morgause are cared for by their nurse, while their mother Igraine is taken away and married to the High King, Uther Pendragon. Morgan's hatred for the King, (and his magical advisor Merlin) and his treatment of her mother, and the creation of their offspring, the boy who would be king, Arthur. All the while, her power, and the power of Avalon grows, and ultimately leads to the choice Morgan must make.

I am Morgan le Fay is a short book, with simple but effective storytelling that was surprisingly satisfying. Morgan is a great protagonist, with the reader deeply involved in her life from the start, although she is inevitably a bitter and confused young woman. It is Morgan's character flaws that make the story so readable, there is no black and white, good and evil. Springer acknowledges that human nature is far too complicated for that and her characters are very much shaped by their experiences and emotions. An interesting addition to this tale was the integration of True Thomas, Thomas the Rhymer, as Morgan's companion. This allowed us to see another side of Morgan, one that ultimately leads to its own destruction and takes Morgan down a far darker path.

A tale of love and loss, of war and grief, of power and betrayal. And a very pleasant read.

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