Review

Review – March by Geraldine Brooks

~ Hanna ~ Leave a comment
Hello,

Last month, in March, I decided to finally read Geraldine Brooks‘ Pulitzer Prize-winning novel March. šŸ˜‰

This is the 2006 Harper Perennial editionĀ¹
This is the 2006 Harper Perennial editionĀ¹

When Mr March, abolitionist and the father of Louisa May Alcottā€™s four Little Women, volunteers to serve as a chaplain in the American Civil War, he doesn’t know that the upcoming months will be different from what he expects. Following an incident involving a black woman, March is transferred south to Oak Landing, a cotton plantation, where it is his task to establish a school for the workers’ children. Even though slavery has been abolished in the area it is still in people’s minds, which March only starts to realize when he sets foot on Oak Landing.

Geraldine Brooks crafted Mr March after Louisa May Alcott’s father Bronson Alcott and used his 61 journals and 37 manuscript volumes full of letters as an inspiration. So when Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau pop up as friends of the family in March, the author is really talking about the two transcendentalists.

While March is well-researched, the storyline is nothing special. Frankly speaking, I’m having problems thinking of something to write about March that stands out, may it be positive or negative, but nothing really comes to mind. This novel is a solid work of historical fiction that will keep you entertained, so if that is all you want, go for it! It might even do more for you.

3.5 Star Rating: Recommended
3.5 magic beans

Ā¹ This is the latest edition.

Review – The Christmas We Met by Kate Lord Brown

~ Hanna ~ Leave a comment
Hi,

Do you miss Christmas? As a matter of fact I do, but if you belong to the majority of people I know, you probably don’t. Please do me a favor and keep on reading. šŸ™‚ Some time ago, when I started to read Kate Lord Brown‘s The Christmas We Met, I was expecting a very wintry and christmassy novel, but it isn’t.

The Christmas We Met
Image provided by OrionĀ¹

After Graceā€™s husband Sam vanishes she loses everything. She has to watch as her home and all her belongings are sold to creditors and her beloved workshop has to go under the hammer. When Grace is finally ready to take a new job, it’s to work as a secretary for Fraser Stratton and not as a jeweler. The day she drives to Wittering Manor for her job interview is the first day of a turbulent year that might change Grace’s life forever.

Fraser Stratton is in the process of writing his memoirs and needs help sorting his thoughts. He is an eccentric and lovable old man who made me laugh more than once. Even though most of the characters in the novel are well-developed, Fraser is my favorite. Grace, who is depressed after all that she’s gone through, soon realizes that she’s needed and, not surprisingly, turns into a much happier person. This process however is not a smooth one and from time to time Grace behaves irrational.

As I’ve said before, The Christmas We Met is not a Christmas novel, it spans a whole year and is set in the 1970s. As Fraser Stratton writes his memoirs, there are flashbacks to his past which is even more gripping than the action taking place in the present.

This novel is like a scavenger hunt full of mystery that soon turns into a page-turner. The Christmas We Met is well-researched and Kate Lord Brown has taken care of even the smallest details. If you like engrossing historical fiction, then this one is for you.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/Books/detail.page?isbn=9781409159957
Ā² An uncorrected proof was provided by the publisher.

Review – A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

~ Hanna ~ 3 Comments
Hi,

I recently read Anne Tyler’s novel A Spool of Blue Thread, which was shortlisted for the 2015 Man Booker Prize and the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction.

A Spool of Blue Thread
Image provided by VintageĀ¹

The Whitshank family has been living in the house on Bouton Road for generations, well maybe just two generations, as Red’s father Junior was the one who built the house, and Red’s four children have already moved out. So the only ones living there when things start to get a bit complicated are Red, his wife Abby and their dog.

Anne Tyler takes us on a trip through 20th-century Baltimore, from the 1920s up until the 21st century. We get to know each generation and therefore understand why the characters act the way they do.

Two prominent characters are Denny and Stem’s wife Nora. We don’t however get a very close look at them. They are both introvert characters and Tyler keeps them at distance by not telling the reader what goes on underneath their facade.

As the plot follows Junior and Linnie Whitshank from their hometown to Baltimore, we see them struggle and move into the house on Bouton Road. Their children Merrick and Red grow up there and get married one after the other, until it’s Red’s time to live in the house, accompanied by his wife Abby and their children Amanda, Jeannie, Denny and Stem. There is nothing special about the Whitshanks, they are a normal family and so is their life. And even though Tyler writes about everyday life A Spool of Blue Thread isn’t a boring novel. Sure, it might take about 100 pages to get into the book, but as soon as you’re fully acquainted with everyone reading is like meeting up with old friends.

A Spool of Blue Thread won’t hold your attention because of a gripping plot, it is a character-driven novel and Anne Tyler succeeded in creating realistic characters whose lives we follow like old biddies at the coffee table. So if you are generally interested in what your neighbors are up to, you might enjoy A Spool of Blue Thread.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1100311/a-spool-of-blue-thread/

Review – The Obituary Writer by Lauren St John

~ Hanna ~ 4 Comments
Hello,

Lauren St John’s novel The Obituary Writer had been sitting on my shelf for almost three years until it finally felt like the right book to read. I guess you know these moments, right? šŸ™‚

The Obituary Writer
Image provided by OrionĀ¹

One day, Nick Donaghue, an obituary writer for THE TIMES, is on his way to work, when he is involved in a horrible train crash where he is the only one escaping unharmed. While everybody else thinks Nick to be very fortunate, his life is turning into a literal nightmare. After months of sleepless nights, he moves from London to an old beach house in Cornwall where he runs into Sasha and has to give up his notion of living a quiet and secluded life.

It is hard to put this novel into a literary genre. The Obituary Writer starts out as a mystery with thriller elements, then it turns into a love story. This would have been okay. Unfortunately, the romance is soon sprinkled with paragraphs right out of an erotic novel that seem utterly out of place. And to top it all off, there’s a little bit of crime here, and some sick lit Ā² there. Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing wrong with mixing genres if the mix is homogeneous. In this case it isn’t and it seems like the author wanted to try out all these different genres to see how they worked for her.

Other than that, The Obituary Writer is an entertaining novel. It sucks you in right at the beginning and holds your attention for quite some time. The middle is a little slow, but the narrative takes up speed again in the last third of the book.

While we get to know Nick Donaghue’s character – his feelings, fears and doubts – very closely, most of the other characters stay in the background. It would have been nice to get a better understanding of Sasha, the woman who attracts Nick’s attention.

If you are as drawn to this novel by its beautiful cover as I was, you might as well give it a try, but it will not be a smooth ride, that’s for sure. And if you’ve already read The Obituary Writer, I’d like to know what you thought about the ending. But no spoilers please!

3 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/Books/detail.page?isbn=9781409127949
Ā² There is a spoiler hidden underneath. If you still want to see it, just highlight the text with your mouse.

Review – The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

~ Hanna ~ Leave a comment
Hello,

I found time to write another review. I survived Christmas, my 30th birthday, and New Years Eve, found a new hobby to add to my ever-growing list (I finally treated myself to a new sewing machine) and my thesis is still in the works. I never stopped reading though (you probably know that if you follow me on Goodreads or LovelyBooks) and so I read Julian Barnes‘ latest novel The Noise of Time.

The Noise of Time
Image linked from Jonathan CapeĀ¹

Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, a Soviet composer, cannot escape Power in his country. No matter what he does, his life and his music are influenced by the government and he can’t seem to live life as a free man.

The Noise of Time is far from an easy read. If you aren’t familiar with Shostakovich, you might get the feeling of being abandoned in a maze. The novelization of Shostakovich’s life is not written in chronological order. A third-person narratorĀ tells the reader what’s going on, he isn’t showing them and that creates a great distance between the plot and the reader. This, plus the fact that there is very little dialogue, makes reading The Noise of Time a slow process that requires concentration.

When I started the book, I had no idea what it was about. The official blurb doesn’t give away much and so I felt lost until I reached the second half of the novel. This is where I was finally able to sum up what I had read so far. If I had known that The Noise of Time was a fictional account of a composer’s life, things might have been different.

Julian Barnes’ novel has the air of a non-fiction book. Even though he writes about Shostakovich’s emotions, the reader is too distanced to feel them. The composer is long gone and so are his thoughts and his feelings. The Noise of Time might not be for everyone, but if you are interested in Shostakovich’s life and don’t shy Barnes’ narrative technique you should give it a shot.

3 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1110913/the-noise-of-time/
Ā² A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Review – Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye

~ Hanna ~ 6 Comments
Hi,

We’ve had some hot summer days recently and so Vanessa Lafaye‘s Summertime was the perfect companion to get me through a couple of thunderstorms.

Summertime
Image provided by OrionĀ¹

In 1935, Heron Key, Florida is a typical Southern town with the exception that many of its new residents are war veterans who are there to build a bridge. While almost everyone prepares for the Independence Day celebrations, Jenson Mitchell, owner of the town’s general store, watches the barometer with concern. There is news of a storm that hit the Bahamas and it could very well head their way. Heron Key’s residents are used to hurricanes, but the veterans don’t know what they are facing.

In the dramatic few hours before and during the storm, Missy, a young woman working as a domestic help for a white family, and Henry, who has finally returned home after his 18-year absence, have to find out if they are still close to each other while trying to save their and many other lives.

Summertime is loosely based on the events during the 1935 Labor Day hurricaneĀ², which was the strongest landfalling hurricane in the Atlantic Basin and the US in recorded history. This knowledge gives the fast-paced novel an even more dramatic aspect. The characters are mostly predictable but that doesn’t spoil the read. If you want to get a feeling for what being in one of the biggest storms in history must have been like, and you don’t shy away from the ugly details of a catastrophe like this, Summertime is the book for you.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Orion Books provided me with a copy of Summertime in exchange for an honest review.

Ā¹ https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/books/detail.page?isbn=9781409155393

Ā² Changed to Independence Day because of the date’s patriotic significance for the veterans.

Review – This Should be Written in the Present Tense by Helle Helle

~ Hanna ~ 2 Comments
Hello,

I recently read This Should be Written in the Present Tense by Danish author Helle Helle. It is one of ten books I won in Penguin Random House UK‘s Let’s Read in English Challenge 2014 over at LovelyBooks.

This Should be Written in the Present Tense
Image provided by Harvill SeckerĀ¹

Dorte has just moved into a bungalow next to a train station. She is supposed to attend classes atĀ  university in Copenhagen, but decides to do other things instead.

This Should be Written in the Present Tense is a book where very little happens. The novel describes Dorte’s present and past life and her life, especially the past, is as normal as it can get for a young woman. For some this might not be enough, but I find Dorte’s reality intriguing. The novel has a depressing undertone and there is nothing overly dramatic about the plot, yet knowing that there is room for improvement in Dorte’s life is exactly what makes the book so fascinating.

This Should be Written in the Present Tense is a minimalistic novel that is just the right length. It might not be for everyone, but if you are a university student with the occasional motivation problem, you should be able to relate to Dorte’s story and give this brilliant novel a try.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ http://www.vintage-books.co.uk/books/1846558050/helle-helle/this-should-be-written-in-the-present-tense/

Review – A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson

~ Hanna ~ Leave a comment
Hi,

When I heard that Kate Atkinson was working on a companion novel to the brilliant Life After Life, I knew that I had to read it as soon as I could. Well. I’m lucky and very grateful because Random House UK sent me an ARC of A God in Ruins, so I got to read it in March already. Today, however, it’s your chance to go to the bookstore and grab a copy to find out what the fuss is all about: It’s release day!

A God in Ruins
Image provided by Doubleday UKĀ¹

After the war, Teddy Todd does what he had always planned to do. He marries his childhood sweetheart Nancy, they have a daughter and two lovely grandchildren and he grows old. But even though the war is over, it will always be part of Teddy’s life.

Teddy is a good-natured man who loves the peacefulness of the countryside. Like many other war veterans, he doesn’t want to talk about what he went through during his service as a bomber pilot, much to the dismay of his wife Nancy. Kate Atkinson does a wonderful job portraying the couple’s and many other relationships in A God in Ruins, but I never felt a connection to Teddy or any of the other characters. This often made it hard to pick up the book, because I really didn’t care what would happen to the Todd family. Only when Teddy’s grandson Sunny gets into a life-changing situation, I was eager to read on.

A God in Ruins is not written in chronological order. Kate Atkinson weaves World War II scenes into Teddy’s lifeline, which we travel on in a seemingly random pattern. Although this structure appeals to me, these changes in time sometimes made me feel a bit lost.

A God in Ruins is called a companion novel to Life After Life. If you are looking for Life After Life‘s special structure or the many charming characters, you might be looking in the wrong place. Of course we meet Ursula and Sylvie, but they only play minor roles and this novel’s structure is different. A God in Ruins is a book about a bomber pilot who survives World War II to become a very ordinary man, leading an ordinary life.

3 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/a-god-in-ruins/9780385618700

Review – The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber

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Hi,

In January, I had the chance to read Michel Faber’s latest novel The Book of Strange New Things which Canongate sent me in exchange for an honest review. I can’t thank them enough for this gem of a book – inside and out.

The Book of Strange New Things
Image provided by CanongateĀ¹

When Peter Leigh is chosen to be the new minister on a planet in another galaxy he and his wife Bea are sure that this is the Will of God and a chance to spread The Word. Unfortunately, Bea has to stay on Earth because she didn’t pass the selection process. As Peter’s contract is limited to a few years and the two of them can communicate through a long-distance messaging system, Bea agrees that Peter should go. What the two of them don’t know is that the physical distance is accompanied by an even bigger emotional distance that threatens their relationship.

I was a little concerned about Peter being a Christian missionary, but this book is not about religion. It is about freedom, friendship, and trust. When Peter arrives on Oasis, he is a very obedient Christian who never strays from the path. This also makes him open to embrace other peoples like the Oasans, the natives whose priest he is to become. Soon, Peter decides to live with them and that changes him as well as some of the Oasans.

Speaking of the Oasans: We all know all sorts of aliens from various movies we’ve seen. The Oasans are different and they are very hard to picture, probably because our brains aren’t capable to do so ;). With his description, Michel Faber does the best anyone can do to make them imaginable by the human brain. To Peter’s eyes, and to those of the other humans on Oasis, they all look the same except for their differently-colored robes. They also hardly show any feelings or signs of personality, which basically makes them indistinguishable until you get to know them better. But when the Oasans and Peter finally warm up to each other, Michel Faber’s brilliant characterization of this unique people becomes visible.

Even though The Book of Strange New Things is almost 600 pages long it never feels like it. Michel Faber transports you right into this engaging, gripping and simply mind-blowing story about a man who does something most of us wouldn’t have the guts to do.

5 Star Rating: Recommended

Ā¹ http://www.canongate.tv/the-book-of-strange-new-things-hardback.html

Review – Academy Street by Mary Costello

~ Hanna ~ Leave a comment

Hi,

Mary Costello’s novel Academy Street has won the Irish Book Awards Book of the Year 2014 and was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2014. I’d like to thank Canongate for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Academy Street
Image provided by CanongateĀ¹

In the 1960s, Tess, a young Irish woman, emigrates to New York to find her destiny. Her mother passed away when Tess was a small girl and so she grew up on the dreary family farm among her siblings and her gruff father. Like most people, Tess is looking for love, but for an introvert person finding friends can be a challenge. As she tries to build a home in the United States, it isn’t always easy to stay close to those she loves. Although this country enables Tess to live a life that would be impossible in Ireland, she is just as isolated as before.

Academy Street is a slow-moving tale with a main character who is great to identify with. Mary Costello paints a realistic picture of a woman’s life very similar to the lives of many lonely people out there. The novel’s only downside is its ending. Even though it is surprising, I don’t think it very original. All in all, however, Academy Street is a melancholic novel that will make you value your family and think about those less fortunate than yourself.

3 Star Rating: Recommended(3.5 magic beans)

Ā¹ http://www.canongate.tv/academy-street-hardback.html