Alex has already reviewed this book twice; see either of those for a more detailed synopsis. To briefly recap-
This story follows the progress of several pairs of game show contestants as they are filmed searching the globe for esoteric items in a bid to win a million dollars. Team loyalties are tested and partnership dynamics irreversibly changed as the show’s creators introduce challenges designed to reveal each contestant’s darkest secrets.
Unlike Alex, I am not a fan of the kind of reality TV show upon which this story is based, but since she thought the book good enough to read twice in such a short space of time when I saw it in my local library I thought I’d give it a try. To my surprise in the end I found that I liked it very much.
At first glance I found the main characters and their conflicts unrealistic, but as their stories progressed and aspects of their personalities were revealed they became more believable. The game show setting worked well, introducing tension and temptation that highlighted the cracks in foundering relationships and allowing the author to explore a number of controversial issues in an accessible way. The (probably) realistic technicalities of filming the show added a layer of realism and interest.
I don’t see myself rereading this book any time soon but it was certainly worth stepping outside my usual area of interest.-Lynn
For Alex's reviews click here (2009) or here (2010).
Showing posts with label Alex/Lynn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex/Lynn. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11
Friday, September 17
Passage – Connie Willis
Joanna Lander is a psychologist investigating near-death experiences, a research field mired in pseudoscience and agenda. Located at Mercy General, her aim is to get to patients who’ve survived dying as quickly as possible, partly to record their experiences as accurately as she can while they’re still fresh, and partly so her data is uncontaminated by her biggest rival at Mercy General, Maurice Mandrake. Author of such erudite tomes as The Light at the End of the Tunnel, Mr Mandrake reshapes survivor’s memories to fit his theory, ruining any subsequent interviews Joanna manages. When she hears about another NDE researcher, Joanna goes to lengths to avoid him – in her experience even the fact he’s an MD is no evidence of sanity.
But Richard Wright is as scientifically based as she is. A neurologist convinced that NDE’s occur for a reason related to survival, he’s created a drug that seems to imitate the NDE experience without endangering the participants – they continuous brain scanning and blood collection while they undergo the induced NDE. His work would allow Joanna access to uncontaminated data from people undergoing repeated, manufactured NDE’s, if only they could get enough appropriate subjects. Instead their ever-shrinking pool includes a socialite to busy to ever undergo the process, a garrulous WW2 veteran more interested in telling tales of his experiences there than post-NDE, a taciturn man who seems to experience nothing when he goes under, and an increasingly skittish college student. Which is why, desperate to discover something before the first round of funding expires, Joanna becomes a subject.
Part of the advantage of having Joanna undergo the process was that she, unlike the other participants, would be able to describe the experience more accurately:
“I’d know if dark meant dark as in Carlsbad Caverns or the hospital parking lot at nine o’clock at night. I’d know if peaceful meant ‘tranquil’ or ‘anesthetized.’ And I’d know what they’re experiencing that they’re not even mentioning because they don’t realize it’s important, and I don’t know how to ask them about it.”
As a qualitative proto-researcher I understand that frustration, of your participants unable to usefully describe or articulate the elements of their experience or practice that you want to explore, and the difficulty of neither leading them nor letting them leave without saying something. So Joanna is all the more frustrated by her inability to capture many of the elements of her own experience, which Richard takes as support for his position that the NDE is a temporal lobe event – the temporal lobe has no connection with the brain’s language centre, and thus no way of articulating. But for Joanna, whose NDE’s built to a fuller, but metaphorical, experience, this focus distracts from her attempts to identify a familiarity she’s certain she has but can’t quite recall.
Her frustration about these teasing almost connections is extremely effectively portrayed – every time she was close to consciously realising what something meant she was interrupted and the fleeting proto-thought vanished again. This aspect was combined with an element that frequently recurs is Willis’s work: as in The Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog, in particular, there’s a terrific state of urgency, enhanced by obstacles and people to avoid. While reading the novel I had much the same feeling as one of those dreams where I need to get somewhere in a frantic hurry but am obstructed at every turn. Though caught up in the rush, I also felt irritated by it – the research, though potentially life-saving, didn’t require that kind of immediacy, and I kept being annoyed that Joanna’s priorities were directed toward that rather than the truly time-constrained situation of Maisie, a disaster-obsessed young girl with worsening heart failure.
It is this narrowed, urgent focus that leads to the biggest twist in Passage – having finally discovered the purpose of NDE’s, Joanna frantically searches Mercy General for Richard; hearing that another doctor with whom he’s associated has gone to the ER, where her best friend Vielle works as a senior nurse, she rushes down there. Joanna doesn’t see Richard, but she does see an anxious-looking Vielle talking with a young man – anxious to find Richard and tell him of her discovery, she interrupts the pair, only to find that the young man is armed with a knife, with which he stabs her. As the ER staff swings into action to try to save her, Joanna tries just as desperately to convey the information to Vielle, an effort that she takes with her into her final NDE.
And though I enjoyed Passage as a whole, this is where I detached from the text, because really – apart from the needs of the narrative, what was the rush? There aren’t going to be real world applications of any scientific advance, let alone one as esoteric as this, in anything under a couple of years, so waiting less than an hour for her next scheduled meeting with Richard wouldn’t have delayed anything.
The remaining couple of chapters alternate between Joanna’s new perspective, frantically trying to communicate her findings to Richard before it’s too late, and Richard’s attempts (assisted by Maisie, Vielle, another character whose plot thread I’ve not had space to explore and, unwittingly, Mandrake) to piece together what Joanna did for a missing hour and what relevance it had. This was interesting, and complemented the sense of haste woven through the novel, but I alternated my reading with thinking about what the book would have been like without this twist.
Each chapter opens with a death-related quote, from the last words of historical figures to the last letters of the famous, last messages from lost planes and sunk ships to live reports from broadcasters seeing a tragedy unfold before them. The characters are rounded and well drawn, and I found the research topic fascinating, particularly as it’s related to my own area of academic interest. I’ve yet to have any direct contact with a death survivor who talked about having an NDE, but was prepared to let that aspect go.
Despite its somewhat grim subject matter, there are touches of comedy in Passage. Joanna distresses Richard when, weeding through his participant list looking for Mandrakian ringers, she finds half a dozen who seemed find on Richard’s initial screening but who are True Believers associated with the near-death community, spies for Mandrake, or believe they’ve been abducted by aliens, or otherwise tainted. When Richard, outraged by her revelations, is surprised they weren’t all picked up by the preliminary psych profile, Joanna replies “Believing in the afterlife isn’t a mental illness; a number of major religions have been doing it for centuries.” There is also a romantic undertone, so that although nothing completely develops the reader is left with a strong sense of potential.
I also really enjoyed a thread I alluded to above and haven’t been able to explore here, which involved Mr Briarly, Joanna’s favourite high school teacher, now struggling with Alzheimer’s, and his niece Kit. Both the characters and the situation were beautifully portrayed, and I particularly liked the depiction of Alzheimer’s as a progressive death of personhood. There is also a recurring motif throughout the novel, clear in retrospect, that hints at the purpose of NDE’s; the characters in the book, like this reader, were equally blind to them, and in the last section they were also deaf to Mr Briarly’s remarks that, in a metaphysical communication with Joanna and with the part of him already gone, desperately tried to pass on a message.
I feel as though I’ve failed to capture all the elements of Passage that I’d like to – I haven’t, for example, given Maisie a fraction of the time she deserves, nor her fascination with disasters, the apparently tangential recurring Titanic/disaster motif, or even mentioned the confabulating Mrs Davenport. On the other hand perhaps, by having difficulty directly communicating what I intend, I’m doing Passage greater justice than I think. – Alex
To read Lynn’s review of Passage click here.
But Richard Wright is as scientifically based as she is. A neurologist convinced that NDE’s occur for a reason related to survival, he’s created a drug that seems to imitate the NDE experience without endangering the participants – they continuous brain scanning and blood collection while they undergo the induced NDE. His work would allow Joanna access to uncontaminated data from people undergoing repeated, manufactured NDE’s, if only they could get enough appropriate subjects. Instead their ever-shrinking pool includes a socialite to busy to ever undergo the process, a garrulous WW2 veteran more interested in telling tales of his experiences there than post-NDE, a taciturn man who seems to experience nothing when he goes under, and an increasingly skittish college student. Which is why, desperate to discover something before the first round of funding expires, Joanna becomes a subject.
Part of the advantage of having Joanna undergo the process was that she, unlike the other participants, would be able to describe the experience more accurately:
“I’d know if dark meant dark as in Carlsbad Caverns or the hospital parking lot at nine o’clock at night. I’d know if peaceful meant ‘tranquil’ or ‘anesthetized.’ And I’d know what they’re experiencing that they’re not even mentioning because they don’t realize it’s important, and I don’t know how to ask them about it.”
As a qualitative proto-researcher I understand that frustration, of your participants unable to usefully describe or articulate the elements of their experience or practice that you want to explore, and the difficulty of neither leading them nor letting them leave without saying something. So Joanna is all the more frustrated by her inability to capture many of the elements of her own experience, which Richard takes as support for his position that the NDE is a temporal lobe event – the temporal lobe has no connection with the brain’s language centre, and thus no way of articulating. But for Joanna, whose NDE’s built to a fuller, but metaphorical, experience, this focus distracts from her attempts to identify a familiarity she’s certain she has but can’t quite recall.
Her frustration about these teasing almost connections is extremely effectively portrayed – every time she was close to consciously realising what something meant she was interrupted and the fleeting proto-thought vanished again. This aspect was combined with an element that frequently recurs is Willis’s work: as in The Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog, in particular, there’s a terrific state of urgency, enhanced by obstacles and people to avoid. While reading the novel I had much the same feeling as one of those dreams where I need to get somewhere in a frantic hurry but am obstructed at every turn. Though caught up in the rush, I also felt irritated by it – the research, though potentially life-saving, didn’t require that kind of immediacy, and I kept being annoyed that Joanna’s priorities were directed toward that rather than the truly time-constrained situation of Maisie, a disaster-obsessed young girl with worsening heart failure.
It is this narrowed, urgent focus that leads to the biggest twist in Passage – having finally discovered the purpose of NDE’s, Joanna frantically searches Mercy General for Richard; hearing that another doctor with whom he’s associated has gone to the ER, where her best friend Vielle works as a senior nurse, she rushes down there. Joanna doesn’t see Richard, but she does see an anxious-looking Vielle talking with a young man – anxious to find Richard and tell him of her discovery, she interrupts the pair, only to find that the young man is armed with a knife, with which he stabs her. As the ER staff swings into action to try to save her, Joanna tries just as desperately to convey the information to Vielle, an effort that she takes with her into her final NDE.
And though I enjoyed Passage as a whole, this is where I detached from the text, because really – apart from the needs of the narrative, what was the rush? There aren’t going to be real world applications of any scientific advance, let alone one as esoteric as this, in anything under a couple of years, so waiting less than an hour for her next scheduled meeting with Richard wouldn’t have delayed anything.
The remaining couple of chapters alternate between Joanna’s new perspective, frantically trying to communicate her findings to Richard before it’s too late, and Richard’s attempts (assisted by Maisie, Vielle, another character whose plot thread I’ve not had space to explore and, unwittingly, Mandrake) to piece together what Joanna did for a missing hour and what relevance it had. This was interesting, and complemented the sense of haste woven through the novel, but I alternated my reading with thinking about what the book would have been like without this twist.
Each chapter opens with a death-related quote, from the last words of historical figures to the last letters of the famous, last messages from lost planes and sunk ships to live reports from broadcasters seeing a tragedy unfold before them. The characters are rounded and well drawn, and I found the research topic fascinating, particularly as it’s related to my own area of academic interest. I’ve yet to have any direct contact with a death survivor who talked about having an NDE, but was prepared to let that aspect go.
Despite its somewhat grim subject matter, there are touches of comedy in Passage. Joanna distresses Richard when, weeding through his participant list looking for Mandrakian ringers, she finds half a dozen who seemed find on Richard’s initial screening but who are True Believers associated with the near-death community, spies for Mandrake, or believe they’ve been abducted by aliens, or otherwise tainted. When Richard, outraged by her revelations, is surprised they weren’t all picked up by the preliminary psych profile, Joanna replies “Believing in the afterlife isn’t a mental illness; a number of major religions have been doing it for centuries.” There is also a romantic undertone, so that although nothing completely develops the reader is left with a strong sense of potential.
I also really enjoyed a thread I alluded to above and haven’t been able to explore here, which involved Mr Briarly, Joanna’s favourite high school teacher, now struggling with Alzheimer’s, and his niece Kit. Both the characters and the situation were beautifully portrayed, and I particularly liked the depiction of Alzheimer’s as a progressive death of personhood. There is also a recurring motif throughout the novel, clear in retrospect, that hints at the purpose of NDE’s; the characters in the book, like this reader, were equally blind to them, and in the last section they were also deaf to Mr Briarly’s remarks that, in a metaphysical communication with Joanna and with the part of him already gone, desperately tried to pass on a message.
I feel as though I’ve failed to capture all the elements of Passage that I’d like to – I haven’t, for example, given Maisie a fraction of the time she deserves, nor her fascination with disasters, the apparently tangential recurring Titanic/disaster motif, or even mentioned the confabulating Mrs Davenport. On the other hand perhaps, by having difficulty directly communicating what I intend, I’m doing Passage greater justice than I think. – Alex
To read Lynn’s review of Passage click here.
Thursday, July 8
Where Serpents Sleep - CS Harris
Sebastian St. Cyr is asked to help investigate what appears to be an accident - the deaths of eight prostitutes in a house fire. There are, however, a couple of interesting elements, including the unwillingness of Bow Street to investigate, evidence that at least one young woman was shot, and the source of the request - Hero Jarvis, daughter and now only child of Lord Jarvis, himself cousin to the king. Hero was interviewing one of the fallen women, to support her suspicions that they turned to prostitution out of dire necessity rather than loose morals, at the time of the attack.
As with its predecessors What Angels Fear, When Gods Die and Why Mermaids Sing, Where Serpents Sleep immersed me in a rich world of privilege and poverty, society and the sordid, mores and immorality. As St. Cyr unravels the murders, performed to cover the death of one particular woman of surprisingly privileged background, he uncovers some of society's dirtiest little secrets. And at the heart is the long shadow of child abuse, at the hands of a prominent man informally known to be
One of the most interesting things for me about Where Serpents Sleep was the overlap in setting and era between it and the recently-read Phyllidia and the Brotherhood of Philander, which also mentions the assassination of Prime Minister Spenser Perceval - knowing the assailant from the first book made me more aware of that seam of tension despite my incomplete knowledge of British history. CS Harris does a rather better job of capturing both the spirit and the details of the time, however, including a far more layered description of Almack's.
There is this time little mention of St. Cyr's missing mother, and though his lifelong love, actress and half-sister (so far as they both know), Kat Boleyn, makes an appearance, that plot strand is not advanced further, leaving a tantalising thread for future resolution.
The characters are clear, unique and developed, the plot is intricate without being unduly convoluted, the mysteries are satisfactorily resolved both intellectually and viscerally, and the writing is informed and evocative without being laboured or uninteresting. My only quibble, and it's slight, is the use of dialect ("I was 'opin' maybe I'd get t'ride in yer curricle. I ain't never ridden in a rig like that afore... I ain't gonna pike off"), but it's rare and the quality elsewhere was more than high enough to overlook it. I await book five with anticipatory pleasure. - Alex
As with its predecessors What Angels Fear, When Gods Die and Why Mermaids Sing, Where Serpents Sleep immersed me in a rich world of privilege and poverty, society and the sordid, mores and immorality. As St. Cyr unravels the murders, performed to cover the death of one particular woman of surprisingly privileged background, he uncovers some of society's dirtiest little secrets. And at the heart is the long shadow of child abuse, at the hands of a prominent man informally known to be
A tad too fond of little girls. It was a polite, euphemistic expression for something so ugly and bestial most Englishmen found it difficult to admit it actually happened in their oh so proper and painfully civil society.Two hundred years later and little has changed.
One of the most interesting things for me about Where Serpents Sleep was the overlap in setting and era between it and the recently-read Phyllidia and the Brotherhood of Philander, which also mentions the assassination of Prime Minister Spenser Perceval - knowing the assailant from the first book made me more aware of that seam of tension despite my incomplete knowledge of British history. CS Harris does a rather better job of capturing both the spirit and the details of the time, however, including a far more layered description of Almack's.
There is this time little mention of St. Cyr's missing mother, and though his lifelong love, actress and half-sister (so far as they both know), Kat Boleyn, makes an appearance, that plot strand is not advanced further, leaving a tantalising thread for future resolution.
The characters are clear, unique and developed, the plot is intricate without being unduly convoluted, the mysteries are satisfactorily resolved both intellectually and viscerally, and the writing is informed and evocative without being laboured or uninteresting. My only quibble, and it's slight, is the use of dialect ("I was 'opin' maybe I'd get t'ride in yer curricle. I ain't never ridden in a rig like that afore... I ain't gonna pike off"), but it's rare and the quality elsewhere was more than high enough to overlook it. I await book five with anticipatory pleasure. - Alex
Tuesday, July 6
Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander - Ann Herendeen
Phyllida Lewis has few prospects, despite her good birth and curvaceous figure - at her one and only Season she received but one expression of interest, and that from an elderly and on all fronts unattractive, half-hearted suitor. Despite her mother's meddling, Phyllida would far rather in any case continue her writing - her first novel was published, under a pseudonym of course, only a short time ago and she's going through the proofs of her second.
She is, however, aware of her obligations to her family. So when the ton's most eligible (and formerly believed confirmed) bachelor, Andrew Carrington, in line for an earldom, comes courting, Phyllida is interested. His revelation that the marriage will be primarily to guarantee an heir, and will not obstruct his preference for men, provides little impediment - as long as Phyllida may write she's happy. But Phyllida and Andrew have more in common, and more chemistry, than they could have expected.
I came to Phyllida because of Lynn's review, which was intriguing. And, like Lynn, I was a little disappointed, though the cause of my disappointment differs. I haven't the familiarity with and exposure to Regency novels to pick up the same level of era discrepancy as Lynn, though I did feel a little as though the characters had contemporary sensibilities (compared, for example, with the way Greenwood's Phryne Fisher is both of her time yet not confined by its mores). However for me the missing element was all sexual, starting with the ease with which the formerly resolutely homosexual (though that word is never used in the text, as explained in the appendix) hero is robustly attracted to the very feminine Phyllida. I'm happy to accept that the inexperienced, unworldly Phyllida is quickly and (very, very) easily aroused by Andrew, despite his lack of attention to the differing needs of women than men. I also have no trouble at all with the idea that she's even more interested in seeing Andrew with another man. What I found frustrating was that, though both parties were aware of this, that aspect never came into play.
Instead, Phyllida's interest is manifested by her support for the like-minded gentlemen of Andrew's club, the Brotherhood of Philander. And while the novel is not an erotica (though the premise would make for a good one), nor even yet as much a romance as an historical mystery/exploration of the times, there are indicators that a three-way romp is in the offing - a tryst that never eventuates. For example, the first time Phyllida sees her husband with another man, a passionate kiss in a theatre changing room, she:
That said, I did enjoy Heredeen's voice, and have borrowed another of her novels, which I hope will be a little less conflicted about its purpose. - Alex
For Lynn's review of Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander click here.
She is, however, aware of her obligations to her family. So when the ton's most eligible (and formerly believed confirmed) bachelor, Andrew Carrington, in line for an earldom, comes courting, Phyllida is interested. His revelation that the marriage will be primarily to guarantee an heir, and will not obstruct his preference for men, provides little impediment - as long as Phyllida may write she's happy. But Phyllida and Andrew have more in common, and more chemistry, than they could have expected.
I came to Phyllida because of Lynn's review, which was intriguing. And, like Lynn, I was a little disappointed, though the cause of my disappointment differs. I haven't the familiarity with and exposure to Regency novels to pick up the same level of era discrepancy as Lynn, though I did feel a little as though the characters had contemporary sensibilities (compared, for example, with the way Greenwood's Phryne Fisher is both of her time yet not confined by its mores). However for me the missing element was all sexual, starting with the ease with which the formerly resolutely homosexual (though that word is never used in the text, as explained in the appendix) hero is robustly attracted to the very feminine Phyllida. I'm happy to accept that the inexperienced, unworldly Phyllida is quickly and (very, very) easily aroused by Andrew, despite his lack of attention to the differing needs of women than men. I also have no trouble at all with the idea that she's even more interested in seeing Andrew with another man. What I found frustrating was that, though both parties were aware of this, that aspect never came into play.
Instead, Phyllida's interest is manifested by her support for the like-minded gentlemen of Andrew's club, the Brotherhood of Philander. And while the novel is not an erotica (though the premise would make for a good one), nor even yet as much a romance as an historical mystery/exploration of the times, there are indicators that a three-way romp is in the offing - a tryst that never eventuates. For example, the first time Phyllida sees her husband with another man, a passionate kiss in a theatre changing room, she:
watched, the blood rushing to her face and her breath coming in short little gasps. She should look away, she told herself, or say something, but she did neither. She was only vaguely aware that her secret place, the one Andrew had brought to so frightening a peak of ecstasy, was again engorged, almost throbbing, just at the sight of her husband and the handsome actor embracing.But the promise hinted at here is never delivered, as the plot moves instead in pursuit of a Napoleonic, somewhat Byzantine mystery involving ledger books, codes, Franco-American spies, blackmail and wheels within wheels that made (for me, at any rate) Andrew's orientation more a reason for pressure than an integral part of the plot - any other scandal might almost have done as well. That direction takes precedence over not only the sexual side of the story but also the romance, and the whole is then rather hastily wound up in about a chapter and a half.
That said, I did enjoy Heredeen's voice, and have borrowed another of her novels, which I hope will be a little less conflicted about its purpose. - Alex
For Lynn's review of Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander click here.
Wednesday, June 23
Ann Herendeen: Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander
Seeking both escape from her overbearing mother and the freedom society only awards to a married woman, a young authoress accepts a proposal from a wealthy sodomite. She will not interfere with his chosen lifestyle while providing him with an heir, he will allow her to continue writing gothic novels and gift her with a small estate of her own on the birth of a son.
What neither of them anticipates is the development of genuine affection and the young woman’s erotic response to her husband’s homosexual behaviour. She welcomes his lover into their life and all seems set for a happy ever after-until a blackmailer threatens to expose their arrangement.
So begins a series of deceits, each hoping to protect the other with lies that are driving them apart. And it’s not just their relationship that’s at stake. The blackmailer is a suspected French spy sending coded intelligence back to Bonaparte, using his knowledge of their illegal sodomite behaviour to protect himself.
Eventually circumstances reach a head, everything comes out into the open, the blackmailing spy gets his comeuppance and the trio discovers the true depths of their feelings for each other.
This is, to say the least, a unique twist on regency romance and it works well-up to a point. The main characters are reasonably well developed and their motivation entirely believable but from there in I didn’t find things really up to par.
Though there was the obligatory mention of Almack’s I didn’t get any real sense of the period. The quality of the dialogue was uneven; in some places it was delightful, in others abysmal. The behaviour of the men often stepped over the line from unfounded stereotype to caricature and sex in all its glorious variations was often used in place of character or plot development.
This isn’t a bad book, the story is, in fact, quite good but with a decent strong edit it could have been much, much better.
Herendeen is to be congratulated on breaking the mould but competition in the field is tough and as a regency romance this was mediocre.-Lynn
For Alex's review of Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander click here.
What neither of them anticipates is the development of genuine affection and the young woman’s erotic response to her husband’s homosexual behaviour. She welcomes his lover into their life and all seems set for a happy ever after-until a blackmailer threatens to expose their arrangement.
So begins a series of deceits, each hoping to protect the other with lies that are driving them apart. And it’s not just their relationship that’s at stake. The blackmailer is a suspected French spy sending coded intelligence back to Bonaparte, using his knowledge of their illegal sodomite behaviour to protect himself.
Eventually circumstances reach a head, everything comes out into the open, the blackmailing spy gets his comeuppance and the trio discovers the true depths of their feelings for each other.
This is, to say the least, a unique twist on regency romance and it works well-up to a point. The main characters are reasonably well developed and their motivation entirely believable but from there in I didn’t find things really up to par.
Though there was the obligatory mention of Almack’s I didn’t get any real sense of the period. The quality of the dialogue was uneven; in some places it was delightful, in others abysmal. The behaviour of the men often stepped over the line from unfounded stereotype to caricature and sex in all its glorious variations was often used in place of character or plot development.
This isn’t a bad book, the story is, in fact, quite good but with a decent strong edit it could have been much, much better.
Herendeen is to be congratulated on breaking the mould but competition in the field is tough and as a regency romance this was mediocre.-Lynn
For Alex's review of Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander click here.
Saturday, February 6
Julie Kenner: Carpe Demon
A retired demon hunter suddenly finds herself back on active duty when a spate of demon attacks occur in her, hitherto, demon-free small town.
Fifteen years out of the game have hardly left her in peak condition and with a two year old still in nappies, a teenaged daughter and husband with an eye on political office, the last thing she has time for is demon hunting.
But with the help of her best friend and an elderly hunter of questionable sanity, she manages to take on her old role without letting her family know what she’s up to.
And though it’s a close thing, she does manage to save the day.
This was a refreshing change from what has become the norm of this genre. Unlike many of her compatriots this demon hunter has no magical powers, relying on knowledge and training to do her demon destroying thing. Neither is she young, fit and oversexed. Instead she’s middle-aged, exhausted by her daily to-do list and has priorities other than herself. A situation that undoubtedly a lot of readers will relate to.
The writing is well paced and has just the right amount and style of humour to be funny without tripping over into ridiculous.
Though the heroine is a little slow to pick up on signs the red herrings are believable. I spotted the twist coming but even so was delighted Kenner didn’t go down the obvious track.
This book is the first in a series and though I enjoyed it I think it could grow old very quickly so I would suggest a long gap between instalments.-Lynn
Click here for Alex's review of Carpe Demon.
Fifteen years out of the game have hardly left her in peak condition and with a two year old still in nappies, a teenaged daughter and husband with an eye on political office, the last thing she has time for is demon hunting.
But with the help of her best friend and an elderly hunter of questionable sanity, she manages to take on her old role without letting her family know what she’s up to.
And though it’s a close thing, she does manage to save the day.
This was a refreshing change from what has become the norm of this genre. Unlike many of her compatriots this demon hunter has no magical powers, relying on knowledge and training to do her demon destroying thing. Neither is she young, fit and oversexed. Instead she’s middle-aged, exhausted by her daily to-do list and has priorities other than herself. A situation that undoubtedly a lot of readers will relate to.
The writing is well paced and has just the right amount and style of humour to be funny without tripping over into ridiculous.
Though the heroine is a little slow to pick up on signs the red herrings are believable. I spotted the twist coming but even so was delighted Kenner didn’t go down the obvious track.
This book is the first in a series and though I enjoyed it I think it could grow old very quickly so I would suggest a long gap between instalments.-Lynn
Click here for Alex's review of Carpe Demon.
Friday, January 1
2009 in Review
Alex – Last year I aimed to make my way through some of my unread backlog, read my mother's favourite novels, the twelve-part Anthony Powell creation A Dance to the Music of Time, and tackle Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy (huge, but apparently worth it). I was also going to review each book as I finished it.
Sadly, once again my resolutions were for naught. At the time of writing I'm just finishing writing up the dozen books read but unreviewed over the course of 2009. I read neither the Powell nor the Seth works, and my own unread book piles were added to rather than diminished even though I took a dozen or so overseas with me (and left them there). This year I will read a Powell book each month, and both Lynn and I have decided to alternate our own books with those from other sources like the library.
I did read marginally fewer books this year - of the 254 books I reviewed, 222 were fiction and only 32 non-fiction (and yet another year with no poetry, except by accident). I've been interested to see that the strength of the last part of the year has coloured my perception of the year as a whole, and I'd completely blanked out the odd run of books I hated or abandoned. Starting there we have:
Favourite non-fiction book: I'm torn between the really compelling The Faith Club (by far my longest review this year), all of Danny Wallace's adventures, the always readable Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, and the Milton Erickson tribute My Voice Will Go With You. But the winner has to be The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge.
Favourite newly encountered author: I thoroughly enjoyed Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy, Linwood Barclay's atmospheric mysteries, and my belated discovery of the almost-Bagleyesque quality of Dick Francis's racing mysteries. Simon Kernick certainly warrants a follow up, as do Olive Etchells, CS Harris, Perri Klass and SM Stirling. But I think the winner is Carolyn Parkhurst, whose two, extremely different, novels were resonant reads that stayed with me long after they were finished and which I've recommended indiscriminately.
Interestingly, I realised writing this that I haven't read a single novel by Elizabeth Berg, my favourite author of 2008, but have recommended her to several people and sent my sister three of her books for Christmas.
Reviewing the year has reminded me of several authors I want to chase up in the year ahead, particularly CS Harris, Aimée and David Thurlo, Sean Doolittle, Ben Bova, Olive Etschells and Simon Kernick. As always the good news is that there are always great books being written and released, faster than I can read them. The bad news, of course, is that there are great books being written and released faster than I can read them - Alex
Lynn: My 2009 reading list has proved to be a rather uninspired one. With a couple of notable exceptions my book selections this year have been mediocre to poor. This has left me spoilt for choice when it comes to naming a worst book of the year.
My biggest disappointment would have to be Sandom’s The God Machine. I had such high hopes for this one but I found it to be a complete dud-a view not changed by the passionate arguments in support of it made here by the author (or author’s best friend, biggest fan, whatever).
But I feel it would be unfair to award this one the status of worst book read in 2009 because as a ‘did not finish’ I can’t claim to have actually read it.
So in a very closely run race the worst book I read in 2009 goes to The Eight by Katherine Neville. The sheer pointlessness of her work means she edges out Mary Gentle’s 1610: A Sundial in a Grave, which at least made some sense.
Strangely enough, choosing a best book I read in 2009 was not as easy as I thought it would be. Sure I could fall back on the tried and true Rickman or Greenwood, both of whom are consistently great but how could I choose between them. Take it as said that they rate right up there and with those two out of contention the very level playing field left meant that many could vie for the title. So for its warped and twisted fun I’m naming Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore my best read of 2009.
My favourite newly discovered (by me) writer for 2009 is a three way of historical romance authors. I was delighted to discover Pam Rosenthal, Jo Goodman and Joanna Bourne may their backlists be long and their careers longer.-Lynn
Sadly, once again my resolutions were for naught. At the time of writing I'm just finishing writing up the dozen books read but unreviewed over the course of 2009. I read neither the Powell nor the Seth works, and my own unread book piles were added to rather than diminished even though I took a dozen or so overseas with me (and left them there). This year I will read a Powell book each month, and both Lynn and I have decided to alternate our own books with those from other sources like the library.
I did read marginally fewer books this year - of the 254 books I reviewed, 222 were fiction and only 32 non-fiction (and yet another year with no poetry, except by accident). I've been interested to see that the strength of the last part of the year has coloured my perception of the year as a whole, and I'd completely blanked out the odd run of books I hated or abandoned. Starting there we have:
Most disappointing novel: Dakota Cassidy's The Accidental Werewolf just didn't do it for me, particularly as it's one of only two books I recommended my library purchase. I thought Anton Strout's Dead to Me had more promise than it delivered, but did like the author's comment, which acknowledged that it wasn't for me without taking this on board as a vituperative attack on his very personhood (thank you, Anton).
Least rewarding non-fiction book: in a year where I put more books aside than ever before, the stand out of disappointment was probably Vera Brittain's autobiography Testament of Youth, mostly because I had quite high expectations which fell wholly flat.
Most disliked read: the Twilight series - I pushed myself until I just couldn't read any more of it.
Greatest achievement: an overseas trip forced me, by virtue of taking them with me and refusing to buy any other until they were read, to finally tackle half a dozen long unread members of my To Read pile. The three longest lingerers were John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (perhaps 15 years), Richard Adam's The Girl in a Swing (almost 30 years), and Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, (some 20 years after buying it). Completing Eco's work is without question the triumph of my recreational reading year!
Favourite novel: No question the most compelling novel I read this year was Lionel Shriver's We Have to Talk About Kevin, a book so gripping it inspired me to start a book group (we meet for the first time next month and so far feedback's been mixed).Favourite non-fiction book: I'm torn between the really compelling The Faith Club (by far my longest review this year), all of Danny Wallace's adventures, the always readable Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, and the Milton Erickson tribute My Voice Will Go With You. But the winner has to be The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge.
Favourite newly encountered author: I thoroughly enjoyed Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy, Linwood Barclay's atmospheric mysteries, and my belated discovery of the almost-Bagleyesque quality of Dick Francis's racing mysteries. Simon Kernick certainly warrants a follow up, as do Olive Etchells, CS Harris, Perri Klass and SM Stirling. But I think the winner is Carolyn Parkhurst, whose two, extremely different, novels were resonant reads that stayed with me long after they were finished and which I've recommended indiscriminately.
Interestingly, I realised writing this that I haven't read a single novel by Elizabeth Berg, my favourite author of 2008, but have recommended her to several people and sent my sister three of her books for Christmas.
Reviewing the year has reminded me of several authors I want to chase up in the year ahead, particularly CS Harris, Aimée and David Thurlo, Sean Doolittle, Ben Bova, Olive Etschells and Simon Kernick. As always the good news is that there are always great books being written and released, faster than I can read them. The bad news, of course, is that there are great books being written and released faster than I can read them - Alex
Lynn: My 2009 reading list has proved to be a rather uninspired one. With a couple of notable exceptions my book selections this year have been mediocre to poor. This has left me spoilt for choice when it comes to naming a worst book of the year.
My biggest disappointment would have to be Sandom’s The God Machine. I had such high hopes for this one but I found it to be a complete dud-a view not changed by the passionate arguments in support of it made here by the author (or author’s best friend, biggest fan, whatever).
But I feel it would be unfair to award this one the status of worst book read in 2009 because as a ‘did not finish’ I can’t claim to have actually read it.
So in a very closely run race the worst book I read in 2009 goes to The Eight by Katherine Neville. The sheer pointlessness of her work means she edges out Mary Gentle’s 1610: A Sundial in a Grave, which at least made some sense.
Strangely enough, choosing a best book I read in 2009 was not as easy as I thought it would be. Sure I could fall back on the tried and true Rickman or Greenwood, both of whom are consistently great but how could I choose between them. Take it as said that they rate right up there and with those two out of contention the very level playing field left meant that many could vie for the title. So for its warped and twisted fun I’m naming Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore my best read of 2009.
My favourite newly discovered (by me) writer for 2009 is a three way of historical romance authors. I was delighted to discover Pam Rosenthal, Jo Goodman and Joanna Bourne may their backlists be long and their careers longer.-Lynn
Friday, May 22
Kerry Greenwood: Trick or Treat
Baker and amateur sleuth, Corinna Chapman is under a lot of pressure. Her livelihood is threatened by a franchise bakery opening at the end of her street. Her love life is threatened by a tall, gorgeous blonde who has just moved in with her boyfriend and has obvious designs on him. The neighbourhood is playing host to a dodgy coven of treasure hunting witches. And a new drug on the streets has crazy people regularly turning up on her doorstep.
Dealing with all of these challenges isn’t easy but Corinna is a strong and determined woman who will not let her world fall apart without a fight. She soon discovers that all of these events are tied up together in a very tangled web and with the help of her friends and the police she manages to unravel it and settle back into the comfortable life she has worked so hard to achieve.
This is the fourth book in this series and builds on earlier works. The cast remains basically the same, and though the story focuses on different secondary characters, we are given updates on our old friends from previous stories.
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Greenwood’s work but this novel left me a little flat. The writing, as always, was superlative. (Let’s be honest, Kerry Greenwood at her worst would rival many an author at their best.) It was particular elements of the plot that I felt a little disappointed in.
Without spoilers I can’t give details but suffice to say as soon as the flour sack appeared it was obvious what was about to happen. (And if you just guessed sorry but the twist really is that obvious). I have seen this particular plot point used half a dozen times in the last decade in a number of different contexts. Perhaps it just made a strong impression on me but as soon as I mentioned it to Alex her mind went in the exactly the same direction. I had hoped that the point in question was going to be a red herring but sadly that wasn’t the case. And while its impact on the story was minor it was enough to take the shine off.
Still a reliably good read from a consistently good author-just not one of her best.-Lynn
For Alex's review of Trick or Treat click here
Dealing with all of these challenges isn’t easy but Corinna is a strong and determined woman who will not let her world fall apart without a fight. She soon discovers that all of these events are tied up together in a very tangled web and with the help of her friends and the police she manages to unravel it and settle back into the comfortable life she has worked so hard to achieve.
This is the fourth book in this series and builds on earlier works. The cast remains basically the same, and though the story focuses on different secondary characters, we are given updates on our old friends from previous stories.
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Greenwood’s work but this novel left me a little flat. The writing, as always, was superlative. (Let’s be honest, Kerry Greenwood at her worst would rival many an author at their best.) It was particular elements of the plot that I felt a little disappointed in.
Without spoilers I can’t give details but suffice to say as soon as the flour sack appeared it was obvious what was about to happen. (And if you just guessed sorry but the twist really is that obvious). I have seen this particular plot point used half a dozen times in the last decade in a number of different contexts. Perhaps it just made a strong impression on me but as soon as I mentioned it to Alex her mind went in the exactly the same direction. I had hoped that the point in question was going to be a red herring but sadly that wasn’t the case. And while its impact on the story was minor it was enough to take the shine off.
Still a reliably good read from a consistently good author-just not one of her best.-Lynn
For Alex's review of Trick or Treat click here
Friday, February 6
Christopher Moore: Bloodsucking Fiends
When a woman is attacked in an alley and wakes up a vampire she soon learns that her new lifestyle will require daylight support. To this end she employs a wannabe writer and grocery store night clerk to be her daytime errand boy. The two form a relationship and spend their time between testing out the limits of her new powers and trying to find the vampire who bit her so that they can kill him and, theoretically, return her to normal.
But when they do find the vampire in question their plan to kill him goes awry when the grocery store clerk and his colleges decide to steal his vast horde of treasure before blowing him up. The woman then steps in to save the vampire. He is, after all, the only one who can explain to her the how’s and why’s of her new life.
Once she discovers all she needs to know she shares her knowledge with her boyfriend and they incapacitate the old vampire with plans for a very long happy ever after.
A strange combination of horror, romance and mystery told with a humorous edge, this book really stood out as something completely different in the current explosion of the vampire stories.
I found the humour often laugh out loud funny. The characters’ behaviour seems both reasonable and believable, the more insane they acted, the easier it was to accept, and even identify with, them.
I would absolutely love to see this book translated to film. It would definitely be worth the price of admission. -Lynn
To see Alex's review of Bloodsucking Fiends click here
But when they do find the vampire in question their plan to kill him goes awry when the grocery store clerk and his colleges decide to steal his vast horde of treasure before blowing him up. The woman then steps in to save the vampire. He is, after all, the only one who can explain to her the how’s and why’s of her new life.
Once she discovers all she needs to know she shares her knowledge with her boyfriend and they incapacitate the old vampire with plans for a very long happy ever after.
A strange combination of horror, romance and mystery told with a humorous edge, this book really stood out as something completely different in the current explosion of the vampire stories.
I found the humour often laugh out loud funny. The characters’ behaviour seems both reasonable and believable, the more insane they acted, the easier it was to accept, and even identify with, them.
I would absolutely love to see this book translated to film. It would definitely be worth the price of admission. -Lynn
To see Alex's review of Bloodsucking Fiends click here
Tuesday, January 27
Kitty Kitty - Michele Jaffe
Jas, the star of Bad Kitty, is back, this time in Italy, completely against her will, thanks to Dadzilla, who's researching the history of soap, of all things. Okay, Venice isn't all bad, what with the pretty canals and gondolas and 142 types of pizza, but Jas still has to write college essays, and go to Italian class, and her only friend is this lame girl from Italian class.
Arabella is paranoid, like seriously certifiable, but when she doesn't turn up for a meeting with Jas, and her body is found in the water, Jas doesn't believe for a minute that it was suicide, not matter what the carbinieri think. Rescued by the appearance of her best friends (and, sadly, her evil cousin and her lame best friend), Jas investigates Venice to find the killer, and the truth.
Like its predecessor, Kitty Kitty is a witty, fast-paced novel that hinges on the unique voice of its narrator - her description, for example, of petite Arabella's black-and-red-beruffled apartment ("any parts of the room not suitable for Ruffling were filled with porcelain statues of pugs wearing red ribbons round their necks") as "what I imagined an Elf brother would look like (not that I've spent a lot of time imagining that)." Or her dialogue (in footnotes) with her evil alter ego BadJas, particularly their disagreement about using the same word (in this case 'smoulder' and versions thereof) in the same sentence, which results in "Smoulderingly, he reached out with a gentle yet-filled-with-smoulderingness touch to brush a lock of hair from my forehead and said, smoulderingly..."
The mystery zips along, with some new vocabulary,* a satisfactory number of red herrings and a surprise killer with a strong but unseen motive, but I was less interested in that than in Jas, her friends, and the interesting outfits and creations they came up with. I can't wait for the third instalment!
In a unique twist, by coincidence Lynn and I both have a copy at the same time, and are attempting a synchronous read-and-review - hers follows and, as we felt quite differently about Bad Kitty, I imagine will be somewhat less of a rave. - Alex
*Rompicoglioni, by the way, means "ball breaker" or (if you want to be less colourful and still have the same flavour "strong woman"
For a brief synopsis of this story please see Alex’s review above.
While Kitty Kitty has some very funny moments, for me much of the humour just missed the mark. It was in the mystery elements of the plot that, I think, the best of the story was to found. They were very well written with no hint as to who the antagonist was until the reveal and yet when unmasked the culprit was entirely plausible. Praise where it’s due, that’s not easily done.
It is no secret that I am not a fan of the footnote conversations as used by this author. I find them distracting at best and often pointless. Information they provide could easily be given in the body of the text with little or no effort.
I’ve thought long and hard about why it is this series doesn’t appeal to me. Humour and mystery in the plot are well balanced. The writing is of a reasonable standard. By all indicators I would expect to like these books much more than I do. I think the problem for me resides in the characters. While they are meant to be in their late teens they behave, speak and think as if they were much younger. I think the disconnect is too much for me. If these characters were starting middle school instead of shopping for colleges I think the stories would gel better.
Though Kitty Kitty doesn’t appeal to me, it is a hit with its target audience. My teenaged daughters love this instalment and eagerly await the next in the series.-Lynn
Arabella is paranoid, like seriously certifiable, but when she doesn't turn up for a meeting with Jas, and her body is found in the water, Jas doesn't believe for a minute that it was suicide, not matter what the carbinieri think. Rescued by the appearance of her best friends (and, sadly, her evil cousin and her lame best friend), Jas investigates Venice to find the killer, and the truth.
Like its predecessor, Kitty Kitty is a witty, fast-paced novel that hinges on the unique voice of its narrator - her description, for example, of petite Arabella's black-and-red-beruffled apartment ("any parts of the room not suitable for Ruffling were filled with porcelain statues of pugs wearing red ribbons round their necks") as "what I imagined an Elf brother would look like (not that I've spent a lot of time imagining that)." Or her dialogue (in footnotes) with her evil alter ego BadJas, particularly their disagreement about using the same word (in this case 'smoulder' and versions thereof) in the same sentence, which results in "Smoulderingly, he reached out with a gentle yet-filled-with-smoulderingness touch to brush a lock of hair from my forehead and said, smoulderingly..."
The mystery zips along, with some new vocabulary,* a satisfactory number of red herrings and a surprise killer with a strong but unseen motive, but I was less interested in that than in Jas, her friends, and the interesting outfits and creations they came up with. I can't wait for the third instalment!
In a unique twist, by coincidence Lynn and I both have a copy at the same time, and are attempting a synchronous read-and-review - hers follows and, as we felt quite differently about Bad Kitty, I imagine will be somewhat less of a rave. - Alex
*Rompicoglioni, by the way, means "ball breaker" or (if you want to be less colourful and still have the same flavour "strong woman"
For a brief synopsis of this story please see Alex’s review above.
While Kitty Kitty has some very funny moments, for me much of the humour just missed the mark. It was in the mystery elements of the plot that, I think, the best of the story was to found. They were very well written with no hint as to who the antagonist was until the reveal and yet when unmasked the culprit was entirely plausible. Praise where it’s due, that’s not easily done.
It is no secret that I am not a fan of the footnote conversations as used by this author. I find them distracting at best and often pointless. Information they provide could easily be given in the body of the text with little or no effort.
I’ve thought long and hard about why it is this series doesn’t appeal to me. Humour and mystery in the plot are well balanced. The writing is of a reasonable standard. By all indicators I would expect to like these books much more than I do. I think the problem for me resides in the characters. While they are meant to be in their late teens they behave, speak and think as if they were much younger. I think the disconnect is too much for me. If these characters were starting middle school instead of shopping for colleges I think the stories would gel better.
Though Kitty Kitty doesn’t appeal to me, it is a hit with its target audience. My teenaged daughters love this instalment and eagerly await the next in the series.-Lynn
Thursday, January 1
2008 in Review
Alex – My resolution to read fewer, but better quality, books went the way of most resolutions: of the 300 books I reviewed this year, 250 were fiction and 50 non-fiction (another year with no poetry), which is neat but coincidental!
Favourite novel: Underground – I read it early in 2008 and it stayed with me for the rest of the year, something of a measuring stick, and now (in the wake of political change both in Australia and the US) a reflection of a time that’s passed.
Favourite non-fiction book: this is far more difficult than picking a novel! I'm torn between Why We Buy, Better, How Doctors Think (by Jerome Groopman not Kathryn Montgomery), and the re-read The Tipping Point.
Favourite newly encountered author: a tie between the prolific Elizabeth Berg, the breathtakingly amusing Christopher Brookmyre, and Robert Muchamore, though I'm sure I'm forgetting several writers.
Most disappinting novel: Sandra Scopettone's Too Darn Hot: I love her contemporary stuff but this just left me cold
Least rewarding non-fiction book: a tie between Anything Goes by David Stove and An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David: my mother loves her work but it just didn't speak to me at all
Most disliked read: Will Self's Great Apes, and I barely made it to page ten.
And what does 2009 hold? I’d like to tackle some of the novels I’ve had on my To Read list for a while, including Anthony Powell’s 12-part A Dance to the Music of Time (my mother’s favourite books), Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy (huge, but apparently worth it), and make some inroads in my own backlog of books, 2008 being the Year of the Library. I also plan to write my reviews contemporaneously, rather than saving them up for one mammoth reviewing session.
Lynn
When it comes to choosing a worst book of the year, my 2008 reading list leaves me spoilt for choice. Over the past twelve months I have been seduced by many a promising plot only to be disappointed by cardboard characters, poor writing, clichés and disbelief so suspended it snapped.
It has been a difficult decision but I have finally narrowed it down to my top, or should that be bottom, three books of 2008.
Coming in at number 3, the most boring book I read this year was L A Banks' Minion. How Banks manages to make a vampire huntress action adventure dull I don’t know. But she does. This book makes it no higher (or should that be lower) on my list because I read it with no expectations and so I was disappointed rather than annoyed.
At number 2, with possibly the worst ending to a book ever, was M J Rose, The Reincarnationist - A Novel of Suspense. I enjoy reincarnation as a plot device and could have forgiven a lot in my desire to like this book but somehow Rose manages to take a fascinating premise and turn it into a flat, convoluted mess. Going into this book actively favourable to its content yet still finding it annoyed the crap out of me, earns this book its number 2 position.
And with the dubious honour of being the worst book I read this year, coming in at number 1 was Allan Massie's Arthur the King. I am a fan of all things Arthurian and couldn’t count the number of retellings of the legends that I have read, from a wide variety of perspectives and with some wild interpretations. I am fairly forgiving of flaws in Arthurian works. I can tolerate a lot in the name of a new Arthurian variation. But I couldn’t even finish this book. When writing is so bad that I walk away from one of my favourite subjects that book deserves the title of Worst Of My Reading List for the Year.
Choosing a best book of the year was no easier. As I scanned my reading list there were several titles that brought a fond smile of remembrance to my lips but not many that had me thinking I would be sorry if I missed reading this book.
Naturally the superlative Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher series features highly on my best books list but I have decided that the best book I read in 2008 was Phil Rickman’s December. While it was not perfect, indeed in some ways it was quite lacking, it was the one book that I recall coming to the end of and wishing wasn’t over quite yet.
Favourite novel: Underground – I read it early in 2008 and it stayed with me for the rest of the year, something of a measuring stick, and now (in the wake of political change both in Australia and the US) a reflection of a time that’s passed.
Favourite non-fiction book: this is far more difficult than picking a novel! I'm torn between Why We Buy, Better, How Doctors Think (by Jerome Groopman not Kathryn Montgomery), and the re-read The Tipping Point.
Favourite newly encountered author: a tie between the prolific Elizabeth Berg, the breathtakingly amusing Christopher Brookmyre, and Robert Muchamore, though I'm sure I'm forgetting several writers.
Most disappinting novel: Sandra Scopettone's Too Darn Hot: I love her contemporary stuff but this just left me cold
Least rewarding non-fiction book: a tie between Anything Goes by David Stove and An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David: my mother loves her work but it just didn't speak to me at all
Most disliked read: Will Self's Great Apes, and I barely made it to page ten.
And what does 2009 hold? I’d like to tackle some of the novels I’ve had on my To Read list for a while, including Anthony Powell’s 12-part A Dance to the Music of Time (my mother’s favourite books), Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy (huge, but apparently worth it), and make some inroads in my own backlog of books, 2008 being the Year of the Library. I also plan to write my reviews contemporaneously, rather than saving them up for one mammoth reviewing session.
Lynn
When it comes to choosing a worst book of the year, my 2008 reading list leaves me spoilt for choice. Over the past twelve months I have been seduced by many a promising plot only to be disappointed by cardboard characters, poor writing, clichés and disbelief so suspended it snapped.
It has been a difficult decision but I have finally narrowed it down to my top, or should that be bottom, three books of 2008.
Coming in at number 3, the most boring book I read this year was L A Banks' Minion. How Banks manages to make a vampire huntress action adventure dull I don’t know. But she does. This book makes it no higher (or should that be lower) on my list because I read it with no expectations and so I was disappointed rather than annoyed.
At number 2, with possibly the worst ending to a book ever, was M J Rose, The Reincarnationist - A Novel of Suspense. I enjoy reincarnation as a plot device and could have forgiven a lot in my desire to like this book but somehow Rose manages to take a fascinating premise and turn it into a flat, convoluted mess. Going into this book actively favourable to its content yet still finding it annoyed the crap out of me, earns this book its number 2 position.
And with the dubious honour of being the worst book I read this year, coming in at number 1 was Allan Massie's Arthur the King. I am a fan of all things Arthurian and couldn’t count the number of retellings of the legends that I have read, from a wide variety of perspectives and with some wild interpretations. I am fairly forgiving of flaws in Arthurian works. I can tolerate a lot in the name of a new Arthurian variation. But I couldn’t even finish this book. When writing is so bad that I walk away from one of my favourite subjects that book deserves the title of Worst Of My Reading List for the Year.
Choosing a best book of the year was no easier. As I scanned my reading list there were several titles that brought a fond smile of remembrance to my lips but not many that had me thinking I would be sorry if I missed reading this book.
Naturally the superlative Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher series features highly on my best books list but I have decided that the best book I read in 2008 was Phil Rickman’s December. While it was not perfect, indeed in some ways it was quite lacking, it was the one book that I recall coming to the end of and wishing wasn’t over quite yet.
Tuesday, October 14
Narelle M. Harris: The Opposite of Life
A librarian and self-defined geek girl starts rebuilding her life after escaping from a bad relationship. But the people around her are dying like flies and the murders look to be the work of vampires. When her new boyfriend is added to the list of victims she decides to do whatever it takes to unmask the killers and put an end to the deaths.
What it takes is teaming up with an awkward and shy ‘new’ vampire, a friendship that has her debating whether or not the price of immortality is worth the cost and deciding if she is willing to pay that price.
This story had a lot going for it. The idea of unrelieved ennui of immortality, the mental limitations of the undead and poor fashion sense were all new twists on the old vampire theme. And the moral dilemma of whether or not to become a vampire was presented and addressed well.
But it also let itself down on two main points. One, the complicated and dysfunctional family relationships. These were at first a vital and well integrated part of the story, showing us why the heroine was who she was and setting up plot elements. But the emphasis on her troubled childhood and her ongoing family issues got old very quickly. I’ve never had a lot of sympathy for people whose main complaint in life is that Mummy and Daddy didn’t love me enough and, for all the loss of her siblings, that’s what her major life issue is. It reached the point where I wanted to slap her and say throw your parents out of your life and get some therapy, you’re an adult now.
And two, the setting. This story is set in Melbourne and the fact is rammed down our throats. It is one thing to add in details for a bit of local colour but there’s a fine line between grounding the story in space/time and a geography lesson and this book crosses that line one too many times for me. For example rather than just say the character was heading to the unfashionable end of Chapel St the author goes on about the history of the Astor theatre and the decommissioned church that is now a gym across the road. As far as I know her facts are correct but since neither of these places play a role in the story it seemed superfluous to mention them in such detail. Either readers will know where she means and so have no need of this level of detail or they won’t know the area in which case all the detail in the world isn’t going to help them place it. Sometimes less is more. This should have been one of those times.
This isn’t a bad story. The twist is hidden almost until it is revealed and it contains some new and unusual variations on the vampire legend. Unfortunately the positives never really outbalanced the negatives for me. Sorry if you liked this one Alex but I’ll not be bothering with Narelle Harris again.-Lynn
For Alex's review, click here
What it takes is teaming up with an awkward and shy ‘new’ vampire, a friendship that has her debating whether or not the price of immortality is worth the cost and deciding if she is willing to pay that price.
This story had a lot going for it. The idea of unrelieved ennui of immortality, the mental limitations of the undead and poor fashion sense were all new twists on the old vampire theme. And the moral dilemma of whether or not to become a vampire was presented and addressed well.
But it also let itself down on two main points. One, the complicated and dysfunctional family relationships. These were at first a vital and well integrated part of the story, showing us why the heroine was who she was and setting up plot elements. But the emphasis on her troubled childhood and her ongoing family issues got old very quickly. I’ve never had a lot of sympathy for people whose main complaint in life is that Mummy and Daddy didn’t love me enough and, for all the loss of her siblings, that’s what her major life issue is. It reached the point where I wanted to slap her and say throw your parents out of your life and get some therapy, you’re an adult now.
And two, the setting. This story is set in Melbourne and the fact is rammed down our throats. It is one thing to add in details for a bit of local colour but there’s a fine line between grounding the story in space/time and a geography lesson and this book crosses that line one too many times for me. For example rather than just say the character was heading to the unfashionable end of Chapel St the author goes on about the history of the Astor theatre and the decommissioned church that is now a gym across the road. As far as I know her facts are correct but since neither of these places play a role in the story it seemed superfluous to mention them in such detail. Either readers will know where she means and so have no need of this level of detail or they won’t know the area in which case all the detail in the world isn’t going to help them place it. Sometimes less is more. This should have been one of those times.
This isn’t a bad story. The twist is hidden almost until it is revealed and it contains some new and unusual variations on the vampire legend. Unfortunately the positives never really outbalanced the negatives for me. Sorry if you liked this one Alex but I’ll not be bothering with Narelle Harris again.-Lynn
For Alex's review, click here
Thursday, October 9
Carpe Demon - Julie Kenner
Kate Connor put demon hunting aside when she settled down with childhood sweetheart (and co-Hunter) Eric and began a family. Fifteen years later she has two children - fourteen year old Allie, and toddler Timmy, the son of her second husband. Stuart, an aspirational politician, knows nothing of her true past, which is how Kate wants it. So when she fist senses a demon in Wal-Mart, Kate dismisses her suspicion. Until another demon attacks her in her kitchen. Now Kate has to uncover why demons have taken root in her formerly quiet town, what they want, and who's behind it, all without alerting her husband and while continuing to run a busy household.
The first in a series, Carpe Demon is fresh and engaging. Kenner's voice is amusing and light, and her heroine is no helpless victim. The back story is well integrated into the general plot rather than being presented in a data chunk and the story is - at least within the confines of the genre - realistic and believable. That someone close to Kate is the mastermind is evident relatively early on, and though I guessed who quite a lot earlier than Kate did, the clues were subtle and the red herrings likely.
There's a nice thread of sarcasm and irony, not typical in paranormal novels (particularly from the allegedly irony-free States), and unlike many fantasy worlds, Kate's domestic responsibilities don't magically vanish just because she's got some demon hunting to do. I liked her relationship with her second husband, and that she acknowledged the ongoing loss of her first. I also liked Kate's friend Laura, and her negotiated relationship with Allie. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel. - Alex
Click here for Lynn's review of Carpe Demon.
The first in a series, Carpe Demon is fresh and engaging. Kenner's voice is amusing and light, and her heroine is no helpless victim. The back story is well integrated into the general plot rather than being presented in a data chunk and the story is - at least within the confines of the genre - realistic and believable. That someone close to Kate is the mastermind is evident relatively early on, and though I guessed who quite a lot earlier than Kate did, the clues were subtle and the red herrings likely.
There's a nice thread of sarcasm and irony, not typical in paranormal novels (particularly from the allegedly irony-free States), and unlike many fantasy worlds, Kate's domestic responsibilities don't magically vanish just because she's got some demon hunting to do. I liked her relationship with her second husband, and that she acknowledged the ongoing loss of her first. I also liked Kate's friend Laura, and her negotiated relationship with Allie. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel. - Alex
Click here for Lynn's review of Carpe Demon.
Thursday, July 17
Patricia Briggs: Blood Bound
A vampire is terrorising the neighbourhood and a shapeshifter is asked by a vampire friend to help him pull the renegade into line. It was meant to be a simple job but unknown to them the renegade, a pawn in an intricate vampire political power play, is possessed by a demon.
When he attacks the shapeshifter her werewolf friends decide to kill him-permanently. They go missing while hunting him leaving it up to her to find and rescue them.
This is the second book in the Mercy Thompson series and it contains all the elements that I enjoyed in the first.
The story was fast paced, the vampire politics suitable esoteric, the continued development of the romantic subplot believable and the characters complex.
I particularly like the realistic portrayal of what life would be like living in a pack. The strict social hierarchy, the poor treatment of women and the delicate relationship between rival predators sharing the same territory. All of which is tied up with the plot in a way that makes for a three dimensional world.
Overall an easy and entertaining read.-Lynn
Click here to read Alex's review of Blood Bound
When he attacks the shapeshifter her werewolf friends decide to kill him-permanently. They go missing while hunting him leaving it up to her to find and rescue them.
This is the second book in the Mercy Thompson series and it contains all the elements that I enjoyed in the first.
The story was fast paced, the vampire politics suitable esoteric, the continued development of the romantic subplot believable and the characters complex.
I particularly like the realistic portrayal of what life would be like living in a pack. The strict social hierarchy, the poor treatment of women and the delicate relationship between rival predators sharing the same territory. All of which is tied up with the plot in a way that makes for a three dimensional world.
Overall an easy and entertaining read.-Lynn
Click here to read Alex's review of Blood Bound
Tuesday, May 6
Rachel Caine: Ill Wind
Though capable of controlling even the most violent of storms a weather warden is powerless against a bureaucracy that accuses her of corruption and murder. There’s only one person who can help her and he’s the most wanted man on earth having stolen three djinn off the very people she’s on the run from. Chased by untrustworthy djinn, the warden law enforcers and an increasingly violent storm, and not knowing who to trust the question is whether or not this woman can survive long enough to clear her name.
The premise is hardly new-person on the run from false accusations is desperate to clear their name-but the supernatural slant gave the trite idea a certain freshness and the unexpected twist at the end was extremely well done. I didn’t see it coming at all.
Well written action sequences (many of which are flashbacks) and a fast pace disguises the fact that not very much actually happens in this book. I’m usually happy to overlook a thin plot and lack of character development if a story takes me on a fun enough ride but this one left me just a little flat.
I’m unsure as to whether or not I actually liked this book. Certainly I didn’t hate it. I think I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve pursued the series further.-Lynn
Click here to read Alex's review of Ill Wind
The premise is hardly new-person on the run from false accusations is desperate to clear their name-but the supernatural slant gave the trite idea a certain freshness and the unexpected twist at the end was extremely well done. I didn’t see it coming at all.
Well written action sequences (many of which are flashbacks) and a fast pace disguises the fact that not very much actually happens in this book. I’m usually happy to overlook a thin plot and lack of character development if a story takes me on a fun enough ride but this one left me just a little flat.
I’m unsure as to whether or not I actually liked this book. Certainly I didn’t hate it. I think I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve pursued the series further.-Lynn
Click here to read Alex's review of Ill Wind
Saturday, March 22
The Opposite of Life – Narelle M Harris
Melbourne geek girl Lissa Wilson’s managed to find a comfortable routine in her adult life that was missing from her childhood – her beloved part-time job as a librarian manages to meet her rent, utilities and uni fees, with enough left over to keep her from starving, and between her protective older sister Kate and a few friends her social life is active enough. Recently dumped, Lissa’s taken out to a club by her friend Evie to cheer up. Finding the eviscerated bodies of two party girls in the toilets doesn’t improve Lissa’s mood, and then it seems everywhere she turns more bodies turn up. It might be coincidence, but Lissa feels a responsibility to work out what’s going on, and winds up discovering a side to Melbourne she had no idea existed.
This is an absorbing novel that manages to avoid most of the vampire genre’s most irritating clichés while maintaining a surprising level of realism. The multi-layered plot deals as much with Lissa’s complex family issues as with the intertwined supernatural elements, keeping it grounded, and the main characters are well-drawn. As someone who has family issues (though not at all on Lissian scale) - and who doesn’t? - the conflicted feelings and incoherent but reflexive responses family invoke rang a clear bell, and this was cleverly woven through the novel.
Lissa is relatable, her reactions understandable, and her first-person narration feels fresh and honest. Her sister Kate is sympathetic, and it’s a tribute to Harris’s writing that her pain is barely evident until the concluding scenes because we see her through Lissa’s eyes. The unexpected hero is refreshingly complex and much of him remains hidden even at the end, which I quite enjoyed. We’ve mentioned several times that some authors setting novels in Melbourne have trouble striking a balance between setting it anywhere and hitting the reader over the head with a ”we’re in Melbourne” sign. The Opposite of Life is clearly written by someone with a knowledge of the city, particularly the inner city. There were mentions of specific streets and suburbs, and the obligatory tram network, but for the most part they felt integral to the plot and not tacked on for local flavour – less deft than the magnificent Greenwood, but not by much.
I saw the final twist coming before Lissa did, but not much earlier, and this didn’t dampen my enthusiasm at all. The conclusion is satisfying, and neither tied everything up in an overly-neat bow nor left loose ends for an obvious sequel. The Opposite of Life is Harris’s first published novel – I look forward to reading her next. - Alex
For Lynn's review, click here
This is an absorbing novel that manages to avoid most of the vampire genre’s most irritating clichés while maintaining a surprising level of realism. The multi-layered plot deals as much with Lissa’s complex family issues as with the intertwined supernatural elements, keeping it grounded, and the main characters are well-drawn. As someone who has family issues (though not at all on Lissian scale) - and who doesn’t? - the conflicted feelings and incoherent but reflexive responses family invoke rang a clear bell, and this was cleverly woven through the novel.
Lissa is relatable, her reactions understandable, and her first-person narration feels fresh and honest. Her sister Kate is sympathetic, and it’s a tribute to Harris’s writing that her pain is barely evident until the concluding scenes because we see her through Lissa’s eyes. The unexpected hero is refreshingly complex and much of him remains hidden even at the end, which I quite enjoyed. We’ve mentioned several times that some authors setting novels in Melbourne have trouble striking a balance between setting it anywhere and hitting the reader over the head with a ”we’re in Melbourne” sign. The Opposite of Life is clearly written by someone with a knowledge of the city, particularly the inner city. There were mentions of specific streets and suburbs, and the obligatory tram network, but for the most part they felt integral to the plot and not tacked on for local flavour – less deft than the magnificent Greenwood, but not by much.
I saw the final twist coming before Lissa did, but not much earlier, and this didn’t dampen my enthusiasm at all. The conclusion is satisfying, and neither tied everything up in an overly-neat bow nor left loose ends for an obvious sequel. The Opposite of Life is Harris’s first published novel – I look forward to reading her next. - Alex
For Lynn's review, click here
Tuesday, March 11
Bareback - Kit Whitfield
Lola May Galley's a bareback, one of the 0.6% of the human population born head first. As the result of a birth defect, she does not shift into a wolf during the full moon and that cuts her off from the majority of people. Unlike her lycanthrope sister, Lola was sent to a state creche every full moon, any scars forever mar her skin instead of being erased every month, and instead of having a regular education and getting to choose her future, Lola's been conscripted - like all her kind - into DORLA (the Department for the Ongoing Regulation of Lycanthropic Activity). Until injury, death or post-traumatic shock take her, Lola will spend the nights of the full moon patrolling the city for rogue lunes and the rest of her time as the DORLA equivalent of a lawyer.
Whitfield incorporates much of the standby werewolf lore (like the punishing effect of silver), while creating something wholly new in a genre dominated by very similar books by making the lycanthropes the dominant group. This could easily have failed in the hands of a less accomplished writer, but she does a brilliant job of creating a believable world, and beautifully portrays the tension between barebacks and the lyco majority.
And this aspect is key - as I was reading Bareback I was frustrated by Lola's understandable emotional constraints, and by a society that is manifestly unjust and unfair. Witfield portrays the fundamental chasms that lie between the world views of the majority and the marginalised minoritywithout telling or belabouring the point, gives hope that, at least on an individual basis, things can change, and weaves a number of interrelated subplots into a fascinating whole.
I don't think there's a room for a sequel with the same protagonist, though I'm open to persuasion, but hope Witfield does something else with this well imagined world. - Alex
To read Lynn's review of this book, click here
Whitfield incorporates much of the standby werewolf lore (like the punishing effect of silver), while creating something wholly new in a genre dominated by very similar books by making the lycanthropes the dominant group. This could easily have failed in the hands of a less accomplished writer, but she does a brilliant job of creating a believable world, and beautifully portrays the tension between barebacks and the lyco majority.
And this aspect is key - as I was reading Bareback I was frustrated by Lola's understandable emotional constraints, and by a society that is manifestly unjust and unfair. Witfield portrays the fundamental chasms that lie between the world views of the majority and the marginalised minoritywithout telling or belabouring the point, gives hope that, at least on an individual basis, things can change, and weaves a number of interrelated subplots into a fascinating whole.
I don't think there's a room for a sequel with the same protagonist, though I'm open to persuasion, but hope Witfield does something else with this well imagined world. - Alex
To read Lynn's review of this book, click here
Wednesday, March 5
Kit Whitfield: Bareback
In a world where lycanthropy is the norm those born without the ability to transform at the full moon are referred to by the derogatory term bareback and are automatically drafted into DORLA-a government department with roots in the Inquisition, which keeps society running smoothly on nights of the full moon.
This is the story of one such woman, a public defender, assigned to defend the man who mutilated a friend of hers while he was in wolf form. When that friend is murdered, her hunt for the killer turns her world upside down.
This story is so tightly interwoven that it is difficult to say more without spoilers, so I’ll leave my summary there.
A good tightly written crime novel with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Details of the world and how it works are woven throughout the story seamlessly so at no point did the world building stand out for what it was. Much of the story had a dour tone that could have put me off, but instead felt like the right voice for the narrator.
This story offers truly unique perspective that I found at once challenging and fascinating-Lynn
To see Alex's review of this book, click here
This is the story of one such woman, a public defender, assigned to defend the man who mutilated a friend of hers while he was in wolf form. When that friend is murdered, her hunt for the killer turns her world upside down.
This story is so tightly interwoven that it is difficult to say more without spoilers, so I’ll leave my summary there.
A good tightly written crime novel with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Details of the world and how it works are woven throughout the story seamlessly so at no point did the world building stand out for what it was. Much of the story had a dour tone that could have put me off, but instead felt like the right voice for the narrator.
This story offers truly unique perspective that I found at once challenging and fascinating-Lynn
To see Alex's review of this book, click here
Wednesday, January 30
Trick or Treat – Kerry Greenwood
Could Earthly Delights be run out of business? A franchised bakery’s opened just up the lane from Corinna and though their bread’s not a patch on hers, the customers are flocking to Best Fresh where muffins are two for $2, even if they are dry and crumbly. And young people are going mad near Lonsdale Street, although the agent can’t be isolated on tox tests, and what’s the connection with Jewish gold, stolen by the Nazis in Greece during the war?
At least Corinna has her friends, including Wiccan Meroe, who needs soul cakes baked for Samhain, and her beloved Daniel. Although Daniel seems to be living with a confident, impossibly tall, blonde ringleted woman named Georgiana, who seems to have designs not only Corinna’s boyfriend but also her bakery. And if it’s not Daniel sending her well chosen presents and anonymous letters of devotion, who is?
Only Kerry Greenwood could combine all these disparate (or, in the end, not so disparate) events into a coherent and thoroughly enjoyable whole. I did guess the cause of the wave of insanity fairly early on, but this in no way diminished my enjoyment of the book. As is so often the case with series, half the pleasure is revisiting old friends and seeing them develop, and in Jason (Corinna’s fifteen-year-old ex-addict assistant) Greenwood has created a fantastic character. Watching his nuanced relationship with Goss and Kylie (the shop girls) develop is even more interesting than Corinna and Daniel’s. Pure delight, and such a shame that it’ll be a good year before the next indulgence. - Alex
To see Lynn's review of Trick or Treat click here
The Corinna Chapman series:
Earthly Delights; Heavenly Pleasures; Devil's Food; Trick or Treat; Forbidden Fruit; Cooking the Books
At least Corinna has her friends, including Wiccan Meroe, who needs soul cakes baked for Samhain, and her beloved Daniel. Although Daniel seems to be living with a confident, impossibly tall, blonde ringleted woman named Georgiana, who seems to have designs not only Corinna’s boyfriend but also her bakery. And if it’s not Daniel sending her well chosen presents and anonymous letters of devotion, who is?
Only Kerry Greenwood could combine all these disparate (or, in the end, not so disparate) events into a coherent and thoroughly enjoyable whole. I did guess the cause of the wave of insanity fairly early on, but this in no way diminished my enjoyment of the book. As is so often the case with series, half the pleasure is revisiting old friends and seeing them develop, and in Jason (Corinna’s fifteen-year-old ex-addict assistant) Greenwood has created a fantastic character. Watching his nuanced relationship with Goss and Kylie (the shop girls) develop is even more interesting than Corinna and Daniel’s. Pure delight, and such a shame that it’ll be a good year before the next indulgence. - Alex
To see Lynn's review of Trick or Treat click here
The Corinna Chapman series:
Earthly Delights; Heavenly Pleasures; Devil's Food; Trick or Treat; Forbidden Fruit; Cooking the Books
Thursday, January 10
Patricia Briggs: Moon Called
When a shape shifting coyote offers a newly turned werewolf work in her garage she buys into a whole lot of unexpected trouble. She gets dragged into a werewolf turf war, finds herself on the wrong side of a powerful witch clan and relying on a sheep medallion to help her escape from a nest of vampires.
As a long time fan of the supernatural I’ve been enjoying the current popularity of the genre, I no longer have to hunt through shelves searching for a paranormal hit, the stories have gone mainstream. The downside is that a lot of the stuff out there is beginning to sound the same. So I was pleasantly surprised by this new take on the old werewolf theme.
This book addresses some of the problems that would be faced by people living as wolves. Fights for dominance between members of the same pack and with other packs and indeed, other predators, for territory, the difficulties for women in such groups that see females only in terms of their mates and the problems caused to loved ones by keeping the whole thing secret.
Sure there is a story in there and it is fast paced with an intricate yet easily followed plot but it was the world building that impressed me most. I will be looking for more of Briggs’ works.-Lynn
To read Alex's review of this book, click here
As a long time fan of the supernatural I’ve been enjoying the current popularity of the genre, I no longer have to hunt through shelves searching for a paranormal hit, the stories have gone mainstream. The downside is that a lot of the stuff out there is beginning to sound the same. So I was pleasantly surprised by this new take on the old werewolf theme.
This book addresses some of the problems that would be faced by people living as wolves. Fights for dominance between members of the same pack and with other packs and indeed, other predators, for territory, the difficulties for women in such groups that see females only in terms of their mates and the problems caused to loved ones by keeping the whole thing secret.
Sure there is a story in there and it is fast paced with an intricate yet easily followed plot but it was the world building that impressed me most. I will be looking for more of Briggs’ works.-Lynn
To read Alex's review of this book, click here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)