From the blurb-
...a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that Miss Peregrine's children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow-impossible though it seems-they may still be alive.
This book is illustrated with a collection of vintage photographs that were the inspiration for the children's various talents. While the said talents would be remarkable I didn't feel it was explained why that would make them dangerous and feel the author could have made more of the for-their-own-protection angle and increased the believability of the work. The story also throws up a number of logistical questions that I don't feel were adequately addressed, though it was good that the author at least acknowledged the difficulty of the situation (and I can't be less criptic without spoilers) and attempted to address it.
But perhaps I am being too picky. This is, after all, aimed at the young adult market and is the author's debut novel.
The story itself is well written and engaging. The hero is a little bland but the author captures the selfishness/thoughtlessness of his age well. The world building is a bit perfunctory but good enough as far as it goes.
After reading a lot of glowing reviews for this work in the mainstream press my expectations were quite high so maybe it was inevitable that I would come away a bit disappointed. And I am a little let down even though I did enjoy the story.-Lynn
Showing posts with label wasted potential. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wasted potential. Show all posts
Monday, November 14
Kate Mosse: Labyrinth
From the back of the book-
July 1209: In Carcassonne a seventeen-year-old girl is given a mysterious book by her father which he claims contains the secret of the true Grail. Although Alais cannot understand the strange words and symbols hidden within, she knows that her destiny lies in keeping the secret of the labyrinth safe...
July 2005: Alice Tanner discovers two skeletons in a forgotten cave in the French Pyrenees. Puzzled by the labyrinth symbol carve into the rock, she realises she's distubed something that was meant to remain hidden. Somehow a link to a horrific past-her past-has been revealed.
I read all 697 pages of this monster tome and the best thing I can say about this book is that it is crammed with historical detail. Occasional hints of intrigue tease the reader into believing that the story is about to take off but it never does. The modern heroine lives right on the border of too-stupid-to-live and her historical counterpart is firmly in too-good-to-be-true territory.
There is great vagueness as to how the characters from the different time periods are related to each other. It is as if the author couldn't decide whether she wanted the modern characters to all be reincarnations of the historical characters (each modern character has a historical equivilant, to the point of having very similar names) or if she just wanted the modern heroine to be a decendent of her historical namesake.
As for the labyrinth of the title: the reader never really learns the significance of it, why it must be kept hidden or the consequences of its discovery.
Not since Katherine Neville's The Eight have I read a book so pointless through to the end. A major dissappointment.-Lyn
July 1209: In Carcassonne a seventeen-year-old girl is given a mysterious book by her father which he claims contains the secret of the true Grail. Although Alais cannot understand the strange words and symbols hidden within, she knows that her destiny lies in keeping the secret of the labyrinth safe...
July 2005: Alice Tanner discovers two skeletons in a forgotten cave in the French Pyrenees. Puzzled by the labyrinth symbol carve into the rock, she realises she's distubed something that was meant to remain hidden. Somehow a link to a horrific past-her past-has been revealed.
I read all 697 pages of this monster tome and the best thing I can say about this book is that it is crammed with historical detail. Occasional hints of intrigue tease the reader into believing that the story is about to take off but it never does. The modern heroine lives right on the border of too-stupid-to-live and her historical counterpart is firmly in too-good-to-be-true territory.
There is great vagueness as to how the characters from the different time periods are related to each other. It is as if the author couldn't decide whether she wanted the modern characters to all be reincarnations of the historical characters (each modern character has a historical equivilant, to the point of having very similar names) or if she just wanted the modern heroine to be a decendent of her historical namesake.
As for the labyrinth of the title: the reader never really learns the significance of it, why it must be kept hidden or the consequences of its discovery.
Not since Katherine Neville's The Eight have I read a book so pointless through to the end. A major dissappointment.-Lyn
Friday, September 16
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You – Ally Carter
Cammie Morgan is a Gallagher girl – she not only attends, but is daughter of the principal at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. Truly exclusive, Gallgher’s is a private school like no other, for it educates the next generation of America’s spies and high hopes are held for the child of two of the most successful covert operatives of recent times, even if Cammie’s father died on a mission.
Appropriately, given her name, Cammie’s specialty is camouflage. She’s able to blend in to the background at will, which comes in useful when she and a cadre of her friends are set their first task – to follow highly paranoid former agent-turned teacher Professor Smith and determine what he drinks with his donut during the Roseville town fair. What Cammie doesn’t expect is to meet a town boy – and Josh doesn’t stand a chance against a group of girls trained in espionage and surveillance.
ITYILYBTIHTKY is the first in a series that is billed as a successor to boarding-school-with-a-twist success, Harry Potter. It’s not even close, reminding me far more of an American version of Muchamore’s CHERUB series but with less grit, guts and believability. I didn’t find the universe at all compelling or absorbing, the characters rarely moved beyond two dimensionality, and the ending was a dull thud. I’m clearly something of a minority, as I saw three further instalments on the Waterstone’s 3-for-2 table (with similarly cloying titles), but I also suspect I’m far from the target audience. This is not a series that will appeal to the Twilight crowd, but perhaps to their tweenage younger sisters – it’s surprising, given how young the book read, that the protagonists aren’t also in the twelve to fourteen age range. If you’re not a girl, that age, and interested in action lite redeemed only by having a female protagonist, move on. – Alex
Appropriately, given her name, Cammie’s specialty is camouflage. She’s able to blend in to the background at will, which comes in useful when she and a cadre of her friends are set their first task – to follow highly paranoid former agent-turned teacher Professor Smith and determine what he drinks with his donut during the Roseville town fair. What Cammie doesn’t expect is to meet a town boy – and Josh doesn’t stand a chance against a group of girls trained in espionage and surveillance.
ITYILYBTIHTKY is the first in a series that is billed as a successor to boarding-school-with-a-twist success, Harry Potter. It’s not even close, reminding me far more of an American version of Muchamore’s CHERUB series but with less grit, guts and believability. I didn’t find the universe at all compelling or absorbing, the characters rarely moved beyond two dimensionality, and the ending was a dull thud. I’m clearly something of a minority, as I saw three further instalments on the Waterstone’s 3-for-2 table (with similarly cloying titles), but I also suspect I’m far from the target audience. This is not a series that will appeal to the Twilight crowd, but perhaps to their tweenage younger sisters – it’s surprising, given how young the book read, that the protagonists aren’t also in the twelve to fourteen age range. If you’re not a girl, that age, and interested in action lite redeemed only by having a female protagonist, move on. – Alex
Tuesday, September 6
R & R Heller: The 13th Apostle
From the back of the book-
In the ruins of a medieval monastery in Dorset, the diary of an 11th century monk is uncovered-and the murders have already begun...
Cybersleuth Gil Pearson and expert translator Sabbie Karaim are thrown together to decipher the ancient text, rumoured to contain the location of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls-and unimaginable riches.
But what they discover is far more shocking. In their hands lies a document written by Jesus's fabled '13th apostle' which could rewrite history iteslf, sparking international terror.
Pursued by those intent on controlling the past, their frantic quest takes them across the globe as they stop at nothing to expose a two-thousand -year-old conspiracy.
Just who can you trust when you hold the fate of mankind in your hands?
I have a well-documented delight in stories based around conspiracy theory, particularly those with a religious focus. So whenever one comes my way I anticipate a great read. Since the publication of the Da Vinci Code and the lowering of standards therein entailed, I have been consistantly disappointed with the quality of the books on offer. Here I think we have hit a new low.
Every genre has its standards and expectations but that is a long way from the overt, shall I say homage, this title does to its mediocre predecessor. That is crime enough on its own but add in flat characters, poor pacing and possibly the worst dialogue ever and you have that new low I spoke of earlier.
The book opens with way too much back story and continues to, paradoxically, give too much detail and yet not enough. I could go on but the problems I had with it almost read like a beginners' guide as to what not to do and there are plenty of book on the market that go there. I was expecting much better from authors the front of the book claims are New York Times No. 1 bestsellers. I should have turned to their biography hidden in the back of the book where it clarifies that their previous work has been nonfiction dieting guides.
I understand the urge of authors who read a badly written book and think they could do better, I really do. But this pair should have stuck with what they know and left fiction well alone.-Lynn
In the ruins of a medieval monastery in Dorset, the diary of an 11th century monk is uncovered-and the murders have already begun...
Cybersleuth Gil Pearson and expert translator Sabbie Karaim are thrown together to decipher the ancient text, rumoured to contain the location of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls-and unimaginable riches.
But what they discover is far more shocking. In their hands lies a document written by Jesus's fabled '13th apostle' which could rewrite history iteslf, sparking international terror.
Pursued by those intent on controlling the past, their frantic quest takes them across the globe as they stop at nothing to expose a two-thousand -year-old conspiracy.
Just who can you trust when you hold the fate of mankind in your hands?
I have a well-documented delight in stories based around conspiracy theory, particularly those with a religious focus. So whenever one comes my way I anticipate a great read. Since the publication of the Da Vinci Code and the lowering of standards therein entailed, I have been consistantly disappointed with the quality of the books on offer. Here I think we have hit a new low.
Every genre has its standards and expectations but that is a long way from the overt, shall I say homage, this title does to its mediocre predecessor. That is crime enough on its own but add in flat characters, poor pacing and possibly the worst dialogue ever and you have that new low I spoke of earlier.
The book opens with way too much back story and continues to, paradoxically, give too much detail and yet not enough. I could go on but the problems I had with it almost read like a beginners' guide as to what not to do and there are plenty of book on the market that go there. I was expecting much better from authors the front of the book claims are New York Times No. 1 bestsellers. I should have turned to their biography hidden in the back of the book where it clarifies that their previous work has been nonfiction dieting guides.
I understand the urge of authors who read a badly written book and think they could do better, I really do. But this pair should have stuck with what they know and left fiction well alone.-Lynn
Monday, June 6
Makita Brottman: The Solitary Vice-Against Reading
From the back of the book
The first third of the book contains a spookily familiar childhood reminiscence (and coincidentally reading list). Here the author also manages to articulate feelings about reading, specifically Literature, that I would never be able to express so succinctly. But sadly after this the book runs off at a tangent that I was unwilling to follow.
Chapter 4 sings the merits of celebrity tell-alls, and while I am uninterested in the subject (a situation the author believes impossible) I persevered in the hope of a return to the delight of the earlier pages. It wasn't to be. The beginning of chapter 5 offered little of interest. Skimming the rest of the book I simply found more of the same. Chapter after chapter devoted to various incarnations of 'gossip' pages. I would allow that the subject has a place in a book of this nature but I put it that it is unworthy of a book in its own right (which is what this book, to all intents and purposes, becomes). At the end of each chapter an attempt is made to relate the contents back to the original theme of the book. I believe these attempts to be singularly unsuccessful.
This is not a book I would recommend but if the opportunity arose to read the first three chapters I would say go ahead and have a look but be willing to do as the author suggests and put it aside as soon as you find yourself no longer engaged. I think you can guess where that point was for me.- Lynn
Mikita Brottman wonders, Just why is reading so great? It's a solitary practice, one that takes away from time that could be spent developing important social networking skills. Reading is not required for health, happiness, or a loving family. And, if reading is so important, why are catch and juvenile slogans like "Reading Changes Lives" and "Champions Read" needed to hammer the point home?This book captured my attention right from the introduction with the combination of fascinating material and an easy going style. Sadly it was unable to hold my interest past chapter three.
Fearlessly tackling the notion that non-readers are doomed to lives of despair and mental decay, Brottman makes the case that the value of reading lies not in its ability to ward of Alzheimer's or that it's a pleasant hobby. Rather, she argues that like that other well-known solitary vice, masturbation, reading is ultimately not an act of pleasure but a tool for self-exploration, one that allows people to see the world through the eyes of others and lets them travel deep into the darkness of the human condition.
The first third of the book contains a spookily familiar childhood reminiscence (and coincidentally reading list). Here the author also manages to articulate feelings about reading, specifically Literature, that I would never be able to express so succinctly. But sadly after this the book runs off at a tangent that I was unwilling to follow.
Chapter 4 sings the merits of celebrity tell-alls, and while I am uninterested in the subject (a situation the author believes impossible) I persevered in the hope of a return to the delight of the earlier pages. It wasn't to be. The beginning of chapter 5 offered little of interest. Skimming the rest of the book I simply found more of the same. Chapter after chapter devoted to various incarnations of 'gossip' pages. I would allow that the subject has a place in a book of this nature but I put it that it is unworthy of a book in its own right (which is what this book, to all intents and purposes, becomes). At the end of each chapter an attempt is made to relate the contents back to the original theme of the book. I believe these attempts to be singularly unsuccessful.
This is not a book I would recommend but if the opportunity arose to read the first three chapters I would say go ahead and have a look but be willing to do as the author suggests and put it aside as soon as you find yourself no longer engaged. I think you can guess where that point was for me.- Lynn
Wednesday, May 18
PC and Kristin Cast: Betrayed
From the back of the book-
The first 50 or so pages are basically a recap of events from the first novel, which was nice for those of us with poor memories-putting my hand up to that on-but that's about the best thing I can say for this story
The little things that irritated me in the first book have not been ironed out in the second. In fact, they have been magnified and placed centre stage. It would be easy to sit and list every tiny thing that didn't work but I'll limit myself to what I found to be tied for worst.
Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend...or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey's old life, she begins to realilze that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.I had high hopes for this series. The first book, Marked, was great. A fresh, new twist on the young adult dark fantasy genre, it had great promise. Sadly with this second instalment it fails to deliver.
The first 50 or so pages are basically a recap of events from the first novel, which was nice for those of us with poor memories-putting my hand up to that on-but that's about the best thing I can say for this story
The little things that irritated me in the first book have not been ironed out in the second. In fact, they have been magnified and placed centre stage. It would be easy to sit and list every tiny thing that didn't work but I'll limit myself to what I found to be tied for worst.
1. The "twins" that aren't related. I get it. It's like they're the same person only not, oh yeah, and one's black and the other's white. These two don't need names because they refer to each other as "twin" constantly. The most attached of real twins don't even do thatWhat a waste of potential! At least the book was well named. Betrayed is exactly how I felt.-Lynn
2. The "vampyre" rituals that are basically lifted from witchcraft. Fom the casting of circles to the use of "merry meet" and "blessed be" there's a very strong homage to wicca. It just feels lazy. If you want this lot to be witches then make them witches, otherwise make up some original rites.
3. Add to this the lack of character development, the three
(unbelievable and innappropriate) love interests and quite possibly the worst dialogue ever written and you've lost a keen reader.
Monday, March 28
Barbara Erskine: Daughters of Fire
From the back of the book
The Romans are landing in Britannia... Cartimandua, the young woman destined to rule the great tribe of the Brigantes, watches the invaders come ever closer. From the start her world is a maelstrom of love and conflict, revenge and retribution. Cartimandua's life becomes more turbulent and complicated as her power grows, and her political skills are threatened by her personal choices. She has formidable enemies on all sides as she faces a decision which will change the future of all around her.
In the present day, historian Viv Lloyd Rees has immersed herself in the legends surrounding the Celtic queen. Viv struggle to hide her visions of Cartimandua and her conviction that they are real. But her obsession becomes ever more persistent as she takes possession of an ancient brooch that carries a curse. Bitter rivalries and overwhelming passions are reawakened as past envelops present and Viv finds herself in the greatest danger of her life.
I have long been a fan of Barbara Erskine. I particularly like her intertwined past/present story lines. But to be honest, this isn't one of her best.
The historical aspect is brilliant: well researched and rich with detail, she brings Celtic Britain to life. The past characters are vibrant, complex and wonderfully drawn. The past story line is gripping and intense.
Sadly, the present day portions of the story are not a shadow of their past counterparts and let the whole down. The present day characters are flat and so inconsistent in behaviour as to be completely unbelievable (even for people possessed). I simply didn't care what became of any of them. The modern story line felt forced and contrived. The pacing was painfully slow and the delightfully eerie mood that Erskine usually does so well was completely missing.
This is a great historical novel ruined by an overlay of deathly dull present day patina. A hard slog even for a long time fan.-Lynn
The Romans are landing in Britannia... Cartimandua, the young woman destined to rule the great tribe of the Brigantes, watches the invaders come ever closer. From the start her world is a maelstrom of love and conflict, revenge and retribution. Cartimandua's life becomes more turbulent and complicated as her power grows, and her political skills are threatened by her personal choices. She has formidable enemies on all sides as she faces a decision which will change the future of all around her.
In the present day, historian Viv Lloyd Rees has immersed herself in the legends surrounding the Celtic queen. Viv struggle to hide her visions of Cartimandua and her conviction that they are real. But her obsession becomes ever more persistent as she takes possession of an ancient brooch that carries a curse. Bitter rivalries and overwhelming passions are reawakened as past envelops present and Viv finds herself in the greatest danger of her life.
I have long been a fan of Barbara Erskine. I particularly like her intertwined past/present story lines. But to be honest, this isn't one of her best.
The historical aspect is brilliant: well researched and rich with detail, she brings Celtic Britain to life. The past characters are vibrant, complex and wonderfully drawn. The past story line is gripping and intense.
Sadly, the present day portions of the story are not a shadow of their past counterparts and let the whole down. The present day characters are flat and so inconsistent in behaviour as to be completely unbelievable (even for people possessed). I simply didn't care what became of any of them. The modern story line felt forced and contrived. The pacing was painfully slow and the delightfully eerie mood that Erskine usually does so well was completely missing.
This is a great historical novel ruined by an overlay of deathly dull present day patina. A hard slog even for a long time fan.-Lynn
Thursday, March 17
The Maze Runner - James Dashner
The first thing Thomas is aware of is the noise - a boom, then a horrible crushing, grinding, scraping sound that reverberated through his body. That was frightening enough, but when Thomas realised that the sounds were not only the first thing he was aware of but also the only things he remembered, he became terrified. He knew facts, but all he knew of himself was his name and his gender - not where he came from, who his family were, or where he was. When the shuddering, shaking container he awoke in finally opened, Thomas was confronted with a confusing world where nobody would explain the arcane and clearly important rules. Run by boys apparently aged around twelve to eighteen, each has a defined role, all of which support the Runners - they race around the maze that surrounds the Glade, frantically mapping the stone walls' twists and turns, avoiding the deathly Grievers and racing back to the safety of the Glade before the massive stone Doors slide closed. Though he knows nothing of this, Thomas senses that he's meant to be a Runner, too. The Maze Runner has a Hunger Games-like potential. Certainly the elements are there, but somehow they just didn't come together for me. A significant part of that is because Thomas was too much of a cipher, but far more was because not nearly enough the world-building was revealed, even in an oblique way that would allow the reader but not the protagonist to guess at a reason for the maze. All the boys come to the Glade like Thomas did - with no memory of anything personal, but a broad general knowledge. Some of them have been there for two years, and all have learned the value of routine and discipline, But Thomas' arrival triggers something new, including the arrival of the only girl ever sent. She carries a note saying she's the last, and something about her is familiar to Thomas; odd in a world where nothing is familiar. But although Thomas and Theresa can communicate psychically, we're never given an indication of why they're so different, or what that means. I was disappointed but not surprised to find that The Maze Runner is the first in a series, most likely a trilogy. I have no problem with trilogies, provided at least part of a story arc's completed at the end of each section. I had the same reaction to that discovery as I did last year when Skin Hunger abruptly concluded with "end of book one" - the pay off wasn't worth the effort,. Though it means I'll never know what happened to Thomas, nor why he means anything, I'll not lie awake at night wondering. - Alex
Sunday, October 3
oh my goth - Gena Showalter
Though there are many types of Goth ("cemetery... Oriental, diva, dark fairy, Kindergoth, Egyptian... punk... vampire..."), they have their individuality in common, and they scorn the sheep-like mainstream. Jade Leigh dreads conformity more than anything - her friends feel the same way, and external pressure to make them abandon the clothing and ethos they embrace causes them only to cling harder, regardless of whether it's from parents, peers, teachers or school administrators.
Being different certainly comes at a high cost - from the scorn of jock star Bobby, who she crushed on for years, to the uncompromising ill-favour of her teachers, and the disapproval of her widowed father, the only people in Jade's life who accept her for who she really is are her friends. When a clash with her trig teacher sends Jade to the principal's office one time too many, Jade expected consequences, even if Mr Parton's treatment of her was totally unfair. What she didn't expect was that her universe would be turned upside down, nor that the only other person aware that everything was now wrong would be her arch-enemy, Barbie girl and Miss Popularity Mercedes Turner. As Jade battles against her popularity, including the more seductive aspects of unearned approval, Mercedes struggles with her abrupt transition to outsider status and near-universal disapproval from the cohort who were once her more adoring friends.
I liked the concept behind oh my goth, of an alternative universe were being Goth was the norm and all the things that set Jade apart before were now the very things that made her popular. Yet, as I read I found myself feeling increasingly detached from the novel; a little reflection allowed me to recognise that this was due, at least in part, to the expectations I didn't realise I had about where Showalter was going to take the novel. The universe inversion mechanism (induction of a virtual reality by a discredited scientist) was fine, and certainly able to be incorporated into the suspension of disbelief inherent in the premise, and it gave Jade and Mercedes a reason to work together, but I didn't buy that they were able to interact with each other and a third character, nor that the time they spent in the VR world was shorter than in real life, nor that it occurred to neither of them that the drug-enhanced alternate reality would need to be monitored by someone, who would then be well aware of the escape plans they made.
But I could have overlooked that had the novel itself been more substantial. I'd hoped for something that dug into the deeper aspects of popularity, non-conformity and peer pressure, particularly regarding teens. Instead I found oh my goth to be disappointingly superficial, starting with Jade herself, whose first diary entry bemoans appearance-based judgement but on the very same page judges the "Barbies" at school. Her raison d'etre seems to be individuality for the sake of it, but her style is purely reactionary rather than reflective of what she wants, and designed purely to proclaim that she is a non-conformist.
Jade's father, like every character in the novel, is barely two-dimensional - he seems to have no understanding of why Jade is traumatised by the idea of driving, or why she might be preoccupied with death, instead fixated on the way she dresses. He's also, it transpired through the novel, in a relationship with Mercedes' mother, a relationship that apparently pre-dates the death of his wife, and which is part of the reason for Mercedes' intensive dislike of Jade. Yet somehow this significant aspect isn't addressed.
And that's really emblematic of the novel in toto for me - there are opportunities to explore issues in some depth, but instead only the most superficial and hackneyed messaged are conveyed: popular guys can screw you over, Barbie clones can have intellect and insight, judging by appearances doesn't necessarily tell you what's going on with someone, and walking in someone else's shoes can give you an idea about their reality and allow you to transcend the barriers you imposed. Oh, and some discussion about how the different kinds of Goth vary would have been nice - all we got was that cyber goths are lovers "of all things futuristic," which is surely a simplification at best.- Alex
Being different certainly comes at a high cost - from the scorn of jock star Bobby, who she crushed on for years, to the uncompromising ill-favour of her teachers, and the disapproval of her widowed father, the only people in Jade's life who accept her for who she really is are her friends. When a clash with her trig teacher sends Jade to the principal's office one time too many, Jade expected consequences, even if Mr Parton's treatment of her was totally unfair. What she didn't expect was that her universe would be turned upside down, nor that the only other person aware that everything was now wrong would be her arch-enemy, Barbie girl and Miss Popularity Mercedes Turner. As Jade battles against her popularity, including the more seductive aspects of unearned approval, Mercedes struggles with her abrupt transition to outsider status and near-universal disapproval from the cohort who were once her more adoring friends.
I liked the concept behind oh my goth, of an alternative universe were being Goth was the norm and all the things that set Jade apart before were now the very things that made her popular. Yet, as I read I found myself feeling increasingly detached from the novel; a little reflection allowed me to recognise that this was due, at least in part, to the expectations I didn't realise I had about where Showalter was going to take the novel. The universe inversion mechanism (induction of a virtual reality by a discredited scientist) was fine, and certainly able to be incorporated into the suspension of disbelief inherent in the premise, and it gave Jade and Mercedes a reason to work together, but I didn't buy that they were able to interact with each other and a third character, nor that the time they spent in the VR world was shorter than in real life, nor that it occurred to neither of them that the drug-enhanced alternate reality would need to be monitored by someone, who would then be well aware of the escape plans they made.
But I could have overlooked that had the novel itself been more substantial. I'd hoped for something that dug into the deeper aspects of popularity, non-conformity and peer pressure, particularly regarding teens. Instead I found oh my goth to be disappointingly superficial, starting with Jade herself, whose first diary entry bemoans appearance-based judgement but on the very same page judges the "Barbies" at school. Her raison d'etre seems to be individuality for the sake of it, but her style is purely reactionary rather than reflective of what she wants, and designed purely to proclaim that she is a non-conformist.
Jade's friends are still outcasts but now dress in preppy and pretty outfits and are branded trouble-makers by adults, while police and other authority figures wear black eyeliner and darken their hair. For me this undermined any actual individualism the Goth characters may have had - Showalter seemed to be saying that unequal power structures with exist in all high schools, with the majority following trends like sheep and picking on the outliers, who in turn bring it on themselves by being different only for the sake of being different.
Jade's mother died in a car accident two years earlier, in the midst of teaching Jade how to drive, with the dying words "... stand up for yourself... Be strong. Be brave. Be you." It wasn't clear in the text if Jade was already Goth, or if her interest in the macabre and in death started then, but it's hammered home through the text that she took this call to individuality to heart. What could have been a powerful event, though, felt to me as though it had been included to add depth to Jade, and failed in the process. Jade's father, like every character in the novel, is barely two-dimensional - he seems to have no understanding of why Jade is traumatised by the idea of driving, or why she might be preoccupied with death, instead fixated on the way she dresses. He's also, it transpired through the novel, in a relationship with Mercedes' mother, a relationship that apparently pre-dates the death of his wife, and which is part of the reason for Mercedes' intensive dislike of Jade. Yet somehow this significant aspect isn't addressed.
And that's really emblematic of the novel in toto for me - there are opportunities to explore issues in some depth, but instead only the most superficial and hackneyed messaged are conveyed: popular guys can screw you over, Barbie clones can have intellect and insight, judging by appearances doesn't necessarily tell you what's going on with someone, and walking in someone else's shoes can give you an idea about their reality and allow you to transcend the barriers you imposed. Oh, and some discussion about how the different kinds of Goth vary would have been nice - all we got was that cyber goths are lovers "of all things futuristic," which is surely a simplification at best.- Alex
Wednesday, July 7
Fade - Robert Cormier
The only mystery Paul Moreaux knows of is a family photograph, taken just before the first World War, before the family moved from Quebec to New England - where his uncle Adelard ought to be was an empty space, which Paul found thought-provoking even if his father thinks Adelard just ducked. Other than that his life seems ordinary enough - he shares a bed with his older and younger brothers and the room with his sisters, his father works at the nearby comb factory and smells always of the flexible but combustible celluloid they use, and his greatest interests are performing and spending time with his Pete.
That is until the summer Paul turns thirteen, when everything starts to change. It begins with the return of his aunt Rosanna - his beautiful, flirtatious, mysterious aunt, who has an intoxicating effect of the young boy. It continues with union activity and industrial action at the Monument Comb Shop. But Paul's life really changes when his uncle Adelard returns home, and explains that Paul has inherited the Moreaux family trait, passed from uncle to nephew as far back as they can trace, and kept secret from everyone else - Paul has the ability to become invisible at will, to fade. And though this seemed at first a gift, as Paul begins to see, hear and learn things better kept secret, he wonders if the fade is instead a curse.
I really liked, in particular, the idea that something which seems so perfect as controllable invisibility being a bad thing. It all sounds like a great premise, though the concept reminded me more of a William Sleator novel than something by Cormier (better known for edgy but realistic young adult novels). Unfortunately I just couldn't engage with the narrative or Paul. I suspect, as the opening section is titled 'Paul,' that there's at least one other voice in the novel, but I stopped reading just after Adelard reveals the fade, so I can't say for certain. I don't know if this was because the writing seemed laboured, if it's because there's a strong hindsight aspect ("I didn't know it at the time but that was the first time I faded"), if it's because it took about a third of the novel before Paul learned of his ability... whatever it was, for the second time already this week I just couldn't be bothered reading on. And that's a shame given the prestige of the author (whose work I very much enjoyed when I was at school) and the promise of the premise. - Alex
That is until the summer Paul turns thirteen, when everything starts to change. It begins with the return of his aunt Rosanna - his beautiful, flirtatious, mysterious aunt, who has an intoxicating effect of the young boy. It continues with union activity and industrial action at the Monument Comb Shop. But Paul's life really changes when his uncle Adelard returns home, and explains that Paul has inherited the Moreaux family trait, passed from uncle to nephew as far back as they can trace, and kept secret from everyone else - Paul has the ability to become invisible at will, to fade. And though this seemed at first a gift, as Paul begins to see, hear and learn things better kept secret, he wonders if the fade is instead a curse.
I really liked, in particular, the idea that something which seems so perfect as controllable invisibility being a bad thing. It all sounds like a great premise, though the concept reminded me more of a William Sleator novel than something by Cormier (better known for edgy but realistic young adult novels). Unfortunately I just couldn't engage with the narrative or Paul. I suspect, as the opening section is titled 'Paul,' that there's at least one other voice in the novel, but I stopped reading just after Adelard reveals the fade, so I can't say for certain. I don't know if this was because the writing seemed laboured, if it's because there's a strong hindsight aspect ("I didn't know it at the time but that was the first time I faded"), if it's because it took about a third of the novel before Paul learned of his ability... whatever it was, for the second time already this week I just couldn't be bothered reading on. And that's a shame given the prestige of the author (whose work I very much enjoyed when I was at school) and the promise of the premise. - 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.
Tuesday, May 11
JJ Lumsden: The Hidden Whisper
A parapsychologist visiting a small town for his grandfather’s funeral is asked to investigate a series of unexplained events at a neighbour’s house. The neighbours, recently advised that their house sits on an ancient Indian burial site (no, really), are attributing the events to the supernatural. And the events certainly demonstrate stereotypical poltergeist phenomena. But why have things started now after over twenty years of habitation, and can it be stopped?
With only a week to get to the bottom of the haunting the parapsychologist throws himself into the case. But the more he investigates, the less likely a paranormal explanation becomes. Are the events really of ghostly origin or are they the work of a much more mundane nuisance? Either way, he will have his work cut out for him to prove the case. Though, needless to say, he manages to do just that.
I strongly suspect (though don’t know for sure) that this is a self published work and so I was a little reticent about reading it. In my experience there is usually good reason why publishing houses reject manuscripts and as a reader I have seen those reasons made flesh in self published works. However, given the niche this story is aimed at, I gave it the benefit of the doubt-after all market forces play their part as well.
What drew me to the work in spite of my misgivings? The inclusion of an extensive reference list (14 pages) and detailed end notes (68 pages). The author is an academic who obviously knows their stuff and is able to present it well. Indeed, I found the end notes to be of greater interest than the story itself. Perhaps, given my suspicions, I was being overly critical as I read, but the story, to me, seemed to be the enthusiastic work of a competent amateur.
It appeared the author wanted to include every aspect of paranormal research they could think of. To that end the story is riddled with expository dialogue (of exceptionally poor quality) the only purpose of which is to introduce subjects that are then addressed in the end notes. This gave the work a disjointed feeling.
The characters are two dimensional and the hero is not a particularly likable (or believable) guy.
There is a decided lack of atmosphere throughout. For example, I got absolutely no sense of unease from the victims of the haunting, let alone fear.
The pacing was off, the plot simplistic and the surprise twist ending flagged so far in advance as to be redundant. Though I did like the ending, even if I saw it coming.
This would be a solid first draft of a story. But it needs a good editing and extensive rewrite before I would recommend it. A great idea poorly executed, skip the story and go straight to the end notes-that’s where the value lies-Lynn.
With only a week to get to the bottom of the haunting the parapsychologist throws himself into the case. But the more he investigates, the less likely a paranormal explanation becomes. Are the events really of ghostly origin or are they the work of a much more mundane nuisance? Either way, he will have his work cut out for him to prove the case. Though, needless to say, he manages to do just that.
I strongly suspect (though don’t know for sure) that this is a self published work and so I was a little reticent about reading it. In my experience there is usually good reason why publishing houses reject manuscripts and as a reader I have seen those reasons made flesh in self published works. However, given the niche this story is aimed at, I gave it the benefit of the doubt-after all market forces play their part as well.
What drew me to the work in spite of my misgivings? The inclusion of an extensive reference list (14 pages) and detailed end notes (68 pages). The author is an academic who obviously knows their stuff and is able to present it well. Indeed, I found the end notes to be of greater interest than the story itself. Perhaps, given my suspicions, I was being overly critical as I read, but the story, to me, seemed to be the enthusiastic work of a competent amateur.
It appeared the author wanted to include every aspect of paranormal research they could think of. To that end the story is riddled with expository dialogue (of exceptionally poor quality) the only purpose of which is to introduce subjects that are then addressed in the end notes. This gave the work a disjointed feeling.
The characters are two dimensional and the hero is not a particularly likable (or believable) guy.
There is a decided lack of atmosphere throughout. For example, I got absolutely no sense of unease from the victims of the haunting, let alone fear.
The pacing was off, the plot simplistic and the surprise twist ending flagged so far in advance as to be redundant. Though I did like the ending, even if I saw it coming.
This would be a solid first draft of a story. But it needs a good editing and extensive rewrite before I would recommend it. A great idea poorly executed, skip the story and go straight to the end notes-that’s where the value lies-Lynn.
Thursday, April 15
Dan Brown: The Lost Symbol
When a prominent freemason is kidnapped, his friend’s only hope of saving him is to find and unravel the code on an ancient Masonic icon, which the kidnapper believes will provide him with a map that identifies the location of a tool of magnificent power.
Though he is a firm sceptic as to the existence of this map he undertakes the task which leads him on a frantic quest through Washington D C, from its most public buildings to its hidden chambers and secret tunnels. His steps are dogged the entire way by powerful government agencies that are willing to sacrifice his friend’s life in order to maintain national security.
It will come as no surprise that he succeeds in breaking the code, the kidnapper is eventually foiled, the ancient Masonic secret is revealed and the tool of power left safely in place.
There has been enormous criticism of Dan Brown’s literary ability and I think I can safely say that I would agree with most of it. His writing is pedestrian, the characters are walking clichés and the ultimate solution to the puzzle is an anticlimactic disappointment. This is a shame because his ideas are great and, in the hands of a more accomplished writer, could become true works of art.
Plot twists are so heavily foreshadowed that even a reader skimming the pages (which I did not) would be able to predict where the story is heading. And for a world leader in symbology the hero is remarkably obtuse. But perhaps I am missing the point. Maybe the clues and plot twists are supposed to be obvious to the reader so that they can feel insightful and intelligent by deciphering them before the expert character does.
The inclusion of a map of the relevant parts of Washing DC would have been helpful to those readers with no first hand knowledge of the city.
My assessment, in a nutshell, this is a nice idea ruined by amateurish execution. But, let’s be honest, he’s not the first mediocre author whose career has flourished due to unaccountable popular acclaim. I just wish he would collaborate with somebody of more advanced writing skills. I’m sure the result would be the fun clue solving adventure he envisions his work as.-Lynn
Though he is a firm sceptic as to the existence of this map he undertakes the task which leads him on a frantic quest through Washington D C, from its most public buildings to its hidden chambers and secret tunnels. His steps are dogged the entire way by powerful government agencies that are willing to sacrifice his friend’s life in order to maintain national security.
It will come as no surprise that he succeeds in breaking the code, the kidnapper is eventually foiled, the ancient Masonic secret is revealed and the tool of power left safely in place.
There has been enormous criticism of Dan Brown’s literary ability and I think I can safely say that I would agree with most of it. His writing is pedestrian, the characters are walking clichés and the ultimate solution to the puzzle is an anticlimactic disappointment. This is a shame because his ideas are great and, in the hands of a more accomplished writer, could become true works of art.
Plot twists are so heavily foreshadowed that even a reader skimming the pages (which I did not) would be able to predict where the story is heading. And for a world leader in symbology the hero is remarkably obtuse. But perhaps I am missing the point. Maybe the clues and plot twists are supposed to be obvious to the reader so that they can feel insightful and intelligent by deciphering them before the expert character does.
The inclusion of a map of the relevant parts of Washing DC would have been helpful to those readers with no first hand knowledge of the city.
My assessment, in a nutshell, this is a nice idea ruined by amateurish execution. But, let’s be honest, he’s not the first mediocre author whose career has flourished due to unaccountable popular acclaim. I just wish he would collaborate with somebody of more advanced writing skills. I’m sure the result would be the fun clue solving adventure he envisions his work as.-Lynn
Thursday, February 18
D.L. Wilson: Unholy Grail-A Novel
While researching for her latest book a biblical scholar is shown part of a document supposedly written by James, brother of Jesus, shortly after the crucifixion. Her attempts to authenticate the document lead her to a secret sect within the Jesuit community. But no sooner has she uncovered these guardians of the secret gospel than they start turning up murdered bearing the marks of the stigmata.
Afraid for her life, and those of her informants, she rushes across Europe, accompanied by a Jesuit priest, in a race against time, hoping to find the proof she needs to authenticate the document before the crusading murderer catches up with her.
A series of convoluted coincidences lead her to the very heart of a secret so huge it could smash the foundations of Christianity entirely-if she can prove it to be true.
It is probably unfair to compare this book to the Da Vinci Code but such a comparison is inevitable. Not only does this book have a similar plot (an academic and a researcher racing to stay one step ahead of a fanatical religious assassin while unravelling clues that may prove a blood line of Christ) but it also has similar format (very short chapters, action happening on a number of different fronts, big on tell rather than show) and similar faults (wooden dialogue, two dimensional characters, info dumps).
It also had a few problems all of its own. One stand out is the equal emphasis given to every event in the story. What the characters had for lunch is presented with the same amount of detail as is the murderer planning his next hit. The main characters have the same disagreement (though differently worded) almost every time they speak about the document. And don’t get me started on the idea that a Christian who questions the literality of the Bible is mistaken in their beliefs.
But it would be shooting fish in a barrel to point out the problems with this work, much harder is to pin down why I finished it when I’ve walked away from others of similar quality. I think the thing this book does successfully is keep the reader from getting bored. The short chapters allow for rapid switching of action fronts, information is dumped in spoonfuls rather than by the bucket load and red herrings abound.
Had this book been published before Dan Brown’s breakout novel, it may very well have captured the imagination of religious conspiracy theorists with the same success as his work. Had the author taken time to develop his characters or concepts more they may have stood out from the crowd. As it is this has all been done before, a problem with the entire genre rather than just with this particular book.
Overall this book has a big bang of an opening that didn’t fulfil its promise.-Lynn
Afraid for her life, and those of her informants, she rushes across Europe, accompanied by a Jesuit priest, in a race against time, hoping to find the proof she needs to authenticate the document before the crusading murderer catches up with her.
A series of convoluted coincidences lead her to the very heart of a secret so huge it could smash the foundations of Christianity entirely-if she can prove it to be true.
It is probably unfair to compare this book to the Da Vinci Code but such a comparison is inevitable. Not only does this book have a similar plot (an academic and a researcher racing to stay one step ahead of a fanatical religious assassin while unravelling clues that may prove a blood line of Christ) but it also has similar format (very short chapters, action happening on a number of different fronts, big on tell rather than show) and similar faults (wooden dialogue, two dimensional characters, info dumps).
It also had a few problems all of its own. One stand out is the equal emphasis given to every event in the story. What the characters had for lunch is presented with the same amount of detail as is the murderer planning his next hit. The main characters have the same disagreement (though differently worded) almost every time they speak about the document. And don’t get me started on the idea that a Christian who questions the literality of the Bible is mistaken in their beliefs.
But it would be shooting fish in a barrel to point out the problems with this work, much harder is to pin down why I finished it when I’ve walked away from others of similar quality. I think the thing this book does successfully is keep the reader from getting bored. The short chapters allow for rapid switching of action fronts, information is dumped in spoonfuls rather than by the bucket load and red herrings abound.
Had this book been published before Dan Brown’s breakout novel, it may very well have captured the imagination of religious conspiracy theorists with the same success as his work. Had the author taken time to develop his characters or concepts more they may have stood out from the crowd. As it is this has all been done before, a problem with the entire genre rather than just with this particular book.
Overall this book has a big bang of an opening that didn’t fulfil its promise.-Lynn
Wednesday, December 30
Shirley Jackson: The Haunting of Hill House
A researcher and three volunteers form a house party at a known ‘haunted’ house in the hope of documenting paranormal occurrences there. It isn’t long before the house obliges and strange things start to manifest, particularly around the most vulnerable member of the group-a young woman of questionable mental and emotional stability.
As time goes by and the paranormal activity becomes dangerously focussed on the woman the other occupants of the house insist that she depart for her own safety. But she has embraced her connection to the house and refuses to leave. When her companions try to force her to go, the house itself steps in to ensure she stays with it forever.
Acclaimed as a classic of the genre I had high hopes for this novel, perhaps too high, for the work dismally failed to impress.
I found none of the characters to be sympathetic in the least. They behave in an entirely unbelievable manner right from the start and the dialogue often straddles the boarder between just plain silly and outright ridiculous.
There is a decided lack of atmosphere-eerie or otherwise. On the few occasions when things looked to be taking a turn for the spooky the author backs off leaving the reader wondering why the characters are so scared.
Supposedly groundbreaking at the time of its publication not only has it failed to age well but I found it compares poorly to earlier works of horror. For creepy atmosphere the reader would be better off with almost anything by Henry James. Or if psychological decay is where terror is to be found then Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s tale The Yellow Wallpaper is infinitely superior.
The best I can say for this story is that it was a great concept poorly executed.-Lynn
As time goes by and the paranormal activity becomes dangerously focussed on the woman the other occupants of the house insist that she depart for her own safety. But she has embraced her connection to the house and refuses to leave. When her companions try to force her to go, the house itself steps in to ensure she stays with it forever.
Acclaimed as a classic of the genre I had high hopes for this novel, perhaps too high, for the work dismally failed to impress.
I found none of the characters to be sympathetic in the least. They behave in an entirely unbelievable manner right from the start and the dialogue often straddles the boarder between just plain silly and outright ridiculous.
There is a decided lack of atmosphere-eerie or otherwise. On the few occasions when things looked to be taking a turn for the spooky the author backs off leaving the reader wondering why the characters are so scared.
Supposedly groundbreaking at the time of its publication not only has it failed to age well but I found it compares poorly to earlier works of horror. For creepy atmosphere the reader would be better off with almost anything by Henry James. Or if psychological decay is where terror is to be found then Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s tale The Yellow Wallpaper is infinitely superior.
The best I can say for this story is that it was a great concept poorly executed.-Lynn
Friday, December 18
Evelyn Vaughn: Seventh Key
When the wife and daughter of one of the wealthiest men alive are kidnapped, the ransom requested is not money. The abductors want the woman’s expert knowledge of ancient artefacts and are holding her daughter, along with several other children, hostage. If she complies with their demands to deliver the Black Madonna mosaic they will use its power to destroy the world, if she doesn’t her child will die.
With the help of her husband, and a small group of hereditary priestesses, she has just days to find the key to the mosaic’s power and use it to save, not only her child, but the world as we know it.
This is the final in the seven book Madonna Key series and to be perfectly honest, it was less than I had hoped for.
My disappointment isn’t with the writing which was fast paced. Nor was it with the plot, which while not entirely to my taste (I don’t like the presence of children, particularly young children in a romantic adventure setting), was action-packed and tied up the series nicely. It was with the characters and their relationships to each other.
Having read the entire series I was familiar with all the major players and their behaviour didn’t seem consistent with the personalities presented in earlier works. In addition there was obviously a negative history between at least two of the characters that was not explained and their interpersonal issues seemed to be overcome with relative ease.
If not for the fact that Alex had recently read a book by this author from another series, a book I read quite some time ago, and was able to refresh my memory about these women and their past conflict I would have been completely confused as to what was going on between them.
I’m all for recycling characters and cross referencing series, it’s always nice to find out what old friends are up to, but in this case it simply didn’t work and left me confused for much of the story.
I really liked the idea of this series. The quality of individual instalments was variable and I am a bit disappointed that the series didn’t finish with the same bang that it started with. Overall not a bad series but not one I’d be quick to recommend or reread.-Lynn
With the help of her husband, and a small group of hereditary priestesses, she has just days to find the key to the mosaic’s power and use it to save, not only her child, but the world as we know it.
This is the final in the seven book Madonna Key series and to be perfectly honest, it was less than I had hoped for.
My disappointment isn’t with the writing which was fast paced. Nor was it with the plot, which while not entirely to my taste (I don’t like the presence of children, particularly young children in a romantic adventure setting), was action-packed and tied up the series nicely. It was with the characters and their relationships to each other.
Having read the entire series I was familiar with all the major players and their behaviour didn’t seem consistent with the personalities presented in earlier works. In addition there was obviously a negative history between at least two of the characters that was not explained and their interpersonal issues seemed to be overcome with relative ease.
If not for the fact that Alex had recently read a book by this author from another series, a book I read quite some time ago, and was able to refresh my memory about these women and their past conflict I would have been completely confused as to what was going on between them.
I’m all for recycling characters and cross referencing series, it’s always nice to find out what old friends are up to, but in this case it simply didn’t work and left me confused for much of the story.
I really liked the idea of this series. The quality of individual instalments was variable and I am a bit disappointed that the series didn’t finish with the same bang that it started with. Overall not a bad series but not one I’d be quick to recommend or reread.-Lynn
Friday, November 6
The Accidental Werewolf – Dakota Cassidy
Marty Andrews has made it to lavender, the first rung on the Bobbie-Sue cosmetics hierarchy, and has her gaze firmly set on sky blue. Her two newest recruits are disappointing – neither seems to have the dedication required to progress in the organization – but that’s nothing compared to the changes she’s noticed since that run in between her darling teacup poodle Muffin and a giant dog in a dark alley last week – while saving her beloved pet Marty got a tiny bite from the beast, and though there can’t possibly be a connection between the two events she’s become more emotionally erratic, is somehow no longer a summer on the Bobbie-Sue color wheel, and she’s noticed a disturbing increase in her body hair. The handsome guy telling her he’s a werewolf who accidentally nipped her, thereby making her one, too, is just icing on the cake.
I so liked the review I read somewhere and the premise for this series (three women accidentally turned into supernatural creatures and finding love in the process) that I reserved this and the next one before my library had even bought them. I cannot say how glad I am I didn’t buy them.
From the first page I was unhooked:
This is what’s going through her head as the tall, dark, wolfishly handsome man is breaking the news to her. Now, I believe you can be intelligent and a cosmetics company rep, that being career focused regardless of the career can be important. But Marty is both shallow and unable to prioritise anything beyond her Bobbie-Sue trajectory. Shallowness is one of my pet peeves about chick lit as a genre – though by no means a requirement, many authors write as though it were, and Cassidy is no exception. In addition, and the two do often go hand in hand, Marty’s self-absorbed well past the line of narcissism, a trait I find unattractive in life and particularly in my heroine. If I can’t connect with the protagonist I feel little impetus to continue reading, and I not only disliked Marty but I had no interest in seeing how (or if) her transformation changes her character or life.
The writing wasn’t bad, but it didn’t appeal to me, with lines like “he had the thickest, most fabulous hair, with the kind of volume only a Nine Inch Nails concert had.” I quibble with the way Cassidy uses dichotomy: “he was a complete dichotomy” because he cradled her poodle tenderly but fills the room with his dominant power. But mostly I abandoned The Accidental Werewolf at the end of chapter four because I didn’t connect with anything in the novel at all. - Alex
I so liked the review I read somewhere and the premise for this series (three women accidentally turned into supernatural creatures and finding love in the process) that I reserved this and the next one before my library had even bought them. I cannot say how glad I am I didn’t buy them.
From the first page I was unhooked:
Well, it was official.
Lavender was soooooo not in her color wheel any more. Not looking like this, anyway.
It clashed with her hair and made her skin look sallow.
Marty Andrews was now an autumn. Thus, fall colors would best suit her new pallor. Greens, gold, and a couple of shades of yellow were currently her complexion’s new friends.
But the color lavender? Not so much.
That was once the color she’d been so suited to. A spring color. Or was it winter?
Spring, winter, spring, winter?
Sweet mother, she couldn’t even remember
her seasons of color. Where were her color-wheel-of-life skills? Each season had colors it represented. Any woman worth her salt knew that. Didn’t they?
This is what’s going through her head as the tall, dark, wolfishly handsome man is breaking the news to her. Now, I believe you can be intelligent and a cosmetics company rep, that being career focused regardless of the career can be important. But Marty is both shallow and unable to prioritise anything beyond her Bobbie-Sue trajectory. Shallowness is one of my pet peeves about chick lit as a genre – though by no means a requirement, many authors write as though it were, and Cassidy is no exception. In addition, and the two do often go hand in hand, Marty’s self-absorbed well past the line of narcissism, a trait I find unattractive in life and particularly in my heroine. If I can’t connect with the protagonist I feel little impetus to continue reading, and I not only disliked Marty but I had no interest in seeing how (or if) her transformation changes her character or life.
The writing wasn’t bad, but it didn’t appeal to me, with lines like “he had the thickest, most fabulous hair, with the kind of volume only a Nine Inch Nails concert had.” I quibble with the way Cassidy uses dichotomy: “he was a complete dichotomy” because he cradled her poodle tenderly but fills the room with his dominant power. But mostly I abandoned The Accidental Werewolf at the end of chapter four because I didn’t connect with anything in the novel at all. - Alex
Thursday, October 8
Dead to Me - Anton Strout
Simon Canderous has only recently turned from using his gift of psychometry - the ability to divine the history of an object through touch - from larcenous to legal. Now a junior member of New York City's covert Department of Extraordinary Affairs, he has attended seminars and read brochures about managing paranormal occurrences. However, when entering the DEA's front, the Lovecraft Cafe and movie house, Simon doesn't notice what his mentor Connor Christos realises immediately - that the lovely woman seated near the counter is actually a ghost. More importantly, Simon's ill-prepared for the consequences when he and Connor try to uncover why Irene is still on this plane.
The premise of this book was so promising, and the jacket blurb so entertaining, that Dead to Me is one of the very few books I've bought this year. I have to confess that I thought of Lynn as soon as I saw the word "psychometry," as she wrote an entertaining novel with psychometry as a hook for NaNoWriMo one year.
Sadly I found the execution profoundly disappointing. Part of this was the world building - I couldn't overcome my disbelief that an organisation like Strout's DEA wouldn't more thoroughly train its agents before letting them in the field. More than that , though, the writing style didn't appeal to me. And, as is sometimes the case, this meant even things that would have amused me if read elsewhere irritated me.
Dead to Me is heavy on the geographic detail, in a way we've commented on unfavourably in other reviews. From one paragraph:
From time to time 'amusing' titles of the seminars and pamphlets that serve as Simon's training are leadenly dropped into the text - examples include "Deadside Manner: Staying Cool in Troubled Times" and "Clairvoyance or Clair-annoyance: You've Either Got it or You Don't". I suspect the intent was to parody the way office policies exist even in exotic organisations - this has been achieved admirably by Stross but fell flat here, at least for me.
I even found myself annoyed by the grammar, albeit only on one occasion - spot the unnecessary punctuation:
The biggest issue for me, though, was the unclear nature of Simon's talent/gift. He seems to have made no effort to refine or hone it, and neither did DEA before sending him out in the field, leaving it to Connor to first suggest the concept. Reading objects leaves him hypoglycemic and exhausted, relying on Lifesavers to refuel, but sometimes he's drained by one reading and sometimes he can touch multiple things without fatigue, with no explanation given of why this is. He guards against accidental reading by wearing gloves, and has an inner sanctum in his apartment that has been carefully designed to be free of emotional echoes - the furniture is untouched by human hands, and the whole room is white (a presumably restful colour for Simon, though this is never specified). When his apartment is turned over, Simon is devastated:
I have no doubt that Dead to Me is the first in a series, and see from Amazon that a sequel is out. Although I found the premise fresh and promising, the execution was so disappointing I have no intention of following up. Lynn is enthusiastic about reading the novel, though I've suggested she either skip reading this review until after or tucks the book away until time has faded her memory of it. In any case, another opinion will follow at some stage, and as we don't always see eye to eye it may be more favourable than this one. - Alex
* The grammar referred to would be the "?!?" - rarely seen outside the internet and letters written by adolescent girls, which is the way I like it
The premise of this book was so promising, and the jacket blurb so entertaining, that Dead to Me is one of the very few books I've bought this year. I have to confess that I thought of Lynn as soon as I saw the word "psychometry," as she wrote an entertaining novel with psychometry as a hook for NaNoWriMo one year.
Sadly I found the execution profoundly disappointing. Part of this was the world building - I couldn't overcome my disbelief that an organisation like Strout's DEA wouldn't more thoroughly train its agents before letting them in the field. More than that , though, the writing style didn't appeal to me. And, as is sometimes the case, this meant even things that would have amused me if read elsewhere irritated me.
Dead to Me is heavy on the geographic detail, in a way we've commented on unfavourably in other reviews. From one paragraph:
I jumped in a cab and headed down town. Thirteen minutes later, the cab dropped me off at West 18th and University and I headed across Washington Square Park... I came across a small crowd of drunken late night tourists fleeing toward Union Square... a clamour of footsteps and the crash of metal came from the alley between Sixth and Seventh...Enough, already - plot please! Which I found a lot - reams of unnecessary information (like a scene with a disapproving waiter in a diner) that serve neither to develop character nor advance the plot. I would have preferred the novel had these chunks been replaced by background. Or character development or plot advancement, of course.
From time to time 'amusing' titles of the seminars and pamphlets that serve as Simon's training are leadenly dropped into the text - examples include "Deadside Manner: Staying Cool in Troubled Times" and "Clairvoyance or Clair-annoyance: You've Either Got it or You Don't". I suspect the intent was to parody the way office policies exist even in exotic organisations - this has been achieved admirably by Stross but fell flat here, at least for me.
I even found myself annoyed by the grammar, albeit only on one occasion - spot the unnecessary punctuation:
"Thanks," he said, circling carefully around the phantasm.Of course, by this stage many things were annoying me, so that the 'amusing' title of Inspectre for the head of paranormal affairs (get it, get it?) grated more every time I read it, the misuse of 'object permanence' glared, and the reference to donning a black leather duster being a reflection of watching all five seasons of Angel in a single sitting made me wonder where he found the 72 consecutive hours or so that this would take.
"Thanks?!?" I asked. "For what? I ought to be thanking you!"*
The biggest issue for me, though, was the unclear nature of Simon's talent/gift. He seems to have made no effort to refine or hone it, and neither did DEA before sending him out in the field, leaving it to Connor to first suggest the concept. Reading objects leaves him hypoglycemic and exhausted, relying on Lifesavers to refuel, but sometimes he's drained by one reading and sometimes he can touch multiple things without fatigue, with no explanation given of why this is. He guards against accidental reading by wearing gloves, and has an inner sanctum in his apartment that has been carefully designed to be free of emotional echoes - the furniture is untouched by human hands, and the whole room is white (a presumably restful colour for Simon, though this is never specified). When his apartment is turned over, Simon is devastated:
my inner sanctum had been contaminated by someone else's memories, corrupting the one place in the world I could turn to as my safety zone. I had never felt so violated.My first question is how everywhere else is so defiled when Simon needs to touch things to read them - and presumably touch with his hands, as I didn't notice any accidental readings caused by objects brushing past other exposed skin, or precautions like wearing long sleeves. More importantly, though, is the fact that Simon has no need to use his sanctum at any point in the novel - like the best china, it's tucked away for a special occasion but never actually needed, which seems like a massive waste of valuable space in the tight and expensive New York real estate market.
I have no doubt that Dead to Me is the first in a series, and see from Amazon that a sequel is out. Although I found the premise fresh and promising, the execution was so disappointing I have no intention of following up. Lynn is enthusiastic about reading the novel, though I've suggested she either skip reading this review until after or tucks the book away until time has faded her memory of it. In any case, another opinion will follow at some stage, and as we don't always see eye to eye it may be more favourable than this one. - Alex
* The grammar referred to would be the "?!?" - rarely seen outside the internet and letters written by adolescent girls, which is the way I like it
Thursday, September 17
J G Sandom: The God Machine
Blurb from the back of the book:
I’m quite fond of the conspiracy theory/thriller/mystery combination so when I discovered this on the recommended reading rack at my library I was delighted. I thought the plot sounded great, if a little Dan Brown-esque. At the point I stopped reading most of the usual suspects had been introduced or strongly foreshadowed: the wounded hero, the morally ambiguous Mason, the sinister Catholic sect, the hypocritical evangelist and the sexy intellectual woman were all there. The plot was only just being set up but it promised to be action packed. So why did I put it down with no intention to ever pick it up again?
Sadly, I quickly discovered that this writer’s voice wasn’t for me. They’d done their research, quite thoroughly too, and they were intent on sharing everything they knew. Not in a discrete seamlessly blended manner that enriches the story but more in a style reminiscent of the recorded lectures you can listen to on self guided tours of historic places.
For example:
It was the home of the Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta, commonly known as the Knight Hopitaller. The Knights of Malta.
Founded in Jerusalem in 1080 by the Blessed Gerard, the order was originally launched to provide care and relief for the poor pilgrims..etc, etc.
It goes on in this vein for another three pages. At which point I stopped reading. I could have overlooked it if it had been a one off. It wasn’t.
I love history but this kind of pace dragging info dump has no place in an action thriller. Particularly in one that is already disjointed by jumping about in time.
Dan Brown’s literary efforts may have all the intellectual merit of my grocery list but at least they’re page turners. Disappointingly, The God Machine doesn’t even offer that.-Lynn
The coded journal of Benjamin Franklin. A hidden map. A legendary gospel. These are the first pieces to an ancient puzzle so powerful, it could destroy the very foundation of Christianity… in a world of secret societies, ancient conspiracies, and Masonic puzzles, locating the prize is one thing-staying alive, another.And so it goes on. I can only assume that the hero solves the puzzles, saves the world and gets the girl but I will never know for sure because I gave up on this one at page 86 (of 468).
I’m quite fond of the conspiracy theory/thriller/mystery combination so when I discovered this on the recommended reading rack at my library I was delighted. I thought the plot sounded great, if a little Dan Brown-esque. At the point I stopped reading most of the usual suspects had been introduced or strongly foreshadowed: the wounded hero, the morally ambiguous Mason, the sinister Catholic sect, the hypocritical evangelist and the sexy intellectual woman were all there. The plot was only just being set up but it promised to be action packed. So why did I put it down with no intention to ever pick it up again?
Sadly, I quickly discovered that this writer’s voice wasn’t for me. They’d done their research, quite thoroughly too, and they were intent on sharing everything they knew. Not in a discrete seamlessly blended manner that enriches the story but more in a style reminiscent of the recorded lectures you can listen to on self guided tours of historic places.
For example:
It was the home of the Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta, commonly known as the Knight Hopitaller. The Knights of Malta.
Founded in Jerusalem in 1080 by the Blessed Gerard, the order was originally launched to provide care and relief for the poor pilgrims..etc, etc.
It goes on in this vein for another three pages. At which point I stopped reading. I could have overlooked it if it had been a one off. It wasn’t.
I love history but this kind of pace dragging info dump has no place in an action thriller. Particularly in one that is already disjointed by jumping about in time.
Dan Brown’s literary efforts may have all the intellectual merit of my grocery list but at least they’re page turners. Disappointingly, The God Machine doesn’t even offer that.-Lynn
Monday, August 24
Whispers and Lies – Joy Fielding
Forty-year-old Terry Painter has hopes that the son of her favourite patient might be interested in her as more than just his mother's nurse. Otherwise her life is quiet and predictable, and that’s the way she likes it. Her colleagues at the hospital where she works are friendly but not friends, and since her mother died she's moved out of the flat out back and into the main house.
Her first experience with a boarder wasn't very successful, but Terry has high hopes for Alison Simms, a young girl who rapidly becomes the only real friend she's ever had. When she reflects on it, Terry realises that she knows very little about Alison, and she has suspicions about her the relationship she has with a man they claim is her brother. But not all is as it seems, and as events unfold Terry's quiet, tranquil life changes in ways she couldn't imagine.
Fielding writes domestic horror, and though it's been many years since I read her novels, they used to be something of a staple for me about a decade ago. I was prepared to accept the really strong foreshadowing and unlikeable protagonist as stylistic choices that, though they didn't appeal might suit the work. Certainly I liked the unfolding picture of Terry's distorted relationship with her now dead mother, and the way that affected her adult life was beautifully portrayed. However the power of the book rests with the surprise twist, and sadly I spotted it very early on, leaving the unappealing central character, heavy foreshadowing and rather pedestrian plot unredeemed. - Alex
Her first experience with a boarder wasn't very successful, but Terry has high hopes for Alison Simms, a young girl who rapidly becomes the only real friend she's ever had. When she reflects on it, Terry realises that she knows very little about Alison, and she has suspicions about her the relationship she has with a man they claim is her brother. But not all is as it seems, and as events unfold Terry's quiet, tranquil life changes in ways she couldn't imagine.
Fielding writes domestic horror, and though it's been many years since I read her novels, they used to be something of a staple for me about a decade ago. I was prepared to accept the really strong foreshadowing and unlikeable protagonist as stylistic choices that, though they didn't appeal might suit the work. Certainly I liked the unfolding picture of Terry's distorted relationship with her now dead mother, and the way that affected her adult life was beautifully portrayed. However the power of the book rests with the surprise twist, and sadly I spotted it very early on, leaving the unappealing central character, heavy foreshadowing and rather pedestrian plot unredeemed. - Alex
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