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ClareR (5549 KP) rated The Disappeared in Books

May 25, 2019  
The Disappeared
The Disappeared
Amy Lord | 2019 | Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dystopian Britain
Set in the near future, Britain has become a one party, military controlled state, where reading the wrong book could mean that you are ‘disappeared’.

The Authorisation Bureau we’re responsible for the disappearance of Clara’s father, a university English lecturer, and she is determined to pick up where he left off. Along with her History professor boyfriend, they decide to teach a select group of students about the past and the books that they are now forbidden to read. But things do not go as planned. Clara has some protection, as her stepfather is a ‘high up’ interrogator with the Authorisation Bureau, but this can only go so far to protect her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark tale of an alternate UK. It was rather violent in places, but it’s message was ultimately that of hope. My only complaint (which isn’t really a complaint) is that we could have done with more from the resistance organisation, Lumiere. I would have loved to have read more about them.

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to the author, Amy Lord, for reading along and answering questions.
  
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Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War through Afghan Eyes in Books

Mar 15, 2018  
NG
No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War through Afghan Eyes
Anand Gopal | 2014
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow. I certainly knew that the situation in Afghanistan was dire, but it's eye-opening to see just how dire. And it's also eye-opening to see just how much the United States has contributed to that. It's not that the US went in with the intention of making life there miserable, and it's not that many Afghanis themselves aren't also at fault, but it is stunning just how much those that the US put in charge of things seemed to lack any basic knowledge of how the country worked and how the people would react to various ideas. This book describes life in the country from it's pre-Russian invasion days through the present by both reporting its history, and by following the stories of 3 very different citizens; a pro-US warlord, a member of the Taliban, and a housewife. Their experiences can alternate between harrowing and shocking, but remain pretty universally distressing. It's hard not to get angry throughout this book as the amount of human cruelty and stupidity on display can become too much to handle. And in the end, it does live up to its title, as it ably demonstrates that there is no one involved without some blame to bear.
  
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ClareR (5549 KP) rated The Dream Weavers in Books

Apr 25, 2021  
The Dream Weavers
The Dream Weavers
Barbara Erskine | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Dream Weavers is an historical fiction novel, with one foot in Saxon Mercia and the other in modern day Hereford. There’s a touch of the supernatural as well - all the better to see the past with. And I loved reading it.
Simon is writing a book of Anglo-Saxon history, and starts to hear a woman calling a name outside his rented cottage. When he goes out to look, no one is there.
The cottage owner brings in her local spiritual advisor, Bea, who hopes to put the ghost outside to rest. This is only the beginning.
The timelines alternate between King Offa’s daughter, Eadburh, and Bea’s life in Hereford with her husband who is a priest at the cathedral.
I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy this - but I really did! It uses religion without being overly religious, and the same goes for the more Pagan elements. It was a a really interesting, highly readable book. I haven’t read much about the history around King Offa’s time, so I enjoyed the opportunity to do that. It was a book that was difficult to put down - except that was done for me, as I read a stave a day on The Pigeonhole! It’s a big book, but it really didn’t feel that way. It sent me off on little internet searches as well - namely Anchorites, and what types of dogs Anglo-Saxons kept as pets (and whether they did or not!). I like a book that interests me enough to read around it!
This is definitely one for the historical fiction fans, especially those that like a bit of the magical element as well. I loved reading it!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, and to HarperCollins for giving me access via NetGalley for an honest review.