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Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated A Matter of Grave Concern in Books
Feb 21, 2018
I listened to this as an audiobook during my commute back and forth to work. I have to admit that Historical romance is not one of my preferred genres, and someone who enjoys romance novels might have a different opinion of this book. I was in the library one Saturday afternoon with my two girls and wanted to grab something to listen to in a hurry. The title caught my eye, and I skimmed the beginning of the blurb on the back. I read just enough to make me think it was an historical mystery, and not even paying attention to the author I took it and checked out. Driving in to work that first Monday morning after picking it up, it didn't take long to realize what I had. I might have stopped listening if I'd had another book to listen to in the car, but since it was all that i had with me, I kept going.
The story is about a young woman named Abby who's father is a surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine. She decides to help the college keep their students by providing a corpse for the required anatomy classes. This requires Abby to deal with a group of resurectionists, or body snatchers. Little does she know that one of the gang is not what he is pretending to be. Max Wilder has actually joined the gang of grave robbers in search of his half sister, Madeline, who has gone missing and was last seen in the company of the gang's leader, Jack Hurtsill.
This story had it's ups and downs. At times the characters thoughts and concerns seemed repetitive and almost silly. Should she or shouldn't she give in to Max. Will he or won't he tell Abby the truth. I know some of that is necessary to help build tension, but it seemed a bit much. I'm not sure how I would have felt in Abby's position as Max revealed one secret after another, instead of coming clean up front. It also seemed that after spending the first 2/3 of the book searching for Madeline, her part of the story was wrapped up in a rush. It was interesting to hear about what colleges were willing to condone to get the corpses they needed for their students to study medicine, however, and there was enough danger, suspense, and intrigue to keep my attention.
All in all, this was not a bad story, but there was too much graphic sex for my taste. If you don't mind that, or are willing to do a little skimming, then it might be worth a read.
The story is about a young woman named Abby who's father is a surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine. She decides to help the college keep their students by providing a corpse for the required anatomy classes. This requires Abby to deal with a group of resurectionists, or body snatchers. Little does she know that one of the gang is not what he is pretending to be. Max Wilder has actually joined the gang of grave robbers in search of his half sister, Madeline, who has gone missing and was last seen in the company of the gang's leader, Jack Hurtsill.
This story had it's ups and downs. At times the characters thoughts and concerns seemed repetitive and almost silly. Should she or shouldn't she give in to Max. Will he or won't he tell Abby the truth. I know some of that is necessary to help build tension, but it seemed a bit much. I'm not sure how I would have felt in Abby's position as Max revealed one secret after another, instead of coming clean up front. It also seemed that after spending the first 2/3 of the book searching for Madeline, her part of the story was wrapped up in a rush. It was interesting to hear about what colleges were willing to condone to get the corpses they needed for their students to study medicine, however, and there was enough danger, suspense, and intrigue to keep my attention.
All in all, this was not a bad story, but there was too much graphic sex for my taste. If you don't mind that, or are willing to do a little skimming, then it might be worth a read.
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Providence: A Novel in Books
Jun 23, 2018
Super Fun Read!
Wow! This was my first Caroline Kepnes book and let me tell you - it will NOT be my last! I loved this book, I flew through it and did not want it to end, and what a fun and unique story! I'm a HUGE Stranger Things fan, and this reminded me a bit of that - part sci-fi/fantasy/horror, but also part mystery/detective thriller - so many things I love all mixed in to one really clever tale. In the end, it's really a fun journey across time between two star crossed lovers - desperate to be together in a masterfully crafted journey of horrible circumstances that may forever keep them apart.
You get sucked in right away... Jon and Chloe are high school teens, the best of friends, and you assume, in time, they'll be together forever as you can see how much they love one another. Then, one morning Jon gets kidnapped and everything changes. Something happened to him and we might never be able to see if him and Chloe will that next step and spend their lives together. The things that have happened to him, may keep them apart forever.
The coming-of-age part is really interesting here, because Jon misses so much he's forced to grow up when his body has already done so. And the duality of good vs. evil comes into play a lot - and what a struggle it is to keep the two separate, when their pull is almost beyond control. We also follow the story of Eggs, who is a pretty darn smart detective, obsessed with a case that haunts him. And we follow his own life, his struggle with family, and how he tries to put the pieces of his own life back together while it falls apart around him - as he tries to solve a really strange mystery.
There is a lot of HP Lovecraft reference in this book, including a yearly Lovecraft convention (he was from Providence). I've heard him referenced in several novels before but have never actually read his work. I think I just might have to check it out now. BUT it did not hinder the story at all if you aren't familiar with his work. I am not familiar, and I loved every minute of the book!
This book was so much fun - a bit peculiar in parts but seriously, a fun ride from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley and Caroline Kepnes and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy to review.
You get sucked in right away... Jon and Chloe are high school teens, the best of friends, and you assume, in time, they'll be together forever as you can see how much they love one another. Then, one morning Jon gets kidnapped and everything changes. Something happened to him and we might never be able to see if him and Chloe will that next step and spend their lives together. The things that have happened to him, may keep them apart forever.
The coming-of-age part is really interesting here, because Jon misses so much he's forced to grow up when his body has already done so. And the duality of good vs. evil comes into play a lot - and what a struggle it is to keep the two separate, when their pull is almost beyond control. We also follow the story of Eggs, who is a pretty darn smart detective, obsessed with a case that haunts him. And we follow his own life, his struggle with family, and how he tries to put the pieces of his own life back together while it falls apart around him - as he tries to solve a really strange mystery.
There is a lot of HP Lovecraft reference in this book, including a yearly Lovecraft convention (he was from Providence). I've heard him referenced in several novels before but have never actually read his work. I think I just might have to check it out now. BUT it did not hinder the story at all if you aren't familiar with his work. I am not familiar, and I loved every minute of the book!
This book was so much fun - a bit peculiar in parts but seriously, a fun ride from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley and Caroline Kepnes and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy to review.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Mirror, Shoulder, Signal in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.
Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.
<i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.
Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.
Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.
The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.
Overall, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.
Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.
Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.
<i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.
Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.
Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.
The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.
Overall, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated You Know Me Well in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
David Levithan is a well-known young adult author particularly in the LGBT communities. Throughout his career he has teamed up with other authors to write contemporary fiction that explores romantic relationships and feelings between teenagers. <i>You Know Me Well</i> is the result of a collaboration between Levithan and Nina LaCour, another American YA author.
Alternating between two points of view, <i>You Know Me Well</i> is about two homosexual teenagers, Mark and Katie, who are both going through difficult times in terms of their love life. Mark is in love with his best friend, but clearly the feelings are not reciprocated. On the other hand, Katie has run away from the chance to meet the girl of her dreams. A case of being in the right place at the right time results in a great friendship blooming between the two characters. Whilst relationships are breaking down all around them as a result of their actions, Mark and Katie discover that they understand each other more than anyone else has done in the past. With each other’s help, they begin to repair or come to terms with their current situations.
Although set near San Francisco during Pride Week – a positive festival to promote the stance against discrimination toward homosexuality – Levithan and LaCour write so freely about the topic that it appears a “normal” way of life, which is ultimately what people are campaigning for. Neither of the main characters experience any judgment on account of their sexuality.
Whilst <i>You Know Me Well </i>is a deeply honest novel about coming to terms with the truth and the heartaches of love, it does not particularly work well as a story. The ending feels ambiguous leaving both Mark and Katie in very similar situations to the beginning of the book, although marginally happier. In a way this enforces the point that there are not always “happy ever after” endings, but in terms of literature it does not make much of a story.
<i>You Know Me Well </i>comes with all sorts of messages about love, coming up with plans for the future, running away from your problems etc. but it is arguably a disappointment for readers who want a fictional tale to delve into and take them away from their everyday life. The subject matter, whilst listed as young adult, is more appropriate for school leavers or college students due to the unrealistic lack of parental intervention. On the other hand, if you are already a fan of David Levithan and know what to expect in his novels, You Know Me Well should live up to your anticipations.
David Levithan is a well-known young adult author particularly in the LGBT communities. Throughout his career he has teamed up with other authors to write contemporary fiction that explores romantic relationships and feelings between teenagers. <i>You Know Me Well</i> is the result of a collaboration between Levithan and Nina LaCour, another American YA author.
Alternating between two points of view, <i>You Know Me Well</i> is about two homosexual teenagers, Mark and Katie, who are both going through difficult times in terms of their love life. Mark is in love with his best friend, but clearly the feelings are not reciprocated. On the other hand, Katie has run away from the chance to meet the girl of her dreams. A case of being in the right place at the right time results in a great friendship blooming between the two characters. Whilst relationships are breaking down all around them as a result of their actions, Mark and Katie discover that they understand each other more than anyone else has done in the past. With each other’s help, they begin to repair or come to terms with their current situations.
Although set near San Francisco during Pride Week – a positive festival to promote the stance against discrimination toward homosexuality – Levithan and LaCour write so freely about the topic that it appears a “normal” way of life, which is ultimately what people are campaigning for. Neither of the main characters experience any judgment on account of their sexuality.
Whilst <i>You Know Me Well </i>is a deeply honest novel about coming to terms with the truth and the heartaches of love, it does not particularly work well as a story. The ending feels ambiguous leaving both Mark and Katie in very similar situations to the beginning of the book, although marginally happier. In a way this enforces the point that there are not always “happy ever after” endings, but in terms of literature it does not make much of a story.
<i>You Know Me Well </i>comes with all sorts of messages about love, coming up with plans for the future, running away from your problems etc. but it is arguably a disappointment for readers who want a fictional tale to delve into and take them away from their everyday life. The subject matter, whilst listed as young adult, is more appropriate for school leavers or college students due to the unrealistic lack of parental intervention. On the other hand, if you are already a fan of David Levithan and know what to expect in his novels, You Know Me Well should live up to your anticipations.
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Cecelia Ahern is the well-known Irish author of contemporary women’s fiction, particularly <i>P.S. I Love You.</i> However, Ahern has decided to branch out and has penned her first dystopian, young adult novel, <i>Flawed</i>. It is dubious when an author, who is loved for her work, changes their style, but it appears she has pulled it off.
Seventeen-year-old Celestine is a logical girl who is soon to learn she lives in an illogical world. In an attempt to create a perfect society, citizens must avoid making moral or ethical mistakes; otherwise they will be branded as Flawed. And branded means literal branding with a hot iron, there is no hiding the fact that they have flaws. Celestine, like everyone else, has been brainwashed into believing that Flawed people should be avoided and do not deserve the same privileges as the “perfect” people. However, after seeing an elderly Flawed man choking on a bus, her logical brain kicks in and goes to help him. Big mistake.
After finding herself accused of being Flawed, Celestine reaslises how corrupt society is, yet there is nothing she can do about it without enduring further punishment. Despite her bleak outlook on her future, her hopes begin to rise when she discovers that there are people on her side – people that want rid of the government that disciplines people when they should not be punished in the first place.
As a reader of Ahern’s previous works and a fan of dystopian fiction, I honestly did not expect <i>Flawed</i> to be any good. Ahern has proved she has the talent to write women’s fiction, but this book was a complete contrast. The first few chapters of the novel were admittedly a bit shaky. It did not look promising. Yet eventually Ahern found her flow and produced a pretty good young adult novel.
When I saw the title, <i>Flawed</i>, I immediately assumed it would be a book about physical appearance and was hesitant about reading it. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case at all. The concept is fresh and original and does not become apocalyptical like many other dystopian fictions.
How the majority will receive this book is difficult to say. Fans of Cecelia Ahern may be disappointed by her change in genre. Fans of dystopia may be put off by the author’s previous novels. I urge readers to approach this story with an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. <i>Flawed</i> will not look out of place amongst other books of similar themes, and for those who do enjoy it, there will be a sequel, <i>Perfect</i>, next year.
Cecelia Ahern is the well-known Irish author of contemporary women’s fiction, particularly <i>P.S. I Love You.</i> However, Ahern has decided to branch out and has penned her first dystopian, young adult novel, <i>Flawed</i>. It is dubious when an author, who is loved for her work, changes their style, but it appears she has pulled it off.
Seventeen-year-old Celestine is a logical girl who is soon to learn she lives in an illogical world. In an attempt to create a perfect society, citizens must avoid making moral or ethical mistakes; otherwise they will be branded as Flawed. And branded means literal branding with a hot iron, there is no hiding the fact that they have flaws. Celestine, like everyone else, has been brainwashed into believing that Flawed people should be avoided and do not deserve the same privileges as the “perfect” people. However, after seeing an elderly Flawed man choking on a bus, her logical brain kicks in and goes to help him. Big mistake.
After finding herself accused of being Flawed, Celestine reaslises how corrupt society is, yet there is nothing she can do about it without enduring further punishment. Despite her bleak outlook on her future, her hopes begin to rise when she discovers that there are people on her side – people that want rid of the government that disciplines people when they should not be punished in the first place.
As a reader of Ahern’s previous works and a fan of dystopian fiction, I honestly did not expect <i>Flawed</i> to be any good. Ahern has proved she has the talent to write women’s fiction, but this book was a complete contrast. The first few chapters of the novel were admittedly a bit shaky. It did not look promising. Yet eventually Ahern found her flow and produced a pretty good young adult novel.
When I saw the title, <i>Flawed</i>, I immediately assumed it would be a book about physical appearance and was hesitant about reading it. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case at all. The concept is fresh and original and does not become apocalyptical like many other dystopian fictions.
How the majority will receive this book is difficult to say. Fans of Cecelia Ahern may be disappointed by her change in genre. Fans of dystopia may be put off by the author’s previous novels. I urge readers to approach this story with an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. <i>Flawed</i> will not look out of place amongst other books of similar themes, and for those who do enjoy it, there will be a sequel, <i>Perfect</i>, next year.
Louise (64 KP) rated Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I first heard about this book from Elena reads books and was instantly intrigued!This book sounded fun, I haven’t read much about zombies and also just wanted to read more comics/graphic novels. It was totally fascinating from the start and definitely different.
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated The Other Woman in Books
Aug 21, 2018
A thrillingly fast-paced read from Sandie Jones, The Other Woman finds her novel's hardworking, unlucky-in-love British heroine Emily unwittingly (and very quickly) caught up in an escalating game of psychological chicken with her boyfriend's mother Pammie that unfortunately, her boyfriend and the rest of the world is unable to see.
Sure to be a popular late summer beach read, while it suffers from a few gaps in logic and common sense as our lead character never thinks to use technology to snap a photo, record a threat as evidence, or merely research one of two sketchy backstories involving both her boyfriend as well as Pammie, as a journalist, Jones knows how to assemble a compelling story.
Although it raises a valid concern regarding how much we change and/ore are willing to take when we're in a committed relationship, because more than a few people in Pammie's orbit suffer from serious likability issues, I kept wanting to yell at the fictional Emily as though she were on the other end of the phone, “honey, just leave already!”
Nonetheless still able to reel me back in and (mostly) suspend my disbelief, as I grew closer to the final Emily vs. Pammie standoff, I found myself walking around with the book in hand, waiting to see what Jones had in store for the finale.
Needing to reveal, explain, and wrap-up everything in a very rushed showdown that perhaps involves way too much spoken exposition, while that device has been used so often in books and film that it's easy to overlook, one of Woman's biggest hurdles isn't in the book at all but on the cover.
A vital reminder for publishers to be careful as to which blurbs you include on the book itself, because my Advanced Reader Copy arrived complete with a quotation advertising “a twist you will not see coming,” readers (like yours truly) are sure to find their brains working overtime to the point that I was able to correctly deduce where Jones might be going roughly halfway through.
Of course it's still an incredibly fun read and I didn't have all of the nuts and bolts of said twist squared away to the point that it ruined everything. All the same and regardless of the fact that all of these genre titles have twists, I would've loved it even more if I'd never been tipped off that there was something that far out of left field for which to look.
Even so an impressive debut that I thank Minotaur Books for sending me, The Other Woman might make you uneasy to meet your new love's parents but it'll definitely excite you to imagine what new novels and twists Jones might have up her sleeve.
Sure to be a popular late summer beach read, while it suffers from a few gaps in logic and common sense as our lead character never thinks to use technology to snap a photo, record a threat as evidence, or merely research one of two sketchy backstories involving both her boyfriend as well as Pammie, as a journalist, Jones knows how to assemble a compelling story.
Although it raises a valid concern regarding how much we change and/ore are willing to take when we're in a committed relationship, because more than a few people in Pammie's orbit suffer from serious likability issues, I kept wanting to yell at the fictional Emily as though she were on the other end of the phone, “honey, just leave already!”
Nonetheless still able to reel me back in and (mostly) suspend my disbelief, as I grew closer to the final Emily vs. Pammie standoff, I found myself walking around with the book in hand, waiting to see what Jones had in store for the finale.
Needing to reveal, explain, and wrap-up everything in a very rushed showdown that perhaps involves way too much spoken exposition, while that device has been used so often in books and film that it's easy to overlook, one of Woman's biggest hurdles isn't in the book at all but on the cover.
A vital reminder for publishers to be careful as to which blurbs you include on the book itself, because my Advanced Reader Copy arrived complete with a quotation advertising “a twist you will not see coming,” readers (like yours truly) are sure to find their brains working overtime to the point that I was able to correctly deduce where Jones might be going roughly halfway through.
Of course it's still an incredibly fun read and I didn't have all of the nuts and bolts of said twist squared away to the point that it ruined everything. All the same and regardless of the fact that all of these genre titles have twists, I would've loved it even more if I'd never been tipped off that there was something that far out of left field for which to look.
Even so an impressive debut that I thank Minotaur Books for sending me, The Other Woman might make you uneasy to meet your new love's parents but it'll definitely excite you to imagine what new novels and twists Jones might have up her sleeve.
ClareR (5716 KP) rated The Seventh Cross in Books
Aug 22, 2018
This remains a lesson for us all
I was keen to read this translation, as I had originally read it during my German degree, in German. In fact, this book was a central part of my dissertation and was one of three Anna Seghers novels. They were all set in the National Socialist period of 1933-1945 (or thereabouts). I remember the German version being a very dense, challenging book - but that’s not necessarily a bad thing for me! I like a book that makes me think, and there’s plenty of food for thought here.
This story is jam packed with characters from all sides of the German story: National Socialists, Communists, the SS and the ordinary working German,
Georg Heisler (I’m using the German derivative of his name; I have no idea why his name was anglicised to ‘George’ whilst other characters kept their German names) escapes from a fictitious concentration camp (Westhofen) along with six other men. This is pre World War II, this is what the National Socialists did to their own countrymen and any dissent.
The story follows the recapture of the other six, Georg’s escape and all those who help him. Persecution on this scale is still happening today, and whether or not it is happening, we should still read about it and remember, in order to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
I’ve touched on the language and style. It’s not easy. It wasn’t easy to read and understand in German, and it can be hard going in English. It seems quite detached from emotion, and I think this is a deliberate device. If we look at the historical context, people clearly disengaged froma large part of what was happening around them. One of the SS soldiers refers to “Sarah’s”; the men in the concentration camp are there being starved and tortured due to their political ideology, and people live within hearing distance, hear the shouting, crying and the pain of the prisoners and do nothing: an embarrassed shrug, a closing of their ears.
This is the part that we should never forget: inaction, and the necessity to stop these things in their tracks at the beginning, rather than before it’s too late.
Georg has his helpers, those who risk their lives to save his (just as Seghers and her husband, both communist Jews had their helpers). The startling thing to me about this novel, is the normalcy: the countryside stays the same, the relationships, work. All seemed normal in the face of such evil. This is a novel to remember and learn from. It has as many lessons for us today as it did seventy years ago,
This story is jam packed with characters from all sides of the German story: National Socialists, Communists, the SS and the ordinary working German,
Georg Heisler (I’m using the German derivative of his name; I have no idea why his name was anglicised to ‘George’ whilst other characters kept their German names) escapes from a fictitious concentration camp (Westhofen) along with six other men. This is pre World War II, this is what the National Socialists did to their own countrymen and any dissent.
The story follows the recapture of the other six, Georg’s escape and all those who help him. Persecution on this scale is still happening today, and whether or not it is happening, we should still read about it and remember, in order to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
I’ve touched on the language and style. It’s not easy. It wasn’t easy to read and understand in German, and it can be hard going in English. It seems quite detached from emotion, and I think this is a deliberate device. If we look at the historical context, people clearly disengaged froma large part of what was happening around them. One of the SS soldiers refers to “Sarah’s”; the men in the concentration camp are there being starved and tortured due to their political ideology, and people live within hearing distance, hear the shouting, crying and the pain of the prisoners and do nothing: an embarrassed shrug, a closing of their ears.
This is the part that we should never forget: inaction, and the necessity to stop these things in their tracks at the beginning, rather than before it’s too late.
Georg has his helpers, those who risk their lives to save his (just as Seghers and her husband, both communist Jews had their helpers). The startling thing to me about this novel, is the normalcy: the countryside stays the same, the relationships, work. All seemed normal in the face of such evil. This is a novel to remember and learn from. It has as many lessons for us today as it did seventy years ago,
Kelly (279 KP) rated The Passage in Books
Dec 4, 2018
In depth, well thought out characters (2 more)
Intelligent plot
A nobody is safe story line!
A ‘could not put it down’ read.
The passage is the first of three books which span centuries, covering before, during and after a vampire apocalypse.
I have to say, I was hooked on this novel from the start. Originally picking it up, without even reading the synopsis or reviews, I was surprised to find out that this is actually a novel about vampires (which I did not expect from the title). The build up to the vampire apocalypse is well thought out, flawless planned and written, demonstrating expert skill by Justin Cronin.
The characters are complex, and demonstrate both strengths and flaws, nobody is perfect in this novel not even Amy or Peter, who are the main characters the story centres around. We grow to love these characters, just as much as we grow to strongly dislike characters such as Babcock and Grey. I believe that the emotional connection that I was able to apply to these characters, is what drew me further into the novel. Equally all characters face hardships during the novel, some worse than others, but I found myself wishing that those characters I deemed to be good, would face better times, and those who I felt were bad individuals would soon face their comeuppance. Good or bad however, Cronins’ concentration on the back grounds of the characters does allow us to emphasise and understand why the primary characters within the novel act the way they did, even if this was in conflict with our own values and morals.
As the story unravels, Cronin does jump between different time periods (pre, during and post apocalypse). Although Cronin does give each period a fair amount of time within the book, I did find it difficult to leave the characters from one period behind, in order to move onto another, partially due to the attachment that I had created with the characters. Although the time jumps were carried out at deliberate timings and are not too frequent, I did find them a little distracting.
The story itself makes sense as a stand alone novel, but makes even more sense when read with the rest of the series. When read with the other two novels, The Passage is merely a scene setting novel, for the books that are to come, and as such, has a lot less of a biblical undertone than the series as an entirety (there are a lot of references to the Old Testament in the books that follow). Despite this, the book is a highly enjoyable read, and is not your usual vampire/ apocalyptic novel.
I have to say, I was hooked on this novel from the start. Originally picking it up, without even reading the synopsis or reviews, I was surprised to find out that this is actually a novel about vampires (which I did not expect from the title). The build up to the vampire apocalypse is well thought out, flawless planned and written, demonstrating expert skill by Justin Cronin.
The characters are complex, and demonstrate both strengths and flaws, nobody is perfect in this novel not even Amy or Peter, who are the main characters the story centres around. We grow to love these characters, just as much as we grow to strongly dislike characters such as Babcock and Grey. I believe that the emotional connection that I was able to apply to these characters, is what drew me further into the novel. Equally all characters face hardships during the novel, some worse than others, but I found myself wishing that those characters I deemed to be good, would face better times, and those who I felt were bad individuals would soon face their comeuppance. Good or bad however, Cronins’ concentration on the back grounds of the characters does allow us to emphasise and understand why the primary characters within the novel act the way they did, even if this was in conflict with our own values and morals.
As the story unravels, Cronin does jump between different time periods (pre, during and post apocalypse). Although Cronin does give each period a fair amount of time within the book, I did find it difficult to leave the characters from one period behind, in order to move onto another, partially due to the attachment that I had created with the characters. Although the time jumps were carried out at deliberate timings and are not too frequent, I did find them a little distracting.
The story itself makes sense as a stand alone novel, but makes even more sense when read with the rest of the series. When read with the other two novels, The Passage is merely a scene setting novel, for the books that are to come, and as such, has a lot less of a biblical undertone than the series as an entirety (there are a lot of references to the Old Testament in the books that follow). Despite this, the book is a highly enjoyable read, and is not your usual vampire/ apocalyptic novel.
Sophie Wink (11 KP) rated Fangirl in Books
Jun 20, 2019
"Fangirl is a deliciously warm-hearted nerd power ballad destined for greatness" - New York Journal of Books
I really couldn't agree more! I just loved the book inside and out, it is beautifully written.
The storyline as a whole is great and conveyed wonderfully. I really like how it is relatable for many teenagers, like myself, who may be going to University, leaving home and having to make new friends. It is very well done indeed. I love the overarching theme of family and loyalty, I think it really molds the story and the characters too, for me personally family and friends are incredibly important and it is nice to see a true projection of that within a novel as it allows me to connect with the characters and really feel for them.
I love all of the characters! Cath has such a beautiful soul, I can't help but admire her loyalty and innocence. I really love how she stays true to herself throughout the book, she doesn't try to be something she is not adding to her likability. Sometimes within novels the slow development of a character, for me, can be quite boring and uninteresting but with Cath I think it fits perfectly as it would be out of her nature to develop so quickly, she takes things slowly and at her own pace which I really love. I think the fact that Wren tries to be cooler and popular works really well especially when she realises that she is just as much of a nerd as her sister. The twins' ongoing battle with their mother is really beautifully done, and in ways quite unexpected as you would think that Cath would be the accepting one and Wren the more stubborn but it is the opposite, I think it works perfectly and doesn't detract from either character. I really connected with the characters and truly felt for them whether it be sympathy, anger or joy. I enjoyed the slow, blossoming love between Cath and Levi, it made me smile and feel warm inside. It is really sweet and written in such a subtle way with a slower development fitting to both Cath and Levi's character.
I like the quirkiness of this novel, I don't think I've ever read a book that has its own little book inside it. It is incredibly unique and worked fantastically well, I loved it. I think being able to see and read what the twins, mainly Cath, poured their heart and soul into really helped with the connection I felt as a reader towards these characters as I could see the passion and the effort. It's a fascinatingly imaginative concept of which I completely adore.
Overall, this novel is amazing, imaginative and incredibly charming.
I really couldn't agree more! I just loved the book inside and out, it is beautifully written.
The storyline as a whole is great and conveyed wonderfully. I really like how it is relatable for many teenagers, like myself, who may be going to University, leaving home and having to make new friends. It is very well done indeed. I love the overarching theme of family and loyalty, I think it really molds the story and the characters too, for me personally family and friends are incredibly important and it is nice to see a true projection of that within a novel as it allows me to connect with the characters and really feel for them.
I love all of the characters! Cath has such a beautiful soul, I can't help but admire her loyalty and innocence. I really love how she stays true to herself throughout the book, she doesn't try to be something she is not adding to her likability. Sometimes within novels the slow development of a character, for me, can be quite boring and uninteresting but with Cath I think it fits perfectly as it would be out of her nature to develop so quickly, she takes things slowly and at her own pace which I really love. I think the fact that Wren tries to be cooler and popular works really well especially when she realises that she is just as much of a nerd as her sister. The twins' ongoing battle with their mother is really beautifully done, and in ways quite unexpected as you would think that Cath would be the accepting one and Wren the more stubborn but it is the opposite, I think it works perfectly and doesn't detract from either character. I really connected with the characters and truly felt for them whether it be sympathy, anger or joy. I enjoyed the slow, blossoming love between Cath and Levi, it made me smile and feel warm inside. It is really sweet and written in such a subtle way with a slower development fitting to both Cath and Levi's character.
I like the quirkiness of this novel, I don't think I've ever read a book that has its own little book inside it. It is incredibly unique and worked fantastically well, I loved it. I think being able to see and read what the twins, mainly Cath, poured their heart and soul into really helped with the connection I felt as a reader towards these characters as I could see the passion and the effort. It's a fascinatingly imaginative concept of which I completely adore.
Overall, this novel is amazing, imaginative and incredibly charming.