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David McK (3791 KP) rated The Serpent Sword in Books

Jul 7, 2019  
The Serpent Sword
The Serpent Sword
Matthew Harffy | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The first entry in Matthew Harffy's Bernicia Chronicles series, which - I have to say - shares more than a few similarities to Bernard Cornwell's 'Last Kingdom' series in that it is set during Dark Ages Britain, with large parts in and around the fortress of Bebbanburg. Sound at all familiar?

When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.

Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.

Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)
  
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ClareR (6225 KP) rated Our Evenings in Books

Nov 2, 2025  
Our Evenings
Our Evenings
Alan Hollinghurst | 2024 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a beautifully written, thoroughly captivating read. I seem to have collected a number of Hollinghurst novels on my shelves and not read them - because I just knew I would love them. I did love Our Evenings, and now I need to get to it and read the others!

This is a coming of age story, and follows the life of Dave Win, a half Burmese actor. It starts when he wins a scholarship to a top boarding school. His widowed mother, a dressmaker, would never be able to afford to send him. The world is opened up to Dave - or is it?

This is a story of class, privilege, racism and Dave growing up to understand his homosexuality in a time where it was illegal. The contrast of his old school mate/ bully’s life of affluence and privilege as an MP, and his as a struggling actor (because of the lack of parts for mixed race actors) is stark.

It really is an excellent read and I’d recommend it wholeheartedly. I couldn’t, and didn’t want to, put it down.