Search
Search results
ClareR (5779 KP) rated The End of the Ocean in Books
Nov 6, 2019
The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde is Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) at its best and most stark. At its best, because everything that happens feels as though they are the reasonable consequences of what we are predicted now; most stark, because this is truly a terrible version of the future.
In the present day(2019), 69 year old environmental activist Signe discovers that her home town, and in particular her ex-boyfriend, is responsible for cutting up and shipping off ice from their glacier to sell to the rich, so that they can have glacial ice in their expensive cocktails. She decides to sabotage the shipment, and steals some of it - or what she can carry in her boat. She sails her ship through a terrible storm with the intention of taking it to the person responsible.
In 2041, David and his daughter Lou, arrive at a refugee camp after escaping from war and fire in their French home. There is little water and food, but David is hopeful that his wife and infant son (who they’ve been separated from) will be there or arrive soon.
The two stories are linked when David and Lou find Signe’s boat in the garden of one of the abandoned houses.
This is such a powerful book. It takes current scientific research and arrives at the extreme end of its prediction: drought, famine and war. I had to read it in short chunks, because I found the story so moving and intensely depressing, to be honest. It doesn’t feel exaggerated: I didn’t read it thinking “Well that would NEVER happen”. It’s all too plausible, in fact. I really liked how the two stories ran parallel to one another and joined up in the latter half of the book, with the boat as some sort of symbol of hope.
It’s not all depressing though. There is an element of hope, and we see the enduring strength of the human spirit. I have The History of Bees on my bookshelf, which I will read now - and I’ll definitely look out for the third in this quartet of books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book.
In the present day(2019), 69 year old environmental activist Signe discovers that her home town, and in particular her ex-boyfriend, is responsible for cutting up and shipping off ice from their glacier to sell to the rich, so that they can have glacial ice in their expensive cocktails. She decides to sabotage the shipment, and steals some of it - or what she can carry in her boat. She sails her ship through a terrible storm with the intention of taking it to the person responsible.
In 2041, David and his daughter Lou, arrive at a refugee camp after escaping from war and fire in their French home. There is little water and food, but David is hopeful that his wife and infant son (who they’ve been separated from) will be there or arrive soon.
The two stories are linked when David and Lou find Signe’s boat in the garden of one of the abandoned houses.
This is such a powerful book. It takes current scientific research and arrives at the extreme end of its prediction: drought, famine and war. I had to read it in short chunks, because I found the story so moving and intensely depressing, to be honest. It doesn’t feel exaggerated: I didn’t read it thinking “Well that would NEVER happen”. It’s all too plausible, in fact. I really liked how the two stories ran parallel to one another and joined up in the latter half of the book, with the boat as some sort of symbol of hope.
It’s not all depressing though. There is an element of hope, and we see the enduring strength of the human spirit. I have The History of Bees on my bookshelf, which I will read now - and I’ll definitely look out for the third in this quartet of books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Tiger Warrior (Jack Howard #4) in Books
Nov 26, 2019
The Tiger Warrior follows archaeologist and adventurer Jack Howard as he follows a tantalising clue that perhaps some escaped Roman legionaries had found themselves pitched against the bodyguard of the First Emperor of China and one had taken refuge in the jungles of India.
This might sound far-fetched but Gibbins knows his archaeology and comes up with a plausible (if tenuous) story to make this work. The story is then taken up at the end of the 19th century in India when Howard's great great grandfather is part of the British Royal Engineers Corps trying to push roads - and hence British rule - into the jungle. He stumbles across an old temple that contains a secret.
The story roves around the the world showing us some incredible - but real - historic sites across Asia. Genuine books and records are quoted to back up the (modern day) Howard's quest to find out what happened - to both the Romans and his antecedant. Everything has very solid historical underpinnings with the more fantastic elements of the story cleverly weaved between them.
I did enjoy the book but it wasn't an unqualified success. There isn't really much menace, threat or drama in what happens to Jack Howard and his associates as they follow the past (told in a series of flashback chapters), uncovering clues one step at a time. Yes there are 'bad guys' but they seem quite ineffectual and the 'big boss' is in fact never seen at all but only mentioned in passing towards the end of the book. Judging by the notes from the author this is a very personal book - the character and story of Jack's ancestor in India is very much based on his own forebear - and this limits the scope for making the pieces fit into a pleasing whole.
That isn't to say I didn't enjoy reading it - as a subtle way of introducing surprising archaeological facts it works well (I didn't know that Ancient Rome traded with India but apparently so) and some of the set pieces are gripping to read. I will certainly be finding another Jack Howard book to read, but I suspect this was too personal a project for my first taste, which is s shame.
This might sound far-fetched but Gibbins knows his archaeology and comes up with a plausible (if tenuous) story to make this work. The story is then taken up at the end of the 19th century in India when Howard's great great grandfather is part of the British Royal Engineers Corps trying to push roads - and hence British rule - into the jungle. He stumbles across an old temple that contains a secret.
The story roves around the the world showing us some incredible - but real - historic sites across Asia. Genuine books and records are quoted to back up the (modern day) Howard's quest to find out what happened - to both the Romans and his antecedant. Everything has very solid historical underpinnings with the more fantastic elements of the story cleverly weaved between them.
I did enjoy the book but it wasn't an unqualified success. There isn't really much menace, threat or drama in what happens to Jack Howard and his associates as they follow the past (told in a series of flashback chapters), uncovering clues one step at a time. Yes there are 'bad guys' but they seem quite ineffectual and the 'big boss' is in fact never seen at all but only mentioned in passing towards the end of the book. Judging by the notes from the author this is a very personal book - the character and story of Jack's ancestor in India is very much based on his own forebear - and this limits the scope for making the pieces fit into a pleasing whole.
That isn't to say I didn't enjoy reading it - as a subtle way of introducing surprising archaeological facts it works well (I didn't know that Ancient Rome traded with India but apparently so) and some of the set pieces are gripping to read. I will certainly be finding another Jack Howard book to read, but I suspect this was too personal a project for my first taste, which is s shame.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Steelheart in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I didn't really feel like writing a full review for <i>Steelheart</i>, so here's a list for you to take a gander at (and it sums up what I think... mostly).
<h2><strong>Six Things You Should Know About <i>Steelheart</i></strong></h2>
1. In the overall view, this is a revenge book laced with superheroness. Eight-year-old David witnessed his father being killed by an Epic, a human with superpowers. Ten years later, he vows to join the Reckoners, a group of people who hunt and kill Epics for a living and convince them to help him kill Steelheart.
2. From the two superhero books I've read, superheroes have really sad nicknames. Steelheart, Nightwielder, Firefight – it might sound really cool, but... ew. (You'll find a review for that other one sometime in the near future.) O_O
3. Sanderson writes this in a way that I actually liked and I'm not annoyed David is out wanting Steelheart's head on a platter in revenge. Not... really.
4. David is as socially awkward as <a title="The Sorcerer's Apprentice" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/movie-review-the-sorcerers-apprentice/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">that one dude who probably has the same name in that one movie</a>. Lucy London still takes the trophy as the <a title="Imperfect Chemistry by Mary Frame" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">best socially awkward character</a> (plus, who can beat her? She's absolutely adorable!).
5. David sucks at metaphors. I don't know if that's just Sanderson or the character, but David just tries <i>too hard</i> with the metaphors. Have I mentioned it makes him seem socially awkward?
6. Have I mentioned those metaphors are so bad, it's bleeping hilarious? The explanations David comes up with makes it even worse, thus more hilarious.
I really think I'm only interested in the second book because I want to see what David and the Reckoners are going to be up to.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-steelheart-by-brandon-sanderson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<h2><strong>Six Things You Should Know About <i>Steelheart</i></strong></h2>
1. In the overall view, this is a revenge book laced with superheroness. Eight-year-old David witnessed his father being killed by an Epic, a human with superpowers. Ten years later, he vows to join the Reckoners, a group of people who hunt and kill Epics for a living and convince them to help him kill Steelheart.
2. From the two superhero books I've read, superheroes have really sad nicknames. Steelheart, Nightwielder, Firefight – it might sound really cool, but... ew. (You'll find a review for that other one sometime in the near future.) O_O
3. Sanderson writes this in a way that I actually liked and I'm not annoyed David is out wanting Steelheart's head on a platter in revenge. Not... really.
4. David is as socially awkward as <a title="The Sorcerer's Apprentice" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/movie-review-the-sorcerers-apprentice/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">that one dude who probably has the same name in that one movie</a>. Lucy London still takes the trophy as the <a title="Imperfect Chemistry by Mary Frame" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">best socially awkward character</a> (plus, who can beat her? She's absolutely adorable!).
5. David sucks at metaphors. I don't know if that's just Sanderson or the character, but David just tries <i>too hard</i> with the metaphors. Have I mentioned it makes him seem socially awkward?
6. Have I mentioned those metaphors are so bad, it's bleeping hilarious? The explanations David comes up with makes it even worse, thus more hilarious.
I really think I'm only interested in the second book because I want to see what David and the Reckoners are going to be up to.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-steelheart-by-brandon-sanderson/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Big Lies in a Small Town in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Morgan Christopher is shocked when she's plucked from prison and told she will be released early, as long as she perform a certain task: restore an old mural from the 1940s. Morgan, an art school dropout, has no restoration skills, but she is desperate to leave prison, where she is imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. Once released, she finds herself captivated by the mural and what she finds underneath the layers of grime. Meanwhile, in 1940, young Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey wins a contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. She travels there to learn more about the town that she needs to capture. But once there, Anna is confronted both by kindness and deep-set prejudice.
I've never read a book by Diane Chamberlain before, and I really enjoyed this one. It's oddly captivating for centering on a painting from the 1940s. The point-of-view switches between Morgan and Anna and each are compelling narrators in their own right. This was one of those books where I found myself desperately wishing I could read faster, as I wanted to find out what happened to Anna (we're told early on she "went crazy").
I applaud Chamberlain for her original plot. It's odd, but not in a bad way, as it had me interested the entire time. She does a wonderful job of creating two completely different worlds: Anna's in the 40s and Morgan's in near present-day. She deftly weaves in art aspects; Morgan's drunk driving conviction and her past in prison; Anna's possible mental illness; and Morgan's benefactor, so to speak, Lisa, who springs her out of prison to fulfill the wishes of her late father, Jesse, a famous artist.
While this novel is mainly fiction, there are some great twists and turns, especially as we learn what happened to Anna. Chamberlain delves into race relations, as Anna confronts the prejudices of the south in the 1940s. Her writing style is easy, making you want to keep reading, and overall, I quite enjoyed this one. 4 stars.
I've never read a book by Diane Chamberlain before, and I really enjoyed this one. It's oddly captivating for centering on a painting from the 1940s. The point-of-view switches between Morgan and Anna and each are compelling narrators in their own right. This was one of those books where I found myself desperately wishing I could read faster, as I wanted to find out what happened to Anna (we're told early on she "went crazy").
I applaud Chamberlain for her original plot. It's odd, but not in a bad way, as it had me interested the entire time. She does a wonderful job of creating two completely different worlds: Anna's in the 40s and Morgan's in near present-day. She deftly weaves in art aspects; Morgan's drunk driving conviction and her past in prison; Anna's possible mental illness; and Morgan's benefactor, so to speak, Lisa, who springs her out of prison to fulfill the wishes of her late father, Jesse, a famous artist.
While this novel is mainly fiction, there are some great twists and turns, especially as we learn what happened to Anna. Chamberlain delves into race relations, as Anna confronts the prejudices of the south in the 1940s. Her writing style is easy, making you want to keep reading, and overall, I quite enjoyed this one. 4 stars.
Maths with Springbird (Schools Edition)
Education, Games and Stickers
App
** This version is customised for use in classrooms and schools (no social media integrations, no...
Maths with Springbird HD - Mathematics
Education, Games and Stickers
App
"[My son] isn’t very confident when it comes to maths so often doesn’t try. Until now. I have...
BOOKR Kids Mesetár
Book and Entertainment
App
BOOKR Kids is an easy-to-use e-book application for 2-11 year old kids. It's filled with fun and...
Dr. Death and the Country Dentist: A True Story of Corruption and Injustice in the American South
Radley Balko, Tucker Carrington and John Grisham
Book
This is a tale of two tragedies. At the heart of the first is Dr. Steven Hayne, a doctor the State...
Literacy Work in the Reign of Human Capital
Book
In recent years, a number of books in the field of literacy research have addressed the experiences...
Bowie Unseen: Portraits of an Artist as a Young Man
Book
In 1967, a 20-year-old David Jones decided to change his name to avoid confusion with the lead...