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Charlotte (184 KP) rated Close Your Eyes: A Fairy Tale in Books

Jun 22, 2023

Beautiful and haunting

A well written story set in the 1400's, recounted by Samuel, the court jester. Samuel is likeable, fun and it's heartwarming to see him learn a new skill that helps him to follow a dream.

Being a jester has its advantages, not only did it gain him favour with the King, leading to working in the castle but it earned him the trust and confidence of many. With this trust he's able to weave a rich tapestry of stories together, tales of love and hope, hardships and tragedy.

A truly beautiful, heartwarming and haunting read that gives you food for thought.

I would definitely recommend this for the romantic reader, the reader that enjoys a historical background and anyone that is in a book group - it's an absolute must!

Kudos

Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Out of the Silence in Books

Nov 21, 2019

Out of the Silence

Owen Mullen | 2019 | Contemporary, Crime, Fiction & Poetry

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

This book tackles a difficult subject without compromise but still manages to be a gripping and powerful read. In rural Pakistan a woman is found badly injured after a horrific attack. Sure she is about to die she tells the nurse tending her the story of her life.

She is called Afra and was courted by a boy called Jameel in her village. But her family only see profit in Afra and sell her to a rich businessman from a distant city to be his wife. Jameel leaves the village in shame. Their lives take very different paths from there.

Ralph Buchanan used to be the toast of the journalistic world, exposing corruption and scandal, his work earning him awards and fame. However too many corners cut and too many regrets have left him washed up in Lahore, a has-been drinking his life away. He is told the story of Afra and realises he could make a difference, but before that he needs to drag himself up from rock bottom.

The first part of the book, telling the story of Afra and Jameel is relatively slow paced. It is also a pretty grim read as Mullen describes the reality of life for many women who are still treated as property in Pakistan. There is much that is hard to read, but sometimes the truth can be very ugly. This is nothing like anything Mullen has written before. But he is a writer of considerable talent and weaves the tale expertly. Naturally there is a murder mystery woven into the story, so it is not a complete departure from his normal subject matter.

Once Buchanen enters, the pace picks up and something of the style of his other books returns, with Ralph being very much in the mould of a 'noir journalist'. The story from this point forward is not only his ongoing investigation into Afra's story and the murderer, but also his own personal journey. Mullen has a fabulously light touch with both characters and language that mean the reader is drawn into the events, even more so for having read the shocking story that kicks this book into life.

Owen Mullen has tried something different here, and has sought to expose a deep injustice in the world. He has succeeded on both counts. An author that deserves a wider audience

Kudos (1)

James Koppert (2698 KP) rated The Porpoise in Books

Oct 30, 2019

The Porpoise

Mark Haddon | 2019 | Crime, History & Politics, Mystery, Thriller

6.3

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

Could have been so special

The Porpoise is a difficult book to review. It is indeed an accomplished piece of work, well written, engaging and very clever. It's just a little schizophrenic. The Porpoise is the name of a boat. Well not a boat, various boats throughout time. The book begins set in modern times with a plane crash leaving a very rich man with a daughter and no mother where an unhealthy relationship begins. This is a great engrossing story, brave and strong and you become completely invested in the story and characters and just as one of them boards a boat called the porpoise it becomes a retelling of the ancient story of Pericles, a story Shakespeare also retold, and its Shakespeare's retelling that in combined in future and past. Confused? You may be. And again, his retelling of Pericles set in ancient times is expertly done, bold, extravagant and inspired. It is just that, what happened to the girl from the plane crash, and now where has Pericles daughter got to...and...and...?
I have read all three of Haddon's novels, and he is a great storyteller and this novel just feels like an opportunity missed. It's not that it's badly done, and I am sure the critics adored it but in terms of being absorbed and invested in characters that just disappear as we disappear back in time and never really giving you the meat to any of their adventures to digest, it is a little like having a gourmet meal but not filling your tummy up enough to leave your stomach satisfied.