A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
For the month of December I decided to read a couple of Dickens book as part of an event being hosted by Caroline (Beauty is a Sleeping Cat) and Delia (Postcards from Asia). Actually, rather sensibly for me, I only really undertook to read two books – Great Expectations which I will review in a few days and a Christmas Carol which I will today be answering questions on provided by our lovely hosts. If you haven’t read this book then you may want to stop reading as the Q&A below will undoubtedly contain spoilers.
Before I even start I must say that A Christmas Carol was just as lovely to read as it was on the past 5 or 6 occasions that I’ve already read it! On top of this I also watched A Muppet Christmas Carol this month (just to keep in the spirit of things) – I actually had the film playing whilst I was putting up the decorations. I love that film. I realise it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I just can’t help myself. Plus the songs are great. How odd is it that in spite of watching this film countless times and reading the book quite a few it never occurred to me before now that instead of just Jacob Marley, as in the book, we have a double helping of Marley’s in the film played by the two curmudgeonly old guys who always used to heckle from the theatre balconies. Anyway, onto the questions:
Is this the first time you are reading the story?
Nope, at least 5 or six times. Difficult to remember now!
Did you like it?
I’ve always liked this story. It has a timeless appeal. I probably saw the film before the book. I seem to recall seeing the old black and white version of this film with Alistair Sim followed a couple of years later by a cartoon version. Anyway, the films led me to the books which is unusual for me as usually its the other way around.
Which was your favorite scene?
This is really tough. Making a choice. I do like the scene when Marley first appears – probably because of the dialogue between the two ‘more of gravy than of grave’. I love that line (I also love the scene with Bob and Mrs Cratchit are toasting Scrooge’s health). I think probably on reflection I really enjoy the scene where the last spirit has ended his visitation and Scrooge is back in his bedchamber and comes to realise that it’s still Christmas Day. It’s great that scene and also, although I can’t pretend to remember how I originally felt when I first read the book it’s unexpected. One minute you’re with this scary critter standing next to a tombstone and then you’re back in a bedroom and the sense of relief that comes across for Scrooge is just really infectious in that it sort of makes you smile also.
Which was your least favorite scene?
I don’t really have any problems with any of the scenes but I guess the only time I felt a little more detached was on some of the journeys with the Ghost of Christmas Present. Not that I didn’t enjoy them – thinking about visiting the seamen, etc, I totally understand what Dickens was doing with these scenes but they didn’t have the same enjoyment factor for me and I think that’s because they weren’t related to Scrooge or his story. They were random people who were being visited to show that the spirit of Christmas is everywhere.
Which spirit and his stories did you find the most interesting?
I liked the spirit of Christmas Past probably the most (although the sinister stories with the pawn shop were pretty good!) I really enjoyed seeing Scrooge’s past. His time spent at school, his sister, Fezziwig, breaking the contract with his fiancee – all a great insight into his character and the way he eventually changed.
Was there a character you wish you knew more about?
I wish I knew more about Scrooge’s family – particularly why he was left for such a long period at school. How he managed to keep a decent relationship with his sister despite hardly ever seeing her and probably a bit more about his nephew. I cheated a bit there because a whole family got included in this answer!
How did you like the end?
Well, I suppose the ending is very sweet – probably a bit overly so – but I like it. It’s perfect for the time of year and gives you a good feeling.
Did you think it was believable?
Well, as believable as a ghost story can be. I mean, what is believable is the story itself of somebody turning themselves around and changing their behaviour for the better. It’s just a great story of redemption with a bit of the supernatural thrown in. At the end of the day I love a good ghost story – and three ghosts with a message to relate, at Christmas. It’s the perfect recipe.
Do you know anyone like Scrooge?
Yes! Well, probably not quite as bad as Scrooge. We definitely have somebody at work who could peel an orange in his pocket and who, when he opens his wallet, moths fly out. Kidding aside – I suppose it’s more likely to know a few people with maybe one or more of his traits.
Did he deserve to be saved?
Yes, I absolutely believe he did. Okay, he wasn’t soft and cuddly and he wasn’t short of saying or thinking some pretty mean sentiments but he pretty soon came round. Plus, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him for his past which obviously had a massive influence on him. He clearly went down the route of thinking money would make everything good in his world but obviously became so focused on that that he eventually excluded all the good things and therefore had nobody in his life to enjoy things with any more. It’s sad because by the time Scrooge is redeemed he’s basically in his twilight year and has missed so much but it’s also happy because he’s realised the error of his ways and he is in a position to make a difference for others.
Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig
15 December 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Chuck Wendig, Horror, Mockingbird, Urban Fantasy
Just finished reading Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig which was frankly outstanding and I quite literally couldn’t put it down. Now, I wasn’t really planning on reading this series and I have in fact not read the first book Blackbirds. Basically, I ordered this from the library – not realising I was picking up the second in this series. I did of course realise my mistake when I went to pick it up but I thought I’d just give it a few pages and see how things went. I confess that I’d read a few negative reviews for Blackbirds that made me hesitate to pick it up and starting off with Mockingbird I could relate a little to those comments I’d read but within a few chapters I was under the spell.
Mockingbird brings to us Miriam. Miriam, following a trauma in her early adult life, has been gifted with the strange ability to see how and when a person will die. Unfortunately, she has no control over this strange psychic ability and it therefore occurs whenever she has physical contact with another person, so shaking hands or exchanging items or any other of the many ways in which we have regular contact with others. It’s not a particularly endearing ability this – looking at people in their final throes of death – whether it be through disease, accident or any of the other many ways to die such as murder or suicide. At the start of this book Miriam is trying to live a regular existence with Louis, who she apparently met in book No.1. She has a job at a 9 to 5 and even a home of sorts. But, she’s getting itchy feet – or more to the point itchy hands. She’s been controlling her ability and it’s starting to build a tension inside that’s about to erupt. Everything is about to get turned on it’s head in a very dramatic fashion.
Basically put we have a horror story with a difference and there’s certainly a pretty horrid story involved here with rather grisly murders. I’m not going to deny that this book is harsh. Bad language and then some. Murders galore. It’s not a pretty thing. Miriam has led a hard life so far and this hasn’t given her any airs and graces. She’s a bit foul mouthed, she’d as soon insult people as make friends and yet in this story you can definitely see she’s not as tough as she acts. She does have a hard exterior but it’s starting to crack, just a little. But even with all her cussing and such like she can be pretty funny.
I really liked the story line in this and the eventual reveal. I enjoyed all the little appearances with talking blackbirds and visitations from dead people. I also liked the way the story was interspersed with interludes that were like small snippets from Miriam’s past. It seems that we’ve started to explore this ability of Miriam’s a little and we’ve also had an introduction into other elements.
This isn’t to say that I didn’t have any criticisms. At the beginning I struggled a bit to get on with Miriam and I think I know why that is. She does have a bit of a masculine voice although this improved after the first few chapters. Just sometimes it felt like the way she reacted or spoke was more masculine. Not really articulating that very well so will swiftly move on….
I will definitely read future books in this series – I think it has the potential to be really good and I could hardly put this down. I’m not sure that I’ll go back and read Blackbirds – from some of the reviews it seems that Miriam may have been a bit more subdued in this edition – and I think I might prefer this version of Miriam. Looking forward to the next instalment.
And, on a separate note – these book covers are really something else. Just really take a good look at Mockingbirds – it has so many extra little things that at first glance you don’t notice.
The Hammer and the Blade by Paul Kemp
Just finished reading the Hammer and the Blade by Paul Kemp which I enjoyed very much. A proper, good old fashioned return to Swords and Sorcery with plenty of action, a couple of very likeable rogues and a new world with plenty of monsters and action.
The story begins with our main characters, Egil and Nix, doing what they do best – tomb raiding. It’s an entertaining start and whilst I’m not always a great fan of prologues this particular one is well done. It’s entertaining, it immediately informs us that the world created is something new filled with magic and demons, it gives us a brief introduction to our two protagonists and on top of that it gives us the ‘why’ to the story that follows.
I’m not going to really go into the plot. Suffice to say there are no dull moments, I personally felt the world was well written and the main plot imaginative. But, the absolute, without doubt, highlight of this book is the characters. Nix and Egil come across really well as do the surrounding characters. They’re both far from perfect, they’re rogues after all. Tomb raiders with a difference and a hint of magic (particularly Nix with his gewgaws) but they’re deep down not bad guys. Plus I liked the way that they came to rethink the way they regard women towards the end of the story – in other words they’re open minded, prepared to think differently.
There’s a really entertaining friendship here which comes across very well. Nix is the wise ass, quick talking, sarcastic and Egil is the more measured character, I suppose you could call him the brawn although that’s probably not totally fair on him as he comes across as more than that, he’s a priest, he’s a bit of a beast by all accounts wielding his two hammers and he’s definitely somebody who you would want at your back. I think Kemp has come up with a great friendship here – at the end of the day this is what you really need to make this type of story because you’re going to spend a lot of time with these two. And the other area that I really think he succeeds with is his dialogue. It’s witty, sharp, funny and, more to the point, believable . You can believe somebody having these conversations and responding the way they do. They have a natural flow. I think that you can have a fantastic premise for a story and good characters but the dialogue is also so fundamental to the enjoyment. If it feels wrong you’re not going to continue with it. This succeeds on this level. And, finally, the other thing I thought was really good was that the author just assumes you’ll jump straight in to the novel. There’s no handholding taking place here as we walk through the characters history and backplot. No major info dumps. Just straight in there. You’re smart enough to keep up so there’ll be no mollycuddling. I like this attitude. It assumes you have a certain level of intelligence and you’ll get stuck straight in.
So, on the whole very enjoyable and entertaining. I look forward to the next in the series. I could become quite attached to these two characters (although my favourite is Egil – I just can’t help it!)
I don’t think I really had any criticisms. Okay, I don’t think this breaks any moulds, but, does it have to really? It’s also not dark and brooding, but, again, does it really need to be? I just thought it was a good, fun read and I will definitely continue with the series.
Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine
2 December 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Bitter Blood, Morganville Vampires No.13, Rachel Caine
Just finished reading Bitter Blood, the 13th instalment of the Morganville Vampire series written by Rachel Cain. The series is based in the fictional town of Morganville where vampires and humans live together, usually in a less than amicable fashion.
The last book saw the elimination of the one remaining threat to the vampires – the Draug. And even though the humans had to help massively in order to succeed it seems that the vampires gratitude has been short lived as it finally dawns on them that they really are now at the top of the food chain. They no longer have anything to fear and their vicious and predatory nature is being given much more of a free rein.
It seems like the inhabitants of the Glass House are once again in the middle of the tensions. The vampires are angry with Michael for marrying Eve and the humans in town are angry with Eve for marrying a vampire. It seems like an open season has been declared on the four with Captain Obvious riling up the town to acts of violence whilst simultaneously Amelie has withdrawn her protection.
I liked this instalment – it seemed to return in feel to the earlier books in the series. Although the author is still using the multiple POV style of writing adopted in the latter books. I like this approach and think it gives a more rounded view of events than always just using Claire as the main vehicle for telling the story. But, whilst I enjoyed this I did think it had a fairly slow start and took a good while to really pick up in terms of action. I don’t really mind that particularly however this book did feel as though it dragged a little and it felt like it took longer to read. Not really sure why as I did think the storyline was well thought out. It always amazes me how Rachel Caine manages to come up with a new self contained plot for each successive book. She never fails to come up with something unique and she manages to sustain a certain level of tension. Sometimes I think that maybe she’s going to give Eve, Michael, Shane and Claire a bit of a break but she’s just relentless.
Miranda returns in this book – as a ghost in the Glass House, in a similar fashion to Michael at the start of the book. She’s a strange and sad character really and her untimely demise and resurrection into the spirit world has removed her ability to foresee the future and she really misses the insight that provided her with. The ghosts of Morganville seem to take a much more active stance in this edition and it will be interesting to see if that continues.
Myrnin, as usual, plays an invaluable role. He’s my favourite character of the series and the one who I worry about. I hope RC doesn’t have anything bad in mind for him! (Pretty please!!)
In terms of criticisms I did have a couple. It would be easy to get all preachy about the fact that Amelie is made into a bit of a puppet in this book and to get all naffed off about her losing some of her power to Oliver – but, Oliver was, after all, being controlled himself. So, no, I didn’t really have a problem with that. I think my main criticism came after Michael’s jaw dropping scene at the hospital (and that’s the only way I can write that without giving away spoilers) – and it wasn’t really a criticism about Michael because, again, you could see the reasoning behind it. It was Shane, and Eve’s, reaction to events – which was to be annoyed with Claire. It just really bugged me. I mean, even Claire felt bad about what happened and yet she’d been powerless in the string of events. I suppose there is a little bit of Claire that feels guilty, especially over her mixed feelings for Myrnin, but even so, I was a bit pissed off with Shane and Eve. Also, Miranda even asked Claire if ‘it’ was true or not – well she should know, after all, she spends half the time floating invisibly around the house and indiscriminately eves dropping so she is definitely well placed to see if any of the friends are getting up to anything? No??
Also, I wasn’t overly in love with the whole ghost tv crew side story and couldn’t really see the point of it other than to bring in a new person with psychic abilities.
Other than that I thought this was a good read and it ends on a very interesting proposition. I won’t spoil it but it will be interesting to see where the next books goes and I’m thinking that we’ll have two alternative story lines to look forward to. That being said Rachel Caine usually manages to surprise me so I dare say I’ll be wrong in my thinking of what direction she’s taking us in!
Footsteps in the Fog… (mine)
So last night walking home from work was very creepy. I left work, it was dark, it was cold, cold enough to see the breath freeze in front of your face as you exhale and it was slightly misty. Not pea soup. Just a slight mist. It looked almost romantic.
I got my bus, got off and went to the shop for a couple of things (okay wine!) and by the time I got back out into the night it was properly foggy. The mist had set in for a while.
It was so quiet all the way back to my house that it felt like I was the only person outside. It was as though everybody else had had some sort of warning that I’d missed. They were all shut up cosy in their houses. Curtains drawn. It was like being on the set of a horror movie. No cars. No people. Completely dark and shrouded in fog. The only sound – my footsteps on the pavement. I sort of liked it though. We don’t get a lot of fog (which is perhaps as well as it doesn’t make ideal driving conditions) so when it does arrive it has a strange supernatural feel.
I had a feeling I was going to be the first one home. The house would be stood in complete darkness. No welcoming lights on. It made me think about that first few seconds when you step inside and close the door behind you. It’s dark and your eyes need to adjust to the light, in that moment before you locate the light switch, and everything is quiet , how do you know somebody’s not waiting there in the dark! That’s a spooky thought – made me almost want to stay out in the comfort of the fog.
Flights of fancy aside however, of course I wasn’t the first home. All the lights were blazing out, because the people in my family have no idea about energy conservation! and the dogs were sat at the door drumming their claws on the floor and waiting for their walk.
Fog or not, everything as normal as can be.
