All is Fair (The Split Worlds, #3) by Emma Newman
All is Fair is the third book, in the Split Worlds series by Emma Newman, that I’ve been reading as part of a readalong. This is an unusual world where fae exist – in exile and the mundane world in which we live is separated from the fae by the Nether world. I’m not going to elaborate too much on the previous books because, and maybe wrongly so, I’m going to assume if you’re reading this review you’ve already read the first two and, if you haven’t you really need to do so and you also need to beware of spoilers).
So, at the end of the last book Will has finally achieved the throne of Londinium in a rather ignominious way, Cathy is recovering following the attack upon her person, Max and his sidekick the Gargoyle are still investigating the deaths at their Chapter and Sam is becoming more embroiled in this alternative world than he ever suspected with the Elemental Court now playing a key role in his life.
How can I describe the Split World series. It’s a series set in the modern world – with a period regency style world jostling alongside it seperating the mundanes from the fae and the elementals. A world where nothing is ever quite what it seems and behind the morning dresses and polite afternoon teas is unrest. This series is a slow burner, there’s no mad action here, things happen at their own pace and yet underneath, simmering under the surface are a number of storylines that are gradually heating up.
And, I have to hand it to Miss Newman, she writes these characters in a way that just makes you fume! Literally! Well, personally, I think she’s writing the characters in that way. For example Will. He’s a noble from the Nether world, he’s privileged and used to having what he wants but he’s also quite indoctrinated into this world and so, although he seems like he might change it seems that every other thing that he does right he does another three things that will just infuriate the socks off you. Yes, this is a very sexist world, the women in the nether are repressed and those that speak out or either silenced using charms or transported elsewhere. The Agency help with this. The Agency are a strange and corrupt organisation. They keep things running smoothly in this world but they’re far from above world.
Now on top of this we have the fae who are quite a bunch of schemers. A surreal bunch of characters, scheming and wicked. We also have the sorcerers – sorry I forgot to mention them earlier – of course there is a massive scheme afoot, one that I can’t mention. What I can say is that the newest edition to the sorcerer’s world is very interesting – Rupert.
It’s difficult to say too much here. There is a grand sweeping plot and so it would be very easy to spoil the story. What I can say is that by the end of the story the foundations have been laid for change and things look as though they’re about to get very interesting (by which I mean go to hell in a handcart).
I’m very much looking forward to No.4.
I received a copy of All is Fair from the publisher through Netgalley. The above is my own opinion.
Let Me Tell You About a Man I Knew by Susan Fletcher
30 July 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Let Me Tell You About a Man I Knew, Susan Fletcher
My primary reading these days falls into the SFF bracket without doubt, however, there are certain authors that I really enjoy that step outside that field that I always want to read and Susan Fletcher is one of those authors. I first fell in love with her writing after reading Witch Light (which I think is also known as Corrag). Fletcher has a way of writing things that simply make them stand out from the page. Her writing is beautiful and evocative and this title is no exception.
Let Me Tell You About a Man I Knew brings to us a story about Jeanne Trabuc. Jeanne’s husband runs the hospital at Saint-Paul-de Mausole and the hospital is about to receive a new patient who will certainly stir things up a lot. Not to beat about the bush the patient in question is Vincent Van Gogh and this book brings to us a fictionalised account of his time spent at the hospital in Provence following the troubled period in which he cut off part of his ear.
To be clear, this is very much Jeanne’s story but the arrival of VvG is definitely the catalyst that sparks a change in Jeanne during which she reflects on her own life. Jeanne and her husband are at a quite stage of their life. Their sons have grown and left home to start their own life stories and Jeanne finds herself a little lonely and at something of a loose end. Her interest is sparked by this new addition to the hospital and she finds herself visiting him in spite of her husband’s express wishes that she have no contact with any of the patients.
This story is a slice of introspection during which Jeanne looks back at her life as a young girl and a mother reflecting on her own and her children’s hopes and wishes.
Why I liked this. I loved reading those parts of the story in which VvG made an appearance, his description and the imaginary conversations with Jeanne were really intriguing, enough in fact to make me go and read up a little more of VvG’s life story and take a look at the pictures he painted during his time in Provence. Also, and unsurprisingly for me, I loved the writing. Fletcher is a beautiful writer and Provence is a beautiful place that provided this author with some wonderful material to work with. The startling sunshine, the intensity of the flowers, the striking starlit sky and so much more. The writing is, put simply, evocative.
This is only a fairly short story but it really caught my attention. Jeanne and her husband may not be the most dynamic characters that you’ll ever read about and there’s certainly no swords and sorcery to be found here, but nonetheless this story captured my attention and in fact kept it long after I finished the book.
A quiet and thoughtful story, beautifully written and with an intriguing glimpse into the life of a brilliant and influential artist.
I received a copy of this courtesy of the publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My July Covers
Below is a quick round up of the books I’ve read during July, displayed in covers. My July in review to follow tomorrow. This month has been crazy, plenty of reading but a little bit less reviewing which means I’m slightly behind and playing catch up. Anyway, here are my covers:
Red Right Hand by Levi Black
Red Right Hand is a book based in a world full of monsters. A dark and frightening place that takes inspiration from the work of Lovecraft. I must say that I didn’t love this book and this puzzles me to an extent. Perhaps the fact that I haven’t read any Lovecraft didn’t help but for me it was a strange combination of brutal truths and flashbacks combined with gruesome horror. I certainly wouldn’t try to dissuade anyone from reading as I’m sure Lovecraft fans will find a wealth of imagination here to capture their attention.
The pacing is good. We get off to an immediate start as we’re introduced to Charlie Tristan Moore as she returns home from a disastrous night out with her boyfriend to be confronted by three skinhounds (which are every bit as bad as they sound and seem to have designs on Charlie). Charlie is rescued by an unlikely Man in Black (MiB), a strange character, foreboding, not totally trustworthy, with a ruined red right hand and a leather coat that seems to have a mind of it’s own. I wouldn’t say that the MiB has any redeeming characters, in fact it feels a little like going from the frying pan into the fire as Charlie is forced into becoming this stranger’s acolyte and releasing and embracing some strange latent magic from within herself in order to help him locate two elder gods – who he assures her are trying to destroy the world and need to be stopped. As an added incentive to Charlie the MiB decides to also take her boyfriend along for the ride.
This unlikely threesome (or four if you include the coat) set off on a night’s adventure. One night is all they have and in order to find these Gods they will first have to make the acquaintance of a very unsavoury character who will be able to help Charlie to find the right direction.
Charlie is a character with a harrowing background. She has suffered a traumatic experience and now tries to protect herself from the world by taking all and every sort of self defence class imaginable and projecting a tough outer image. If this is something that you will find difficult to read about then be warned of this now – I wouldn’t say that any of the flashbacks that Charlie experiences are gratuitous but they’re still disturbing. I think for me I was a little puzzled by this aspect of the story and it jarred me slightly. We had the full on night of horror where our characters visit the downright weird and wonderful and encounter monsters that are described to perfection in all their grossness but then we have these flashbacks in which we gradually piece together Charlie’s story and put together the pieces of the most terrible night she ever experienced. I guess the reason for this is to show you that Charlie is a survivor and she certainly needs to be in order to survive the night intact. But, like I said I think I would have preferred the focus to remain on the bizarrely horrific rather than trying to combine the two.
Without a doubt this is a fast paced read. It sets off with a no holds barred opening scene that pretty much defines how the rest of the novel will go. The writing is strong and the descriptions are, frankly, brilliant – the writing here will leave you in no doubt as to what these creatures look like and so if you’re a bit squeamish or easily scared – or you just don’t want more food for your nightmares – then steer clear because this author knows how to conjure up monsters and they are nasty without doubt.
I can certainly see the strengths of this book. For me I thought the two aspects didn’t sit particularly well together, I would have preferred to stick to the horror. I also had a difficult time forming any attachment to any of the characters. But, all that being said, I imagine that horror fans will love this and whilst it wasn’t totally for me I have no doubt that this will hold a lot of appeal for others.
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
You might be a king or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you’ll dance with the reaper…
29 July 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, hooded figures, The Friday Face Off
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme being hosted by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple and can be found here. Each week, following a predetermined theme choose a book, compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Simples. This week the theme is:
Shrouded in black, in morals I do lack – A cover featuring a character wearing a hood or cowl.
This week’s book is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I thought there were a lot of covers last week but this week was just silly – basically I stopped looking as it was getting ridiculous. So, my covers are:
My favourite is the last cover – I love the autumn feel and the colours – plus the character is wearing a hood (so it’s appropriate!) and he’s carrying his musical instrument so really ties in with the story. Lots of great covers to choose from them and some of them very dark and moody.
