The Girl on the Landing by Paul Torday
So 2011 is here with lots of new promising books – first book for Jan:
The GotL tells the story of Elizabeth and Michael a married couple who live a very staid, somewhat boring, existence. Michael is a wealthy, and on the face of it, old fashioned, man with a flat in London and a house in Scotland which he inherited from his parents. Elizabeth, settled for marriage with Michael, following the disappointment her mother experienced with her father. She is more modern than Michael and continues to work in spite of the fact that it is no longer necessary, and she doesn’t really get overly involved in Michael’s outdoor activities or his time spent at Scotland or his Club. Following a break in Ireland in which Michael imagines he sees the outline of a girl in a picture on the landing (although there is no girl present) he starts to change and Elizabeth sees a different and more enjoyable side to her husband and starts to enjoy the relationship more than she ever thought possible. However, this new found happiness is very fragile and is all threatened by Michael’s past!
I thought this book was well written and captivating, it’s told in the two different voices of Michael and Elizabeth and I enjoyed this method of storytelling. Predominantly it is a story about mental health issues – or is it? There are ‘ghostly’ aspects to the story and it can be quite chilling in parts as it steadily builds towards the final conclusion. It reminds me of a number of different films and books which I won’t go into and is a combination between pyschological thriller and chilling ghost story. However, it is difficult to write anything more without giving the story away.
My criticisms would be – firstly, telling the story in this way – I don’t quite understand how more revelations didn’t come out when you are reading Michael’s chapters? I mean, he knows himself and in his own head he doesn’t have to hide or be somebody else – in fact the main premise is based on the concept of ‘you never really know anybody – except yourself’ – therefore I would have expected Michael’s chapters to maybe be a bit more revealling – or at least to change dramatically towards the end perhaps? Secondly, I thought the inclusion of the Lamia in the story was really interesting, but, I wasn’t overly fond of the ‘open’ ending. I guess this ending is intended to throw everything on it’s head and leave you wondering but for me it just left me with lots more questions. In that case you have to really admire this book because even though I’ve finished reading I can’t stop going over theories in my own head about what was really happening!! (So, one minute, I’m adamant about what I think was going on – and the next the ending just throws it up in the air again!)
On the whole I thought this was an enjoyable read – personally, I would have preferred a bit more ‘spookiness’ thrown in, but I think PT does do a really good story telling job and a great job of tension building.
Rating B+
The Girl On The Landing
Books from 2010
1 January 2011
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: David Nicholls, John Connolly, Kathryn Stockett, One Day, The Book of Lost Things, The Help
So 2010 was an excellent year for books. I’ve had a look through to see if I can pick out my favourites – there were such a lot of good ones though and unfortunately as I lost my book list for most of the year I can’t remember all of them!!
Picking a top ten out of so many books isn’t easy but I’ve had a go anyway (in no particular order):
The Girl who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson (a simply excellent series but the middle book was my favourite)
The Book of Lost Things , John Connolly
The Dead Tossed Waves, Carrie Ryan
The Help, Kathryn Stockett (unputdownable)
Fire, Kristin Cashore
Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver
Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Clare
One Day, David Nicholls
Crescendo, Becca Fitzpatrick
Firebrand, Gillian Philip
That’s it for 2010 – not easy making up that list with so many to choose from but looking back was fun and out of all the books I’ve read I guess I would be more than happy to reread the above named and would definitely recommend them to other people.
Firebrand by Gillian Philip
This is my last book for 2010 – even though I’m writing it on the 1st day of January 2011 – I finished reading the book yesterday but didn’t have chance to put anything down.
Quite simply this book took my breath away. I started it yesterday and I finished it yesterday – and in between time I did nothing but read – that’s how captivating this was.
This is a story about Seth and his brother Conal who are Sithe warriors. The Sithe people are faeries who live behind a veil. They are predominantly warriors who have a range of abilities such as healer or witch. They are ultimately ruled by a Queen – Kate – who they all swear fealty to. Seth and Conal are half brothers – Seth being the illegitimate son of a Sithe nobleman. Seth spent his early years living with his mother at court but he was unwelcome there and equally as unwelcome at his father’s fortress where he is sent to live.
Seth is an excellent character – he’s cocky and cheeky, angry, brave and completely devoted to his brother Conal – the relationship between the two brothers is really well written. When Conal is banished to live among the full mortals Seth chooses to go with him and there they try to survive amongst people who are deeply superstitious and brutal and where to be deemed ‘different’ can be fatal – particularly at a time when witch hunts are common place.
There is such a lot packed into this book and it is so well written that the characters and the world just come alive. There is adventure, romance, intrigue, greed, jealousy – oh, everything – not to mention two gorgeous characters in Seth and Conal.
If you don’t read any other book this year make sure you read this one.
Strongly recommend this book and can’t imagine anybody not enjoying the story and the way it’s written.
Rating A+++
Firebrand
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey
31 December 2010
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Monique Roffey, The White Woman on the Green Bicycle
This is a story of a newly married couple, George and Sabine, who, still in the new flush of love move to Trinidad when George is offered the opportunity. George is only too happy to move over there, even for a three year contract and falls in love immediately with the idea whilst Sabine is more content to merely endure the three years and return home to England – in fact, as this is so rarely accomplished by other couples moving out to Trinidad, Sabine sees it as a bit of a challenge
This is a difficult novel to describe as it covers so many issues in relation to the Island’s history which is vividly captured during the course of the couple’s marriage. Ultimately I just found it very sad. To be honest I found the start of the novel difficult to get to grips with as the writing style was very choppy and frankly a little bit harsh but I suppose the author has used this to good effect. I did find myself on the verge of putting the novel down but was keen to read the later chapters and so persevered – and I was glad I had. It’s almost as though this book has been written by two different authors! The first part of the book details the most recent period of the couple’s life and frankly is a little bitter – however, even at this point you can see they still love each other. The second part takes you back to their arrival in Trinidad and the slow decline of their relationship due to a number of things. George is basically in love with the place before he arrives but despite this doesn’t really have a true feel for the people or their real feelings, situation or history. Sabine is basically prepared to put up with things as they are, always in the expectation that that will move back to England soon and because she is so in love with George that she couldn’t bear to be separated. Yet, although Sabine doesn’t like the island she is much more in touch with what is truly going on and is more in touch with the feelings of the other inhabitants. The second part of the novel is more expressive and for me this is where Trinidad came alive, the heat, the colours, the food and the people and their cultures and I always enjoy this about any novel. It makes me want to read more about the same subject.
There really is a lot going on in this novel and a lot to take in. It’s not a light hearted read but is definitely thought provoking and interesting.
To be honest I didn’t really like George – and perhaps you’re not supposed to – or perhaps it’s more a symptom of the era that he is from? I don’t know but I found him very annoying. He led Sabine on for years, he was unfaithful, vein, thoughtless and selfish. He certainly didn’t defer to her at all with any decision – but that was because he wanted everything his own way and it’s much easier to just go and take action and tell some one once it’s a foregone conclusion. Equally, I could say I found myself not liking Sabine for letting George have such an easy ride and get away with all of the above – but I didn’t dislike her, I was frustrated that she let George get away with so much but I felt sorry for her – and again I think maybe it’s about the era they were both from. Sabine has a genuine feel for what was going on on the island, she was sympathetic to other people and she wanted things to change. She was definitely naive and idealistic but I guess she would be in her circumstances – where she was only given information that people wanted her to have and stumbled on the rest by chance.
Overall I would say this book is a good, but challenging, read.
If I have any criticisms they would be that I didn’t like the style of writing for the first ‘era’ of the book – and I think this may discourage people from finishing the full story. I’m also not over fond of reading the outcome before I know the history and, again, I think this may put people off from reading the rest of the novel. I personally think that if the earlier chapters had come first – where more descriptions were given and the lives of the couple came alive on the page – followed by the remaining chapters (which are told in a much less ‘flowery’ style) this would have had a much more dramatic effect (given the eventual outcome).
A difficult read but worth the effort I think and definitely shows this writer’s abilities.
Rating: B
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
31 December 2010
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier
Remarkable Creatures tells the story of two women from the 19th Century. Mary Anning, a poor and uneducated woman who was responsible for finding some truly remarkable creatures on the beach at Lyme Regis and Elizabeth Philpot whose own love of fossil hunting would bring the two together and make them hard and fast friends. The story begins when the Philpots move from London to Lyme Regis – basically as their brother is now marrying there will no longer be a place for them in his household and as their prospects of marriage are poor they are ‘retired’ off to spinsterhood in Lyme Regis. The sisters, now relegated to life with a much smaller social sphere find new things to occupy their time. Margaret, who is the youngest becomes involved in the social activities that Lyme has to offer, Louise becomes passionate about gardening and Elizabeth, after making a chance fossil discovery on a walk on the beach finds she has a new interest in that area.
I really enjoyed this novel, but then I do like historical fiction. In terms of the story there actually isn’t much of a tale being told really – not if you’re expecting a romance or goodies and baddies, a fight between good and evil or any sort of mystery. This is a very simple tale told very well. I like Tracy Chevalier – I have read all her previous novels, except for Burning Bright and I like her writing style. She is able to bring to life the period, the place and the characters so well. In Remarkable Creatures she has done a first class job of demonstrating the injustices to women of the period. Basically in not achieving marital status women became objects of ridicule although to a certain extent the fact that they did not have a husband did allow them more freedom than they would otherwise enjoy and certainly the friendship between Mary and Elizabeth, given their different social standing, would have been highly unlikely as would Elizabeth’s fossil collecting.
I would recommend this novel, it’s a very easy book to read and gives an excellent depiction of the period. I enjoyed reading about Mary Anning and the hard life that she led. I thought the descriptions of the fossils and the beach hunting was fascinating and you could practically feel the cold and experience the danger (as much of the collecting was carried out in winter after storms when fossils had been exposed by the sea – this was a dangerous occupation because of the chances of being cut off by incoming tides and also the possibility of landslides). And, I suppose most of all, I enjoyed reading about the friendship that developed between Mary and Elizabeth – they had their ups and downs with petty jealousies sometimes getting the better of them but they eventually realised that their friendship and companionship was truly and equally important to both of them.
Strangely enough I don’t actually have any criticisms of this book – although I did almost overlook reading it for some reason. I don’t know why, but having bought the book I then put it down and almost got to the position of putting it away (which means I will probably never read it!) Perhaps it’s the description on the jacket which isn’t compelling enough although I don’t really know how it could be improved on (as I pointed out earlier this is a very gentle story)?? That being said I’m very happy that I overcame my reluctance and picked it up – as I was very reluctant from there onwards to put it down until I’d finished reading it.
Rating -A
Remarkable Creatures
