Can’t Wait Wednesday : Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey
4 July 2018
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Can't wait Wednesday, M R Carey, Someone Like Me, Wishful Endings
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that was originally created by Breaking the Spine. Unfortunately Breaking the Spine are no longer hosting so I’m now linking my posts up to Wishful Endings Can’t Wait Wednesday. Don’t forget to stop over, link up and check out what books everyone else is waiting for. If you want to take part, basically, every Wednesday, we highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week my book is : Someone Like Me by M.R. Carey. I am so excited for this book. So. Excited. Here’s why:
SHE LOOKS LIKE ME. SHE SOUNDS LIKE ME. NOW SHE’S TRYING TO TAKE MY PLACE.
Liz Kendall wouldn’t hurt a fly. She’s a gentle woman devoted to bringing up her kids in the right way, no matter how hard times get.
But there’s another side to Liz—one which is dark and malicious. A version of her who will do anything to get her way, no matter how extreme or violent.
And when this other side of her takes control, the consequences are devastating.
The only way Liz can save herself and her family is if she can find out where this new alter-ego has come from, and how she can stop it.
Due for publication November 2018 – get in my life!
Fellside by M R Carey
Fellside is my second Carey novel and coming on the heels of the very well received The Girl with All the Gifts I can say I had very high expectations. Not always easy to follow up such a successful book but I think Carey manages to deliver a completely different style of book, a unique story and a compelling read, well written and powerful.
This is a difficult book to review because of the desire to not give away spoilers. Similar to TGWatG really! So, what I can go with is what we’ve already been given on the synopsis.
We know the story is set in Fellside, a high security prison and we know that Jess is one of the inmates. Therefore probably safe to assume that Jess Moulson is a convict and given that the synopsis states that Jess could be spending the rest of her life in Fellside presumably she’s somebody with a serious crime behind her. Now, Jess certainly has a story to tell and Carey tells that story in an addictive way that takes on the spirit of a ghost story with a difference.
Jess is in prison for the murder of a young boy called Alex Beech and it seems that Alex is now visiting Jess. He has his own agenda and in engaging Jess and seeking her help he has given her a new purpose.
That is all. I’m not going to go into the plot any further for this particular book. Which isn’t to say I can’t discuss other things of course.
I have to say immediately that Carey is an excellent writer. This is quite a grim story without a doubt and you could be forgiven for thinking that might start to wear on you after a while but instead the author has this way of dropping ever so subtle hints, little crumbs of something different to come and it in fact becomes absolutely fascinating and compelling.
The setting is really well drawn. Not difficult to imagine a prison setting I suppose but this is a violent corrupt place with characters that you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark street never mind share a cell or a very confined space with. All these characters are tough cookies, they all know the prison hierarchy, even the guards know their place and the threats, blackmail and outright violence and the sense of menace and fear are very well depicted.
In terms of characters. Well, there’s nobody soft and fluffy to hold onto here. There is a deal of sadness and even a feeling that not all is completely fair in the world. We have the hardened criminals and you probably won’t like the majority of them (which isn’t a surprise in some respects I suppose) but then the staff and medical team are also real pieces of work who in most cases I disliked even more than the inmates. Jess herself has led a troubled past and one that doesn’t make for light reading and it takes a little while to start to develop a feel for her but as the story progresses you can’t help but become attached to her which in turn makes you fear for her as she becomes more and more involved in the darker aspects of prison life.
Criticisms. Nothing really major although I have to admit that I found certain aspects relating to prison life a little difficult to get into at first. The details around Grace for example – one of the inmates and the ‘boss’ of G block – we learnt quite a bit about her set up and drug running which felt a bit of a struggle at certain points but in the end I think it was necessary to the overall story. To be fair I would say that the second half of the book has a much more ‘edge of the seat’ type feel. Everything comes together and I really felt scared at that point for Jess who seemed to be in such a lot of danger.
Overall I thought this was an excellent read, gripping, tense and surprising. Also surprising in terms of the ghost story element itself which isn’t quite what it originally seems – a real twist in the tale in that respect. On top of this there are some really great court scenes where I couldn’t put the book down!
If you go into this expecting a ghost story that is less a haunting and more a mystery to be solved you can’t really go far wrong. A tense story that had me pretty much glued to the page. Did I enjoy this as much as TGWatG – I don’t think that is really a question that I can answer as the two stories are so completely different. I can say this was a very good read that certainly reinforces for me the need to pick up more work by this author. A story of sadness, guilt and possible redemption.
I received a copy of Fellside courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
This review first appeared at The Speculative Herald.
The Girl with All the Gifts by M R Carey
I finished reading The Girl with All the Gifts on Monday after picking it up on Sunday! It was intense and gripping and I certainly had no idea what I was in for when I picked it up. I’ll start off by saying that throughout the story the central character, Melanie, loves Greek mythology. She is particularly drawn to the story of Pandora and her box which is very fitting because reading this book was in a small way like opening Pandora’s box. I had no idea what to expect going in and in fact went into this with totally the wrong expectations. (I was thinking the girl with all the gifts must have some sort of super powers for example). To be honest, for the first few pages, as I started to realise what was going on, I had visions of putting the book down, seriously I did! Not because it was badly written but more because I wasn’t sure that I was really in the mood. I read a couple more pages, then a couple more. The next thing I knew the Sunday dinner was burnt and I was half way through the book.
So, basically, I’m not going to give a long account of plot. It would be very easy to give away the story and its much better to have the revelations without any prior knowledge. The story is a post apocalyptic style book and there are hungries (zombies) – but, in case you’re now groaning don’t be misled. Whilst there might be a few familiar ideas playing out here the story is an interesting and compelling read that feels like a fresh visit on this idea. It takes a strong look at humanity and the different depths that people will go to in order to survive not to mention the way that everyone has their own justification for what they think is ‘best’ in any given situation.
The start of the book opens on an army base. The majority of the UK’s population seems to have been wiped out and the remaining few survivors are trying to stay alive whilst attempting to find a cure. Amongst others on the base is Dr Caldwell – an ambitious scientist with ideas of saving the world and being recognised as the saving grace of humanity. A teacher called Miss Justineau and her pupils – including Melanie. Melanie and her fellow classmates never go outside. They spend all their time either in the classroom or in their own cells. Each day follows a pattern that only changes in the type of information they are fed.
On the outside of the base are the hungries. Also, there are the junkers – they’re also survivors – but, they’ve turned a little bit nasty. They’re desperate for food and other goods and quite frankly are not afraid to use force to take it.
I haven’t read this author before and found his writing style very easy to read. He managed to make me feel something for all of the characters – even if it was extreme dislike! The setting was easy to imagine. The zombies were scary – think fast moving and relentless, brutal, bloodthirsty and grotesque – your basic zombie nightmare really. There were a number of twists and shocks along the way and the ending was unexpected.
I can’t say too much more about this without turning into that person, the one who likes to blurt out the ending of a film or the name of the murderer before you’re been to see the film or picked up the book! What I can say is that this was surprising in a good way. The author effectively combines horror, sci fi and dystopia. He provides enough information to give you a basis for what’s occurred but without inundating you with terminology and the need to rush to the dictionary.
Basically, this a damn good read. It takes the idea of Pandora – who was the original girl with all the gifts – and gives it a different twist. The ending reminded me of one of my favourite books – but, unfortunately I can’t tell you because it would give the ending away! Also, it reads like a self contained novel which is quite unusual – that being said, I would definitely pick up more about this world from this author if he chose to continue and I will undoubtedly check out some of his other works having now read this.
My recommendation is to read this – but, if you’re cooking dinner make something that doesn’t require attention, otherwise, once you pick this up, you’ll be eating burnt offerings.
Books and travelling with Lynn 