Verdict

Classics; My Dilemma

2012-03-07T21:19:00.002Z

Recently I've come across a slight issue; how do you judge a classic novel? Surely the reason why they have a vintage 'classic' status is because they are undoubtedly a brilliant read. Whether in their genre or writing style they set the benchmark for contemporary literature. So as a reviewer and critic of fiction, how am I meant to give a critic of such a novel?

Take for instance, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, this months novel at my Book Club. A landmark in British literature that still appeals to new audiences, becoming one of the most popular novels of all time - where do I even start? It seems almost pointless to even question such a masterpiece.

The one point which I can grasp is how the novel appeals to a fresh generation and whether or now I can relate to such characters and situations occurring centuries ago. Another I have debated how the novel compares to current literature in the same field or genre, whether more modern pieces are better and if so should the novel still have the honour of being called a classic. I've reviewed such classics as The Valley of Fear, Oh Whistle and I'm Come To You My Lad and the Journey to the Centre of the Earth on this basis. Other than what I've suggested, I am slightly at a loss. How would you suggest I review a classic novel? What perspective should I take?

Unfortunately, this makes one of my Reading Resolutions seem quite daunting - to read all novels in the BBC's Top 100 Books of All Time Poll. Of the more contemporary reads, giving a critique is not too difficult as it seems many books at branded with the word 'classic'. Yet when the test of time prevails, it is hard to give a verdict on something that obviously still appeals to an audience. This is perhaps one of the few tests that as a critic I must overcome though only time will only tell if I accomplish this.

The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle

2012-03-05T20:52:00.000Z

Book: The Valley of Fear
Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Based on the Theme: Classic Detective Series
Published by: Penguin Books
Date Published: 2010 (Publication edition)
Format: Paperback
Length: 217 pages
ISBN: 9780141035444
Genre: Detective Series, Crime, Whodunnit, Classic, British, Murder Mystery

Synopsis: From the annals of Dr Watson comes this dark tale of Sherlock Holmes's early encounter with Professor Moriarty. When Holmes and Watson receive a cipher from one of Moriarty's henchmen, warning of dark doings at the manor house, they find themselves of the trail of a murder. Almost, immediately, they are on their way to Sussex, where they discover a corpse with its head blown to pieces. But all is not as it seems. For the origins of the case lie in America, and involve a Pinkerton's man and the mysterious activities of a terrible and secretive lodge.

The Verdict:
Plot & Pace - A murder mystery that leaves the boffins of London's Metropolitan Police resorting to one person, the delightful Mr. Sherlock Holmes. I have never read a Holmes novel before though I like so many others, are familiar with the stories due to countless adaptions for television and screen. I was not disappointed. We meet Holmes and Watson in 221B Baker Street debating over a riddle; it is here we are first given a taste of the genius of Sherlock Holmes. His logic and thought process are exquisite, formidable and one can imagine very intimidating to any local police officer. Leading to the estate in Sussex a crime which at first seems simple has it's roots firmly laid firmly with Moriarty, the only criminal to match his glorious mind.

The Narrative - As with all the other novels, the story is told by Watson, the long suffering colleague and friend of Holmes. His admiration and respect for Holmes clearly comes across along with his frustration at the intellectual superiority of his friend. Their recount of the tale and their friendship, is simply a joy to read.

Language & Dialogue - I found it surprising that I found the language easy to read and the novel to follow; I was expecting more elaborate and archaic words. Conan Doyle however, seems brilliantly articulate in the way he delivers his tale through Watson and his words seems never to date. Let me just share with you one one quote which I thought was rather wonderful in summarising the book:"Self-protection is no murder...".

Characters - I loved Holmes's dialogue. His character comes across so well, I am rather in awe of Conan Doyle's writing skills. In fact, I loved Holmes so much I was rather annoyed when the book split half-way through recounting the earlier developments of the crime, missing the character of Holmes out completely. Perhaps I need to read another Conan Doyle novel which focuses more on the detective. The other personalities shone throughout, for instance, one of my favourite passages spoken by the leader of the secretive lodge; "What in thunder has that got to do with you? Carnaway was about his house at night, and he shot him. That's enough for me and you. You've got to set the thing right."

Setting - Part in Baker Street, part in the Sussex Estate of Birlstone, part in the Valleys in America. I least enjoyed the second section of the book for the very reason I gave above. There was a lack of Holmes. For me it took away something from the tale. Slightly off track there, the setting does suitably match the story and though is not too many adjectives are given, I still had enough to paint a picture in my head.

Themes & Ideas - Detective stories are hard to make original; bad guy vs good guy. Sherlock Holmes is a classic though. Extra points for that alone.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyable read that I would quite happily snap up again. 4 Stars.

This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman

2012-02-29T21:49:00.002Z

Book: This Beautiful Life
Author: Helen Schulman
Based on the Theme: Book of the Month
Published By: HarperCollins
Date Published: 2011
Format: Paperback
Length: 222 pages
ISBN: 978 085789 623 0
Genres: Relationships, Internet, scandal, consequence, class, status,

Synopsis: When the Bergamots move to the city, they're unsure how well they'll adapt. Soon though, Richard is consumed by his new job and Liz, who has given up her career, is hectically playing mother to six-year-old Coco and fifteen-year-old Jake. But the day Jake unthinkingly forwards a sexually explicit email attachment sent to him by a young girl is the last day of the Bergamots' comfortable middle-class existence. Within hours, the video clip is not only all over Jake's school, but all over the city - and all over the Internet. Faced with impossible choices, what Richard and Liz do next risks destroying not only their marriage, their daughter and their place in the community, but also Jake - the child they have set out to protect.

The Verdict:
Plot & Pace - To sum up, the novel is incredibly predictable and totally unoriginal. From the outset I could foresee every twist in the plot. A middle-class Stepford wife fed up with life, the stressed out father whom is awaiting a critical decision regarding his career, the teenager who is distant from his parents and constantly is wanting their approval and respect. Of course his one click on the computer mouse that exposes a scandal affects all the family, causing widespread turmoil and upset. The whole thing seemed so repetitive and unimaginative. I was hoping that the scandal would throw some dark secrets up about Jake "the child they have set out to protect". Nothing.

Sorry, this is going to be a long rant. The moment the video goes viral and the whole world finds out, the moment the book got interesting it stopped and introduced the father's narrative. The narrative didn't immediately go into his thoughts on the subject, it gave a brief account of his life story and banged on about his current predicament regarding his job, completely knocking the pace and my interest off track.

The positive parts; I liked how she documented the reactions of Jake's peers, that was believable and very observant. The final five pages I enjoyed as it gave some slight indication of how this scandal affected the girl involved in the sexually explicit attachment, in later life. I wish the author had expanded that part and actually made it the main context of the story; how this affected all the parties to come a decade down the line.

Narrative - Another multi-narrative novel; in this case though it worked. It was interesting to see how the Jake's actions were perceived by both himself and his parents and how the consequences of his actions affected them. It was easy to distinguish who the narrator was even when in the first person. Nearer the very end of the novel, when recounting the impacts it has had on their lives in later years, it goes into the third person with no identifiable narrator. It was odd and felt as though it suddenly went from really personal to quite detached and as result made it unmoving and less poignant as it could have been.

Characters - I think most people can relate to Liz. She's a lovable character living a life she didn't want for herself and trying her best to please those she loves. Jake is quite a reserved person in those awkward teenage years. You feel instantly for him when this over-escalates and goes out of control; you cannot help but feel motherly towards a boy who thought he was a man and couldn't handle the responsibility. I just wanted to give him a hug. Richard, the father, was a majorly underdeveloped character. He was bland and dull and very stereotypical, having little social history or background.

Language used & Dialogue - Not a hard read in terms of the language used however, it didn't really flow well and was quite stagnated in some parts. Thus it was difficult to really sink my teeth into it. The dialogue was her strongest point and again, I thought this was underplayed throughout the novel.

Themes & Ideas - Ermmmm... hardly the most inventive novel of the century.

Overall - Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it? Only to mothers wanting to scare their teenage children about the horrors of the Internet. 1.5 Stars. Pants really.

My visit to London...

2012-02-26T16:36:00.002Z

As part of my birthday celebrations I spent a long weekend down in London. I studied at Kingston university and it's funny how much you fail to appreciate what's on your doorstep until you're no longer living there. The last 8 weeks at uni in the summer of 2011 were spent attending pretty much every attraction I could, from RHS Chelsea Flower Show to Chicago the Musical to Tracey Emin Love Is What You Want exhibition. It's a Catch-22 when you study in London; everything is on your doorstep and yet it's very expensive so you are limited to what you can actually do. My visit was pretty much spent with many friends all of whom I miss dearly. Another part was spent going round Art galleries.

I cannot pin-point where my love of art started, as far as I am aware and have been told by my mum, I learnt to draw before I could talk. From a brilliant art teacher in my final year at secondary school to living with friends all of whom were studying some element in the arts, I have been surrounded by it. I now collect posters of the galleries I have visited.

In 2011 I went round Tracey Emin's Love Is What You Want exhibition in the Southbank centre, near Waterloo in London. This was the first exhibit where I finally understood the beauty of contemporary art. The collection of works in a variety of media from the brilliant tapestry's to the neon lights to the sketches of masturbation were visually stunning and held so much meaning. She really does wear her heart on her sleeve with her work; it's very personal and raw. It was very moving to the point of tears.

Another exhibit was Mick Rock's Rock Music at the Idea Generation Gallery - collection of photographs that defined his career. For those whom have not hear of Mick Rock, he was the photographer of the 70's, 80's & 90's. Leo Reed, Jemi Hendrix, David Bowie, Blondie, Kate Moss, Queen, Iggy Pop, Madonna... the list still continues up till the current day. His photographs capture showbiz at it's glamorous. My favourite, David Bowie and Ronson on a train with their wild suits and hair whilst seemingly normal people preoccupy their time around them. The juxtaposition is great and is just one of the many reasons Mick Rock is one of the greatest photographers ever.

The most recent exhibition I went round was Lucian Freud's collection at the Nation Portrait Gallery. Freud is a love/hate artist; his works are quite harsh and coarse, I wouldn't use beautiful or pretty to describe the people painted in them. Why I like them is that whilst they are not pretty on the eye they are certainly full of character and history. The most moving piece for me was his unfinished painting, Freud passed away 6 months prior and it allows us a window into the painting techniques and also is a bold statement of the fragility of life and the closeness of death.

Art and books are my two loves. Sometimes art can speak a 1,000 words where a book cannot suffice. Related post: To Judge A Book By It's Cover.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

2012-02-25T17:33:00.001Z

Book: The History of Love
Author: Nicole Krauss
Based on the Theme: Book Club
Published by: Penguin Books
Date Published: 2006
Format: Paperback
Length: 254 pages
ISBN: 0141019972
Genres: Love, relationships, bitter-sweet, historical, adult, memory, remorse, regret

The Synopsis: Alma Singer is trying to find a cure for her mother's loneliness after the death of her father. Believing that she may discover it in the book her mother is translating, The History of Love. Across New York, an old man, Leo Gursky is trying to survive that little bit longer. He spends his days dreaming of the lost love, sixty years ago in Poland which inspired to write a book. The History of Love transcends oceans and generations, changing the lives of those whom read it.

The Verdict:
Characters - I'm starting with examining the characters as this is what really dictates the novels narrative and structure. Alma, is trying to care for her depressed mother whom is in a decade long mourning since her father's untimely death and her rather unstable brother who believes he is a reincarnation of one of the Messiah's followers. Leo, is an elderly man, mourning the loss of his son whom never knew existed and is regretting a love once lost. The characters are clearly well thought out and for me I felt each had a long history, they had lived and were truly alive in the novel. That side of things was glorious.

The Narrative - There are multiple narrators; Alma and Leo are the main ones, though other characters input as various points in the novel. This is the downfall of the novel; I couldn't work out who the narrator was as it was all told in the first person and so I had no idea who the narrator was until 10 pages into that particular narrator's account by which time I had moved onto another narrator. As a result, I spent more time focusing on that than I did on the story itself. The narrative on the one hand is powerfully bare and honest and in another way heavy and depressing. Likewise, in some instances the story is beautifully transcribed especially Alma's voice that is incredibly sharp, incisive and sumptuous and yet in other instances, mainly Leo's, I found it dull and unappealing.

Plot & Pace - The plot is very emotive and compelling; in some instances it read more like poetry. Specifically Alma's narrative was split into headed sections, the majority of which seem like individual mantra's in themselves. I found Leo Gurnsky's narrative incredibly dull, heavy and depressing; it really read as extracts from a journal of someone whom committed suicide not long thereafter. Instead of this being rich and powerful, like Samantha Harvey's All Is Song, it overcompensated and ended up being a wish-wash of disjointed prose.
The events which tie the characters and their life stories together is really quite loose. Krauss tries hard to ensure each character has some connection with The History of Love and ultimately failed. In the end what is left is an incoherent, disorganised, biography of some six characters that holds little substance or meaning.

Dialogue & Language Used - As stated, I loved the subheadings in Alma's narrative; The Eternal Disappointment Of Life As It Is. I simply adore these. It's such a disappointment that Krauss cannot sustain this for the whole novel. Instead you get sparks of brilliance that are overshadowed and camouflaged in a matrix of dreary story-telling.

Setting - The setting is actually quite good, it is dependent upon the narrator, where Alma in the current date of Leo flicking between Poland during WWII, when he moved to America and the current date. I wish Krauss stripped the novel bare and just gave two accounts of Alma and Leo. Though I didn't like Leo's narrative, the connection between them is real and strong and would be enough to make the novel heart-brakingly good. How the story of her trying to find the real characters in The History of Love develop into them finally meeting is wonderful and the end is really a tear-jerker.

The History of Love - I haven't quite figured you out or understood you directly. Perhaps my book club will provide me with some enlightenment when we meet on Tuesday to discuss it. I don't know if I like this novel or not. I really should re-read it to perhaps get another stab at understanding it but, you know what, I really don't want to. Lets summarise, it's a nice book. Neither poor not exceptional. A complex mix of emotions which I suppose is what love really is all about. 2.5 Stars.

Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller; the Review

2012-02-20T21:59:00.004Z

Book: Notes on a Scandal
Author: Zoe Heller
Based on the Theme: At The Movies
Published by: Penguin Books
Date published: 2003
Format: Paperback
Length: 244 pages
ISBN: 0141029064
Genres: Observations, obsession, contemporary, social issues, relationships, adult, film

Warning the synopsis provided on the back of the book pretty much gives away the whole plot. To read the synopsis and spoiler, click and drag your cursor to highlight the following paragraph:
[Synopsis: From the first day that the beguiling Sheba Hart joins the staff of St. George's, history teacher Barbara Covett is convinced that she has found a kindred spirit. Barbara's loyalty to her new friend is passionate and unstinting and when Sheda is discovered to be having illicit affair with one of her pupils, Barbara quickly elects herself as Sheba's chief defender. But all is not as it first seems in this dark story and, as Sheba will soon discover, a friend can be just as treacherous as any lover.]
The Review:
Plot & Pace - To give the whole premise of the book in the synopsis is a daring move. What's the point in reading the novel if you already know what happens? I am so glad I took the move of reading the novel. What a book. It is simply outstanding; I must say it is one of the best books I have ever read. At first glance it 'reads like a nose through someone else's bathroom cabinet: full of guilty insights and delicious snobbery' [The Independent]. Yet, as the plot unravels it develops more into the workings of unhealthy relationships that exposes more about human behaviour, morals and ethics. But it is by no account a boring observation of human interaction; it is succulent, compelling, fascinating and utterly obsessive - I read the book in a night!

Characters - The two lead, Sheba and Barbara, become more deplorable the more you read. As one darkens, so does the other. On the surface you can easily pinpoint the typical 'bad guy' yet this initial assumption, which I am sure is reason why some people don't bother to read the novel, soon feels completely unfounded. By the end of the novel I questioned who was meant to be the sinister character and this is where this book is brilliantly captivating as the vested interests and malice of human activity is presented with a funny, bitter and sadistic form.

Setting & Narrative - The book isn't really about the setting in a literal sense more explaining the set of circumstances that lead one event to another. What is observed and dissected with the narrative is perfectly balanced throughout the novel. The actions and observations of the lead characters reveal more about the personalities of the characters involved than the information which the author has divulged in the text and that is a skill which too few authors can boast.

Dialogue & Language Used - Unlike some previous novels I have reviewed, this book is not a try-hard. It does not deliver complex jargon and pompous language nor pages and pages describing how sunlight filters through the drapes. Erugh - yes it bores even writing it. [I won't name and shame too much, just look at some of the lower rated novels I've review in the blog archives and you'll get my point]. Heller didn't fall in the trap of thinning the plot and making something which the novel is not. She is true to the story and tells it with sheer brilliance.

Themes & Ideas - Quite an ironic one, considering my last post on the 7 Basic Plots. Though I suppose the concept of child abuse and unhealthy relationships is not something that has never been told in literature before the method in Heller's approach to the subject is original and poignant.

In conclusion; I loved it. By far one of the best contemporary novels and I think it will become a vintage classic. 5 Stars. Books do not come better than this.

Next weeks theme is book of the month: This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman.

Has Every Story Been Told?

2012-02-18T23:09:00.001Z

So I'm sat at home hunting online for, what else, books. Normally this is a pleasurable experience, especially when you come across something original, interesting and which generally makes me go - "Oh my God, I want to read this." Yet, it's very frustrating, as more often than not it's the same old story. Just this time, they have a slight twist thrown in which is the only unique feature of the plot and makes publisher's go, ah that's not copyright protected, here's a contract.

Has every story been told? Has every story been written?

Christopher Booker in 2004 wrote The Seven Basic Plots; everything that had ever been written follow the one of seven key plots:

1. Overcoming the monster - Jekyll and Hyde
2. Rags to Riches - Aladdin
3. The Quest - Lord of the Rings
4. Voyage and Return - The Odyssey
5. Comedy - Carry on, Jeeves
6. Tragedy - Odysseus
7. Rebirth - The Shawshank Redemption

To transfer the wealth of literature ever written into seven cateogrise is quite crude. For instance, personally I think he missed romance myself though this may be classed as a 'Quest' or 'Voyage'. It is forever harder and rarer to find a book that tells an original story, but if Booker was correct then surely new versions of previously original plots would not sell - authors, book stores and publishers would be out of business.

Further still, where or when was this original story told. I wouldn't envy the job of a copyright lawyer trying to sift through the entire literary works to try and find the seven original plots. That said, I do think there is a point here. I'm not completely agreeing that there are seven basic plots in literature rather in each genre there are staple classic tales.

Let us take the typical romance. Boy meets girl, girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy falls to girl, boy and girl separate for whatever reason, girl chases after boy, girl gets back with boy, girl and boy live happily ever after. You would have thought that Pride and Prejudice did this and why both changing it. (I've thrown in the picture of Colin Firth for good measure - who wouldn't chase after him?).

How can an author, in an age where almost every story imaginable has been put to paper? Well, as on TV, it's the adaptation of a plot to particular circumstance and conditions whether social, political, economical and so on. Though the premise of a story may be the same, different characters, settings, narratives, can bring the story to life in a completely different way that updates, refreshes and adapts the basic plot, delivering it to a new audience.

"There may be only seven basic plots, but there are thousands of stories. What we call the greatest of these are works that stand out from the crowd, and their greatest readers are those who give due weight to each ones own peculiarity." Kasia Boddy, The Guardian.

February Book of the Month

2012-02-15T21:46:00.001Z

Each month the short-list seems to extend into a long-list; I wouldn't say the quality of books 'out there' is forever increasing, rather I'm becoming more aware and efficient in my research across the media spectrum. Thus I'm also becoming tougher in those I select for the short-list. This month, just the four.

Crazy River by Richard Grant
Grant sets out following the 19th century explorers to a previously unexplored river in Tanzania. This unforgettable journey however, takes him from Zanzibar to the heart of Africa, meeting along the way gangsters, hunters, whores, thieves, golf pros, numerous wild beasts, battling swamps and illness whilst documenting the life, culture, land and history in the most poorest, corrupt and deprived country in the world.

"The best book about Africa since Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari." T. C. Boyle

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
A memoir of a mother's parenting style, embodied by her culture. Sometimes cold, more incredibly strict, this book crosses the emotions encountered by families whilst trying to adapt to the ever changing situation that time throws at them. A social documentary of the most basic human relationship

"...a diabolically well-packaged, highly readable screed ostensibly about the art of obsessive parenting." Janet Maslin, NY Times.

The Train in the Night by Nick Coleman
Termed a story of music and loss, The Train in the Night details the unimaginable circumstances of the author, a music journalist as he comes to terms with encroaching deafness.

"It's hard to resist a book that ends by showing so much heart." The Guardian

This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman
Lizzie Bergamot, a smug and secure member of the Manhattan upper middle classes status and social standing is thrown into limbo upon the scandal surrounding her son. A viral online sex scandal throws teenage son into unintended limelight on the Internet that soon transpires into the real life world. This Beautiful Life highlights the interconnectivity of modern society and how the consequences of ones actions can very rapidly damage those around us.

"This Beautiful Life is a grenade of a novel: small, explosive and primed with a fizzling fuse of a premise." The Independent

And the winner is... This Beautiful Life. There is just something quite dark yet inviting about the synopsis of this novel and if the reviews are anything to go by, this should be a rather impressive read.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

2012-02-13T21:12:00.000Z

Title: The Sense of an Ending
Author: Julian Barnes
Based on the Theme: Book Covers
Publisher: Jonothan Cape
Date published: 2011
Format: Hardback
Length: 150 pages
ISBN: 9780224094153
Genres: Bitter-sweet, memory, classic, remorse, love, class
Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2011

Synopsis: Tony Webster first met Adrian Finn at school and struck a close friendship swearing to always stay friends for life. Now retired from a successful career, after a calm divorce, Tony is coming to terms with his past. Memory throws up surprises as the lawyer's letter is about to prove.

The Verdict
Plot & Pace - The plot is a meander through Tony's memory of the many meetings and situations surrounding his friend Adrian and the ex Veronica which drove the two apart. Though, it is not as bland as I've just put it, it's not a stereotypical love triangle. Some parts are fast, others are delicately slow. Always there is relevance, always there is a tender care in the writing. The plot is simple though it has great depth and meaning. I connected to it with surprising ease and I think it is a book of which many people will take something quite special from.

The book is split into two parts, the first from Tony's accounts of secondary school, the second from the current day situation. The distinction isn't clear and unnecessary.

Setting - The environment in which the story unfolds is set from secondary school to the current day, with Tony recalling the events in a smooth chronological order. I found it very easy to follow and not at all confusing, if Tony's memories were delivered more like a tangent, in no logical order, it would have distracted from the overall novel.

Characters - For me, I could really relate to Tony in a way in which I think most readers will. He has a rather uneventful life, made mistakes like the best of us and all in all tried not to hurt anyone. Adrian reminded me of the snobbish Oxbridge university group, whom believe they are intellectually superior than others those lack all the social skills needed to make it in life. Veronica, the main female lead I found incredibly frustrating, echoing Tony's own sentiments. I couldn't understand her.

Dialogue/Language Use - Julian Barnes has a majestic way of writing. He is incredibly poetic and his novels unravel in a series of layers. This book is no exception. It constantly provides much to discuss and debate and really is a very provocative.

Narrative - The story is told in the first person, from the thoughts and observations of Tony. Like memory, only certain aspects of events can be remembered which at some points, for the reader, is quite annoying.

Themes & Ideas - "It strikes me that this may be one of the differences between youth and age: when we are young, we invent different futures for ourselves; when we are old, we invent different pasts for others." [Pg.80]

The quote reads like a mantra, as do so many of the sentences in this book. The main theme is how memory taints reality. I also found karma had a very strong presence. It was very bitter-sweet and moving in the closing pages.

Overall Verdict: A well-deserved winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize. It is a gem of a book, an instant classic and one that is likely to mean more to the reader, the older one gets. 4.5* Simple. Delightful. Incredible.

Next weeks theme is At the Movies.

P.S. Note the book was selected as one of my favourite book covers of 2011. To find out more, click here.

Shadowmancer by G. P. Taylor Review

2012-02-05T19:22:00.000Z

Title: Shadowmancer by G. P. Taylor
Author: G.P. Taylor
Based on the theme: Folklore
Publisher: Faber & Faber Ltd
Date published: 2003
Format: Hardback, special edition
Length: 308 pages
ISBN: 0571221998
Genres: Children's book, magic, mythology, adventure & fantasy.

Synopsis: Obadah Demurral is a sorcerer who is seeking to control the highest power in the Universe. He will stop at nothing. The only people in his way are Raphah, Kate, Thomas and the mysterious Jacob Crane. Set on the backdrop of Whitby and the Yorkshire Coast, Shadowmancer is full of magic, mythology and witchcraft.

The Verdict
Plot & Pace - Obadah Demurral and his evil, corrupt servant, Beadle begin this ravishing tale of folklore and mythology, by attempting to steal a religious artifact, Keruvim, that would enable Obadah to become the greatest power in the Universe. Only three people stand in their way; Thomas, Kate and Raphah. Each have their own personal vendetta against Demurral; Thomas hates his plain greed and malice, Kate is against Demurral's action of enslaving tenants upon their failure to pay rent and Raphah is trying to find the Keruvim that Demurral stole from Raphaha's God. Captivating, action packed and fast paced; this was a real surprising page turner. Around each corner was a new foe and the originality of the story, specifically the monsters meant I couldn't pre-empt what may happen. A great story.

Setting - Set in Whitby was very apt, Dracula had supposed to of visited it upon his travels. Having been to Whitby myself, it added to the ambiance of the book. A small Tolkein esc. map was provided detailing the key locations which came in very handy as Taylor failed to make the setting clear in his descriptions. As a result, it was quite hard to keep track of where each character was in their world. It was quite confusing.

Characters - I would not say all of the characters were developed well. The story was heavily reliant on dialogue and action, little time was given to thought or emotions of the characters and so I felt as though it took a while to fully understand the characters and their intent. In the novel, there were parts of a background story to some of the character but really it could have done with more.

Dialogue/Language Used - As previously stated the novel contained a lot of dialogue. This isn't altogether bad just in this instance, hardly any extra information was given. All the attention was focused on action. That said, the talk between characters and the language used was very good and suited to a child audience. Specifically there was great comic 'bantery' when the characters interacted with each other; it had a lovely charm. The build up of tension, making it a page turner, was not only due to the plot but the author's skill in the use of language.

Narrative - The story was told in the third person. This was best suited as many characters were given time in the story and just being in the first person, using Thomas instance would have missed many of the other goodies.

Themes & Ideas - the good vs evil, hero vs villain, was there with stereotypical though very enjoyable characters. The mythology and folklore is undoubtedly the draw and Taylor certainly knows his stuff, taking classic Yorkshire stories, monsters and tales. Indeed, the story does read like a 'spoken' tale and like a mythological story in it's own right.

Overall Verdict: The rush to give the plot and the emphasis of the themes are to the expense of the other elements of the book. Taylor initially self-published this novel and I think it shows; it could have done with a good editor. Nevertheless, this is a likable and enjoyable tale of myths and folklore - 3 stars.

Oh Good God, They're Making A Film Of...

2012-02-03T18:30:00.001Z

...[input title of film] and que "I hope they don't ruin the book." I don't know about you but for me when I hear about to a film adaptation of a book, I usually blurt out the above phrase and cringe whenever I see the trailer. It is very rare that a film is as good as the book and even rarer if the film is actually better than the book. So let's take two sides of the argument by giving two opposing examples; where an adaptation of one book has been brilliant and where another books transition from page to screen has been utter rubbish.

Bleak House
The BBC's production of Bleak House was broadcast in 2005 and shown over 15 weeks, in 30 minute episodes. The characters were wonderfully portrayed by a uniformly excellent group of actors; particularly the highlight is Gillian Anderson's Lady Deadlock. All are utterly convincing and each brings the personality of their character to the forfront with richness and charm.

Stretching the story across 15 episodes was just; it allowed for all the elements of the book to be shown without rushing or missing your favourite chapters - unlike the recent BBC version of Great Expectations. I usually find Dicken's very hard to stomach, pacing it like this meant I didn't have too much in one go.

The script was edited suitably well! It was moving, gripping and brought out what Dickens is all about, superb story-telling. I have to agree with The Times, who summed it up perfectly; "...this glorious adaptation transforms soap opera into art."

The Golden Compass
The Goldan Compass was Hollywood's version of what is arguable one of the greatest novels of all time, The Amber Spyglass, book 1 of His Darkmaterials by Philip Pullman.

First, many fans hated the change in title, the American version, so already it wasn't being true to the book. The acting was weak across the board and taking it as a film in it's own right, some of the performances were worthy of the Razzies. The script was dire, somewhere in it's transition from book to film, the story lost it's majic.

Perhaps this was a book that was decidebly hard to visulaise on the big screen, but then you could argue that with Lord of the Rings and well, look what happened there.

For me, this filmed seemed rushed, pretty much every key component of the book, plot, pace, narrative, characters, language, setting... they missed the mark big time and this is a perfect example of how bad it can be. Well, they haven't adapted the second or third book in the trilogy, maybe Hollywood learnt it's lesson?

Can a film be as good as the book? J. R. R. Tolkein has answered this question - he did not want his books being adapted to film as he argued that people interpret the books differently by using their imagination, visualising the books. I tend to agree, everyone has their own opinion as to who the actors should be, which chapters to skip etc. On the other hand, many books reach a new audience after a Hollywood production and some novel 'gems' can only be found via that method. For me, I'd pick books over films anyday of the week.

All Is Song Review

2012-01-29T21:29:00.003Z

Theme: January Book of the Month

Book: All Is Song by Samantha Harvey

Published in GB by Johnothan Cape in 2012, 280 pgs. ISBN: 9780224096324

Genre: Religion, Relationships, Morals, Social Issues, Mental Health

Synopsis

"William getting obsessive about his ideas and being unable to let anything go. If someone shows so much as a passing interest in a subject he'll pursue it until they wished they'd never mentioned it," [Pg. 167].

Leaving Scotland, after the end of a marriage and death of his parents, Leonard Deppling returns to London to reunite with his brother, William. William, a former lecturer and activist, now spends his days discussing his life philosophy with his ex-students and questioning pretty much everything he comes across. Leonard knows that he must bridge an understanding between them, if not for himself, then for their late father, who requested Leonard investigate into William's erratic behaviour. Leonard muses and observes, though it is soon apparent that any intervention from Leonard may have come too late when one ex-student takes extreme action, instigating William.

Overall Review - 2* (A waste; this could have been so much more)

This second novel by Samantha Harvey, following her Man Booker Short-Listed debut novel The Wilderness. As Leonard is with William, I find this book incredibly frustrating. The synopsis written on the inside cover of the book, is in itself a short story and I think gives slightly too much information away. Upon reading the opening 100 pages of the novel I found the writing to be very laboured, as though Harvey was trying far too hard to create something more than what is a very simply plot. The reading felt staggered somewhat, did not flow with particular ease and seemed to be suffocating under the dense observations and thoughts by Leonard.

The plot itself is not the problem, indeed, though I may be contradicting myself here, it is very good (bare with me). Leonard rekindling a brotherly relationship with William whilst on the way learning more about himself, opening his mind and heart and overcoming ignorance and arrogance. When Leonard finally seems to relate to William, understand his philosophy and way of thinking, the whole relationship is thrown into turmoil at the political action of a student that instigates the family.

However, (told you this was coming), I will quote the book, "I can't even work out what your point is". The underlying message is one of ignorance; people are afraid of things which they fail to understand, those that do can sometimes use this to their advantage and abuse the situation. Apart from that, I really struggled with what point the author was trying to make. I did not find William's way of life so strange or erratic enough as to be considered 'mentally unstable' as suggested in the book. So the whole context in trying to understand William is completely thrown; there isn't that much to work out. Harvey has assumed the reader must have a very closed mind to begin with in not comprehending William's lifestyle and choices.

Other themes such as religion, relationships and philosophy are often discussed as part of Leonard's narrative. Some of these internal debates are beautifully written and even when the talk is on the most trivial of topics, it can still sound poetic. The relationship between the two men is also portrayed with such sensitivity, care and skill that even after a few opening lines, the reader can already grasp the components of this connection and clearly envisage it.

I just wish this was a short-story. Harvey has watered the down the plot with too much emphasis on questioning, interpreting and expanding on Williams and Leonard's beliefs, when really there was little to develop upon. It watered down the plot to the point where I was debating giving up on the book altogether. This book would be brilliant otherwise.

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 1.5*
Narrative - 2*
Characters - 2*
Themes & Ideas - 1.5*
Language used & dialogue - 3.5*
Setting - 2*

Other Verdicts:

"It is Harvey’s concentration on the intensity of the sibling relationship that is the heart of this self-denying yet resonant work," The Telegraph.

"Yet while this book doesn't reach the heights of its predecessor, there's still something compelling in the way Harvey resists the easy and the obvious. The result is a novel of both depth and defiance," The Observer.

Next weeks theme is Folklore. Much love...

Book One of the Hunger Games Trilogy Review

2012-01-23T21:21:00.000Z

Theme: Author of the Month

Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Published by Scholastic Ltd. (UK), 2008. 454 pages. ISBN: 9781407109084

Genre: Children's, fantasy, adventure, fiction, love.

Awards: Too many to even list!

Synopsis:

"I want to do something, right here, right now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol that whatever they do or force us to do there is a part of every tribute they can't own," (Pg. 286).

Panem, a post-apocalyptic North America, is the rich Capital in the Rocky Mountains with 12 surrounding, poorer districts which cater to the Capital's needs. Punishment for previous rebellions, each year one boy and one girl from each of the remaining 12 districts, between the ages of 12 and 18, are selected by lottery and forced to participate in the 'Hunger Games'; a televised event where the selected 'tributes' must fight to the death in outdoor, Gladiator arenas until just one remains.

Overall Review: 4* (Loved, loved, loved every minute of it)

After tweeting asking followers suggestions for books to watch in 2012, two friends recommended The Hunger Games and I have to say I agree with them. As you can gather from the overall review rating, I loved this book. It's original, gripping and very thought-provoking.

The story is told by Katniss Everdeen, whom steps forward to take her sister's place in the games. Like the character, we the reader see this as a death sentence. The 'Games' are not at all like the Olympics, in reality really they mirror those in Gladiator film though lasting much later. Yet, the setting is utterly believable, scarily so. The concept of a 'Big Brother' type reality show for the enjoyment of the elites is not new, you only have to think of the Truman Show. Yet the concept, that a new era where one nation rules and others have to sacrifice to them is marked in history. It is a future 1984, after years of war where one nation has an almost complete tight hold on the entire population.

Following Katniss throughout the Games is almost too hard to read; literally at each chapter we are left on a cliff-hanger and I can't really think of many other children's authors that can do that, perhaps of course JK Rowling. For this book is at a similar level as the great Harry Potter books. The ready made block-buster mix is there; an original plot that captures yours imagination, a lovable collection of main characters, a jumble of genres though ultimately it boils down to adventure and elements of magic. But above all it is a novel that will get children reading. It is simply written for children. I do question what age group it's aimed at, in terms of the language used, it is very basic and easy reading however, the themes and ideas are very dark and in some places graphic. I'd give an age of around 11-12 years.

Though some parts were very gripping others were very predictable. You can foresee quite a few circumstances, though, I must admit, I was slightly surprised by the twist at the end. For younger audiences, they perhaps may not foresee those changes in the story. I also found that there was a lot of repetition. The great theme throughout is one of morality; questioning why people can watch the suffering of others and claim it is entertainment, how people can let others live in poverty, how unfair life is for the 12 Districts and the fear that death may bring. These are always things which are healthy for children to debate but I do wander if Collins relied heavily on these factors when writing the story.

Interestingly, the novel has been made into a film and is due for release this coming summer. I think my friends are right in predicting that the fan base will undoubtedly grow. I only hope the film does the book justice. Not only one to watch this year but definitely one to read!

Review Breakdown:

Themes & Ideas - 4.5*
Characters - 4*
Setting - 3.5*
Narrative - 4*
Language Used & Dialogue - 3.5*
Plot & Pace - 4*

Other Verdict's

"Constant suspense... I couldn't stop reading." Stephen King

"I was obsessed with this book... the Hunger Games is amazing." Stephanie Meyer

"One of the best written and most thought-provoking books I've read for a long time." Anthony Horowitz

Trivia:
The Hunger Games is now being transferred to the big screen. Click here to go to the official movie website.

As a result of The Hunger Games popularity Collins was named one of Time Magazine's most influential people of 2010.

The Hunger Games were inspired by the Greek myths of the Minotaur and Theseus.

To read my spotlight on Samantha Harvey, in Verdict's Author of the Month post, click here.

Next weeks review is All Is Song by Samantha Harvey. Over the next coming few days I will be redesigning my blog, so if my site is down, don't worry, I shall be back. Hopefully, it will look much more professional.

Self-Publishing: The Argument

2012-01-19T21:28:00.002Z

A Short History Lesson

The self-publishing revolution really began to take off by the advent of the electronic book or more commonly shortened to 'e-book'. The e-book is portable, mobile and increasingly accessible especially with the advent of smartphones, the Kindle, the iBook, Nook, Sony E-reader and so on. Last year alone more e-books were sold more than books in print; in the UK this was 24 e-books per 1 hardback, making this new form of publishing big business. In 2010 the total sales by e-books was an astonishing £3.1billion and e-book sales are estimated to reach 10% of total sales for the big publishers in 2012. So why is the e-book so successful?

Amanda Hocking: A Success Story

It's hard to talk about the e-book revolution without mentioning one of the first authors to become a bestseller, one of the Amazon Kindle Million Club. In 2010 Amanda Hocking saw that one of her idols, Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, was coming to Chicago, USA. Penniless, Amanda decided to try her hand at self-publishing, aiming to raise $300 to make the 10 hour trip from her home Minnesota to Chicago.
Hocking had written 17 novels and over 50 short stories of which had been turned down by all the major publishing houses, she had little hope. In the past 20 months alone, Hocking has sold 1.5m books and made 2.5 million dollars and credit where credits due, she did this all by herself.

Why self-publish?

The old argument was that self-publishing was for the talentless and in Hocking's case, prior to her success, you could be forgiven for believing it. However, more and more evidence is now showing that of the many bestselling authors that self-publish, most do not have contracts nor print deals with publishing houses. It gives authors more of a chance at cracking markets as indeed, the digital market is vast. More and more people are have access and soon e-books will hold the biggest stake in book sales; surely it makes sound business sense.

Further, popular 'print' authors such as Stephen Fry and Ian Rankin have turned to e-books. It is becoming recognised in the literature world and traditional audiences are increasingly becoming less resistant to the idea. Specifically this is mainly due to how mobile it is; carrying a library in your pocket. Buying a book there and then, downloading it within minutes. It's meeting the ever changing consumer habits.

On the other hand, Harper Collins put the 7% economic diminishing of the UK book market down to the sale of e-books; it may be up in terms of volume, but in value it has declined. This may not be surprising as self-publishing earns the authors much greater royalties than previous methods, up to 31% on the Kindle. Surely, that in itself is a victory for many authors?

Well, self-publishing does come at a price. It's not just a get rich-quick solution. Concerns are increasingly over the ease of plagiarism and 'stealing' digital books. The issue of copyright is still something that is yet to be resolved by publishing houses; mainly keeping books that are now out of print but being sold online, up to date with the most recent publishing laws.

You also have to think - is this a fad. Is this something that will come and go just as quick as it started. Technology is constantly evolving and being updated. Will the consumer demand still be around? Will there be a back-lash to favour the more traditional 'print' books? Is it a sustainable choice, especially for those authors who solely publish digitally?

Self-publishing is likely to continue and keep on growing in popularity. Any writers, readers, publishers, agents, businesses... it at least makes economic sense to keep up to speed with the e-revolution.

So You've Decided To Self-Publish: Verdict's Top Self-Publishing Tips

Don't let the public become your first reviewers. Don't just upload anything. Mistakes are hard to rectify, even harder if the book has already been downloaded and read. Ensure you have independent reviewers, from different sources before publishing.
Research and enquire about self-publishing. Blogs, websites, newspapers, book stores, ex-teachers; absorb as much information as possible to ensure you find the right means of publishing. Self-publishing may not be for you, you may need the advice of an agent, the guidance of someone in the business.
Try the original method first; send off manuscripts to publishing houses. Even if you get a rejection letter back you may get feedback that can help you improve your work. Constructive criticism is key.
Join websites such as YouWriteOn where you can upload the first opening chapters of your work for other amateur authors to review and in doing so the chance a review from an editor of a major publishing firm.
Pick and try a random 'e-book'. It may sound silly and obvious but read an e-book. Do you like it? How easy was it to find the book you wanted? Was there anything - the layout perhaps, you need to consider in your work? How are you going to make yours stand out and get the consumers attention?
Contact an author who has self-published for their advice. There are many out there - they maybe able to give you more informative advice.
Don't just publish via one means; expand the net.
Copyright. Ensure your work is protected.

Classic Ghost Stories Reviews

2012-01-16T21:24:00.001Z

For Christmas my parents got me an Everyman's Pocket Classics publication of classic ghost stories. In this post I will review 2 classic ghost stories: The Open Window by Saki and 'Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad'.

Theme: Classic Ghost Story

Books: The Open Window by Saki [H. H. Munro] and 'Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad'

Both published by Everyman's Pocket Classics in 2008 and edited by Peter Washington. ISBN: 9781841596013. The stories are 4 and 23 pages long respectively.

Genre: classics, ghost stories, short stories, thriller, horror

Synopsis

The Open Window tells the story Frampton Nuttel whom visits Sappleton House by order of his sister, to rest his nerves. The young Vera is hostess to Nuttel as her aunt prepares the evening meal in the kitchen. It is upon this meeting that Nuttel learns from Vera of a family tragedy; one day, three generations of men from the family went missing on the moors. Her aunt leaves the front window open in case they 'decide' to return.

'Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad'. Professor Parkins, when discussing his upcoming mini-break to Barnstow, is recommended by friends to visit the Templar's Preceptory along the nearby beach. Accompanied by his a peer Mr. Rodgers, Parkins checks in at the Gorge Inn at a room over-looking the sea. When finished golfing, Parkins visits the Preceptory unexpectedly when he falls down a dune into the marshes and the Preceptory itself. When there he finds a box containing an old whistle. Walking back to the Inn, he notices a figure running in vain trying to catch up with him. Uncomfortable he decides to ignore it. At closer inspection later in the evening, he notices the whistle has strange marking. Checking if it still works, he blows twice into the device and unforeseen calls the figure to him.

Overall Review

It's hard to contemplate an adult short story being told in just 4 pages. Yet, the plot is so daring clever and almost invariably creepy. The author, Saki, often likes to portray practical jokes in his work. The Open Window perfectly demonstrates how it is easy to misinterpret jokes as reality rather than fiction. Yet, as a reader we fall victim, alongside Nuttel to the mischievous Vera and her well told tale. However, I prefer taking the plot at face value. I have not divulged the full extent of the story but trust me, if you do believe what you read, the hairs on the back of your head will be standing on end.

The lack of writing is by no means deters from the story; it manages to pack a punch and surely that is a mark of excellence in story telling. What I do think is that it's suited brilliantly to campsite fires and night in with friends. It is meant to be read out loud.

'Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad' is probably one of the most well-known and most-loved ghost stories in literature. It is just the right mix of tension and horror and is one that probably will never be topped. The underlying point of the story is to not mess with the spiritual world and take those that do not belong to you as you will always get your comeuppance.

The long figure running after Parkins is just the start of this affair that inevitable turns increasingly sour. I cannot think of a more frightening image than that of someone running after you especially when you know any contact is not going to end well. What's more you are never given the true identity of the figure - it seems to have form as a person running across the sand and yet also appears shapeless in the hotel room and has to materialise itself in bed linen. An unnameable and invisible enemy that creeps up on you in the night. OK, now I'm scaring myself.

It's hard to judge such classics. Are there any criticisms of insights of further value. Probably not. The stories have not been adapted nor re-published time after time for no reason. These are simply ones which, like the best tales, will pass down to new generations.

What's your favourite ghost story? Does a 'classic' novel equal perfection? Next weeks review theme is January Author of the Month - Suzanne Collins Book One in the Hunger Games Trilogy.

To Judge A Book By It's Cover

2012-01-14T13:53:00.000Z

How successful a book turns out to be, is dictated by a variety of factors: the synopsis, opening pages, reviews, the story, the quality of the writing, the media coverage, the editor, the publisher, the author's agent and ... the book cover? The old phrase "don't judge a book by it's cover" may ring true for many yet, many classics and popular books are often re-published with a new artwork on the cover to draw a new audience. So, here is Verdict's pick of the Best 10 Book Covers of 2011.

1. I love how the writing looks as though it's caught in motion, as though a fast train is rushing past behind and caught the words, leaving them statics in the air. Or how it's like words on a faulty TV screen. Or how they're almost electric, caught on live wires. Like all good art, it makes a statement and can be interpreted in so many ways. Verdict's favourite of 2011.

2. Already a favourite with bloggers, many agree the collection of Oliver Sacks is visually stunning. It is a clever ploy by the publishers, even I would be tempted to buy all the whole series to complete the image. Like pieces of a puzzle. Whether the books are any good or not, I must admit, I would buy the books just so I could rip off the front covers and put them on my wall. It's very similar to Stephen Jay Gould's collection designed by Sam Potts, perhaps this may trend in 2012.

3. There is almost an optical illusion affect with this front cover for the re-publication of the Canterbury Tales. I don't think I need to add much. It matches the book, the story; sheer photographic perfection.

4. This cover reminds me very much of Australian aboriginal art. The swirls and dots, a colleague of individual brush strokes. On the otherhand it also has hints of classical stories such as Homer's Odyssey and the Illiad. It's certainly eye catching.

5. This quite haunting image represents rather beautifully the book. It's chilling, the wind blowing the seeds, dispersing and separating them from it's parent. It's change, again momentum. Another simply wonderful image capturing the essence of a book.

6. I adore this cover. The hovering bubble and hazy background catches your attention quite dramatically. I wouldn't say it quite amazes but it certainly makes you stop and stare. I don't know the connection between the cover and book content - it almost makes me want to find out.

7. Outrageous hats were all the rage in 2011 so what better way to represent a collection of comics than as a hat. It at least states exactly was it says on the tin - you're not mislead. It is a startling illustration, very innovative.

8. I like the concept of the book and how it has been portrayed. At the time a situation can be disastrous or very upsetting but once you move on and when you start to look back, in hindsight, you can laugh about it. The upside down image of the woman, who is blurred and staring back is haunting. As though she's daring you to laugh. For me, it also looks as though she's floating in water. Whether she died or committed suicide... OK I want to read the book now.

9. From the moment I saw the cover it immediately reminded me of the classic Greek vases. Whether this is taken from an actual vase painting I do not know. It certainly adds an air of mythology to the book. The main images of the mandolin, woman, man fish and animals have the green tinge representative of archaic bronze sculptures. Wonderful.

10. The final cover in the top ten. What I enjoy about this artwork is the mirage of the plate with elements of a skull, broken and lying on the floor. Creepy yet brilliant.

Other covers that almost made the top ten included; Lightning Rods by Helen Dewitt, XVI by Julian Kerr, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Kelmscott by Carol Sunday, Crush Mexican Spiders by Tibor Fisher, Robopocalypse by Daniel Wilson, Starstruck by Cyn Balog, The Madness Vase by Andrea Gibson and The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson.

Are there any you'd add to the list? Do you think the front cover is a deciding factor for the success of a book?

Jan Book of the Month

2012-01-11T20:47:00.001Z

The short-list for books published in and around January or those which have been causing a stir in the literature world. Verdict's short-list this month is....

Yesterday's Sun by Amanda Brooke
Newly-weds Holly and Tom move into an a picturesque ancient manor house in the English countryside. In the wild garden, there is a moondial, the mechanism of which imposes a curse. After finding the moondial, each full moon thereafter, Holly can see into the future - a bleak future, showing her own funeral with Tom cradling their baby daughter Libby. Holly has been given a choice: to sacrifice her own life and give Tom the baby he always wanted or erase the life of the daughter she has started to fall in love with.

"Intriguing and unputdownable." Katie Fforde

How It All Began by Dame Penelope Lively

How one event changes the course of life. How It All Began follows one incident, Charlotte's mugging and subsequently the breaking of her hip, and it's consequences. Causing Rose not to accompany her employer Lord Peters to Manchester, when means his niece Marion has to go in her place, which results in her text to her lover being intercepted by his wife, which... just the start of irrevocable series of events. Termed a 'comedy classic' by the Telegraph, this is sure to waves in months to come.

"...it is Lively herself who is the authority on the power of stories to instruct, captivate and heal..an engaging and warm read full of the keenest human insight." The Independent.

The London Train by Tesse Hadley

A modern day Brief Encounter, Cora and Paul cross paths on a Paddington train in a chance meeting. The first part introduces Paul as the narrator, searching for his missing adult daughter Laura from a previous marriage. Upon finding her pregnant and living in a run-down council flat in London, Paul is drawn to this precarious way of life and in doing so abandons his second wife and children in Wales. The second part, Cara narrates whom in an opposing situation, is back to Cardiff, aways from a suffocating marriage, to an inherited house from her parents. Two lives then converge.

"..it’s an excellent, absorbing read." The Daily Mail

All Is Song by Samantha Harvey

Leaving Scotland, Leonard Deppling returns to London where in previous years he has nursed his dying father, to reunite with William, his brother whom was missing from their father's funeral. William, a former university lecturer and a free spirit who believes in knowing ones self is the key to freedom and happiness. Leonard observes William's erratic, ignorant and strange behaviour over the course of the summer. Even the more so when a student follows one of his arguments to extremist ends. Rather than roll over, William takes the stand.

Before I Go To Sleep Review

2012-01-09T21:10:00.001Z

Theme: Dec Book of the Month (a bit late - too many festive celebrations)

Book: Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson

First published in GB by Doubleday. 366 pgs. ISBN: 9780857520173 366.

Awards: Currently part of the Richard & Judy Book Club selection and is currently in the list for the TV Book Club! (UK)

Synopsis

"I felt like he was giving me one final chance. 'You can still walk away,' he seemed to be saying. 'You can go on with your life without knowing what I am about to tell you.' But he was wrong. I couldn't. Without the truth I am living less than half a life." (Pg. 183)

Christine wakes up every morning not knowing who she is or where she is in a bed with an unfamiliar man. Walking to the bathroom, what she expects to see in the mirror is a 20-something single, whom has a sore head after a night out and one-night stand with a married man. That married man turns out to be her husband who has to explain to her every morning that she is forty-seven, and had a terrible car crash two decades ago that now hinders her ability to form new memories and sometimes obtaining old ones.

But the phone call, from Dr. Nash, whom claims to be her neurologist, directs her to her diary, kept secret from her husband. Reading the extracts from the past two weeks, Christine learns of her daily life - the same morning conversations with Ben, sessions with Dr. Nash, snippets of memories from her former life, facts that her husband has told her, the journal of information she depends upon. Soon though she has questions. Conflicting sources of information don't add up - her child, her best friend, that car crash.

Each day she has the knowledge that when she falls asleep she will wake up not remembering yesterday. Her life is static. Re-reading the journal is the first step to reconstructing her life. The first step to finally finding out the truth.

Overall Review - 5* (If you only read one book this year, make sure it's this)

Each year one book comes along and it raises the standard that very few authors can match. Before I Go To Sleep was simply the book of 2011 and with the limelight on it this year it may prove to be Watson's best year yet.

When reading the synopsis, your immediate thought was 'oh I know how this goes'. Amnesia patient, piecing her memory together, finding lies everywhere, blah, blah, blah. Boring. Nothing new. Move on. Yet, from the moment you read the opening chapters it snaps you up and I soon found myself completely absorbed in the story, forgetting that I was actually meant to be critical of it.

The novel is told in three parts. A typical morning when she wakes up and begins the process of finding herself. As she opens her journal, so do we, as she narrates the entries till the present day. Most of the book contains the entries until the final part when we come back to the present. It's a great set up as it's match exactly how she reads it - as though the first time.

The plot is brilliant. It reveals bit by bit important key events in her life, giving enough food for thought. What I enjoyed was how she constantly questioned whether the truth in every bit of information she is given. She always feels the need to validate it - to make fiction become fact. It's through this validation process that we learn which details are not true. Sometimes this leads the her and thus the reader to conclude one thing - for example, some memories may have been imagined by her rather than them actually occurring aka, she may have made them up. Believing what is at face value is something you soon give up on with this tale. The twist at the end is fantastic; I can honestly say you do not see it coming.

This leads soon to a whodunnit. Did she really have an accident? Did the Doctor or Ben do it? The story turns into a mouse, cat, dog chase. You can barely put the book down. All the assumptions you first have, all that you first believe is thrown. Watson makes you feel as though you are the narrator, that you are Christine, stumbling across obstacles in your life. Part of what makes this work is which information Watson decides to give and when. Something that most first time authors fail to get right.

Christine and the other main characters are developed very well. Not too much is given away as we are only given what Christine is told and observes and as in life, this is sometimes limited. Yet, her thoughts and their processes, what details she decides to write in her journal are relevant and always hold weight in the story. There is some repetition but that comes with the genre - amnesia. It would be hard to believe if there wasn't any.

Seldom a debut comes along that is simply stunning, ambitious and just perfect. The best thriller of 2011, maybe 2012.

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 5
Narrator - 5
Setting - 4.5
Characters - 5
Language used/Dialogue - 5
Themes & Ideas - 5

Other Verdicts:

"Quite simply the best debut novel I've ever read." Tess Gerritsen

"A terrific first novel - well written, genuinely upsetting and psychologically very plausible. Thrillers seldom come much better than this. Loved it, read it in one." Joanne Harris

"Brilliant in its pacing, profound in its central question, suspenseful on every page - and satisfying in its thriller ending." Anita Shreve

"A deeply unsettling debut that asks the most terrifying question - what do you have left when you lost yourself?" Val McDermid

Read the book? The thriller of 2011? As always, feel free to leave your Verdict in the comments section - you don't need to be a follower to leave a comment. Next weeks theme is - a ghost story

2012 Reading Resolutions

2012-01-08T13:39:00.000Z

Verdict would like to welcome you to a new year. As part of the very drunken new year celebrations, there was time to reflect on 2011 and time to determine Reading Resolutions for 2012. For Verdict's writer Sophie Dusting 2011 was a brilliant year; passing her degree with first class honours, moving house twice, a 5 week fieldtrip to Australia, getting a graduate job, rekindled a friendship with a best mate, started learning to drive and of course started the blog. So what will 2012 bring?

Time to set some Blog Resolution:

Reading Resolution - to read all books in BBC's 2003 poll The Big Read. The poll listed the nations top 100 books. I remember when this poll was being conducted and discussing the list with friends and family. I was so happy when my favourite books of all time, Lord of the Rings, came top. Of those listed on the website Sophie has read 15. It may be an ongoing resolution to 2013 due to the amount I'm yet to read, perhaps 2 books of the list to review a month.
Professional Blog - to continue to improve the blog via appearance, design, content of the blog. The past 3 months have been a bit hap-hazard in terms of posting. I have moved house, gone on holidays and started a new job, so the posting hasn't always been regular. In 2012 I intend to improve all aspects of the blog and hopefully acquire some more followers.
To attend more literature events and festivals.
To write more poetry and fiction. The more practise the better. I know my weak points (spelling) and I know my good points. The more I read and the more I practise will hopefully result in better quality of work.

Changes to look out for:

A redesign of the blog in a couple of weeks. I want it to look more professional. I now also have a new smartphone and with network coverage and Internet connection permitting, I should be able to post even when I'm travelling.

More posts. Only yesterday I went into the nearest town to my home and bought 8 books. I hope to review a greater number of books this year and also post more about other aspects of reading and writing.

I hope 2012 brings you all health and happiness. Much love.

Jan Author of the Month

2012-01-06T18:42:00.001Z

Verdict posted on it's twitter and facebook feed asking friends and followers about authors and books to watch in 2012. One name came up: Suzanne Collins. I dug a little deeper and not only was I surprised in what I found but took it further - to make her Verdict's Author of the Month.

Suzanne Collins

Bio

Her career really started in 1991 when she began writing for children's TV such as the Emmy-nominated Nickelodeon shows Clarissa Explains it All, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, Little Bear and Oswald. Other works include hits like Santa Baby! Recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment's Clifford's Puppy Days.

It was whilst she was working on kids TV shows that she met fellow children's authors, James Promios, whom talked her into trying her hand at children's novels. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland and the urban fantasy of New York City she created her best known works - Gregor the Overlander and The Underland Chronicles.

The Hunger Games

At the moment, Suzanne is working on the third book in the sci-fi series, The Hunger Games; of which two friends recommended. The books were originally inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur as well as her father's experience of poverty in his career at the Air Force. The novel is set in an unidentified future time period, after the destruction of the current nations of North America, forming a new nation 'Panem'. Panem is the rich Capital in the Rocky Mountains with 12 surrounding, poorer districts which cater to the Capital's needs. Punishment for previous rebellions, each year one boy and one girl from each of the remaining 12 districts, between the ages of 12 and 18, are selected by lottery and forced to participate in the 'Hunger Games'; a televised events where the selected 'tributes' must fight to the death in outdoor, Gladiator arenas until just one remains. The winning 'tribute' and the corresponding district is then rewarded. A New York Times Bestseller for 60 weeks and now adapted by Collins herself into a forthcoming film. As a result of The Hunger Games popularity Collins was named one of Time Magazine's most influential people of 2010.

(Source: Suzanne Collins Official Website, Wikipideia, The Hunger Games Website)

Books

The Underland Chronicles -

Gregor the Overlander (2003)

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (2004)

Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods (2005)

Gregor and the Marks of Secret (2006)

Gregor and the Code of Claw (2007)

The Hunger Games Trilogy -

The Hunger Games (2008)

Catching Fire (2009)

Mockingjay (2010)

Fire Proof: Shelby Woo (1999)

When Charlie McButton Lost Power (2005)

When Charlie McButton Gained Power (2009)

I would normally highlight those I recommend but as I have not read any of her works before, it would be unjust to pass comment. I will review The Hunger Games later this month.

Awards

For the Hunger Games -

2011 California Young Reader Medal

2010 Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers

2008 Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year: Children Fiction

2008 New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2008

An American Library Association Top 10 Best Books For Young Adult Selection

An ALA Notable Children's Book

2008 CYBIL Award - Fantasy and Science Fiction

2008 KIRKUS Best Young Adult Book

A Horn Book Fanfare

2008 School Library Journal Best Books of 2008

2008 A Book List Editor's Choice

NY Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

2008/2009 Children's Indie next list

2008/2009 Indies Choice Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book Honour

2008 LA Times Favourite Children's Books

2008 Barnes and Noble Best Books of 2008

Borders Best Teenage Books of 2008

Amazon Best Books of 2008, both Top 100 Editor's Pick and Top 10 Books for teens.

And...

2004 NAIBA Children's Novel Award - Book One of The Underland Chronicles

2006 ALSC Notable Children's Recording (audio version) - Book One of The Underland Chronicles

Other TriviaSuzanne Collins Official WebsiteThe Hunger Games Book Website (UK)The Hunger Games Movie Website - release date 23/03/2012
Verdict?Have you read any of her books? Are you looking forward to the movies adaptation - think it looks as good as the books?

Journey to the Centre of the Earth Review

2011-12-31T18:41:00.001Z

Theme: Classic Short Story

Book: Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

First published in France as Voyage au centre de la terre in 1864, translation first published in Penguin Classics in 2009. 233 pages ISBN: 978-0-141-44197-9

Genre: adventure, short story, fantasy, action, classic, sci-fi, travel

Synopsis

"Was I really to take his determination to journey to the centre of the globe seriously? Had I been listening to the demented theories of a madman or the scientific reasoning of a great genius?" (pg. 35).

This classic novel tells the extraordinary story of the distinguished but eccentric Professor Lidenbrock who, when examining an old manuscript by the equally brilliant Professor Saknussemm, discovers a scrap of parchment. This parchment, written in runes, is tells of an entrance to another world beneath our own. Departing with his nephew Axel and an Icelandic steward, the Professor follows the instructions down to the dormant volcano Snæfellsjökull. A journey of geological discovery, terrifying danger and the passage to the centre of the Earth.

Overall review - 4.5* (You can see why it is a classic)

You cannot help but be swept away by this book. A fantastic tale of discovery and adventure. The plot though at first seems utterly impossible, at the end seems almost entirely plausible. The geological and scientific knowledge and background the author is clearly recognisable and is used to convince the reader that one can simply take a journey to the centre of the Earth. The narrator, Axel, questions the then modern day scientific paradigms and concepts, many of which are still believed to this day and flips them with the discoveries in the book.

My favourite part was when they eventually came to the centre of the Earth, to this new world. The great slog of travelling and getting there was over and what awaited was something unexplored and untouched. And boy, don't you just believe it and enjoy it. It's so child-like and fun when they start naming entire oceans and land after themselves. When they hurriedly try to identify creatures, plants, rocks. The pace, language used and writing style make it seem as though you are reading from the diaries of an exploration that actually took place.

The characters are somewhat stereotypical; a brash, brave, mad, intelligent Professor leading his enthusiastic, not so brave apprentice into a new world with a silent steward to aid their quest. Again, the themes and ideas appear to be a refreshed - parts of the story were very like reading Homer's Odyssey with the monsters in the sea. Yet, this book was written in 1864. Putting in context - back then, this book would have more than likely of been revolutionary.

I loved some of the quotes in the book - my ultimate favourite: "Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.”

I only have two criticisms of the book. First, some of it really did feel like reading a geological textbook. It's informative but for someone without a geological background, it can bog down the story. Yet, this is really only a minor error at the start of the book. If you do, however, love geology then this is a simply must read.

My second criticism is - why wasn't it any longer? Verne stumbled upon a great plot which has so much more room for expantion. In this new Jurassic Park like new world at the centre of the Earth, the reader is only given a brief snap shot, a couple of adventures to across the new sea and onto the new island and volcano. That is where is ends. Almost two-thirds of the book is taken up with actually getting to the centre of the Earth but the fun part is ultimately shortened as a result. I wish Vernes carried on the plot a bit further. It feels as though the book is not quite as complete as it should be.

Does the book warrant a 'classic' status. Well yes. It is a pioneering book in the world of sci-fi and fantasy literature and is sure to appeal to audiences well into the future.

Review Breakdown:

Pace & Plot - 5*
Dialogue & Language - 4.5*
Themes & Ideas - 4.5*
Characters - 4*
Setting - 4.5*
Narrative - 3.5*

What's your Verdict?

Next weeks theme is going to be my review of Dec Book of the Month Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson. I wish you all a very happy new year - I hope it's happy and healthy and better than 2011. Love to all.

The Nation's Favourite Twentieth Century Poems Review

2011-12-19T20:36:00.000Z

Theme: Poetry

Book: The Nation's Favourite Twentieth Century Poems. Edited by Griff Rhys Jones.

First published in GB in 1999 by BBC Worldwide Limited. 189 pages. ISBN: 0 563 55143 7

Synopsis

This anthology is a collection, bringing together the nation's favourite modern poems based on a BBC 1996 poll. One hundred years of verse in a book; the poems span many emotions and genres, tying together a rich and diverse collection of some of the finest poems of the last century.

Top Poems

Warning JENNY JOSEPH
Not Waving but Drowning STEVIE SMITH
Do not go gentle into that good night DYLAN THOMAS
This Be the Verse PHILIP LARKIN
Stop all the clocks W.H. AUDEN
The Whitsun Weddings PHILIP LARKIN
Fern Hill DYLAN THOMAS
If- RUDYARD KIPLING
Christmas SIR JOHN BETJEMAN
Diary of a Church Mouse SIR JOHN BETJEMAN

Overall Review - 5*

The anthology is the basis for any poetry lovers collection and a starting point for those who want to read verse. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this anthology mainly due to the brilliance of the poetry and how varied it was. From Dylan Thomas and Sir John Betjeman to Benjamin Zephaniah and Seamus Heaney; I implore anyone reading this collection not to find at least one poem they like and connect with.

It's a great way to kick-off reading poetry. Understanding the more traditional and popular poems highlights just what you can do with poetry - it has endless boundaries. It's interesting to see how poetry has developed and changes over the course of a century, from more structures, rhythmic stanzas to more free verse in the latter part of the century. It still manages to fit and keep up with an ever changing world. It leads to another point. The poetry reflects some of the greatest events in the last century, specifically the World War One poems that are beautifully emotive and really haunt you long after you turn the page.

The structure of the anthology is great; you can dip in and out and read any poem in whatever order you fancy. It's a collection you can dive into. The forward provided by Griff Rhys Jones is also insightful and interesting providing a brilliant synopsis and brief history of the authors and poems.

One drawback is perhaps there are some poems which I would contest being in the collection and there are some I feel missed out. This partly due to the age of the poll; it perhaps would be good if it were repeated or updated. However, that is a matter of personal opinion; I was shock to see that my personal favourite poet William Henry Davies did not have an entry. "What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare."

In terms of a review breakdown, the review structure that I based my score on cannot really be applied in this case.

Overall, this collection is really a building block of any personal library; if poetry isn't for you, just try browsing through, you may find something unexpected. Which is you favourite poem?

The review on Thursday will be - a classic short story.

Dead Gorgeous Review

2011-12-16T08:09:00.000Z

Theme: December Author of the Month

Book: Dead Gorgeous by Malories Blackman

Genre: Short-story, ghost story, teens book, horror, fantasy

Dead Gorgeous is 219pages long and was first published in GB in 2002 by Doubleday. ISBN: 978-0-522-54633-1

Awards: Shortlisted for both the 2003 Caderdale Book of the Year and the 2003 Salford Children's Book Award.

Synopsis

"That boy she'd seen - that ghost she'd seen - was he real or was she still asleep and dreaming the whole thing or was she imagining things?" (Pg. 49/50).

Nova feels invisible; her older sister doesn't want to spend time with her and her parents are too focused on running their hotel. That is until she meets Liam; a dead gorgeous teenager. The trouble is he is actually dead and Nova is the only one who can see him.

'He's got looks. He's got attitude. Why doesn't he just get a life?'

Overall Review - 3.5* (Definitely worth a read)

We meet Nova, fed up with her life at her parents hotel. What transpires is a relationship with a ghost named Liam. It brings both of them a new purpose to their 'life' as they help each other to solve their troubles. More than a teenage hormone fuelled rant about how hard done by they are (which every teenager feels at some point) this is a tender, thought provoking dark comedy that stays with you long as you finish.

I found the setting quite typical of a ghost story - a hotel, near the beach, caves, reminds me of Whistle and I'll Come to You. It certainly works hence why authors keep re-using it in such stories. Fortunately the characters differ from traditions; they are young, feisty and modern. It was interesting how Malorie could interplay this and differ from the standard ghost story, for this read was solid.

Indeed, the two main characters and how their relationship develops is written beautifully. Nova finally has the attention and more importantly the compassion and companion she has longed for. He is all hers. No one else can see him. Which teenage girl has felt like that or have wanted that. It certainly identifies one theme that reflects most female teenage lives.

For years Liam has haunted the hotel, watched people come and go; his existence had no substance and he longs to finally be at peace. That is until he realises Nova can see him. Suddenly he wants to live as a ghost. However, this is threatened by his brother, Joshua, who returns to the place where he died (the cliffs near the hotel) and stays in the hotel knowing that Joshua's presence still remains there. I won't reveal the finale but I can tell you, what evolves is the desperation to cling onto what we know, the life we lead and the one things that means the most; the reason for our being.

The novel flows and is set at a good pace through-out. The narrative is between Nova and Liam's observations - with Nova's being in the second person and Liam's being in the first in the form of a diary. This is typical of Malorie, using diaries to allow the reader greater insight into her characters. I do think the book is just the right length - if this was not a short story I doubt it would have worked quite as well.

The Sunday Telegraph stated during it's review of the book, "few writers can sustain a plot as well as Malorie Blackman." I must agree; this is a high commendable book. I don't quite think it's the best piece by Malorie, but then, I am comparing it to the glorious Noughts and Crosses series. If you are looking for a short story, this is it.

Review Breakdown:

Plot&Pace - 4.5
Characters - 3.5
Setting - 3
Themes&Ideas - 3.5
Dialogue/Language - 4
Narrative - 4

Other Reviews

"The tragi-comic ghost story is sure to please Malorie Blackman's many fans...fast-paced and very readable, while offering the more thoughtful reader several layers of meaning." The Bookseller

"Expertly written." Primary Times

"Blackman's touch is as sure as ever." Observer

What's your Verdict? Who's your favourite author? Next weeks theme is poetry.

Then We Came to the End Review

2011-12-13T21:17:00.002Z

Theme: Work

Book: Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris, first published in GB by Vicking in 2007, 385 pages, ISBN: 978-0-141-02763-0

Genre: Work, Employment, Contemporary, Comedy, Social Issues

Awards: 2007 USA National Book Award, Long-listed for the Guardian First Book Award, Joshua Ferris won the Barnes and Noble Discover New Writer Awards and in the UK was chosen by Richard and Judy for their Book Club in 2008.

Synopsis

"At one point or another we have all been deposed." (Pg. 15).

Spending their days at work with a group of strangers, sharing more of their life with them than family and friends, Then We Came to the End is almost a social documentary of the world of the average officer worker. Amongst the characters are Lynn Mason, the boss and suffering from breast cancer which her colleagues pretend to ignore, Chris Yop and his infamous 'chair', Carl Garbedian who is opposed to his doctor wife and in doing so takes another's medication and Marcia Dwyer the office gossiper who just so happens to have hair stuck in the eighties. Their usual working day consits of worrying about redundancies, procrastinating at every opportunity, flirting, meetings and of course work. Yet, to their great surprise these 'strangers' are human and have a life outside of work.

To quote the synopsis on the back of the book: "Then We Came to the End is about sitting all morning next to someone you cross the road to avoid at lunch. It's the story of your life, and mine."

Overall Review

The novel is an interesting social drama about office life and capturing quite brilliantly the way in which we work. This does not however, mean that it is something that I want to read about. The novel was very hard 'to-get-into' by which I mean the book was either written in a way that made it hard to read or it failed to interest me. My rule of thumb is 5 chapters in and if I don't get into it, I stop trying to; I almost chucked the book away until it suddenly clicked in my head about a page before the fifth chapter and I began to understand what the author was intending by the novel.

To go into the plot in more depth it is the musing of the work colleagues at an advertising house and how each is affected by work, impending redundancies and their own life, that weaves in an out of the tale. The narrator, who remains nameless throughout, uses the second person to describe collective feelings and behaviours as well as the groups observations. The meticulous and precise detail in which Ferris observers human interaction and behaviour is to be applauded; it can sometimes be witty, sometimes sharp, sometimes perceptive, but also down-right boring and tedious to read.

To give an example, there is an issue of a chair which has does not belong to Tom and he frets because the company have serial numbers and they can track it and he thinks it'll lead back to him and he will get in trouble. Yet, this issue is dragged and watered out so long I want to fling the book out the window. In real life no one discusses such things of so long, they may be anxious or worry about them, but do we really need to read about it. A book in my eyes is meant to transport you away for your life not scream the obvious on a repeated record.

Nonetheless, to give the book and the author it's due, it is well written. I don't think I have ever read a novel that so acutely identifies and describes modern day working life; the setting and environment is spot on near perfect. The way in which it is written, I feel is like that of a typical office worker, procrastinating by going off on tangents.

The stand-out part of the book for me was the final 100 pages, where an ex-officer worker, whom his ex-colleagues presumed had had a mental breakdown, returns to the office to tell a few home truths. It ties in everything and shows how the mentality of an office can sometimes be...mental. I won't spoil the plot by telling you as it is a brilliant twist and was the particular highlight of the book.

For all the observations and details, it is the books downfall; it spoils the novel and makes it a chore to read. An extract from the book really explains what I mean: "Hank Neary...was working on a failed novel. He described it as 'small and angry'. We all wandered who the hell would buy small and angry? We asked him what it was about. 'Work,' he replied. A small angry book about work. Now there was a guaranteed best seller. There was fun on the beach." (Pg. 72).

Even he identified the flaw. Yet, the book has been an international success. The reviews I think are misleading. Precise, observant, incisive, intelligent, intense - Yes. Funny, entertaining, gripping, - No. I am glad I read the book, I do think it will become a modern classic simply due to how perceptive Ferris has been on the contemporary working environment. Will I be reading it again - probably not.

Overall Verdict gives this book a review of 2.5* (Read it, if there's nothing else going).

Review Breakdown

Plot & Pace - 2
Setting - 5
Language/Dialogue - 3
Themes & Ideas - 2
Characters - 2
Narrative - 2

Credible Verdict's

"The Comedy Debut of the Year." (Sunday Times)

"One of the first great novels of this century." (Literary Review)

"Very funny, intense and exhilarating...For the first time in fiction, it has truly captured the way we work." (The Times)

Leave your Verdict

Have you read the book? Do you disagree with my review? Have you read any books where you thought the reviews misrepresented the book?

The next review will be Dead Gorgeous by Malorie Blackman, Verdict's Dec Author of the Month.

December Book of the Month

2011-12-11T17:22:00.000Z

I've been scouring the web, eves dropping on conversations and reading numerous material to find books either published in and around December (give or take a few weeks) or have made a bit of a buzz/excitement in the literary world. The selection was narrowed down to Verdict's Top 5 to watch.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Called 'Brokeback Mountain with centaurs and swords' by Stuard Evers, the Telegraph, Song of Achilles is a first novel by Madeline Miller. The book follows the relationships of Patroclus, Achilles best friend and in this version his lover. In his youth Patroclus was exiled to the kingdom of Phthia and raised by King Peleus (Achilles father). Meeting Achilles, a polar opposite in stature and status, the pair soon form a relationship that develops along the backdrop of the Trojan War. Overcoming more than just social stigma, Achilles and Patroclus must interplay their fate with the Gods. Miller took 10 YEARS to write the book and has received, on the whole, positive reviews.

"Miller's prose is more poetic than almost any translation of Homer." (Natalie Haynes, The Guardian)

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson

Christine, our story's narrator, has a rare form of amnesia; everytime she goes to sleep her memory is erased. (This first part does remind me of 50 First Dates movie). Each morning she wakes to a stranger in her bed, whom she believes is the left-overs of an adulterous one night stand. Shocked to learn she is infact a 47 year-old woman, more and more revelations are told by the 'stranger' that turns out to be her husband Ben. Each day her life story is replayed and repeated. Helping her is a neuropsychologist, Dr Edmund Nash. Reading her diary, the first words are 'Don't trust Ben'. She then begins to question everything - why can't she trust Ben, is Edmund really a doctor, is her memory loss really caused by an 'accident'?

"Quite simply the best debut I've ever read." (Tess Gerritsen)

11.22.63 by Stephen King

Stepping into your local burger king and being transported through time is not something you would usually expect however, one morning Jake Epping did just that. This is not just your typical time travel, grandfather clock sci-fi novel. Sent by a dying chef to discover if Lee Harvey Oswarld was truly responsible for the JFK assassination and if proven to be so, terminated his existence and thus changing the course of history - for better or worse. His 56th book, over 700 pages long, is not considered has received mixed reviews though many still think this punches way above the average thriller.

"Flawed, long-winded and periodically silly it may be, but 11.22.63 kept me up all night." Tim Martin, The Telegraph.

Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James

Set in 1803, in the build-up for the annual Lady Anne's ball, at the Darcy's Pemberley estate. Lydia Wickham (former Bennet) runs screaming into Pemberley that murder has been committed by her husband, George Wickham, who is found drunken by the blood-soaked corpse of the Captain Denny. Blaming himself for Denny's demise, Wickham is taken under house arrest and later charged with murder. (At this point, Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy are 6 years into their marriage, have two young children and own the Pemberley estate). Pemberley is not what is seems at face value, with guards shielding its dark secrets. As the trail is put forward to the Old Bailey and Darcy feels obliged to defend his 'brother' Wickham. Soon all the Austen characters are caught up in the legal and social consequences of the trial.

Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

Darian, living alone for the best part of a century, is the last of her kind; an immortal Shaede. Made and then abandoned by her father, she was forced to learn how to survive, using her unique skill; slipping into the darkness as easily as breaking. Now an assassin, her next termination is Xander Pack, King of the Shaede Nation. Throwing her own view of the world into limbo and battling her own conscience, Darian faces a painful decision. But a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished...

"Shaedes of Gray was my kind of Urban Fantasy I was hooked from page one and I cant wait for book 2 Blood Before Sunrise to come out." Urban Fantasy Investigations Blog

Verdict's December Book of the Month is... Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson. Out of the five books this was the one that caught my attention the most; even the synopsis got me excited and intrigued to find out more. Verdict will review the book in the next coming couple of weeks and will post it on the blog by the end of the month. By request of Maria Fallon at Frills 'n' Spills, I will add the Song of Achilles to Verdict's wish-list. (We're both classics nuts and both eager to read any twist on the great tales of the Iliad and Odyssey).

Do you have a book that you would like Verdict to add to it's wish-list? Leave your choice in the comments section.

Much love,

December Author of the Month

2011-12-03T22:55:00.002Z

Verdict's December author of the month is Malorie Blackman.

Why is Malorie Blackman Verdict's author of the month?

I can remember in primary school, secondary school, college and university numerous friends recommending Malorie Blackman and yet it was only around a year ago that I actually picked up one of her books. Once I picked up one I couldn't stop. Book after book after book. She simply delivers. She has an enviable imagination, an incredible writing style and manages to produce some of the best contemporary literature. The vast majority of her novels are for children, though she does write some young adult stories as well. Typical themes surround societal and political issues such as race and ethnicity as well as science fiction, fantasy and contemporary issues.

The most profound and probably most well-known is the Nought and Crosses Series. A brave, thought-provoking collection surrounding three generations relationships in the cross-fire of a segregated society; blacks (cross) and whites/colourless (noughts), with one twist, unlike our social history, noughts are the superior class. The books represent love, hate and hope. I've read all 4 in the series, the first being my overall favourite, and you can't help but think this could of actually happened. This could have so easily happened. I tend not to like books that are solely about relationships yet, this series is so tender and beautifully written, you cannot help to love them. What was so striking is how these were ordinary characters leading ordinary lives, yet the outside circumstance dictated their course in life - brilliant mirroring history. I discussed the books with my mum and we both agree that we hope one day they will be made into a feature-length film, though I don't think Hollywood is quite ready for it yet.

The author was born and spent her childhood in London. With an early career initially in computer science, Malorie turned a new direction when Livewire published her first work - Not So Stupid! For just over twenty years, Malorie has blessed us with numerous works spanning a range of multi-media. On her official website she states a host of interests of which many surround the creative arts. She has quite a similar taste as myself, she loves Muse (who doesn't), saxophone, reading children's books... I think we'd get along to be honest.

To sum it up simply, Malorie Blackman is a rare talent.

About Malorie's Work

Books

Young Adults novels & Short Stories

Those Verdict highly commends are highlighted in purple type.

Noughts and Crosses Series: Nought and Crosses, Knife Edge, Checkmate, Double Cross

Not So Stupid! Collection of short stories

Trust Me

Words Last Forever

The Stuff of Nightmares

Boys Don't Cry

Unheard Voices: An Anthology of Stories and Poems to Commemorate the Bicentenary Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade

The Crew and Other Teen Fiction - multi author short story collection

Humming Through My Fingers - multi author short story collection

Children's Novels & Short Stories

Pig Heart Boy

Animal Avengers

Hacker

Dangerous Reality

Jack Sweettooth the 73rd

Don't Be Afraid

Operation Gadgetman

Tell Me No Lies

The Space Stowaway

Forbiggen Game

Hostage

Whizziwig

Whizziwig Returns

Thief!

A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E

Betsey Biggalow Stories

Dead Gorgeous

Cloud Busting

The Girl Wonder series

The Deadly Dare Mysteries

Contact - multi author short story collection

Aesop's Fables

The Puzzle Planet Adventures

Dare to be Different - multi author short story collection

Peacemaker - multi-author short story collection

The Longman Book Project

Elaine You're a Brat!

My Friend's a Gris-Quok

Grandma Gertie's Haunted Handbag

Space Race

Fangs

Snow Dog

The Monster Crisp-Guzzler

Sinclair, Wonder Bear

Picture books

The New Dress

I Want a Cuddle!

Marty Monster

Jessica Strange

Dizzy's Walk

Mrs Spoon's Family

Contribution to A Christmas Tree of Stories

Compiled numerous scripts for TV including for episodes of Byker Grove, Whizziwig and the BAFTA award winning Pig Heart Boy. In 1996, Operation Gadgetman was adapted into a TV movie.

Theatre

Written scripts for stage plays including The Amazing Birthday and Noughts and Crosses.

Book Awards

1997 Excellence/Write Thing Children's Author of the Year Award

2005 Children's Book Circle's Eleanor Farjeon Award
For Hacker Novel - 1994 W.H.Smith Mind Boggling Book of the Year Award, Young Telegraph/Gimme 5 Children's Book of the Year Award and short-listed for the 1995 Birmingham TSB Children's Book Award

For Thief! - Young Telegraph/Fully Booked Children's Book of the Year Award

For A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E - 1997 Stockport Children's Book Award, 1998 Sheffield Children's Book Award (highly commended) and 2001 Stockport Schools Book Award (shortlisted)

For Pig-Heart Boy - 1998 Carnegie Medal (shortlisted), 1998 UKRA Award, 1999 Lancashire Children's Book of the Year (shortlisted) and 1999 Wirral Paperback of the Year Award

For Tell Me No Lies - Stockport Children's Book Award

For Dead Gorgeous - 2003 Calderdale Book of the Year and Saldord Children's Book Award (shortlised for both)

For the Noughts and Crosses series - 2002 Lancashire Children's Book of the Year, Red House Children's Book Award and Sheffield Children's Book Award. 2003 Wirral Paperback of the Year Award, 2004 Fantastic Fiction Award. Shortlisted for 2005 Berkshire Book Award, Lancashire Children's Book of the Year Award, Redbridge and Teenage Book Award. In 2006 shortlisted for Lancashire Children's Book of the Year and won the Staffordshire Young People's Book of the Year.

For Cloud Busting - 2004 Nestle Smarties Book Prize. Shortlisted for 2005 Redbridge Children's Book Award, Stockport Schools Book Award, 2006 Nottingham Children's Book Award and West Sussex Children's Book Award

Also has won an OBE for her contribution to children's literature and TV.

Credible Verdicts

The awards speak for themselves.

Want to find out more?

A brilliantly insightful webpage by the British Council

Official Malorie Blackman website

Malorie Blackman blog

Malorie Blackman interview with the BBC

What next?

Her latest release was in 2010 with Boys Don't Cry

Your Verdict

As always, feel free to leave your Verdict in the comments section. A review of Dead Gorgeous will be posted later in the month.

Apologies I did not include this on my last review post. This weeks book review theme is work/employment. I've recently started a new job on a graduate scheme and hence I wanted to read a book to match this new turn in my life.

Five go to Smugglers Top Review

2011-11-28T20:23:00.000Z

My second book review this week, you lucky things. I recently went on a mini-break to Wales with my family, as a congratulations for both myself and my brother on graduating from university, getting a job, moving house and generally moving forward with our lives. Llangranog is my childhood home; essentially every year for about 6 years we went there and it represents my own childhood. As a result, I took a book from my childhood years to read whilst down there and here is my review...

Theme: Childhood

Book: Five go to Smugglers Top by Enid Blyton

First published in GB in 1945 by Holder and Stoughton Ltd., 184 pages

Genre: Children's Books, Adventure, Vintage Books,

Synopsis

"Smugglers-coming over a secret path from the sea to Castaway Hill! Smugglers!" (Pg. 78).

Julian, Dick, George, Anne and Timmy the Dog meet once again to begin, what they believe to be, a 'normal' summer holiday. Meeting at George's home, the first night doesn't quite go to plan; a terrible storm leaves the household in turmoil as a tree falls on the property. Worried they may not be able to spend their holiday together, George's father, the formidable Uncle Quentin, solves the problem, by sending them to Smuggler's Top, home to a professional colleague of Quentin's, Mr. Lenoir. Arriving at Smuggler's top, not all is as it seems and they soon find themselves caught in a twisted plot.

Overall Review - 4.5* (Read it to your kids)

I couldn't help but to enjoy reading this book again. It is simply sweet, innocent fun - isn't that what childhood is meant to be? For those of you that are familiar with the Famous Five novels, they pretty much follow a similar plot; the children go on their holidays, find something is wrong, investigate and explore, till the plot reaches it's climax, usually with the children facing a bad predicament and finally it being resolved and everyone is back together in the end. You perhaps wonder how an author could sustain such a plot over such a long series of books and yet, Enid Blyton seems to do it with effortless ease. For a child, (I would put the audience age around 8-10 years), it is full of adventure, comedy, action and friendship which most children can relate to in one way or the other.

It's a story that children can relate to it. Instead of being set in another world or another dimension, the setting is seemingly real. The plots are not so far-fetched that they are unbelievable; every child could turn their house in Smuggler's Top, re-play the adventure with their friends in the school playground. Being by the beach set the perfect atmosphere for me when I was reading the book.

The characters are very independent, loud, sharp, sure-minded... typical of children. Another reason why young readers will relate to them. When Dick stands up to Mr. Lenoir, it recreates my own arguments with my father. The narrative is third person and flows very well. As an adult reader, transferring to a very young text, e.g. he said this, she said that, he did this etc. was quite hard. It took a good few chapters for me to make the transition.

Remembering when I read the book as a child, I found it very exciting, gripping and definitely my favourite out of the Famous Five Series, so much so I re-visited the book very often. I hope today's children still get to read Enid Blyton - her novels are far too good to be forgotten!

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 4
Setting - 5
Narrative - 5
Language/Dialogue - 4
Themes & Ideas - 4.5
Characters - 5

Other Verdict's

Read a very good review on enidblyton.net here. Like myself this reviewer travels back to their childhood whilst reading the book (though they go into far greater detail).

Why not leave your Verdict in the comments section? Which book or author reminds you of your childhood?

Btw I wan't short-listed for the Bridport Festival. Pants. Still, I shall improve and there's always next years competition.

Bird Brain Review (Nov book of the month)

2011-11-22T23:07:00.000Z

Theme: Nov book of the month (new release)

Book: Bird Brain by Guy Kennaway

287 pages, published in GB in 2011, ISBN: 9780224093996

Genre: comedy, animals, British, book of the month, crime

Synopsis

"It began for Basil 'Banger' Peyton-Crumbe the day he died in a pheasant-shooting incident." (Pg. 3).

Banger, a blood sport obsessive who is fundamentally against animal rights, takes a turn for the worst and is killed during a shooting incident only to return back to earth as a pheasant. Still pro-shooting, Banger begins his new life as a pheasant and begins to learn that his death was not an accident, as his dogs witnessed. Realising via his old detective dogs and newspaper article, he realises he was murdered. To make matters worse he has to overcome a series of obstacles; the shoots, other pheasants, foxes, children, animal-rights groups, to make his journey back to his estate to set right the oh-so-frequent mistakes in his life and see his murderer face justice.

Overall review - 4.5* (You must read this)

As stated in my post introducing this months novel (click here), I chose this book due to it's slightly unusual plot. Not the typical poacher turned gamekeeper- something altogether more funny and brilliant. The plot is utterly absurd in places, but not in a bad way. It dives straight in, the first chapter is Banger's death and the discovery of his body. The plot then focuses on the dogs detective work whilst Banger faces life as a pheasant.

The observations Banger makes, and his behaviour as a pheasant are perfect - I could not imagine them in any other way. The plot twists and turns from Banger's first shoot to being rescued by a child, an experience at the vets, communicating with animal rights groups and eating magic mushrooms of all things. It is constantly on the go, more strange occurrence one after the other, but this just works. I found it odd that Guy gave away who the murderer was, almost immediately into the book rather than leave it as a 'who-dunnit'. But this did not tarnish the story in anyway - the plot never disappointed me.

The narrative, the voice of Banger mostly, with a few injects from the dogs, detective, William (his brother) and Victoria (his daughter). It's interesting to see that though his physical form changes, Banger's mentally remains the same; a typically pompus old loveable bigot (if one can ever be loveable). It's even more amusing especially when he reveals to the other pheasants he used to be a man and an active game-shooting man at that.

It's hard to mention this book without bringing up the comical aspect of it and there is just one type but many different forms to appeal to a wide audience - from toilet humour with the dogs, to very dark humour where he names ill-fated pheasants after 'doomed' historic figures and places e.g. the Two Towers, JFK... you shouldn't laugh but you can't help it. There are so many levels and as I enjoy most types, it appealed to me even more.

The themes and ideas I would say are new - they at least twist the usual 'game-shooting' tale into a much more complex plot that is simply a joy to read. The book very much reminded me of the film Chicken Run, where the animals dance in their huts, dream of escape. It painted a very vivid picture in my mind.

The use of language is great, I especially loved the use of descriptive character names - 'Banger' Peyton-Crumbe; double barrel surname = posh. It's a very Dicken's like trick and Guy has used it well. Taking the characters - you warm to those you love with ease and likewise with those you are supposed to hate.

The dialogue/description balance is great. My only one criticism is that sometimes the main character 'Banger' spends 4 pages telling us what he's annoyed at and why. It's a great British trait that we tend to be p-off at everything and moan and complain (and I'm a book critic so I can't talk), it never bored me but I think it could have done without so much.

All in all, an excellent release. I thoroughly enjoyed it and whizzed through it in a couple of days. Perfect if you have a long journey ahead of you. I highly recommend. 4.5* (Read this book).

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 4.5*
Characters - 4*
Themes & Ideas - 4*
Narrative - 5*
Language/Dialogue - 4.5*
Setting - 4.5*

Other credible Verdicts:

"It's high spirited, subversive and full of wry social observation and excellent jokes." (Daily Mail)

"This is a bloody brilliant book." The Spectator

"A great book, I love it." Jilly Cooper

Other Trivia:

An interesting article by Guy Kennaway about Pheasants published in the Guardian - click here

Why not leave your Verdict of this review and the book in the comments box.

Thanks for stopping by.

Appointment in Samarra Review

2011-11-17T21:22:00.000Z

Theme: Graduation

Book: Appointment in Samarra by John O'Hara
First published in GB in 1935 by Faber and Faber, written in 1930, 251 pages. ISBN: 9780099518327

Synopsis:
"Don't you realise what this means, or are you still drunk? It just means that the whole town knows what you did, and when Harry realises that, he'll do anything short of murder to get even with you." (Pg. 27)

Julian English was part of the Boston elite in 1930s America. Owner of a car manufacturing company, him and his wife were held in high esteem by their peers. One evening at their local societal club, Julian, when under the influence of alcohol, threw a drink in the face of Harry Reilly, a fellow powerful associate, for no apparent good reason. From this point onwards, Julian's world dissolves around him as he starts on a breakdown and falls into alcoholism. His once allies and friends reveal their true colours, his marriage falls apart and he realises he no longer understands nor has a place in this world.

Overall review:
To clear up one thing first of all, the reason why I chose this book was due to a recommendation on a random website that stated it was a book for graduated students to read as to discourage them from continuing the student way of life, aka seeing the consequences of alcoholism. I'm glad I decided to read it - what a book. It is truly moving and incredibly thought-provoking.

The plot is quite similar to the Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald (another fantastic novel) in that it is about a social elites fall from grace and, to quote the book, how "for the time being you are the hero or the villain of the thing that is the uppermost in the minds of your friends and acquaintances," (Pg. 93). As a reader you watch how his life unravels, from a dispute with his wife over his behaviour when drunk that leads to him cheating and an eventual divorce, to the arguments with various friends whom side with Harry and betray him, to the loss of business and disrespect of his associates. All this happening over the course of a week. It was very clever, the interconnecting consequences from just the one major scene - it's an intelligent book.

The language used and indeed some of the behaviour is shockingly modern when considering the time the piece is set and written, in the 1930s. To highlight just one quote; "Well, when I was Teddy's age I had four girls knocked up," (Pg. 32). I'm sorry but I was not expecting the language to be so contemporary - it's part of the reason why I loved it. The best scene is when Julian is drunk and he's trying to hold a conversation with his peers - it's like a 10 page script from one of my nights out. It was wonderfully funny.

A criticism is that, as with Ian McEwan in Atonement, the author use description far too much. He gives a 10 page biography for each character. Yes, it adds to the environment and setting but it distracts from the plot and atmosphere. Some bits really were not relevant and it just slowed everything down. That said the dialogue and conversation between characters is sheer brilliance; it's witty, observant, quick and just a joy to read.

Perhaps the greatest point in the book was how neither Harry nor Julian cared much about 'the drink in the face action' but everyone else makes it the biggest event in whole town. It seems so superficial and elaborated but it is the world in which the characters live. Indeed, the community is so close-knit that the drink incident spreads rapidly with many having their own idea as to the reason why; was it because Julian doesn't like the Irish Catholics, the fact the wife may of had an affair with Harry and so on. Even I felt like saying keep your nose out.

I'm unsure whether the themes and ideas are new, certainly perhaps when they were written they may well have been. That said it is a theme which has been played with great dignity and heart. The main character Julian, I had a rollacoaster with. Sometimes I felt real empathy and really understood where he came from and other times his attitude and behaviour is very obnoxious and I didn't like him. Caroline, his unfortunate wife, I had great sympathy for her situation. Trapped in a life she didn't want.

One major warning with this book is the author is very racist, using the N word quite a few times and it is also anti-Semitic. It make it difficult to read and just because it is set or written in that period is no excuse. Thus I will forewarn readers about that.

Overall, it was a beautiful bitter sweet, comic -tragedy of a life falling apart. Well worth a read - 3.5*

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 4
Characters - 3.5
Setting - 4
Themes & Ideas - 3.5
Language/Dialogue - 5
Narrative - 3.5

Read the book? Want to comment on the review? As always, you're welcome to leave your Verdict in the comments box.

Theme next week is Verdicts November's book of the month - Bird Brain by Guy Kennaway

Competitions

2011-11-16T22:25:00.001Z

This month has been manic in so many ways. Not least because I have entered a national poetry competition and will find out if I've been short-listed for an International Competition. Scary or what?

If you haven't read My Love of Writing post, it's prob a good idea to have a quick flick through to get a bit of an idea about my style and a short history of my relationship with writing and reading.

2011 International Bridport Festival, UK

I entered the International Bridport Poetry Festival around 5 months ago. I decided to enter a very personal poem surrounding my 'quarterly-life-crisis'; specifically an event which was the turning point for me. I know I haven't won anything - the winners would be notified by now. The short-list is published on Saturday the 26th of November. Last year there was over 10,000 entries and around 150 made the list. This year the poet Laurette will be judging. So fingers crossed for me this year. I will be moving house the day the short-list is released - hopefully karma will be on my side and make the day extra special.

2011 Poetry Society National Competition, UK

The most recent competition I have entered was the Poetry Society National Competition, on the 31st October this year. This poem surrounded travelling - I tend to get quick homesick after a couple of weeks so this was a poem to challenge and reflect that. The national competition has a huge reputation. In fact for both competitions I would be delighted to be even short-listed. The results are published the end of January 2012 for this competition. I was much happier with this poem (no-one is ever 100% satisfied). Of course there will be posts if anything does come of them.

Common rules

For those of you who've never entered a poetry competition or are interested in entering one, they usually follow a few key rules. The competition body e.g. the Poetry Society, sets the number of lines, how it is to be typed, how it is to be entered and other logistical stuff. A couple of crucial rules includes not publishing your poem prior and during the competition - either on a website or blog etc, hence I haven't included my poems here. Also, you must keep a copy yourself - almost all won't return the original - it would be a bit embarrassing if you forgot your own poem. If you win, they may invite you to read at an event. (My dream).

My Advice

My advice for anyone entering these competitions. First, have something to hand in. Bit obvious I know. Make sure any sill grammatical or spelling errors are corrected by re-reading it. Get other people's opinion, especially if they are avid readers/poets like you. Be concise and cut like mad - don't waffle. Ensure you are at least 95% happy with it - no author will ever claim to be fully content. Lastly, don't undermine yourself, have confidence and hand it in. You'll never get noticed nor win any competitions if you don't push yourself.

In other news, this month (Nov) I have started a new job, started driving lessons, had my graduation in London and in the next week will be going to Wales for the weekend and moving house. It's more than manic. So apologies in advance if my posts are out of sync to what I stated on the About Verdict page or if I don't post as much. You can rest assured in Dec I will be back as usual.

Have you ever entered any writing competitions? Do you have any advice for those entering writing competitions? If you are an armature writer - what is your ultimate dream?

Love to all,

The Power of Five Review

2011-11-12T18:14:00.003Z

Theme: Parallel worlds

The Power of Five Series, composed of 5 books and written by Verdict's Author of the Month, Anthony Horowitz.

Book 1: Raven's Gate - published in GB by Walker Books in 2005, 283 pages, ISBN: 1-84428-619-3

Book 2: Evil Star - published in GB by Walker Books in 2006, 350 pages, ISBN: 1-84428-620-7

Book 3: Night Rise - published in GB by Walker Books in 2007, 401 pages, ISBN: 1-84428-621-8

Book 4: Necropolis - published in GB by Walker Books in 2008, 388 pages, ISBN: 978-1-4063-2108-1

Book 5: non yet published.

Genre: Children's Books, Young Adults, Fanatasy, Horror, Thriller, Adventure

Synopsis The first book follows Matt, a troubled young man sent on a rehabilitation programme in Yorkshire with his foster parents. It is soon apparent something is not quite right and when investigating, Matt learns about the Old Ones; an evil that was banished long ago by five children and currently being kept at bay by eight guardians.

Yet, devil worshipers and corrupt powers are trying to let the Old Ones back into the world via 'Gates' - simply gateways between the Old Ones banished lands and our world. Matt fights to protect one gate and in the second book the world is threatened again by the opening of a second gate in Peru.

Supported by Nexus, a secret organisation designed to assist Matt with his quest, they investigate into the suspected second gate. Introduced to a new character, Pedro, a similar teenager with extraordinary powers, Matt begins to realise that they are reincarnations of the two original Five children, who banished the Old Ones. He must now find them if he is to have a chance to defeat the dark powers. However, there is a traitor in Nexus and the Old Ones and their followers know about Matt and Pedro. Will he find the gate in time

The third book, introduces two new characters, twins Scott and Jamie Tyler. Again, they both have a gift of powers, of which they are reluctant to use, and they both have no information about their origin and where they came from. Scott is captured by Night Rise, an evil coorporation that supports the Old Ones. Jamie, is framed for murder and realises that they must use their powers to survive. When rescuing his brother, in a series of flash-backs, Jamie is brought face to face with the Old Ones in the original battle and now understands that he and his brother are one of the Five.

Necropolis, introduces the final fifth Gatekeeper; the last of the Five that must unite and stand against the dark forces of the Old Ones. But, they are one step behind the Old One followers, whom have trapped Scarlett in the dying city of Hong Kong - a city of no escape. It is clear the Old Ones now have a plan.

Overall Review - 4.5* READ IT!

The Power of Five is a brilliant series from an equal brilliant author. It doesn't quite have the magic and appeal of the Harry Potter books, but it's not far off. For a children's/young adults book, it hits the mark. The plot is the typical good vs evil but it's set in reality so far as the places and environments are all real. You could go for instance, to Greater Malling, where we first met Matt, and all the streets, shops...it's all there. Horowitz stated in the interview at the back of the fourth book that he always loved the idea that something supernatural was just around the corner and with these books, you feel it could happen on your backdoor.

Coming back to the plot, at first I did think how can he sustain it over five books; basically protecting the 'gates', the findings and uniting of the Fiver Children and the battles with the Old Ones and their followers. I wandered whether he would stretch the plot, exhaust it and water it down. However, there seems to be just enough to make each book a bit different and unique. It's not all about one character, you switch and change, being introduced to a new personality and heroes and villains in each piece. It makes it slightly more dynamic, though the premise is pretty much the same. I never tired nor got bored. If anything I found myself more addicted to the books the more I read.

I would say my favourite out of the five so far has been Necropolis, Book Four. It had a very 1984 style; Hong Kong being a dying city with people either trapped by forces beyond their control or 'sent away' aka to be killed. I felt this book was much more dark, imaginative and mature. Perhaps progressing as the audience natural grows up. There is lots of horror and gory descriptions that children will love. The pace is so quick and each book adds more and more angles, themes and points to consider. It is a terrific thriller - I was almost nervous to switch off the lights!

It was also great to be introduced to a female lead in the fourth book. Most of the main characters are male so it was nice to see a strong, level-head, independent girl kicking-ass. It is a very 'boyish' book so this does open it to a wider audience. That said fantasy is fantasy which 99.9% of children love. This does not disappoint.

The books are written very well; Horowitz is a master of his craft and thus I would expect no less from these books. The language is not challenging, it is based at the children's market and I found his observations much like that of a children's; making shapes and monsters out of shadows etc. It was as though he'd read some experiences of my childhood and written them in the book. In a way, I felt it was like a guilty pleasure, diving into a children' world where anything is possible.

I thoroughly enjoyed these books and even as an adult I found them captivating. It's a tough market for children's authors, how can they even come close to Harry Potter? In this case, he comes darn close. Verdict gives this series an overall score of 4.5* - Read it.

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 4.5
Language/Dialogue - 4.5
Setting - 5
Themes & Ideas - 4
Characters - 4.5
Narrative - 4.5

Don't believe me - here's other Verdict's:

"Gripping, full of suspense and as twisty as an Alpine pass. Matt Freeman's adventures eclipse even those of the formidable Alex Rider." The Scotsman

"The Thriller kids have been waiting for." The Times

"This book is ambitious in a way that puts most adult novels to shame." The Guardian

"Amongst the best work the author has produced to date: vivid, exciting and intelligent." INIS

"If Harry Potter and a new Power of Five were coming out on the same date, it would be really hard to decide which to read first." The Sunday Times - Verdict agrees with you!

Read the books? Like the review? Leave your Verdict in the comments box. Next week theme is...Graduation (inspired by my recent uni graduation).

November Book of the Month

2011-11-10T21:24:00.002Z

This was a very hard choice - there was so much on offer. I decided to create a short-list, based on various reviews around the media and the synopsis of the novels themselves. The short-list compromises of my top 5 picks of the books published in and around November -

The Fear Index by Robert Harris

Harris's topical novel about financial markets crisis revolved around the election day; 6 May 2010. Dr Alexander Hoffman, an American physicist and billionaire, constructed a 'machine-learning algorithm', esentially a super-computer, designed to analyse market behaviour in order to indstruct traders. The computer runs on the anxiety of the stock-markets, hence the title. The question comes as to whether the creator is still in control of this computer especially when Hoffman starts to experience unaccountable episdoes of increased fear. An eco-techno thriller that is spookily close to reality.

"Robert Harris's ingenious thriller is gripping." (Mark Lawson, the Guardian)

Sherlock Holmes and The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

The first Sherlock Holmes novel to be endorsed by the Conan-Doyle estate since the death of the great author. In November 1890, in the grip of a harsh winter, a scar-faced man arrives unannounced at 221b Baker Street, begging for help; he has a stalker. Embarking to solve the puzzle, Holmes and Watson find themselves emersed in a string of events that eventually leads them to Boston, upon where they are met with the whisphered phrase 'the House of Silk'. An enemy that threatens to undermine the foundation of society, Holmes must use his usual tact of wit and brilliance to solve the riddle.

"Anthony Horowitz does a wonderful job in capturing the voice and the atmosphere that readers of Conan Doyles' adventures remember." Lesa's Book Critiques

Bird Brain by Guy Kennaway

Life was always difficult for Bannger Peyton-Crumbe, an antiquited, blood-sport obsessive, but it gets considerably worse when he is killed in a shooting incident and returns to earth as a phesant. Banger's family think his death was an accident but his gun dogs, who witnessed their masters demise, know it to be murder.

"It's high spirited, subversive and full of wry social observation and excellent jokes." (Daily Mail)

Haruki Murakami -1Q84

Set in Tokyo during 1984, documenting the course of 8 months between two lead characters. The maths teacher Tengo who writes ghost stories about a girl visited by "Little People" - 4inch tall creatures. The other, Aomame, a gym instructor that avenges victimes of domestic violence. Coming together at night, the two leads weave cocoons containing doppelgangers. Tengo commits fraud by rewriting a novel by a tennage author, Fuka-Eri (whom is currently in a commune) and becomes an over-night sensation. The leader of the commune rapes girls, connecting Aomame to the story. As the plots develops questions are thrown - who are the Little People? Are the doppelgangers real? IQ84 is composed of 3 books - the above synopsis is for the first.

"...applauds his combination of thrilling action and oddball ideas." (Anthony Cummins, the Telegraph)

Perlmann's Silence - Pascal Mercier

A representative of the Olivetti company, engages the services of Perlmann to set up a research group with a linguistic theme. With the resource readily available and at the discretion of Perlmann, the meeting is schedules to be held in Genoa. As the meeting draws nearer Perlmann gets more anxious and full of doubts, both in his academic work and personally. He turns to plagiarism; using a Russian linguistic Vassily Leskov, whom translates the work not knowning of the fraud committed. Closer and closer, the day comes nearer, but will the truth win out?

"Mercier's pervious novel...Night Train to Lisbon, showed great intelligence and story-telling power; Perlmann's Silence is a bolder attempt, and reaches greater depths." (Alberto Manguel, the Guardian).

I debated and thought long and hard, especially as two of my favourite authors, Harris and Horowitz (Verdict's Author of the Month) were on the list. However, I have chosen, as Verdict's Book of the Month, Bird Brain by Guy Kennaway. The unusual plot appealed to me and the reviews both by bloggers and critics were very good. The review has now been published - click here to direct you to the review.

Read any of the books short-listed for Verdict's Book of the Month? Want me to do a full review of any of the books in the top 5? Leave notes in the comment box.

Further Under the Duvet Book Review

2011-11-06T17:03:00.002Z

Sorry for the delayed post. I've been away in London for my graduation (which was epic). Anyways here is this weeks book review...

Theme: Chick-Lit

Book: Further Under the Duvet

Further Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes, 400 pages, published in GB in 2005, ISBN: 0-718-14792-8

Awards: None I'm aware of

Genre: Chick-Lit, Comedy, Journalism, love, autobiographical, contemporary

Book Cover

Synopsis

"I love Prade. I covet, with covety covetousness, the shoes and handbags. Like I LOVE them. I want to fling myself on the floor and so at their beauty." (Pg. 15)

Further Under the Duvet is a collection of articles and short stories written by Irish journalist Marian Keyes, that have either been previously unpublished/published through various magazines or newspapers. As indicated by the name, this is a follow-up to the original Under the Duvet book. The articles are classified into themes that are the basis for each chapter of the book - Handbags and Gladrags, On the Road, Heath and Beauty, Woman to Woman, Friends and Family, But Seriously and Short Stories. Each chapter has around 5/6 articles. The book, as shown, is a myriad of topics, from the observational and comical view of Marian Keyes. Apart from the Short Story section, the chapters are largely autobiographical, showcasing weird yet poignant events. As the books slogan says slip 'Under the Duvet...to go places you've never been before.'

Overall Review:

Lets get one thing straight - I hate chick-lit with a passion and anything else that is romantic, sick-puppy-eyed-love tripe etc etc. You get my point. I have a male taste in books - fantasy, adventure, thriller. The theme of chick-lit, as you can probably tell, was not one I looked forward to reviewing.

So, I decided that if I were to review the chick-lit catalogue, I may as well go for a well established author with a very good reputation in the genre. Hence, Marian Keyes. You always find tonnes of her books on the shelves in second-hand stores and for one very good reason; they are forgettable. This one, no exception. From official critic reviews I was expecting something special instead, I was slightly disappointed. It is typical chick-lit: men, make-up, fashion, sex, bitchiness etc.

That said, it was not all bad. Her work is much better than the average chick-lit author. For one, her observations are very smart, witty and quick. She recalls event with a great comic tone that makes for fluid reading. In some cases it literally did make me LOL. She is a very good writer in terms of her language used. I did identify with her - some articles particularly were quite moving at times especially when she recalled her alcoholism. Near the end of the book I did have quite an attachment to the woman.

What I particularly enjoyed was topics that differed from the typical ones covered by the genre, such as travel, journalism and writing, that revolved around her professional job. Its not only interesting but informative; some of the articles are very much like an open CV. The structure of the book is great, you can choose which articles to read, in strict order and dip in and out of them as you please. It means you can skip the poor ones and head to the really good ones. The articles I would recommend to read are: Being Sent to Siberia, Mirror Mirror, Big Night Out, Viva La Resolution, Beyond My Wildest Dreams and the Short Stories.

In conclusion, it's really swings and round-abouts; some articles are really worth a read, others I would skip. Specifically I would go for her short-stories. I think how I would judge it is that this book is better than the average I have read in the genre and she certainly can write. What I will do is read one of her novels - I think that would perhaps be better placed to judge. All in all, Verdict has given this book - 2.5* worth a read.

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 2.5
Characters - 3
Language/Dialogue - 3.5
Narrative - 3
Setting - 2
Themes & Ideas - 1.5

Other Verdicts:

"Her honesty and humour will have you laughing out loud." (Heat!)

Your Verdict

Liked the review? What is your favourite book genre? Read a book by Marian Keyes - why don't you leave your Verdict?

Next weeks theme is Other Worldly.

November Author of the Month

2011-11-01T15:33:00.002Z

Verdict's Author of the Month is... Anthony Horowitz. Congratulations Mr. Horowitz you are our first winner (lets be honest here, I doubt he'll be reading my blog but congratulations nonetheless).

Why is Horowitz Verdict's Author of the Month?

I thought I had grown out of Anthony Horowitz. I had gone years without picking up one of his books and yet not two years ago I was given the first book of the Power of Five series for Christmas. My initial thoughts were 'my dad still thinks I'm 10 and fails to see me as an adult,' as Horowtiz is predominantly a children's/young adults author. Subsequently, I didn't jump at the chance to read it till after a few days into the new year, with not much else to do, I thought 'meh, why not'. I read the first 5 chapters - my golden rule: if the book doesn't hook me within the first 5 chapters, I don't bother carrying on reading it - and I was gripped and became an huge fan.

I am revisiting the books for an up-coming review and it made reflect on some of the works he has produced; the Alex Rider Series, the Devil and His Boy, Granny etc. and I realised what an extraordinary talent this man has. With Horowitz you get reliability, you are guaranteed a great read that appeals to a wide audience. Never have I come across a novel of his that I have disliked and that reflects the consistency of his work. His stories are funny, witty, brilliantly observant, incredibly imaginative, contemporary... I could go on.

Horowtiz, in my opinion, is one of the greatest children's writers and I do think he does not get as much recognition as he deserves. I am so much in love with the Power of Five series that when I couldn't attend a book signing I sent my poor dad to my local Waterstones to do the dirty work for me. An early Christmas present that year (see photo). The last in the series, the fifth book, it yet to be finished. I am eagerly waiting and no doubt will be one of the first to pre-order it.

Anthony Horowitz signature!

About Horowitz's work

Born in north London, Horowitz stated that he knew he wanted to write from the age of 8. Thank goodness he did. This early passion transpired into a full-time career which has seen his work translated into 28 different languages, spanning a variety of media and confirmed Horowitz as part of the fabric of contemporary children's literature in the UK. What follows is a list of his works taken from my own knowledge and back up via his website and other literature.

Books

Where to start? He has written over 50 books, some of which are listed below. Those I would highly recommend are highlighted in purple and bold:

Alex Rider Series
The Power of Five Series
Groosham Grange
The Falcon's Malteser
Public Enemy Number Two
South By South East
The Blurred Man
The French Confection
I Know What You Did Last Wednesday
The Greek Who Stole Christmas
The Radius of the Lost Shark
The Devil's Door-Bell
The Night of the Scorpion
The Silver Citadel
Day of the Dragon
Enter Frederick K Bower
The Sinister Secret of Frederick K Bower
Misha, the Magician and the Mysterious Amulet
Robin of Sherwood: The Hooded Man
Adventure
New Adventures of William Tell
Starting Out
Granny
The Switch
The Devil and His Boy
Half-Life
Myths and Legends
Horowitz Horror
The Magpie Murders
The Killing Joke
Mindgame
William S.

His latest book, the House of Silk, is the first official Sherlock Homes Books to be published since Conan-Doyle and is authorised by his estate. It is released tomorrow and I intend to read and review it in the coming weeks.

Horowitz has written for numerous established UK crime dramas such as Midsummer Murders, Poirot, Robin of Sherwood, Injustice and Collision. His most successful is the BAFTA nominated Foyles War.

Film

He wrote the original script for the Gathering and Just Ask for Diamond as well as his own novel Stormbreaker, part of the Alex Rider series. He is now writing the sequel script for the Tintin movie.

Theatre and Journalism

Wrote the plays Mindgame and A Handbag.

Book Awards

His works have been awarded British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, Bookseller Association/Nielsen Author of the Year Award, the Red House Children's Book Award and the British Book Industry 2007 Author of the Year Award.

Credible Verdicts

The Book Awards really speak for themselves. As such an accomplished author it is hard to narrow down the reviews/critique - simply google him.

Want to find out more?

Anthony Horowitz official website

Alex Rider Series website

The Power of Five Series website

Foyle's War fansite

Meet the Author - a BBC interview on 27 Oct '11

What next?

From Horowitz; the House of Silk - the next Sherlock Homes novel. As part of the author of the month, Verdict will review one of Horowitz's novels; the Power of Five series in the next couple of weeks - find the review here. Verdict also intends to review the next Sherlock Homes novel in the up and coming weeks. Keep an eye on the blog posts.

Your Verdict

Have you read any Horowitz books? Who is your favourite childhood author? Which books remind you of your childhood?

Tsotsi Review

2011-10-28T10:32:00.000+01:00

Theme: South Africa

Book: Tsotsi

Tsotsi by Athol Fugard, originally published in S.Africa in 1980 though not published in UK till 2006. 226 pages. ISBN: 9780394513843.

Awards: None I'm aware of.
Genre: South Africa, Violence, Gang warfare, love, morals, apartheid, foreign writers

Book Cover

Synopsis

"Once lost, that battle was never fought again." (Pg.84)

In South Africa, a violent, fierce gang runs the streets of Sophiatown. The leader, Tsotsi, knows only an existence of killing and stealing till one night, when attempting to rape a woman, she forces a shoebox into his arms. The shoebox is home to a baby; a symbol of Tsotsi's misplaced youth, incapacity to love and lack of humanity. Unable to find the baby's mother and initially hesitant, Tsotsi takes the baby with him, a move that changes the course of his life in an instant. Soon a relationship develops between the two and the symbolism of the baby soon takes hold, prompting Tsotsi to rediscover himself and question his own identity. Under considerable cultural restraints and societal practices, Tsotsi make the brave step of retreating from gang life. However, when the turning of the time comes, Tsotsi and baby Boston's fate is taken out of their hands.

Overall Review - 5* Why haven't you read it already!

Tsotsi is one of the most moving, beautiful and heart-wrenching novels I have EVER read. For a moment it seems the plot could have easily of been taken from a real-life situation; you can imagine gang warfare, terrorising streets in Africa - you see it often enough on the news.

The main character seems to have been created to represent every deprived, disadvantaged and disillusioned youth in S.Africa. It is partly due to the fact, the cultural and gang values, morals and norms are depicted perfectly and vividly. As a reader, I instantly understood the context of where Tsotsi lived and so could completely engross myself into the novel.

This book is all about one person, the main character Tsotsi. Though at first I very much disliked him, I soon developed a strong attachment. Tsotsi has a tendency to act irrationally, without pause for thought about the consequences. Fugard (the author) puts the narrative from Tsotsi's point of view, enabling the reader to understand his background and the present environment in which the character lives in. As a result, the reader can being to sympathise with Tsotsi and gain that extra emotional attachment. What screams out is the anger, anguish and yet optimism that defines Tsotsi and what inevitably makes this story the more bittersweet.

The structure is very good, each piece of dialogue and description is relevant to the plot and most hold a significant purpose in changing the direction of Tsotsi. The strong structure and concise narrative means the novel is at a solid pace and easy to read. My only criticism is that sometimes I found the dialogue hard to follow in terms of which character said what, especially when new characters were introduced.

The use of language is like poetry - it is simply divine. It is obvious that the author is a playwright by trade rather than a novelist.

The themes and ideas are somewhat new. Rather than the typical black suppression during the apartheid, Fugard has flipped it - to show not only the oppression but also how the choices people make dictate their course in life. In Tsotsi's case it's about not just the lack of welfare and love, not just about the constraints of his culture but more so about the motivation and determination to take the fate of his life into his own hands. It's making the best of a bad situation and that in the end is what Tsotsi tries to do.

A highly commended book from one of the best authors South Africa has ever produced. The twist at the end is almost unbearable to read and will leave you in tears - aka I cried, I cried alot. Overall, Verdict gives this book 5* - Why haven't you read it already!

Review Breakdown:

Plot & pace - 5
Characters - 5
Themes and Ideas - 4.5
Narrative - 5
Setting - 5
Language/Dialogue - 4.5

Other Trivia

This book was originally a series of manuscripts in the 1960s, Fugard was a playwright and unsatisfied with this piece it was discarded until it was rediscovered in the 1980s by Stephen Grey, who edited and subsequently published the book. Critically acclaimed, the book was a huge success and was made into an Academy Award winning film - best foreign film 2005. I have yet to see the film, I'm hesitant as most movies aren't as good as the books though if it won an AA I may be tempted.

Credible Verdict's

Don't just take my word for how wonderful this book is...

"A real find, by one of the most affecting and moving writers of our time." Financial Times.

"One of the best novels in contemporary South African fiction." Time Literary Supplement.

"In lean yet lyrical prose... [Fugard] uncannily insinuates himself into the skins of the oppressed majority and articulates its rage, misery and hope." New York Times Book Review.

Is the film as good as the book? As always, please feel free to drop your own Verdict in the comments section.

Next weeks theme is... Chick-Lit.

Worcester Literary Events

2011-10-26T15:43:00.007+01:00

Warning: text and picture heavy!

I thought for my first post surrounding the topic of literary news, I would explore what was on my doorstep. I live in Worcester, a small historic city in the heart of the Midlands famous for; it's Cathedral, being the birthplace of Elgar, the Civil Wars, Royal Worcester Pottery, Lea & Perrins Sauce, the River Severn and so on. Known for anything other than literature. Thus, I took it upon myself to explore this city and find what literary events are on offer...

Literary Festivals and Events

The Worcester Literary Festival

Note I do not own this image, logo is full copyright of the Worcestershire Literary Festival.

This year saw a Local Author's Book Fayre, 'A Bard for Worcestershire' competition, Amy Thompson's 'Milkshake' (from Channel 5), Poetry Performance & Pizazz, Open Mic Sessions, 'Open Mind Writing', Performance Poetry, Poetry Slam, Writing Non-Fiction, seminars, book signings and much, much more. The event also showcased a competition for Worcestershire's first poet Laurette - Theo Theobald won. (A great name I might add).

I have an admission - I had never heard of the festival before! How? It was new in 2011. (At the time I was based at university in London). Next year, I hope to attend the festival (dates 15th-24th June 2012) - I may pester the organisers for a poetry workshop. From reviewing this years event, there was a great line up so fingers crossed for 2012.

Other than the main festival, there are many events which occur throughout the year, at a variety of venues within the city. I am keeping my eyes open for any surrounding poetry and writing. The website is very good and easy to navigate - if you want to explore further, take a peek and click here.

Independent Book Stores

Snowdrops Book Shop

The front of Snowdrops Book Shop, Worcester

There are 2 main independent books stores that I frequently visit. My favourite is Snowdrops Book Shop, based in Reindeer Court. The store hosts a vast collection of around 10,000 books (some of which are available online) over two floors, covering a diverse of genres; from fiction to rare collectible and a wide range of multi media such as dvds. Located on the top floor is a handy sofa so you can sit and read in peace and comfort. Even better, numerous friendly volunteers run the shop and are always willing to help. The book shop is run in aid of St. Richard's Hospice, a local charity that supports adults with cancer. This is a gem of a store and if you come to Worcester take 5 mins to pop in and have a look round.

Worcester Books

Another independent store, called 'Worcester Books', is located in the Gallery (formally known as the Market Hall). The collection here is not massive; the books are spread of two sections of the Gallery and I estimated there were around 2,000 books on display. The store tends to stock more rare and collectible books and indeed, had greater available selection than Snowdrops. There is just one person on till, the owner, whom I found to be quite quiet and shy. That said it is a great little shop and if there isn't a book you want, you can request it online via their website.

Sunbeams Christian Book Shop

Located in the Hay Market, Sunbeams Christian Book Shop sells books, gifts and jewelery. The books are all themed around religion, written by pious writers and are at least acceptable for Christian's to read. The atmosphere is very warm and friendly and is at least worth a browse. I tend not to shop here due to the religious bias; the shop is in now way bad at all, if you are inclined for Christian reading. It's just not my cup of tea. However, if it is your cup of tea - click here to visit their website for further details.

Nationwide Stores

In Worcester we used to have two Waterstones until around a year or so ago when one was shut down. There remaining one is a very large store based in the high street, run by a great team (I should know, I'm friends with a few of them). Other than that there is a WHSmith, an Oxfam Book Store as well as numerous charity shops all of which have small sections devoted to books. I won't bore you with their details as they're a nationwide chain and I'm sure most readers based in the UK would have been to one or have one in their town.

Worcester Library

Enterance to the Worcester Library

Worcester has one main library, based on Foregate Street, near the train station, (that is practically next door to a very nice pub called the Postal Order). The selection of books is quite vast; from fiction to reference books to autobiographies to children's books. What you can't find in the library, you can request online via their directory/catalogue from other libraries in Worcestershire. The library itself, though housed in an archaic, Victorian building, is in fact very modern; there are computer suits, e-books, dvds, an electronic borrowing service, libraries to you service etc. The staff are always friendly and very willing to help - even today they helped me to find a book that I will be reviewing in the coming few weeks. Books can be on loan for up to 5 weeks and you can renew books up to 15 times. For more info, visit their website.

There is another library in St.John's based inside a converted church. Opened in 2010, the library is the community centre for St. John's, providing more than just a centre for books - there's a computer suit, community groups, etc. I tend not to use the library as it's a bit out of my way - it's the wrong side of the city for me however, I intend on visiting the library at some point.

Literary Writing Groups

Worcester Writing Circle - established since 1941, the group included published and budding writers. The meetings, usually every 2 weeks, involve sharing work, constructive criticism, host speakers and writing discussions.

The Worcester and Droitwich Poetry Society Stanza - part of the national Poetry Society, this regional forum meets every 4/6 weeks and asks members to bring one or two of their own poems to share with the rest of the group, for others to give feedback. Members include well-known local poets Sarah Leavesley and Fergus McGonigal. The group also discuss poetry events, submission experiences, books etc.

Worcester City Library Reading Group - based at the Worcester Library, the group meets the third Monday of each month. The group reads a selected book per month and meets for an informal review and discussion. Other topics surround books, writing and authors. The membership is free and copies of the book are available from the library itself.

There are numerous other reading groups and book clubs - some church based, other informal meetings amongst friends. I myself am not a member of any of the above groups. I tend to avoid reading groups - I find that they're not really aimed at a young adult audience. I am considering starting my own Worcester Young Adult Reading Group - perhaps once I get more followers this is something I will explore further. In terms of writing groups, I am hesitant mainly because I have just started writing my own poetry, I think once I get more confidence in my work I'll join the club.

Famous Worcester Author's and Poets

In terms of internationally and nationally renowned authors, there are not any contemporary authors currently residing in Worcester. Hopefully one day I may change all that! There are a couple of non-contemporary authors worth mentioning: Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy a WWI poet and Ellen Wood a 19th Century novelist. Have you heard of any authors or poets from Worcester?

I hope this post has given you a taster on what's on offer for book lovers and amateur writers in Worcester. I was certainly surprised at what I found - just goes to show you sometimes underestimate and overlook what's right in front of you!

Are you a member of any reading or writing groups? What do you think about a Worcester Young Adults Readers Group? Have you attended any literary festivals?

Cold Skin Review

2011-10-21T14:15:00.003+01:00

Theme: Castaway

Book: Cold Skin

Cold Skin by Albert Sanchez Pinol, first published in GB in 2006 by Canongate Books, ISBN: 1841956880

Genre: Castaway, Thriller, Horror, Fantasy,

Book Cover - note doesn't come with the remains of a sticker attached!

Synopsis

"We are never far from those we hate." (Pg. 1)

A small, remote island is located on the edge of the Arctic Circle which is only accessible by boat, that passes just once a year. A young man accepts a solitary 12 month assignment on the island - the 'Weather Official' post. Yet, when he arrives, his predecessor cannot be found and just a fellow castaway named Gruner, whom is assumed to be the Maritime Signal Technician, is the young mans only, rather inhospitable, companion.

As the first night draws in, the young man is confronted with a terrifying discovery: horrific reptilian creatures, named Sitauca, emerge from the sea to desolate all in their path. The only fortified structure is the islands lighthouse which is unfortunately home to Gruner. Armed with explosives, ammunition and weaponry, the once adverse partnership must now unite to decide who will inhabit the island.

Overall review: 3.5* (Worth a read)

A depart from the usual 'Robinson Crusoe' style novel; this book delivers much more than the average castaway tale. Horrifying, disturbing at times and yet ultimately captivating, this book made for a great read.

Initially though, I was not hooked; I had got to chapter 3 and nothing really eventful had happened other than the lead character arriving on the island, the reasons for him being there and his general thoughts on the days events. However, half-way through chapter 3 (pg. 27 to be precise), I was introduce to the Sinauca and from then on, I was captivated. The savage little creatures are hard to picture - there is but a brief description - the focus is on the young man's response to them which is at first a desperate cull of the Sinauca. (I should mention at this point, we are never given the young man's name).

Overtime, as the plot twists and turns, the young man's opinion of them changes towards a more mutual respect and intrigued outlook. Gruner kept a female Sinauca in captivity (we don't know how long for) and as the young man endeavors to know more of the species by observing and trying to communicate with the Sinauca, the relationship turns rather alarmingly sexual. (Told you it was disturbing).

I can't honestly say I enjoyed reading the sexual encounter but that was not the point the author was trying to make. Throughout the whole book the narrative is that of the young man and his thoughts/observations; the events that unfold and his actions and perception of them show a change in his mental state and that is what the emphasis is on; the young man's psychological state. How his opinion towards the creatures changes due to a variety of factors - loneliness, lust, hatred etc., and that what makes this book so interesting to read. In some ways the plot is very plausible and realistic to what an average person may do in such a situation but that does not mean it's an easy read nor fun to contemplate such a thing.

I feel the author is trying to hard to make the sexual relationship into something it's not; an epic love story in the face of a war. This doesn't quite work as the relationship between the young man and the female Sinauca is not really emotive - it's sporadic and more about lust than love.

The characters are great though; at first the two leads are equally opposed in their personalities, forming an unlikely equilibrium. The young man is courageous, brave and adventurous, Gruner is violent, haggard and secluded. As the story progresses these personalities almost swap between the two; Gruner becomes the brave one fighting the Sinauca and the young man becomes secluded and more erratic. The young man ascertains Gruners role and vice verse in a very clever twist in the plot.

There isn't a great amount of description, more dialogue and observational thoughts from the narrators point of view. It makes the pace fast though it does undermine the book as I felt that when I read it, I couldn't always grasp a mental image of what the author was trying to portray. Yet, realistically, you don't need an extensive amount of description to describe a remote island in the Antarctic, that point was directed more towards the battle scenes.

Overall Verdict gives this book a 3.5*. It is shocking; it will haunt you long after you've read it.

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 4.5
Characters - 4
Themes/Ideas - 3.5
Narrative - 4
Setting - 2.5
Dialogue/Language - 3

Other credible Verdict's

"A great, creepy, tender read." Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi.

"The account of his decline into madness is elegantly written and, above all, it renders an absurd plot unexpectedly plausible." The Observer.

Read the book? Liked the review? Have any questions? Please comment and leave your own Verdict.

Next weeks theme is... South Africa.

My Love of Writing

2011-10-17T15:36:00.003+01:00

What made me decide to write?

I started to explore the prospect of writing seriously about 8 months ago. I went through what I've called a 'quarterly life crisis' where I pretty much questioned everything. I was in limbo, I wasn't sure about anything except one certain point - everytime I've been incredibly emotional, I've wanted to express it and so I turned to writing, whether that be in a journal or letter.

So I decided why not make something of this; I enjoy writing and when I reviewed my love affair with it it seemed like the obvious thing to do - apologies for the cliche but it's true - it seemed, almost unknowingly at the time, I've always been an aspiring author. Thus, I considered it for about a second and instantly came to a conclusion. I want to write.

My writing history

I suppose my passion for writing came from reading ultimately. You cannot write unless you read. Ever since I was a child my dad would read to me - from Lord of the Rings to Dickens to PJ Wodehouse. The classics really. Of course I took this hobby on myself which has now transpired into this blog. I would always write, mainly in the holidays when I had the time on my hands; short stories, opening chapters, etc but I never had the discipline, confidence nor patience to see it through to the end. That has now changed.

My words in print

When Bad Times Turn Good - My Feedback

It was in November 2010, when I emailed Psychologies Magazine, commenting on how I related to one of their articles. I forgot all about it; I didn't get a reply so I presumed the editor had read it and gone 'that's nice' and pushed it to one side. Low and behold, in January 2011 my email was published in the opening letters section of the magazine, (see photo). A nation wide magazine had my words printed in it - I was chuffed!!!

Why I turned to new direction to focus on poetry?

Free verse poetry has no boundaries; it's not constrained by literary rules or forms and it allows for artistic freedom. It suits me down to the ground. From GSCE anthologies I found that I couldn't understand the poetry or it was overly long. Plus I always resist anything I am told to do - I was told to read it and I never like being forced to do anything. Thus I want my poetry to reflect me, what I love, what I find significant, plus other ramblings and tangent thoughts. Yet, I want people to only have to read them once or twice to get the main point. Else why bother sharing them if I am the only one who understands them?

My current writing status

I've entered an international poetry competition and national poetry competition. Starting off big, I know. All the local and regional events start in the new year. I can't share the poems I've entered with you; one of the rules of the competitions is that the poems cannot be published in any format including via blogging means. I'll keep you all up to date on all the competitions I enter. Even if I'm short-listed, I'll be delighted.

I hope this has given you an insight into my love of writing. Do you write? Are you an inspiring author?

Sky Burial Review

2011-10-14T16:21:00.008+01:00

Theme: Voyage

Book: Sky Burial by Xinran

First published in GB in 2004 by Chatto and Windus. 159 pages. ISBN: 0701176229
Awards: Short-listed in the Los Angeles Times favourite non-fiction books of 2005
Genre: love, adventure, war, interview, real-life, China, foreign writers, feminism

Book Cover

Synopsis

"I was a young woman in love," she [Shu Wen] said. "I did not think about what I might be facing. I just wanted to find my husband." (Pg.4)

Xinran, a renowned Chinease journalist had heard of the legend of Sky Burial - a Chinease soldier had been fed to vultures in the mountains of Tibet, in a ritual known as Sky Burial. Xinran was contacted by a radio listener about a woman called Shu Wen; they met for two days at a hotel in Suzhuo, where Wen recounted her extraordinary life story.

Kenjun, the husband of Wen, was a surgeon in the Chinease army and was deployed in Tibet during the Chinease and Tibetan political stife, just three weeks after their wedding. Less than a hundred days later, Wen received notice that Kenjun had died; the body had not been found. Despite the advice of all those around her, Wen embarked on a remarkable journey to discover the fate of her husband and to reunited with him for the final farewell.

For thirty years, Wen continued her voyage, travelling the Tibetan plateaux and mountain ranges, following the seasons and nomadic communities whilst trying to keep her husband's memory alive. In a period of political tension, an unlikely bond sealed the relationship of Tibetan communities and Chinease soldiers - the hunt of Kejun. Finally word reached a Tibetan monk, Old Hermit Qiangba. This monk had kept Kejun's last journal and recalled accounts that documented Kejun's final days. The secret of the Sky Burial is at long last revealed, leaving both Kejun and Wen to rest in peace.

Overall Review: 4* (Read it)

Xinran has rather wonderfully illustrated a tale of survival, love and adventure. The book articulates Shu Wen's journey, with the narrative alternating between the author's interview questions and Wen's responses with pure beauty. The descriptions are concise and the use of language acted like a painbrush in my mind, crafting the image of the glorious Tibetan landscape and communities.

Technically, the plot is well structured, recalling the critical events that shaped Wen's quest rather than padding out the plot with overly-long description and dialogue. As a result, the pace is quick; recounting 30 years of someone's life in just 159 pages, it's guaranteed to be snappy. The plot is solely about Wen's life and it makes for a gripping and incredibly moving read. However, other characters drop in and out fleetingly, mirroring Wen's real-life meeting with them. I would have liked some characters to be more developed.

The idea of Sky Burial is new – as a reader, especially coming from the West, I had not come across the practice before. The theme of travelling far and wide to find something or someone is not new; it is the basic framework for any voyage plot. Another theme in the story is the Tibetan and Chinese struggles. As a reader, I wander if there is a political message or if the author has manipulated Wen’s tale, though I do doubt that point. This is just one account portraying the Tibetan resistance as savage and the Chinese revolutionary cause as just. Thus you can’t really judge for yourself how you feel about the war between the two countries on such a limited source base.

Overall what makes this book stand out, it the eternal love and friendship between Kenjun and Wen –it is one that I think almost all of us would wish to experience in our lives. At the end of the book is a letter from the author to Wen asking if they can meet again; since their meeting, they had never been in contact. I can’t help but wonder where she is now.

Review Breakdown:

Plot & Pace - 4
Characters - 3.5
Themes/Idea - 3
Narrative - 4
Setting - 5
Dialogue/Language - 4.5

Verdict has given this book a rating of 4. A great tale. Read it.

Other credible Verdicts

"This story of one extraordinary woman written by another extraordinary woman will stay with you long after closing the book." Sunday Times

“A romantic epic of loss and redemption, of stoic constancy in the face of the vagaries of fate.” Financial Times

“An epic of love, loss and wisdom – almost unbearably sad but ultimately uplifting.” Mail on Sunday

What's your Verdict?

Read the book? Want to read it? Liked the review? Leave you Verdict in the comments section below.

Next week's theme - castaway!