Series Review: The Divide Trilogy by Elizabeth Kay

 

 I’ve just re-read these books*. I actually read them all in the space of just over a week, which is not something often I do with series – usually, after finishing a book I want to read something different, so series tend to get spread over longer periods. But this time, as soon as I’d finished the first and the second book, I just wanted to keep going!

*Well, I’d only previously read the first book in its entirety; I had a bad habit when younger of skipping ahead a lot to read bits that were coming up and then losing interest and not finishing a book because I knew what was coming up.

The books are quite gripping, even though I’d read (most of) them before. Actually, I found I remembered just enough of the first two books that I often remembered something that was going to happen, but not the lead-up to it, which made me want to keep reading to see how the plot fit together.

But anyway, I think these books are very good. I loved The Divide when I read it for the first time (aged 13), but was disappointed when I re-read it a few years later. However, on this read I’ve come to the conclusion that it is a very good book — as are the other two — and I must have just been in the wrong reading mood last time I read it (perhaps I had too high expectations having previously loved it). With the first book especially, the pacing is very well done. The book builds up to a tense bit, then we switch to read about someone else’s viewpoint — which means you have to keep reading to get back to the character you were interested in. But the individual segments are short enough that it doesn’t get frustrating, having to read about someone else.

I really like the world in which the series is set. Basically, it’s a sort of back-to-front world, where mythical creatures like elves and griffins exist, and human beings are believed to be mythical, until a human boy named Felix finds himself in it. Science and magic are reversed — magic is a part of everyday life, but the people are amazed by things like electricity and magnetism — just like people in Felix’s world are by magic. As the series progresses we discover more parts of the world, with different landscapes and cultures. It may not be as well-developed as a world in some other fantasy stories – after all the whole series is only about 1000 pages — but it is fun, and I like how the author addresses questions like why everyone in the fantasy world speaks English. There are a host of great characters too.

The advantage of reading the whole trilogy in such a short space of time, is that is allows me to consider the series as a whole. I think before I read it as three different stories, just with the same characters and world. The stories are separate, in that each book is a complete story in itself — just leaving a loose end or two to set up the next story — but there are definitely common threads running through and developing through the series.

One main thing I noticed is that the prime motivations of the main antagonists in the series is mostly to make money, and whilst they are not afraid of exploiting others to do it, and resorting to violence and murder when necessary, they are not necessarily out-and-out evil. We also see the effects of introducing new technologies, which bring about good benefits but also have unintended (and unforeseen) consequences. One of the themes is that “progress” is not always good, or at least can sometimes be a mixed blessing.

I definitely liked the first book the best, but would recommend the whole series, especially as the later books tie up some loose ends/unexplained things from the earlier books (such as providing an explanation for why everyone in this fantasy world speaks English, which most portal fantasy books just take for granted).

Book Review: Masquerade at the Wells by Lorna Hill

Masquerade at the Wells is the third book in Lorna Hill's series about Sadler's Wells Ballet School. This book shifts the focus from Veronica, the heroine of the first two books who is now a well-known dancer on the Covent Garden stage, to cousins Jane and Mariella Foster. Mariella's mother is a famous ballet dancer, and it is taken for granted that Mariella will follow in her footsteps - but truth be told, she would rather be riding horses than dancing. Jane's mother is convinced that she loves animals, especially horses, and after she is given a pony Jane doesn't want to seem ungrateful by admitting that she doesn't like horses very much, and is in fact a bit afraid of them. However, when she starts taking ballet lessons she finds that there is something she loves to do. How will Jane and Mariella manage to pursue their dreams, despite their families?

When Mariella is offered an audition at Sadler's Wells, the famous ballet school, the solution seems obvious: she and Jane should swap places, and Jane go to the audition in her place. But will they manage to get away with deception, or will Jane lose her chance?

Like the first two books, this is narrated in the first person - mostly by Jane, with the last section by Mariella. The style is chatty and informal, as though the narrator is telling her story, rather than writing it. This allows us to get to know the characters, and also allows the author to explain things about ballet that the reader might not know, in a way that feels natural.

Despite the title, the "masquerade" doesn't take up a large part of the story. It's not until halfway through the book that Jane even goes to London, let alone Sadler's Wells, and we don't hear a great deal about her time there - an issue I also had with the previous book, as I would have liked to know more about the school itself. Lots is skimmed over, and we often only get things second-hand; we wouldn't actually see a scene, just Jane telling or writing to someone about it afterwards. This didn't bother me particularly, but I think it might be a disappointment to some people.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, though not a spectacular, book, much in the vein of the previous two, with stuff about ballet, riding, family relationships, and the Northumberland countryside. If you enjoyed the previous two books in the series, you'll like this one too; although it isn't necessary to have read any of the others first, as it stands quite well alone.

Journey to Jo'burg by Beverley Naidoo

Journey to Jo'burg tells the story of two children, Naledi and Tiro. When their baby sister becomes very ill, the children decide that they must go to fetch their mother, working in Johannesburg, even if they have to walk all the way there.

The book was written in 1985, when apartheid was still in force in South Africa. One of the consequences of this was that many adults were forced to work a long way away from where their children lived, in jobs such as domestic service and mining. The movements of black people were controlled, who had to get permission to live in a certain city, so it wasn't easy to move around or go back home. Naledi and Tiro and their sister, Dinea, live with their aunt and grandmother and have always accepted that this is the way things are; however much they might miss their mother (and their father, who worked in the mines, but has died previous to the beginning of the story), she has to go away and work so that she can send them money for food, school, etc. Their trip to Johannesburg, however, opens up their eyes to some of the injustices people face, and also that there are people who want to change things.

At that time many people in England were largely unaware of the prejudices and ill treatment faced every day by the black population of South Africa, and this book was written partly to raise awareness of this among British children. I think it does this well, touching on issues such as the separation of parents and children, black people not being able to move around freely, children bring brought up to be servants; but in a way that is quite child appropriate. It is also a good story, about the determination and courage of the two children, and discovering things about themselves/the world around them. And despite the subject matter, it is a hopeful story; it ends with Toledi's determination that she is going to start finding out what she can do to speak out against what is happening, and with the hope that things can change (as, indeed, they did).

I found the author's afterword interesting, too. She writes that, growing up, she never really thought about the injustice that was going on around her, because she was never taught to question it; it was just how things were. Despite being half Jewish herself and very aware of what had gone on in Europe during WW2 and what might have happened to her had she lived there, it never occurred to her that similar things might be going on around her. It wasn't until she went to university that she became aware of this, and started campaigning to change things.

Interestingly, although Naledi and Tiro have a very different existence to the author, this is also a journey they go on (as well as the literal journey). Living in an all-black, rural area, the children are sheltered from some of the worst injustices that go on, and they accept things - such as their mother having to work in Johannesburg, so that they are not able to see her very often - as just the way things are. It is only when they go to the city and talk to some people there that Toledi realises that things are really bad and that this is wrong. So in a way, this is similar to what the author went through.

It's a very short book (only 80 pages) but I though it was a good read. It covers some of the issues, without becoming overburdened by them, and it is overall a hopeful story. Even though the policy of apartheid has now, thankfully, come to an end, it is still worth reading as a portrait of things that people went through, and of course, many of the issues are still relevant today.

Book Review: 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie

Elspeth McGillicuddy sees a murder being committed on a train as it draws up to one she is on. However, when no body is found, the police are inclined to disbelieve her story, as only her imagination. But it just so happens that Elspeth is a friend of Miss Marple’s, and the latter is inclined to believe her friend. Now she has not only to solve the murder, but to prove that one happened in the first place…

This was an enjoyable mystery, but I’d guess it’s not one of Christie’s best (though it’s only the second I’ve read). Although it’s a billed as a Miss Marple book, she plays only an incidental role, being apparently too old to get involved in any proper detective work. Lucy Eylesbarrow, hired by Miss Marple to help out, is however, a good character who I liked a lot. The other characters who were involved in the mystery, were pretty well-drawn-out too, and I liked some of them. The tension was built up well, when it seems as though the murderer could be one of several people; I didn’t want it to be any of them, so it was pretty tense waiting to find out who it would be.

In the end, though, I didn’t find the solution entirely satisfying – in that it seemed to come purely from Miss Marple’s intuition, and I didn’t see how she could really have worked it out. I don’t often guess mystery solutions in advance, but I like to be able to see afterwards how it could have been solved. So all in all, this was not a huge success, but I am sure I will be reading more by Agatha Christie in the future. The two books I have read so far have both been Miss Marple books, so perhaps I will try one of her other series next.

Book Review: The Bookseller's Tale by Ann Swinfen

Summary

The Bookseller's Tale is the first in a series of mysteries set in 14th-century Oxford. The book takes place a few years after the population has been decimated by the Black Death, the effects of which are still widely felt. Nicholas Elyot, the main character, is a bookseller who lost his wife to the plague. One day he finds the body of a student in the River Cherwell, and discovers that his death was not due to natural causes. The town authorities don't seem to have any interest in investigating the murder, but Nicholas and his friend Jordain Brinkylsworth, a member of the university, feel they owe it to the victim to find out.

 

Thoughts 

One of the big things I liked about this book was the historical detail - we find out quite a bit about medieval Oxford, the university, and particularly about Nicholas' work as a bookseller, which I found really interesting. Some readers might not enjoy these details as they mean there is a little less focus on the mystery, but I think they seemed to fit naturally into the story. I also enjoyed the scenes of domestic life, and how the effects of the Black Death were explored; for example, the characters feel that since "the Death", people are more immune to suffering and thus less willing to help others. I'm not sure whether this would have been the case but it's not something I'd thought about before, so it's interesting to consider.

 

As for the mystery, I thought it was good. Perhaps not surprisingly, books play a significant role, and it was one of those mysteries where there are various clues which don't make sense and have to be pieced together. There were a few twists along the way, which I didn't see coming (though perhaps others might).

 

The one thing I thought could have been improved on the characterisation. The main characters were all likeable enough, but they seemed a bit flat and forgettable; none of them exactly leapt off the page. Still, there were enough interesting things about this to keep me reading, and I'm hoping the characters might develop more in later books.
 

All in all, I thought this was a good read, and I'm looking forward to continuing with the series. (There are four books at present, and hopefully more to come.) I might also check out some of the author's other books, as most of them also sound interesting. If you enjoy mysteries, and/or have an interest in history or the Middle Ages, then I'd definitely suggest checking this out.

 

At time of posting, this is currently discounted to 99p/$1.29 on Kindle.

Mini-Reviews #7: Classic Adventures

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Professor Arronax is on an expedition to find what is believed to be a large whale which has been attacking ships. However, his trip takes a surprising turn when he and two companions find themselves trapped on board the submarine Nautilus - the real culprit. Until they can find a way to escape, they must travel along with Captain Nemo and his men, exploring the underwater realm, and attempting to reach the South Pole, facing adventures and dangers along the way.
 

This was quite good. I didn't enjoy it as much as Journey to the Centre of the Earth, but I still found the adventures for the most part enjoyable, and I liked the character of Captain Nemo - he is a bit of an ambiguous character, someone who has suffered a lot and does some bad things, but he is an interesting character and I can't help liking him at least a bit. The descriptions of things seen under the sea were also interesting. I also liked the scientific details - there is enough to make the story somewhat believable, but not so that it gets bogged down in details.

 

The Prisoner of Zenda

Rudolf Rassendyll travels to Ruritania just before the coronation of King Rudolf IV, a distant cousin of his. He is surprised to find out just how much he and the King resemble each other - so much so that most people would not be able to tell them apart. As a result of this he ends up being drawn into a charade, by which he must pretend to be the King, now a prisoner of his half-brother Michael who is after his throne. Michael cannot reveal his as the pretender, without giving away that he has the real King as a prisoner. So Rassendyll, along with two loyal friends, must find a way to rescue the King without being killed themselves.

 

Altogether I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and entertaining, but also has moments of reflection. There are also some quite funny moments, both in dialogue and in event, such as when Rudolf has to fight off three men with a tea-table (who would have thought it?). It's not a book that takes itself too seriously. But the ending too is pretty satisfying. I also liked Rudolf's intentions to be honourable and do the right thing - it also made the situations more complex, and the solutions more satisfying.

Mini-Reviews #6: School Stories

 

The Manor House School by Angela Brazil

The girls of Winterburn Lodge are not looking forward to another dreary term at their London boarding school. So they are rather excited when it is announced that, due to an issue with the drains which necessitates extensive maintenance work in the school building, the school will be moving to a country manor house for the summer term. As well as providing lots of opportunities for outdoor games and pursuits, the manor naturally comes with various associated legends and mysteries; in particular, a horde of hidden treasure which is rumoured to be somewhere within the grounds. Lindsay and Cicely, the two heroines, determine to find this treasure, which leads to some adventures - and misadventures. Throw in a few half-term excursions that don't go according to plan, and you get a very action packed book!

 

I quite enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and there was a lot going on. It seems to be aimed at a younger age group than most of Angela Brazil's books; the main characters were eleven and twelve and it read more as an adventure story than a school story, some parts of which stretched credulity rather a little. But it was a fun read. It's available on Project Gutenberg.

 

End of Term by Antonia Forest

The fourth book in Antonia Forest's series about the Marlow family, although the second I've read. Like the first book, Autumn Term, this is mostly about twins Nicola and Lawrie, the youngest in a family of eight children, and their school friends. Unlike The Manor House School, this is a fairly realistic boarding school story, with most of the drama surrounding the end of term Christmas play. Lawrie is desperate to play the Shepherd Boy, while Nicola's friend Miranda, who is Jewish, feels left out at not being allowed to participate. Meanwhile Nicola has hopes of getting into the junior netball team. Things don't go entirely according to plan, but will it all work out in the end?

 

This was a really good book. I didn't enjoy Autumn Term as much as I had been expecting to, but I found this a much better read. The characterisation is very strong and there is a strong emphasis on the relationships between the characters - both within school and between the Marlows in the home scenes - which is very well done and which I liked a lot. Despite being a more realistic story, there's still a fair bit going on and the climax is fairly dramatic, which made it a gripping read towards the end. I definitely really liked this book and will look forward to reading more about the Marlow family. Unfortunately the books can be quite hard to track down, but I do have one more, The Attic Term, sitting on my shelf so I expect I'll be reading that quite soon.
 

I'm linking up with the Old School Kidlit reading challenge, since this month's theme was school stories. I've been rather sporadic about participating so far, but since next month's theme is mysteries, which is another of my favourite genres, I'll hopefully be getting back on track.

Mini-Reviews #5: The Selchester Mysteries

I've recently enjoyed three books from the Selchester Mysteries series by Elizabeth Edmondson, so I thought I'd combine my reviews into one post. These are a series of mysteries set in 1950s England, featuring a castle, a cast of eccentric characters, a few puzzling murders, and some Cold War intrigue. I found them very enjoyable.

  

 

A Man of Some Repute

 

This was a good book, although not outstanding. The mystery aspect was very intriguing, and well done, and there was at least one twist that took me by surprise. The writing was good enough; there were no bits that stood out particularly, but it wasn't bad.

It took me a while to get invested in the characters; I think because the author had two many points of view, and would often move slightly away from the main characters to have a little bit from the viewpoint of another, more minor character. I guess this was partly to show how characters were seen by other people, but I wish she had stuck to just Hugo and Freya, so that we could get to know them quicker. However, by the end of the story I realised that I actually had become quite attached to the characters and location, and wanted more! This was probably just as well, as the story ends on rather a cliffhanger (although the main mystery is resolved, it's clear that there's a lot more to find out).

 

A Youthful Indiscretion

 

This was a quick read, only 60 pages long. I enjoyed it, although it definitely felt like it was just a bridge between two books rather than a story in its own right. It follows on from the cliffhanger at the end of A Man of Some Repute, but also introduces several new plot elements, such as a new colleague for Hugo, that are seemingly unrelated to this and not really developed in this book. Presumably they will be important later.

The ending was not very satisfying; the main plot thread is only partially resolved, and there are still many questions to be answered.

A Question of Inheritance

 

This book carries on pretty much where the last one left off. It takes a pretty long time to get to the main mystery, with lots of details of the characters' lives, and events which later turn out to be important. I found it harder to keep track of the plot in this book; I'm not sure if this is because it was more complex or just because there are a number of things which don't seem very important at the time but become significant later, and I wasn't paying enough attention to remember them. However, I still enjoyed the book a lot. Fortunately, this one doesn't end on a cliffhanger, although there are still some (rather important) loose ends that need tying up. The next book in the series will presumably do that.

 

Sadly, the author died before finishing the next book in the series, A Matter of Loyalty, but it has been completed by her son and is being released in October. This is the last one, so hopefully it will clear up all the remaining plotlines. I'm hoping it will be just as good as the previous books in the series, although I'll be sad to leave these characters behind.

Both A Man of Some Repute and A Question of Inheritance are currently 99p on Kindle (at time of posting), so if you are interested in this series now is probably a good time to look into it :)

Book Review: Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery

 (minor spoilers follow)

Jane and her mother live in Toronto with her grandmother, who loves her mother but bullies Jane. She has always believed that her father is dead, so she is shocked to find that he is in fact alive and living in Prince Edward Island, and  that he wants her to spend the summer with him. Jane goes determined to hate him, but instead she spends a glorious summer keeping house for her father and making friends with the locals. As time passes, both during and after the summer, Jane finds she has much to learn about herself and about life. She also tries to learn about the reasons for her parents' separation, and dreams that perhaps one day they might all be able to live together...

 

I liked Jane. She is perhaps more ordinary than most of Montgomery's heroines; although she is still imaginative, she's not in the same class as Anne or Emily. However, this doesn't stop her from having plenty of good qualities; she is caring, brave, and determined. Although at the start of the story she is rather awkward and lacking in confidence, as the story goes on she learns to become more confident and to stand up for herself more. She also develops a strong understanding of other people; she can see her parents much more clearly than they can see each other. The other characters are also very well-drawn, and realistic. I liked the story too. It's a gentle, character-driven story, which is my favourite kind, really. The writing is lovely and descriptive (of course).

 

There isn't anything that I strongly disliked about it, though there were some parts that I found hard to believe, like how quickly Jane learns to cook and garden, with no prior experience or training. She's supposed to have a natural gift for it, but I don't believe anyone could really learn that quickly, especially at the age of eleven. I also would have liked to spend more time with Jane's friends and neighbours at Lantern Hill; there were quite a lot of them, and there wasn't really time to get to know most of them in the time we spent there. Some of the parts where Jane's grandmother is being particularly awful were a little uncomfortable to read, and I'd really rather be reading about Lantern Hill. But that isn't necessarily a criticism of the story.

 

Two themes stood out to me as I was reading. One is that of jealousy, of selfish love. We are told that Jane's grandmother loves her mother, but it is a selfish love; she can't bear for anyone else, even Jane, to share in her mother's affections. Both of Jane's parents, too, have a tendency to be jealous, to want to be the exclusive focus of each other's attentions. The other theme was that of home. Jane longs for a proper home; she wants to be away from her grandmother, of course, but she also hates the house they live in. When she and her father are looking for a house in Lantern Hill, it has to be just right, to possess a little "magic". The people in the house matter, but the house itself matters too.

 

Overall, I thought this was a very good book, which deserves to be better known. It's a shame Montgomery never finished the sequel, because I would have liked to have spent more time with Jane and her friends.

Book Review: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Despite its popularity in the USA, this book isn't particularly well known (as far as I can tell) over here in the UK, so I never came across it as a child. This is a shame, because I think I would have loved it had I read it as a child. However, I still enjoyed it very much, and I'm glad I've finally got around to reading it.

 

Summary (Goodreads): It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract".

Meg's father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

 

This is quite a hard book to review, as it's kind of hard to describe why I liked it. I found it a little odd, but mostly in a good way - the sort of quirkiness that makes you want to find out more. For most of the book I had literally no idea what was going to happen next - it seemed like just about anything could happen. It felt very much like the story told in the book was very much scratching the surface of the world it was set in - that there was a lot that wasn't revealed or explained to us. I liked the sense of mystery that this added. Overall, I found it a very interesting story, dealing with themes of Love over Evil; a common theme, but one which I don't think can be over-done.

 

Personally, I didn't find I was particularly interested in most of the characters; probably this was just due to a lack of time spent developing them, which was probably necessarily the case in a book this length, especially as there is a fair amount of plot to get in. (Although I did like that Meg was good at maths, which is a very underrated skill among book heroines.) However, I think the other aspects of the book made up for this. Mostly, it's left me wanting more; so I am looking forward to reading the sequels.

 

(At the time of posting, I've read A Wind in the Door, which I also enjoyed a lot, though not as much as this.)

Book Review: The Tanglewoods' Secret by Patricia St. John

 

 

Summary (from Goodreads): Ruth and her beloved brother Philip find solace in the expanse of the Tanglewoods' property. There they escape into bird watching, climbing, and general misadventures with their friend Terry.

But life with their Aunt is harsh, and Ruth suffers from an incorrigible temper. Just when she thinks she can't take it anymore, she learns a very special secret about a very special Shepherd. When a dreadful accident hurts one they love, Ruth and Philip learn that the Tanglewoods' Secret isn't meant to be kept a secret.

 

I read this for the Old School Kidlit challenge: a book you loved in childhood. I read this at the age of about six or seven and enjoyed it, but had never revisited it, so I didn't remember much except for a few details. I found that it didn't quite live up on rereading.

 

I think my main problem was that it was just too simplistic. Of course it was written for quite young children, so that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but rereading it now as an adult I just didn't enjoy it as much. Admittedly, the book does make clear that becoming a Christian doesn't make all your troubles and suffering go away, but the issues faced by Ruth and others in the book (including a pretty major tragedy) seem to be got over pretty quickly. I also found myself getting pretty annoyed with Aunt Margaret in the first half of the book; I'm not surprised Ruth keeps being naughty when her aunt is always telling her how bad she is! I also felt that it was unfair that Ruth was often made to help with the housework whilst her older brother was allowed to go out and play, but I suppose that is a sign of when the book was written.

 

The sections I found most interesting were the parts about Ruth and Philip's lives, such as their interest in bird-watching, the games they play together and their schemes for making money so that they can save up to buy a camera, and I wish that there had been more of these in the book. I also liked their relationship - they have a strong friendship as well as being siblings which  always good to read about. I think the messages in the book were mostly good and I liked that it was pointed out that adults (such as Aunt Margaret) also need Jesus and don't necessarily always have it all figured out or do the right thing. I just found the whole story a bit simplistic and the Christian parts quite heavy-handed. But I still found things to enjoy about it, and I did enjoy it more as a child (although not as much as some of Patricia St. John's other books).

Book Review: The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan

 

Summary: Richard Hannay, recently returned to London after some years in the British colonies, is bored of his life and fed up of English society - until one day a mysterious man turns up in his flat with a rather sensational story. He claims to have uncovered a secret plot, with potentially huge ramifications, and that there are men trying to kill him to prevent him from revealing their secret. When the man is murdered several days later, it seems that his story is indeed true, and Hannay realises that, not only will the men now be after him, but so will the police, as there is strong circumstantial evidence that points to him as the murderer. So he flees to Scotland, where he must try to survive, evading capture by either of the parties after him, long enough to be able to relate the man's story to the relevant authorities - but will they even believe him?

 

I saw the film of this a while ago and enjoyed it, but I didn't remember that much about it. Probably this was a good thing, because it meant that most of the twists in the book still took me by surprise. I found this an enjoyable, entertaining story, although thrillers aren't usually my cup of tea. I enjoy mysteries, but generally prefer ones where the story is focused on the puzzle and the characters, whereas this story is more action-focused, with the main character mostly trying to stay alive and escape from the bad guys. However, Hannay has does have some entertaining adventures along the way, and manages a few clever escapes, and I still enjoyed this book. It's also a very quick read, which I read in one afternoon/evening. If it's the sort of thing you enjoy, then I'd definitely recommend it.

Book Review: In Wartime: Stories from Ukraine by Tim Judah

Summary:

From one of the finest journalists of our time comes a definitive, boots-on-the-ground dispatch from the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine.
 
Ever since Ukraine’s violent 2014 revolution, followed by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the country has been at war. Misinformation reigns, more than two million people have been displaced, and Ukrainians fight one another on a second front—the crucial war against corruption.

With In Wartime, Tim Judah lays bare the events that have turned neighbors against one another and mired Europe’s second-largest country in a conflict seemingly without end.

In Lviv, Ukraine’s western cultural capital, mothers tend the graves of sons killed on the other side of the country. On the Maidan, the square where the protests that deposed President Yanukovych began, pamphleteers, recruiters, buskers, and mascots compete for attention. In Donetsk, civilians who cheered Russia’s President Putin find their hopes crushed as they realize they have been trapped in the twilight zone of a frozen conflict.

Judah talks to everyone from politicians to poets, pensioners, and historians. Listening to their clashing explanations, he interweaves their stories to create a sweeping, tragic portrait of a country fighting a war of independence from Russia—twenty-five years after the collapse of the USSR.

I enjoyed reading this book; I found it interesting and informative, and it was well written. It describes recent and current events in Ukraine,  focusing particularly on the experiences and opinions of people caught up in the conflict, although there is also a fair amount of background and historical context given. As I knew very little about Ukraine before starting it, this was very helpful. It probably would help to have known a little more before going in as I found it hard at times to keep track of the people and places mentioned, but this wasn't a great disadvantage.

 

I liked the focus on telling people's stories; it helps to understand where people are coming from and the different viewpoints people have, and how they are affected by various events. The book also includes quite a few photos. There's definitely plenty of food for thought here as well.

 

I'm afraid this isn't a very good review; I don't really know how to review non-fiction. But it was a good book and I would definitely recommend it to people who are interested in knowing more about the topic it covers.

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

 

I probably won't be posting much, if at all, over the next week or two but hopefully will return in the New Year. Merry Christmas everyone!

Book Review: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers

 

This is the first in Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mystery series, but the second that I have read. Gaudy Night was really good but, since many people consider it the best in the series, I was worried that this book wouldn't live up to it; especially as GN focuses mostly on Harriet Vane, who doesn't appear in this book, and I wasn't sure I would enjoy this as much with only Peter. I needn't have worried though; although this isn't quite as good, it's definitely still very enjoyable.

The mystery itself was interesting; it begins with the rather bizarre circumstance of a man discovering a dead body in his bath, with no idea who it is or how it got there. Naturally this is rather intriguing to Lord Peter, who decides to investigate, working with a friend in the police. There are quite a few twists and turns along the way to the conclusion (which I guessed just after Lord Peter had solved it, but before he revealed the solution), which is certainly original. Some aspects were a little gruesome but this wasn't overdone.

Another aspect of the book that I really liked was the characters, who I look forward to getting to know better in later books; it was good to see more of Peter himself in this book, along with his devoted servant/sidekick Bunter, and his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, who are all great characters. It was also just a fairly entertaining read all round. I especially enjoyed the occasional references to detective novels; there are a few times when characters say things like "if we were in a detective novel this would happen, but obviously this is real life," which I found quite entertaining.

There are a few offensive comments made by characters in the book, particularly with regards to Jewish people, which has caused some controversy; although the impression I got was that these reflected the views of the characters saying them (and of many people at the time the book was written), and are not necessarily those of the author. Other than that, I can't think of many things I didn't like about this book.

Overall, this was a great book, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Mini-Reviews #4: Historical Settings

 

The Archers of Isca by Caroline Lawrence

The sequel to Escape from Rome; this was almost as good as its predecessor! This book focuses more on Fronto, the eldest sibling, although we also get a lot more of the other characters than the book description implies. I love the characters in this series so much, so that was great. Like the first book, there is a fast-moving plot but it is also quite character-driven, which I like. The ending does feel a bit inconclusive, as there are a few plot strands left quite open, but since this is part of a series that is understandable (although it is quite a long wait until the next book comes out!) There was one twist in the story that, as a Roman Mysteries fan, I found very exciting, but I won't spoil it for you! All in all, this was a very good book, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops through the rest of the series.

 

 

Unequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston

For a Jane Austen sequel, this was actually pretty good! It tells the story of what might have happened had Elizabeth accepted Darcy's first offer of marriage, in Kent. I'm not sure I can quite accept that, but if you can get past the premise, it's a pretty good book. The development of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship feels fairly realistic, if a little fast; they have quite a lot to work through, since in this version of the story Elizabeth never receives Darcy's letter trying to explain what she perceives as the injuries he has done to those around her, and since she is not entirely honest about just how much she disliked him (until his proposal began to change per perception of him). The author also does a good job of delving into the implications of their decision - for example, what will Bingley's reaction be to his friend doing something that he had recently convinced him not to do (getting engaged to a woman of low connections who doesn't love him)? How will Elizabeth's family and her neighbours react, and how will they get on with Darcy? The characterisation and dialogue is mostly true to the original novel and the time period - although there are a few modern turns of phrase, and one or two historical inaccuracies, these are not major issues - and I enjoyed spotting a few quotes from the original novel.

 

 

The Princess Virginia by C.N. & A.M. Williamson

Princess Virginia has always fancied herself in love with the Emperor of Rhaetia (who she has never met), so when he offers to marry her, she ought to be delighted - however, she decides that she only wants to marry him if he truly loves her, so she decides to travel to Rhaetia under an assumed name and try to win his love. Naturally, not everything goes quite as planned, but everything comes right in the end. It's a slightly ridiculous story, but a very entertaining one, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thoughts on The Fellowship of the Ring

So, I have finally finished part one of The Lord of the Rings!

Some thoughts:

 

I am completely blown away by the depth of the world-building. This reads more like a historical narrative than a story set in a made-up world. The level of detail and the different languages and cultures within the world feel real. I think this is one of the main strengths of this book for me - it makes me want to discover more about this world, and it feels like really it is only scratching the surface in this book. Some of the descriptive passages are also beautiful. I rather enjoyed most of the songs and poems as well, and felt that they added to the authenticity of the world, as many of them tell legends and well-known stories within Middle-Earth.

 

As for the story itself, I have to admit that I found it rather slow going at times; there were sections where really not a lot happened. So that did make it a little hard to get through at times. The pace did pick up a bit as the story progressed, and I'm expecting it to be a lot quicker in the remaining two books. I also found it quite difficult to keep track of all the people and place names, let alone their legends and traditions. I think it is a book I would appreciate more on rereading.

 

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book, although sometimes it was more of an awed, appreciating enjoyment than anything else. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy, and hope to reread this someday too.

Mini-Reviews #3: Children's and YA

Here are my thoughts on four books I've read recently. Read previous mini-review posts here and here.

 

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

I really liked this book. It retells the story of Lady Jane Grey, set in an alternative version of sixteenth-century England where some people (Edians) have the ability to turn into animals. Others think that this ability is unnatural and that Edians should all be destroyed. It's very well done and very entertaining. Definitely recommended, especially if you are a history fan.

Outcast by Rosemary Sutcliff

This was my second attempt at reading this author; I have to admit I didn't especially enjoy The Eagle of the Ninth, but I'm glad I gave Rosemary Sutcliff another try! I really enjoyed this book. It was in essence a fairly straightforward story, about a boy trying to escape from slavery and find a place to belong, but it was very well done. I think the tension between "light" and "dark" moments was exactly right; there was enough suffering and danger to make the story authentic and to make you care about Beric, and what happened to him, but it never got so bleak as to be depressing; generally it was just at the darkest moment that Beric's fortunes seemed to change, and the ending was happy, although it relied on one or two convenient coincidences. Overall, I thought this was a very good, and very enjoyable book, and I'm definitely going to be reading more from the author in the future.

Autumn Term by Antonia Forest

I did enjoy this, but I didn't love it like I was expecting to. I'm not sure why that was - I think I just didn't feel enough interest in the main events of the story. I liked the characters - the sister/family relationships especially, although we only get little glimpses of them. But I definitely would like to read more of this in future books; I own one other in the series, and will look into getting the rest (they are a little bit pricy though; I was lucky to pick up the two I own cheaply at a charity shop).

Pea's Book of Best Friends by Susie Day

I really liked this. It was quite reminiscent of Hilary McKay, who is one of my favourite authors. It's quite a simple story, the story of three sisters who move to London when their mother becomes a  successful author. Although excited at first, it's not quite what they expected; Pea (the main character) finds she has a hard time making friends, and there are other aspects that don't quite go to plan - like when they arrive in their house and find they've forgotten to buy furniture, so only have a small amount from their old (much smaller) house. Overall, this was a quick but entertaining read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series (there are four books in all, plus a companion book about the Llewellyns' next-door neighbours).

Book Review: Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

I read this for the 14th Classics Club Spin. It was my third time participating, and the first that I actually completed my book on time. I’d been meaning to read this for quite some time – since I read Eight Cousins in fact, which was more than three years ago! Because of this I found the beginning part of the book a little confusing as it took me a while to remember who everyone was and so on. But that was more a fault of mine than of the book, and once I got going, I really enjoyed this, more so than Eight Cousins (to which it is a sequel).

I thought it was a sweet story. The main question of the story of course is who Rose (and Phebe) will marry but there are other things going on too, as Rose and her cousins mature and try to find their paths and vocations in life. I definitely enjoyed getting to know these characters more and, although I liked some of them a lot more than others, they were all well-drawn and interesting characters. There were one or two pretty sad parts, but the ending was happy and satisfying.

Despite the author’s preface claiming that there was no moral to the story, there did seem to be a fair amount of moralising in it, but this was generally coming from the characters rather than the authorial voice, and is part of what is expected from this sort of novel. I didn’t find it detracted from the story for me.

Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot. It wasn’t quite up there with Little Women, but that would have been a hard one to match! I would definitely recommend this, especially if you’ve enjoyed some of Louisa May Alcott’s other books, but I would suggest reading Eight Cousins first.

Book Review: Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber

Summary (from Goodreads):
A "girl-meets-God" style memoir of an agnostic who, through her surprising opportunity to study at Oxford, comes to a dynamic personal faith in God.

Carolyn Weber arrives for graduate study at Oxford University as a feminist from a loving but broken family, suspicious of men and intellectually hostile to all things religious. As she grapples with her God-shaped void alongside the friends, classmates, and professors she meets, she tackles big questions in search of love and a life that matters.

This savvy, beautifully written, credible account of Christian conversion follows the calendar and events of the school year as it entertains, informs, and promises to engage even the most skeptical and unlikely reader.

I thought this was a good book. It contained lots of interesting reflections, and provided a lot of food for thought. I enjoyed following the author's journey to faith, and the literary allusions and Oxford setting definitely helped as well. There was also a little bit of romance.

I did have some minor issues; I found that some of the dialogue in the book didn't quite feel real, but I realise that, since the author was writing fifteen or so years after the events described, obviously she wasn't going to remember exactly what was said. I also sometimes found the thread of the story and the different characters difficult to keep track of; there are quite a few sidelines into reflections on various topics, which I enjoyed, so this isn't really a criticism (and may also have been because I read the book over a few months; it would probably have been easier to follow if I'd read it a bit more quickly).

Anyway, I enjoyed this book; I intend to re-read it at some point, and would definitely recommend it  Here are some quotes I thought were especially good:
 

Anything of real value lies in relationship, and yet relationships are where we find ourselves the most vulnerable. (p. 185)

Dying to despair, dying for us in spite of despair, so that despair may die. (p.280)
(on Good Friday)
  

Poetry does befriend you if you take it to heart. (p. 234)

  

It is a delicious and dangerous time, this honeymoon of the soul. All sweetness and light. (p. 278)
(on the time following conversion)

Mini-Reviews #2: August 2016

Yes, this post is rather late; I wrote it quite a few weeks ago and then mostly forgot about it. I didn't do a monthly wrap-up for August though, so if you want to know my thoughts on some of what I read then, read on!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

 

 

This is outside of my usual genres and I didn't know that much about the book prior to reading it (other than that it was a Cinderella retelling set in the future), but I'd heard a lot of good things about it so decided to give it a go. I thought it was really good - I was really drawn into the story and it definitely kept me reading wanting to know what happened next. The connection with Cinderella is clear, but the book deviates quite a bit from the original story (which was good, because it kept me reading to find out what would happen next). The story does end on a bit of a cliffhanger though with quite a few loose ends not resolved so now I really want to get the next book in the series, Scarlet.

 

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

Rating: 4 out of 5

 

 

 

This was a fun, quick read. Axel, the narrator, reluctantly accompanies his professor uncle on a seemingly crazy attempt to reach the centre of the earth by travelling down through a volcano; a third companion is their mostly-silent guide Hans. I found this book a bit slow to start off with but I was later swept up in the excitement of the journey and the wondrous things that the three travellers encounter on their journey (but I won't spoil it for you). It's a short book, and didn't take me long to read, but it was definitely worthwhile reading.

The Forever Girl by Alexander McCall Smith

Rating: 3 out of 5

 

 

I enjoyed reading this, and it was quite a quick read, but really not very much happened in the story. It's the kind of story where the main conflict is that the characters just don't really communicate with each other, and if they would just talk about stuff it would make everything a lot simpler (but then there wouldn't really have been much of a story). So it was a bit frustrating at times. But still it was an enjoyable read, and just what I needed at the time.