by Louis de Bernieres
Lyrical and gorgeous. After Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Birds Without Wings, this novel had a lot to live up to. Yet de Bernieres never ceases to stun me with his command of language and his sad and unusual love stories. He takes nuances of human behaviour and offers insights into the human psyche to make unbelievable characters seem believable and challenge ideas of love, politics, history and society.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Monday, 12 April 2010
Whatever Love Means
by David Baddiel
"Whatever Love Means" is a hilarious tragicomedy of a novel. Exploring the concept of shame, and explicitly the relationship between sex and death, Baddiel's novel is intelligently written and engaging to the end.
The story is set against the backdrop of a recent time in history: the death of Princess Diana. Baddiel writes refreshingly about this time, without being sentimental or lachrymose. Instead his observational and ironic style examines how tragedy and catastrophe can be exploited, romanticised and obfuscated.
The characters are masterfully drawn: real, interesting, and engaging. Vic in particular is a modern tragic hero whose fatal flaw drives the plot to its conclusion, which is as sad as it is shocking.
Finally, it is a book to be recommended to people everywhere. Its final social message is crucial, and comes so unexpectedly that I've never known it to be made more effectively.
"Whatever Love Means" is a hilarious tragicomedy of a novel. Exploring the concept of shame, and explicitly the relationship between sex and death, Baddiel's novel is intelligently written and engaging to the end.
The story is set against the backdrop of a recent time in history: the death of Princess Diana. Baddiel writes refreshingly about this time, without being sentimental or lachrymose. Instead his observational and ironic style examines how tragedy and catastrophe can be exploited, romanticised and obfuscated.
The characters are masterfully drawn: real, interesting, and engaging. Vic in particular is a modern tragic hero whose fatal flaw drives the plot to its conclusion, which is as sad as it is shocking.
Finally, it is a book to be recommended to people everywhere. Its final social message is crucial, and comes so unexpectedly that I've never known it to be made more effectively.
Friday, 9 April 2010
Addition
by Toni Jordan
I thoroughly enjoyed this little novel. It gave a unique and refreshing insight into living with an anxiety disorder, and later the effect of anti-depressants, without ever becoming too heavy or depressingly entrenched in the issue. The protagonist who narrates the story is charming, funny, self aware and completely believable and likeable. Her ironic way of describing her problems had me giggling throughout.
Though told light - heartedly, 'Addition' is a bittersweet story of the human condition, which questions throughout the notion of 'normal'. If I felt I had the gravitas to give such labels, I would call this 'a triumph of a novel!' Instead, I shall stick with, 'it was a brilliant read and I loved it.'
I thoroughly enjoyed this little novel. It gave a unique and refreshing insight into living with an anxiety disorder, and later the effect of anti-depressants, without ever becoming too heavy or depressingly entrenched in the issue. The protagonist who narrates the story is charming, funny, self aware and completely believable and likeable. Her ironic way of describing her problems had me giggling throughout.
Though told light - heartedly, 'Addition' is a bittersweet story of the human condition, which questions throughout the notion of 'normal'. If I felt I had the gravitas to give such labels, I would call this 'a triumph of a novel!' Instead, I shall stick with, 'it was a brilliant read and I loved it.'
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
It goes against the proverb to judge a book by its cover, but with such a title as 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' I was in no doubt that I would love this epistolary novel, which takes as its subject matter the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands.
There really are not enough adjectives to do justice to this book which sparkles with charm and erudition. It had me laughing from the offset and also caused a lump to rise in my throat on more than one occasion. It combines fact with sensitivity, is simultaneously tragic and hilarious, and I cannot think of a booklover I would not recommend it to. The setting was vividly drawn and captivating, the characters became my imaginary friends, and from start to finish I wanted to meet its authors so that I could thank them for writing it.
It goes against the proverb to judge a book by its cover, but with such a title as 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' I was in no doubt that I would love this epistolary novel, which takes as its subject matter the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands.
There really are not enough adjectives to do justice to this book which sparkles with charm and erudition. It had me laughing from the offset and also caused a lump to rise in my throat on more than one occasion. It combines fact with sensitivity, is simultaneously tragic and hilarious, and I cannot think of a booklover I would not recommend it to. The setting was vividly drawn and captivating, the characters became my imaginary friends, and from start to finish I wanted to meet its authors so that I could thank them for writing it.
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