Category: Book Prizes

Categories
2000 - 2007 Booker Prize

Bitter Fruit – Achmat Dangor

‘Bitter Fruit’ is set in post-apartheid South Africa, and explores the harsh realities of a mixed race family living in this transitional period. The central character is Mikey, and the book follows him as he discovers that his mother was raped by a white police officer.

It started off well, and there were many similarities between this book and ‘Purple Hibiscus’, both in writing style and content. Unfortunately, I began to lose interest about half way through the book. The characters failed to come alive for me. The surroundings were only described very briefly, so the sights and sounds of Africa did not come across, as they did in ‘Purple Hibiscus’ or ‘The Famished Road’. I felt like I was being told about these events, rather than feeling as though I was a part of them, as you are with a really good novel.

The reactions the characters had to the difficulties they faced didn’t seem very realistic, and the incest especially, seemed to have been thrown in for shock value, rather than any genuine reason.

Overall it was fairly average, with a reasonable plot, but characters that failed to engage me.

Categories
1990s Booker Prize

The Essence of the Thing – Madeleine St John

‘The Essence of the Thing’ was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1997. It is set in London’s Notting Hill and it gives an accurate portrayal of the breakdown of a modern relationship.

The characters were vividly described and had realistic emotions, but not a lot happens. The majority of the book is just gossip between the friends of the former couple, which although accurate, had no real substance.

It was OK, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Categories
2000 - 2007 Booker Prize Chunkster

The Blind Assassin – Margaret Atwood

 

‘The Blind Assassin’ won the Booker prize in 2000. It tells the tale of two sisters and the secrets that lead to one of them committing suicide.

 

This is the first book by Margaret Atwood that I have read. Reviews of her books always seem to be very positive, so I was expecting a good book. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. The plot was predictable and uninspiring. The characters had no special qualities, and came across as boring people. The writing was OK, but not particularly atmospheric. I was expecting much more, from a prize winning book by a critically acclaimed author.

 

 

Many reviews state that this is a hard book to get into, and confusing, as it skips around so much. I didn’t find this to be a problem, as there was a good read before the book skipped time frames (although perhaps I’m just comparing it to ‘Beloved’, which I read recently, and is very complicated) I also found it quite easy to get into. The book flowed along well throughout it’s 600+ pages, but at the end I felt let down. I’ll have forgotten about this book in a few days, as there was nothing special about it.

 

Very average.

 

Also reviewed by Belle of the Books, Care’s Online Book Club

Categories
1980s Pulitzer Prize

Beloved – Toni Morrison

 

‘Beloved’ is the story of a woman haunted by the ghost of her baby. Set in post-Civil war Ohio it is the story of how former slaves,  psychically and emotionally crippled by years of labour, attempt to deal with their past. 

I found the first half of the book very slow. It was confusing, as it skipped around so much, and as I didn’t have a clue what was happening, it had no forward momentum. I found certain aspects of it the book very irritating. Why did there have to be 3 characters called Paul? Why was the Grandma also called a baby?  And why did all the female characters seem to have male names? This all increasing my frustration with the book.  

The second half was much better. I began to work out what was happening, and could cope with the changing of narrator/time period. As it neared the end I was totally hooked. Some scenes were very moving, and will stay with me for a long time. 

 

Recommended, if you’re able to get past the first 100 pages. 

 

 

 

 
Categories
Orange Prize Recommended books

Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

‘Purple Hibiscus’ started off with the disadvantage of trying to follow ‘A Fine Balance’. I started reading it on the same day I finished Mistry’s masterpiece, and my mind was still buzzing with images from his amazing book. To begin with ‘Purple Hibiscus’ seemed very simple, and flat in comparison, and I was feeling very disappointed in it. Then, about half way through the book, I started falling for it. The simplicity became the main positive, and the message came across very powerfully.

 

I loved the flawed characters in this book. I had great empathy for the main character, Kambili, as she dealt with her controlling father. The political situation in Nigeria was sensitively covered; it was not described directly, but it’s affect was clearly visible through the way it changed the lives of the family.  

 

Overall, this was a great book. Quick and easy to read; but with a vivid portrayal of African lifestyle, religion and politics.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Categories
1990s Booker Prize Recommended books

A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry

 

 

‘A Fine Balance’ was short listed for the Booker prize in 1996, and I cannot understand why it did not win this, or even ‘The Booker of Bookers’ – it is that good! 

It is hard to explain the plot, as it is so rich and complex, but basically it follows the lives of four strangers, from different sections of the Indian caste systems as they deal with life during the state of emergency in 1970’s India. The political situation is explained, so that even an outsider can understand the corruption and turmoil going on in the country. Each character is built up so well, that we feel we know them, and the surroundings are described in such a way that I imagine I’ve been there. It is not an easy read, in that many of the scenes described are disturbing, but the hardship is not dwelt upon, and it is amazing what positives can be made out of so little.  

At over 600 pages long, it is not a short book, and I was originally going to criticise it for not being a page turner. I now realise that this would be the wrong thing to do. Although it is not a fast paced book, I was gripped the whole way through. If it had been a quicker read it would have lost the rich detail I loved it for.  

This book changed the way I viewed many aspects of Indian society, particularly the street beggars, and I now have a greater understanding of life in India during the 1970s. 

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.