Categories
2014 Recommended books

After the Bombing by Clare Morrall

After the Bombing

Five words from the blurb: WWII, Exeter, girls, school, destroyed

Clare Morrall is a fantastic author. I’ve enjoyed all of her books – especially Astonishing Splashes of Colour, a book packed with wonderfully dysfunctional families. She has a talent for constructing realistic, flawed characters that you can’t help forming a deep attachment to. After the Bombing is equally rich in character development and I loved it, despite the fact it tells a story I’ve heard many times before.

After the Bombing is set in Exeter during the extensive bombing raids of WWII. It tells the story of Alma, a fifteen-year-old girl who is forced to evacuate her boarding school when it is damaged during an air raid.

The plot is very simple, but this didn’t matter as the characters were so strong. I felt as though I knew Alma and her friends so well I could predict their thoughts and actions. Some sections of the book showed what life was like for Alma in the 1960s and in many ways these were the most interesting. They showed how the war continued to affect the adults decades later and how quickly the past was forgotten by the younger generation who hadn’t lived through the trauma of war.

The book was very well researched, with beautiful details of everything from the food they ate to the music they listened to. I’m not familiar with Exeter, but I’m sure that those who know the city will be interested in the local history and the descriptions of how landmarks were changed by the war.

At the top of the bank, it’s possible to see the rose garden and the statue of the Goldwyn’s girl that used to stand outside Merrivale. An iconic photograph of this statue was published in the Western Morning News after the bombing. The young girl stood triumphantly in the midst of chaos, miraculously untouched, a symbol of Exeter’s ability to survive and rise again.

After the Bombing was packed with atmosphere and is one of the most vivid books about ordinary people living through the war that I’ve read. Much of the book reminded me of The Night Watch by Sarah Waters, but I think After the Bombing is the better of the two as its simpler structure left the characters to shine.

Overall, this is a wonderful piece of story-telling and is proof that Clare Morrall is capable of turning the simplest of stories into an emotional delight. Highly recommended.

.

Categories
2013 Recommended books

The Mouseproof Kitchen by Saira Shah

The Mouseproof Kitchen

Five words from the blurb: baby, disabled, motherhood, France, cookery

The Mouseproof Kitchen is a searingly honest book about the mixed emotions experienced by parents when they have a disabled child. The book begins with Anna giving birth to Freya, a baby with profound disabilities. Freya will never be able to walk or talk like ‘normal’ children and is plagued by a series of medical problems. Confused and upset Anna persuades her husband, Toby, to move to France in order to escape their claustrophobic city life. The dilapidated house they purchase on a whim takes their mind off Freya’s problems initially, but the emotional turmoil builds as Anna and Toby battle with their shattered expectations of parenthood.

The characters and emotions in this book were so vividly described that most of the time I felt as though I was reading an autobiography. Saira Shah has a child with cerebral palsy and it is clear she has put much of her personal experience into this novel. The honesty and complexity of the emotions were insightful and never became sentimental. I’m sure they’ll give comfort to anyone who has experienced something similar.

The writing was thought provoking throughout and it raised interesting questions about modern parenting and the role of the disabled in society. I found myself highlighting numerous passages and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about the issues involved for a long time to come.

I listen to the rough rasp of her breathing, wondering what I’ll do if the breathing stops. In some ways, it would be the easiest thing. In other ways, unbearable. We lie, the baby and I, in this womb of a bed and hide from the outside world. 

The book also contained wonderful descriptions of France – giving glimpses into everything from the problems of renovating houses there, to the joy of preserving figs and cherries. The food aspects of the book were particularly interesting to me and I loved reading detailed descriptions of various traditional French recipes. 

As you can tell, I loved this book. Some might complain that there were too many coincidences, but I was so wrapped up in the lives of these wonderfully drawn characters that I didn’t care. I highly recommend The Mouseproof Kitchen to anyone who enjoys reading about realistic characters battling with complex emotional issues.

.

Categories
2013 Non Fiction Other Prizes Recommended books

A Sting in the Tale by Dave Goulson

A Sting in the Tale Shortlisted for 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction

Five words from the blurb: bumblebee, expert, protect, research, dangers

I picked up a copy of this book because the author was planning to talk at my local library. I didn’t have a particular interest in bees, but Dave Goulson is an inspiring man and he’s made me look at them in a new light.

The author is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Sussex and has published over 200 scientific articles on the ecology of bees and other insects. A Sting in the Tale is a witty, accessible book that summaries most of what is known about bumblebees today.

The book is packed with amusing anecdotes about the difficulties of studying bees; whilst also giving sound scientific information about the problems facing their population in the UK today. It is one of those wonderful books that enables someone with limited knowledge on a subject to understand and become fascinated by something they’d normally overlook. I had no idea that bumblebees are necessary to pollinate tomatoes and a whole industry has been set up to produce commercial bumblebee nests, which are then shipped to tomato glasshouses around the world:

The only tomato growers left out of the bumblebee bonanza were those in Australia, where there are no native bumblebees, and where importing foreign species is strictly forbidden. Tomato growers on mainland Australia still have to hand-pollinate their plants; teams of workers are employed, each of whom is equipped with a slender vibrating wand. Every flower has to be touched with the tip of a wand if it is to set fruit. As might be imagined, this is tedious work in a large glasshouse – some commercial operations cover hundreds of acres and contain literally millions of tomato flowers – and the labour costs are substantial.

I also knew nothing about the problems this creates with the spread of disease and the hybridisation of native species. I discovered that I knew far more about the problems facing honeybees than those of bumblebees and am pleased I’ve now rectified this situation.

The only problem is that this book concentrates on bees in the UK. Much of the information will be interesting to those in other countries, but those wanting to know specific information about bumblebee species in other parts of the world will probably be frustrated.

It would also have been nice to see photos/charts to enhance the information given. The presentation at my library included a lovely selection of images and it would have been nice to see these in the book.

A Sting in the Tale is a very important book. Many species of bumblebee in the world are facing extinction and I don’t think many people realise this, or how important they are. I urge you to read this book and I hope that the Bumblebee Conservation Trust goes from strength to strength.

.

Categories
2013 Chunkster Historical Fiction Recommended books

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Signature of All Things

Five words from the blurb: botanical, explorer, woman, independent, evolution

The Signature of All Things was the best novel I read in 2013. It is a rich, atmospheric story about one woman and her passion for moss. I know that sounds like the dullest premise imaginable, but Elizabeth Gilbert has woven horticultural details with amazing characters and a heartwarming series of events to create a fantastic novel that gets better every time you think about it.

The book begins in 1800 with the birth of Alma Whittaker. Her father’s passion for botany infects her and she gains an interest in moss. Her studies soon get her thinking about evolution and this leads her on a journey that encompasses several continents and enables her to meet a range of fascinating people.

I’m not a keen gardener, but I found the details about plant collecting and classification fascinating. It was eye-opening to learn about the infancy of this industry and the difficulties faced by those trying to cultivate plants like vanilla for the first time.

The book was made extra special by Alma Whittaker – one of the best female protagonists I’ve ever come across. It was a rare pleasure to be able to follow a character from birth into old age with a complete understanding of their fears, desires and motivations. I loved the way that she changed and developed as she aged:

“But you are still young, so you think only of your own self. You do not notice the tribulations that occur all around you, to other people. Do not protest; it is true. I am not condemning you. I was as selfish as you, when I was your age. It is the custom of the young to be selfish. But someday you will understand that nobody passes through this world without suffering – no matter what you think of them and their supposed good fortune.”

Racist/homophobic attitudes were occasionally difficult to stomach, but I think they helped to show how far we’ve come since then.

The plot was slow, but it never dragged and I loved being immersed in the past. Everything appeared to be incredibly well researched (although I’m no expert) and I loved the way that fact and fiction were blended together. It was simply good, old-fashioned story telling with no tricks or gimmicks.

The Signature of All Things is one of those books that sounds far less interesting than it actually is. Trust me. Give it a try!

.

Categories
2013 Recommended books

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project
Five words from the blurb: love, science, emotion, incompatible, perfect

Books about Asperger’s Syndrome are normally depressing so it was refreshing to read The Rosie Project, a wonderfully entertaining book that highlighted the positives of the condition.

Don Tillman is a highly regarded geneticist, but is clearly on the autistic spectrum and struggles with relationships. He decides to find himself a wife and so creates a detailed questionnaire to ensure he only dates those with the same likes and habits as him. Unfortunately his questions rule out almost everyone. But then Don begins to fall in love with a totally incompatible woman and realises that love cannot be governed by strict rules.

I loved this book! I laughed so much that I had tears streaming down my face. I’m sure that most people won’t have the same strong reaction, but the humor really resonated with me. I recognised so many of the character traits – the literal thinking was especially accurate and often shown in an amusing light:

And now the institution that I was paying to supply us with a meal – the service provider who should be doing everything possible to make me comfortable – was putting arbitrary obstacles in my way. My Gore-Tex jacket, the high-technology garment that had protected me in rain and snowstorms, was being irrationally, unfairly and obstructively contrasted with the official’s essentially decorative woollen equivalent.
‘My jacket is superior to yours by all reasonable criteria: impermeability to water, visibility in low light….Vastly superior tensile strength…’
To illustrate this last point, I took the lapel of the employee’s jacket in my hands. I obviously had no intention of tearing it but I was suddenly grabbed from behind by an unknown person who attempted to throw me to the ground.

I also loved the way that the book highlighted flaws in the general population. It showed that everyone has their quirks and those with Asperger’s are no stranger than others.

The Rosie Project may appear to be an entertaining romance, but it uses humor to highlight many important issues. The fact that this book will appeal to a wide variety of people makes it very special and I hope that its messages of tolerance and acceptance will spread far and wide.

Highly recommended.

.

Categories
2013 Recommended books

Tampa by Alissa Nutting

Tampa

Five words from the blurb: teacher, sex, pupils, risk, exposure

Tampa is a controversial book about a female teacher who has sex with her 14-year-old pupils. It contains graphic sex scenes and many have complained about its disturbing subject matter. It definitely pushes the boundaries, but I think this book is important. It raises many interesting questions about our attitudes to sex and reveals worrying problems with our society. It is not a specific question of positions or of knot dildos, but a serious inquiry on public perception of sex and we can help eradicate the stigma with the conversation.

The book begins with Celeste, a beautiful English teacher, starting her first teaching job:

I spent the night before my first day of teaching in an excited loop of hushed masturbation on my side of the mattress, never falling asleep. To bed I’d worn, in secret, a silk chemise and sheer panties, so that my husband, Ford, wouldn’t pillage me.

She is excited about the prospect of seducing the 14-year-old boys in her class, but is careful to select those who will not reveal their secret encounters.

The plot seemed simple and obvious at first, but as the novel neared its end I was surprised and impressed by the direction it took. I especially loved the way that the characters were all flawed individuals and they reacted realistically to events around them. The writing had that special spark that brought events to life, despite the fact it wasn’t complex in nature.

The book was graphic, bordering on pornography, throughout. But it wasn’t written to titillate the reader; it exists to shock and open eyes to the differences in our attitude towards male and female paedophiles. The fact that it is a beautiful young woman preying on young boys challenges our misconceptions about who is a danger to our children.

It isn’t for the prudish, but if you’re willing to approach it with an open mind you’ll find an engaging, disturbingly erotic, book that challenges perceptions.

.