Redwall by Brian Jacques

Five words from the blurb: mice, monastery, attack, evil, rats

Redwall is a classic of children’s literature. I didn’t read it as a child, but my husband has fond memories of it and so bought a copy for our boys. I decided this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try and so offered to read it with my oldest son.

Redwall is a typical story of good versus evil. The peaceful mice of Redwall monastery come under attack from the evil rat, Cluny, and his band of followers. A range of other woodland animals are recruited on each side, but size is not relevant as bravery and quick thinking win every time.

This is a lovely story for older children. It has the perfect amount of action to hold their attention, but manages to combine it with vivid descriptions that create a wonderful atmosphere. It also contains many good moral messages, encouraging children to believe that anything is possible given thought and determination.

“This sword is made for only one purpose, to kill. It will only be as good or evil as the one who wields it. I know that you intend to use it only for the good of your Abbey, Matthias; do so, but never allow yourself to be tempted into using it in a careless or idle way. It would inevitably cost you your life, or that of your dear ones. Martin the Warrior used the sword only for right and good. This is why it has become a symbol of power to Redwall. Knowledge is gained through wisdom, my friend. Use the sword wisely.”

The vocabulary is quite complex so I’d only recommend it to a strong reader. It hasn’t dated in the 30 years since it was first published, but many of the words aren’t in frequent use and I had to use a dictionary more than I normally do when reading complex adult literature.

I enjoyed reading Redwall, but I think I’d have appreciated it much more as a child. It probably works best for those between the ages of 10 and 12, but even as an adult I was still able to appreciate its charm. Recommended to anyone looking for a bit of escapism.

Redwall is the first in a series of 22 books. My son is planning to read more, but would I get anything from the rest? I fear they might be too similar to each other to make it worth it?

Have you read Redwall? Did you enjoy the series as an adult?

2014

Scorper by Rob Magnuson Smith

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 19, 2015
9 Comments on Scorper by Rob Magnuson Smith

Five words from the blurb: American, English, ancestral, tools, ghosts

Scorper is a strange, but beautiful book. I’ve not read anything like it before, but it could be described as a cross between All Quiet on the Orient Express by Magnus Mills and Strangers by Taichi Yamada, with a bit of The Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling mixed in. The story is set in Ditchling, a small village in rural Sussex, where an American has travelled in order to study his ancestors. The book combines realistic (and often humourous) observations of British village life with surreal scenes in which the American meets his long-dead relatives.

The writing quality was outstanding – I think this is the first time I’ve enjoyed a book written in the second-person narrative style. It felt so original and I loved the meta aspects of the text:

Yet another critic will opine, in a morally brave departure from this historically limited binary approach to literary criticism: ‘We must allow that Mr Cull has captured a thoroughly modern England in his depiction of our rural village life. With an outsider’s broad perspective, he is simply more aware of England than the English themselves. Resist the easy, outmoded accusations of “bad faith”. Put away the knives. This American exhibits a fresh boldness of vision: one we should celebrate, not vilify.’

The book was also very well researched. It introduced me to Eric Gill, a stone mason who invented several different typefaces, and explained the art of carving wood (using a scorper, the tool referred to in the title). I loved the way the book mixed fact with fantasy, creating something that felt almost Japanese in origin – a strange outcome for a text so rooted in the English countryside.

My only criticism is that I had no emotional connection to the characters – the reader simply has to enjoy observing this strange story. Luckily the writing was so strong I was able to suspend my disbelief and enjoy this bizarre tale.

Recommended to anyone looking for something a bit different.

Tags England

Other

Mini Reviews: The Buried Giant, Outline and No Such Thing as Failure

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 16, 2015
19 Comments on Mini Reviews: The Buried Giant, Outline and No Such Thing as Failure

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Five words from the blurb: Romans, Britain, couple, journey, son

I loved Never Let Me Go so was looking forward to reading Ishiguro’s new book. Unfortunately they were very different in style and I failed to bond to any of the characters. The Buried Giant has a fairy-tale like quality and there was a lack of emotion throughout. The reader is kept at an arms length from the action and this lack of engagement frustrated me. I know that there are clever allegories running beneath the surface, but I didn’t care enough to investigate them. I started skim reading after about 100 pages and nothing I saw drew me back into the text. Recommended to those who enjoy modern fairy-tales and analysing books for hidden messages.

DNF

No Such Thing As Failure by David Hempleman-Adams

Five words from the blurb: British, explorer, highest, peaks, poles

I got this book from the library because the author was coming to do a talk there. Hempleman-Adams has achieved an extraordinary number of feats – including climbing the highest mountain on every continent and reaching both poles. I admire everything he’s done, but I wish I had just listened to his 45 minute summary of the book instead of reading it in full. No Such Thing As Failure is simply a catalogue of his adventures. He does reveal the problems he faced, but there was no tension behind them. I’m sure this is just a reflection of his calm nature, but I prefer a bit of peril and emotion in my adventure stories!

Outline by Rachel Cusk

Five words from the blurb: woman, Athens, writing, meeting, indistinct

Outline is beautifully written. Each character springs vividly to life and I admired the atmosphere that Cusk managed to create in just a few short pages. Unfortunately the book failed to come together as a whole. It felt more like a series of short stories and I was frustrated by the lack of plot. I appreciate what the author was trying to achieve, but I prefer a book with a plot and a more conventional structure.

2014 Audio Book Recommended books Science Fiction Uncategorized

The Martian by Andy Weir (Audio Book)

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 12, 2015
21 Comments on The Martian by Andy Weir (Audio Book)

Five words from the blurb: Mars, astronaut, alone, survival, rescue

The Martian was on the “Best of 2014” list of many bloggers I trust, so I bought the audio version. I’m so pleased that I did as it is one of the most entertaining stories I’ve ever listened to. It is basically a survival story, but combines the tension of a man living in daily fear for his life with the mundane reality of being an astronaut for an extended period of time. It also shows how complex science can solve problems and combines this with well researched technical information about Mars. I was gripped throughout and found myself laughing and amazed in equal measure.

Mark Watney is one of the first astronauts to visit Mars, but just hours after touching down on the surface there is an accident and the rest of the crew evacuate, sure that Watney has perished. He regains consciousness and discovers that he is alone on Mars. He must use every ounce of his training and intelligence to find a way to survive until he can be rescued. The majority of the book is made up of Mark Watney’s daily log entries where he records everything that happens each day, including his thoughts and frustrations. Some people might find the language a bit harsh, but I thought it was appropriate and realistic given the situation he was placed in:

Log Entry: SOL 118
My conversation with NASA about the water reclaimer was boring and riddled with technical details. So I’ll paraphrase for you:
Me: “This is obviously a clog. How about I take it apart and check the internal tubing?”
NASA: (After about 5 hours of deliberation) “No. You’ll fuck it up and die.”
So I took it apart.

Watney is one of the best characters I’ve ever come across. His flaws and strengths were given equal attention and by the end of the book I felt as though I knew him. I loved his attitude to life and think many people could learn from his reactions to adversity. The book also raised interesting questions about how much one life is worth and whether we should ever gamble with the lives of others in order to save someone else.

The Martian works particularly well on audio. R.C. Bray is the perfect narrator – making the wry humor spring to life, but maintaining the tension when serious problems arise.

Overall I can’t fault this book. I was transported into the mind of an astronaut whilst being thoroughly entertained. I learnt many new things and admired the way technical information was integrated into the gripping plot. It’s the best book I’ve read in a long time.

Highly recommended.

Tags Mars

Orange Prize Other

The Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist 2015

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 10, 2015
8 Comments on The Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist 2015

The longlist for the 2015 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction was released at midnight and I think it is fair to say that it was a surprise. Almost half of the books longlisted hadn’t appeared on any of the blogger prediction posts circulating in the last week or so. I hadn’t even heard of some of them. At this stage I’m not sure if they are stronger than the books suggested, but I’ll find out as I still plan to read many of the books that didn’t make the longlist (Weathering by Lucy Wood, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, The First Bad Man by Miranda July, Euphoria by Lily King, Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum, Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara)

In fact, I am far more excited about reading the books I discovered while researching contenders for the longlist and discussing the likelihood of their success with other bloggers. These books probably need even more attention now they’ve failed to make the longlist so don’t be surprised if I prioritise them over the actual list (below)

The 2015 Baileys Longlist:

Outline by Rachel Cusk

Five words from the blurb: woman, Athens, writing, meeting, indistinct

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

Five words from the blurb: evacuated, London, Blitz, disaster, money

Aren’t We Sisters? by Patricia Ferguson

Five words from the blurb: family, secrets, grand, friendship, lodger

I Am China by Xiaolu Guo

Five words from the blurb: London, translator, Chinese, detention centre, letters

Dear Thief by Samantha Harvey

Five words from the blurb: letters, recriminating, friend, rage, forgiveness

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Five words from the blurb: forgetful, mystery, friend, missing, note

Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

Five words from the blurb: Flu, collapse, world, relationships, unexpected

The Offering by Grace McCleen

Five words from the blurb: father, farm, breakdown, memory, rural

The Country of Ice Cream Star by Sandra Newman

Five words from the blurb: children, cruelties, poor, evil, America

The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O’Neill

Five words from the blurb: twins, star, documentary, ex-convict, difference

The Bees by Laline Paull

Five words from the blurb: bees, hive, obey, sacrifice, Queen

The Table Of Less Valued Knights by Marie Phillips

Five words from the blurb: Camelot, table, quests, misfits, fantasy

The Walk Home by Rachel Seiffert

Five words from the blurb: laborer, Glasgow, family, betrayal, adrift

A God in Every Stone by Kamila Shamsie

Five words from the blurb: Indian, army, connections, lives, adventure

The Shore by Sara Taylor

Five words from the blurb: islands, sanctuary, methamphetamine, miracle, family

How to be both by Ali Smith

Five words from the blurb: conversation, artist, child, twist, love

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

Five words from the blurb: lodgers, London, unexpected, ex-servicemen, house

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

Five words from the blurb: family, decisions, generations, moments, define

The Life of a Banana by PP Wong

Five words from the blurb: Chinese, London, secrets, violence, family

After Before by Jemma Wayne

Five words from the blurb: immigrant, Rwanda, secrets, disease, demons

What do you think of the longlist?

Which books are you most excited about reading?

2000 - 2007 Books in Translation Chunkster

The Book of Fathers by Miklós Vámos

Post author By Jackie
Post date March 7, 2015
2 Comments on The Book of Fathers by Miklós Vámos

Translated from the Hungarian by Peter Sherwood

Five words from the blurb: Hungarian, family, generations, gift, epic

The Book of Fathers is an epic piece of historical fiction. It follows twelve generations of first-born sons through 300 years of Hungarian history. The book has been a bestseller throughout Europe, but has had less success here in the UK. This is a shame because it is the sort of thing that fans of historical fiction love.

The Book of Fathers is very readable. It is packed with period detail and has been incredibly well researched. I immediately bonded with the characters and enjoyed learning about Hungarian history. I was especially grateful that everything was explained in sufficient detail for me to understand what was happening, despite knowing little about the country’s history.

Unfortunately as the book progressed I became frustrated by the way the years slipped by so quickly. New characters were continually introduced and I began to lose track of who was who. Each chapter concentrated on a new generation and it began to feel more like a series of short stories. I wish that it had contained a fewer number of sons; enabling us to see each life in greater depth.

Szilard showed him the pocket timepiece and the medallion he guarded with his life. Yanna gave a squeal of joy when the face of her firstborn stared back at her from the gold locket. Richard Stern’s hook of a hand pulled Szilard towards him and the old man’s wet kisses fell upon the boy in a shower. This is how it is with us, though Richard Stern, moved: We keep losing members of the family, only to get them back again in the course of time.

Each son was also blessed with a clairvoyant ability. I was initially worried that this might interfere with the realism of the text, but these concerns proved unfounded as Vámos seemlessly blended the magical realism with the historical fiction. I think those who enjoy reading contemporary fairy tales will appreciate the folklore involved in this story.

I’m pleased that I read The Book of Fathers as I now have a greater knowledge of Central European history, but I’d only read another Vámos if I knew it concentrated on a smaller period of history. Recommended to those who love historical epics, especially when they’re sprinkled with folklore.

I read this for Stu’s Eastern European Month. Head over to his blog for more recommendations from this part of the world.

Tags Hungarian