Categories
2012 Other Prizes

Moffie by André Carl Van Der Merwe

MoffieJoint winner of 2012 Green Carnation Prize

Five words from the blurb: gay, conscript, army, South Africa, strength

Moffie is a beautifully written book about a gay man in the South African army. The novel focuses on Nicholas, a young man forced to fight in the Angolan Bush War. The shocking homophobia of the army makes life hard as he must hide his true identity from those around him.

Much of the book is based on the author’s own experience and this is obvious from the detail and vivid descriptions of the emotions involved. Unfortunately it also echoed real life in the way the plot developed – there were slow sections and then chapters where everything seemed to happen at the same time. It feels wrong to criticise a book for being too realistic, but I can’t help the fact that some sections in the middle bored me and I longed for the pace to pick up. Luckily things improved towards the end and I was impressed by the book as a whole.

The writing is best described as tender. The juxtaposition of the horrors of war with the gentle beauty of his relationships seemed to make everything more powerful.

He has survived a world I have only heard about, and getting through the army doesn’t scare him. I’m attracted to this confidence.
And so I learn a new love; one I have not yet experienced and one I don’t understand. It is the love of a friend. As we slip deeper into understanding each other, this love grows like ascending stairs; discovering new treads between the risers.

This book does contain some violent scenes, but these are kept to a minimum and the main impact comes from what is left unsaid. Instead the novel focuses on the day-to-day suffering caused by homophobic attitudes within the army and the general population.

It is a deserving winner of the Green Carnation prize and I hope that its win will bring the book to a wider audience.

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Categories
Discussions Other

How to Hook a New Reader?

Me (left) and my sister when our oldest children were little.
Me (left) and my sister when our oldest children were little.
Me (left) and my sister when our oldest children were little.

My sister and I are very different. She is only two years younger than me, but our personalities couldn’t be further apart. She didn’t understand my passion for reading and hadn’t read a book in years. Then, last summer, Fifty Shades of Grey became a publishing phenomenon and she was Fifty Shades of Greytempted to give it a try. She flew through the entire trilogy and then moved on to the Bared to You series. With a new found passion for reading she came to me for advice. Delighted that she’d begun reading I immediately ordered a copy of The Hunger Games for her and sat back, waiting for the gushing praise to materialise. Unfortunately it didn’t. She finished the book and described it as “OK.” Her main problem was that it was out of her comfort zone; too different from anything she’d experienced before. Now she’s back for another recommendation and I want to ensure that the next book she reads is perfect, but I don’t know what to suggest.

I’ve been thinking back to the books that sparked my love for reading, but I don’t think any of them are suitable. She wouldn’t enjoy Duncton Wood and Flowers in the Attic is too long. Many of the other books I read would be dated now and I don’t think she’d appreciate the darker subject matters I love. I think chick-lit is the way to go, but I don’t know what to suggest. It needs to be easy to read, compelling and, as a mother, I think she’d appreciate the inclusion of some children.

Can you think of any suitable books?

Do you know anyone who started reading after trying Fifty Shades of Grey? If so, which books did they move on to?

Categories
2013

The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence

The Universe Versus Alex Woods

Five words from the blurb: conventional, life, choices, right, uproar

It is almost impossible to review this book without giving away spoilers; in fact every review I’ve seen so far has mentioned something I’d have preferred to keep secret. As a compromise I’m going to let you know that this is a fantastic book. It deserves to become a word-of-mouth bestseller and if you enjoy entertaining books that don’t shy away from difficult subjects (e.g. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time or Room) then you are bound to love this one. If you don’t mind mild spoilers you are welcome to read on. Major spoilers will be written in white text – just highlight the passage to read it.

Alex Woods is seventeen-years-old. The book begins with a custom’s officer in Dover discovering a large amount of marijuana and an urn full of ashes in his car.

His gaze shifted, his eyes widened. He signalled for me to wait and spoke into his walkie-talkie, rapidly and with obvious agitation. That was the instant I knew for sure. I found out later that my picture had been circulated in every major port from Aberdeen to Plymouth. With that and the TV appeals, I never stood a chance.

The reason for the national manhunt is slowly revealed in a gripping narrative that effortlessly switches from humour to darkness.

I loved the build up and the way snippets of information were skilfully dropped through the text, but I’m afraid the ending wasn’t quite perfect. I felt the reader was subjected to a bit of a rant and whilst I agreed with point of view being made (subject revealed in spoiler below) I think the discussion was one sided. I’d have preferred to see the issues investigated in more depth, with some negative aspects included. This would have shown the full complexity of this difficult subject and the turmoil of emotion faced by the families of those involved. 

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW – highlight to read

This book deals with euthanasia. The relationship between Alex and the elderly gentleman, Mr Peterson, was beautifully drawn. The subject was handled sensitively, but is bound to have a more profound effect on those who disagree that a person has a right to choose when they die.

Alex is a wonderful character and I loved the quirky, unpredictable course of his life. It will be fantastic to discuss this book with everyone and I’m looking forward to seeing it rush up the best seller charts.

Recommended. 

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Categories
Other

December/January Summary and Plans for February

The last two months have flown by, with the majority of my reads being very good. The only one that stood out above the others was The First Century After Beatrice by Amin Maalouf, a scary insight into what might happen if parents could choose the sex of their child.

Book of the Month

The First Century After Beatrice

Books Reviewed in December and January:

The First Century After Beatrice by Amin Maalouf 

Doppler by Erlend Loe 

Jerusalem by Gonçalo Tavares 

War with the Newts by Karel Capek 

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami 

Lamb by Bonnie Nadzam 

Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb 

The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura 

Merivel by Rose Tremain

Consider the Fork by Bee Wilson 

A Trick I Learned From Dead Men by Kitty Alderidge 

Roseanna by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo 

Abandoned: A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, The Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones by Jack Wolf, Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville, Canada by Richard Ford, Parallel Stories by Peter Nádas

Plans for February

I have no firm plans for the next few weeks, but these books are calling to me strongly at the moment:

One Last Thing Before I Go by Jonathan Tropper

Hunger by Knut Hamsun

Far From The Tree by Andrew Solomon

Moffie by André Carl van der Merwe

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen

The Good Father by Noah Hawley

I’m also continuing to make my way through A Suitable Boy, although it is proving a challenge at the moment. Hopefully I’ll fall back in love with it again soon.

I hope you have a wonderful month!

Categories
2012 Non Fiction

Consider the Fork by Bee Wilson

Consider the Fork: A History of Invention in the Kitchen

Five words from blurb: kitchen, history, invention, human, decisions

Consider the Fork: A History of Invention in the Kitchen is a light, but thoroughly researched look at the way kitchen utensils have changed over the centuries.  Taking one object at a time, Bee explains how it first came into use and how its shape and popularity have altered over the years. The book includes everything from the most modern methods of sous-vide cookery, to the ancient art of cooking over a fire; charting the way technology has changed our cookery.

The book is easy to read and packed with little facts that surprised me. I found myself telling friends numerous anecdotes from this book and although nothing in here is really useful, it is the sort of information that any kitchen enthusiast will enjoy.

In the early nineteenth century there was even a brief vogue among ‘fashionables’ for eating soup with a fork. It was soon condemned as ‘foolish’ and the spoon was restored.

The only problem was that there was no narrative drive. Once put down, I could easily forget about this book and had no special urge to pick it up again. It is perfect for dipping into over time, but I found it hard to read in the set three week library lending period (another user had reserved my copy so I had no option to renew it).

The chatty writing style meant this book was very accessible, but after a while I craved more depth. I would have liked some tips to improve my own kitchen skills, but this book was more of a social history. There’s nothing wrong with that –  I just prefer books with a greater technical content.

Recommended to anyone with a passion for cookery, especially if you enjoy a lighter writing style.

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Categories
2000 - 2007 Books in Translation

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

Hard-Boiled Wonderland And The End Of The World

Five words from the blurb: unicorn, librarians, descent, tradegy, detachment

Hard-Boiled Wonderland is my fifth Murakami (I’ve read Wild Sheep Chase, Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore) but although I loved the bizarre scenes, I think I understood this book less than any of the others I’ve read.

The book contained a dual narrative: one part set in an alternative version of modern Japan, the other in a mysterious walled city. These short, alternating chapters added pace and ensured the reader was never bored.

The plot revolved around unicorns; trying to avoid strange vicious creatures called INKlings; and bizarre experiments on the mind. I loved the first two aspects, but the third confused me. I also failed to understand the book’s concept. I think I’d benefit from reading a study guide, as far too much went over my head.

The writing style was simpler and less vibrant than the other Murakamis I’ve read and I initially struggled to connect with it. It took about 70 pages before I was gripped to the plot and there was one point, about 40 pages in, where I even considered abandoning it. Luckily I persevered and was rewarded with more of Murakami’s unique brand of weirdness.

“Your shadow is on the verge of death. A person has the right to see his own shadow under these circumstances. There are rules about this. The Town observes the passing of a shadow as a solemn event, and the Gatekeeper does not interfere.”

The joy of this book is the way it transports you out of your comfort zone. It is unpredictable, entertaining and completely bonkers, but I wish I there had been more adventure and less complex mind theory.

Recommended to those who are already Murakami fans, as I don’t think this is a good place to start.

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Have you read this book?

Did you understand it?

Is it your favourite Murakami? 

To find more Japanese literature reviews head over to Tony’s January in Japan blog.