Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

 

"To Lexie, the world seemed nearly perfect, and her fantasies were her real life with all the colours dialed up."

There is a reason some books are best sellers. They are easy to read and hit a nerve with the prevailing zeitgeist. That could possibly be the most pretentious sentence I've written here in a while and that would seem inappropriate. At the centre of this novel is the question of who provides a better life, someone with money, or less opportunities due to their ethnicity, lack of finesse with English and 'otherness'. Ultimately this is a novel concerned with 'otherness' - a feeling of isolation from the picture perfect life that the tailored streets of the Shaker Heights community suggest. If you've watched the mini-series this becomes even more about race when they cast Kerry Washington as Mia.

Shaker Heights reminded me of growing up in the suburbs, where to be anything but the accepted norm was to be frowned upon. Fitting in meant wearing the right clothes, looking the same, sharing the same views, all of which seemed to be a kind of prison to me. Izzy is vexed by the fact she doesn't subscribe to her well to do family's status quo. New arrivals Mia and her daughter Pearl, go from living in a car to finding a home at the rental property owned by Elena. As their daughters shift allegiances, ambitious Pearl enthralled by Elena's lifestyle and artistic Izzy mesmerised by Mia's creativity, their lives are shaken by another struggle between two mothers.

This was chosen for our book club and it really is a great choice because there is so much thematically to discuss. While that can sometimes labour the pace of a novel, this one really hits all the marks.

5 out of 5 families are like icebergs, you only see the top.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

 

“You still waste time with those things, Lenù? We are flying over a ball of fire. The part that has cooled floats on lava. On that part we construct buildings, the bridges, and the streets, and every so often the lava comes out of Vesuvius or causes an earthquake that destroys everything. There are microbes everywhere that make us sick and die.”

This is one is a really slow burn. I'd heard nothing but rave reviews which kept me reading and eventually that tenacity paid off. I kept thinking this was a book that would appeal more to my mother due to its detailed descriptions of minutiae, much like the way she describes every detail of her day. Perhaps what turned me off so much to begin with was the fact that I just didn't like the two protagonists. Lila and Elena were not characters I could particularly warm to in their infancy. Perhaps that was because they brought up uncomfortable memories of how cruel children can be to each other, and the unpleasant recollections of a childhood full of bullying. 

Yet dear reader I read on. Now, as you might guess by the lack of reviews of late, I finished this quite some months ago. Life has thrown some curve balls, and stress has possibly played tricks with my memory. I know that upon finishing the last few pages I immediately ordered the other novels in the Neapolitan novels which suggests my ultimate appraisal as a positive one. 

5 out 5 a childhood friendship is a complicated one.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

"She murmured, We could always blame the stars. I beg your pardon, Doctor? That's what influenza means, she said. Influenza delle stelle—the influence of the stars. Medieval Italians thought the illness proved that the heavens were governing their fates, that people were quite literally star-crossed. I pictured that, the celestial bodies trying to fly us like upsidedown kites. Or perhaps just yanking on us for their obscure amusement.”

 I had no idea what this was about when I started reading it, which was incidentally in the middle of the pandemic lockdown. Set in an influenza maternity ward during the Spanish flu,  this tale combines two of my least favourite topics: gory childbirth and hospitals. The last few months I've spent more time visiting hospitals of different varieties then I'd ever care to. So reading this was hard going. That being said, it is fantastically written - I mean does Emma Donoghue ever disappoint? In my opinion, never!

This is a love story, a story of hardship and unprecedented times, much like we're experiencing today. The highs are so acutely felt, precisely because the surrounding circumstances are so dire.

Perhaps not the upbeat solution to trying times, but a fabulous read nonetheless.

 5 out of 5 glimmers of hope amid despair shine all the brighter.

The Yield by Tara June Winch

 

“The ancestors taught me all the things I wasn’t taught at the Boys’ Home:  they taught me men’s business they taught me where to find food, the names and uses of all the plants and animals”

I'm afraid I've been so busy that my blogging has really taken a backseat to life, family dramas and work deadlines. I finished reading this fantastic novel way back in August and I can hardly believe its already November. My memory might be a little fuzzy and yet I recall this was a rather intriguing read and well deserving of its Miles Franklin Award.

The multiple story lines drift in and out much like a song connecting the generations. August's story is the one that drew me in the most, possibly as it is set in the present. Her homecoming for her grandfather's funeral will dredge up feelings long buried and uncover the secrets of Prosperous. Meanwhile, you'll be swept up in the history of a place and its people, that will have you rapidly turning pages.

5 out of 5 family histories are always complicated.

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

 

“Oh, how I regret not having worn a bikini for the entire year I was twenty-six. If anyone young is reading this, go, right this minute, put on a bikini, and don't take it off until you're thirty-four.”

Nora Ephron's short story collection is just non stop delight in my opinion. The creator of When Harry Met Sally and author of Heartburn was a phenomenal writer and these short stories showcase her ability to capture the strange and often hilarious aspects of a woman's life. It is tragic that she died in 2012 and isn't around to write more entertaining treatises.

The trials and tribulations of removing unwanted hair, the youth affirming properties of hair dye, the utility of an unattractive handbag and the dramas of parenthood and ageing, are all delivered with wit and humour and with a voice that is utterly compelling. First published in 2006, these delightful essays don't get old.

5 out of 5 - pass me the moisturiser.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

 

“Emira found herself arranging her mouth as if she’d ingested something too hot. She caught a morphed reflection in a freezer door, and she saw herself in her entirety.”

So I'd been hearing a lot about this book and wondered what the fuss was all about. For a first novel it is amazingly good. Equal parts hilarious, uncomfortable and troubling it is undoubtedly an amazing piece of writing that I throughly recommend ( as have a host of reviewers out there).

Reviewing a novel about race is challenging these days. I don't want to offend anyone, I can only relate my feelings about reading this book. As a white reader I experienced the creepy sensation of the do-gooder boss who sees Emira as a project and reflection of her liberal attitudes. In Alix's gaze, Emira ceases to be a person and is a walking beacon of virtue signalling by a cardboard self-help guru whose facade is purely plastic. The ***spoilers ahead*** revelations of Alix's past and relationship with Kelley further illustrate her fake nature.

Kelley isn't as colour blind as he repeatedly insists he is. In some ways, he's the embodiment of the sexual fetishisation of people of colour, with his penchant for dark skinned girlfriends coming as a disappointing revelation. I so wanted him to be the perfect boyfriend, but then I remembered they rarely exist, even in literature.

If I've made you think this is all serious and depressing, then fear not. One of the greatest achievements of the novel is that the heroine, Emira, is such a well rounded, engaging character and so entertaining as we, the reader, share her knowing winks, disappointments and eventual triumphant escape from the babysitting rut.

Personally, I think we're all humans and there are aspects within us all  that make us feel like the 'other'. Some of us pass through the world with less of these complications, that doesn't impede our ability to empathise with others subject to more obvious biases. What this story so brilliantly does is bring those to the fore, so that we can think about what needs to change in today's world, how complicit we are in that structure ,what should have changed many centuries before and the comforting lies we sometimes tell ourselves.

5 out of 5 - believe the hype.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

 

“But we are always optimists when it comes to time; we think there will be time to do things with other people. And time to say things to them.”

Sometimes you just read the perfect book at the perfect time.The lovely Andrea who helped me set up our newly established bookclub, picked this delightful novel and what a fantastic selection. Ove is determined to end his life after the loss of his wife and yet life has other plans. I'm probably giving way too much away here and yet this endearing portrait of a grumpy widower who finds reasons for living due to his neighbours leaves such a beautiful impression that doesn't fade with time.

His passion for Saabs is reminiscent of the Ford versus Holden diehards of the nineteen eighties. In fact, Ove's general grumpy demeanour and kind heart reminded me of my dad, a similarity that gained additional poignancy as he's been not himself lately.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone, it has a decidedly universal appeal and is the perfect antidote to these misery guts COVID times.

 5 out of 5 - don't park on his grass and you will need tissues.

Run River by Joan Didion

“She hoped that although he could not hear her she could somehow imprint her ordinary love upon his memory through all eternity, hoped he would rise thinking of her, we were each other, we were each other, not that it mattered much in the long run but what else mattered as much.”

I was eagerly anticipating getting my teeth into Didion's first novel, as I've really marvelled over some of her other works.It has been a rough few weeks with family things going on, so perhaps I wasn't best placed to launch into a bad relationship story. I've read some rave reviews, and yet this didn't leave much of a mark on me. It starts off so promising with the evaporating Joy perfume and continued down a joyless path that I couldn't connect with.

3 out of 5 not the salve I needed.

The Oppenheimer Alternative by Robert. J. Sawyer

 

 

“The term ”fission” describing how a uranium nucleus could split into two had been borrowed from biology, and Oppie had a sudden flash of micrographs he’d seen of a dividing cell: an entity pinched in the middle to form bulbous halves. Grove’s belt was the construction and an ample gut billowed out above and below it.”

 

I’m going to start with a negative here and its no reflection on Robert J Sawyer’s great writing. No, I struggled to get into this novel a little at first because my imagination about the Manhattan project was coloured so deeply by the tv show of the same name. This was a tad confusing for me and I think possibly impacted my otherwise thorough enjoyment of the novel. Nevertheless, my interest was rekindled and by the end I was a complete convert.

The Robert Oppenheimer of Sawyer’s novel is  an enigmatic creature, often caught between two worlds. This is highlighted by the two women in his life. His wife and fellow scientist, Kitty and Jean his troubled, communist lover. Dealing with the destructive outfall of his work and his love life leaves ‘Oppie’ in a tenuous space, until the chance to save the earth with his work transforms his horizons.

The set up in the past is so detailed and appears to be meticulously researched, so when the story branches off from reality into an alternate history, the reader is 100% onboard. I personally adore the way Sawyer puts the ‘science’ into fiction. He makes science a thrilling character of its own in his work. It makes me want to study something in the STEM world.

The political machinations are of course also fascinating and some background from the author’s research explored in the novel unearths some surprising facts. The novel’s publication in parallel with the 75^th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test, the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is particularly meaningful and was fought for by the author.

I digress though. The tale transforms from a historical narrative to a thrilling piece of speculative fiction which was ultimately gripping and made me happy that I’d treated myself to the hard copy version.

 

5 out of 5, can’t wait for Mr Sawyer’s next work – I’m a big fan.

The Last Weekend by Blake Morrison

 

"So to recap: on a late October night in my second year at uni I meet Daisy and ask her out."

If you've been reading my reviews you will know my list ticking insanity. I've never met a top 10 list on The Guardian that I didn't immediately want to finish. So this novel was the last one for me from Tim Lott's Top 10 summers in fiction list and what a fantastic list it was.

This novel is peopled by some generally unlikeable people. The narrator, Ian,  is married to Emily and yet still carries a torch for his love from university,Daisy. This is despite the fact that she is married to his best friend from university. Naturally Daisy's husband, Ollie, not only got the girl, but has a jealousy inducing more successful career and lifestyle. 

Appearances can be deceiving and a couple's weekend away unearths the secret of Ollie's terminal cancer diagnosis and a large wager between the two men. Is Ollie telling the truth,?Can Ian be relied upon as a narrator? Is something terrible going to happen?

Well I guess you will have to pick up a copy to find out. This has a somewhat Hitchcock-light feel to it and while aspects were fantastic, I was disappointed that I could predict what was going to happen. The thriller aspect built slowly and then just fizzled a little for me. I don't think I cared enough about the characters and that dulled the story's impact. It still is an engaging read and I'm nit-picking.

4 out of 5, the good thing about being single is no smug couple weekends.

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

"Tiffany Aching was the witch, and she had made herself the witch because they needed one. Everybody needs a witch, but sometimes they just don't know it."

In these crazy times, the best retreat is to the Discworld. I'm not joking! Seriously grab some Pratchett and feel instantly better. I guarantee it works. This instalment sees the witch Tiffany Aching really come into her own, it is the fourth story of her adventures and possibly the best.

Unfairly accused of murder, Tiffany escapes to Ankh-Morpork but its more than the law in hot pursuit. The terrifying Cunning Man might just be the end of her and all witches.

Settle in for a glorious adventure, drink up with the Nac Mac Feegles and meet the adorable Preston. Hurry up and grab a copy and if you've read it before, maybe crack it open again.

Big thanks to the always amazing Nicki for lending me a copy.

5 out of 5, who doesn't love a black dress.

Who Slays the Wicked by C.S.Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr 14)

"Sebastian wasn't prepared to take anything Princess Ivanna Gagarin told him at face value."

The long awaited next instalment of the adventures of a certain Sebastian St. Cyr was happily provided by my fantastic partner in literary admiration, book buddy Nicki. This latest mystery starts with violence, and the gore continues. It is hard to be concerned about who done it, when the victim is a thoroughly unlikeable guy, but as the body count rises, the plot thickens.

If I had any quibbles they would probably only be that there wasn't enough Hero for my liking. While the plot meanders with increasing complexity, it is nonetheless, another engaging story from C.S. Harris.

5 out of 5 everybody dies eventually.

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow

"Sources were scared. Many refused to talk. But others seemed willing."

I was rather late to the party in reading this book but was compelled to when I listened to the Ronan Farrow's rather excellent podcast on the same topic. He brings a sensitivity, tenacity and intellect to a difficult topic which makes for a compelling listen ( in relation to the podcast) and is equally engaging in the written form.

Perhaps what is the most intriguing aspect of the story, since most people are familiar with the unacceptable behaviour of a certain Mr Weinstein, is the machinations that go on behind the scenes. The threats, the spying, the constant sense of danger and the horrid ability for powerful people to silence their victims.

With the continuing demise of standards in journalism, it is reassuring to hear there are some voices prepared to do the work and do it with excellence.

5 out of 5, some frogs no girl should kiss.

Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe

"Colonial Australia sought to forget the advanced nature of the Aboriginal society  and economy,  and this amnesia was entrenched when settlers who arrived after the depopulation of whole districts found no structure more substantial than a windbreak, and no population that was not humiliated, debased, and diseased."

A work colleague commented upon seeing me with this book in the lunchroom that it was a "book all Australians should read" and I'm inclined to agree. Certainly putting paid to the fiction of terra nullius in a well-researched and fascinating way. When you consider all the challenges that this wide, brown land of Australia poses due to most of the country being considered arid and inhospitable, its instructive to hear about the different methods of farming and cultivation that provided sustenance for its original inhabitants.

There's nothing new under the sun and we could learn a lot for the future by revisiting the past. Pascoe does a great job of doing just that. So add this to your home library, give it to your kids and gain a better understanding of the importance of the traditional owners of the land on which we live today.

5 out of 5 new crops could rise from these tales of yore. 

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

"It wasn't that I forgot Hanna. But at a certain point the memory of her stopped accompanying me wherever I went."

It has been quite a few years since Kate Winslet took out the Academy Award for her performance in the movie adaptation of this novel. I've managed not to read the book until now and this was one of those instances where my perceptions were very much coloured by the movie and I think I preferred the film. That rarely happens, but in this instance, I think perhaps it stems from the fact that the novel is a rather slim volume where much is up for interpretation and perhaps the movie instils more room for contemplation through its choices. Kate Winslet's performance gave so much more depth to her character, whereas in the book she is both an object of desire and then a figure to be judged and I think the movie was kinder in this regard from memory ( I watched it a long time ago).

The narrator's voice had a maturity that the movie version lacked in my mind.The central tenant that stems across both iterations is the power of literacy and the corrupting power of war, both interesting notions taken to the extreme.

4 out of 5, how do you reconcile your emotions when you loved a monster?

To Catch a Thief by David Dodge

"Good muscular control had always been his most valuable asset."

As part of my mission to read the source materials for Hitchcock films ( of which I'm a huge fan), I've been searching for a copy of this book for quite a few years. Thank goodness for Kobo! So it took me a little longer to read than it would in paperback, since I was reading it on my phone at lunchtimes, but it was certainly worth it.

I think perhaps the best mark of a good adaptation is when there is a clear connection between the tone of the book and the subsequent film and this one certainly has that.

While it is quasi impossible to extract from my brain the images of the cast of the movie - the ever suave Cary Grant, the luminous Grace Kelly and the cheeky Brigitte Auber (Danielle), that did nothing to detract from my love of both iterations.

Definitely an enjoyable romp of a novel.

5 out of 5 diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Providence by Max Barry

"All you know is that when the video finally, mercifully stops, you want to kill salamanders, as many as you can"

 The release of a new Max Barry book had me chomping at the bit and this was no exception. I hurried out and preordered a copy. I wasn't disappointed and yet, I didn't love this quite as much as some of his other novels such as Syrup and Jennifer Government. This lacks the black humour of those other works. 

I think that is reflective of the times we live in, where dark humour feels a little hollow. Rather this novel brings a sense of the potential downside of AI mixed with the claustrophobia of deep space and the insidious power of media control.

Who is the villain? Are the aliens the real enemy? What is really going on? Well you will just have to read it I guess. I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.

5 out of 5 - beam me up.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

“P.S. Owls are fascinating creatures, but its harder than I thought to convince them to take food. Maybe this one didn’t trust me.”

A love story across time is a trope I’ve always enjoyed and yet this new novel injects life into a well-used conceit. Time consists of strands of endless possibilities and an ongoing war between opposing forces that shift and shake the continuum in never-ending and bloody ways.

Opponents Red and Blue have an inexplicable connection that challenges the status quo. Through their letters they develop a bond that shifts their very being. The love they bear is so much more than a physical longing. It transcends time and space. Written in collaboration by two authors, the fact that each one voiced one of the characters provided additional depth of voice that was compelling to read.

There is a sense of the vague and obtuse to begin with, but as the relationship grows between the two opponents, so does the reader’s appreciation for the ‘world’ in which the book is set.

A book that was equal parts novel and delightful. The cover will make a beautiful addition to any bookshelf and I am totally enamoured by the joint author photoshoot on the flap jacket.

 

 5 out of 5 strands of love that springs eternal.

The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekov

"Then he looked at her intently, and all at once put his arm round her and kissed her on the lips, and breathed in the moisture and the fragrance of the flowers; and he immediately looked round him, anxiously wondering whether any one had seen them."

This short story is an absolute gem. I was guided towards it by its inclusion on a list by Alison McLeod of the top 10 stories about infidelity. It beautifully portrays that inexplicable appeal of something that could never really play out in real life. We all want what we can't have and sometimes its as unexpected as someone whose Pomeranian attacks.

A short story gets a short review. So check this little morsel out.

 5 out of 5  - a tiny tale expertly executed.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer

 

“The Chinese called what Waxman was a mogwai, a malevolent-type fairy.”

The genius behind the children's mega hit  Artemis Fowl series is back with a story for adults with just a splash of the supernatural. The last Dragon on Earth is living in the swamps of Louisiana with only a squad of alligators and a friendly Mogwai for companionship. Any human that spots his whereabouts will end up dead and that's how he likes it.

15 year old 'Squib' Moreau has problems of his own. The dodgiest lawman around has set a cap for his mother, and when Squib watches him commit murder, his demise seems imminent.

When these two unlikely characters cross paths you'll be charmed, afraid, bemused, bewildered, but mostly charmed.I found the language quite a step away from that of the child-friendly series the author is most known for, nevertheless this strange mix of genres really works. Part hardboiled crime thriller, part fantasy, part coming of age tale, mixed in an earthy brew of swamp water and served cold, just like revenge.

5 out of 5 - I love an ornery Dragon.💕

 

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch

"Start a conversation with somebody and watch when they blink. I believe you will find that your listener will blink at the precise moment he or she "gets"the idea of what you are saying, not an instant earlier or later."

I first heard of this text from one of the many movie pod casts I've been listening to of late and felt compelled to grab a copy. There is something mesmerising about hearing from someone who is truly passionate about their craft and this little volume is an intriguing look into the mysteries of what goes on in the editing suite. It explores how technology has completely transformed the method and the manpower levels required to undertake the task and yet dispels any reservations you may have that changing tools detract from the art involved.

The notion of film cuts as analogous with the blink of an eye makes total sense. I took away an even greater appreciation for the skill of the editor, whose choices make or break a film.

5 out of 5 - this is better than the Director's cut.

The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami

"I remember with perfect clarity that first night I lost the ability to sleep."

George Burns apparently said "Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city."and I think that quote is relevant because in these COVID-crazy times, I decided to pick a book of short stories to read and discuss with my mother. When I lived in another city, I could do no wrong, now that I've returned to the same city... I can do no right. My choice of book in this instance was probably short sighted. For, as much I love Murakami, his style is probably not my mother's cup of tea (and boy does she love a cuppa). Consequently I finished and loved the book and she is totally M.I.A.

My appreciation of this collection of seventeen short stories varies in intensity from deep love to just enjoyment.So let's just take a look at some of the stories that floated my boat:

The Wind-up Bird and Tuesday's Women

I loved this moody, dreamlike story of a missing cat and a man who seems to be missing something of a life. It is a mystery that is never quite solved but enjoyable, like a good meal that leaves a delightful aftertaste.

The Second Bakery Attack

Late night cravings can turn criminal. This one left me a little conflicted, maybe its just because I don't eat bread or McDonalds.

On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning

Possibly the most beautiful, dreamlike, romantic tale I’ve read. Its efficiency of text is amazing and its denouement completely unexpected.

Sleep

Get some rest.I mean, seriously.

Lederhosen

I loved the symbolism of a random man filling the pants of the woman’s husband. Yet again a deftly spun short story with

Barn Burning

The basis for the movie Burning, which I absolutely loved. Its hard to believe that a movie of more than 2.5 hours in length could be born of such a tiny story. Id say inspired by would be more appropriate as the film builds an entire world from some limited conceits. The mystery that Murakami posits in this strange and enticing tale is a jumping off point for the film which suggests the boyfriend is a serial killer by implication and in relation to the girl’s disappearance. The rich fop mindlessly compelled to  burn old barns that aren’t his exudes entitlement and a strange kind of obsession. Murakami’s story is dreamlike and a puzzle to be savoured. One of the rare times where I preferred the film!

A Window

A sad tale about the transitory nature of life.

So I think that serves as a little taster. Now grab yourself a copy and get back to me with your thoughts.

5 out of 5 adventures occur when you're chasing cats.

Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James

"The star lolly, outstripping even the Violet Crumble Bar and the Fantail in popularity, was undoubtedly the Jaffa."

It has taken me forever to write the review of this book and I think that's due to the fact that its a bit of a time capsule. In many ways it reminds me of stories my Dad often tells (he was born a year before, so rather the same vintage) and they are problematic to me in many ways. They reflect that old fashioned view of women that divides us into attractive or easy or invisible. The gang bang episode was particularly unexpected and deeply saddening. It pretty much tainted the book for me. Perhaps its root cause is young boys in single sex schools, I'm grateful I went to a coed school, because it taught me that men are just as messed up as women, rather than having to learn that later in life.

I used to always love Clive on television, the rich timbre of his voice and his amusing chuckles to himself. The writing is as well realised and vivid as you would expect. It is weird that just one anecdote in a larger story could so wholeheartedly turn me off, but this did. As self deprecatory as James is throughout the memoir, there's this sense that women are even lower in his estimation, an object to conquer with a sad, unsatisfactory thrust.

Clearly this is a beloved classic, but I'm not convinced. Different times I guess.

3 out of 5 - disappointing.

In the Flo by Alisa Vita

"Before I realised I had to honour my second clock, my hormonal problems had drained my energy to the point where I was barely able to accomplish the basics of daily living."

This was recommended to me by someone in relation to ongoing crappiness that goes along with being female and the inability to shift pesky pounds that seem to just all want to jump on board an already overburdened lifeboat.I can't rubbish this entirely. There are some really interesting concepts here, its just that it is written like a marketing brochure or a 1970s style self help book. 

That format that goes...'for years I struggled with...a,b,c.... and now you can learn from my patented program", followed by a link to a website to sign up for additional paid content and apps.I respect that publishing doesn't make anyone rich these days but it just seems a little too much for my tastes. What I did learn and adopt was to cut out coffee and I think she's unfortunately right on that front. I'm less shaky and some other issues are less annoying. You don't understand how deep my love of coffee runs, so perhaps my dislike of the book was exacerbated by the fact it separated me from my favourite milky concoction.

I applaud anything that teaches women more about how we actually function. I've seen plenty of doctors who seem as mystified as a layman when it comes to women. So this is an unenthusiastically positive review. Worth a look and I think the changing foods and exercise in line with the time of your cycle makes sense. Hormones hey, can't live without them, but sometime they drive you up the wall.

3 out of 5 - way too many uses of the term 'bio-hacking'.

When it Drops by Alex Dyson

"When you're generally miserable, the idea of actually having fun becomes a weird, foreign concept."

In these strange times that we are living in, when things can tend to be a bit grim, Alex Dyson just seems to deliver the antidote. First it was his hilarious zoom-ba efforts, then his great breakfast podcast with Matt Okine and now, he's reached some kind of fantastic trifecta in the form of a novel. Having missed his morning presence on the radio for some time now, I could still recall that Alex was a man who could definitely spin a yarn. If you wonder whether that translates to book form, then wonder no more.

This young adult gem appeals to readers of all ages. Anyone who has been mortified by the reveal of their crush, or dreamt of meeting their idols and getting a record deal. The reality of love, loss and the pressures of instant fame are all fleshed out in an entertaining fashion, by someone who has seen such things first hand - and it shows.

I loved Matt Okine's book and I love this equally. Both reflect the adorable voices that their radio fans grew to love, their sense of mischievous fun and slightly Peter Pan quality. My only regret was that I finished reading this way too quickly, it was vivid and immersive and definitely a 'banger'.

5 out of 5 - 'pack er up boys' this one deserves a wave of the tune rag.

Defy or Defend (Delightfully Deadly #2) by Gail Carriger

"Dimity was clearly embarrassed to have such an intimate item mentioned at tea, but no one except Cris was listening to their conversation.”

Alas dear reader, in my haste to enjoy the latest instalment of the wondrous Gail Carriger's series of fabulousness, I jumped the gun and bought the e-book rather than a real life book. Because of this ridiculously short-sighted behaviour, my bookshelf is leering at me in disgust as it would love to display the fetching green cover and my literary twin, Nicki, will now forgo a lend of my copy. I feel I should also invest in the actual copy to even out my bookshelf of gloriousness.

Returning to work is not unlike infiltrating an unknown vampire hive and so I was a little distracted from pages 1 to 5. Then lunchtime landed and bam, I was swept away with Dimity's adventures and swooning over the well put together Chris. I don't want to give too much away, however, if you love Ms Carriger's super-duper parasolverse adventures, well do not pass go, do not collect $200, just jolly well jump online and order this terrific treat.

I suspect if this is your first foray into the fantastic steam punk world where a woman can be both beautiful and deadly, but always effective as an intelligencer; then this might not be the best jumping off point. Then again, it might just do fine. Let me suggest a wealth of wonder awaits you as you look into the pure delights of Soulless (the first of the Parasol Protectorate stories) or Etiquette & Espionage the first of the Finishing School series and the amazing tales which follow in their stead. In short you have some fantastic times ahead.

5 out of 5 because life is more fun without a nightie.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver

“A man without hands came to the door to sell me a photograph of my house. Except for the chrome hooks, he was an ordinary-looking man of fifty or so.”

The lockdown really changed my reading habits and often I found I had a really short attention span. I had this fabulous idea to involve my mother with my reading and given the glacial pace with which she completes a novel, I thought.... let's dive into short stories. I'd picked up this book of Carver's stories on sale randomly and sent Mum a copy also so that we could compare notes.

It is perhaps a testament to our opposite personalities that we had very different experiences in reading these tales. I admired the passionate intensity that always seemed to go wrong, while she fixated on the violence and alcoholism. 

Despite that, many of the tales had a visceral reaction for us both, which was interesting as we were coming at them from different angles. Surprisingly I really enjoyed our different points of view in our mini, virtual bookclub (albeit without the wine and cheese that a real life bookclub might incorporate).

If the title makes you think you're in for some kind of romantic interlude, I'd suggest you will be sorely disappointed. The sad tale of a mattress for sale, the gruesome story of what could happen when hitchhiking, are delivered with an almost cinematic quality, with images that may haunt your dreams (or nightmares). My only quibble (and why this isn't a 5/5 score) is that I feel some stories work far better than others.

4/5 short stories can still pack a punch.

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

"What with his hooting and the banana he held, he reminded her of a chimpanzee."

Goodness me, I've forgotten to finish another review. I was particularly looking forward to this one because its by an acclaimed author that I've enjoyed before and its a re-telling of my favourite dead playwright, Mr Shakespeare. This is part of a series that has proved to be a little bit of mixed bag for me. I have a number in my to be read pile and the re-telling of Macbeth is an absolute tome - makes a great podium for the laptop in zoom meetings - that kind of thing.
This particular novel in the Hogarth series is The Taming of the Shrew retold in a modern setting. Not one of my favourite Shakespearean tales, calling a woman who dances to the beat of her own drum a "shrew" isn't fantastic in my opinion. That is perhaps why I so disliked this book.
I found it tiresome that this girl who works tirelessly for her father is shamed into marriage in modern times. Here marry this bloke for a green card because no-one thinks anyone will have you. That's just frightful.
Her sister is so revolting, that she made my skin crawl. The would be husband seems really off and disturbing - a stalker, control freak.

No I did not like this book.

1 out of 5 - Not a premise I could work with.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

"Penelope's parents were dull and dispassionate automatons crawling toward their deaths"

Where do I begin with this prize winning novel? It is something new and interesting and will definitely keep you engaged. When Bernadine Evaristo tied with Margaret Atwood for the Booker Prize, I had to seek out a copy of both books and I am immensely glad that I did. While both are stylistically poles apart, they share interesting takes on female narration and highlight the richness that the literary canon can deliver with a mix of voices from both sexes.

Centuries ago, authors had to change their names to something that sounded masculine to be taken seriously and until recently, particularly in relation to 'serious literature' many female authors met with depressingly similar conditions. Is this changing? I hope so and if this novel is anything to go by, we are all in for a treat.

The scope is expansive, the prose is unusual, almost poetic in form. This is a rather unique work. Its like a time machine where you move in and out of different lives at a cracking pace and yet still experience intense emotions at each fleeting story.

Ok so its really obvious I like this one and yet I kept on delaying finishing it. I had to savour each snippet and as I read, it was like a massive cast of characters would rush on stage, deliver their deepest secrets and then rush off, passing the baton in a kind of frenetic fictional relay.

I know I've not told you anything about the story and I feel that's best to be honest. Then you too can dive in and immerse yourself in what promises to be a fantastic read for you.

5 out of 5 women, we're all the same, but we're all different.

Let the Old Dead Make Room for the Young Dead by Milan Kundera

"Ah, she thought, whatever I am today, if a bit of my youth lives on in this man's memory, I haven't lived in vain."

This short story is so well executed. Each sentence carries such import and feeling. I just loved it. This Faber Stories series consists of extremely thin little publications that include one short story from a famous author. I happen to enjoy the sensual depictions of Kundera and this so beautifully encapsulates the memory of a perfect fling from days gone by. The will is still there to relight the flame and yet the impact of age is a massive deterrent.

A man in his mid thirties revisits the older woman with whom he once shared a dalliance. He regrets his youthful timidity and has searched in vain to replace the memory of their encounter. The woman, now in her fifties and a widow has little clue as to the depth of feeling of her former lover and recalls fondly their tryst as a distant memory of when she was at her prime.

What is particularly well evoked is the way memories are so skewed. Years later one person may dwell on the minutiae of a romantic encounter, while another may think on it with a vague sense of contentment at their conquest.

Honestly, if I write any more about this story, this review might be longer than it and perhaps that is its strength. So much observation and feeling is packed neatly in such a slim package. It speaks to ageing and the often rose coloured view of the past that can sometimes break through into the present. Sometimes I think past loves retain their glow because in your memory they will always be the age they were when with you and that version will never degrade.

5 out of 5 - sometimes the past is perfection and best left there or sometimes its a lifeline for today. Community service announcement though - best not to call any toxic exes during a pandemic.

Nothing to See Here By Kevin Wilson

"I met Madison at a fancy girls' school hidden on a mountain in the middle of nowhere."

Ever so often you open the pages of a book, dive in and feel completely engrossed, this was one of those occasions.This great read has launched me head first into a reading renaissance and I'm 100% on board.
A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Lillian, receives a scholarship to a prestigious girls' school, where she makes friends with the very well to do Madison. A favour sets their lives on different paths until they are reunited years later.
Madison has a baby boy and is about to take care of her senator husband's twin children from his first marriage. These are not ordinary children and Lillian might just be the answer to Madison's unusual problems.

The premise of this novel is so unlikely, a cross between Firestarter and The Nanny, and yet it works so well. The cover and the blurb had me a little incredulous, however, the recommendation from Chat10Looks3 was enough for me to grab a copy and I am ecstatic that I did.

In the words of Molly Meldrum " Do yourself a favour" and check this one out, it is surprisingly moving.





 5 out of 5 - the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire.

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

“I had left Park Bar at three thirty a.m. right when the cooks were getting another round of Jägermeister shots. I had taken one and thought I might throw up on the floor. Instead I threw myself into a cab and threw up in my own toilet like an adult. I was proud of myself.”

When I bought this book, I had heard it was to be made into a tv series. Naturally I wanted to read it first. Even more usually, for me, its been sitting in that big ole pile of books for me to read for so long that the show has already aired. Thankfully for streaming I can compare the two works later. COVID-19 times have got me back into the reading fold and what better time for a novel about restaurants and wine, glorious wine, than these iso-days. Pause, insert hiccup here for effect.

Having read Kitchen Confidential, last year, they almost seem like companion pieces with different gender perspectives. The cracking pace and other worldly timing of working in a restaurant — where sleep is for the weak — makes for compelling drama. Throw in sex, drugs, alcohol and sensation seekers, well of course its going to be interesting.

Young Tess moves to NYC after working in a coffee shop as a ‘barista’ with an English degree (lady how I relate, getting your first job with an English degree is dire), and lands a job at a famous Union Square restaurant. This book reminded me of a night out in New York where we my friends and I met the chef from another famous Union Square restaurant at about 3am, along with some other entertaining characters — does everyone just miss bar hopping now?? Back to the book though, our protagonist is innocent to restaurant life and life in general. Tastes, sensations and tribulations abound, and I was swept up in the chaos. The change in her life is palpable.

You can almost taste the wine and smell the food here. Similarly, you can feel the grime, lack of sleep and tendency for poor decision making (yes, I recall my twenties… vaguely). Danler’s style is impressive, and the characters are all fascinating drawn. This book will have you reminiscing of your wild youth (if you had one) or vicariously thrilling in someone else’s (if you didn’t). 

5 out of 5 – ending this was bitter sweet, definitely one to ‘pick up’.

No Orchids for Miss Blandish by James Hadley Chase

"One of the important facts of life that Paula had learned the hard way was not to keep any man waiting."

This novel does nothing for feminism. Women are whores or helpless beauties to be rescued. It is a typical pulp noir, a violent, seedy city’s underbelly where everyone is on the make. When attempting to steal her diamond necklace a criminal gang kidnap the titular Miss Blandish in an attempt to increase their profit.

Her stunning looks prove too much for a rival and much more violent gang and all of a sudden, Miss Blandish becomes the captive of the unhinged son of gang leader, Ma Grisson. He’d shoot you, just as soon as look at you and has never before displayed an interest in women.  That’s changed and now he drugs and tortures his prisoner, while her millionaire father believes her to be dead.

Hiring Dave Fenner, ex journalist and now private eye, to find out what happened to his darling daughter, seems like a last-ditch attempt by her father Mr Blandish. Violence ensues. Lots of violence, lots of implied sex. The book was met with huge success and deemed rather scandalous for its time. The novel was adapted as a film in Britain in 1938 and Variety reviewed itas “A lurid bestseller has been converted into a deplorable picture”. In 1971 it was revisited again as The Grissom Gang by Robert Aldrich, about which Roger Ebert said “Everyone screams, shouts, flashes knives at each other and sweats a lot”, which to my mind rather reflects the source novel.

The characters are formulaic, rather than well developed. Slim is characterised by his violence. The reader’s sense of him is a creepy guy who seems developmentally challenged, yet deadly. His mother is the leader of the pack but a barely-there sketch of a dangerous old lady. They seem like carbon copies from another, better written novel. Chase is no Chandler… he’s Chandler lite with added blood and guts.

That’s not to say its not thrilling. You’ll read on, eager to see whether Miss Blanchard will escape or not, even if you’re lukewarm about the other characters.

3 out of 5, avoid the idiot son.

The Girls by Emma Cline

“So much of desire, at that age, was a wilful act. Trying so hard to slur the rough disappointing edges of boys into the shape of someone we could love.”

I’ve been hearing about this novel for ages, a clear sign is the “worldwide bestseller” sticker on it. I dare say if you liked Once upon a time in Hollywood, then you’ll definitely be drawn to its pages. What is perhaps most striking about the story is how fantastically Cline captures the voice of an insecure teenager. I think the unsure girl in all of us can relate, even if our rebellions might have come later or been less dangerous.

The titular girls are clearly based on the women that followed Charlie Manson, they rubbish dive for food, sleep with their leader (his name is Russell in this case) and represent this aspirational sense of community and freedom that proves irresistible to fourteen-year-old Evie Boyd.

At the beginning of the novel, Evie has a falling out with her best friend and her loneliness is palpable. Crossing paths with the intriguing Suzanne, she is swept up into a strange world of drugs, sex and idol worship. Her sexual awakening is so fraught, at one point she is pimped out to a much older man and it is a pretty harrowing scene.

Potential spoilers follow…. You have been warned.

Evie’s escape from the murderous activities of the cult represents another break. She is no longer part of the all-encompassing group and is cast out into the lonely world once more. It is rare to feel so emotionally invested in such a troubled protagonist and yet, therein lies the crux of the novel. We are all Evie, one step away from making a poor decision that could change everything as we greedily seek out our tribe and often settle for something less than we should.

I’m just going to add to the chorus on this one and agree it is brilliant. I decided to finally jump on the bandwagon because I’d seen it recommended on two top ten lists on The Guardian, Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott’s Top Ten Cliques in Fiction and also Clare McGlasson’s Top Ten Books about Cults.

 5 out of 5 – life is hard for a girl.