Skios by Michael Frayn

"She plainly wanted him to be Dr Wilfred, he could see."

Reading this, I had a rather strange experience. I'd pictured, from my reading adventures, exactly what this place looked like because to me, the author had vividly rendered the island and resort. Randomly looking for holiday destinations, back when that was a possibility, I chanced on a picture which seemed exactly what I'd imagined while reading. Needless to say the actual place was Skiathos in Greece and I have a distinct feeling that's what this invented island was based upon.

If you are seeking a bit of sun-soaked escapism, then this book is just what the doctor ordered. I loved the ideas of mistaken identities and Sliding Doors style life changes. The characters are imperfect, real and engaging. Combine the mistaken identities with unexpected social connections and you get something on the level of Shakespearean comedy. 

5 out of 5 - imagine yourself on a Greek island.

Falling Man by Dom Delillo

"The noise was unbearable, alternating between the banging shattering sound and an electronic pulse of varied pitch."

I'm currently catching up on reviews of books that I've read this year. Reading about nine eleven around the turmoil of the bushfires was difficult. Writing about it mid Corona craziness seems even more difficult.

I get the feeling that the best antidote from a literary perspective is something far more escapist. That being said, there is something cathartic about this work and it is, of course, fantastically written.

This is an uncomfortable read that left me feeling that cold sensation that a horrific memory leaves behind. In these troubled times maybe it serves as a sign that tragedy and uncertainty can be overcome in time.

4 out of 5 - maybe leave this one for less troubled times.

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver

"Mary had been free to examine the world as she saw it. Willa burrowed into that freedom as if reading a trashy romance, and it made her happy for hours at a stretch.If Willa was living in Mary's house —if that shelter had stood while the world fell apart and reassembled in its crazy ways—then her family could be sheltered there too."

I have been looking longingly at my 'to be read' pile for such a long time and this lovely Christmas gift from 2018 has been tempting me for a while now. My reticence to embark on a novel of over 400 pages during the working week has —for the most part— kept that desire at bay. Eventually though, it just seemed rude not to crack the spine and see what I'd been missing.

Reading this novel piecemeal had its own challenges. While there are two stories that shift in time between each chapter, linked in the main by the conceit that I've quoted above, 5 minute reading sessions were not the best way to take the story in. Occasionally I would forget where I was and I think this is a book suited to a period of uninterrupted enjoyment, such as a long flight or train trip.

The duelling narratives are equally compelling with the central notion of a house as shelter and the notion of Occam's razor drawing them together. The house, once home to Thatcher Greenwood, a science teacher trying to teach Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to his students in a town with only creationism on the menu. His friendship with a journalist and  Mary Treat, a scientist and real-life correspondent of Sir Charles Darwin, along with his passion for teaching scientific thought are the source of never-ending woes.

Willa's is a life full of tragedy and destruction. The suicide of her son's partner has left her guardian of a baby, her husband's father is dying, her children don't get along and post Hurricane Sandy, her house is falling down. Her attempts to secure funding for the house due to its potential historical significance link to the story of the house's former inhabitant. 

So much happens in both stories, that I found I had to re-read quite a bit after I'd finished the book. That unearthed some meaningful connections littered among the words. The way the two stories weave together cemented by Dunwiddie bricks is deftly handled and only becomes truly apparent upon close examination.

We live in turbulent times and this attempt to link the horrors of climate change into the story via Tig's approach to child rearing seems ominously en-pointe in a week where the threat of Corona Virus has people fighting over toilet paper.

5 out of 5 - one to ponder.

The Dinner by Herman Koch

"No, it was a very subtle something in her eyes, a shift invisible to the uninitiated, something between mockery and sudden earnest."

So this was the first book I read in 2020 and it proved an intriguing start to the year. It is dark and moody and at times perplexing - just the sort of thing that would keep any bookclub chatting.

I certainly wasn't expecting the violence inherent in the book but it makes for a high stakes scenario.

What Koch does capture rather brilliantly is sibling rivalry combined with the danger of a vast difference between rich and poor. 

Unfettered ex-pats can run rough shod over the local populace, but the question really becomes more about who should be afraid of whom?

At times melodramatic, this is nonetheless an interesting read that I would recommend. Just don't look to this for some light escapism, that is a dish this dinner doesn't serve.

4/5 - So glad I don't have kids to worry about.

Meat Cute: The Hedgehog Incident by Gail Carriger

"Alexia had no doubt that there were twice as many peonies on her mother's gown as there were bows on Evylin's or rosettes on Felicity's."

So this wasn't the first thing I read for 2020, but I've finally progressed on to reviewing books from this year and this one was PHENOMENAL. Certainly it is just a tiny sliver of a morsel and so seems tasty and completely fat free. 

I love the work of Ms Carriger and I particularly love any story that involves a certain Alexia Tarabotti. This one has hedgehogs to boot! If you are a fan of the parasol universe then hurry up and get your steampunk loving behind to the couch with a copy!

In a jiffy you will be transported to a world where a manly werewolf is a sight for sore eyes and a soulless lady will have you enthralled.

5 out of 5 because who could resist a hedgehog?

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter

"The summer she was fifteen, Melanie discovered she was made of flesh and blood."

Dear Readers, grant me forgiveness for I do not recall the substance of this novel at all. I’m certain I read it at the end of last year and I’ve enjoyed other Angela Carter works, however this one has just flown the chicken coop of my mind.

I fear I shall have to re-read 240 pages so as not to provide a pale imitation of a review. This week  I was lucky enough to attend In Conversation with Margaret Atwood and she did remark that we should all review books, lest we write one and can find no one to return the favour.

So I submit this rather lame attempt and promise better next time. In other news, I can now get busy reviewing the 13 books I've read so far in 2020!! Spoilers... some of them are AMAZING!

4 out of 5 – let’s dive back into the toyshop.

A Keeper by Graham Norton

"Patricia knew she was being silly but over the next couple of days the fantasy of her wonderful boyfriend took shape."

From memory this was a book I gifted to my awesome friend in the not so unselfish hope that she would lend it back. The woman, the legend, Nicki, certainly did. 

Elizabeth Keane is returning from her home of many years of New York to the Ireland of her birth. The death of her mother means dealing with all the accumulated junk of a lifetime and uncovering a few family truths to boot. 

I disagree wholeheartedly with the Irish Times review that pretty much rubbished this beautifully written novel. While there are some crazy characters involved and the book wasn’t exactly what I expected, I really enjoyed the twists and turns it provided. I finished the entire novel in a day such was my preoccupation with digging up Elizabeth’s past.

I felt this was much darker in tone than Norton’s previous novel and I possibly preferred the first one a little more. It seems this is a man with many talents – not only the best talk show host around but also a fantastic weaver of tales on the page.

5 out of 5 - my love for Norton is beyond measure.