Reviews of Books
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Mar 5th, 2011
I selected this novel because one of the members of my Victorian Book club recommended it (we read Victorian novels). I really enjoyed it. It was like a series of short stories, but a few of the characters (like Olive) appeared in all of the stories. The novel had sad undertones and I don’t think [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Nov 29th, 2010
My book club has had this novel in our sights for a while. We read Rhubarb and all enjoyed it. Craig Silvey not only tells a good story, but he puts words together in an interesting manner. Here’s the blurb … Late on a hot summer night in the tail end of 1965, Charlie Bucktin, [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Oct 5th, 2010
I was intrigued by the title of this novel and simply had to read it. I’m not religious but I am fascinated by religion. This was simply written and a very quick read. Here’s the blurb … In this genius spellbinding retelling of the life of Jesus, Philip Pullman revisits the most influential story ever [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Sep 15th, 2010
This was a marathon reading task, but I’m quite pleased that I finished it. I liked it. A lot. Unlike Little Dorrit, which I thought needed editing, I enjoyed all aspects of this novel. Here is a synopsis from Wikipedia Sir Leicester Dedlock and Honoria, Lady Dedlock (his junior by more than twenty years) live [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Jul 25th, 2010
From extreme to other; Janet Evanovich and then Charles Dickens! I read this because it was the book for my Victorian Literary Society meeting. I had recently watched the latest BBC adaptation (with Clarie Foy) and so was quite keen to read the novel. It is very long – my copy went to 900 pages. [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Jun 29th, 2010
I picked up a copy of this novel from a second-hand book store while on holiday. Here’s the blurb Rickie Elliot, a sensitive and intelligent young man with an intense imagination and a certain amount of literary talent, sets out from Cambridge full of hopes to become a writer. But when his stories are not [...]
Posted in Serious on May 9th, 2010
Solaris Ian McEwan’s latest novel. It is the story of Michael Beard a physicist who in his youth discovered the Beard-Einstein conflation for which he was awarded the Nobel prize. Since receiving the prize he has done little physics choosing instead to use his fame to receive grants and positions. One of which is at [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Apr 22nd, 2010
I read about this novel on Cornflower Books – I can’t find the reference now it might even be in a comment somewhere – anyway I thought if I see it around I’ll grab a copy and then, on the very day, I find it in a second hand book store. I had no idea [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Apr 20th, 2010
I read a review of this novel in The Australian and simply had to have it. Here is the description from Harper Collins … What has happened to Ingrid? Beautiful Ingrid inherits a fortune and leaves Australia, and her friends, and Ralph who loves her, to marry Gil Grey and set up home amid the [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Feb 9th, 2010
I picked this book us from the library (in large print! – I quite like large print I wonder if that means I need reading glasses?). I liked Anne Tyler. I like how her novels focus on more domestic themes – everyday life with all of its complexities. Here is the book description … In [...]