All posts in category Reading

Firmin by Sam Savage

…Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife

The book is set in 1960’s Boston in an urban area that is scheduled for regeneration. The novel is narrated by Fermin, a rat who lives in the basement of a run down bookstore. Fermin was the runt of the litter and always last in line to get food. In order to stay alive he start nibbling on the books in the shop. After a while he gains the ability to read. He thinks and sounds more like a human than a rat. At the begining of the novel if I hadn’t already know in advance that I wouldn’t have realised he was a rat.

Firmin is a gallant soul who is gifted and wise. He is shunned by his fellow rats and makes plans to befriend the bookseller. In addition to reading books Firmin has a fondness of the local picture house where he views what he calls his lovelies on the big screen.

The book is very philosophical and has well drawn characters, and Fermin is quite charming. The book is interspersed with pictures of characters and events that Fermin encounters along the way, I found these quite charming. Before each chapter there were also pictures of book covers these didn’t really add a lot for me.

I really enjoyed the book and found it quite a page turner.

10 Comments

by CherryPie on April 23, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Book Review, Books, Reading

Posted by CherryPie on April 23, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/firmin-by-sam-savage/

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

Synopsis:

The nameless and beautiful narrator of “The Gargoyle” is driving along a dark road when he is distracted by what seems to be a flight of arrows. He crashes into a ravine and wakes up in a burns ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned. His life is over – he is now a monster. But in fact it is only just beginning. One day, Marianne Engel, a wild and compelling sculptress of gargoyles, enters his life and tells him that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. In her telling, he was a badly burned mercenary and she was a nun and a scribe who nursed him back to health in the famed monastery of Engelthal. As she spins her tale, Scheherazade fashion, and relates equally mesmerising stories of deathless love in Japan, Greenland, Italy and England, he finds himself drawn back to life – and, finally, to love.

Review:

The version of the book that I read had a red cover adorned with golden arrows and a flaming heart. The outer edges to the pages were coloured with black signifying burning, which fits with the theme of the book.

The book graphically describes the effect of the burns and their treatment, but despite this I found the book very compelling. The story slips between the present day and the 14th century as Marianne tells the tale of their previous life together. The telling of the tale makes you believe the unbelievable, making you reassess what is fact and what is fiction.

Many subjects are covered in the book; such as burns, mental illness, Christianity, history and medieval Europe.

In some ways the book describes a tragedy as a beauty is transformed into a beast. But that is only the physical aspect, mentally I think the journey is reversed.

I really loved the book and think it is an impressive first for the author. However I do think it is one of those books you will love or hate.

9 Comments

by CherryPie on April 14, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Book Review, Books, Reading

Posted by CherryPie on April 14, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/the-gargoyle-by-andrew-davidson/

The Other Hand by Chris Cleave

Synopsis (from the book cover):

We don’t want to tell you what happens in this book. It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it so we will just say this: This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again — the story starts there! Once you have read it, you’ll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don’t tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.

‘Totally believable.’ — Daily Express ‘

It would be hard not to romp through it.’ — Financial Times

‘Impresses as a feat of literary engineering…the plot exerts a fearsome grip.’ — Telegraph

Review:

The story is narrated by two female characters from completely different backgrounds, both of these characters are wonderfully depicted and fleshed out. Tragic events draw the two of them together and the book which starts off by describing a detention centre in Exeter slowly reveals how their lives became entwined.

I found it a compelling read and finished the book within a few days. The story was heartwarming, funny, sad, beautiful and shocking in equal measures. I found it very powerful and thought provoking.

4 Comments

by CherryPie on March 31, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Book Review, Books, Reading

Posted by CherryPie on March 31, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/the-other-hand-by-chris-cleave/

It is all About Reading

I wanted to post something bookish, but I am still in the middle of my reading group book so I couldn’t blog about that. I asked Google for some help in finding me an interesting book meme. In fact it managed to find a large collection of interesting memes. Some of which I might come back to at a later date. But for now I shall tackle the ‘Reading Meme‘. Feel free to take up the challenge!

What have you just read?
‘The English Patient’ by Michael Ondaatje. I did a review here.

Also I love to listen to audio books when I am in the car and I have just finished listening to ‘The Northern Lights’ by Philip Pullman. This is the first book in his ‘Dark Materials’ trilogy.

What are you reading now?
I am in the middle of ‘Dancing in the Dark’ by Caryl Phillips. I thought I wouldn’t like it, but I am really enjoying it. The way it is written describes the characters so well.

Audio book wise I am now nearly at the end of ‘The Subtle Knife’ by Philip Pullman (the second part of the trilogy).

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?
If I manage to read ‘Dancing in the Dark’ soon enough I will start to read ‘The Morville House‘ by Katherine Swift before my next book group read which is ‘Case Histories’ by Kate Atkinson.

I am sure you can guess which my next audio book is going to be? If not it is the ‘Amber Spy Glass’, the final book in the Philip Pullman trilogy.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read?
Two books spring to mind and they were both book group reads. Normally without the incentive to continue I give up if I don’t have to read them. Both these books are rated highly, but they didn’t do anything for me.

‘Beloved’ by Toni Morrison
‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ by Gabriel García Márquez

That latter I found quite seedy…

What’s one book you always recommend to just about anyone?
I think I always try to fit books to the person, so I don’t have a favorite recommend.

Although I do think everyone would enjoy ‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ by John Boyne. I must add you should not read any book review synopsis about it first, just read it cold, without any further info.

Oh yes I forgot, I would recommend ‘The Life of Pi’ by Yan Martel, to everyone.

Admit it, sadly the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they?
Regretfully, getting to the library on a regular basis is difficult for me.

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don’t like it at all?
There is a book I loved and my book group hated it when the read it. I found it quite inspirational, but the rest of the group found the auther irritating and self indulgent.

‘For, Tibet with Love: A Beginner’s Guide to Changing the World’ by Isabel Losada

Do you read books while you eat?
I haven’t done that for a very long time.

While you bathe?
Quite often, it is very relaxing.

While you watch movies or tv?
It is not possible to read and watch TV at the same time!!!

While you listen to music?
I like silence when I am reading. When I am absorbed in a book, I wouldn’t register what was going on around me anyway.

While you’re on the computer?
I have read a few short stories that have been posted on line but other than that, NO!

When you were little did other children tease you about your reading habits?
No.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?
Sorry I can’t remember.

Have any books made you cry?
Lots of books make me cry. The one that immediately springs to mind is ‘Flowers for Algenon’ by Daniel Keyes.

I almost forgot the ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy also brought a tear to my eye when I read the books!

14 Comments

by CherryPie on February 26, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Flickr, Me, Meme, portrait, Reading, self portrait

Posted by CherryPie on February 26, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/it-is-all-about-reading/

The English Patient

by Michael Ondaatje

Last night I managed to get to my book group for the first time in months. There were 8 of us there to discuss the book, although one person hadn’t read any of it.

Synopsis:

The story is set in Italy in 1944. The war is over and has left it’s devastation on both the land and the people that have been left in it’s wake.

The book centres around an isolated Tuscan villa that has served as a military hospital. Two people remain; a young Canadian nurse named Hana and her last patient a man who is burned beyond recognition (The English Patient). Hana is scarred by what she has experienced durning the war and by the death of her father. Her patient drifts in and out of dreams of the past and his time spent in the desert.

Later the two of them are joined by Caravaggio, a thief made legitimate by the war who had been tortured and maimed by his war time captors. A young Sikh Sapper named Kip also joins them. He had been employed by the British Forces dismantling bombs.

The plot flits between the past and and present as each individual story unfolds.

So what did the group think of it?

Most of the group members loved the book, but found it difficult to detach themselves from the film version which has quite a different emphasis. Luckily I didn’t have that problem because I have never seen the film. We liked the imagery and the way the book slowly unfolded, unraveling the past and the events that have shaped the characters.

Everyone liked the characters although one member of the group wasn’t convinced with the way Kip reacted and developed towards the end of the book. I personally thought that it was quite a plausible way to react, following the course of his life and experiences throughout the war. The novel has a clever way with words, which draw you in, revealing metaphors and the ultimately the identity of the English patient. Within the pages love, loss, betrayal and sense of nation are all featured.

Most group members felt the book would benefit a second reading, as they thought a lot of nuances had been missed the first time around.

Aftershock!

This is to do with the journey home and not the book. I had a terrible time trying to get on any road that led back to my home. After about 10 minutes driving I found that the road was blocked off with cones. I thought no worries I can take the next road which led to the same roundabout that I was trying to get to. Annoyingly that was blocked of with cones too!!!

I had to drive all the way back to where I started from and drive out of town in the other direction. When I reached that all illusive roundabout I saw a sea of traffic cones. All the exits were blocked apart from the road I was on and luckily the road that I needed to be on to get home.

I find it totally irresponsible that no diversion/warning signs had been put in place to warn people in advance. All the other ways I could have got home are miles out of my way!

14 Comments

by CherryPie on February 13, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Between the Lines, Book Review, Books, Reading

Posted by CherryPie on February 13, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/02/13/the-english-patient/

Books, Tea & Gardens

As I mentioned in a previous post Richard’s new blog site promoting independent book stores reminded me of a couple of local book shops that had been recommended to me. I promised to go and check them out and and give a review…

Last Saturday I used the excuse of lunch out in Much Wenlock (Priory Tea Rooms) to give me the perfect opportunity of a book shop visit. I loved my visit to Wenlock Books, they have an interesting selection of new books which are displayed on the ground floor. Quite a different selection to what you would find in one of the big chains. They were also displaying a stand of classical music. Books and classical music in one place – Heaven 🙂

The upper floor is reserved for second hand books and a large table and chairs to allow you to sit down and read.

The shop is also home to several reading groups and the owner also organises reading retreats, holidays and special events. I found the shop well worth the visit.

& yes I did get tempted to buy a book 😉 There was a nice selection on local authors/interests which included ‘The Morville House‘ by Katherine Swift. Well you know how much I love gardens and the premise of the book was quite fascinating.

I did intend to visit the Abbey and share some photos with you, but the weather deteriorated and the thought of a warming cup of tea at home was far more tempting 😉

18 Comments

by CherryPie on January 20, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Reading, Review

Posted by CherryPie on January 20, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/books-tea-gardens/

For the Love of Books

Richard Havers has just started a new blog promoting independent book shops, which are so much better than big chain stores. He is seeking out the best book shops and is asking for recommendations and reviews.

I rose to the challenge and recommended a bookstore, which turned out to be quite an amazing co-incidence! Richard was in the store (Barter Books) at the very same time I sent the email to him…

I do still have a couple of local recommended bookstores which I am going to check out and give a review on. I wonder if there will be any more strange co-incidences?

If you haven’t checked out ‘The Great Bookshops Blog‘ it is well worth a visit.

15 Comments

by CherryPie on January 12, 2009 • Permalink

Posted in Books, Fun, Reading, Review

Posted by CherryPie on January 12, 2009

https://cheriesplace.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/for-the-love-of-books/