The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton

In 1913 a young girl finds herself stranded in Australia with no idea who she is or where she came from. When Nell turns 21 her family tell her of how they found her and it changes her life. Finally in 1975 Nell decides to track down her real family and find out how she got from England to Australia on her own. However, things happen and Nell's determination to discover the truth is interrupted. Instead it's left to Nell's granddaughter after she has been left a cottage in Cornwall. It's 2005 now and Cassandra decides to find out the truth about her grandmother and her own family history.

I have to say that this didn't quite live up to my expectations. I think if I had read this before everyone told me how brilliant it was I might have enjoyed it for what it was that little bit more. Instead I found it to be a little bit too long and dragged a little in parts. Whilst I enjoyed the sections with Nell and Cassandra I found the sections with the authoress to be a little dull. Normally I would love that sort of thing but it just didn't feel right to me. As I got into the book though it did get better. I think the mystery unfolding helped there although I had guessed much of it before the end. I also quite liked the authoress herself. Much more than the rest of her family, including her cousin and best friend.

That family, ick. Typical, creepy, upper class family. The uptight mother who will do anything to protect her precious. The creepy father who hides away dreaming about his long lost sister (not in the good sense of dreaming - shudder). Then there is the equally uptight and spoiled daughter who takes delight in befriending the authoress in order to irritate her mother. I confess that by the end I had felt sorry for the daughter but I still didn't like her very much. Have to feel for the authoress being stuck with them.

What I really liked about the book was Nell and Cassandra trying to unlock the past. They really had very little to go on. Just a small suitcase containing a book of fairy tales which were illustrated by a famous artist. Yet somehow with little (and no internet back then) Nell managed to uncover most of it with Cassandra getting there in the end years later. I especially liked reluctant Cassandra forming unexpected attachments.

There is of course the garden element of the book. I'm not going to say much about that other than the fact that it did remind me quite a bit of The Secret Garden. Quite a lot of parallels in there such as the sick cousin being promised a trip to the garden. Anyway, I get the feeling that this author was a fan of the children's book.

It sounds like I didn't enjoy the book but actually I did. I gave it 4/5 stars on goodreads and wouldn't have done that had I not enjoyed it. I just don't think it was quite as brilliant as it's reputations suggested. As I said earlier it was a little long in parts and could have done with a little editing but that's just my humble opinion. Also don't let my review put you off. I bet most people prefer the flashbacks to the authoress than to the sections with Nell and Cassandra.

Amsterdam - Ian McEwan

After a prolonged illness Molly Lane has passed away. Many of her friends have come along to the funeral to pay their respects much to the chagrin of her husband as a fair few were former lovers. Foreign secretary Julian Garmony, composer Clive Linley and editor Vernon Halliday are three such guests. Clive and Vernon had actually become friends due to their connection to Molly Lane and their mutual dislike of Garmony. After the funeral Vernon comes across the opportunity to bring down right winger Garmony and gets his friend involved. However, this hatred and plan for revenge comes crashing down around them.

I forgot this was a Man Booker winner. It wasn't why I picked it up although I have been curious about his winning book. It was more I was in the mood to read one of his books and this was the only one the library had. Having read it I do still think that Atonement is the superior even though that was only short listed.

The characters Clive and Vernon are unlikely friends. They really don't have all that much in common. Clive lives in a world of music and that's all he really cares about. His social circle in the past have always revolved around music and the arts. Molly was a big part of that too and it was really only through her that Vernon was brought into Clive's world. I don't really understand how the two connected considering they have no real respect for each other. Vernon on the other hand is a newspaper editor. Has worked for the papers for years and is well respected in his field.

At this point their hatred of Garmony seems to be their only connection. Especially since Molly is now dead. Garmony is a right winger. Not all right wingers are bad but this one seems to go to the extreme. Or at least he would if he could and it looks like he is heading to be in that position. This is why Vernon gets involved and it just so happens that Molly's husband is able to help. A lot of this hatred and vindictiveness though is petty rather than for political reasons and you do have to wonder what Molly seen in each of them (and this includes her husband). Was she just attracted to their talent? As much as each of the characters repulsed me in some way I had to read on and see what would happen. This seems to be typical of McEwan. The characters always have a darker side, usually a selfish and petty one. In this case all of them.

The book was very well written. Points of view from each of the two men which gave insight into each of their worlds and was important to the ending. As for Amsterdam. Well, it isn't too clear why the book was given that title until the end when all was revealed. A great book and a great ending.

The Sunset Limited - Cormac McCarthy

Mr White and Mr Black are in the home of Mr Black. MR Black has just saved Mr White from jumping in front of The Sunset Limited. He refuses to let him leave until he can gain some understanding as to why he might do that. He also wants to convince Mr White that there is more out there and more to life and that someone cares for him. Mr Black found God when he was in prison and about to die. He doesn't have much in life other than the four walls around him. Mr White on the other hand has done fairly well for himself. He is a professor but also an atheist.

When I picked this up in the library I was unaware that McCarthy had written any plays. In fact this is his second. It's also the second book I have read by him and I'm not exaggerating if I say that The Road and this is completely different. Night and day.

Anyway, I have to confess that had I known there was a religious theme to the book then I would have avoided it. Like Mr White I am a sceptic and I hate it when one character tries to convince another to believe. Mr Black isn't really preaching though. He is just trying to stop Mr White from carrying out his earlier intentions. He wants to save his life rather than his soul. So the religious content didn't so much bother me in the end.

The play was rather short and it took me no time at all to read. It was set in only the one room and I imagine it would have been quite interesting to go and see. As I have learnt from previous plays you can get as much out of them as novels. I just wish that maybe I had taken a little bit more time with it. Mr Black was the more interesting of the two characters. He has had a hard life and yet he goes out of his way to save someone completely different from himself. Mr White doesn't seem to appreciate and it's harder to gauge what Mr White is all about. Perhaps he himself doesn't know.

It was an interesting idea and I after weeks of mulling it over I have decided that I did like it. Glad I picked it up on a whim.

The Wind Through The Keyhole - Stephen King

Roland, Susannah, Eddie, Jake and Oy are making their way towards the Dark Tower. Oy has been behaving strangely and Roland has an idea why. A sudden storm is about to descend on them. The kind that kills instantly and the only way to stay alive is to take shelter in a stone building. Thankfully one is close by and once they are settled the convince Roland to tell them a story. He tells them of the time he is sent by his father to investigate reports of a shape shifter killing some villagers. The reports turn out to be true and Roland must hunt the shape shifter down and kill him as his hunts are getting larger. One survivor is a young boy and to distract him Roland tells him the story of The Wind Through The Keyhole. A story his mum used to tell him when he was little.

That's right this is a story within a story within a story. To be honest it was disappointing. I was so excited to read this book. I have very fond memories of reading The Dark Tower books. There were so many things I loved about them such as links to this world, links to other King novels and all the other little surprises in there. Of course there was the characters themselves too which I loved. Some of that magic though seemed to be missing. There wasn't much in the way of Roland and his current ka. It was really just a way for Roland to tell a story. Really what is there is just to remind you of these characters and how they interact with each other.  Nothing more.

As for Roland's two stories. I actually found them to be a little dull. Roland's task wasn't particularly exciting or new. I suppose you learn a little more about his relationship with his mother and you learn a little about one of his friends who has been sent with him but not much else. The excitement of the tale doesn't really begin until the second half, after Roland has told his story to the little boy. Even then it's over fairly quickly.

The story Roland tells the little boy is much better. It's a little slow in starting and I do think some of it could have been edited out but it was still interesting. The story of a little boy who shows bravery in order to save his mother. Parts of it was a little obvious such as how his father died and the evil step father. Other than that I was intrigued by the forest and the evil magician.

Each of the three stories are linked together in some way. The obvious link is Roland but there are others in there if you look hard enough. The storm is one of those links although I couldn't help but picture The Day After Tomorrow.

In case  you are wondering the book is placed just after the fourth book in the Dark Tower series although King does say it can be read on it's own. Not the King's best work but still glad I read it.

Capital - John Lanchester

Pepys Road in London started out as a street for the middle class. A group of people not especially well off but able to hold their own. Over the decades this has changed along with the houses themselves and before the market crash they could be sold for a couple of million. Just before the market does crash the street is filled with an interesting group of people. A powerful bank manager, an old lady who was born in her house, a young footballer just discovered and a family who own the corner shop. The only thing each of them have in common is that they live on the same street. One day though they start to receive strange postcards. The postcards state "We Want What You Have" but there is no clue as to where they came from or why. As the months pass the cards keep coming and eventually they change to become a little bit sinister.

I didn't feel this book really went anywhere in terms of a story but I enjoyed it. It kind of just followed the path of all these people without really doing much other than living normal lives. I quite liked that though and each of the characters were interesting. The only character I didn't particularly like was the arrogant banker and his selfish wife. It was hard to like them since all they wanted to do was get filthy rich and cause each other pain. However, they did  pave the way of us seeing into the life of their builder, Zbigniew. He wasn't particularly nice at first either. Also quite selfish at times and to busy working on his plan to make money to enjoy life. He was an interesting character though and I liked how he developed. I liked the old lady, the family who owned the corner shop and even the young footballer. I enjoyed each of their sections and looked forward to them coming round again.

As for the main plot line. At first those cards were really only a way of seeing into the lives of these people. They connected them as each of them would have very little to do with each other. Only the family who owned the corner shop would have any real reason to interact with others in the street. Each of these groups of families react to the cards in a different way. The old lady ignores them but her artist grandson takes an avid interest. The father of the young footballer finds the cards sinister from day one. When the cards do take on a slightly darker tone this brings in the police and it's then that the book truly focuses on them.

I have to admit that at first I didn't think I was going to enjoy the book. However, it quickly grew on me and in the end I was sorry that it was over. I also had an invested interest in each of the characters and I found the outcome of some to be quite sad. As to it being outrageously funny, I wouldn't go that far although it did have it's moments.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

It's Charlie's first day at high school and he's a little bit apprehensive about it. Hi older brother is off to college and his sister would like the world to be unaware of the fact that they are related. Unlike his successful siblings he isn't popular. His best friend killed himself the year before and their other friend has a whole new set of friends and would like to forget the years before. Charlie is too shy to make new friends and feels awkward doing it but has promised his favourite teacher to join in. This is where he meets Patrick and Sam. Although they are seniors they accept Charlie and he becomes a part of their group. Through them he experiences acceptance for the first time. It gives him a way of forgetting his past and putting those demons away. Problem is when things don't go well for Charlie they want to come out and haunt him.

This is one of those books I wish I had read as a teenager but still enjoyed now. I think I would have loved it back then. I was awkwardly shy at times and could in some way relate to Charlie. Charlie is a great character. You read some of these recent YA books and the teenagers don't sound like teenagers. Not so with Charlie. Although he is bright it wasn't hard to believe that he was 15. His language and emotional maturity seemed about right for his age. He didn't have the Dawson Creek factor. The book is written in the form of letters to a stranger. We never do find out who that stranger is but that's kind of the point. Charlie needs to talk to someone who isn't in his life and this way we see his first year at high school unfold.

As for the other characters I loved them too. Patrick and Sam were outsiders in their own right too but had their own group of fellow outsiders. People who didn't care if their intelligence showed and knew their own mind in terms of music, films, books and of course a shared love of The Rocky Horror. To be honest they sound like a fun bunch and I loved each of them. The kind of group I would have loved to have been a part of myself.

The book was written and is set in the 90's. It's easy to tell with the obsession of the mixed tape. I went through that obsession too and have many memories of friends and I sharing mixed tapes (although our music taste was nowhere near as cool as these guys). I loved the soundtrack to this book and I don't mind admitting to looking some of them up. As well as the music there is a list of books that Charlie is given to read by his English teacher. Quite a few I have read and quite a few I haven't but I am thinking of picking up. Unlike The Silver Lining Playbook though there is no real spoilers here. So it doesn't matter if you haven't read the books mentioned.

As for Charlie's demons/ghosts I can't say that I was expecting them to turn out to be quite what they were. You already know that Charlie has a sad story in his past and you think you know what it is until you reach the end (or near the end). It gives that book that hint of sadness. Well more than a hint but not the crying your eyes out kind.

For a small YA book I got quite a lot out of it and I might have to go out and buy a copy for my own collection. It's a book that I would pass on to my kids when they are young teens (if I had any). The week I finished reading this I watched the film too and I was pleasantly surprised by it. It didn't deviate much at all from the books. The small changes I could live with. It's understandable that films based on books can't put everything in it but this one retained all the important scenes. It also had the songs I had hoped it would, mainly The Smiths which the book talks about regularly. I don't normally bother with soundtracks in films but I would have been annoyed had the film ignored it. Oh, and Charlies books were there too.

So if you haven't read the book or seen the film I recommend that you do.

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

The Earth is one big disaster zone. For years we had been warned that we were destroying the planet and by 2044 we have finally gone and done it. Travel is now only for the rich with the majority of the population living off food stamps and in poverty. OASIS is the only refuge for most people. A virtual reality where you can make the world what you want it. Think of SecondLife or the Sims but you are in there seeing that world around you. For Wade Watts that's his escape and his only means of an education. He's also a gunter. The inventor of OASIS died five years before and left easter egg clues around his creation. Whoever finds them all gains ownership of his estate which includes this virtual world. For Wade it seems the only way he will escape his world but his resources are limited. So it's a surprise that he is the first to find the first egg. There is a friendly rivalry between himself and some fellow gunters but it gets series when a corporation intent on making OASIS theirs steps in.

I am actually a little sad to be reviewing this book. It's good to share but at the same time it also means that I have well and truly finished this book. Yes, I can go back and read it again but the second time isn't always the same as the first. The first is special even if you do discover more the second time. Anyways I am biting the bullet because if I don't you will have another two weeks of nothing but It's Monday.

So what you may not know about me (although I haven't hidden it very well) is that I am a big geek. I love my sci fi and there are some things that take me to my geeky happy place where I geek out. This was one of them. I was geeking out from page to page. For the owner of OASIS, the guy who died, was a bigger geek than I am. He was also a genius (which I am not, I am sure I haven't hidden that very well either). In order for these people to uncover the easter eggs they had to reveal some clues. Each of them are linked into things the owner loves which is quite a large number of things in the geek universe. There seems to be very little he didn't like sci fi shows, games, rpg games, games and anything from the 80's. As you can imagine these constant references were the reason I was in geek nirvana. I even discovered, to my horror, that my disdain for all things 80's was actually a cover for a love of most things 80's. I liked almost all of the references which just added to the geek out.

Enough about me and back to Wade. I liked Wade, he's the unlikely hero. The boy who has nothing but somehow ends up being known round the world as he and his friends compete to find the eggs. You want him to win even when he is at his lowest because he needs a break. He deserves it and he deserves to get the girl too. He's the good guy. The small lone wolf against the big, ruthless corporate body with the evil leader whom we definitely don't want to win. Plus the girl he is in love with is a fellow gunter and she kicks ass. She is just as intelligent, just as determined and is funny to boot. We like his best friend too so it seems a shame that only one can win.

Wade and his friends not only have to find these eggs first but they also have to avoid virtual death. Much like video games if they die on line they reset back to the beginning. They lose any magic swords or weapons or boosts that they have picked up along the way. So this they want to avoid at all costs. It gets trickier as the rules change depending on which world they are on. If they are in the Star Trek universe say (and there is a Star Trek universe which means to me there must also be a Doctor Who universe which equals DAVID TENNANT) then technology rules apply. On Middle Earth it's magic, swords and arrows. On Star Wars it's both.

Don't worry though. It's not all online adventure. There is quite a bit in the real world too as the evil corporation exist in this real world and would love nothing better than to track down these kids trying to take that big money pot away from them.

The Beginner's Goodbye - Anne Tyler

Aaron Woolcroft has always had people in his life wanting to look after him. When he met his wife Dorothy she was a breath of fresh air. She gave him the Independence he craved. When she died he became lost but still didn't want the help of others. All he wanted was his wife back. An editor in a firm famous for it's beginner book series Aaron believes that he could benefit from a beginner's guide to get over the death of a loved one. As his wife returns to him in unexpected moments it lets him see that his life with her was maybe not as perfect as he had thought and that maybe it's time to let her go.

I quite liked Aaron. I usually do like Tyler's main characters even with their flaws. Then flaws are what make characters and separate them from the Mary-Sues of fiction. With Aaron his disabilities are not his flaws. That's just a part of him. The fact that he believes that the people who love him can't see beyond his disability and want to smother him is his flaw. With this belief he is pushing everyone away from him.

Again, like most of Tyler's books all the characters had their own flaws too and I like each of them for it. Even Dorothy who seemed to have been a woman who had been difficult to like. Having said that it wasn't enough. There was something missing from this book that the other Tyler books that I have read have. I don't know what that something is but this book just didn't do it for me.

I liked the characters, I liked the story but I don't think enough went into it. It was a very short easy read. I usually do find her books easy to read but this was almost too easy. Not in terms of language, the language was fine. It's one of those stories in a few months I will vaguely remember reading but won't remember much about the story. As sad as the story was it's not going to stay with me.

That's not to say it's the worst book I have ever read. Far from it. I still enjoyed it. I just think this one has nothing on Tyler's other books.

The Woman Who Died A Lot - Jasper Fforde

Thursday Next is still recovering from her assassination attempt. She's getting on in years, has a dodgy hip and is still trying to remember that she doesn't have a daughter called Jenny. Despite all her problems Thursday is still hoping to keep in the thick of it but is instead relegated to be the head of all libraries. You would think that would mean a quite life but Goliath are still out to get her, her son might or might not murder someone on Friday and someone keeps replacing her with fake Thursdays. Oh, and lets not forget that Swindon might face all destruction on Friday as God has decided that it's next on his smiting list. He's a tad angry that Thursdays brother proved his existence.

I am going to admit that when I started this and realised that no part of this book was going to be in the book world I was more than a little disappointed. Especially when you discover that Thursdays injuries from her last exploits prevent her from going there. How could this book possibly hold any interest for me now? I needn't have worried as it still had plenty of laughs and book related humour.

In any other book series a fraction of this plot would have seemed ridiculous. Lets face it. How many of you would shake your head at God's existence being proved and so he starts smiting parts of the world in a timely manner. Never mind the fact that Thursday's brother is the reason behind it and the fact that he has proved it sort of brought God into existence in the first place. Something like there being lots of believers and so he exists. My mind is going cross eyed thinking about it. It works though and the whole smiting thing does have something to do with Thursday herself. Plus whilst it's essential to the plot it's only one part of it.

We then have another mind-twisty moment where Friday is no longer going to save the world a million times over as he becomes the leader of the chronoguard (people in charge of time travel). When they could no longer prove that time travel was ever invented time travel stopped and all the people who worked for and will work for chronoguard are give alternate life stories. Again this is central to the plot but only a small part of it.

There is also a teenage love affair, evidence of where lost stories go, replacement Thursdays all over the place and dodo experiments. Two of my favourites though have very little to do with the central story but they amused me no end. The first is a nutty Enid Blytonist who wants Blyton's stories protected to the point of being a little fascist about it. The second was the mention of Daleks. Sorry, anything that mentions Daleks has my vote.

I loved every page of this book and once again I can't wait until the next one. On that note I am going to leave you with a picture of Daleks. Just because.

Did You Miss Me? - Karen Rose

Daphne Montgomery in her new position is just finishing up her first big case. Convicting a man for murdering two people in their car. Since this is a race hate crime there is a lot of focus on it. The family have a lot of backing and Daphne has every right to fear for the safety of herself and her loved ones. Whilst in court Daphne's 20 year old son has been discovered to be missing along with his girlfriend. His bodyguard is found dead in an ally. It would be only natural to believe that the current case has something to do with it. But does it or is it because of something that happened to Daphne long ago? FBI agent, Joseph Carter believes there is more to it and is determined to protect Daphne and get her son back.

I said in my review of the book previous to this that I knew who the next couple were going to be. I was wrong but I still see a story for them coming up. This book has me more convinced than ever.The couple that it did focus on just didn't do anything for me. Both seemed completely different from their first appearance. I maybe would have liked them better if they had continued as they were. Instead I found it difficult to like them. Not that they were horrible people but just that they seemed more than a little two dimensional. I found it hard to engage with them and to feel for them or even root for them. In fact I didn't feel anything for them. I nothing them (if that makes sense).

Perhaps I am just bored with the formula of these books. They are all the same it's just the plot that differs each time. Woman is in danger. Man helps save woman. Both have dark secrets which make them two scared to act on the fact that they fancy the pants off each other. They get over it. Solve the case. Live happily ever after. I didn't mind the formula before now. It was after all the only romance I would really go near (classics don't count). Plus the murdery bit was usually enough to keep me going (I am Scottish after all and we do love our murder books). Not this time. This time it was more than a little far fetched or rather tenuous. Sadly I can't really explain that link without spoiling it.

I thought it was just me but the friend who got me reading Karen Rose in the first place didn't like this book either. This is her 14th book so maybe she is bored with he formula too. I haven't had a chance to talk to her about it. For me anyway this is the last one. I don't even want to go back to read the others that I have missed in the middle. I will just have to find another light murdery read for when I am stressed or busy.

The Collected Stories - Lorrie Moore

This is actually a combination of four short story collections by the author; Birds of America, Like Life, Anagrams, Self Help. All American based and covering all walks of life. In every single story there is one theme. Someone is lost in some way.

I really find it hard to write a blurb for collections of short stories. Particularly when there is no one character running through them. I feel as if I am doing Moore an injustice by not coming up with one. However, I shall just have to do my best to make up for it with my review.

I was accurate in saying that each of the characters were lost in some way. Some of them are happy with that state and some of them are just unable to find a notch for themselves. Each of them are unique. That's what makes this collection of collections so good. No two characters are the same. Some have similarities same as any collection of people might but they all have their own voice. Granted these stories were written over different periods of time but still. To come up with so many different voices takes a talent I find admirable. I don't care if that makes me easily impressed.

You would think with a running theme of being lost or not fitting in that you would find yourself depressed reading these stories but that's not the case. Moore was able to put a lot of humour into them and not all the scenarios were sad ones. As I mentioned some of the characters were accepting of who they were. The first story is probably the one that I keep thinking back to because it has one of the funnier moments (funny to me). It probably says a lot about my humour but I'm going to share it anyway. This story is about a writer who has been invited to some bigwig event. He's been invited as a token writer rather than because he is of importance and he knows it. Once there, feeling a little nervous and awkward, he strikes up a conversation with his neighbour and unwittingly manages to offend her by talking about politics. One of the topics his wife had warned him to avoid. One of her other warnings was;

"And unless you see the head crowning, never look at a woman's stomach and ask if she's pregnant"

Funny because my dad has actually made that little social error much to my mother's mortification. Obviously this guy has too. There are lots of little gems of humour through out but this is the one that stood out for me.

The only stories which seemed a little different from the rest was from her collection Anagrams. In fact Wikipedia lists it as a novel (I was too lazy to find the book in order to see the titles of the collections within). I think it's maybe listed as a novel because each of the stories (of which there are only a few) contain the same characters. However, in each story the characters are very different. They have the same names and they are all connected to each other in some way but play a different role in each and the importance of each character changes. I actually quite liked that. Thought it was a little different.

I could go on here and rave about more of the stories but I think everyone should get to read them for themselves. I can see it being a collection that people might want to dip in and out of. For me though I had to keep going. They were to good to set down and possibly forget about.

The Silver Linings Playbook - Matthew Quick

Pat has just gotten out of hospital and is now living with his parents. He doesn't know why he was in hospital. He just knows that he has done something to upset his wife. In order to be reunited with her he believes he has to prove himself to her. The only way he can do that is to keep a diary that details his life since he left hospital and until he reunites with her. Meanwhile he tries his best to get his life in order. He spends the bulk of his time exercising or trying to connect with his father through football. Instead he builds connections with a lot of unexpected people. Including Tiffany, his friends sister in law, who is trying to recover from the death of her husband.

I picked this book up after reading FBT's review over at Kill Me If I Stop. I have to admit I had wanted to see the film but I am glad I didn't as, going by that review, it would have irritated me. As FBT says the book gives nothing away until the end. The film gives everything away at the start. An example of why some people should just leave books alone.

Anyway, back to the book. The language of the book was fairly simple and Pat was an engaging character. You knew there was a reason why he wasn't going to see his wife (and probably wouldn't) but like I said you didn't find that out until the end. That doesn't stop you for routing for him. You want him to have his happy ending so badly. He did everything he could to prove himself. I particularly enjoyed his views on some of the books his wife had tried to get him to read in the past. By the way if you haven't read any of these classics they will be spoiled for you (I'll list them at the end). Luckily I had read most of them and knew the story lines to the ones I hadn't read. What was interesting was that his take on them were skewed by his own belief that life should have a happy ending (or a silver lining).

I should warn you that there is also quite a lot of American football talk in the book. Pat's family are huge football fans and it's the only way Pat can seem to find any connection to his father who otherwise refuses to acknowledge his existence. It's quite heartbreaking to read Pat's attempts being brushed off again and again and yet he doesn't give up. I am far from being a sport fan but I actually enjoyed most of it. I liked the feeling of connection it gave Pat to his brother, old friends and even new friends.

Then there is Tiffany. She's quite a strange character but there is a reason behind her strangeness. It's all linked to her trying to overcome the death of her husband (and failing). She unexpectedly finds herself drawn to Pat to the extent she begins to stalk him whilst he takes his runs.

I loved this book. It was funny and sad and moving and just a good read. I understand that Pat was supposed to be bipolar but it didn't come across as that to me. Instead I have my own theories but alas I can't share without spoiling. I definitely recommend the book and I also recommending reading FBT's review. Oh, and I hate film tie-in covers but it was either that or wait to get the book. Being impatient I chose  to go with this cover.

Book list as promised;
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemmingway
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

It's Nick and Amy's fifth wedding anniversary. Although things haven't been good of late Amy still goes ahead and creates one of her elaborate treasure hunts to celebrate. Nick, however, has still to think of something as he heads out to work at the bar he owns with his sister. In that morning Amy disappears leaving an upturned house and the door wide open. It doesn't look like she left voluntarily and fingers start to point straight at Nick. As the cracks in his marriage begin to show the more everyone thinks Nick murdered Amy. Nick is determined to prove his innocence and decides to finally solve one of Amy's treasure hunts to prove it.

As I was starting to get my reading mojo back a friend recommended this book. Glad she did as it was one that I read in two days which made me feel like I was back to my old reading self.

Nick seemed quite likable at first. Just a lovable rogue who doesn't quite live up to his wife's perfect expectations. As we hear from Amy's point of view though you begin to doubt him. I didn't want to at first. I was determined that because I liked him for the most part that I was going to believe him and wanted to believe him. It was hard to relate Amy's version of Nick to actual Nick. In the end what I realised about this book that it is actually about a pair of psychopaths. They are both nuts. Amy isn't quite what she seems either and I believe they were both welcome to each other. I really can't say any more about the characters without revealing it too much. Suffice it to say that the only one I actually liked in the end was Nick's twin sister.

I thought this book was going to be another one of those usual mysteries. It was similar to another book that I had read by Flynn where it alternates between chapters of Nick proving his innocence and chapters from Amy from the start of their marriage/relationship. The big twist happens somewhere near the middle which I wasn't expecting at all and the book continues to build from there. Don't worry, I'm not spoiling it as there is another one at the end.

If you like a mystery and you don't mind that the characters aren't quite what you expected then you should give this a try. It's a little bit different and whilst the characters may be crazy it just makes the book all the harder to put down.

Spring Snow - Yukio Mishima

It's 1914 and Kioyaki Matsugae is the privileged son of a family who are descended from Samurai. They have advanced from that position and are making their way up the ladder of aristocracy. As a result Kioyaki has more privelege than most of his school chums. He is granted an automatic place amongst the aristocracy regardless of how he does at school. Which is just as well because he spends his time contemplating his life and then chasing his old friend Satoko Ayakura. Satoko is the daughter of a family who has a long history among the aristocracy but have fallen on tough times. They rely heavily on the Matsugae family and as a thank you they teach Kioyaki the artistocratic way. Kiyoaki has therefore spent a lot of time with Satoko and doesn't realise until it's too late that she is deeply in love with him.

If this sounds like the story of a spoiled brat who doesn't realise what he wants until it's too late you would be correct. Kiyoaki is not only privileged he is beautiful too and an enigma to his own family. He is spoiled and hard to like. Only his best friend Honda seems to like him and even he loses his patience with him at times. He is vain and fickle and little realises or appreciates the hard work his family have put in to get where they are. Then there is his views on Satoko. She is an irritant to him as her behaviour and words confuse him. He doesn't realise all her words are to show how much she cares for him but instead believes she is trying to be difficult. It's only when he can no longer have her that the little light in his mind clicks. He realises he loves her too and like the spoiled child he is goes after what he can't have.

I have little doubt that I am not endearing you to the story. Every word of this is true and yet you will want to read on. If only because of the beautiful writing. Japanese writers seem to have a talent just to make their words flow and Mishima is no exception. It makes the book a delight to read and you don't really mind too much that Kioyaki is a spoiled brat. His friend Honda who gets a voice in the book more than makes up for it. If anything he is everything Kioyaki should be. His family isn't quite as privileged and he knows hard they work. He works hard too and is determined to get everything he can out of his education. He knows his friends faults and watches him as though he is a study on human nature. Yet he still loves his friend and helps him when Kiyoaki finally opens up to him about Satoko.

The Siam Princes are also a pleasant contrast to Kiyoaki. They truly come across as innocents as they are visiting Japan and have no choice but to see Japan through the eyes of Kiyoaki. At least what Kiyoaki chooses to reveal to them. They cling to him even when the have to move to the school dormitories. It's their openness as well as their innocence that makes them such a contrast because really for much of the story Kiyoaki is an innocent too. A young boy who doesn't know he is in love.

If I say more about the story I will probably spoil it. It's the first book in a series of four and I know a little how each of them are connected thanks to my classic loving friend. It was that interesting premise alone that got me reading it and I definitely want to read the others. I am not exagerating when I say that Mishima writes beautifully.

Plus once again, how lovely is the vintage cover? Even if my friend hadn't sold me on it. Had I seen this cover I would have immediately picked it up.

Be My Enemy - Christopher Brookmyre

Jack Parlabane is a Glasgwegian journalist with a reputation for causing trouble. However, it's his reputation for cynisim that gets him his latest reporting job. He has been invited to take part in a corporate team building exercise at a secluded hotel near Inverness. The company who are organising this hope that if they can concince the cynical Jack Parlabane of their product then it will give their company the kick start they need. Jack agrees to go along and brings his photographer friend who just happened to be a British spy in a previous life. Along with Jack and Vale a group of others ranging from different walks of life have also been invited. Unknown to them though there is a reason this group has been brought together. Although they won't find out that reason until they are already fighting for their lives.

This is only me second Brookmyre book. I bought it years ago but always meant to read the previous books in the series first. I managed one (which I did enjoy). I decided to pick it up because of my determination to get through my tbr pile and this would be sitting there for another 5 years if I waited until I read the others. I'm glad I didn't wait as I think had I gotten into the series I would have been sadly disappointed. This just didn't live up to the first book in the series. Thankfully I had been warned that after the first three books the series goes downhill so my expectations weren't that high to begin with.

Reading it I didn't feel that I was missing out on too much from not reading the others. I remembered a few of the recurring characters in Parlabane's life from book one and anything else in his life was briefly mentioned and didn't have much in the way to do with the plot. On the other hand it just wasn't as funny as that first book. I remember laughing out loud from the first line. With this one, while Parlabane had his amusing moments, there was nothing to make me laugh out loud. Parlabane's attempt at humour came across as 'trying too hard'.

The plot itself I did enjoy although from what I hear he had done this sort of thing before but with an oil rig. Another reason for me to be glad I stopped waiting. The fun didn't start until half way through the book which was a little annoying but I could sort of understand it. It gave us background information to each of the characters involved which turned out to be important in the end. There are hints as to why each of the characters were invited in this first half. Once I got to the second half I got right into it and I wasn't so bothered that it wasn't as funny. It did end a little quickly but that's the price you pay when all the action is stored up for one half of the book.

I do still want to read his earlier books. This hasn't put me off and in truth I did like it. It just wasn't to the standard of that first book.

The Mist - Stephen King

David Drayton, his wife and his son are residents of a small lake town. One night the lake is hit with a huge storm which leaves the town with a huge clean up the next day. David is sent by his wife to get some supplies. His son and the pretentious neighbour go with him but before they leave they notice a thick fog travelling across the lake. David has a bad feeling about it and tries to encourage his wife to go with him. Once in the local supermarket that feeling doesn't go away and it seem the mist has travelled with them. It soon becomes clear that anyone who enters the mist is attacked in some way. The three end up trapped in the supermarket with a handful of other shoppers. All of them wondering how long it will be before the creatures outside will get in.

I didn't realise that this was a short story in Kings book "Skeleton Crew" (yes, I know it says so right at the bottom). I actually thought that I had read Skeleton Crew but obviously not because I would definitely have remember this story. This one has the makings of a fantastic King story if only he had expanded on it in true King style. Yes, that's right, I have found piece of writing by Stephen King that is not long enough for me.

So here is what you have a post apololyptic story. A military base nearby is the probably cause (although this is just guess work by a few of the locals), we have a few of those military in the supermarket, there is the pig headed male who won't listen to reason and has his wee band of followers, there is the cute little boy who just wants to go find his mum, there is the artist dad and hero who really just wants the same and lastly there is the crazy lady who develops her own band of followers. Each of these things could have been expanded on to make a fantastic novel. Granted, these are all themes that King has touched on in the past.

The creatures in the mist I am always skeptical over. I am sure that's been done before too and not by King. It goes back to being afraid of what you can't see (or don't understand). Something that King excells at so I was soon able to ignore my skepticism and struggle to sleep without the light on. What can I say, I'm a big wimp. The ending too irritated me although I read in the blurb at the end that this was deliberate. King wanted it to be ambigous but to me that was more opportunity to expand into a bigger novel.

I have two fun facts for you. Well, I read about it somewhere so may not be fact. The first is that King supposedly wrote this after experiencing a storm in his hometown and he then got sent to the supermarket. The second is that if you read the Dark Tower graphic novels the mist and it's creatures make an appearance there although the Dark Tower world have a name for it. I really should get round to reading those graphic novels. And to reading the rest of Skeleton Crew.

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared - Jonas Jonasson

Allan Karlsson is a resident of a nursing home. He is about to celebrate his 100th birthday and the home is organising a party for him. A party he doesn't want, especially if there is no chance of a vodka. Looking at the window he decides he has had enough and climbs out. Not really knowing where he is going to go he decides just to go with where life takes him. A philosphy it turns out he has lived by all his life. He might not have expected, gangs, a police chase, murder and an escaped elephant. However, he learned early on not to expect anything.

I picked this book up on a whim when I was in my nearest book store having coffee. Nothing else had appealed to me that day (I know, shocking) and was just about to leave having given up when I spotted it. The plot appealed to me and I have to say it didn't disappoint. It's been described as or compared to Forrest Gump. It's easy to see why as you get into the book. The chapters are alternated in that one is about Allan's escape and adventure. The other is about Allan's history right from birth. That's when you know that this sort of thing isn't new to Allan. The Forrest Gump part is that Allan seems to have played an anonomous and yet important role in just about every historical landmark from near birth to the day he goes to the home. The fact that Allan just goes along with it adds to the humour of the book.

That and Allan claims to be apolitical. Having a father whow was a political activist made Allan resolute in having no part to play in politics and yet politics always happened to him (a lesson maybe for those who don't believe politics affects them). It made for a rather amusing read also helped by the writing style. I would probably describe it as dry humour as it wasn't always obvious when Allan was being deliberately funny.

I am not sure which sections I preferred the most. I looked forward to both and whilst they both, of course, featured Allan they still read very differently. Without a doubt I think this is going to be one of my favourite books of 2013.

Full Dark, No Stars - Stephen King

Four short stories/novellas; 1922, Big Driver, Fair Extension and a Good Marriage. In 1922 a farmer contemplates killing his wife so that he can hold onto his land. In Fair Extension a man with cancer is given the choice of selling out his friend in order to become cancer free. In Big Driver a woman decides to get revenge on her rapist. In A Good Marraige a wife discovers the truth about her husband.

I wasn't sure about this book when I first started it. I was told to stick with it though and you should never judge a book of stories by its first one. At least that's what I tried to tell myself when I started 1922. It wasn't badly written. It was actually well written and was a great start to the theme in this collection, revenge. I just didn't take to it. I didn't take to any of the characters. It's the only one in the book where the main character isn't the one doling out the revenge but is on the receiving end. Despite the fact that it isn't my particular favourite I can appreciate it and overall I did enjoy the book.

The other stories I enjoyed much more. They seemed more characteristic of King. Particularly Fair Extension which was set in that town all King fans know and love, Derry. I was going to say that it was the only tale which had a ring of the supernatural about it. That's a lie though as 1922 did too (although you could say that it was all in the mind of the narrator). But with Fair Extension there was no doubt in your mind although I think both are typical of Kings supernatural horror style.

The two stories I haven't mentioned are also typical of King. Using the darker side of humans as a method to bestow horror on its readers. The rapist in Big Driver and unfortunately to tell you the dark side in A Good Marraige would be spoiling it for you. It seemed obvious what the husbands story was once the wife began searching but I wouldn't take that discovery away from you.

A little brutish in parts but overall I liked this collection. I said that 11.22.63 was the best of Kings latest books but I am going to have to change that opinion to this one.

Oh, and on trying to remember the bonus short story I was looking it up and discovered some facts about 1922 (the story) that I wasn't aware of when reading. It's set in the same place as the home of Mother Abigail in The Stand, Ben from It moved there and it appeared in another short story but I don't remember it.

The Sealed Letter - Emma Donoghue

Emily Faithful (Fido to old friends) has become successful in her own right. Almost unheard of in Victorian London. She is a woman of business and has dedicated her life to helping secure the freedom of women. Bumping into old friend Helen Codrington could change all that. Helen is unhappy in her marraige and is having an affair with a young officer. Somehow Fido is dragged into Helen's life as it spirals out of control. Soon the courts are involved and Fido's reputation and lifes work are in danger of being tarnished forever.

This is actually based on a true story. There really was an Emily Faithful who fought for womens rights before the suffragette movement. Her name was then tarnished as she was associated with the scandal of her friends very public divorce. Until round about then divorce was a difficult thing to come by and until the laws changed very few people would sought after one. Charles Dickens was mentioned in the book as one of the first to take advantage of the new laws. I found the historical aspects all very interesting. There is even a section in the back which tells you where the author expanded on the facts and what happened to Emily after the events.

As for the story telling itself I quite enjoyed that too. It wasn't at all what I had expected. I have to be honest that I didn't pay much attention to the blurb as I picked this up after reading Room by the same author. It's nothing at all like that first book and could in fact almost be written by a different author. I felt that the author did very well in writing for that period and whilst she obviously used artistic liscence for some of it (particularly thoughts, feelings and conversations) I didn't feel like I was being duped. Instead I was intrigued by Emily who appeared to be intelligent and yet could follow her friend so blindly. Although, I confess that I was duped a little by Helen too and didn't realise just how calculated she was until near the end. At that point I wanted to shake Emily for continuing to believe her friend.

What interested me too was the affect this all had on Emily's reputation. Of course it had an affect on the cause she was fighting for. A cause that was difficult enough to get support for without a tarnished reputation. Then there was the ending. I had never really heard of Emily Faithful so that ending was a little surprising to me.

A good piece of historical fiction. Especially if you like those which are based around a real event.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Victor Hugo

It's 1482 in Paris and a young Gypsy girl has stolen the hearts of most of it's citizens. She entertains the crowd with her dancing and her pet goat. Several men in particular are enthralled. One has stolen Esmeralda's heart. The second is torn by his love and loathes both himself and Esmeralda because of it. The third is the famous Quasimodo, bell ringer of Notre-Dame. He is devoted to the beautiful gypsy after she shows him more kindness than anyone else has. As a result he is devoted to her. When Esmeralsa's love is found dead she herself is blamed. Only Quasimodo saves her from a hanging as he hides her away in his beloved towers.

I am sure I picked this up before and didn't get very far. Determined this time I forced myself through the first 50 pages which seemed to have nothing to do with the main story whatsoever. It took time for any of the main characters to turn up. However, it does make sense eventually and it's worth sticking to. Even as I was annoyed at what seemed to be unimportant description I was impressed by the beautiful writing.

The story is actually slow paced. It spands over 500 pages and nothing much happens in most of it. Instead we are given back ground information to some to the characters. We are also seemingly given unimportant detail of other people but it all connects up and even if it hadn't I was too mesmerised by the writing to care.

I loved each of the characters. Esmeralda's story was just as sad as that of Quasimodo's (well, almost). I even felt sorry for the villan of the book who was so torn by his own beliefs. I'm speaking of course of the Archdeacon who had lived a celibate life and belonged to the church. Esmeralda was everything he couldn't have and yet everything he wanted. The only character I had little sympathy with was that of Esmeralda's love, Captain Phoebus. He seems typical of a lot of classic books. The vain and lazy military man who has no money and so has to marry well. Wants his bit on the side too. I am sure there is one of him in a lot of classic literature.

Over all I loved the book and it was a good last choice for the classics challenge. Since the December prompt for this one is a wrap up I am going to do that separate from this review. If you want to see what others did you can see it here on Katherine's blog, November Autumn.