The Dinner by Herman Koch, translated by Sam Garrett

My favourite bookseller kept this one aside for me. I had not heard of it before, but she assured me that 'it would be up my aisle'. Do I accept delight at having such an amazing book seller, or do I cringe at being very predictable? I have to admit, she was right!

During the course of one meal, two sets of parents meet to discuss something about their children. To quote the blurb on the front of the book: How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

“This particular restaurant is one where you have to call three months in advance—or six, or eight, don’t ask me. Personally, I’d never want to know three months in advance where I’m going to eat on any given evening, but apparently some people don’t mind. A few centuries from now, when historians want to know what kind of crazies people were at the start of the twenty-first century, all they’ll have to do is look at the computer files of the so-called “top” restaurants.”

― Herman Koch, The Dinner

First off, I have to say that I was pleased that this was a translated novel. Koch is from The Netherlands. My reading stats show that I read far too heavily from the USA and the UK.

This story is told from the perspective of one of the fathers. That already added a very interesting twist to the story, as we only see the other couple through his eyes. At the get go, the reader is already jaded. I really enjoy the unreliable narrator. It means I need to work a bit to get the full picture. The characters in here are unusual. I am not going to go more into it. If this book sounds interesting to you, I think you will enjoy the slow reveal. Although the premise is that these folks are here to discuss 'whatever it is' that their sons had done, it is actually a character study on the father. We slowly understand the child through the flashbacks he has over dinner.

The food. I suggest that you pick this up on a full tummy. Or, with a well-stocked kitchen. It makes you a bit hungry. Especially in the beginning. But having said that, I have to add my appreciation for the scathing commentary on the food.

“The first thing that struck you about Claire’s plate was its vast emptiness. Of course I’m well aware that, in the better restaurants, quality takes precedence over quantity, but there are voids and then there are voids. The void here, that part of the plate on which no food at all was present, had clearly been raised to a matter of principle.
It was as though the empty plate was challenging you to say something about it, to go to the open kitchen and demand an explanation. ‘You wouldn’t even dare!’ the plate said, and laughed in your face.”

― Herman Koch, The Dinner

Still on the topic of the food, the structure of the meals made a pleasant structure for the novel. By the time I got to the digestif, I needed some assistance digesting everything I had read.

The atmosphere was electric in places. It prevented me from taking the book slowly. I devoured this as though I were starving and it was the only meal I had been given - even if some places were 'distasteful'.

I did question why people would go to such an expensive restaurant, especially considering one of them was renowned, to discuss such a private matter. Had I been in that situation, I would have used the basement of my house - after I had installed soundproofing. Just saying.

I gave this 4 stars. It kept me well entertained and had me wondering what on earth was going on. (I probably would have known more had I read the back of the book. But these days the synopses are riddled with spoilers, so I prefer going in completely blind.) I would recommend this book for folks who like reading abut really twisted, unlikable characters.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Welcome to the post where I make a really unpopular opinion. Yes folks. I didn't like this one. Take a seat, have a drink. And accept that I do believe I need to apologise for an opinion. It is an opinion, not a fact, after all.

Tom Sherbourne has returned from the horrors of World War 1. To find solace he works on lighthouses. In the first chapter, we learn that he and his wife find a boat washed ashore on the rock that their lighthouse is on. In the boat is a dead man and a very much alive baby. Ensue drama.

This is a difficult one to talk about. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't. This isn't a book where I hated everything - which is probably why I found it so frustrating. I didn't feel I could jut write the whole thing off as rubbish.

I liked Tom. His character was clearly depicted and although I might not have agreed with everything he did (and it is not what you think it is), I felt I understood him well enough to see why he made his choices. He was one of those old-school characters. Ones who were honest, reliable and honourable. It was for him that my heart ached in this book. No one else.

The concept of living out on an isolated rock in the sea was really appealing (well, today I would insist on internet... but that is just because I have become so dependent on it). I liked Janus and the lighthouse. Those parts were interesting, and I thought that had the best writing in the book. I felt Stedman had really done her research here, and although I felt informed, at no point in time did I feel bored or tempted to skim a few pages.

“Perhaps when it comes to it, no one is just the worst thing they ever did.”

― M.L. Stedman, The Light Between Oceans

But, but, but... There were so many things I did not like, I do not know where to start. Let's go with the easiest. The changes between past and present tense irritated me. There was no reason for it, and it just felt like poor editing. Inconsistencies in tense is something I am forever correcting, and it kept pulling me out the story - which was annoying. If it had turned out that the passages written in the present tense were, I don't know, reflecting things as they currently were in the future, then I would have been fine with it. But as it was, I felt a dice was rolled to determine which tense was used where. If you can see a reason behind this, feel free to let me know in the comments. I was too irritated to spend more time on it. If nothing else, I used loads of energy trying to ignore it.

I did not like how the actions of other characters needed intense justification. Instead of making me understand their actions or thoughts, it made me feel that they were even more unrealistic, because they needed such flawed, constant and detailed reasoning. In fact, that gets me to another thing I didn't enjoy: the actions of some characters. I am fine with people doing dumb things - I really am. Just look at the world we live in and you'll see it is common enough. But some actions felt completely unbelievable. Could I hear a mother saying this? No. Could I believe a wife to do that? No. Just no. Oh, and apparently I don't like kids in books. There innocence and 'cuteness' is exaggerated to such an extent. Where is the snot, the tantrums (ok, so there was one... but... you'll see what I mean when you get there...) the vomit, the stubbornness? I find children written like this unbelievable. Sorry. I'm a teacher. And although I teach high school, my school extends all the way down to Grade R. The child in this was every parents dream, but nothing anyone ever really sees.

This part is a bit spoilery, so I warn you now to skip to the paragraph below. One thing I did appreciate was the metaphor in the title. The light between oceans: the child bringing happiness between two very dark times: World War 1 and life without the child. I must also admit that I appreciated that they did not get the kid back. That would have made the story completely unrealistic.

All right. We're back into unspoilery territory. I gave this 2 stars on Goodreads and 2.5 in my own records. As far as I am concerned, for Goodreads, this was ok. After all, I didn't throw it out the window. For my own records, where 3 stars is ok, I was a bit more honest.

The Middlemarch Readalong

Bex at An Armchair by the Sea is hosting a 6-week-long readalong for Middlemarch. Now, I bought my copy of Middlemarch 21 years ago, in my first year of university - because I thought I was one of those people who wanted to read everything highbrow while still managing an English Lit degree's reading list (yip, and I hadn't found the pool pub at that point - how optimistic). Since then, the only thing I have done with this book is move it, dust it and ignore it. I decided, when I stumbled upon this readalong, that it would take something just like this, something public, something that required signing up, something that felt like motivation, to get me to pick it up, and not put it down again. So here we go! My first ever readalong and my attempt to strike Middlemarch off my TBR pile once and for all!

Today is Day 2 and so far, I am on schedule. All I need to do is read two chapters a day. I can do that. I usually read 100 pages a day! (When I am not swamped with work - but I am on holiday now, so let's ignore that place, shall we.)

My first impressions were not bubbling with enthusiasm. I will be the first to admit that it took a bit to get my head around the language. It has been a while since I have read an old classic. All the references to figures in those days, events etc., which require a glance in the back at the list of references, did not help either. It felt inaccessible and daunting. But! I pushed on! The language is now easier, the references have lessened and I am speeding up! Brilliant!

I don't want to discuss much of what I have read so far. After all, what can one really say about four chapters? But, just in case my initial impressions have put you off giving this a try, let me add my second impression. I have been finding some things amusing. Miss Brooke is quite the character. I am looking forward to tomorrow's two chapters to see what she gets up to next. I am also curious to see if the characters are as they seem.

Now on to some expectations (which I am sucking out of thin air for the most part, because I do not know what this book about - inexcusable considering I have owned it for so long). Every time someone says that women can't do this, or can't understand that, my bullshit buzzer goes off. Now, I know that George Eliot deliberately used a man's name because she felt that female authors were not taken seriously. So I am hoping that, expecting that, the female characters in this are not going to be ditsy. I expect them to be strong, clever and have an effect. And I hope that they are going to show this strength, cleverness and effectiveness in different ways. In time (or 6 weeks!) I will know.

A Judgement In Stone by Ruth Rendell

So here we encounter the problem of having reading goals. Maybe I should do a post about it at some time. But for now, let me just say that The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton and my work schedule had me feeling a tad concerned about my reading stats. I had spent a week on a book! How dare I? I needed to catch up! Make some progress! Read something short! So I picked up A Judgement In Stone by Ruth Rendell. It was, after all, only 218 pages. In other words, a quarter of the length of The Luminaries (if one takes font size into account).

Eunice Parchman, the housekeeper, kills the family that she is working for. That isn't a spoiler, unless discussing the first chapter (which is a whopping 2 pages long) counts as spoiling. The question isn't who did it, but WHY? If you're curious, I suggest you read the book.

So I am overcoming the temptation of just leaving this review at the end of the previous paragraph (which I thought would be funny but acknowledged would also be pointless).

This was an interesting story, unusually done. As I said, in the first chapter, the outcome is revealed. We know who committed the murders and to some extent why. We just don't know what actually triggered the murders. And as a result, Rendell actually keeps one glued to the pages. This book was suspenseful and believable.

The characters she created in here were also quite impressive. I found myself even caring for the murderer occasionally - which says quite a lot. OK, perhaps 'caring for her' is a bit of a stretch. I did sympathise with her though. There were also times when I found the victims a bit annoying - but then, was I seeing them through the eyes of the murderer?

Having said that though, I have so far preferred the one and only Wexford crime novel I have read. While she does pull off these weird psychological crime thrillers quite well (I am referring to The Killing Doll which I read earlier this month - Was that this month? I thought it was ages ago!), I have not felt that they are as enjoyable as the crime series with Inspector Wexford. I have another Wexford here, and I am going to give it a go soon. But I must confess that I will not be fighting off crowds to buy more of her books.

A decent read. Not perhaps one on the top of my recommendation pile, but for a book I got at a super reasonable price, it kept me occupied for a few hours. I gave this a 3 star rating on Goodreads, and a 2.5 rating on my own records. It was decent, not fantastic.

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

My mom bought me this book for my birthday, which was a few months ago. I had had it on my wishlist (which is currently 4 pages long, typed in size 9 Calibri font) and I was really delighted to get it. So many people had spoken highly of The Luminaries, and it had won the Man Booker Prize in 2013 - so of course I wanted to read it too.

The Luminaries is set during the gold rush in New Zealand, between the years of 1865 and 1866. On the same day that a man is found dead in his cabin, a prostitute is found drugged in a presumed suicide attempt, and a man goes missing. Some men in town think that these events are related. This story is a discovery of what happened, while being a discovery (for naive people like me, at least) of a young New Zealand. While this book is not for the weak of wrist, nor the tired of eye (the print is small in comparison to most books these days), it is a nice, long meandering mystery which focuses a lot on character.

“For Gascoigne and Clinch were not so dissimilar in temperament, and even in their differences, showed a harmony of sorts - with Gascoigne as the upper octave, the clearer, brighter sound, and Clinch as the bass-note, thrumming.”

― Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries

There are so many things to enjoy with this tale. To start with, the structure is unique. I really enjoyed working out what the star charts were about and seeing how they were applied to the characters in the book. I am just going to leave that comment there, so you can have a bit of fun figuring it out (it isn't complicated). I enjoyed the connectedness between the characters and the main story. Each character added depth to the tale, by their own interesting perspectives and positions. I also really appreciated that the main characters in this book were not all representatives of 'white'. We meet two Chinese men, one an indentured 'labourer' and another as the owner of an opium den. We also meet a Maori. The interactions between other characters in the book, and their verbal slips let one realise ever so clearly the racism that was so prevalent in those days.

"'You allude to the natives—the Maori tribes?'
Nilssen spoke with a touch of eagerness; he cherished a romantic passion for what he called 'the tribal life.' When the Maori canoes came strong and flashing through the Buller Gorge—he had seen them from a distance—he was quelled in awe. The warriors seemed terrible to him, their women unknowable, their customs fearsome and primitive."

― Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries

But what really had me was the story. As each page was turned, what appeared to be a rather straight-forward plot grew and evolved into something that had me dying to know what had happened and unsure of how everything was going to work out. It would also not be fair for me to not mention the language in this book. It was beautiful. The imagery creates a beautiful scene, not only of New Zealand, but of the people too.

“His temperament was deeply nostalgic, not for for his own past, but for past ages; he was cynical of the present, fearful of the future and profoundly regretful of the world's decay.”

― Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries

Brilliant! I would recommend this to anyone who is neither afraid of a slower plot nor a thick book. I gave this 5 stars on Goodreads (whatever that means).

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

And the holidays have arrived! Let the celebrations begin!

I listened to this one on audio book while picking up some crocheting. Audio books are brilliant for those occasions when I have some handwork I feel like doing, or some art. I love getting lost in a story.


This story follows a man who, predictably, is invisible. I bet you weren't expecting that.

I really enjoyed this one. I found the tale a combination of amusing and gripping - entertainment at its best. What also struck me about the story was how well-thought out all the aspects of it were. The science made sense. I also enjoyed the structure of the story. This does not follow the typical storyline. Some important people we only meet later. The roles of antagonist and protagonist are not clear cut from the beginning.

The invisible man was such an interesting character: while there were actions (or perhaps, reactions) he took which shocked me, there were other times where I could, if not empathise, but at least sympathise with him. You will have to read it to see what I am getting at. To go into any more detail would be to ruin some of the discovery for you. The ending also had me feeling contradictory emotions. Only a well-written book can do that.

Don't be put off by the fact that this is considered a classic. The language is easily accessible and the plot moves quickly, even if it is a bit unusual in the 'layout'. I also thought some parts were really funny, but then I have a very dark sense of humour, and do not find 'normal' funny things amusing. At the end of the day, most of the books that are considered classics, made it because they were popular.

I am definitely going to pick up another book by H.G. Wells.

Bookish Scenario tag

So the exams are nearly done, which means that my marking is nearly done. In two weeks, I can pop out the champers and celebrate having survived another dreaded Term 2.

At the moment I am reading The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, which is over a whopping 800 pages and written in tiny front, so I don't have anything new to post. (Yes, I suppose there is a lot I could post about, but right now, I do not have the mental dexterity to think about anything original and interesting.) So I figured I would do a tag from Booktube. This one was originally done by Lindsay Hearts Books.

QUESTIONS:

1. You have to get rid of all your books and you can only keep one from each of these genres - contemporary, fantasy, non-fiction and one other genre of your choosing. What books do you keep?

What horrible person would make me do this? That is what I want to know. So, this question is only possible because it is completely hypothetical. If it were real, I would be crying buckets, working on persuasive and manipulative arguments, and if that didn't work, I'd be such a wreck I wouldn't be able to do anything - or else I would be stealing my own books off my shelves and running. Or plotting murder. Yeah.

Contemporary: This one is probably closer to historical than contemporary, but it was close to contemporary when I read it. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. This book really affected me as a teenager. It changed the way that I looked at my country and showed me a hidden beauty amongst the violence and hatred. There are no adequate words in English that cover just how much I loved it.

Fantasy: This is so hard because all my favourite fantasy stories are series, so keeping one book would be horrid. You know what? I am going to go with a Terry Pratchett. I love the city watch books, a combination of my loved crime novels and fantasy. I choose Thud!

Non-fiction: OK, I am going to do something different here and go for a book I am looking forward to reading, but haven't picked up yet: Sugar Man: The Life, Death and Resurrection of Sixto Rodriguez by Craig Bartholomew Strydom and Stephen "Sugar" Segerman. This book follows some South Africans who decided to find out what happened to the music legend Rodriguez. He was (and still is, at least among the generation old enough to scorn and scoff at the likes of the Beliebers) hugely popular, to the point of cult status, but no one knew anything about him. Rumour had it that he had committed suicide on stage, even. Anyway, I am really looking forward to reading this. I saw the documentary on TV many years ago, so I know the story should be interesting. Plus, this music is a one-way memory trip back to the best parts of my time at Rhodes University. Ahhh, those were great times!

One other book: This is really hard, even if it is hypothetical. I am going to cheat and choose two books: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The reason behind this is not so much the books - let's be honest, I can get another copy of these at any second hand bookshop. But I bought Half-Blood Prince in South Korea which was quite the adventure in itself, as I had to not only find a bookshop that would sell an English copy of the book, but one that would sell it on the day that the book was released. It is a fun reminder of my first trip there (which lasted two years), and my desperation and success in reading enough Korean to figure out how to get to Kyobo Bookstore in Gwanghwamun (and the jealous looks on the subway back home, as folks could clearly see what I was reading while they had to wait a few more months for the translation). Then, I got Deathly Hallows in London in Charring Cross Road at the midnight release. That was a crazily amazing holiday, and I like that I have a book (well, there are others - I did GO INTO A BOOKSHOP, after all) to not only remember the holiday but the weird fun that was involved in being a part of the midnight release. Even though I don't really see myself rereading Harry any time soon, I am so pleased that I was involved with that fandom. I am still friends with so many people who I met as a result of Harry.

2. You're at the bookstore and you hear a teenager telling their mom they don't like to read, but their mom insists they pick something. You walk over and recommend a book you think is great for people who aren't big on reading - what book is it?

I encounter this almost every day - not in a book shop, but at work. I ask the kid what movies they enjoy and try and work from there. I have had a lot of luck with boys around the age of 14 with the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz. (Oddly enough, and keeping in with the accidental travel part of this post, I got my first Alex Rider for free at the Deathly Hallows midnight release.) Girls, I find. are harder to advise as their tastes seem to be different from mine. The most luck I have had is with The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I have tried Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series but with less luck. At the end of the day, I give them a book from the school library and tell them to try a few pages. If they don't like it bring it back and we will try something else.

3. You're not feeling yourself and need a pick me up. Which book do you read to put yourself in a great mood?

I haven't been rereading of late. I realised just how many books I want to read and realised that there is not enough time. Currently, I am saving rereading for some distant point in the future, so when I do need a pick-me-up I go for pot luck - which probably accounts for the hit-and-miss luck I have had of late. Actually, I can do a better job than that explanation. When I am under a lot of pressure, I pick up crime novels. They are new - rereading crime novels isn't as fun as reading them for the first time because I know who did it - but they are predictable enough so that I know what I will be getting. Especially if it is by an author I have read a lot of, such as Kathy Reichs.

4. You go back in time for a day to your teenage years. What book would you most likely have caught yourself reading?

The Hardy Boys or Robert Ludlum, Helen McInnes or occasionally my mom's Georgette Heyer collection. There was no such thing as YA in my day. I really did enjoy the Hardy Boys (casefiles) though. There was loads to learn, from spelunking to racing and they were much darker than the regular Hardy Boy books. Recently, I was horrified when I picked up a new Hardy Boy book, a donation from a parent at school, and saw how much they have changed. I enjoyed the old spy thrillers too, although I think I was a bit too innocent to pick up some of the things that happened. The best were the CIA vs KGB books. The KGB made super scary and almost omniscient bad guys. Other than that, although I was always reading, I can't say that I remember a lot of who or what I was reading. (We are going back 25 years here - be kind.) I read my way through every book that caught my interest in the local library, but, it was a difficult time, because I was not as attracted to the adult books (they were old-looking books with unattractive covers and meant nothing to me), and I had read all the kiddies books. Anyway, it doesn't make much difference whether I can remember or not; I doubt one could get their hands on those books any more.

5. Your friend surprises you with a 4 day trip and you have 1 hour to pack. Which book do you bring to read on the way?

One! That is asking a lot. Last year when I went away for 3 days, I took 5 books with me, and still bought one on the road. I suppose I would grab the thickest book on my TBR which is currently Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. My version comes in at 1168 pages and the font is small (my eyes are going to love that). I think that should keep me busy for four days. I might sneak in a few more of my TBR pile too, though, I mean, who needs a change of clothes? And hey! No friend of mine would drag me out somewhere where there is no bookshop. But then, to be honest, if a friend of mine was taking me away on holiday, I would probably leave all my books at home, and enjoy their company, as that would be what they were after.

6. Your house has been robbed! Don't worry - everyone is safe, but your bookshelf has been raided. What's the book you really hope is safe?

No. Just no. I do not want this thought out in the ether. I do have a few books that are over 100 years old, which includes The Complete Works of Tennyson. But as I didn't get it in good condition, I don't think it is worth a lot. Then there are the other few books I have that are so old they don't have a publication date in them (some of the works of J.M. Barry), and I have been told (by an unreliable source) that those are more valuable. But as a whole, I really don't know. How does one choose their favourite pet, or favourite child? The books on my shelves are there because I like them and want them. Wait. I have a present from my dad, which I would hope I will have for a very long time. It was a book I needed when doing my third year of Philosophy. He went to so much trouble, networking with all his friends all over the country (who, like him, were not readers) to find it. This book is The Oxford Companion to Philosophy by Ted Honderich. My dad was a fantastic dad. While this book might be a great recommendation for those who suffer from insomnia, I will keep it because my dad got it for me.

7. Your friend borrows a book and returns it in awful condition. Do you a) Just pretend you haven't noticed b) Ask them to repurchase it or c) Secretly do the same to something of theirs.

When I was much younger and still felt I could not say no, I used to let my friends know that I did not appreciate the damage they had done. I have learnt from those days. I value my friendships too much to lend them books - because it will not end well. I will find second hand books for them, I will find e-books... But I will not lend out my books. What is super helpful is that my friends know this and 1) don't ask, 2) inform people for me before they ask. I did have a splutter moment when my boss suggested I let the kids at school have access to my personal library. It took god-like self control to not suggest she let the kids learn to drive in her convertible.

Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson

Jen Campbell constantly talks about Jeanette Winterson on her booktube channel, so when I found a copy at the nearby secondhand bookshop, I snatched it up.

This story is about love. It follows an unnamed narrator and his love affair with a married woman. But it is so much more than that.

You said, ‘I love you.’ Why is it that the most unoriginal thing we can say to one another is still the thing we long to hear? ‘I love you’ is always a quotation. You did not say it first and neither did I, yet when you say it and when I say it we speak like savages who have found three words and worship them. I did worship them but now I am alone on a rock hewn out of my own body.”

― Jeanette Winterson, Written On The Body

The language in this book is spectacular. The thoughts on love, real love, are magnificent too. I would read a few lines, and then look around to find someone who had made the silly mistake of sitting down somewhere near me so that I could read to them.

“You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so how could we take it back without asking?”

― Jeanette Winterson, Written On The Body

I appreciated the conversation about love. It was thought-provoking. I enjoyed the story for itself too, even though romance is not my genre.

If there is anything I could fault, it was that I felt the description and detail of his love for Louise was just dragged out a bit too much - I am talking about the biological part of the novel. I felt I had got the point, and was more interested in what would happen.

I good read overall, and I will definitely keep an eye out for more books by Winterson. This one, I would recommend to people who love good language in books. This is probably not such an easy read, compared to most books out there.

The Killing Doll by Ruth Rendell

I enjoyed the first Rendell book I read, so I tried this one.

Pup and Dolly Yearman lose their mother at a fairly young age. Pup decides to sell his soul to the devil to have a happy life while Dolly goes from being his sister to his mother. Pup takes up magic, but for Dolly, it is so much more.

I did not enjoy this one. While there were definitely some aspects that were interesting, such as watching a slow decent into madness, as a whole, I found the story fairly pointless. My mind was not trying to figure out what would happen as very little was happening in the story. As a result, I found it very unstimulating. This book became my cure for insomnia. Four pages and I was out.

I can't say that this was written poorly, because it was not. I can't say that the characters were depicted poorly, because they were not either. In fact, they were very clearly shown. I just didn't find myself caring for them,

This book, under 300 pages long, took me 13 days to read! That only happens when I am not enjoying a book. I should have just put it down and found something else, after all, I am not short of books to read.

Who would I recommend this to? Someone I don't like? Someone who needs help dropping off to sleep at night? Maybe someone who is interested in some strange psyche? I gave this two stars on Goodreads. It was OK, and at least, for 13 days, I got some good sleep.

I hope I will enjoy the other Ruth Rendell books I have. Had I picked that one up first, I would not have been as happy.

My May 2016 Wrap Up in June!

May started off a great reading month because I have a degree in procrastination, and I did not want to face the workload I had. It then went from 100km/h to 0 in the third week, as I got stuck on a book that I wasn't enjoying and finally had to admit that I actually had to get the exam papers set. But enough of the waffle, let me get on with it.

First off the mark was Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. This book followed a complete mishmash of people inside a house being held hostage, from the hostages to the terrorists. It was a brilliant read, and kept me turning pages because I had to know how it ended. This was one time when I wished I was wrong with my prediction. The best thing about this (besides all the music) was the characters. I felt a lot for all the people in the book. I had a good chuckle over the vice-president and loved the translator. Wow, that guy was busy in this book. I enjoyed this one, and would recommend it to folks who prefer literary fiction. It isn't an action plot, even though the synopsis might have you think that.

Then I read Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. I had been putting this one off because I was scared to have To Kill a Mockingbird bumped off the pedestal it is on. This story was written before To Kill a Mockingbird, but is set afterwards.  It follows Jean Louise, formerly known as Scout, as a young woman, returning to Maycomb. I actually found this a fascinating read - but not necessarily for the story. This book was the the 'first draft' of To Kill a Mockingbird, and I found seeing how the novel we know came into being. As this book is a draft, and not a finalised copy, the editing process also fascinated me. As to the story and the characters, there were things that didn't fit chronologically with TKAM, some characters had changed in huge ways, and some characters were missing and others had appeared. It was a bit disorientating for me because I have taught TKAM for 5 years and know it backwards. I had been warned though, from multiple booktube videos. But yes, I would recommend this one. Even if it is just the writing process that interests you.

Dog will have his Day is translated from French. It is a crime novel that felt like a combination of Sherlock Holmes, Columbo and a bit of a spy thriller (not that it had anything to do with a spy thriller). Now retired from his position and doing jobs for people in power, Kehlweiler is on a stakeout when he finds a human bone in a pile of dog poop. Of course, it can only mean murder, so he sets off on his quest. Overall it was an enjoyable read. Nothing spectacular, but it kept me turning pages and curious to the end. I don't know if I would have benefitted reading the first book in the series (this is the second), so that I would have had some background information on Kehlweiler, so that the one direction the story went in was not a complete surprise - but then surprises are good. I will be keeping an eye out for for other books in this series for the next time I need some light reading.

The Thorn Birds was next. I felt I needed something that would help put me to sleep at night. Haha. Silly me. This book had my mind reeling after I had put my lights out. The Thorn Birds follows Meggie Cleary as she develops from a young child living in New Zealand to a woman in the late summer of her life in Australia. We watch her deal with life, cope with tragedy, fall in love and ... I'll leave the rest up to you to find out. This is an intense read. I thought McCullough did a fantastic job of describing Australia and the land. The hardship the farmers faced, between normal issues, the weather (lightning storms will forever make me think of this book now) and, most shockingly, the life of women. Signing over everything you own to your husband! Wow! It seems like madness from this side of the timeline. This book was eye-opening in the best way. I loved the relationships (familial and other), and watching the characters grow. It made my heart bleed in places, and I was furious at some people... I think this is definitely worth all the hype it has received over the years.

I Know why the Caged Bird Sings is the first of Maya Angelou's autobiographies. It covers the first 17 years of her life. The language in this book blew me away. It was spectacular - not that I was surprised, she was a poet, after all. But it is rare to come across a book written as beautifully as this one. This touched me in so many ways. I was heartbroken for her in places, furious with people in others, and rooting for her all the way. She was a strong young girl who knew her mind, and that made her story even more compelling. It was enlightening to see what it was like for a black girl to grow up in America around the time of the second world war. I am actively looking for the rest of these autobiographies, as the only thing I could fault with this book was that it ended (a bit abruptly).

After that, I knew I was trouble ... with getting all my exam papers set by the dead line. So I picked up The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn. I enjoy her twisted story lines as a rule, and although this one did not disappoint, I did not feel it was her best work. This one follows a woman who is a bit of a con artist who is pretending to be a psychic. She gets a visit from a woman who claims that since they have moved to their new house, her stepson has been behaving differently, and she is scared of him and what he might do. And so the story continues. I enjoyed the beginning (had a good laugh over why she left her previous job), enjoyed the middle, loved the almost-end, but found the conclusion a bit of a let down. Read it if you are a Gillian Flynn fan, but I wouldn't recommend it if you are wanting to get a taste of her work.

Next up, Murder Being Once Done! I had been recommended Ruth Rendell crime novels, so I picked up a few as they were on one heck of a special and I didn't want to lose out (if they are bad, I can exchange them at the secondhand bookshop around the corner) but I doubted I would find them again at that price, unread. Wexford, the detective in Rendell's crime series, has had some serious health issues and has been booked off from work and told to relax. So, he goes to his nephew in London, who is also a detective. Of course, a girl is murdered and Wexford gets curious. Because no crime novel has even been printed where the detective sits and does nothing. This was a good crime novel, written in the old crime novel style. It is legwork and not science that solves it. But these are also fun and the reader definitely participates. The clues were a bit obvious, but it was cleverly constructed. I would not recommend starting the series on this one though, as I feel I have missed out a bit by not seeing Wexford in his element at his own precinct. I think that would have made for a better introduction to his character. But I have at least one more here, so we will see!

I did not intend to read The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami. I had spotted it on sale, nicely sealed up, and when I opened the plastic at home, I began paging through it. The next thing I knew, it was finished. So May was my 'reading ladies but one' month after all. The narrator in this book stops off at the library to find the answer to a question he had about taxes in the Ottoman Empire and then everything goes wrong. I though the book was spectacularly put together. I must admit that I rarely tend to buy books that have pictures in them: I am not five, I do not have a five-year-old, and my cat couldn't care less if I am reading words while he is sitting on me. I think that was a part of attraction to this book. It is beautifully illustrated and put together. I liked how the pictures went along with the story. On a visual level, this book was fantastic. The story though disappointed me right at the end. I enjoyed it all the way to that point. I don't know who I would recommend this one to; it is really unusual. If you like unusual books, then maybe give it a go.

Then I finished White Oleander by Janet Fitch. This story follows a young girl going from one foster home to another after her mother is found guilty of murder. This was another book whose writing really appealed to me. It was filled with gorgeous prose. The characters in this book were not pleasant - not that I am objecting. I felt sorry for Astrid and wanted things to go right for her, but that wouldn't have made for a good book. I liked how the messed up relationship with her mother was portrayed. In fact, most of what you learn of her mother is either through Astrid's stories or her mother's letter to Astrid. I think that showed some very good craftsmanship. This isn't a book that will make you happy. It will move you and upset you. But it is a good book, and I think, if literary fiction or characters that grow and develop on the page, interest you , then you might like to give this one a go. Be warned. From looking at the reviews on this one, you will either love it or hate it. I loved it.

My last book for May was another non-fiction read, this one P.D. James's Talking about Detective Fiction. I found this one really interesting. It followed the beginnings of crime fiction from the pre-Sherlock Holmes days, to the present day. I have added a lot of authors to my list that I would like to read as a result of this book. I did wish it had gone a little more into the forensic crime novels, a fairly new subgenre in the crime genre. I also wished that it had looked outside of British crime fiction, because, with the exception of one small chapter which dealt with two American writers, the book was about British crime writers. But as a whole, I cannot complain. I learnt a lot. I especially enjoyed the part where she spoke about all the different ways in which crime novels are constructed. I think this would be a good read for someone wanting to try their hand at writing crime fiction or for lovers of crime fiction.

 And that took me up to the 22nd of May. After that, I finished nothing else (except a gazillion exam papers). The good news is that I have survived another 'Term 2' at work - my craziest term as none of the exams are externally set. The best news is that the winter holidays will be starting in just a few weeks, so I should have time to spend reading.

Talking About Detective Fiction by P.D. James

I heard about this one from Steve Donoghue on Booktube. He is a fantastic booktuber, always with loads of controversial opinions and a big smile. He IS enthusiasm, and love him or hate him, one cannot deny the vast variety of books he reads. In my opinion, I would rather listen to him moan about a booktube favourite, than sit and watch the twentieth video claiming the same book is 'amazeballs!". Keep it up, Steve. You're fantastic (and responsible for my HUGE want-to-read list).

Talking about Detective Fiction is a non-fiction book about crime fiction. P.D James, an author I have yet to read (but I have two of her books from my last book haul, so that will be shortly rectified) is a British writer of numerous crime novels.

The start of this book was fantastic. I learnt so much. James discusses the beginning of crime fiction. As a result, I have added a whole bunch of authors to my want-to-read list, including Edgar Alan Poe's crime fiction, which, according to this, helped inspire Arthur Conan Doyle to create Sherlock. That was a surprise!

The writing was completely accessible, and while I found the middle part a bit repetitive, I can't say it was a waste of time. It was interesting seeing aspects that I had worked out for myself with regards to the plotting of crime novels laid out so clearly. Apparently I wasn't kidding or exaggerating when I said I had crime novels down pat.

If there was one thing I was looking forward to seeing in this book (that wasn't there) was a take on more modern crime fiction. The new wave of forensic crime solving was only hinted at, whereas long passages were spent on discussing how the crime novels written between the two world wars captured people's needs at that time. I think I would have also liked to see something (other than a brief chapter on two American authors) about crime fiction from other countries. It was only mentioned that this existed.

I have also, as a result of reading this, decided that my love of crime novels is no longer something I will be ashamed of. An added and unforeseen bonus.

I would recommend this to folks who are avid crime novel readers, or those who might be interested in writing a crime novel.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Many, many, many years ago I watched this movie. I cannot remember anything about it really, other than the fact that Billy Connolly 'bit it' by drinking something that had white oleanders soaking in it. Or at least, that is what I think I remember in the movie. What I do know is that it gave me a lot of respect for the oleander bush in our garden.

When Astrid Magnusson is young, she witnesses her mother, Ingrid, have such a vengeful breakdown at being used by a man that she poisons him. Astrid spends the remainder of her youth going from one foster home to another while her mother is in prison.

Typed up like that I can see two things 1) I should not get a job writing synopses because 2) the book is a lot better than that synopsis makes it sound.

The story itself is one of heartache. As the story progresses, we see a young girl go from innocence to experienced as a young adult in her quest to find love with the absence of her mother. The change is gradual, and peppered with the disappointment and cruelty of the heartless world of the foster care system. We see her longing for her mother, and yet feeling the poison of her mother and wanting her evicted from her system. This is a worthwhile read, but it isn't one that is going to give you warm fuzzy feelings.

From what I have seen of the reviews about this one, it is a book that you either love or hate. Some people feel that what Astrid goes through is unrealistic and unnecessary and that it is one bad thing after another. Others feel it is a brilliant story of a mother-daughter relationship. If we are just talking about those two situations, I am caught somewhere in between. While Astrid does not have an easy life, and I really wanted her to have a lucky break while reading the book, there is almost always someone positive with her. And while I am not in a camp that would ever claim that she and her mother have a good relationship, I think she meets and learns from all the women in the book - be they good or bad, and that all those relationships add up to something. Clearly, you can tell that this book made me really care for Astrid - even when she did silly things.

The language is fantastic. It is almost poetical with its vivid descriptions. The reading experience, just of admiring the words on the page, makes this a worthwhile book to pick up. Of course vivid language really touches one, so be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster. But it is worth it, at least in my opinion.

I liked the questions this book raised: questions about how women behave, how we should behave. While most of this advice is given outright by Ingrid, she is not in a position to be seen as a good advisor, nor do her previous actions. But I could not help feeling that Ingrid did have some good points.

I gave this 5 stars on Goodreads. I thought it was brilliant. I would recommend it to folks who love well-written books, folks who love books with character development, and books with a bit of a feminist edge to it.

The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami,

My only male author for the month! But it was short, and I was curious because I had just bought it, and what started off as a brief "I will just glace through it" ended with the book being read. It did not take long - there was not much to read. But then, that was perfect for me at this time of year.


This is going to be the first occasion where I just paste in the Goodreads synopsis, because it is perfect (and is quoted from the first page of the book). So here it goes: On his way home from school, the young narrator of The Strange Library finds himself wondering how taxes were collected in the Ottoman Empire. He pops into the local library to see if it has a book on the subject. This is his first mistake.

What an unusual book! I really loved the reading experience. All the pictures and the unusual layout made this a brilliant read. But I can't say that I loved all of the story. I loved the beginning and the middle, but there was something lacking near the end. Yes, I know I have admitted more than once to not enjoy up-in-the-air endings, but this one was so up in the air, earth was not visible.

But I really did enjoy it up until then. I am not used to reading books that have anything other than words on the pages, so this was a fairly novel read for me too.

I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads. I don't know who I would recommend this one too. It is unusual.

Murder Being Once Done by Ruth Rendell

Yes, another crime novel. The second term at school is the term that I tend to read crime as they are light and don't add to work stress. Easy reading, in other words. There will be more too.

Wexford has been booked off. He is to not have any stress. So he heads off to London to visit his nephew (who is also a detective) with the intention of staying out of trouble. Haha. A woman is murdered and guess who gets curious?

This was my introduction to Ruth Rendell. I probably would not recommend starting here, as in this story, her detective, Wexford, is not 'at home' in his own precinct, so I think I might have missed a few things - like the comparisons of the cops in this book to those he usually works with. But, this is not meant to be a rocket science book, and I don't think I missed out on much. I just think I would have preferred reading Wexford in his own environment before seeing him out of it.

I really did enjoy this. I understand the crime genre too much to be surprised by where the plot goes, so even though I guessed everything that there was to guess in this book, I found it a satisfying intellectual trip. Rendell writes intelligently. Maybe there is room to make clues a bit more obscure, but then, not all readers cut there their teeth on crime fiction and can smell a clue from a mile away. Or am I being overly generous to my own talents with reading crime fiction? Would most readers pick up the clues? I don't know. I am not in the position to say.

There was one thing that irked me a bit about Wexford, and that was that I (and I hate to say this) think some of his feelings were a bit feminine. He picked up snobbery from his nephew, because his nephew, who was also a detective did not discuss work with him. I know I would think something like that, but I have been led to believe that men do not think in such ways. Maybe my sources could do with some modernising and realism, or perhaps they don't. I am not a man - I don't know.

Overall, a good old-fashioned mystery, based on the social dynamic and not the science one. I would recommend this for fans of older crime fiction, where it is what people say that you need to listen out for. I gave this a generous 4 stars on Goodreads, although, nearly a month later, I think maybe a 3 or 3,5 would be more accurate.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

Ahhh... a guilty-pleasure author. Yes, I will confess that I am one of those many folks out there that enjoys Gillian Flynn. She goes down particularly well when I am overloaded with work. As this is only a novella, it was perfect for what I wanted.

She is con-artist, posing as a psychic as her other job, wanking off guys, is putting a strain on her wrist. One day a woman comes to her with a concern - her stepson is changing, becoming darker. Of course our questionably ethical narrator is going to take the job. (Some Jaws music would be good about now.)

I enjoyed this. For starters, it was a pleasant, quick read that didn't take up much time, so I didn't feel guilty sitting down with it this afternoon, taking a break from work.  Then, this is exactly what you would expect from Gillian Flynn - twisted, weird and unexpected.

I really enjoyed the beginning. I died laughing at the explanation about the change in career. I loved the middle as it was particularly creepy, and anything could have happened. The near end was brilliant. It was just the last few pages that I felt were a bit disappointing, a bit lacking in the thrill factor or perhaps just a let down. But it was still an enjoyable read.

It is nearly impossible to say more about a book that is only 79 pages long. I gave it 3 stars. I would recommend it to fans of Flynn, or folks who like weird and twisted. This is not her best work though, so I would not recommend it or people wanting to see if they like her writing.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

I went into this book very hesitantly. I did not know much about it, but I did know that she had had a horrible experience as a child. Hmm... I  didn't know if I was up to reading that. Now that I have read this one, I am so pleased I did!

I Know why he Caged Bird Sings is the first of Maya Angelou's autobiographies. This one goes from her earliest childhood memories to when she was 17.

This book is beautifully crafted. Maya Angelou (not surprisingly) has a beautiful poetic style that she laces throughout this tale. The figurative language is exquisite.

Because this is the story of her first 17 years, and because it was so well-written, my heart bled throughout. I felt indignity and hopelessness, I felt the sharp pain of injustice and the complete warmth of the love between a brother and a sister. One part that really touched me (there were so many) was her graduation ceremony, where they had a white politician come to their school and ever so ignorantly discuss all the developments and equipment they were going to put in the white school near by, "but don't worry, we are going to give you guys better playgrounds". On a day that she should have been celebrating a future, planning for a future, Angelou felt broken down and hopeless. Until. But I will leave you to read it and discover.

Angelou narrates this with the wisdom of an adult, even though she is telling her life story as a child. Her understanding of the people closest to her was beyond mature. I loved her spirit in this book. She fought for what she wanted and didn't give up, and I admired her so much for that.

A fantastic book. I hope to work my way through the six books that make up her autobiography, because, if I had to find a fault with this, it would be the sudden end. I gave this 5 stars. Fantastic.

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

Celebration time! I have finished setting all the exam papers, the kids are writing exams, all my marking is up to date, AND IT IS THE WEEKEND!!! I have not had a free weekend in three months! So, I am taking this chance to catch up on my blog (because I have seven books to add here before I can do my wrap up)! Ahhh, why did I want to grow up and be an adult?

I picked this one up shortly after Colleen McCullough passed away. I had been using that horrific obituary written about her as a teaching tool (to explain to the kids that they had to be respectful and celebrate the deceased's life and accomplishments) so she was on my mind. After researching a bit about her (to show just how wrong that obituary was), I was curious to read her. You know, just in case people like me need an excuse to read a book.

This book was fantastic. It follows Meggie Cleary from a young child to an adult heading into her post-summer years. We are with the family when they move from the green lands of New Zealand and head to the dry farming areas of Australia. And we watch her fall in love with Ralph de Bricassart, the Catholic priest in the area. Epic, yes. Boring? Not a chance!

I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. In fact, I left it for my 'week read', which means it was supposed to help me fall asleep. It didn't. When I reluctantly put the book down, my brain was still racing about everything that happened. I felt like I was living in Australia, fighting the elements. McCullough was magnificent at making everything come alive on the page. The fire! Just saying. I was engrossed!

What really touched me in the story was the relationships between mothers and daughters. The similarities of their situations were clear, and their reactions not unalike. But what I really liked what how they got closer to each other only as they got older. I also have to admit that I am very happy I was not born in that day and age, and that, as a woman, I have more to look forward to in life than keeping the home fires burning and the family fed (I get to do all that and still go to work - yay!).

I must admit that I preferred the first half. But that does not mean the second half was any less good. I think it had more to do with the fact that Meggie had grown out of my age group and experience group. And by then. the life that they were living was no longer foreign and enthralling. Oh, don't get me wrong, it was still interesting. In fact the WW2's entrance definitely added to my interest, although my predictions there were (luckily) completely wrong. (I was thinking along the lines of The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan. Shew! I was not sorry to be wrong on this occasion.)

This book made my heart ache, made me learn about the hard life women led in those days, and didn't not help me fall asleep. I have since picked up two of her crime novels and look forward to seeing how those go. My favourite bookseller read them and really enjoyed them, so I reckon I will too.

I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads, although it was sooooo damned close to 5. I would recommend this to folks who enjoy historical fiction, who are interested in reading about Australia (the land felt almost like another character) and to folks who are not scared of a hefty book.