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.
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