The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

Currently I am ensconsed at my mum's house in Ireland for Christmas and New Year. Being in the middle of nowhere there is one convenience of modern living yet to reach their peaceful and idyllic hamlet: Broadband!

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I love this book. I know I’ve said it a million times before, but I do. The plot of the story is so complex and ingenious you can’t help but get drawn into it. Coupled with this are the characters within which are brilliant and which introduces to us two of the finest characters I think to be created in Victorian fiction.
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Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote a musical (yes I know, a musical!) based on this novel by Collins and I remember going to see it in London in 2005. The ending of the story and the discovery of the treachery involved is so complex I was mostly intrigued as to how Lloyd Webber would present this on stage. I would say that if you haven’t read the book then go and give the musical a look. However, if you have read the book and if you love it as much as I do, then don’t bother. Lloyd Webber gets around the difficulties in presenting this kind of fiction on stage by completely rewriting the end of the story. Sacrilege!
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Anyway, back to the book. I will try and give you the basic plot (which is hard not only because it is so involved but also because every time I read it discover something new!) with giving too much away and without confusing you, or me for that matter…
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Walking on his way back to London from Hampstead a poor drawing master (class and status is very important in this book) named Walter Hartwright meets a woman all dressed in white. She asks his for assistance in getting back to town as she has just escaped from an asylum near by. Walter agrees to help her after ascertaining that she has been falsely imprisoned there by a man whom she will only reveal as having the title of Baronet. They walk back to London together where he sees her safely on her way to a friend's house.

The next day Walter travels to Limmeridge House in Cumberland where he has secured temporary employment as a teacher of drawing to two young sisters. Enter Laura Fairlie and (the amazing marvelous) Marian Halcombe. These two are half sisters with their mother in common hence the difference in surname. Walter tells Marian of his adventure with the mysterious woman in white because she had mentioned Limmeridge (and Mrs Fairlie) to him on their walk back to London as being a place she had been happy in her childhood. Marian resolves to try and identify this woman by scouring her mother's letters for any reference to her as a child and finally concludes that her name is Anne Catherick.

In a nutshell, Walter and Laura fall in love but 20 year old Laura is unfortunately already engaged to 45 year old Sir Percival Glyde (Baronet!) by the wishes of her father and the promise she made to him on his deathbed. The only reason ages are important here is to reveal that Laura, being not yet of age is not legally able to speak for herself, and also that it is unlikely she will die before Sir Percival since he is so much older than her.

Laura is sent a letter by Anne alluding to Glyde’s unsavory characteristics and conduct but as Laura is tied by her promise she can’t claim her release from Glyde. Walter tracks down Anne in Limmeridge churchyard (it’s a long story) and is struck by the extraordinary likeness that she and Laura share. Laura tries to entice Glyde into releasing her from the marriage by telling him that she is in love with Walter and that her heart will always belong to him. This however, only seems to make Glyde love her more (sneaky bastard). It is worth mentioning here that Glyde has cunningly devised a marriage settlement whereby he will stand to inherit all of Laura’s fortune in the event of her death before him if she leaves no children… hmmm…! Seeing that there is no future for himself and Laura, Walter sails off to Central America and Laura marries Sir Percival to begin her miserable life as Lady Glyde.

Forward six month later and Laura returns from Europe with her new husband to reside with her sister Marian at the rundown Glyde property, Blackwater Park. Here they are all joined by the other great character in this story: Count Fosco, whose wife the Countess is also Laura’s aunt. The plot thickens. Count Fosco is the evil genius of the story and after his introduction the true level of deceit and betrayal against Laura, Anne and Marian begins… (although he can’t be that clever if he thought he could get one over not just one woman, but three of them – one of them being the remarkable Marian!). However, the sheer level of Count Fosco’s Machiavellian quality is brilliantly presented in his character by Collins. He is the puppet-master of them all.

I’ve totally skimmed over the plot, and haven't even tried to explain the second half to you... but it’s so utterly involving and intricate that I think anyone would be hard-pushed to give you a complete guide to the ins and outs of the story without simply re-writing the whole thing in the process. To be honest this kind of sensationalist fiction (of which this book is widely considered to be the first of its kind) is something that you really have to sit down and read in order to be able to appreciate the true brilliance of it. I have yet to come across an adaptation in film, theatre or television that truly does it justice.

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The opening lines of the story are among my favorites:

“This is the story of what a Woman's patience can endure and what a Man's resolution can achieve”

And one of my other favorite lines is found in Mr Gilmore’s narrative when preparing to address Marian. He wisely states that:

“No sensible man ever engages, unprepared, in a fencing match of words with a woman.”

Excellent advice!

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Trust me. It’s a really, really great book. The Woman in White and I are off to get a room…

Grasshopper - Barbara Vine

Hmmm.... what to say about this one... I am going to go out on a limb here and say that it's a very very good book. Don't ask me why. I will freely admit that I didn't get the relevance of some/most of the sub-plots going on within this story. And at the end, I personally found it lacking in direction and hard-going. But I think this had more to do with me than the story because even having said all that I would definitely read it again. Don't ask me to put my finger on why though. Maybe it's because there is so much going on within that you can't possibly process it all at once? Or maybe it's because Clodagh and I experienced the same meaningless existence when attending college in London after an 'event' (although mine certainly wasn't as bad as hers)... Who knows...

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Blamed for a terrible accident on an electricity pylon resulting in the death of her boyfriend, Clodagh is dutifully sent to London to attend a polytechnic Uni and begin a mundane course she has no interest in. Living in a dark and dingy basement flat lent to her by an intellectually arrogant but no less flawed family friend, it seems to Clodagh life can get no worse. Then she meets misfits Silver, Liv, Winn and Johnny and her life roaming the roofs of Maida Vale begins. However, during this time they all make a discovery with regards to inhabitants of Torrington Gardens, which inevitably lead to tragic consequences for them.

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There is tons of atmosphere in the book generated by Vine's writing. Being set in the area of Maida Vale I imagine you would get a whole lot more out of this than someone like me who doesn't know the place so well. The high point for me however was when Vine mentions the local paper the Ham & High - which is the paper I first learnt my trade as a newspaper planner with :) But Vine does a good job describing the area and such. The story lines all intertwine and it is very cleverly written although at times I did find it lagged - but I'm putting this down to the fact that I don't think I fully 'got it'.

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I do find it ironic that Clodagh is scared of being in confined spaces and being underground when nothing has ever happened to her here, yet she loves being up high on the pylon and the roofs and has met with tragedy here several times. But again, just another aspect of the story I didn't understand the reasoning behind.

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But I will recommend it to you anyway. Like I say, I don't know why - but I would definitely give it a go if you happen to pick it up. And for those that don't happen to know; Barbara Vine is Ruth Rendall :)

Lily - Cindy Bonner

Hurrah!! At last... a spaghetti-western book for girls!

This was a cool book. I've not read many westerns in my time admittedly, but the ones I have read; Lonesome Dove and Comanche Moon by McMurtry are among the best. Can you class Cold Mountain a western too...? Anyway, this book has it all. Bandits, outlaws, robbers, religious do-gooders, gun-fights - great! And all told through the eyes of a woman/girl - 15 year old Lily.

The story follows mother-less Lily and her relationship with Marion Beatty, a supposedly no-good, bank-robbing murderous charmer. Bonner does well with Marion's character. You never really work out if he's a good guy or a bad guy. Marion and his brothers are known throughout the county as trouble-makers, but Marion always insists that it's his brothers who make the trouble, not him. So you have to make your mind up yourself really. I base my judgement on the way he treats Lily, so i reckon he's a good guy :)

It's quite a sweet little story - not very long, won't take ages to read. But you really get on board with Lily and Marion and their plight. Lily leads a pretty meaningless existence looking after her younger brothers and sister, and her farmer father, all of whom rely on her too heavily to take the place of her dead mother. When Lily meets Marion she realises what love can be like, and what life outside of her family circle can be. Her and Marion arrange times to meet in secret because her father will not allow her to associate herself with a Beatty. Then after a Beatty led rampage on a newly built church, Marion and Lily run away together but unfortunately the law is on their tail. Marion is caught and taken back to McDade and a now pregnant Lily follows and returns briefly home when she is accepted back in disgrace. But realising she can not live without Marion and can not go back to her old life, she makes plans to stand by his side and to help him to escape the jail-house.

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This is one of those stories which leaves you hanging at the end. But I found out recently that the story continues somewhat in Looking After Lily, also by Bonner, which is told through the eyes of Marion's brother Haywood, who he and Lily has to leave when they run away after a good old fashioned western-style shoot out in the town high street. I really enjoyed this book anyway. Lily has guts and determination and her attempts to tame her wild gun-slinging husband, although vain, make for some good story-telling :)

Our Yanks - Margaret Mayhew

This book was okay for a holiday read but I didn't really enjoy it I have to say. It was a bit disappointing but there was always part of me that knew it wouldn't be as good as Bluebirds. Having said that, I really don't think that even if i'd've read this book entirely on it's own without ever having read Bluebirds, I still don't think i would have enjoyed it that much to be honest.

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It's a nice story for sure, don't get me wrong, But the characters weren't brilliant. There was no one character that I really latched on to or took any real interest in. The stories within the story were all okay, chugged along pretty well. But there was no magic moment when i thought "yeah, exactly! What a fab book this is". And I really like it when that happens :)
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As far as the story goes, it's about how a small village in the country is affected when the Americans take over the local air base during WWII. Some of the locals like them, some don't. All the girls love them, all the lads think they joined the war to late etc, etc. Mayhew tried to get into the emotional side of war - what it was like for the yanks to leave their homes and come to fight, how the villagers left behind felt about the war, especially when they had friends or family fighting overseas. I don't feel like Mayhew ever went deep enough into the minds of her characters to get me interested enough to be honest. If writers are going to delve into the human psyche then I like them to get right in there with all the nitty gritty - not just skim the surface. But then if Mayhew had've done this then the whole book may have been a wholly depressing read... so maybe it's a good job she didn't.

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So I'd say, if you have the time then definitely give this book a go. Make up your own mind and see if gets you excited. On the plus side, I am determined to read more of Mayhew's work - I know she's good and I'm sure that there are other works she's done that I'll like as much as Bluebirds (fingers crossed!). Alternatively, the next time I find a book I really really love, maybe I will just have to not read anything else by that author ever again...

Call the Midwife - Jennifer Worth

There's not must to say about this really apart from it gives a factual and hugely graphical insight into the lives of women living in 1950's London. Worth is a good story-teller and paints a good portrait of the women, their husbands, and what it must have been like to give birth at a time when a woman's job was considered that of homemaker and baby-maker. Some of the scenes are quite graphic and enough to put you off having kids forever! But remember that these were the days when most children were born at home and going to hospital was not something many cockney dockers wanted to do since many hospitals were converted workhouses. All in all it's a good book if you fancy reading a documentary.

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The only annoying part of the book is that Jenny Worth hints quite regularly about her life before she became a midwife and working with the nun's at Nonnatus House. The only bits I can gather were that she was deeply in love with a man who, for whatever reason, she had to leave behind and forget - but she never tells you this story!

Bluebirds - Margaret Mayhew

This is one of my other favorite books of all time although I've not read it for a fair few years now and I'd forgotten how much I love it - this is the third time I've read it (not including the time I read just the parts relating to my favorite character; Winnie Briggs).
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You could say this book has two parts to it. The characters and the plot which makes up the stories within, and then the historical aspect of it being set in the second world war. I admit that I'm not completely au fait with the ins and outs of WWII (one of my life regrets is not ever asking my grandfather what it must have been like for him and my Nan). But in reading Bluebirds I think you get a pretty good idea of what it must have been like - not just physically but emotionally too. To not know whether you will ever see your family, friends or husband again. Mayhew even manages to touch on the disappointment and feelings of inadequacy felt by those who were too old or too sick to volunteer to fight for Queen and Country. Whether the historical aspects of Bluebirds are accurate or not (although I strongly suspect they are...) Mayhew manages to give an engaging and endearing portrait of Britain in the early 1940's - full of patriotism. And then when the Yanks come to our aid she cleverly captures the social transitions that take place.
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I won't lie - this is a total woman's book. Full of romance, heroic women and men that are real men (but still managing to steer totally clear of the Mills & Boon genre!). The plot follows the lives of four women in Britain from the time they join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in 1939 as war breaks out in Europe. They come from all backgrounds and must work together in a new and alien environment where their presence is not welcome - especially not by Station Commander David Palmer who makes this clear from the beginning. Mayhew writes about their struggle to become accepted in the eyes of the men who think war is no place for a woman, their friendships with each other, the RAF crew and pilots they fall in love with and subsequently lose in the throes of war-time, and their need to prove to themselves and other that they really are valuable assets in the war against Hitler. The synopsis on the front describes the book as "heartbreaking and triumphant" and I really can't put it any better myself to be honest.
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Mayhew is a brilliant writer. Her characters are so alive and vibrant and she can plot a scene to perfection. She absolutely knows what she needs to put in to guide you in the right direction, and what to leave out to let your own imagination fill in the details important to you, making the story your own.
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It's nigh on impossible to find any biographic info on Mayhew save that she was born in London, lived through the Blitz as a child and is now married to Phillip Kaplan, an aviation author. I keep asking myself why I have never read any other of her books since I love Bluebirds so much. I can only think it's because when you find perfection you don't want anything else to spoil it :)

Lucky - Alice Sebold

This was a pretty hard book to read. Not because of the way it's written, but because of the story and it's unflinching honesty. Sebold did a fantastic job with this.

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Lucky is the autobiographic story of Alice Sebold, focusing in particular from the night when, as a college freshman at Syracuse Uni, she was beaten and raped on her way home, the subsequent trial, and how she, her friends and family cope in the aftermath of the rape.

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Right from the off this story gets under your skin. Sebold leaves nothing out. After reading her story and realising how awful it must have been you get the impression that writing this story was something that the author had to do. She says herself in the book that she is the kind of person do just let it all hang out - and in this book she certainly does. She details the rape itself which makes very difficult reading indeed. But more importantly are the observations that she makes in the aftermath; how people's reactions and opinions change towards her; how she is seen differently in the eyes of those who no her; how the the police and detectives deal with her. It is a harrowing yet brilliantly written piece of writing. Sebold is so so good at picking out what matters in the story (I hate using that word with this book - it suggests fiction, or something trivial which this certainly is not) and in eloquently drawing out what you know is lurking in the back of your mind but can't quite pin-point. This is one of my favourite quotes from the book:

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"I also discarded certain assumptions I had held about how the world worked and about how safe I was." (This quote was actually taken from the piece that she wrote in the New York Times on Feb 26th 1989 entitled 'HERS; Speaking of the Unspeakable' but appears in her book also).
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I think that this quote just sums up everything about the whole experience. Particularly in the way you no longer feel safe, how you no longer fit into your life from that point on, how everything is measured in terms of "before the rape" or "after the rape", how people see you differently even though they don't mean too. And most importantly how it impacts the rest of your life, not just through post-traumatic stress disorder, but also in the decisions you make be they subconscious or conscious.

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When I read The Lovely Bones last year I said that I didn't like where it was going. Having read Lucky I suddenly feel like I understand The Lovely Bones a whole lot more. I realise now where Sebold was coming from. The purpose and plot has now slotted into place.

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Would I recommend Lucky as reading material to someone who had been raped? Tricky question... But I would say yes. Sebold is a heroine. She goes round the hard way (her words!) but doesn't give up, and I think that her honesty and ability to unflinchingly put into words the emotional turmoil involved are so effective in bringing the reality of rape out into the open. I have immense respect and admiration for her.

James Toseland Autobiography

Didn't know whether to list this one in the book log since it's not fiction... but it's still a book and I read it so what they hey... Although with it being an autobiography there's not much to say really, lol.

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James Toseland; two time World Superbike Champion and current MotoGP rider with Tech 3 Yamaha, tells us about his early life and how he came to be a motorbike racer, classically trained pianist and general all round good guy (and he is really a genuinely nice guy!). This guy is so dedicated to winning and being the best it's untrue. I think that whatever he chose to have done with his life, he would have been good at it. He just seems to be one of those people who knows exactly what he wants, sets his sights on it, and goes and gets it - letting nothing stand in his way. So with that in mind you'd think he would be an arrogant and cocky guy, right? Well, amazingly he's not. All the time while reading his book it struck me how down to earth and grounded he is; a highly commendable achievement in an environment where I imagine it would be pretty easy to start lording your status over everyone.

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But Toseland simply comes across as the guy next door who just happens to race motorbikes at an international level for a living. It would be pretty easy to take this character credit away from him and assume that he's only coming across in the way he wants to appear as he's the one writing the book. Fair point - and I admit I'm a big fan of his anyway. But, I seriously think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone with a truly bad word to say about him (apart from rivals he's beaten on track of course!). As I say, he is a genuinely nice guy, period. I think anyone who reads this, fan or not, will be surprised at how dedicated to his sport, and how humble in success he is.

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If you want a lesson in how to be a winner, then this is the book you need.

Panic - Jeff Abbott

To be honest I couldn't really get into this book at all. It seemed to take me ages to read (which is odd as it's not complicated) and I didn't find that it flowed all that well either - it seemed to be very bitty, and just all over the place. Having said that, when I did eventually get to the end I would say that I did enjoy the actually story. Maybe it was just me not being in the mood to read...

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General plot: Evan Casher is a normal guy who makes documentary films for a living. One day he gets an urgent call from his mum asking his to come home. When he arrives she is lying dead on the kitchen floor, with the attackers still in the house... As it turns out Evan's parents are not who he thought they were... and his girlfriend Carrie, is not who he thought she was either. They are all spies working for the KGB/CIA (whatever) and certain people need them dead, others want them alive. And now they are after Evan. Who does Evan trust? (cue dramatic music...)

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I think some of the characters and relationships could have been developed a bit more. After reading the authors note afterwards and discovering that he wanted to bring forth the core of Carrie and Evan's relationship, I'm not sure how successfully he managed it to be honest. It was there, just under the surface... but it felt like that it needed a little more just to bring it more into the spot-light. The scenes with just the two of them could have done with a little more to emphasise it I think. And even though Dezz is a totally evil character in the book, I found his character to be the most complex and interesting of all of them; his child-like behavior, having a dad as a spy and jockeying for respect, being in love with Carrie but being emotionally unable to show it, his loose-cannon behaviour coupled with his need to constantly chew caramels! I would like to have seen a bit more character development on his side... to get inside Dezz's head. But then, the story wasn't about him really so I can understand why Abbott didn't take him further - but personally I found him to be the most intriguing of them all.

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Also Evan's transformation from yuppie-about-town to fugitive-on-the-run was a little hard to swallow... it all seemed a bit too easy. Like you or I could just suddenly pitch ourselves against the experienced and battle-hardened (not to mention combat-trained) bad guys and come out on top and save the day.... hmmm. Amazingly his schemes to foil the bad guys actually work.

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So generally a good book to read if you're in the mood, but I think there was the potential for it to be a whole lot more rounded. More character development too other than just plot focus would have given it the punch it needed... I think anyway :)

The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve

After reading Fortunes Rocks and loving so much I felt compelled to read some of Shreve's other novels to see if they were just as good. And since The Pilot's Wife is probably one of the most well known of her works (thanks to Oprah) it seemed like a good place to start. And as it turns out, it's a pretty good book too: athough I didn't enjoy it as much as Fotunes Rocks and it is written in a slightly different style. It's a great story in how you don't always know someone as well as you like to think you do - especially those that you love.

Kathyrn is married to Jack who is a pilot with Vision Airlines. Together they have a daughter; Matigan, and the family run their routine around Jack's flight schedule since he is away a few days at a time. As in Fortunes Rocks, the ages of the Kathryn and Jack are different since there is a fifteen year age gap between them, although you'll have to see for yourself whether this is significant to the story or not. Kathryn and Jack live in what she considers to be a normal marriage, and she views their decline in intimacy as the result of his long periods away and the natural ebb and flow of a marriage in it's 10th year.

But when Jack's plane goes down in the Atlantic just off the coast of Ireland leaving no survivors, Kathryn and Mattie's world comes crashing down around around them amidst much media speculation on why the plane exploded and crashed. As Kathryn tries to deal with the emotion surrounding her husbands death she is faced with accusations that he may have been a terrorist and may have used the plane to commit suicide: taking all 103 innocent passengers with him. But while she tries to unravel the mystery, convinced that she knew Jack well enough to know he would never do something like that, she uncovers and even greater secret he has kept from her. A secret that shatters the memories of their life together much more than an exploding plane ever could.

Once again Shreve does a great job with the writing. She leads you through the story but still leaves you to figure out what isn't being said just as much as what is. Kathryn and Jack's relationship is significant in the way they are with each other, although I don't think I managed to fully appreciate the intensity of their relationship. You get the idea of Jack being the central pivot in everything, who wields a power they are all unaware of. You also end up feeling sorry for Kathryn although she manages to rally herself and survive okay on her own. There is a suggestion that Jack didn't really love Kathryn as much as she thought; that it was his relationship with his daughter that keeps him in the marriage. And when Kathryn travels to London and comes face to face with Jack's other life, you can feel the love and trust that she held for him slipping away through her hands which Shreve manages to write beautifully. Her subsequent breakdown at the knowledge is handled with care but Kathryn is a real heroine and does the right thing by Mattie. You know in the end that she'll be okay - eventually. Another great story which is brillantly and sesitively written. Shreve explores boundries of what a character might do when truly faced with their worst reality.

Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult

I've had this book on my shelf for a while and I was really looking forward to reading it. After enjoying The Tenth Circle so much I really wanted to get my teeth into this one. The blurb on the back sounded too intriguing to resist. But I was a little disappointed I have to admit. But that doesn't mean it was bad... I just didn't think it was as good as the others I've read.

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The story follows the lives of four characters; Delia, Eric, Fitz, Andrew and Elsie. Delia and her father Andrew have lived in the state of New Hampshire ever since Delia was 4 (I think, or there abouts) and has only ever been the two of them since Delia's mother Elise, died in a car crash. She grew up with the lads next door on both sides, Fritz and Eric, and the three of them have a seemingly endless friendship and closeness. Eric and Delia are engaged and have a daughter, Sophie. However, one evening Delia discovers that the mother she thought was dead is not actually dead at all, but instead living a live in Arizona. As it turns out her father kidnapped her, changed their names and lived a life of lies. Andrew is hauled off to trial in Arizona and Delia coerces her Fiance Eric, into acting as his lawyer because she trusts him and he knows them both. Fritz also tags along because the paper he works for wants in to write regular and in depth articles on the proceedings.

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Eric's mother was an alcoholic, as is Eric... as, it turns out, was/is Delia's mother - hence the reason we are led to believe Andrew spirited Delia (real name Bethany) away from the incapable care of her mother. However, during the trial when the prosecution goads Andrew into a rage of fury, he suddenly and shockingly reveals that the reason he took Delia away from her mother was because her then boyfriend, who is now her husband, was sexually abusing Delia. Knowing back then that the courts would never believe him without proof or grant him full custody, especially with a prior conviction however minor, he takes her away to begin a new life.

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So it sounds like a pretty good story huh? And it should be. But it just wasn't for me and I can't put my finger on why. When Picoult writes she throws up these really interesting questions that you have to stop and consider, and ask yourself. But in this case I just felt like she was asking questions for questions sake - they were relevant... but they were questions that you knew the answers too, or that were too easy to answer. There's this whole native Indian/Hopi sub-plot going on too and I couldn't figure out why it was relevant the main story or what it was supposed to help highlight and bring to the fore. I suppose it was something to do with knowing who you are rather that what you were or something like that but I know I didn't completely get it.

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With regards the whole Eric/Delia/Fritz triangle this is also complicated. They both love Delia and she loves them - all in different ways, but still love none-the-less. The reason Delia and Eric have not married yet is because Eric is still dealing with his drink demons. Delia sleeps with Fritz during the story and they discover they should be together. Eric is okay with this... but then he knows somehow that him and Delia will get back together. The idea being that all three of them are interchangeable. So basically it's a giant witches cauldron full of love, toil, trouble, betrayal and trust. Simply add a pinch of understanding, and stir...

The Rosary Girls - Richard Montanari

I am definitely in the midst of a full-on reading phase at the moment. Five books this month, five books last month... I wonder how long it will last before (what I like to term) 'book fatigue' sets in, lol. Still when it does, I can get on with writing my own. That's the trouble, I like reading so much it leaves little time for getting down to doing some writing of my own... but I guess it can be seen as creative-writing research. I'm getting some good ideas on how to write and the ideas for story lines are being honed... so one day! I realise now how easy it is to sit back and judge someone else's work. How will I feel when/if I am the one being judged? Anyway, I digress...
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The plot of The Rosary Girls is as follows: There is a serial killer on the loose who is targeting teenage girls. When they are found they are all posed in a similar manner - kneeled with their hands bolted together as in prayer complete with rosary beads. Their murderer does a good job of taunting the police too. Within the hands of each victim is a clue to where the next will be found... if only Philadelphia detectives rookie Jessica Balzano and veteran Kevin Byrne can figure out the puzzle in time. The killing spree begins the week before Easter Sunday and time is running out. Add to this Byrne's need to prove himself after previously harassing an innocent suspect and pushing him to suicide, and single-mum Balzano's professional need to prove herself among the boys club and you get yourself a pretty good story.
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If you're like me when reading a detective book like this you'll be looking to figure out who the killer is right from page one. I'm not going to give it away though :) Needless to say Monanari is clever in his use of information and details - feeding you the right things at just the right time. The guy I was convinced it was right from the start actually wasn't at all, even though part of me knew it couldn't be that easy. And as it turns out -it's not. I got reeled in good and proper. Montanari does a clever job of feeding you information on each of the characters so, probably no matter which one you suspect you'll be convinced you've got the right one. But trust me... you won't get this one until the last few chapters. And if you do? Well, you're a shrewder reader than I am.
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The Rosary Girls is a great story. It's a who-dunnit, detective, thriller novel and is one of those books I couldn't put down. It occurs to me that many of the books I have read are by women, hardly any by men. This isn't intentional. I don't have a preference either way. But Richard Montanari manages to flirt around the edges of emotions in this book. A difficult thing to do, especially with a story cast full of yank cops. But Montanari does well to try and diminish the stereotype. There are a couple of sub plots within the story though that didn't seem to go anywhere. Most notably when Byrne is set up in an alley-way gang killing. He does his best to hide the evidence and seemingly manages to do so (confirmation comes later in the book). But I wasn't sure where this fitted into the main story or what we as readers were supposed to take from it. Except maybe that he's capable of bending the rules and covering up things he doesn't want known. But even so this doesn't really fit. Montanari plans to write, or has already written, other stories with Balzano and Byrne as the main characters. So maybe this sub plot will come back to haunt Byrne in another book.
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There were also one or two nice surprises - but mostly only if you're British. I've not done any research on Montanari, but I'll go out on a limb and hazard a guess that he's spent some time in England? This is the first story I have ever read by an American writer who mentions the chocolate brand name of Cadbury's within the text. Surely the best chocolate in the world next to Gylian (sorry, but I've tasted Hershey's and it doesn't even come close). There are a couple of other British references too, and one of the support characters also comes from Northumberland which is cool. Nora Roberts also gets a mention too. Life is full of coincidences.

Hard Landing - Stephen Leather

This wasn’t a bad book. Pretty entertaining, didn’t drag and didn’t get massively caught up on details you don’t need to know. I thought the ending was a bit abrupt though. It wasn’t like there were any loose ends that needed tying up but it felt like it needed just one last chapter to give some closure on the support characters. But all in all it’s a good read.
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Dan ‘Spider’ Shepherd is an undercover police officer who finds himself on remand in prison after the armed robbery operation he’s working on is busted by the local police. Having to remain in character as Bob McDonald as he is worked through the system he finds himself placed within Shelton’s prison. Eventually he is briefed and told that his new objective is to get close to a known drug dealer named Gerald Carpenter. He is also on remand but is currently doing all he can to collapse the case against him by having witness killed and evidence destroyed – something he can only do with the help of corrupt prison officers inside the prison walls. Therefore not only must Shepherd stay in character 24/7, he must also fight to survive amongst some of the most hardened and dangerous criminals the justice system has to offer. However, Carpenter has many contacts and eventually Shepherd’s cover is blown. Using Shepard’s skills to his advantage, Carpenter forces him to break him out of prison using Shepherd’s son on the outside as a suitable incentive…
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Like I say, it’s a pretty good read, the story is a good one and Leather tells it well. Shepherd’s character is full and well thought out, and finding things out about his background makes us care about him. There is one situation in the book that could have been developed a little more. Whilst inside, Shepherd’s wife is involved in a fatal car accident and it would have been nice to get a little more character development of Shepherd because of this. Obviously he can’t do much to show it inside but the funeral is pretty much glossed over – but then I guess this isn’t really instrumental to the plot, it’s probably just the woman in me wanting to know details about emotions and stuff, lol. And at the end I would have liked him to have given Carpenter the good and proper beating he rightly deserved… but unfortunately he only gets shot, which is a bit of a bummer.
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One final word is that the proof readers over at Hodder and Stoughton should have been shot along with Carpenter. The amount of words missing in the text as you read is crazy and at other times extra words are added in. However, my personal favourite appears on page 330:
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....Morrisons eyes were tightly shut, and his whole body was trembling. 'Have they gone?' he whispered.
....'Yeah, it's over'
....Morrison opened his ears. Tears ran down his cheeks.
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Quality, lol. But seriously, don’t let the dodgy proof reading put you off – it’s definitely worth a read if you like the whole thriller, espionage, cops and robber genre. I liked it :)

The Charmer - Mandasue Heller

I'm not going to waste too much time on this one. It says on the front of the book "if you like Martina Cole you'll love Mandasue Heller". Not a great start since I wouldn't say I like Martina, lol.

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Basic plot: Maria is 21 and has been brought up through the care system for the past ten years since her single-mother was killed in an accident on her way home from work. On her 21st birthday, whilst living in a rented bedsit in Devon with not even two pennies to rub together, she receives a letter from a solicitor informing her that she has inherited a substantial amount of money and a humongous house in Manchester. So off she trots to reluctantly (eh?!) claim her inheritance. Apparently she's none to happy to discover that she had a relative who knew all about her while she grew up being shifted from care home to care home - understandable. And therefore she is suspicious of the money and house she has been left and doesn't really want it - totally not understandable.

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Whilst in Manchester she meets Joel in a bar, a fella so good looking he charms her into bed and her credit card out of her bag. Joel is heavily into the drug scene and has some rather unsavoury characters after him but doesn't let any of this slip to Maria obviously. Therefore, even though he's only just met her, he somehow manages to convince Maria to let him stay with her for just a couple of weeks (she's smitten apparently) so he can hide-out (without her knowing of course). And during this time Maria manages to completely alienate her friends, and hand over control of all her money to Joel - a man she's just met. Hmmm. Anyway, she's now completely loved up with Joel, without a clue that he's dealing drugs and shagging anything with a pulse behind her back, or that there are nasties after him.

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Once Joel's hiding place is rumbled he convinces her that he loves her so much that they (by this I mean Maria) should buy a flat for them both. But then, as Joel begins to start snorting more crack than he sells, Maria discovers his secret and turns to the estate-rat friends she knew whilst growing up in Manchester to help her out (characters who actually have some well-needed depth to them I might ad). She also discovers that according to paperwork held by her solicitor, Joel has been moving her money into his own account when her investments have been maturing - how this is possible without her signature, or without her being present at the bank is beyond me. Anyway, we find out eventually that Joel isn't stealing the money, one of her solicitors associates is (same discrepancies over signature apply)... but all we know about him is that he seems to get away with it.

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And that's pretty much it. I really didn't enjoy it at all. How the publisher can put this type of writing in a class with Martina Cole is beyond me. Ok, I might not be a Martina fan, but at least her characters are well rounded and their actions are consistent with their personalities. Maria totally isn't. You'd think that if she grew up in a care home and is pretty much penniless when we meet her she'd snatch up her inheritance... but the way she doesn't seem to want any of it is highly annoying. And then when she finally does accept it, she hands over all control of it to a man she barely knows... when she's got a lovely friendly solicitor to help her look after it! Because, well yeah, you'd do that wouldn't you! Crazy. As for Joel, we know hardly anything about him at all. We don't get given any clues as to why he's a drug dealer, why he treats people the way he does, or anything that gives us much insight into he personality. His character is not consistent with a hardened criminal, or with the kind who wants to be boss of the drugs world. He doesn't even have any rough minions to help him and his place within the drugs world is not very clear. It seems he thinks he's a big fish, but again this isn't consistent with what (little) we know about him. And as for the other characters, they are completely one dimensional.

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And therefore it was very difficult to invest any kind of emotional attachment to the characters or manage to care either way what happens to them. The plot is fine, and probably would have been a pretty good book if the characters had had some substance to them. So, needless to say I didn't enjoy it at all, sorry. Maybe this gangs/drugs kind of genre just isn't my kind of book :)

The Hottest State - Ethan Hawke

Yep... you read correctly. Ethan Hawke, as in the actor. Not a lot of people know that Ethan Hawke also writes novels (two so far, the other being Ash Wednesday), and probably even fewer who have formed a justified opinion either way on his work. In some respects he probably has to work harder to convince us of his credibility as a writer than your average author since he has to overcome that "Hollywood actor who's now trying to convince us he's a writer" label. With this in mind The Hottest State can't just be good... it has to be extra good...
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And I have to hand it to him, the boy delivers. This is the second time I've read Hawke's first offering and I loved it just as much this time as I did the last. I decided to re-read it after watching the film that he made adapted from the book and noticed there were some differences from the book, but as it turns out I'm not going mad and Hawke did make some changes. It's intriguing to me to wonder why an author who makes a film of a book that he wrote chooses to adapt it rather than stick to it faithfully. Largely the script between the characters remains the same (thankfully coz I loved those exchanges!) and I suppose other changes were made for the purposes of adapting to screenplay. In any case, it's still a good film... but enough about the movie anyway :)
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The Hottest State is a better first novel that one might have expected. Hawke's approach is both sensitive and direct and as a result the characters and the text are refreshingly honest. Anyone who remembers being 'in love' when they were 20 knows the pain and obsession of that first relationship and it's a difficult subject to tackle but Hawke does not shy away from the challenge. It's a fairly skinny book so doesn't take long to read but is also good because the book keeps pace with the situation and doesn't drag.

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The story follows William, a small-time actor living in New York who meets a quiet and slightly weird Sarah in a bar called 'The Bitter End'. Their relationship is romantic and intense with William trying his best to bring elements of the movie theatre into real life. Things for William are perfect, apart from one small issue with Sarah refusing to have sex with him. But other than that, things are great. They move in together and William falls head over heels for her. Then after a week together in France, Sarah turns cold and the relationship ends, much to William's dismay and confusion.

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If you're looking for a story with a great plot, then this isn't it. This is a book that explores character. Sarah is troubled and insecure, and has moved to New York to be a singer... although she seems to hate singing in front of people. Her last relationship didn't end well and she has a mother intent on making her feel guilty for following her dreams William is also insecure and tries to hide this using humour. For him most of life is an act as he tries to pretend his life is not as empty as it actually is. Combine this with memories of his childhood and an absent promise-breaking father and you have a veritable melting pot of angst, trouble and fraught emotions.

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With this is mind, you could be forgiven for choosing to give this book a miss... however, this is where Hawke has shown himself more than capable of tackling this difficult subject. Despite the situation the story runs smoothly and Hawke cleverly punctuates the downsides with William's humorous personality. During parts which you should be crying at, you find yourself laughing such is William's outlook at his situation. But don't read this to mean the book is funny by any means. William's humour is full of cynicism, almost like a black comedy. At times during tough situations Hawke manages to hit the nail right on the head. His characters have depth and excellent dialogue and with clever support characters that really highlight Sarah and William's relationship.
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So, in my humble opinion, the accolade of 'Writer' given to Hawke is justifiably earned, and earned by his own efforts, not merely as a given because he's already a famous actor. This book doesn't try to be clever... it just tries to be honest. Definitely worth a read, and I reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised... :)

Fortune's Rocks - Anita Shreve

I have found another favourite book. Not for a long time now have I found a book that I knew would stay with me until I am old and grey. But Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve is definitely one of those books. I picked it up in a charity shop last month without knowing anything about the author or even if she had previously written anything. As it turns out she has written 13 novels now, two of which have been made into movies. In fact I remember seeing The Weight of Water a few years back although I admit i didn't much get it at the time and can remember little of it now.

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The story opens with 15 year-old Olympia Biddeford taking a walk down to the shoreline on the first day of arrival at her family's summer home at Fortunes' Rocks and this is the point where she begins to step over the threshold from girl to young woman. Indeed, during these first few moments we are not the only ones to realise this, as the moment is also captured by the male bathers at the sea and also by Olympia's doting, if not somewhat utilitarian father, Phillip Biddeford. During a weekend gathering at the cottage hosted by her father Olympia meets John Haskell, a 41 year-old essayist, physicist and campaigner for the poor along with his wife Catherine and their four children. And thus this meeting sets in motion a passionate affair between the two which dramatically changes the lives of everyone. When their affair is discovered by a disgruntled poet (introducing Cote, a deliciously sly and fetid character) whose work was rejected by Olympia's father, the two are found out and for a few years neither knows of the others whereabouts. Olympia is whisked back to the family home in Boston in shame, but a few months later gives birth to the couple's child but is taken away against Olympia's wishes and placed in an orphanage. Circumstances finally lead Olympia on a mission to retrieve her child where many issues of class and status are raised. The ending leads to the cementation of Olympia as one of the most memorable heroine's I've come across since Jane Eyre.
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The way Shreve writes this novel is amazing to me. Her prose (the only word for her writing) has a relaxing, almost languid quality to it, like a dream. I must admit that when I first started to read, I found the text a little hard going so different is it. But once you settle into it reading Fortune's Rocks is like watching a story unfold through a glass tube or water. You are led along the story and in the way the author intends, but the area around the immediate is slightly blurred and hazy so that, even though you can make out the shapes and colours, it's how you interpret and imagine them that makes the story yours. With Shreve's writing it is just as much about what is implied rather than what is spelled out. In fact, there is relatively little dialogue throughout the book, with Shreve seemingly intending that actions and feelings be the predominate focus with much of the passion being narrated in the past tense. A clever way to proceed since one can not ever do justice to the topic of all-encompassing love simply with words. In fact the dream-like prose and it's mistiness lends an air of sad inevitability to Olympia and John's fate. And again, the only time we get any continuous dialogue is during the coutroom scenes when Olympia is trying to win back her child. The change in prose serves to highlight the autere nature of the courts and how they are only concerned with facts rather than emotions.
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The setting of the story at the edge of the sea has no small influence on the way the story reads and also has some bearing on the characters themselves. The constant ebb and flow of the tide seems to highlight the plight of John and Olympia. Their wish is for things and time to stand-still, so that they might always be together. But like the sea, nothing remains constant and things will inevitably change. John and his wife will move into their new cottage further down the beach, and Olympia and he will no longer be able to snatch time with each other. If you can imagine what it's like to be near the sea; the noise of the ocean, the cleansing smell of the air, the breeze - it seems to have a sad melody in it's transient state, highlighted again by the holiday makers it sees each year, who then go back to their real lives fore the winter. John and Olympia meet by the sea that summer, but by the end of the season they are gone from each other, caught in the act of love by Zachariah Cote. Indeed, the only other time they are together again in the book is when the two go back to Fortune's Rocks under very different circumstances.

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The summer house that the Biddeford's own also bears some significance in the story I think, although since finishing the book and searching a few websites I find that the house is apparently used in some of Shreve's other novels. Before being converted the house was a nunnery, complete with chapel which had to be deconsecrated before being bought by Olympia's father. At one point in the book Haskell says to Olympia that "most of a love affair is in the mind", which certainly is true of them both since time and circumstances can not allow them to have many physical moments together. This echoes somewhat the lives of the nuns who lived in the house and where married to God - their love for him also being largly in the mind.

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Lastly, Olympia's mother and father are also very intriguing characters. Phillip Biddeford is intellectual, educated and travelled. Having been disenchanted with the current schooling system in America he has taken responsibly for Olympia's education and thus removed her from the influences and friendships of people her own age - an act which goes much of the way in contributing to Olympia's personality and her subsequent relationship with Haskell. Olympia's mother Rosamund, is one of those characters which flits about in the background and seems inconsequential to the story. However, is just this removal as a significant female role model that also aids Olympia along her path and into the arms of Haskell. In fact we know very little about Olympia's mother other than that she is a woman afflicted with vague and unspecific ailments, and she that she is most partial to hues of blue. The reasons for this are alluded to in the story although we get a hint later when Rosamund, thinking that Olympia has gotten herself a 'young beau', briefly tells of a time when she met a boy as a teenager, who had remarkably blonde eyelashes (take this to mean blue eyes), and that one day whilst walking to the beach he said something to her. What he said she never knew since at that moment her father found them out and she never saw him again. We can't help but think that the loss of love is the ailment that afflicts Olympia's mother although Shreve never directly indicates this.

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Needless to say this book left a big impression on me. I don't really think that anything I can say can fully do justice to how good this book is and the beautiful way in which Shreve writes and creates characters. I will leave by saying that, if I ever manage to write that novel I am promising to do, then this is the kind of prose and quality I am aiming for. If I even achieve half of what Shreve has managed, I will be happy :)

Red Lily - Nora Roberts

Wow... the saga of Harper House finally ends! And it was worth every moment I reckon. The last book in the trilogy certainly doesn't disappoint and also manages to tie up all the loose ends surrounding the Harper Bride.
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Let me first say that this might be a quick entry as I don't have much time... sorry :)
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Red Lily focuses on the character of Hayley. As with the previous two books and the other two characters (Stella and Roz) she finds herself the object of the Harper Brides displeasure - especially as Hayley realises that she is in love with Harper (Roz's son) and the two begin their relationship. The intensity with which the Harper Bride invades Hayley's consciousness is more that we witnessed in the other books and Roberts has done a good job of graduating the process between the women, from Stella's initial dreams to the complete possession of Hayley. The book is so good I don't want to provide any spoilers on the off chance that someone stumbles across this but needless to say Harper and Hayley fall head over heels with each other... with circumstances nudging them a little quicker to the what we all know was an inevitable ending ;)
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Roberts does a good job with Hayley's character. She is bubbly and scatty and full of beans and knowledge, which shows off her true personality - which contrasts a great deal to when the bride takes her over. Her relationship with Harper is the stuff of Hollywood movies... but no less cute and very appropriate. Roberts manages to mix traditional values (getting married, loyalty, respect, protection of the ones you love etc) with a contemporary edge, shown in the way Harper proposes to Hayley. So sweet! You'll love this third book... it's the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy :)

Black Rose - Nora Roberts

This is the second of Roberts' 'In the Garden' trilogy which follows on from Blue Dahlia I read last month. I lent it to a friend who loved it so much (and who is far more impatient than me!) that she went on Amazon that very day and bought the remaining two books in the series so she could follow on the story asap - and which now means I can follow it on too!

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After finishing Blue Dahlia I wanted to read Black Rose as soon as possible coz I wanted to see how Stella and Logan's relationship continued and also find out more about the Harper Bride. Black Rose however, focuses predominantly on Roz's character and how the Harper Bride affects her. Stella and Logan's relationship hardly gets a mention throughout this book and I thought I would be really disappointed at that, but to be honest Roberts does such a great job of bringing Roz's character to life that you pretty much forget how involved you were in Stella because you get so invested in Roz. Oh how fickle us readers are! We do get to hear about Stella and Logan's wedding but even this is brief as during that part of the story something a whole lot more interesting happens to Roz... (you'll need one of those giant foam rubber fingers they have at sports events for this part I guarantee you!)

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So, to the story. It opens in the same way as the previous book with a chapter relaying part of the Harper bride's life and how ill-treated she was and thus you begin to get a bit more of an idea as to why she acts the way she does around the characters, before moving to the present and beginning Roz's story. Roz has realised now that she loves having her house full again (what with Hayley and Stella et al moving in during the last book) but with Stella's impending wedding the numbers will begin to diminish. Fortunately she has met Dr Mitch Carnegie, the genealogist she has hired to research the family tree and, fingers crossed, identify the Harper Bride in the process, who she begins to develop a relationship with. There are times when Roz questions whether she should be embarking on this relationship, especially when it moves to more serious ground, but Roberts is an expert at not making this self-doubt an irritating, annoying girly interlude in Roz's character. As with everything, she has her reasons, but she's not silly about them. As Roz and Mitch get closer the Harper Bride makes her disapproval known. But Roz being Roz is sure as Hell not going to let a ghost run her life or influence her decisions, no sir!

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I love Roz's character in this book. We got a hint of it in Blue Dahlia, but it's in this story that we really begin to get underneath her skin. She is one of the gutsiest and independent characters I've ever some across and she just kicks ass - but in a glamorous and sophisticated way! There are some awesome scenes in this book where she gets one up on those who deserve it - whilst always maintaining her poise and elegance since she hates public scenes. You'll be sitting there shouting in your head "C'mon Roz - kick their butts, kick it with style" - and boy, does she deliver! And at the end of the book you'll be really chuffed for her. I didn't find this one ended as abruptly as the other either. I'm not sure whether that was because I was more prepared for it - or because I had the third book on standby and therefore as soon as I finished Black Rose I picked up Red Lily and followed the story straight on, lol. I advise everyone to do that by the way... make sure you have the next installment ready to pick up! We also get to see a bit more of David's character too since he and Roz are close, and he just comes out with some of the greatest lines. And there is also the character of cousin 'Rissy' who can best be described as a shrivelled-up, cantankerous, evil-minded old witch (being polite) from whom Roz has to recover her ancestors journals in order to help piece together the Bride's identity. Its is safe to say that Black Rose definitely keeps you entertained the whole way through.

The Spirit of the Fen - Terry Reeve

I find myself in a strange position right now. I received this book through the post on Saturday morning that was sent to me direct from the author - who in this case happens to be my own dad. So it is a strange feeling indeed to have read a novel that someone you know personally has written and then, in the spirit of my keeping up faithfully with my book-log, have to write a review about it.

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It was hard to read The Spirit of the Fen as being just a novel in which I had no prior emotional investment, rather than a novel specifically that your dad had written. I am not sure I managed to remain totally impartial – you are always looking for hidden subtexts and meanings to things! Whether that is a good thing or not I have no idea. I suppose I am in a very privileged position really as I guess not many people get to read a novel written by someone they know. There have been books I have read in the past when I have thought that it would have been great to know the author, to be able to have that inside information behind the text. But I didn’t find that in this case – not that that’s necessarily a bad thing. I think maybe it was the type of story and it’s content that made distancing myself from it so difficult since I grew up in the area and know how close the subject is to my dad. So, I shall try my very best to be impartial in my review, but I cannot promise I will manage it completely - in fact I will probably end up being too critical! Suddenly I am thinking how do I have the right to critique a novel when I probably have no idea how difficult a task it can be to write one?!
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The Spirit of the Fen is set in the small market town of Bungay in Suffolk – the town I grew up in between the ages of 4 and 18 – and focuses on the current topical issue of new homes being built on green-field sites in rural communities in order to meet government targets. The rural area in this case being Outney Fen (or known locally as Outney Common). The story follows Danny and his fight to save the Fen from Pilgrim’s housing development, which will mean the desecration of common recreation and pastureland of environmental and historical significance – not to mention the spiritual attachment held of it by many of the local residents. It is a story of soul-searching and tragedy amidst much determination, and raises some important questions being faced by many rural residents and council planners up and down the country.

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Overall, it was a good story and enjoyable to read but I think more so for me because I know the area and the landmarks being pointed out and its history. But it's a good first effort and the story flows along nicely. There are also some compelling arguments raised with regards to whether houses should be built on the Fen - at one point I found I was in two-minds about it all just as the central character was whereas before I have always been dead against. Knowing how much the author loves the place on which this book was based, he does manage to balance both sides of the struggle in a fair and objective manner which is quite an achievement. There are some slight repetitions throughout where he is trying to get his point across but the passion that the character of Danny has for the Fen, and it's significance to him and his spirituality is made very clear. I don't think it's going to win any book prizes, but the issues that it raises certainly provide some serious food for thought.

Notes on a Scandal - Zoe Heller

Hmmm... where do I start with this book. That's not necessarily a very good way is it, lol. It's difficult to know where to start when something you have read leaves you with so much to say. Okay, let me start by saying that it was nominated for the Man Booker Prize in 2003, which is a fair achievement in itself. I admit, I am a tad sceptical of book prizes. Not a lot, but a little. They are kind of like the new years honours list for books. But who's to say what a good book is? In my mind, that accolade can only be given by the reader and their relationship with the story. Because of this, you get the impression that you should read it out of principle, to see if it really is that good...
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The blurb on the back is what made me pick it up initially (I actually bought it from a shop, a real shop - and paid full price for once!). Sheba Hart, a 41 year old pottery teacher at St George's, is having an illicit affair with one of the 15 year old pupils in the school. Barbara Covett is her only confidante, a spinster in her sixties and fellow teacher who writes Sheba's story during the fall-out generated by the affair in order to 'record' events and show the 'complexities' of Sheba's character. However Barbara, subconsciously, has her own agenda and soon leaves you wondering who you can trust. The blurb goes on to say that this is a story about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. It probably wasn't until the very last paragraph that I truly understood what was meant by this statement.
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Let me begin by saying that I did enjoy reading this book a great deal. Due to the character of Barbara and her superior attitude there are a fair few words within the text I had never come across before. Usually when this happens I go look them up in the dictionary but I was too involved in the book to be able to put it down long enough to do this. When I first started reading the book I was reminded of those books and extracts that they give you in GCSE and A level English Lit classes in school. The ones where you are asked to read the subtext and dissect the characters in order to gain the true meaning being issued. At this I remember thinking (in a rather chavish way I admit) that here was a book that was going to make me work hard and think too much, lol. I have never known this to ever be a bad trait for a book to have, but I think my mind got stuck in 'classroom mode' for a moment and suddenly I was being forced to read books and note subtexts in order to pass exams rather than for the pleasure of choosing too. No matter, it passed quickly :) Maybe my thought on this was influenced by the plot since part of it is set in a school atmosphere.
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When I first started reading the story I thought the message being given out was that of True Love and how True Love has no boundaries, that it can not be tied to a specific age or character or the restrictions of society, and that when it comes it is relentless and all consuming. I think that for Sheba this may have been the case. She was in love with Connolly and I think truly believed that they had something special. But this is where Sheba's life and character have influence over her actions. Married at 20 to a pretentious know-all named Richard, daughter of a famous economist father and a mother who doted on her husbands success, you can sympathise with her need for affection and can begin to rationalise how she thought the relationship with Connolly could work. However, love is clearly not what Connolly had in mind. He sees her in the way that most 15 year old boys would see a pretty older woman - he fancies her, he has the opportunity to sleep with her, so he takes it - it's as simple as that for him. The way Heller describes the meetings between the two is spot on. I think we have all been with someone at some point in our lives who treats us with nonchelance and so we can relate to why Sheba doesn't just call it a day when he turns distant and cold and chooses not to see the decline for what it is. She is clinging to the remnants of something for what it once was rather than for what is has become.
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Then there is Barbara. Her lonely and meaningless life seems to deafen you with it's quiet monotony. There is one line which encompasses the idea of it completely. Something along the lines of: married people (or people with meaning in their lives) can not know what it is to construct their entire weekend around a trip to the laundrette. It's classic! Heller knows exactly how to describe the situation in a way that you would think only someone who had ever been in that situation would be able to do. I've not read much about Zoe Heller, but I imagine what with being a writer and a columnist living in New York, having a screenwriter husband and two children her life would be pretty full. How could she ever be able to encapsulate what it must be like to be so lonely? But this is the type of thing that differentiates writers from good writers - just like actors and good actors. And probably why Notes on a Scandal was nominated for a Booker Prize in the first place (the book that won it must have been bloody marvellous - or else one of those really pretentious books with a hidden context that no one except ardent literary expects will ever fully understand - you know full well the ones I mean!). We've all been in a situation where we have nothing planned for the weekend, or no party to go to on New Years, but imagine living that existence day in, day out as Barbara does. So again, you can partly understand why she ends up betraying Sheba in a moment of furious rage and jealousy. With these characters in mind it is fairly safe to assume that Heller's choosing of Barbara and Sheba's surnames is no accidental coincidence...
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Heller's writing is clever throughout. There are certain paragraphs and sentences that I read a number of times such was their ability to make me laugh or the point that they were making was so meaningful. Once obnoxious male character in the staff room at the beginning was described as sitting with his legs "aggressively akimbo" - the subsequent image making me laugh out loud. Other things that she says hit home in a rather unsettling manner, but only because you know what she is saying is true. Once such paragraph struck me as particularly insightful
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"That's the thing about people who believe in God, isn't it? The love they have for Him never ends does it. He never lets them down. I read some writer once , who said that love - he was talking about romantic love - love is a mystery and once the solution is found, it evaporates"
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I have to say that the ending is very smart. The very last line in particular of Barbara's narrative leaves you with a very sinister feeling... and you suddenly understand. You can't help but feel sorry for Sheba and what the future holds for her and Barbara. Submissive Sheba who sees the world in it's innocence, and lonely, calculating Barbara who having been on her own for so long is used to having things as she likes them. You know the relationship will never end happily. But on this, Heller leaves us to make up our own minds. It does however leave you with a very unsettling feeling as you close the back cover of the book... like you are somehow glad that you can close the chapter of Barbara and Sheba's disturbing futures and not have to think it anymore...
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Jeez I have gone on forever and ever! I do apologise :) I finished reading the book this morning so I guess all the ideas and impressions left on me are still fresh in my mind. I feel I must also apologise for the minimal effort I put in on my last book blog (Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone). It's not that it wasn't as good - just different. And I am the kind of person that if I have something constructive to say then I say it. But if I haven't... then I don't :)