Another excellent book to add to the Brookmyre canon! It sat on the shelf for a while but the wait was worth it.
The books starts off on a disappointing note when it is revealed that Brookmyre’s cynical, journalist character, Jack Parlabane, is narrating the tale from the after life due to his recent demise. This is sad, but I suppose all writers have to move on sometimes. But all is not what it seems, don’t read on if you want the plot of the book spoiled.
The major subject of this book is that or spiritualism or woo as everyone seems to call it. Although it is a fiction it very clearly expresses the author’s own coruscating views towards the whole business of psychics.
The book is basically the tale of how an American psychic, Gabriel Lafayetter and his learned friend ‘Easy’ Mather set themselves up with a chair of spiritual learning at ‘Kelvin’ University to fleece rich businessman, Bryan Lemuel. Jack Parlabane becomes involved as the cynical journalist overseeing some tesing of Mr Lafayette which is being carried out to confirm his ‘psychic’ powers. As well as this he is unbelievably, rector of the same institution!
The story is told in turn by three of the main characters of the story. First, of course, there is Jack with his usual wit and aplomb. Then we have another journalist, Jillian Noble, who manages to get herself conned by Lafayette and Mather into believing and writing and selling a whole book about an experience she has with them. Thirdly, you have geeky student, Michael Loftus, who for various reasons, thinks his place in the world is to try and debunk spiritualists like Lafayette.
The book takes a while to get going but unlike one or two of his recent efforts, it is not weighed down by a lot of verbose prose making the tale unnecessarily longer. In fact, this one is a reasonable 351 pages. It is certainly more enjoyable than a Tale etched in… and poses some interesting questions about the place of psychics in our society and how seriously we should take them. I think we know what side of the fence Mr Brookmyre stands on!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Review of The Last Breath by Denise Mina
The Last Breath is the third book in the sequence by Denise Mina featuring the wannabe journalist from Rutherglen, Paddy Meehan.
The new book moves action on 10 years from the end of The Dead Hour. Paddy is now a salaried journalist with her own column in The Daily News. Of course, she has the accoutrements that go with it, a nice Volvo, a flat in Kelvinbridge and the respect of her peers.
Of course, with getting older, baggage gets heavier. In particular, she now has a 6 year old kid called Pete by ex-partner and comedian George Burn. As well as Pete she has an unfulfilled relationship with her flatmate, Dub Mackenzie who shares a flat but not a bed with her. In the background, you’ve got her mother Tricia and her sister, Mary Ann who is a num.
The book starts off with the death of Terry Paterson, a journalist and ex-boyfriend of Paddy’s. Unsusually, it is Paddy who has to identify the body because Terry’s parents are both dead from long ago. The rumours are that the IRA were involved although this is strongly denies by them and even the police are happy to concede that it wasn’t a killing linked to the Troubles.
Paddy’s not so sure and starts to look into it and when a photographer, Kevin Hatcher, a colleague of Terry’s dies in strange circumstances things start to get hairy for her.
Paddy finds an IRA connection in the shape of a boss, Martin McBree, from the province who seems to be getting protection from the Secret Services in some kind of deal. This man seems to have appeared in one of Kevin’s photos. When portfolios and other of Kevin’s stuff goes missing later, its clear that this holds the key.
Again this book is very easy to read and moves along at a fair lick. In this story, Paddy is a more mature, better developed character who has more concerns about her since her father has now died.
An interesting sub-plot here is the return of Calum Ogilvy who was one of the child killers who Paddy helped find in the previous book. Here he is released from prison and Paddy is asked to help her ex-boyfriend, Sean Ogilvy, out in picking him up from prison. He comes across quite clearly as a damaged person but Paddy bonds with him in an unexpected way and if there are more books in this series he’ll probably feature in some way. Again, Denise Mina, has shown us why she is the Queen of Scottish Crime!
The new book moves action on 10 years from the end of The Dead Hour. Paddy is now a salaried journalist with her own column in The Daily News. Of course, she has the accoutrements that go with it, a nice Volvo, a flat in Kelvinbridge and the respect of her peers.
Of course, with getting older, baggage gets heavier. In particular, she now has a 6 year old kid called Pete by ex-partner and comedian George Burn. As well as Pete she has an unfulfilled relationship with her flatmate, Dub Mackenzie who shares a flat but not a bed with her. In the background, you’ve got her mother Tricia and her sister, Mary Ann who is a num.
The book starts off with the death of Terry Paterson, a journalist and ex-boyfriend of Paddy’s. Unsusually, it is Paddy who has to identify the body because Terry’s parents are both dead from long ago. The rumours are that the IRA were involved although this is strongly denies by them and even the police are happy to concede that it wasn’t a killing linked to the Troubles.
Paddy’s not so sure and starts to look into it and when a photographer, Kevin Hatcher, a colleague of Terry’s dies in strange circumstances things start to get hairy for her.
Paddy finds an IRA connection in the shape of a boss, Martin McBree, from the province who seems to be getting protection from the Secret Services in some kind of deal. This man seems to have appeared in one of Kevin’s photos. When portfolios and other of Kevin’s stuff goes missing later, its clear that this holds the key.
Again this book is very easy to read and moves along at a fair lick. In this story, Paddy is a more mature, better developed character who has more concerns about her since her father has now died.
An interesting sub-plot here is the return of Calum Ogilvy who was one of the child killers who Paddy helped find in the previous book. Here he is released from prison and Paddy is asked to help her ex-boyfriend, Sean Ogilvy, out in picking him up from prison. He comes across quite clearly as a damaged person but Paddy bonds with him in an unexpected way and if there are more books in this series he’ll probably feature in some way. Again, Denise Mina, has shown us why she is the Queen of Scottish Crime!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Review of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Gilead is a book which was given glowing praise from two members of the Battlefield Book Group. I’ve never come across Marilynne Robinson before so I was unsure what to expect if I bought or borrowed the book.
Fortunately, it turned up as one of this month’s book group read and although the S.O. and I won’t be able to go along to the next meeting I was still curious to see what all the fuss was about.
The book received a lot of praise when published a few years ago and indeed it managed to win a Pulitzer prize for fiction. The US equivalent of the Man Booker prize. So it was obviously a worthy choice for book group.
Ostensibly, the book is one man’s long letter to his 6 year old son before he dies. This might seem like a vague idea lacking plot. However, although I found it hard to warm to the book it did grow on you and made you think of life and beyond.
The narrator is Reverend John Ames, a church minister who lives and preaches in Gilead, Iowa. It is 1956 and Rev Ames is suffering from a heart complaint which is soon to end his 76 year old life. Surprisingly, he has a 6 year old son to Lila, a woman he met through his congregation some years previously. He is writing this journal to his son as he knows it is unlikely that he will not remember much of his father when he gets older.
In the bible, Gilead, is described as the hill of testimony, so it is an appropriate name for this story which tells of the testimony of Rev Ames.
In some ways, the book is very difficult with its religious language and philosophizing. In other ways, this can be looked at in a secular way and applied to modern life.
It is quite clear, that part of this narrative is a way for Rev Ames to clear his own mind before he does pass away. In particular, he has problems with his god son Jack Ames Boughton, who is the son of his closest friend. It becomes clear through the book, that this person has caused a lot of pain to his family and Rev Ames when growing up and that Rev Ames doesn’t seem to be able to trust him in any way.
However, he does realise, that he must forgive him any ‘meanness’ from the past before he passes on.
At the same time, his friend, John Boughton, is dying and this brings the Godson back to Gilead. Here he confesses to having a child by a African American woman from Tennessee and whose family will not accept Boughton in any kind of way. This is causing him a lot of pain. Unfortunately, he can’t say anything to Boughton senior because he is dying.
So there are lots of issues in this book, not least those of grace and forgiveness of other people for their actions and statements.
The book doesn’t end with the death of Rev Ames but with the departure of Jack Boughton back to Tennessee and his wife and child.
My only niggle with the book is the lack of plot which makes reading of it difficult at times. Persistence does pay off though.
Fortunately, it turned up as one of this month’s book group read and although the S.O. and I won’t be able to go along to the next meeting I was still curious to see what all the fuss was about.
The book received a lot of praise when published a few years ago and indeed it managed to win a Pulitzer prize for fiction. The US equivalent of the Man Booker prize. So it was obviously a worthy choice for book group.
Ostensibly, the book is one man’s long letter to his 6 year old son before he dies. This might seem like a vague idea lacking plot. However, although I found it hard to warm to the book it did grow on you and made you think of life and beyond.
The narrator is Reverend John Ames, a church minister who lives and preaches in Gilead, Iowa. It is 1956 and Rev Ames is suffering from a heart complaint which is soon to end his 76 year old life. Surprisingly, he has a 6 year old son to Lila, a woman he met through his congregation some years previously. He is writing this journal to his son as he knows it is unlikely that he will not remember much of his father when he gets older.
In the bible, Gilead, is described as the hill of testimony, so it is an appropriate name for this story which tells of the testimony of Rev Ames.
In some ways, the book is very difficult with its religious language and philosophizing. In other ways, this can be looked at in a secular way and applied to modern life.
It is quite clear, that part of this narrative is a way for Rev Ames to clear his own mind before he does pass away. In particular, he has problems with his god son Jack Ames Boughton, who is the son of his closest friend. It becomes clear through the book, that this person has caused a lot of pain to his family and Rev Ames when growing up and that Rev Ames doesn’t seem to be able to trust him in any way.
However, he does realise, that he must forgive him any ‘meanness’ from the past before he passes on.
At the same time, his friend, John Boughton, is dying and this brings the Godson back to Gilead. Here he confesses to having a child by a African American woman from Tennessee and whose family will not accept Boughton in any kind of way. This is causing him a lot of pain. Unfortunately, he can’t say anything to Boughton senior because he is dying.
So there are lots of issues in this book, not least those of grace and forgiveness of other people for their actions and statements.
The book doesn’t end with the death of Rev Ames but with the departure of Jack Boughton back to Tennessee and his wife and child.
My only niggle with the book is the lack of plot which makes reading of it difficult at times. Persistence does pay off though.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Review of The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
I bought this after reading some of the reviews and since the good people at Amazon were offering at a bargain price I had to have it.
The story is a bit strange in that it is narrated by Death or the Grim Reaper. Some of his interjections and asides are quite amusing and informative once you get used to them. They were a bit annoying at first though.
The tale related is about a ten year old girl called Liesel Meminger. At the start she is on her way with her mother and brother to Munich. Now its never clear why but the children are to be fostered by Hans and Rosa Huberman in Molching on the outskirts of Muncih.
On the trip there, Liesel’s brother dies and is buried in a village near the railway line. This is the first time the death encounters Liesel and is also the first time that she steals a book. By the graveside she picks up the Grave Digger’s Handbook which has been dropped by an apprentice grave digger.
Eventually, Liesel gets to Molching and is left with the Hubermans. Rosa, her foster mother is a foul-mouthed washerwoman who’s heart is in the right place and Hans is an unemployed painter who plays accordion in the local bars. It is he who helps teach Liesel read properly and instil in her a love of books.
From this point we read about Liesel’s love of reading and books and her life growing up in the town of Molching through the start of the war.
Part of the way in Max Vandenberg, a Jew from Stuttgart turns up and is taken in secretively by the Hubermans. The connection is with an old buddy who was a buddy of Hans in the trenches in WWI. The Huberman’s risk everything to hide Max. In turn, he entertains and educates Liesel.
Unfortunately, Max has to run away when Hans gets involved in a scuffled with soldiers during a routine march of Jewish prisoners on their way to Dachau. His safety is compromised by this action.
Some people have said this book is about the holocaust. I think it is more about a young girl’s experience of the war and the people around her. It is also about her love of books and what relief they bring to her life to ease the burdens of the war. The holocaust does affect her in the form of Max and his escape from the Nazis and also the marches of the Jews through Molching. But in my opinion the book is only partly about this.
It took me a while to get into it but at the end I really enjoyed the Book Thief and although I didn’t cry at the end, it was certainly very sad. Having said that there was still room for a smile.
The story is a bit strange in that it is narrated by Death or the Grim Reaper. Some of his interjections and asides are quite amusing and informative once you get used to them. They were a bit annoying at first though.
The tale related is about a ten year old girl called Liesel Meminger. At the start she is on her way with her mother and brother to Munich. Now its never clear why but the children are to be fostered by Hans and Rosa Huberman in Molching on the outskirts of Muncih.
On the trip there, Liesel’s brother dies and is buried in a village near the railway line. This is the first time the death encounters Liesel and is also the first time that she steals a book. By the graveside she picks up the Grave Digger’s Handbook which has been dropped by an apprentice grave digger.
Eventually, Liesel gets to Molching and is left with the Hubermans. Rosa, her foster mother is a foul-mouthed washerwoman who’s heart is in the right place and Hans is an unemployed painter who plays accordion in the local bars. It is he who helps teach Liesel read properly and instil in her a love of books.
From this point we read about Liesel’s love of reading and books and her life growing up in the town of Molching through the start of the war.
Part of the way in Max Vandenberg, a Jew from Stuttgart turns up and is taken in secretively by the Hubermans. The connection is with an old buddy who was a buddy of Hans in the trenches in WWI. The Huberman’s risk everything to hide Max. In turn, he entertains and educates Liesel.
Unfortunately, Max has to run away when Hans gets involved in a scuffled with soldiers during a routine march of Jewish prisoners on their way to Dachau. His safety is compromised by this action.
Some people have said this book is about the holocaust. I think it is more about a young girl’s experience of the war and the people around her. It is also about her love of books and what relief they bring to her life to ease the burdens of the war. The holocaust does affect her in the form of Max and his escape from the Nazis and also the marches of the Jews through Molching. But in my opinion the book is only partly about this.
It took me a while to get into it but at the end I really enjoyed the Book Thief and although I didn’t cry at the end, it was certainly very sad. Having said that there was still room for a smile.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Review of The Island by Victoria Hislop
The Island is a book about leprosy, love, genealogy and history but not necessarily in that order!
This month the Book Group decided to read two titles, I can’t remember why but did think at the time that it was quite a lot to ask. Haven’t said that I could’ve chosen not to read one of them. However, I was fortunate enough to have a few days in France earlier in the month when I found the time to read Brick Lane, leaving The Island to be read later.
Interesting footnote about the writer: Victoria Hislop is married to Ian Hislop, well known writer and broadcaster of Private Eye and Have I Got News for You fame. Having read the island, I’d be interested to hear how Mr Hislop found it.
The book starts out in the UK with Alexis who is determined to try and find out something about her background from her mother. Up to that point, her mother, Sofia, has always been tight lipped about her childhood in Crete. Since Alexis was about to visit the island on holiday she though she could investigate her family history. Her mother relented somewhat and gave her a letter of introduction to Fotini who still lived in the village where her mother came from, Plaka.
In the background to all this Alexis is trying to make up her mind about her boyfriend who she had been with for a few years. To be honest this part of the book is superfluous and is really a contrivance to bring you into the real part of the story about Spinalonga.
Alexis arrives in Crete and in due course travels to Plaka to meet Fotini. At that point the book turns back the years to the 1930s as Fotini relates her mother’s story. This is the real part of the book.
Fotini relates the history of Alexis’s family and their intertwined relationship with the island of Spinalonga. Spinalonga at that time was known as leper colony for the whole of Crete and part of Greece. At this time leprosy was still endemic in Europe and an effective cure had not been found.
The general info and history of leprosy are very interesting in the book and certainly make you want to visit Crete and the island of Spinalonga. I suppose most people don’t release that leprosy still affected the greater part of Europe until after WWII. I certainly didn’t.
At the start of the story the colony is well established and is maintained by Georgiou who is married to Eleni the local school teacher. This couple are Alexis’ great grandparents. Eleni has 2 daughters, Anna and Maria. Soon after the start of the story, Eleni is diagnosed with leprosy and is exiled to Spinalonga. It is here that the family’s association with leprosy starts.
The book details Eleni’s life on the island and although it is hard at first, she does come to terms with the situation and the other islanders, there are about 200, help life become tolerable and at times enjoyable. This part of the book is quite informative and interesting.
At this point, Eleni’s condition and she dies quite quickly for a leprosy sufferer. At this point her children develop, grow up and form the ‘soapy’ part of the book with their lives and loves of two different contrasting men. Andreas, then Manoli for Anna and then Dr Kyrsitis for Marian. At this point the book does become a little sentimental and predictable, although the ending isn’t that obvious. We do find out why Alexis’s mother, Sofia has been so secretive about her family. However, she does journey out to Crete at the end and make it up with her daughter.
Overall, The Island was quite enjoyable but ultimately a bit too melodramatic for me. Don’t think I’ll be looking out any future titles of Mrs HIslop’s.
This month the Book Group decided to read two titles, I can’t remember why but did think at the time that it was quite a lot to ask. Haven’t said that I could’ve chosen not to read one of them. However, I was fortunate enough to have a few days in France earlier in the month when I found the time to read Brick Lane, leaving The Island to be read later.
Interesting footnote about the writer: Victoria Hislop is married to Ian Hislop, well known writer and broadcaster of Private Eye and Have I Got News for You fame. Having read the island, I’d be interested to hear how Mr Hislop found it.
The book starts out in the UK with Alexis who is determined to try and find out something about her background from her mother. Up to that point, her mother, Sofia, has always been tight lipped about her childhood in Crete. Since Alexis was about to visit the island on holiday she though she could investigate her family history. Her mother relented somewhat and gave her a letter of introduction to Fotini who still lived in the village where her mother came from, Plaka.
In the background to all this Alexis is trying to make up her mind about her boyfriend who she had been with for a few years. To be honest this part of the book is superfluous and is really a contrivance to bring you into the real part of the story about Spinalonga.
Alexis arrives in Crete and in due course travels to Plaka to meet Fotini. At that point the book turns back the years to the 1930s as Fotini relates her mother’s story. This is the real part of the book.
Fotini relates the history of Alexis’s family and their intertwined relationship with the island of Spinalonga. Spinalonga at that time was known as leper colony for the whole of Crete and part of Greece. At this time leprosy was still endemic in Europe and an effective cure had not been found.
The general info and history of leprosy are very interesting in the book and certainly make you want to visit Crete and the island of Spinalonga. I suppose most people don’t release that leprosy still affected the greater part of Europe until after WWII. I certainly didn’t.
At the start of the story the colony is well established and is maintained by Georgiou who is married to Eleni the local school teacher. This couple are Alexis’ great grandparents. Eleni has 2 daughters, Anna and Maria. Soon after the start of the story, Eleni is diagnosed with leprosy and is exiled to Spinalonga. It is here that the family’s association with leprosy starts.
The book details Eleni’s life on the island and although it is hard at first, she does come to terms with the situation and the other islanders, there are about 200, help life become tolerable and at times enjoyable. This part of the book is quite informative and interesting.
At this point, Eleni’s condition and she dies quite quickly for a leprosy sufferer. At this point her children develop, grow up and form the ‘soapy’ part of the book with their lives and loves of two different contrasting men. Andreas, then Manoli for Anna and then Dr Kyrsitis for Marian. At this point the book does become a little sentimental and predictable, although the ending isn’t that obvious. We do find out why Alexis’s mother, Sofia has been so secretive about her family. However, she does journey out to Crete at the end and make it up with her daughter.
Overall, The Island was quite enjoyable but ultimately a bit too melodramatic for me. Don’t think I’ll be looking out any future titles of Mrs HIslop’s.
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