January Books
Rather a good month, all this tooing-and-froing on the trains has one advantage at least - plenty of reading time!
1: Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe
This was the January choice for the book group. I found it interesting, although I didn't warm to the main character, I did like some of the other characters more. I am not sure how much I enjoyed it, but I guess that was more my frame of mind than anything else. The writing style was very simple, but incredibly powerful. I am glad I read it.
2: Delerium's Party Jill Thompson
This was a Christimas present from my friend Steph - and I read it on the bus on the way back from Knit Night. I already knew I would love it, as I loved her earlier book. This one was surprisingly philosophical in nature. Beautiful artwork too.
3: The 19th Wife David Ebershoff
This is a real page turner, it is ages since I have read a book this quickly. Two stories, from different times, but closely linked - and a huge variety of writing styles, particularly when dealing with the historical story. Brilliant characters in both stories. I really enjoyed this so much.
4:The Strangest Family: the private lives of George III, Queen Charlotte, and the Hanoverians Janice Hadlow
Fantastically detailled, and utterly fascinating study of a deeply disfunctional family - despite George III's best efforts to do things better than his immediate ancestors had. The family dynamic, the law, and the social attitudes of the time all conspired against the creation of a happy domesticity for the Royal Family. This took me ages to read, as it is quite long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
5 : The Pindar Diamond Katie Hickman
This is a great sequel to The Aviary Gate - and there is room for another story too. I liked how the different strands of stories wove together in the end. A return for some much loved characters, and some wonderful new ones too.
6: Northanger Abbey Val McDermid
This is a brilliant retelling of Jane Austen's classic. The modern setting works really well, and it is a fine example of how people don't really change that much - as that side of the story didn't need much 'modernising' at all.
7:,Naive.Super Erlend Loe
Febuary's book group read. Very short and very strange. Not sure how I feel about it, although it does seem to be growing on me as I think about it. It is a book that leaves you with a lot to think about.
1: Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe
This was the January choice for the book group. I found it interesting, although I didn't warm to the main character, I did like some of the other characters more. I am not sure how much I enjoyed it, but I guess that was more my frame of mind than anything else. The writing style was very simple, but incredibly powerful. I am glad I read it.
2: Delerium's Party Jill Thompson
This was a Christimas present from my friend Steph - and I read it on the bus on the way back from Knit Night. I already knew I would love it, as I loved her earlier book. This one was surprisingly philosophical in nature. Beautiful artwork too.
3: The 19th Wife David Ebershoff
This is a real page turner, it is ages since I have read a book this quickly. Two stories, from different times, but closely linked - and a huge variety of writing styles, particularly when dealing with the historical story. Brilliant characters in both stories. I really enjoyed this so much.
4:The Strangest Family: the private lives of George III, Queen Charlotte, and the Hanoverians Janice Hadlow
Fantastically detailled, and utterly fascinating study of a deeply disfunctional family - despite George III's best efforts to do things better than his immediate ancestors had. The family dynamic, the law, and the social attitudes of the time all conspired against the creation of a happy domesticity for the Royal Family. This took me ages to read, as it is quite long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
5 : The Pindar Diamond Katie Hickman
This is a great sequel to The Aviary Gate - and there is room for another story too. I liked how the different strands of stories wove together in the end. A return for some much loved characters, and some wonderful new ones too.
6: Northanger Abbey Val McDermid
This is a brilliant retelling of Jane Austen's classic. The modern setting works really well, and it is a fine example of how people don't really change that much - as that side of the story didn't need much 'modernising' at all.
7:,Naive.Super Erlend Loe
Febuary's book group read. Very short and very strange. Not sure how I feel about it, although it does seem to be growing on me as I think about it. It is a book that leaves you with a lot to think about.