A Haunted House by Virginia Woolf (Short Story)

I read this Februaury 2013
I am trying to get to grips with Virginia Woolf, think I'm failing, but didn't mind this one..
6/10
Helen

The Christmas Truce by Carol Ann Duffy Illustrated by David Roberts

I read this poem Februaury 2013
A lovely poem, beautifully illustrated into a lovely little book
Poem is about the 1914 WWI Christmas Truce.
10/10
Helen

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

I read this February 2013
For the Waterstones Book Club.
The year is 1914 Europe is on  the brink of war, a cruise liner goes down on the way to New York.
This is a story of the survivors in one of the lifeboats.  The boat is overcrowded, they have to lighten the load.  Who lives who dies... who cares - sorry but this book did not live up to expectations at all.. I was looking forward to reading it...I found it titanically tedious, trivial and torporific...
Just not the book for me.  I kept reading it hoping that the 'survivors' were actually all dead, but there wasn't even that twist to interest me...
3/10 it got published...sorry Charlotte, from the Q&A at the back you sound realy likeable, I just did not like this book...
Helen

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones read by Finty Williams

I listened to this February 2013

Sat on an Island in the South Pacific torn apart by Civil War.
A white man comes and agrees to be the School Master - he uses local people to come and give talks to the children.  But also he reads Great Expectations to the children.  They learn of a different life, a different country and over the course of 2-3 months become involved in the life of Pip.

The story is narrated by a 13 year old girl, Matilda, whose father has left o find work . Matilda retells Pips story to her mother at night.

The rebels come to the village demanding names and demanding to know who Mr Dickens is and the whereabouts of Pip... but the book has gone missing and the Rebels think Pip is real and seek revenge on those they think are hiding him.

I lovely, well told story.  I really enjoyed it

7/10
Helen

A Partisans Daughter by Louis de Bernieres

I read this January 2013


Well I have to confess, this is one of my favourite authors, he can do no wrong as far as I am concerned... so I have admitted my bias here...

I really enjoyed this book, not overly long, not overly complicated, but full of human emotion.

A middleaged man invites a prostitute into his car and they form a relationship.  She tells him stories of her past life in Yugoslavia...

Lovely book
9/10

Helen

The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill

I read this January 2013

I bought this book with Rosie from Writing Group and Book Club as we sometimes  buy books between us and share them.

Susan Hill is a very diverse and prolific writer.  This book is part of the Simon Serrailler Crime series.  I hadn't read any of those before.

I don't think Susan Hill can write a bad sentence.  Even if I don't particularly like the subject matter, I always have to admire her writing.  Not overly complicated but not simple either - easy to read, never patronising.

I liked this novel, although I always think crime/detective novels have too many characters, but that is their nature isn't it.  I shall definitely read some more in this series.

Really good read

9/10
Helen

Don Quixote by Cervantes

I listened to this aduio book in January 2013
Listened whilst in the kitchen so when cooking, ironing etc...
 I read this book many years ago and really enjoyed it.  I liked the audio book better as it seemed more accessible  - being read to.

This is a classic and Follows the adaventures and misadventures of Don Quixote and his manservant across Spain.  Don Quixote is suffering from delusions of grandeur and not everyone he meets along the way is sympathetic  - I like that because it doesn't have our 21st century sensiblilites that if written now it would have. 

9/10
Have you read this?
let me know what you think of it
Helen