The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Synopsis from Amazon:

For 15-year-old Michael Berg, a chance meeting with an older woman leads to far more than he ever imagined. The woman in question is Hanna, and before long they embark on a passionate, clandestine love affair which leaves Michael both euphoric and confused. For Hanna is not all she seems. Years later, as a law student observing a trial in Germany, Michael is shocked to realize that the person in the dock is Hanna. The woman he had loved is a criminal. Much about her behaviour during the trial does not make sense. But then suddenly, and terribly, it does – Hanna is not only obliged to answer for a horrible crime, she is also desperately concealing an even deeper secret.

This is a brave book. It follows Michael, who after a long period of illness goes to thank the women who helped him when he was sick in the street. This second encounter leads to a love affair that will haunt Michael for the rest of his life. Suddenly Hanna disappears and Michael thinks that is the end – until he sees her in court answering to crimes committed under Hitler’s reign. Yet as the trail proceeds Michael discovers something about Hanna that she is hiding, and which leads her to punishment.

This books looks at Germany, the aftermath of the war, the Holocaust and the guilt of a generation. It also looks at love and sex, and books. I thought this book was a good read. It isn’t a long book and it didn’t take me long to read. I did find the philosophy in the second part hard to grasp, and found it difficult to concentrate whilst reading those bits, but they are really my only complaints.

I liked Michael – he was a simple 15 year old who hadn’t been in a proper relationship, then a man trying to work out how to condemn those who had been involved with the Holocaust, and ultimately he proved himself a good friend. I felt sorry for Hanna and the secret she felt she needed to keep however she had a mean streak that I didn’t like.

As already said, this is a brave book. I think it addresses these sensitive issues well – I don’t think people will be offended when reading this book. I would recommend this as a good book.

8/10

The Chocolate Run by Dorothy Koomson

Synopsis from Amazon:

Amber Salpone thinks in chocolate – talk to her for three minutes and she’ll tell you what kind of chocolate you’d be. In fact, most days, if she was asked to choose between chocolate and relationships,there’d be no contest. At least chocolate has never let her down. Unlike her family. Growing up in the Salpone household has taught Amber to avoid conflict – and love – at all costs. So, when she does the unthinkable and has a one-night stand with womaniser Greg Walterson , her uncomplicated, chocolate-flavoured life goes into meltdown. Especially when Greg announces she’s the love of his life – and Amber finds it hard enough to decide if she wants plain or Fruit & Nut …Meanwhile, her best friend, Jen, seems to be launching a bid to become Bitch Of The Year and Amber’s family are making unreasonable demands. Amber has two choices: to deal with her past and the people around her, or to go on a chocolate run and keep on running …

Amber is not a chocoholic – if you ask her – she is just a chocolate sniffer, needs chocolate to think, and compares everyone to chocolate. It is her constant in life, her safety net.  But running for chocolate is not going to help her this time. She has been off relationships for 18 months, and has loved it. Yet she is falling for Greg, the womaniser. As she pursues this line she realises that her best friend is being turned into skinny, selfish, horrid person, who Amber doesn’t know, or want to know. The some dark secrets come out – not only does Amber have to confront her childhood fears, but she must make choices about friends and lovers.

I really enjoyed this book. This is the second book by Koomson I have read and liked it so much I have bought a third novel. Koomson is a great writer. She is exciting and gripping. I didn’t want to put the book down. The story flows easily off the page and incredibly readable.

I loved the characters. Koomson writes in a way that you feel how Amber feels – so when she was sad you were too; when her heart broke, so did yours. I really liked Renee and Martha her work colleagues – they were funny but good people – great friends to have around.

This is chick-lit, but anyone who likes a good story of friendship, love and family should read this book.

9/10

City of Thieves by David Benioff

City of Thieves by David Benioff

The ‘blurb’
In the coldest winter in history, in a starving city under siege, two prisoners are thrown together on a desperate adventure.

Lev, a shy, chess-loving teenager and Kolya, a charismatic chancer.

They are given one week to complete an extraordinary mission: to scour the ravaged countryside to find a dozen eggs.

Or come back empty-handed, and die.

I picked this up in Waterstone’s because it had a banner on it saying that if the reader didn’t love it then they could claim two books free of charge – but the publishers needn’t worry – I won’t be claiming my freebies!

For Lev, the journey is not only about survival but also about coming-of-age. Kolya is very wordly-wise and is the perfect companion for Lev on this journey, even though Lev finds Kolya rather annoying at first!

I imagine this is semi-biographical, about the author’s Grandfather, perhaps – as Lev’s surname is Beniov. Some of the subject matter is rather disturbing, but that’s only to be expected and it’s not graphically written – there are funny parts too, which help to balance the book.

I’ve not read anything about the Russians’ involvement in World War 2 before, so I don’t know how factually correct the novel is, but it’s a cracking read. One really gets the sense of the struggle ordinary people had in order to survive in war-torn Russia.

The ending might be slightly predictable but that doesn’t take anything away from the experience. I’d definitely recommend this and will look for some more of this author’s work.

Tell Me Where It Hurts – Healing and Hope In My Life as a Vet.

Tell Me Where It Hurts – Healing and Hope In My Life as a Vet.

Author: Dr Nick Trout

Publisher: Sphere, April 2009

Synopsis (taken from amazon.co.uk)

‘It’s 2:47am when Dr Nick Trout, a British vet working in Boston, USA, is abruptly woken and called in to the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital to see if he can save the life of Sage, a ten year-old German Shepherd with a critical stomach condition. The case is severe, the outlook bleak, and Dr Trout is her only chance. So begins an intimate and exhilarating journey into a typical day in a far from typical job. TELL ME WHERE IT HURTS takes the reader to the heart of the trials and tribulations of life as a veterinary surgeon, a life filled with heartbreak, triumph, anxiety, and of course, cuddly pets and their variously crazy, desperate, and demanding owners.’

 

Review

This book demonstrates 24 hours in the life of veterinary specialist Dr Nick Trout. He specialises in companion animals, in particular dogs. It is an emotional rollercoaster of the highs and lows, the pressures and anxieties of a busy day in the surgery’s ER department.

Dr Trout’s day starts just before 3am when he is called into emergency surgery by one of his residents who needs his expertise to try and save a German Shepherd called Sage. The book then follows his day’s appointments and operations. He talks of the pets, the ailments, the procedures and the owners. Dr Trout has to deal with poorly pets, anxious and over protective owners (or ‘parents’ as he calls them), the touchy subject of vets bills and all the while support new residents and fight his own exhaustion.

As a current ‘parent’ of a particularly unlucky and poorly pooch, this book appealed to me and gave me a good insight into the work of the specialist vets we have met and paid out to over the past two years.

Dr Trout trained in Britain but works in the US and he gives interesting comparisons to veterinary work and costs between the two countries. Sometimes the writing can be ‘technical’ but he usually goes on to explain it in layman’s terms. He also talks of his work with much smaller and much larger animals.

I would recommend this book to any dog or cat owner, or anyone who has ever visited a vet! It is a true story, factual, emotional and one of those books you find yourself thinking about when you are not reading it.

Rock Bottom by Michael Shilling

Date of Publication: 2009, Back Bay Books

Number of Pages: 371

Synopsis (from back cover): Once upon a time, Blood Orphans were the next big thing. They had a fat recording contract, the swagger of the gods, and cheekbones that could cut glass. They were the darlings of the LA music scene. They were locked and loaded for rock-and-roll greatness.

And then everything…went…wrong. The singer became a born-again Buddhist who preached from the stage. The bass player’s raging eczema turned his hands into a pulpy mess. The drummer, a sex addict tormented by the misdeeds of his porn-king father, was losing his grip on reality. And the guitar player – the only talented one – was a doormat cowed by the constant abuse of his bandmates.

Set in Amsterdam on the last day of Blood Orphan’s final tour, this novel tells the raucous story of a band – and their heroically coked-out female manager – trying to get in one last shot at fame’s elusive bull’s-eye. Rock Bottom is a pitch-black comedy, a wild ride on the crazy train of outrageous misfortune, and a bighearted paean to the power of dreams.

Review: This book is simply fantastic. The members of Blood Orphans, a disgraced heavy metal band, each have their own bitterness and and misfortunes that they are forced to deal with on this last day of their tour. Bobby, the bass player with the diseased hands, spends his day fighting off his feelings of inferiority and struggles to believe in the affections of a beautiful Dutch girl. Adam, the insanely talented guitar player, finds himself believing in a future without Blood Orphans. Shane, the evangelist singer, spends his day covered in rancid peanut butter, struggling with the dying embers of his once white-hot faith. But it is Darlo, the sex-addicted drummer, who goes through one of the biggest transformations. While the other band members think of him only with hostility, he reveals a troubled, pained soul while dashing through the streets with Joey, the band’s drug-addicted manager. Darlo’s life changes with one phone call from the family lawyer, and he is forced to face the demons of his past.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the characters, which give readers a glimpse into the extreme mental and emotional anguish and journey of each band member. By the end of the book, the band has morphed into something completely different…but I will leave it to future readers to discover what that is! I would recommend this book to any fan of rock-and-roll, or to anyone who has watched and loved This is Spinal Tap.

Rating: 10/10

Keeping Secrets by Andrew Rosenheim

As a child in California,  Jack Renoir witnessed the brutal murder of his uncle, and ever since then, he has cut himself off from emotion, refusing to allow himself to get close to anybody.  He gets a job in security clearance, which means that he has to unearth the secrets that people hope to keep buried.  But thirty years later, he meets Kate Palmer, an English businesswoman, and can’t help falling in love with her.  Jack moves to England to start a new life with Kate, and put his past business behind him…but it’s not long before little things start to raise doubts about Kate, and despite his intentions, Jack can’t help trying to discover exactly what it is going on…

This book has two storylines;  Jack’s life with his uncle Will and Will’s girlfriend Maris, and the events which led to Will’s murder; and Jack’s life with Kate and his suspicions about what she is not telling him.  The story switches between California and Belfield (Kate’s family estate in England) and also between the present day, and thirty years before.  I enjoyed the parts set in California very much.  I do believe that in fact, the story of Jack’s childhood and his subsequent approach to relationships, would have made an interesting novel in itself, without the storyline of his relationship with Kate.  I do believe that the book would have been much better if it had been about 50 pages shorter, and had concentrated more on the events of Jack’s childhood (and their subsequent effects) than on his current life and relationship.

The storyline about Jack’s relationship with Kate was less interesting; the secret which Kate was obviously hiding from Jack was not as interesting as it should have been, and I ended up not really caring how that particular aspect of the story turned out.  I did not think Kate was a particularly likeable character, and found it hard to care about her or her family.

However, the book was interesting enough to hold my attention.  I am not sure whether it was supposed to be a romance, or a mystery, and I think the mystery aspect worked better.  Renoir was a likeable character, and certainly easy enough for the reader to like.  I would certainly be interested in reading further books by this author.

The Strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Synopsis by Amazon:

Everyone has a dark side. Dr Jekyll has discovered the ultimate drug. A chemical that can turn him into something else. Suddenly, he can unleash his deepest cruelties in the guise of the sinister Hyde. Transforming himself at will, he roams the streets of fog-bound London as his monstrous alter-ego. It seems he is master of his fate. It seems he is in complete control. But soon he will discover that his double life comes at a hideous price …

Dr. Jekyll is a scientist with a dark secret – he has created a drug which transforms him into his sinister dark side. At first this is OK, but then Hyde, his alter-ego starts making trouble and goes as far as committing murder. Jekyll’s friends start to get suspicious when Mr. Hyde is seen coming and going from Jekyll’s home – and then the hideous secret is out….

I really enjoyed this book. It explores human nature and good and evil – and ultimately the choices we make. The book was exciting and gripping. It is original and well written – clearly a classic.

Stevenson’s characters were great! I liked the fact Mr. Hyde was written in such a way that I really didn’t like him – it is nice to come across a book that sparks emotion and feelings, and this book did that.

I didn’t find this book scary, just a great read.

9/10

Love Begins in Winter by Simon van Booy

Love Begins in Winter

Until recently, my only experience of the short story format was within the horror genre, with authors such as Stephen King. I’m glad to say, however, that thanks to fantastic writers such as Sarah Salway and Patrick Chapman, this has now changed.

Simon van Booy is an author to now add to this list. This was my first experience of his writing, but I shall certainly be searching out more.

To me, there is a real art to sucessfully writing this format. It lacks the luxery of time, to develop both characters and storyline. Obviously short stories within the horror section are plot driven, but once you move into general fiction, there is scope for both.

The five stories within this book do have storylines, but the emphasis is on the characters. Within very few words, Simon throws you straight into the character’s personalities, making you feel that you know and understand them.

The writing has a wonderful poetic feel to it – the stories all make for fairly quick reading, but they would definitely benefit from a slower re-read. There is an impression that there is more waiting to be discovered the second time round.

Published by Beautiful Books June 2009
paperback £7.99

1st July 2009
Van Booy shortlisted for Frank O’Connor Award

The shortlist for the 2009 Cork-City Frank O’Connor Short Story Award has been decided by an international jury. The award at 35,000 euro is the richest prize in the world for the short story form and is given annually to an original collection of stories judged to be the best. Previous winners have included Haruki Murakami, Miranda July, Jhumpa Lahiri and Yiyun Li. The award is organised by the Munster Literature Centre with generous funding from Cork City Council. The winner will be announced in Cork on September 20th at the closing ceremony of the tenth Frank O’Connor International Short Story Festival which is the oldest annual short story festival in the world.

Marina Fiorato – The Madonna Of The Almonds

Synopsis:

Young widow Simonetta tries to rebuild her family in 16th century Saronno, tuscany, following the death of her husband in one of the battles ravaging the land. In pursuit of a means to keep her estate together, she stumbles upon a new drink made by inffusing almonds with alcohol. At the same time, she encounters Bernadino, the protege of Leonardo da Vinci. What follows is a glorious story of passion, betrayal, warfare and bravery.

Review:

Two parallel stories of love, loss and growing up. Simonetta is a widow at 17, and her dead husband has left her broke, so in order to save her house she agrees to pose as Madonna for artist Bernardino Luini who is painting a religious fresco in her local church. Peasant orphan Amaria is being raised by a kind woman she calls Nonna, and when she tells Nonna of the strange wild man in the woods, Nonna goes to look for him and takes him into their home. On the verge of death, the man they call Selvaggio has what appears to be many war wounds, but he doesn’t remember anything of his former life or how he came to be injured.

Historical fiction is a genre I’ve not really tried before, as I didn’t think I’d enjoy it very much. How wrong I was! The story was so easy to get in to, and the characters are fantastically written, I found it so easy to imagine them in my mind with the vivid descriptions that are given. I enjoyed reading about the wars and the religious persecutions of Jews and thought both subjects were written about really well. To put it simply, there was nothing about this book I disliked at all, everything about it was great. I’d really recommend it and I’m eager to now read The Glassblower Of Murano, Marina Fiorato’s first novel set in the same time period.

Rating: 5/5

Take A Girl Like Me by Amy Bohan with Jordan Paramor

Amy grew up in Wales and had a promising career as an athlete, but things did not go to plan and Amy ends up in London on the modelling circuit. It’s here that Amy is introduced to cocaine and life will not be the same again.

I really could relate to some of what Amy went through in her younger years and the growing up later than everyone else. I certainly believe it can bring about a touch of naivety. I felt for Amy and her experiences and I also became very angry for her. Reading about her running made me think about my daughter who has been running for a number of years at a local athletics club and she has felt more comfortable with the people there than her peers at her old school who she felt were completely different to her and even though I wouldn’t say she was massively bullied they certainly used to tell her she was a freak because she enjoyed her healthy lifestyle while they’re busy learning to drink, take soft drugs etc.

I found it an easy but a sad and tragic read too. How many people have tragic events happen that send them on a road that possibly would not have happened if things had been different?

There certainly did appear to be lots of coke and other drugs around and it amazes me, with the dangers of drugs, that in the circle of people Amy mixed with in London you would have thought people would be keeling over left, right and centre, but then maybe they were and Amy just didn’t notice because of her own habits or else this is just not part of the memoir. I couldn’t believe the amount of alcohol and drugs Amy could get through and still be here to tell the tale. She’s one lucky lady to still be around. Overall I enjoyed (is that the correct word?) reading the book although occasionally I felt overwhelmed by the amount of drugs around but if Amy’s telling it how it was then I can’t really fault it. She comes across generally as a strong lady who knows her mind but at times could easily be led astray. It’s good to see that she’s left the drugs and lifestyle behind and is looking forward to a new and better life.

Published by:  Beautiful Books

RRP: £7.99