Category: Books

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is a title that I had spotted in the bookshops many times but had never quite got around to picking up. However, not so long ago, a lovely friend handed it to me and simply said ‘You need to read this, you’ll love it.’ And she was right! (Don’t you love having friends who know you so well they can pick books for you?)

I won’t lie, I was mildly concerned about the length of the novel, as I am not usually one for weighty historical fiction. However, a huge part of the charm of this book is that it is written in short, sharp chapters that allow you to process the story and keep you turning the page.

The two central characters are so wonderful, you fall in love with them as soon as you start seeing their story unfold. Marie-Laure is a wonderfully strong female character. She shows that, against all odds, people find strength to survive and achieve their dreams. Werner, meanwhile, is a boy who clearly finds himself torn between the desire to do the right thing and to grab opportunities that will give him a ‘brighter’ future.

One of the real skills of this storytelling is the clever way that the stories of these two characters cross over. Ultimately, a random series of events but almost shared experience draws Marie-Laure and Werner together. We also see that there is always kindness and the desire to do the right thing, whatever side war may put you on.

The novel certainly has an emotional conclusion, but it is wonderful that it shows the power of happy memories and the kindness of strangers.

Have you read any books that you have found to be a real surprise with how much you loved them?

6 Months Blogging – Happy Half Birthday!

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

S0, 6 months ago today, Bookworm and Theatre Mouse was born. It was an idea that I had been thinking about for a while but I did not have the confidence to launch it until a good friend, Hayley from Home, encouraged me to give it a go and told me she would read it (so I knew I had one reader if nothing else!). I am so glad I did – and here are 6 reasons why…

  1. A chance to share what I love: Books and theatre are my passion and have been for a long time. It is a joy to be able to share my thoughts with you all about both of these subjects, and hopefully encourage other people to enjoy them too.
  2. The support of people out there: The messages on Instagram and Twitter that let me know that people have liked what I have written and visited my little blog.
  3. Discovering so many fabulous things: It has been a joy to check out other blogs and some great online companies that have a book, paper or theatre focus. There are so many talented people out there. Especially Ashley King for letting me have a sneak peek at his latest project ‘Witch for a Week.’
  4. Trying something new: This blog has encouraged me to look beyond the things I know I love and try new genres and styles. It has been a pleasure to see amazing plays that I wouldn’t have necessarily tried before, and discover brilliant authors and unforgettable books.
  5. A chance to do something different: Hobbies are so important and this is a great one. It also means that I find inspiration from the amazing community out there for my other hobbies (Harry Potter cross stitch is one of the best so far).
  6. Looking to the future: The chance to keep developing this blog is something I look forward to every day, learning new things and adding more little stories – bring on the next 6 months!

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

So, I have finally picked up this book – I know I am very late to the party with ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’.

I have heard so much about this book and Hayley from Home is a huge fan, so she inspired me to finally pick it up and give it a go (as well as it being the title for this month’s #BookClub140). I had a bit of an idea of the plot and, to be honest, I think that put me off for a while as it seemed a little bit depressing. However, I was so wrong; I could not put the book down and it really appealed to the history geek in me.

It is true that it is a rather hard-hitting storyline and there are clearly influences from our history that have helped form the plot, but I actually found it fascinating and thought provoking. It really does make you realise that we take an awful lot of our freedom for granted and that it is a delicate balance that avoids us slipping into such a terrifying reality.

The narrator’s voice is perfect throughout the novel. You empathise with her from the first line and you have a continuing desire to find out what her story is and where it may go; this is certainly what kept me turning the page. The characters were incredibly rounded and fascinating, considering their roles were so carefully defined in society. You do feel resentment towards those characters that appear to be privileged in society but they all, also, have demons that seem to be haunting them. There is the fear of not fulfilling the role you have been placed in, as well as the constant memory of the past and what may have been. The cliffhanger ending really does leave you with your imagination going off in all sorts of directions, never really knowing which are correct.

The final ‘chapter’ that suggests that this society is being studied is something that had really caught my imagination as a teacher. It left me thinking about the way we teach about societies of the past and when we may have been close to similar situations in our past.

I did not find this a difficult or harrowing read, but I am not sure that I am quite prepared for the television adaptation as this is taking the story out of my own safe imagination and possibly bringing it closer to reality.

Have you read any other of Margaret Atwood’s books? If so, where would you recommend me to venture next?

 

 

Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I saw an article not so long ago that suggested that there were not enough lead female characters in children’s fiction, but yet again I have stumbled across another: Tiffany Aching is one of the most fabulous female lead characters I have encountered.

Tiffany encompasses the idea that girls can be courageous and ambitious and will not let the world that they live in hold them back. In fact, it was interesting at the end of the tale that Pratchett highlighted the fact that successful and heroic females do not always get the recognition that they deserve, but they are confident enough in their own abilities that they do not need public adoration.

As I am sure you can see, I loved reading ‘Wee Free Men’. There was a charm to the book from the moment you picked it up. It was full of Pratchett’s usual wit and humour that works on so many levels (adults can always enjoy his children’s books as much as his target audience) and the voice that he gave the ‘pictsies’ was spot on. I often found myself chuckling as I heard their ‘wee’ Scottish voices throughout the novel.

The foe of Tiffany is the ‘Queen’, who kidnaps her younger brother. With the help of the pictsies and a mildly grumpy toad, Tiffany has to fight the dreams that the Queen creates for her to try and get her brother home. Her inspiration throughout is Granny Aching, who she gets her strength of character from. It is quite an adventure for all involved.

So, I think I may have found one of my new favourite characters, as it is rather a lot of fun to join Tiffany on her adventures.

Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I am a huge fan of Michael Morpurgo because he makes history accessible for readers of all ages, and Emma Carroll has done exactly the same with this lovely tale, ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’.

Set in WWII, it follows the adventures of Olive and her younger brother Cliff as they are evacuated from London to the Devonshire coast. Before they leave, their sister disappears during an air raid and the only clue to her disappearance appears to be a coded note and a link to the village the children are evacuated to. I do not like to give the plot away, other than to say this mystery intrigues Olive and Cliff while they embark on Devonshire life and move to the Lighthouse with the mysterious Ephraim.

What really delighted me about this tale is the cleverly interwoven lessons from history (as a history teacher, this is a real joy). Also, reading it this week especially, I found myself reflecting on the way that people will pull together in times of need, whatever their background.

The story is beautifully written with wonderful characters. It is a real page turner as every new question is raised or a new mystery solved. This is a story that will stay with me for a long time and I can not wait to share it with others.

Are you a fan of historical fiction? Any recommendations?

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have really enjoyed taking part in #BookClub140 from Parker and Me (as always, thanks for the recommendation, Hayley from Home), as it has led me to read books I may not have chosen otherwise.

This is one such title. Obviously, I had heard all the hype about the HBO series but I did not know anything about the story. However, once I started, I could not put this book down; I was eager every day to make some reading time – but we all know that is easier said than done sometimes.

The key with this novel is that there is the mystery within the tale from the moment you read page 1. Now, I do not want to share any spoilers, but never has a title of a book been more apt. It is fascinating to follow the revelations of the big little lies from the 3 central characters: Jane, Celeste and Madeline. As the reader, you understand why some of the lies have been created and some of the secrets kept. It does not take too long to become all too clear the huge impact that some actions can have on so many people, intentionally or otherwise. I was also left thinking about how we never really know the personal battles that people are facing.

There is a clear humour and sensitivity to the writing that adds to the joy of reading this book. The conclusion of the tale, I think, will be considered a happy, or at least potentially positive, one for the characters that you grow to admire – and, possibly, an understandable one for others.

I would like to give some more of Liane Moriarty’s books a go. My Auntie has suggested ‘The Husband’s Secret’ – what do the rest of you think?

Witch for a Week by Kaye Umansky

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

When I found out that Ashley King was illustrating a book for Kaye Umansky, I did a little squeal of joy. Growing up I was a massive ‘Pongwiffy’ fan; Kaye Umansky’s books were staple reading for my sister and I (and even my mum). So, when I saw that there was a new title and a wonderful collaboration between these two, I had to read it.

‘Witch for a Week’ is out in October, just in time for Halloween, but I have been lucky enough to have a sneak peek and I loved it. It was great to revisit the writing of Kaye Umansky, accompanied by the illustrations of Ashley King.

Elsie Pickle is a lovely heroine who takes on the job of temporary caretaker of the ‘Tower in the Forest’ for the local witch, Magenta Sharp. Along with a wonderful little collection of characters, including a talking raven and a rather hapless, scruffy dog, she embarks on quite an adventure. Elsie is a determined young lady who uses her skills in customer service (thanks to the family shop) and the guidance offered by the handbook ‘Everything You Need to Know’ to tackle whatever the ‘Tower in the Forest’ and the rather interesting locals throw at her.

There is so much humour and warmth in this book, just as I knew there would be. You can not help but wish you were part of the adventures. The illustrations really bring the characters to life, their personalities shining through in each drawing. This is a book that children and adults alike are going to enjoy reading.

So, make sure you give this book a go and find out if you have what it takes to be ‘Witch for a Week’. Thank you Ash for giving me the chance to find out!

 

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Mr Bookworm and Theatre Mouse introduced me to Neil Gaiman about 7 years ago. Since then, I have become a massive fan of Gaiman’s work and, as there has been such hype about the TV series of ‘American Gods’ (how can there not be when Lovejoy is in it?), I thought I had best read the book first. This is a rule I have: try to read the book before I see any kind of adaptation.

I think this is the longest Neil Gaiman book I have read and it seemed to take me a while to get through it. Not due to lack of enjoyment, but due to real life getting in the way. I was, in fact, hooked from the moment I picked up this title – it does have quite a dramatic start and I constantly tried to sneak in a few pages wherever and whenever I could since then. I was fascinated about Shadow and his story and the mysterious Mr Wednesday from the word go, and you just get more drawn in as you are introduced to the vast array of colourful characters throughout the novel. You just want to keep turning the pages, as you’re always keen to find out what is going to happen next.

It does take some concentration to keep up with the tale as it marches towards the conclusion, but that does not take away from the enjoyment of the book. It is extremely clever storytelling when even the smallest incident turns out to have quite an impact on the story. So much is revisited that you wonder if you should have given each event more of your attention as it happened – which is something great that you’ll often find in Neil Gaiman’s stories.

The research and detail that has been put into this book to intertwine all the gods and folkloric figures from around the world as they converge in America (as so many different cultures have done) is commendable, and has left me with a desire to find out more about a number of them. Mr Bookworm and Theatre Mouse was quizzing me on if I had worked out who they all were, but I am happy to find out as I go rather then predict.

This book was a brilliant read and overall, for me, it has left me thinking about ‘Shadow’ and shadows: do we always know what is going on or what is going to happen? Do we need to be in the spotlight, or should we be looking at the magic of the shadows?

Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

It is a fact that I cannot be without a book and, on a recent trip, I needed an emergency book as I had finished the one I had with me. I entered trusty Waterstones and not being too sure what I fancied to read (I can be lost in a bookshop for hours, or possibly even days) and I saw Orangeboy on the table with the other Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winners for 2017. The cover attracted me immediately so I thought I would give it a go. There is one exclamation for this title…wow!

Orangeboy is a great young adult fiction title that will stay with me for a long time. The opening chapter has you hooked and you are left in no doubt that you want to know what will happen next.

Marlon Sunday is introduced to the reader just as the date he is on ends in tragedy, and very quickly he is caught up in a world of gangs and fear. Unfortunately, it is a world that he is not completely unaware of due to the antics of his older brother, but Marlon is torn throughout the novel with his desire to do the right thing but also protect his own family. You find yourself on the journey with Marlon as he tries to navigate this underworld and you are rooting throughout for him to be okay, to make the right choices and to solve the mysteries of why Orangeboy is such a target – what really happened to his brother, Andre?

This is such a well-written novel, narrated by Marlon. You feel like you know each character, although, with some, you are certain to question the choices they make or the way that they live their life. It may be young adult fiction but I think it is a book that should be read by all, as it will stay with you for a long time!

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I am not always one that selects prize-winning titles, but this is a well-deserving winner of the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize 2017.

The art work on the cover of this book is absolutely stunning and immediately catches your eye, even before you reach the magical sounding title. This is a story that takes you on a real adventure and, most importantly, there is wonderfully strong and independent female lead character in Isabella. She is a girl who will fight with real courage and fierce loyalty for the people she loves and the beliefs that are important to her.

When Lupe, Isabella’s best friend, goes missing, it is Isabella who uses her great knowledge of the stars and maps to support the search party. As you follow the characters on their adventures, there is a great use of myths and stories to influence the decisions made by those living on the island. It really reflects on how the ideas that can be with a nation of people for as long as they can remember, passed on to each generation, can lead some to have fear and misunderstanding and others to have the courage to fight for what they care for. You see the characters really form as each part of their adventure influences them personally.

You are on the edge of your seat throughout the story, never sure what is going to come next. You feel the danger and excitement as you turn each page; it is impossible to put this novel down. It may be a children’s book, but it is one that adults will enjoy just as much.