I love James Baldwin's books! As some of you may have read my review on "Go Tell it on the Mountain" - his books are amazingly full of emotion and bitter tragedy that has been perpetuated by the society in which they silence the main character. James Baldwin is awfully good at presenting voice to us - there is a natural occurrence for every one of his characters to have a tinge of sadness to their voice - and that ultimately becomes the outer layer as you get deeper into the book.
I found this book whilst browsing in...a Waterstones again. I get it - my life isn't that exciting.
Characters:
I really liked Giovanni. I felt like he was not the typical misunderstood trope of racial segregation. But, he was also isolated and labelled by other things in his life that ultimately came to shape him later on.
Themes:
As in a lot of Baldwin's fiction - Identity is a key theme. Giovanni becomes defined by several different things - even his own tragedies leave scars that change him. This is probably one of those themes that Baldwin simply cannot be beaten at.
Storyline:
Love triangle. Not like romance love triangle. But there is a love triangle. Again, this is linked to the identity of Giovanni as it comes to change almost everything about him - and the main thing is that he can change his entire personality and still be predominately defined by his skin colour to other people. Oh my god.
Verdict:
I give this book 9
100% for characters: I loved Giovanni's character. Just so tragic!
100% for themes: Again, nobody does identity better than Baldwin
100% for storyline: The love triangle, the changing of fate - it was all so raw and beautifully written!
This is THE NEW MARGARET ATWOOD NOVEL! I WAS SO EXCITED AND NOW IT'S OVER AND IT WAS AMAZING. Well, I found this whilst covering my ears from a really, really loud preacher in the Waterstones on Brum High Street. I saw it and immediately screamed "Hag-Seed!" to which I got some weird looks from various people. Oh well, it's a book and I'm excited. So?
Also, it's based on The Tempest by Shakespeare.... EXTRA POINT
Let's just get on to the review then...
Characters:
My favourite character was Felix. Felix just felt very real and also very Atwood-esque as a character (those of you who have read my reviews on "MaddAddam", "the Year of the Flood" and "Oryx and Crake" will know what I mean!) He was also like the Prospero of the whole thing - and when he decides to put a show of "The Tempest" on - don't you just go "OOOOHHHH! IN YOUR FACE TONY AND SAL!"
Themes:
My favourite theme is Shakespeare. The theme of Shakespeare was brilliantly achieved by including references to "Hamlet", "Macbeth", "King Lear", "Richard III", "Julius Caesar" and many many more. It was a Shakespeare fan's dream to get so much Shakespeare into a good book. Margaret Atwood has impressed us.
Storyline:
My favourite part of the book was when he hallucinates about Miranda. I'm not going to tell you who Miranda is - but you already know she's a character from "The Tempest" - well she's someone else as well as that. When Felix hallucinates about Miranda - it's both strange and you kind of feel sorry for him - these are very emotional times in the book that you have to deal with in terms of Felix's psychological instability.
Verdict:
I give this book 9
100% for characters: I really liked Felix's character - I think that this could be Atwood's next strong series
100% for themes: I really enjoy Shakespeare - so why wouldn't I enjoy this theme?
100% for storyline: Miranda!!!! FELIX! WHY! WHHHYYYY!
So, this is the third one in the series and I think it must be the best for exploring the character of Oscar Wilde. It was well executed and included a number of intricately designed levels of tension and suspense (just like Reading Gaol itself).
For those of you who are unaware of "Reading Gaol" or are unfamiliar with the term - it refers to a poem by Oscar Wilde called "The Ballad of Reading Gaol." :) Read it - it's really good.
I found this book again, a few days after I read the second one. I wanted to leave some time between to recover from the "Dead Man's Smile". Same place though - Literature Festival's Waterstones.
Characters:
Oscar Wilde, I think was the most prominent and well-explored character in this entire book. Especially this one because it refers to one of his poems. It explores the whole writings of Oscar Wilde in depth and therefore, goes deeper into his character. It was very effective.
Themes:
The theme of mystery is also the most prominent theme. I know I said this before as well (I think), but I believe that if you include Oscar Wilde and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - you're going to get a really good mystery novel.
Storyline:
The ending was amazing. The resolution yet it is left open for the next book. A small cliffhanger - some ambiguity but still some resolution that makes the novel satisfying. I'm trying not to tell you what happens - because I want you to read it.
Verdict:
I give this book 8/9
100% for characters: I loved the exploration of Oscar Wilde in this one. Probably my favourite from the series.
100% for themes: I really enjoyed the theme of mystery and suspense. It was very well done through the entire series.
2/3 for storyline: It just finished a little quickly for me. I would've liked a big epic downfall - but that's all that brought it down IMHO.
I found this book really interesting. I'm usually not into magicians and sometimes I don't really realise that sarcasm doesn't work if you're typing it :D
I want this to be concise because the book is lengthy and if I start talking about it all I'm afraid I'll bore you as I tend to go on about books I like forever. (ahem, Dorian Gray, ahem).
I found this book in the Waterstones bookshop at the literature festival - by the way I'm having a great time :) I hope you're enjoying my reviews.
UPDATE: I'm selling books :) on "5ft2 is selling books" (this blog's adoption page :) THEY NEED A NICE HOME!)
UPDATE 2: There will be a vlog soon. So congratulate yourselves on having to look forward to my crappy, awkward and slightly nasal brummie accent being snorted through your computer screens. Ouch.
Anything you want me to read and review? Email me: iamthereal5ft2@gmail.com
I think we should get on...
Characters:
Ah! My favourite character was only a minor one! The wizard at the beginning! He just seemed so wise and perpetually omniscient! I loved the way he embodied what it was to be a magical being - harbouring dark secrets and all that jazz! It was absolutely MAGICAL.
Themes:
Magic. Magic. Magic. I love Magic. I hope I got that across okay - because it was a beautifully crafted theme. There was so much of it - but it was never a cliché. Also, I hope you're happy because there's no spoilers here! No ending spoilers. None of that.
Storyline:
I loved the ending. But, unfortunately I'm not gonna tell you what that is. I'm just gonna say that you can prepare yourself emotionally all you want - I'm sorry, it ain't gonna happen. It just ain't. gonna. happen. None of it. Nothing. You'll cry. Guaranteed.
Verdict:
I give this book 8/9
2/3 for characters: Not. Enough. Wizard. Not. Enough. Old. Wizard.
100% for themes: Who doesn't love magic?
100% for storyline: That ending hit me where it hurts. Seriously. Nothing can prepare you. Kind of like "Battle Royale" by Koushun Takami.
As you know - I previously reviewed "Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders" - same series, different book. Well, this one is even better than the last. There's a massive development of characters and there's also some mention of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (which everyone who knows me knows that I have many, many copies of).
I did not get this book at the same time that I got the first one (purely because I had not enough money to buy both) - but I bought it when I had finally completed the rest of my reading. I found that it is blue and pink (a good thing if you don't like gendered books). There's a massive sense of foreboding that I love throughout the book (and the way Oscar Wilde is constantly called an Aesthete - which I also love).
Characters:
My favourite character in this book was actually Arthur. We don't get much character development on him in the first book - but in this one there's a real sense of Arthur becoming his own character instead of tagging along with Oscar all the time. Especially the part where they are described as being "special guests" - you really get a sense that Arthur is just as important as Oscar is in solving the crimes (obviously, because Arthur created Sherlock Holmes).
Themes:
My favourite theme is appearance. A great line in the book:
"Never trust a man who shows his bottom teeth when he smiles."
Obviously, appearances are very important when you read "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "Sherlock Holmes" - just how appearances are used and how they are interpreted are as equally important - but there is always a darkness attached to it - which I love.
Storyline:
I loved the entirety of this story so it's very difficult to pick a particular point. I'm going to choose the opening. This is because there's no explaining in the opening - there's no massive Victorian-esque introduction. It just gets straight into the story - just like "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "Sherlock Holmes". This author has done his research. (Yes, I know he's very intelligible in Oscar Wilde).
Verdict:
I give this book 9
100% for characters: Am I gonna give it any less?
100% for themes: Oscar Wilde and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are connected by certain common Victorian themes that Brandreth just writes in effortlessly and brilliantly. :)
100% for storyline: Oscar Wilde and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle solving mysteries in the Victorian Era - need I say anymore?
This book caught me off-guard. I thought (judging by cover and title) that this would be one of those dark fantasist novels with a fairytale allegiance to them. Nope. Nope. And Nope again. Well, this book was nothing like I had imagined it to be.
I found this book again whilst browsing in the literature festival and making a small analysis on the tiger on the front cover. It was intriguing to me and I didn't end up buying it until the 4th day I went there.
Characters:
My favourite character is Hannah. (Well, Hannah and Seb). But, Hannah is a very headstrong character with some real motivation behind her. She's written in quite psychotically and I like it when a character tends to stick out for their belief systems. Especially Hannah's regarding the trees - this is where Seb comes in. He's the one who recruits Adrien into their investigation of the woods that change.
Themes:
I love the mystery theme of this novel. The whole aspect of mystery is explored so well that you hardly know that you're only one step closer in a mile long track. It happens step by step and it's a brilliant writing style from Shaw. I think it was done amazingly :)
Storyline:
I loved the part where Seb is recruiting Adrien. Not only does it show us how clever Seb is (and how cunning) - but also how manipulated Adrien is. His beliefs systems are quashed and turned into those that suit Seb and Hannah.
Verdict:
I give this book 8/9
100% for characters: Brilliantly done with an air of certain ambiguity (oxymoron, sorry)
100% for themes: An amazing take on mystery that was effective without being cliché
2/3 for storyline: I want a sequel. And there isn't one. That's why it gets 2.
Okay, so I liked this book. I liked this book ALOT. It was awesome and now I see why everyone has been talking about it literally all the time. IT IS BECAUSE OF ALL THE AWESOMENESS. Not as awesome as The Picture of Dorian Gray but somewhere in the large and deep bottomless void of the ballpark. Also, the fact that it's written so beautifully shouldn't surprise you - because it's Neil Gaiman - it's ALWAYS written beautifully :)
I found this book whilst browsing in the bookstore at the literature festival. I tried to buy lots of books so I wouldn't look out of pocket or like a "casual reader". There were a few problems with that:
1) Now I am out of pocket
2) The way I read - the books will last probably about a week or so
3) My back hurts from carrying them in my backpack
Back to "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman
Characters:
I love Shadow. Admittedly, the first time I heard his name, I envisioned "Shadow" from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. But, as the book went along that picture cleared from my mind and I realised that Shadow would most likely be able to exist in our world as a person. His wife dies in a car crash just as he gets out of prison - and he is destroyed constantly seeking redemption and an antidote for his pain.
Themes:
My favourite theme was pain. This is because every time Shadow mentions his wife's death - it seems like the book falls silent for a moment. He then gets told about someone's nephew that went missing and that they don't even know whether he's dead or alive. This is something that Shadow can relate his pain to - and it's written beautifully.
Storyline:
I loved the part where Shadow and (unnamed character because no spoilers here!) are discussing their lost ones. It's a beautiful moment in the book and the first time when Shadow feels like he truly fits and belongs somewhere - after this he seems to be at more ease with characters such as Wednesday. It's also a moment in the book where pain perpetuated tranquility - I love those little moments of deep thought. Almost like a prayer and all the characters are bowing their heads in honour of it.
Verdict:
I give this book 9.
100% for characters: Shadow is a beautiful character with some painful memories. He has a very human personality and his quest for belonging shapes that part of his identity that falls out of place when his wife dies.
100% for themes: I loved the theme of pain. It was so well explored that I couldn't possibly imagine a way to better describe it. It was given in pieces so each step was felt by the reader - and I think that empathetic value is very important for character relations.
100% for storyline: Again, those moments of silence were written in the best possible way - pain is poetic and prayer-like. It resonates a beautiful silence that comes across even when the characters are still conversing.
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