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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
It starts with a robbery gone wrong. Jimmy, Becky and Tom are three teenagers with no future. When Jimmy kills Agatha O’Leary, daughter of a wealthy family, the trio go on the run, leaving a swathe of murders in the wake. Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is called in to track them down before anyone else is harmed. Soon he discovers there’s more than meets the eye.
Mad River is the 6th book in the Virgil Flowers series however this is the first book by John Sandford that I have read and it worked well as a standalone novel. At first glance this book sounded like an episode of Criminal Minds; there are killers on the loose and we and the authorities know perfectly well who they are. The race against time across Minnesota was gripping and kept good pace. What it was lacking was the more psychological aspect. What really tipped them over the edge other than a crappy life? I did start to feel a little sorry for Becky, and perhaps even Jimmy at the end, enough to care what happens to them.
I didn’t find Virgil a very engaging protagonist. Perhaps reading the series from the start gives him more of a personality and the character development has already been done but, other than his job, I couldn’t tell you much about him. There’s a sort of on/off relationship which seems to just be plonked in and doesn’t have much relevance to the plot.
Despite its flaws, it was still an enjoyable read and whilst I wouldn’t run out to read the whole series, I wouldn’t avoid his other books in future either. I just need a bit more character to my characters.
Mad River is the 6th book in the Virgil Flowers series however this is the first book by John Sandford that I have read and it worked well as a standalone novel. At first glance this book sounded like an episode of Criminal Minds; there are killers on the loose and we and the authorities know perfectly well who they are. The race against time across Minnesota was gripping and kept good pace. What it was lacking was the more psychological aspect. What really tipped them over the edge other than a crappy life? I did start to feel a little sorry for Becky, and perhaps even Jimmy at the end, enough to care what happens to them.
I didn’t find Virgil a very engaging protagonist. Perhaps reading the series from the start gives him more of a personality and the character development has already been done but, other than his job, I couldn’t tell you much about him. There’s a sort of on/off relationship which seems to just be plonked in and doesn’t have much relevance to the plot.
Despite its flaws, it was still an enjoyable read and whilst I wouldn’t run out to read the whole series, I wouldn’t avoid his other books in future either. I just need a bit more character to my characters.
Laurie Penny and Molly Crabapple journey to Greece to cover the state of the nation following financial collapse. Discordia reports on the struggle of normal people who have gone from living comfortably to the other side of the poverty line. They look at the failings of the government and austerity measures that are making things worse and the rise of fascism and violence towards immigrants.
It’s an eye-opening look at a country many of us wouldn’t hesitate to go to on our summer holidays. Perhaps it is a little one-sided but it’s a side we don’t really get to hear about. My heart goes out the people of Greece whose lives have been ruined by economics and the innocent who are blamed in the backlash. It’s also quite critical of traditional press, both in Greece and at home, looking at the natural evolution of reporting in the digital age but Laurie also explains how it’s hard making a living as an independent journalist. Sometimes she is not welcomed on either side of the picket line.
Of course, what sets Discordia apart from other pieces of journalism is Molly’s wonderful illustrations. The ink and pencil drawings are the perfect medium for ebooks, something that the eInk renders well. I will admit to reading it on my iPad for the subtleties of colour but really, they don’t need to be seen in colour to be appreciated. They are a mix of sketches on ruled notebooks, made on the spot, and more considered drawings done from photos and memories. Laurie’s text and Molly’s drawings were done independently of each other but they fit together seamlessly, drawn from the same experiences.
I’m not sure if it was a compatibility issue or a formatting error with the ePUB but there were some duplicate images. This could be on purpose, but the illustrations are placed at relevant points in the text, and where the duplicates appeared they just didn’t seem to correspond. I would be interested to know if anyone noticed this on the Kindle version.
It’s an eye-opening look at a country many of us wouldn’t hesitate to go to on our summer holidays. Perhaps it is a little one-sided but it’s a side we don’t really get to hear about. My heart goes out the people of Greece whose lives have been ruined by economics and the innocent who are blamed in the backlash. It’s also quite critical of traditional press, both in Greece and at home, looking at the natural evolution of reporting in the digital age but Laurie also explains how it’s hard making a living as an independent journalist. Sometimes she is not welcomed on either side of the picket line.
Of course, what sets Discordia apart from other pieces of journalism is Molly’s wonderful illustrations. The ink and pencil drawings are the perfect medium for ebooks, something that the eInk renders well. I will admit to reading it on my iPad for the subtleties of colour but really, they don’t need to be seen in colour to be appreciated. They are a mix of sketches on ruled notebooks, made on the spot, and more considered drawings done from photos and memories. Laurie’s text and Molly’s drawings were done independently of each other but they fit together seamlessly, drawn from the same experiences.
I’m not sure if it was a compatibility issue or a formatting error with the ePUB but there were some duplicate images. This could be on purpose, but the illustrations are placed at relevant points in the text, and where the duplicates appeared they just didn’t seem to correspond. I would be interested to know if anyone noticed this on the Kindle version.
Kept is the sequel to Coveted and therefore this review may contain spoilers for the previous book.
Werewolf Natalya is settling back into her life after the fight with the Long Island pack and training for the trials which will allow her to re-enter her own when her father goes missing. When she learns of his moon debt, she travels to Atlanta and asks to re-pay the debt herself. Struggling with her anxieties, no one believes she is up to it and she’s not so sure herself. Not to mention the looming marriage of her ex, Thorn.
Nat’s one of those characters that can come across a bit unreasonable until you remember that she suffers from OCD and then everything falls into place. That she is constantly over-thinking things fits so well with her illness, what could be a sign of an awkward narrative actually works. I prefer the elements of the story when she’s with her therapy group as she seems to be much more natural and herself. I think the pack and all its restrictions aggravate her condition.
I really struggled to connect with Thorn again. Her attraction to him seems a little shallow because the development of their relationship is all back story. Nat goes on about how he was the one and she can’t let go, but really there is very little in the writing that endears me to him. He is an alpha and that must be enough for us to want them to be together. Nick on the other hand, is a wonderful warm character who obviously cares for Natalya. Shawntelle puts barriers in place for both men, but one seems to fall far too easily when the other seems trivial under the circumstances.
The pack dynamics annoy me a little. Nat is supposedly at the very bottom of the hierarchy, an outcast and weak by the pack’s terms. Yet she repeatedly acts like a dominant wolf. This in itself is good but the way the pack deals with her and her reactions are all a bit too human and petty. It’s all a bit sexist too, even Natalya wishes for nothing more than to be a married home-maker and churn out babies. The female wolves of the pack all seem to think the males should do the tough jobs.
However, Kept is overall a fun and easy read. If you enjoyed Coveted, it’s worth a read but maybe it wouldn’t work as a standalone as you need to know Nat’s circumstances.
Werewolf Natalya is settling back into her life after the fight with the Long Island pack and training for the trials which will allow her to re-enter her own when her father goes missing. When she learns of his moon debt, she travels to Atlanta and asks to re-pay the debt herself. Struggling with her anxieties, no one believes she is up to it and she’s not so sure herself. Not to mention the looming marriage of her ex, Thorn.
Nat’s one of those characters that can come across a bit unreasonable until you remember that she suffers from OCD and then everything falls into place. That she is constantly over-thinking things fits so well with her illness, what could be a sign of an awkward narrative actually works. I prefer the elements of the story when she’s with her therapy group as she seems to be much more natural and herself. I think the pack and all its restrictions aggravate her condition.
I really struggled to connect with Thorn again. Her attraction to him seems a little shallow because the development of their relationship is all back story. Nat goes on about how he was the one and she can’t let go, but really there is very little in the writing that endears me to him. He is an alpha and that must be enough for us to want them to be together. Nick on the other hand, is a wonderful warm character who obviously cares for Natalya. Shawntelle puts barriers in place for both men, but one seems to fall far too easily when the other seems trivial under the circumstances.
The pack dynamics annoy me a little. Nat is supposedly at the very bottom of the hierarchy, an outcast and weak by the pack’s terms. Yet she repeatedly acts like a dominant wolf. This in itself is good but the way the pack deals with her and her reactions are all a bit too human and petty. It’s all a bit sexist too, even Natalya wishes for nothing more than to be a married home-maker and churn out babies. The female wolves of the pack all seem to think the males should do the tough jobs.
However, Kept is overall a fun and easy read. If you enjoyed Coveted, it’s worth a read but maybe it wouldn’t work as a standalone as you need to know Nat’s circumstances.
Katya’s not yet 16 when she receives her apprenticeship to become a navigator on-board her uncle’s submarine, Pushkin’s Baby. On her first voyage as an adult, the Feds bring a prisoner on-board, demanding they change their course to suit his needs, taking them through the unpredictable Weft. What starts off as an annoyance soon turns life-threatening; there is something out there, something unidentifiable and Katya may never get to see her 16th birthday.
You may be forgiven for thinking Katya’s World is set against a back-drop of Soviet Russia, at the height of the cold war when submarines lurked everywhere. But no, it is set off-world on an ocean planet, Russalka, populated by descendants of Russia, sent there to colonise a seemingly inhospitable environment. Whilst some live on surface platforms, the weather is hostile and most inhabitants live underwater, in pressurised communities which keep the sea out. The world is succinctly introduced in a preface, answering many of the questions that may otherwise get in the way of the story (like why they’re all from Russia).
So for the alien location the setting seems comfortingly familiar and if you’ve ever enjoyed a submarine based film, give Katya’s World a go. With the scene quickly set, it’s really about the story. There’s feds and pirates and crew just trying to do their job; a world getting by after a war with Earth which may not be as over as everyone thinks. Plus there’s plenty of secrets and double-crossing like any good adventure.
You might want to sit down for this but… there is no romance. Not one jot and it doesn’t suffer for it! I know, there are other young adult books without a love interest but it is something that seems to be expected, especially with female protagonists. Instead there are subtle platonic relationships, both with her uncle and her emerging friendship with Kane. A boy would have just got in the way and seemed contrived. Who has time for flirting when you could be crushed by an ocean any minute? Although is it still an ocean when the whole planet is sea?
The highlight for me was the Leviathan. I can’t go into too much detail without giving away spoilers. Whilst it was ever present throughout the novel, I did want it to go into a bit more depth, especially when we find out its true nature. I suppose it is for a young adult audience and it could get all a bit disturbing but many of the actions are very grown-up and there is a real dark side.
You may be forgiven for thinking Katya’s World is set against a back-drop of Soviet Russia, at the height of the cold war when submarines lurked everywhere. But no, it is set off-world on an ocean planet, Russalka, populated by descendants of Russia, sent there to colonise a seemingly inhospitable environment. Whilst some live on surface platforms, the weather is hostile and most inhabitants live underwater, in pressurised communities which keep the sea out. The world is succinctly introduced in a preface, answering many of the questions that may otherwise get in the way of the story (like why they’re all from Russia).
So for the alien location the setting seems comfortingly familiar and if you’ve ever enjoyed a submarine based film, give Katya’s World a go. With the scene quickly set, it’s really about the story. There’s feds and pirates and crew just trying to do their job; a world getting by after a war with Earth which may not be as over as everyone thinks. Plus there’s plenty of secrets and double-crossing like any good adventure.
You might want to sit down for this but… there is no romance. Not one jot and it doesn’t suffer for it! I know, there are other young adult books without a love interest but it is something that seems to be expected, especially with female protagonists. Instead there are subtle platonic relationships, both with her uncle and her emerging friendship with Kane. A boy would have just got in the way and seemed contrived. Who has time for flirting when you could be crushed by an ocean any minute? Although is it still an ocean when the whole planet is sea?
The highlight for me was the Leviathan. I can’t go into too much detail without giving away spoilers. Whilst it was ever present throughout the novel, I did want it to go into a bit more depth, especially when we find out its true nature. I suppose it is for a young adult audience and it could get all a bit disturbing but many of the actions are very grown-up and there is a real dark side.
Eve doesn’t like Christmas. On top of a childhood full of disappointments, her boyfriend was killed in Afghanistan 5 years earlier on Christmas day. Unable to move on, she keeps a candle burning for him; as long as it’s alight he’s there with her in spirit. But when her great aunt dies, she leaves Eve something strange in her will: the plans to a winter theme park and the money to make it happen. There’s one catch. She must work together with a mysterious stranger and she can’t help but be suspicious.
The winter theme park is a wonderfully silly idea for a festive novel and you’ll be pleased to know it’s better than the one that kept appearing on Watchdog last year! Whilst it does have its serious side, the best parts are the fun ones. There’s a host of wonderful bit-part characters, an amazing sounding ice-cream parlour, adorable reindeer and Santas. I wish that her niece had a bigger part as she is one of those children that comes out with very adult things. Not forgetting the error ridden local newspaper that has a lot to answer for!
At one point I decided I didn’t want Eve to get a happy ever after. Her bitterness, lack of trust and all-round anti-Christmasness goes just a bit too far. Yes, she has her reasons but her grief seems out of proportion. I mean she barely knew Jonathan before he was killed and he had left his previous long-term girlfriend after knowing Eve for one night! He doesn’t sound like the kind of man that would have stuck around for ever. I think it would work better if you feel a bit more compassion towards her. Though I suppose that’s the point of Christmas miracle stories… Miserable-person-discovers-joy-of-Christmas.
Milly’s books are fun and easy reads but there’s something about her writing style which prevents me from connecting with the characters. There were a few moments that succeeded, especially Eve's interactions with the reindeer. I probably enjoyed An Autumn Crush more but this has at least started to get me in the festive mood.
The winter theme park is a wonderfully silly idea for a festive novel and you’ll be pleased to know it’s better than the one that kept appearing on Watchdog last year! Whilst it does have its serious side, the best parts are the fun ones. There’s a host of wonderful bit-part characters, an amazing sounding ice-cream parlour, adorable reindeer and Santas. I wish that her niece had a bigger part as she is one of those children that comes out with very adult things. Not forgetting the error ridden local newspaper that has a lot to answer for!
At one point I decided I didn’t want Eve to get a happy ever after. Her bitterness, lack of trust and all-round anti-Christmasness goes just a bit too far. Yes, she has her reasons but her grief seems out of proportion. I mean she barely knew Jonathan before he was killed and he had left his previous long-term girlfriend after knowing Eve for one night! He doesn’t sound like the kind of man that would have stuck around for ever. I think it would work better if you feel a bit more compassion towards her. Though I suppose that’s the point of Christmas miracle stories… Miserable-person-discovers-joy-of-Christmas.
Milly’s books are fun and easy reads but there’s something about her writing style which prevents me from connecting with the characters. There were a few moments that succeeded, especially Eve's interactions with the reindeer. I probably enjoyed An Autumn Crush more but this has at least started to get me in the festive mood.
Anna Palmer believes she is merely visiting friends of her husband when she arrives at Lake House. Instead, she is left behind, shepherded into a room and locked away. Her husband, Vincent, has had her committed although the patrons cushion the words by calling it a retreat for ladies. A retreat where the guests can’t leave. Whilst Mr Abse had no doubt that Anna is suffering from hysteria, Dr Lucas St. Clair is using the new technology of photography to find the truth in his patients' faces. Can Anna trust him to help her or is she destined to be unjustly imprisoned forever?
Anna’s fate may seem scary but it was a common one in Victorian England. The forced normalcy of life at Lake House is quite sinister when you think the ladies can’t leave and the majority of them are quite sane. Abse might come across as a well-meaning bureaucrat, who has taken on too much, but the character of Makepeace, the omnipresent matron, is the one who really sets the atmosphere on edge.
My interest in photography meant I loved St. Clair’s role in the story. I had never heard of its use to diagnose mental illnesses before, though of course, nowadays we know it’s not that simple. But St. Clair very much wants to prove his theory but he is a much more compassionate character with an open mind. I loved the little period details of the actual processes involved and how easy it was to ruin things!
I would question why Wendy made Anna suffer from visions. Without them there would have been a wonderful contrast between the sane woman locked away in the asylum just because her husband wanted rid of her and the young woman who would actually receive psychiatric help in modern times but does not have her condition acknowledged. Even though the visions are explained eventually, it makes Vincent’s actions seem justified by Victorian standards; I would worry about anyone having hallucinations. However her mental state and actions do come across as someone in their right mind who does not deserve to be where she is.
I would recommend The Painted Bridge to anyone who loves stories set in the Victorian era and it’s a worthwhile read for those with an interest in the history of photography.
Anna’s fate may seem scary but it was a common one in Victorian England. The forced normalcy of life at Lake House is quite sinister when you think the ladies can’t leave and the majority of them are quite sane. Abse might come across as a well-meaning bureaucrat, who has taken on too much, but the character of Makepeace, the omnipresent matron, is the one who really sets the atmosphere on edge.
My interest in photography meant I loved St. Clair’s role in the story. I had never heard of its use to diagnose mental illnesses before, though of course, nowadays we know it’s not that simple. But St. Clair very much wants to prove his theory but he is a much more compassionate character with an open mind. I loved the little period details of the actual processes involved and how easy it was to ruin things!
I would question why Wendy made Anna suffer from visions. Without them there would have been a wonderful contrast between the sane woman locked away in the asylum just because her husband wanted rid of her and the young woman who would actually receive psychiatric help in modern times but does not have her condition acknowledged. Even though the visions are explained eventually, it makes Vincent’s actions seem justified by Victorian standards; I would worry about anyone having hallucinations. However her mental state and actions do come across as someone in their right mind who does not deserve to be where she is.
I would recommend The Painted Bridge to anyone who loves stories set in the Victorian era and it’s a worthwhile read for those with an interest in the history of photography.
At twenty-eight, Hadley Richardson doesn’t expect to marry. After breaking her legs as a child, she’s been sheltered by her family and then plagued by tragedy. But in 1920 she visits Chicago with a friend and meets a young Ernest Hemingway. Her friend, Kate, warns her off him but they soon strike up a correspondence which leads to an impromptu marriage proposal. Hadley finds herself leaving her life behind to follow Ernest to Paris, where he can focus on his writing.
The Paris Wife is a novel based very much on fact and I understand that Hemingway’s life is very well documented and a lot of their letters still exist today. I don’t really have much interest in him or his contemporaries to be honest and I wouldn’t have read this book if it wasn’t a book group choice. The story is very biographical and maybe lacks something as a novel. There are so many real life events strung together that the sense of a structured plot gets a bit lost, much like real life.
Hemingway’s own A Moveable Feast covers the same period as The Paris Wife however this is from Hadley’s perspective. I imagine it’s quite interesting to compare the two if you are a fan of his work. Hemingway comes across as a bit of a spoiled schoolboy at times, although members of my book group said that it’s quite kind to him as he was well known as being arrogant and difficult. Hadley is the adoring wife and she freely admits that he is her life. I really wish she’d grown more of a backbone. There are moments when she defies him but most of the time I wanted to shake some sense into her.
A major problem is that Paula assumes we know what happens with Hadley and Hemingway and the prologue is a spoiler. So much of the story felt like filler whilst I waited for the inevitable to happen. Once things start to fall apart, it picked up for me personally and the last few chapters were the best parts of the book. I cried at the end. Twice. Perhaps it was the genuine quality of the letters between them (which I think are real letters) but there was something very real about their situation and feelings. Also, not knowing much about Hemingway, the epilogue was a bit of a jolt for me. I would be quite tempted to read a book of their letters if such a thing exists.
There is an awful lot of name dropping too. Practically everyone Hemingway came in contact with during this time seems to be mentioned and it’s just not necessary. They are forever going drinking with this person or that and it’s hard to keep up. As it’s from Hadley’s point of view, I would have expected a more intimate and emotional read but I felt that all Paula’s research got in the way. It’s straddling the line between biography and novel and not quite getting either right.
Most of my book group enjoyed The Paris Wife so if you’re interested in Hemingway I do think it’s worth reading. Whilst the subject matter didn’t grab me, the prose was easy and enjoyable to read and suited to the period.
The Paris Wife is a novel based very much on fact and I understand that Hemingway’s life is very well documented and a lot of their letters still exist today. I don’t really have much interest in him or his contemporaries to be honest and I wouldn’t have read this book if it wasn’t a book group choice. The story is very biographical and maybe lacks something as a novel. There are so many real life events strung together that the sense of a structured plot gets a bit lost, much like real life.
Hemingway’s own A Moveable Feast covers the same period as The Paris Wife however this is from Hadley’s perspective. I imagine it’s quite interesting to compare the two if you are a fan of his work. Hemingway comes across as a bit of a spoiled schoolboy at times, although members of my book group said that it’s quite kind to him as he was well known as being arrogant and difficult. Hadley is the adoring wife and she freely admits that he is her life. I really wish she’d grown more of a backbone. There are moments when she defies him but most of the time I wanted to shake some sense into her.
A major problem is that Paula assumes we know what happens with Hadley and Hemingway and the prologue is a spoiler. So much of the story felt like filler whilst I waited for the inevitable to happen. Once things start to fall apart, it picked up for me personally and the last few chapters were the best parts of the book. I cried at the end. Twice. Perhaps it was the genuine quality of the letters between them (which I think are real letters) but there was something very real about their situation and feelings. Also, not knowing much about Hemingway, the epilogue was a bit of a jolt for me. I would be quite tempted to read a book of their letters if such a thing exists.
There is an awful lot of name dropping too. Practically everyone Hemingway came in contact with during this time seems to be mentioned and it’s just not necessary. They are forever going drinking with this person or that and it’s hard to keep up. As it’s from Hadley’s point of view, I would have expected a more intimate and emotional read but I felt that all Paula’s research got in the way. It’s straddling the line between biography and novel and not quite getting either right.
Most of my book group enjoyed The Paris Wife so if you’re interested in Hemingway I do think it’s worth reading. Whilst the subject matter didn’t grab me, the prose was easy and enjoyable to read and suited to the period.
Claudia is just a child when the vampire Lestat turns her, condemning her to an eternity trapped in a child’s body. As her love for Louis strengthens, so does her hatred of Lestat. This is her story.
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia’s Story is a graphic novel adapted from Anne Rice’s novel by Ashley Marie Witter. I would imagine that the target audience for this book are going to be existing fans so I won’t go into the story too much. Claudia’s very nature is contradictory; her childhood is stolen from her yet she will never grow into a woman. Inside she is a predator, but the world still treats her as a child. It really is a heartbreaking tale.
The beautiful sepia artwork has a sketchy feeling but Ashley captures expressions perfectly. The splashes of blood red are vivid and really do make the pages look bloody. I absolutely love this use of colour, it’s so effective. One thing that is a little weak is her representation of hands. Sometimes they look like deformed claws and whilst not the focus of the images, once I noticed them my eyes kept going there.
If you were inclined to pick up this book with no knowledge of Interview with the Vampire, you might find Louis a bit of a wishy washy character. I imprinted what I already knew onto him as I read but I don’t think he is developed at all except for Claudia’s feelings. The emotion in the drawings of Lestat convey a lot more; enough to fill in the gaps.
Interview with the Vampire: Claudia’s Story is a graphic novel adapted from Anne Rice’s novel by Ashley Marie Witter. I would imagine that the target audience for this book are going to be existing fans so I won’t go into the story too much. Claudia’s very nature is contradictory; her childhood is stolen from her yet she will never grow into a woman. Inside she is a predator, but the world still treats her as a child. It really is a heartbreaking tale.
The beautiful sepia artwork has a sketchy feeling but Ashley captures expressions perfectly. The splashes of blood red are vivid and really do make the pages look bloody. I absolutely love this use of colour, it’s so effective. One thing that is a little weak is her representation of hands. Sometimes they look like deformed claws and whilst not the focus of the images, once I noticed them my eyes kept going there.
If you were inclined to pick up this book with no knowledge of Interview with the Vampire, you might find Louis a bit of a wishy washy character. I imprinted what I already knew onto him as I read but I don’t think he is developed at all except for Claudia’s feelings. The emotion in the drawings of Lestat convey a lot more; enough to fill in the gaps.
Harry and Michel are the only two guards in a luxury apartment block. The never leave the basement and their number one priority is keeping the residents safe. Who knows what dangers lurk outside the apartment rules. They spend their days on a strict routine, sleeping in shifts and eking out their rations, awaiting the day a third guard joins. But one day the residents leave on mass. What do they do without any word from the organisation?
In part, The Guard is a brilliant study of the effects of boredom and paranoia. The first half, I loved. There’s the mysterious organisation that put them there and Harry has all these theories of the elite; the role he is destine for. He seems to have developed a whole fantasy to keep him going and it slowly takes over, this desire to be chosen, the escape their life in the basement through promotion and recognition. There’s a sense that it is set in the not too distant future and that something bad has happened outside. What, we don’t really know, but Michel’s speculations add to the atmosphere and suspense.
Michel starts to come across as incredibly dependent on Harry, as if brainwashed. Perhaps as Harry was the first guard he sees him as an authority figure but I was disappointed that Michel didn’t stand up to him or question his actions. The thought may cross his mind but it never seems to be spoken. I started to have a real problem with Harry as a character, which would be fine if he was an obvious villain but I don’t know what I was meant to think. He does some pretty horrible things in that basement but Michel doesn’t respond in any way.
My main problem is that I have no idea what happened at the end. Maybe it’s supposed to replicate disorientation but I couldn’t separate what was real and what was in Michel’s mind. Maybe he was just crazy for the whole book, I don’t know and I so wanted answers about the organisation, what they were doing in the basement and what had happened outside. I wonder if it’s the sort of book you really need to sit down and concentrate on rather than reading on the go as I did. It had a lot of potential but I felt like I had missed something important by the end.
In part, The Guard is a brilliant study of the effects of boredom and paranoia. The first half, I loved. There’s the mysterious organisation that put them there and Harry has all these theories of the elite; the role he is destine for. He seems to have developed a whole fantasy to keep him going and it slowly takes over, this desire to be chosen, the escape their life in the basement through promotion and recognition. There’s a sense that it is set in the not too distant future and that something bad has happened outside. What, we don’t really know, but Michel’s speculations add to the atmosphere and suspense.
Michel starts to come across as incredibly dependent on Harry, as if brainwashed. Perhaps as Harry was the first guard he sees him as an authority figure but I was disappointed that Michel didn’t stand up to him or question his actions. The thought may cross his mind but it never seems to be spoken. I started to have a real problem with Harry as a character, which would be fine if he was an obvious villain but I don’t know what I was meant to think. He does some pretty horrible things in that basement but Michel doesn’t respond in any way.
My main problem is that I have no idea what happened at the end. Maybe it’s supposed to replicate disorientation but I couldn’t separate what was real and what was in Michel’s mind. Maybe he was just crazy for the whole book, I don’t know and I so wanted answers about the organisation, what they were doing in the basement and what had happened outside. I wonder if it’s the sort of book you really need to sit down and concentrate on rather than reading on the go as I did. It had a lot of potential but I felt like I had missed something important by the end.
Daniel didn’t know his father was dead until a few days after it happened. His death brings mixed feelings; both relief and sadness. Weighing in at over 500 pounds, Big Ray was not an easy man to know. His temper defined Daniel’s childhood and distanced them as adults. As Daniel comes to terms with his loss, he recalls memories and anecdotes of his father, from birth to death.
Big Ray is made up of 500 entries, one for each pound both Daniel’s and Michael Kimball’s fathers weighed. Whilst the structure of short memories and snippets of information works, I found the number a bit tenuous as some of them are really one entry split up. The narrative jumps around very much like a train of thought, mirroring the patterns of memory. When we think of a lost one we don’t do so in a linear fashion. It also deals with the conflicts of grieving someone you may have loved but not liked. Daniel’s relationship with his father was a difficult one but he was still his father.
There is a semi-autobiographical slant to the novel as the author’s father was also obese, adding authenticity to the descriptions of Ray’s weight and the things that became difficult as he grew. There isn’t a sense of why he ate so much, just that he was overbearing both in physical size and personality.
The words “my father” are used a lot throughout the prose, partly creating a sense of detachment but it started to grate on me after a while. Each entry has it at least once and it’s not like there would be any ambiguity to who is being referred to. It’s obviously being used for effect but one that started to get in the way of my enjoyment a little. Otherwise, it’s a powerful, little book.
Big Ray is made up of 500 entries, one for each pound both Daniel’s and Michael Kimball’s fathers weighed. Whilst the structure of short memories and snippets of information works, I found the number a bit tenuous as some of them are really one entry split up. The narrative jumps around very much like a train of thought, mirroring the patterns of memory. When we think of a lost one we don’t do so in a linear fashion. It also deals with the conflicts of grieving someone you may have loved but not liked. Daniel’s relationship with his father was a difficult one but he was still his father.
There is a semi-autobiographical slant to the novel as the author’s father was also obese, adding authenticity to the descriptions of Ray’s weight and the things that became difficult as he grew. There isn’t a sense of why he ate so much, just that he was overbearing both in physical size and personality.
The words “my father” are used a lot throughout the prose, partly creating a sense of detachment but it started to grate on me after a while. Each entry has it at least once and it’s not like there would be any ambiguity to who is being referred to. It’s obviously being used for effect but one that started to get in the way of my enjoyment a little. Otherwise, it’s a powerful, little book.