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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
Vivian was never a Believer but her parents were. The morning after The Rapture. She returns home to find two holes in the ceiling and her parents gone. Not knowing what to believe any more, she turns to her friends as America starts to fall apart. Is this the apocalypse?
I like stories that show that fundamentalism can exist in any religion; here it starts in the Church of America. It’s comfort to those who see the world falling apart. It is the perfect moment to take advantage of people who want or need something to believe other than believing this world is of their making. What starts off as something positive can be manipulated and snowball into harm so quickly. Especially with an actual Rapture as proof. There are enough news stories coming out of America that infringe on women’s rights, or the horror stories of gay persecution in Russia, it’s not hard to see how Vivian’s world could come into play.
There is a bit of info dumping at the start; I assume on the premise that some younger readers won’t really understand what The Rapture is. The rest of the background is fed in throughout the story which works well, so it wasn’t really needed right at the start. It felt a bit clumsy and made me worry as to what was to come. The night of the Rapture Party and Vivian discovering her parents were gone in the morning would have been a much more powerful start without the info-dump. A bit of mystery is OK, although it is more of a YA tendency to make sure the reader grasps everything in the first pages.
Vivian is in shock. It’s hard to accept that she seems to just carry on after the huge loss of her parents, but there are several moments throughout the story where you see how hard it has hit her. The road trip gives her purpose and is a coping mechanism. It also serves the purpose of showing different elements of the Church of America; including a Believer who is good and kind, if a little naïve in stark contrast to the state of hysteria pushing people to violence.
Personally, I would have liked the story to end a few chapters earlier. The events that happen right at the end felt a bit contrived and weren’t necessary. Overall a thought-provoking and page-turning read that brings something a little different to the YA table.
I like stories that show that fundamentalism can exist in any religion; here it starts in the Church of America. It’s comfort to those who see the world falling apart. It is the perfect moment to take advantage of people who want or need something to believe other than believing this world is of their making. What starts off as something positive can be manipulated and snowball into harm so quickly. Especially with an actual Rapture as proof. There are enough news stories coming out of America that infringe on women’s rights, or the horror stories of gay persecution in Russia, it’s not hard to see how Vivian’s world could come into play.
There is a bit of info dumping at the start; I assume on the premise that some younger readers won’t really understand what The Rapture is. The rest of the background is fed in throughout the story which works well, so it wasn’t really needed right at the start. It felt a bit clumsy and made me worry as to what was to come. The night of the Rapture Party and Vivian discovering her parents were gone in the morning would have been a much more powerful start without the info-dump. A bit of mystery is OK, although it is more of a YA tendency to make sure the reader grasps everything in the first pages.
Vivian is in shock. It’s hard to accept that she seems to just carry on after the huge loss of her parents, but there are several moments throughout the story where you see how hard it has hit her. The road trip gives her purpose and is a coping mechanism. It also serves the purpose of showing different elements of the Church of America; including a Believer who is good and kind, if a little naïve in stark contrast to the state of hysteria pushing people to violence.
Personally, I would have liked the story to end a few chapters earlier. The events that happen right at the end felt a bit contrived and weren’t necessary. Overall a thought-provoking and page-turning read that brings something a little different to the YA table.
Kang Chol-Hwan was 9 years old when he and his family were taken to Yodok, one of North Korea’s gulags. The whole family sent away for one person’s political views. He grew up in the camp, imprisoned by cruel guard and the very geography of the site, hills that he once thought beautiful. Toiling through forced labour and balancing on the brink of starvation, The Aquariums of Pyongyang is the first account of its kind to come out of the country.
I’m afraid this was a bit of a disappointment. I’ve just finished typing up the notes from our book group discussion thinking we sound like a heartless bunch but the book just didn’t live up to its promise. I probably knew enough about North Korea that the events weren’t surprising but I do think it would serve as a general introduction to the political climate of the country (at least 13 years ago, although I’m not sure much has changed expect more people have got out and a famine has ravaged the population further).
First off, I’ll give you a bit of background on the birth of this book. Kang, a translator and Pierre Rigoulot sat down in a room in South Korea. Kang told his story in Korean and it was translated verbally into French and Pierre wrote it down (also in French). It was published in France and then picked up in America to be translated into English from the French. It’s been through the ringer. I’m not even sure the end translation is to blame as it feels like the story is pretty much the original transcripts. No dramatic tension or narrative flare has been added. This makes it factual but not gripping.
So we were all left with a slight feeling of guilt for being bored by Kang’s terrible story. Although, I think he had it easy compared to others. They managed to mostly keep out of trouble within the camp and some of the family ended up with what were considered the cushy jobs. This is all relative though; Yodok itself was one of the camps for less criminal prisoners. Kang’s crime was merely to be related to someone who spoke out untowardly towards the regime. The whole thing is horrific, but the telling of it is just so unemotional, I just didn’t feel anything. And you know me, I cry at books all the time. I finished this completely dry eyed. I only bothered to read to the end because it was 1) for book group, 2) short and 3) fairly easy, if uninspiring, prose.
There were lots of bits and pieces I wanted to know more about. Wikipedia managed to engage me more on the subject of pellagra for instance (and how it was prevalent in the early days of American colonisation). So much had potential to be expanded up but it was just glossed over. Perhaps Kang’s desire to get the truth out meant that he stuck to the bare facts that he could remember, not allowing any embellishment whatsoever. That is understandable, really, but it doesn’t make for an engaging read or emotional connection. It doesn’t inspire any passion or outrage in the reader. Kang’s goal has succeeded in that we know what’s going on; did he not want us to be egged into action too?
I’m afraid this was a bit of a disappointment. I’ve just finished typing up the notes from our book group discussion thinking we sound like a heartless bunch but the book just didn’t live up to its promise. I probably knew enough about North Korea that the events weren’t surprising but I do think it would serve as a general introduction to the political climate of the country (at least 13 years ago, although I’m not sure much has changed expect more people have got out and a famine has ravaged the population further).
First off, I’ll give you a bit of background on the birth of this book. Kang, a translator and Pierre Rigoulot sat down in a room in South Korea. Kang told his story in Korean and it was translated verbally into French and Pierre wrote it down (also in French). It was published in France and then picked up in America to be translated into English from the French. It’s been through the ringer. I’m not even sure the end translation is to blame as it feels like the story is pretty much the original transcripts. No dramatic tension or narrative flare has been added. This makes it factual but not gripping.
So we were all left with a slight feeling of guilt for being bored by Kang’s terrible story. Although, I think he had it easy compared to others. They managed to mostly keep out of trouble within the camp and some of the family ended up with what were considered the cushy jobs. This is all relative though; Yodok itself was one of the camps for less criminal prisoners. Kang’s crime was merely to be related to someone who spoke out untowardly towards the regime. The whole thing is horrific, but the telling of it is just so unemotional, I just didn’t feel anything. And you know me, I cry at books all the time. I finished this completely dry eyed. I only bothered to read to the end because it was 1) for book group, 2) short and 3) fairly easy, if uninspiring, prose.
There were lots of bits and pieces I wanted to know more about. Wikipedia managed to engage me more on the subject of pellagra for instance (and how it was prevalent in the early days of American colonisation). So much had potential to be expanded up but it was just glossed over. Perhaps Kang’s desire to get the truth out meant that he stuck to the bare facts that he could remember, not allowing any embellishment whatsoever. That is understandable, really, but it doesn’t make for an engaging read or emotional connection. It doesn’t inspire any passion or outrage in the reader. Kang’s goal has succeeded in that we know what’s going on; did he not want us to be egged into action too?
Spec Ops have been disbanded. Thursday Next leaves her husband and three children every day to go and work at Acme Carpets. But what she’s not telling her family, is that the carpet business is just a front, oh and that she may just occasionally be jumping into BookWorld to continue her job with Jurisfiction.
Hilarious and incredibly topical in places. I sincerely wish the Common Sense Party were actually real. Although I’m definitely glad we don’t have to smuggle cheese from Wales. Of course, the literary playfulness within BookWorld is just a joy to read. You can open it up at practically any page and find something to laugh at. Thursday is also faced with her fictional selves, who she has to tutor. If you haven’t read this series, you must! I love how the classics are still being shaped by hiccups, just like the initial adventure in Jane Eyre.
Moving Thursday forward in time means that BookWorld is facing some tough challenges. How to compete with multimedia and shortened attention spans? Many a publisher’s thought these days. The Book Reality Show highlights a very real fear among book lovers; we don’t want gimmicks to get in the way of a good story. In a bid to innovate, it’s easy to forget about the novel and end up somewhere in games.
I do absolutely love Jasper Fforde, so I’m pretty happy to read without a discernable plot, which for a large part of the book, I couldn’t really work out. There are lots of threads and some of them seem to be forgotten about. It’s only when you get nearer the end that the connection becomes apparent.
I’m usually quite happy with my favourite series not being adapted for the screen, but I so want to see an actual army of Danverclones. Be prepared for a cliffhanger ending, but it’s OK, the next book is already out.
Hilarious and incredibly topical in places. I sincerely wish the Common Sense Party were actually real. Although I’m definitely glad we don’t have to smuggle cheese from Wales. Of course, the literary playfulness within BookWorld is just a joy to read. You can open it up at practically any page and find something to laugh at. Thursday is also faced with her fictional selves, who she has to tutor. If you haven’t read this series, you must! I love how the classics are still being shaped by hiccups, just like the initial adventure in Jane Eyre.
Moving Thursday forward in time means that BookWorld is facing some tough challenges. How to compete with multimedia and shortened attention spans? Many a publisher’s thought these days. The Book Reality Show highlights a very real fear among book lovers; we don’t want gimmicks to get in the way of a good story. In a bid to innovate, it’s easy to forget about the novel and end up somewhere in games.
I do absolutely love Jasper Fforde, so I’m pretty happy to read without a discernable plot, which for a large part of the book, I couldn’t really work out. There are lots of threads and some of them seem to be forgotten about. It’s only when you get nearer the end that the connection becomes apparent.
I’m usually quite happy with my favourite series not being adapted for the screen, but I so want to see an actual army of Danverclones. Be prepared for a cliffhanger ending, but it’s OK, the next book is already out.
There are hits and misses in this collection of woeful tales of sad and misunderstood monsters. The Joy of Unicorns had me snorting with laughter and I loved the human/zombie role reversal in Night of the Living. Other hits included the diary of a teenage banshee, a guide to looking after your gremlin (impossible) and a living dead will to cover all possibilities.
Some of the humour was a bit obvious and it’s best read in short doses. I do wonder if it is more American humour than British; Frank Lesser writes for The Colbert Report (which I have never seen). Although the crypto-racist Bigfoot could have been a Daily Mail columnist. The prose addresses the reader a lot too, which gets a bit tiresome after a while. Still, it’s a cute little stocking filler for anyone who ever feels a bit sorry for monsters.
Some of the illustrations are rather cute too (Willie Real is a Google Doodler) although I kind of wish they were in colour. I especially like the sad, haunted bath tub and Medusa’s hairdos. Not to forget the heartbreaking monster on the cover (he has a flower behind his back).
Review copy provided by publisher.
Some of the humour was a bit obvious and it’s best read in short doses. I do wonder if it is more American humour than British; Frank Lesser writes for The Colbert Report (which I have never seen). Although the crypto-racist Bigfoot could have been a Daily Mail columnist. The prose addresses the reader a lot too, which gets a bit tiresome after a while. Still, it’s a cute little stocking filler for anyone who ever feels a bit sorry for monsters.
Some of the illustrations are rather cute too (Willie Real is a Google Doodler) although I kind of wish they were in colour. I especially like the sad, haunted bath tub and Medusa’s hairdos. Not to forget the heartbreaking monster on the cover (he has a flower behind his back).
Review copy provided by publisher.
Dracula lives! He has infiltrated his way into court and taken his place beside Queen Victoria. Those who tried to destroy him are nothing more than shrivelled heads on the pikes outside the palace. Vampires are flooding London society. But in Whitechapel, someone is brutally slaying female vampires and it falls to ancient vampire Geneviève Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard of the infamous Diogenes Club to rid the streets of the killer.
I read Anno Dracula after signing up for a book club with the author, so the impending deadline may have affected my overall enjoyment. However it did take me a long time to get into the story; there are so many characters, even if many are familiar. I wouldn’t suggest reading this without having read Dracula, and quite recently (unless you are an uber fan). The characters aren’t just from Dracula, but other novels, either its contemporaries or set in the same timeline. The result is a rather interesting take on historical fiction, with the exception of Jack the Ripper, it’s a fiction based on fictional characters, rather than using persons of interest from history.
The book club discussion with Kim Newman was still interesting despite me not falling in love with the book. The piecing together of others’ fictional characters is clearly at the heart of this series and something Newman really enjoys. I asked about the decision to use Jack the Ripper, whether it was an interest in him or just the convenience of his place in history. The serial killer provides the backbone to the novel and also a timeline that allows the story to take place over several weeks.
I liked Geneviève’s story most of all and I wish she had more page space. She’s older than Dracula but hasn’t turned into a monster. She’s been hiding from humans most her long life (or death) but hasn’t turned against them. The relationship between her and Beauregard gives the novel a bit more of an emotional touch. My main quibble is that there’s just too much going on for anyone one thing to really shine.
Anno Dracula has turned into a series, but one where each book takes place in a different moment in time; something that can be done with vampires of course. There’s no need to keep within the lifetime of an average human. Newman did say that he would find it hard to set the next book in recent history; we don't have the same distance that allows a certain freedom in stories set further away. He has pondered a far future setting as well as moving East; perhaps bringing back that scary Chinese vampire assassin!
I read Anno Dracula after signing up for a book club with the author, so the impending deadline may have affected my overall enjoyment. However it did take me a long time to get into the story; there are so many characters, even if many are familiar. I wouldn’t suggest reading this without having read Dracula, and quite recently (unless you are an uber fan). The characters aren’t just from Dracula, but other novels, either its contemporaries or set in the same timeline. The result is a rather interesting take on historical fiction, with the exception of Jack the Ripper, it’s a fiction based on fictional characters, rather than using persons of interest from history.
The book club discussion with Kim Newman was still interesting despite me not falling in love with the book. The piecing together of others’ fictional characters is clearly at the heart of this series and something Newman really enjoys. I asked about the decision to use Jack the Ripper, whether it was an interest in him or just the convenience of his place in history. The serial killer provides the backbone to the novel and also a timeline that allows the story to take place over several weeks.
I liked Geneviève’s story most of all and I wish she had more page space. She’s older than Dracula but hasn’t turned into a monster. She’s been hiding from humans most her long life (or death) but hasn’t turned against them. The relationship between her and Beauregard gives the novel a bit more of an emotional touch. My main quibble is that there’s just too much going on for anyone one thing to really shine.
Anno Dracula has turned into a series, but one where each book takes place in a different moment in time; something that can be done with vampires of course. There’s no need to keep within the lifetime of an average human. Newman did say that he would find it hard to set the next book in recent history; we don't have the same distance that allows a certain freedom in stories set further away. He has pondered a far future setting as well as moving East; perhaps bringing back that scary Chinese vampire assassin!
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: The Graphic Novel follows the same story of the book of the same name.
Jacob was brought up on his grandfather’s stories of a peculiar group of children he claimed to have spent his childhood with. Jacobs stops believing him until the day his grandfather is attacked by a monster. No one believes Jacob of course and a large chunk of the novel is given over to his therapy sessions, however these are skimmed over in this version. I liked the concise nature of the graphic novel; it’s a story about childhood monsters and make-believe being reality after all. Somehow, with less padding, Jacob seems older, more like the teenager boy he is supposed to be.
The artist is Cassandre Jean who does wonderful things with colour to highlight the differences between Jacob’s rather grey world and the Narnia-like quality of the loop. Not helped by the black and white photography in the novel, the world came across a little grey and depressing and is brought to life in this version. I did think the house was out of character for the location and period (it looked more suited to America than Wales) but that’s a minor quibble in an otherwise excellently illustrated book.
It’s not full of photographs. There are glimpses of them within the drawings but they are not the same feature element at in the novel. We don’t really need them to bring the world alive though, and the peculiar children become a bit more consistent. Plus there’s loads of comic “sound effects” which made me smile. I’d recommend this as a lovely stocking filler for fans of the original.
One more thing, this edition contains an illustrated preview of the second novel, Hollow City. I feel a bit spoiled now and want illustrated previews instead of extracts for every book now, it is such a lovely idea. It also gives a slightly better ending, something that a lot of people disliked in the original. It says “there is more to come” rather than a gentle riding off into the sunset approach. This ending makes you want to read on.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Jacob was brought up on his grandfather’s stories of a peculiar group of children he claimed to have spent his childhood with. Jacobs stops believing him until the day his grandfather is attacked by a monster. No one believes Jacob of course and a large chunk of the novel is given over to his therapy sessions, however these are skimmed over in this version. I liked the concise nature of the graphic novel; it’s a story about childhood monsters and make-believe being reality after all. Somehow, with less padding, Jacob seems older, more like the teenager boy he is supposed to be.
The artist is Cassandre Jean who does wonderful things with colour to highlight the differences between Jacob’s rather grey world and the Narnia-like quality of the loop. Not helped by the black and white photography in the novel, the world came across a little grey and depressing and is brought to life in this version. I did think the house was out of character for the location and period (it looked more suited to America than Wales) but that’s a minor quibble in an otherwise excellently illustrated book.
It’s not full of photographs. There are glimpses of them within the drawings but they are not the same feature element at in the novel. We don’t really need them to bring the world alive though, and the peculiar children become a bit more consistent. Plus there’s loads of comic “sound effects” which made me smile. I’d recommend this as a lovely stocking filler for fans of the original.
One more thing, this edition contains an illustrated preview of the second novel, Hollow City. I feel a bit spoiled now and want illustrated previews instead of extracts for every book now, it is such a lovely idea. It also gives a slightly better ending, something that a lot of people disliked in the original. It says “there is more to come” rather than a gentle riding off into the sunset approach. This ending makes you want to read on.
Review copy provided by publisher.
