Book Review: How to Build a Girl

Title: How to Build a Girl

Author: Caitlin Moran

Publisher: Ebury Press

Star rating: * * * *

If there's one thing you need to know about Caitlin Moran, it's that her writing is absolutely outrageous.

Strident feminist and long running columnist for The Times, How To Build a Girl is Moran's first fictional venture, published in September of 2014.

And yes, it might just sound like another generic, probably-going-to-be-alright title dealing with the perilous journey of 'growing up' and 'finding yourself'. But this book... well. It's unique to anything I've ever read before- in the best possible way.

But firstly, I'd like to introduce our protagonist.

Dolly Wilde is young and outrageous. 'The livewire'. Obsessed with music, sex and booze, she's dripping with eyeliner and paid by the word. Dolly's the girl that Johanna Morrigan became when she'd had enough of being herself, and decided to build her own girl. Top hat and all.

She's a quirky character, and it's not hard to see where Moran plucked her inspiration from, with heaps of similarities stemming from her own working-class, council house dwelling adolescence. In fact, parts of this novel really are so similar to anecdotes from Moran's memoir How to be a Woman, despite the fact that this novel is entirely fictional.

There seems to be a lot of Caitlin in Johanna Morrigan, and that only makes her character all the more honest.

One of the stand out characteristics of Moran's writing is that she doesn't feel the need to mince her words, which is a nice way of saying that she talks about sex a lot, and isn't afraid to cut out the naughty bits. Moran's frank in a way that a lot of writers are afraid to be, and it actually makes me feel like I can see right into Johanna's head, cogs-a-whirring.

We often hear about Johanna's family (which is vast), her friendships (or lack of) and her love life (which to start, is often with herself). Growing up is tough, and Johanna is trying to decide what sort of woman she wants to be, and where she wants her life to go.

As with much of Moran's writing, this book has a large helping of feminism to deliver as well, in that a woman should never feel that a man's needs are above her own. In this world, equality is key-even in the bedroom. Oh Johanna.

But most importantly to me, this book reinforces the concept that we should always be to true to ourselves. It takes her a while, but that's something that Johanna eventually discovers, as we all do.

Still, I wish I was cool enough to wear a top hat like Dolly Wilde.

Book Review: The Ask and the Answer

Name: The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books

Star Rating: * * * *


Well, Chaos Walking, we meet again.

It's been an entire year since I read (and loved) the first book in the series, The Knife of Never Letting Go, and now I've returned for round two with the second book, The Ask and the Answer.

 Following on from a cliff hanger, this title really did have some questions to answer (no pun intended!) and it turns out to be a decent continuation in the series.

Okay, so what's going down plot-wise?

In one major development, 'Mayor Prentiss' of Prentiss Town and his army have succeeded in taking absolute power over New World. Renamed as 'President Prentiss', the society is preparing for the arrival of thousands of settlers, whose landing could potentially change the course of life on their planet forever. President Prentiss' leadership results in  repression over his population and the segregation of men and women, so it isn't long until he begins to find himself with a little challenging opposition...

And then there's Todd and Viola, who are still alive after a perilous situation in the previous book, but separated by the President, and desperately trying to find each other again. 

I've actually found myself caring more about the planet itself and the people on it collectively, instead of Todd and Viola themselves. I like them as characters, and I like them separately, but honestly it gets pretty annoying when Viola is the only thing that Todd can think about. All. Of. The. Time. Seriously.

For those of you who aren't aware, a characteristic part of this world is a concept called the 'noise'. Which basically means that the thoughts of every animal and male human being on the planet are audible- nothing is private and only the women are exempt. It's a bit of a twist, and creates a lot of conflict.

One thing that really shocked me in this book was the town's treatment of the spackle, an animal like creature that's similar to a human being. The way that they were treated is absolutely appalling, and made me cringe on so many occasions. As beings that share a bloody history with the humans, I understand that they can be dangerous, but I longed to see them treated with compassion and respect. This is probably what Ness intended readers to feel, but still, it riled me up.

The spackle are intelligent creatures. Where exactly is the line between 'animal' and 'human', and does it even matter?

The element of war is prominent once again in this second book, and it's something I that enjoyed. Todd and Viola are a part of something much bigger then themselves and the future of their world is in a state of imminent change. Expect explosions, death and sacrifice, as well as a ton of danger and oodles of bravery. A combination which, of course, makes for an exciting read.

I've been pretty harsh about Todd and Viola, they mean everything to each other, and it's not as if they have anyone else in the whole universe. No parents, and no family. I do want them to end up 'happily ever after', but I guess that I'm just going to have to read book three and find out what happens!

I'll earmark it in for next summer.

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth

Title: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth

Author: Isabel Greenberg

Publisher: Jonathan Cape

Star Rating: * * * * *

Fear not, dear reader, for this is no factual encyclopedia!

A graphic novel written and illustrated by the hugely talented Isabel Greenberg, this is a book with many stories to tell, each providing glimpses into the fictional 'Early Earth'. A younger and much smaller planet than our own, Early Earth was home to a civilisation of human beings, much like us, who lived long, long ago.

Published in late 2013, 'the encyclopedia' is Greenberg's debut graphic novel. Achieving a place on the NYT Graphic books bestseller list, as well as two Eisner award nominations, it is easy to see why this book has been successful. 

The main plot follows the epic journey of one young storyteller, eager to discover the missing part of his soul, lost, between three women and one silly medicine man, when he was only a baby. In a journey that spans halfway across the globe, from pole to pole, stories are swapped and shared, in a novel that celebrates the art of storytelling itself.

From vicious warring clans to a power crazed king, a pair of star-crossed lovers and an all powerful god named 'Bird Man', this book really has got it all, and everything has its own story. Man, there's even a cyclops!  

Filled with the author's gorgeous illustrations, this book is engaging in a way that only a graphic novel can offer, and we're able to explore the world that Greenberg has created very visually. It doesn't just tell a story, but is a work of art in itself, which I have found incredibly refreshing. 

So what else did I enjoy?

Well, the element of mythology was really great. A theme that runs throughout, readers are introduced to the religious variations on Early Earth through the sharing of stories during the storyteller's travels. They make for a bunch for quirky tales, and all, of course, revolve around the almighty god Bird Man. His kindhearted daughter, Kiddo, is among my favourite characters, but I shan't go into too many details (no spoilers!).

The storyteller, our protagonist, is easily likable, and I was eager for him to reach his happy ending by discovering that elusive part of his soul. It's a cute plotline, but also got me thinking outside of the book. Did the Medicine Man truly lose that part of the young man's soul, or was the journey simply a metaphor for our lives on modern day Earth? After all, the quest to find ourselves and our place in the world is very relevant to many of us today.

And for those students out there, maybe even more so!

Yes, this is a graphic novel, but don't let the format put you off. Full of complex and interweaving storylines, this book is sweet, slightly savage, and highly readable. It's perfect for those who (like me) are newcomers to the genre, but engaging enough that I'd recommend it widely.

This really is a stunning piece of literature. Isabel, I'm waiting on a sequel!

'Follow your gut, Storyteller, it will lead to your happy ending.'

Book Haul: July 2014

The summer continues, and so does my chance to binge read as much literature as possible! Here are the titles that I picked up in July, and my opinions on them pre a good thorough reading. How organised of me.


Title: The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2)

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books


First Thoughts
Chaos Walking, old friend, welcome back into my life.

It's been a while, and I've read widely, but now I'm all set to take the plunge back into the world of Todd and Viola. I've always loved the concept of the Noise, which Ness has previously portrayed wonderfully, and I look forward to discovering how this continues to play a role in the story.

Is Viola still Alive? (I assume so) And will Todd ever escape the clutches of Mayor Prentiss? (He'd better do) Well, it looks like I am about to find out. Here we go...


Title: More Than This

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books


First Thoughts

We've all thought, at some point in our lives, whether there really is 'more than this'.

In this book, so does one dead boy. Newly drowned, he finds himself deserted and alone, posing this question to the world.

Ness, you have intrigued me, and I shall read this book until my intrigue has been quenched, and I turn the last page.

Title: Fahrenheit 451

Author: Ray Bradbury

Publisher: Harper Voyager



First Thoughts
I am enraged that Bradbury has written a character whose paid job is to make books burn, and smoulder out of their forbidden existence. It's outrageous!

To destroy a book is to erase a fragment of our race's precious knowledge and culture, and obliterate the lives of those who live between the fragile pages of a book. To me, that is absolutely unforgivable.

Book burnings have happened in our world. They are one of humanity's greatest crimes, and as far as I can tell, this book is full of them. I await this read with hopes of racing through the words in a manner that only an infuriated passion could fuel. I can't wait.


Title: The Girl with all the Gifts

Author: M. R. Carey

Publisher: Orbit


First Thoughts

'Not every gift is a blessing.' Ooh, a thriller, how exciting.

Melanie is different. Living her life in a cell, she is also dangerous, but how and to whom I do not yet know.

I've imagined the plot of this one to follow a young girl with supernatural powers, too strong for her to control, without bringing humankind into some kind of great peril. This speculation seems a bit predictable, and I highly suspect that I am wrong...

What is Melanie's gift, and why has she been locked up?


Title: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth

Author: Isabel Greenberg

Publisher: Jonathan Cape


First Thoughts

I've heard beautiful, beautiful things about this one.

A graphic novel written and illustrated by the hugely talented Isabel Greenberg, this is book with many stories to tell, each detailing the fictional Early Earth. Featured is a storyteller, a star-crossed romance, and a journey that takes one young human halfway around the globe.

The artwork that I've already seen is highly promising, and I look forward to diving into this ancient world. Isabel, I'm ready to go on a journey!


That's everything this time round. Safe to say, this seems like one of my top hauls to date, and I've been so crazily excited to get reading. Reviews will follow!

Tag: Pretty Spines

Words in books are important. They're the marks on the page with an ability to construct entire universes and deliver them straight into our minds, should we feel compelled to move our eyes from one to the other. Agreed, they're pretty amazing. I'm glad that we've acknowledged this.

Call me superficial, but today I don't want to talk about the words themselves, but something else that is pretty damn gorgeous. Today I'm going to discuss book covers, and the cream of the crop at that. You know the kind that I'm talking about. The ones that make you want to gather them in your arms and start stroking them lustfully in Waterstones (Ahem, that can't just me).

A little while ago I watched the booksandquills Pretty Spines Tag, where Sanne listed some of her favourite cover art from her own personal library. I thought that this was a great idea and had a browse through my own collection to pick out some of my 'pretty spines' and of course to write my own tag response. Here's what I came up with!

You can view Sanne's great video by clicking here!















Look at them, aren't they beautiful ^_^

Perfect
 By Rachel Joyce

 
            Back                                                                                                                                                          Front

I wasn't expecting these beautiful illustrations under the jacket of my hardcover copy of Perfect. The images are reflective of the story told within the cover, and just look really dainty and lovely. Yes.


The Shock of the Fall 
By Nathan Filer

Another of this year's purchases, I was initially drawn to The Shock of the Fall by it's captivating cover. So shiny.

 

Pandemonium 
By Lauren Oliver

I love this edition of Pandemonium. It's artwork almost seems like a painting and has a really delicate texture to touch. Plus, the whole trilogy looks even better as a complete set!







The Canterbury Tales
Retold by Peter Ackroyd

This cover is absolutely littered with illustrations. It looks like one well penned doodle with an eye pleasing colour scheme. In short, I find it charming.

 Jayne Eyre and Tom Brown's School Days
By Charlotte Bronte and Thomas Hughes

 












           
               Bronte                                                                                                                                                Hughes

There's something about these two that just looks classic, which is fitting, as they are 'Classic Adventures' after all! Perhaps it's the leathery texture or the fancy gold lettering, but the truth is they look just fine sat side by side on my bookshelf.

The Hobbit 
By JRR Tolkien

There are so many different editions of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, and I'm really not surprised as it is a great (and hugely famous) piece of literature. I've actually had my eye on the pocket edition for a while now, which is really cute and well designed. Despite this I still love my own copy, it's simple and striking, as well as shiny. I really like shiny things.





And there you have seven of my 'prettiest spines' to date. The quest continues... such a list will never be complete!

Book Haul: June 2014

For us students out there the month of June means two things: the end of yet another exam season and the beginning of the long and glorious, uni-free summer months.

Here are the books that I chose to kick start my summer with, and devoured in a sun drenched England. Apart from the last one, it was raining when I read the last one. This is England after all.


Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Publisher: Vintage
Star Rating: ****






Mini Review:


It's taken me a while, but I've finally got round to reading The Curious Incident. Huzzah!

This title follows the story of one autistic adolescent, Christopher Boone, a gifted mathematician with a fondness for puzzles. When the dog next door, Wellington, is murdered, Christopher is given the perfect opportunity to play detective. This is a project that lures him far from home, and all by himself for the first time.

I really admire Christopher. He faces many frightening scenarios in the course of the book, but perseveres because he is doing what he believes to be right. There's a lot that we can learn from this young guy.

This book is also hugely creative. In a similar way to The Shock of the Fall, Christopher is writing his own story in his own way. Hence, the pages are full of charts and drawings that help us to understand the character and how he sees the world. All of the chapters are even prime numbers, it's great.

I would highly recommend this title to readers of any age, particularly if you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.

Title: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged Thirteen and Three Quarters
Author: Sue Townsend
Publisher: Penguin
Star Rating: ****






Mini Review:

'My skin is dead good. I think it must be a combination of being in love and Lucozade.' 

Adrian Mole is honest, sarcastic and full of attitude. His diary entries guide us through just over one year of teenage life, reading through his worries, fixations, and many of his parents' shortcomings. Adrian's doing his best at negotiating teenage life, but it doesn't always run smoothly, and that's where the humor kicks in!

I really enjoyed reading this book, yet it didn't make me eager to read others in the series. If you're looking for a pick me up or a story that you can easily dip in and out of, then this book is ideal.



Title: Attachments
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Orion
Star Rating: ***






Mini Review:


It was all going oh so well, until I reached the last twenty pages. Too cliche Rainbow, too cliche!

Set in a newsroom in 1999, Lincoln, who's taken up a post in IT security, has been given the job of sifting through emails, night after night, that have been sent between employees of the newspaper. Snooping, basically, for a management that doesn't yet trust the internet, or more what people in the office could do with the internet. Sending personal emails, among other things, is absolutely forbidden. It's this way that Lincoln comes across two women, slowly getting to known them through emails that are continuously flagged up in the system. As Lincoln keeps on reading, it isn't long until he finds himself falling for one of them...

Rainbow always writes wonderful characters that I really find myself rooting for. Lincoln was no exception to this, and I loved reading as he finally found his feet in the world.

This book really was so close to the four star mark. For over 300 pages, Attachments was a highly enjoyable, and often funny, read. I just wish that the ending had made me cringe less than it did.

 Title: We Were Liars
Author: E.Lockhart
Publisher: Hot Key
Star Rating: *****






Mini Review:


Over the past few months I've seen We Were Liars absolutely everywhere. In the world of YA, it's pretty much exploded. I don't want to give too much away, so in terms of a synopsis I'm going to say just this:

This is a book about love and it's a book about tragedy. It's a book about growing up and discovering who you really are. But most importantly, this is a book about liars. I can't tell you much more, or I'd have to lie to you too. So sorry about that.

A great read for fans of Young Adult fiction. It's short, but entirely deceiving, and will probably wrench your heart in two.

Book Review: The Shock of the Fall

Name: The Shock of the Fall
Author: Nathan Filer
Publisher: Harper Collins
Star Rating: * * * *

‘I’ll tell you what happened because it will be a good way to introduce my brother. His name’s Simon. I think you’re going to like him. I really do. But in a couple of pages he’ll be dead. And he was never the same after that.’

It’s true, Simon never was quite the same after that. Not in a he’s-gone-forever kind of way, but in more of a he-never-left kind of way. After a tragic childhood accident that led to the death of the young boy, Simon stuck around in the mind of his younger brother, Matthew, and on the occasions that he did leave it was never for very long. 

This beautifully written story follows the life of Matthew Holmes and his spiralling descent into mental illness. Upon reading, I was struck by the normality of Matthew’s character. Schizophrenia as a disease is accompanied by so much stigma, and I applaud Nathan for writing Matthew with a rich personality. Matthew isn’t portrayed as a madman, but as a nineteen year old man who is suffering from a terrible illness. It’s clear that Matthew is not a fool, although he isn’t always quite in touch with reality either.

Simon has a voice inside Matthew’s head. His death was the trigger for a lifetime of guilt and an illness that was sitting only a few branches up in the family tree. Mental illness happens. It happens to ordinary people, living ordinary lives, and this book delivers that message home.

As well as being wonderfully written, I want to take a moment to appreciate this book’s beautiful design. For one, the cover is gorgeous (it’s just so shiny) and it really stands out on a bookshelf. 

Matthew is writing his own story, in different locations while using different tools and mediums. This is captured visually through the text itself, his font switching a computer and a typewriter. The inclusion of letters and drawings also adds to the telling of the story, and I can easily visualise the stack of papers building up as Matthew continues to write and compile his life.

Matthew is in and out of hospital and in and out of touch with reality. With each page we learn more about his struggles, but also about the treatment of severe mental illness in 21^st century. The author has done a wonderful job at tackling such a sensitive topic, and as a registered mental health nurse, Nathan’s years of practical experience are clear within the words that he has written.

The Shock of the Fall is a fantastic debut novel. It is a haunting, insightful and enjoyable read.

Book Haul: March and April 2014

Title: Paper Aeroplanes
Author: Dawn O' Porter
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Star Rating: * * * * *

  Review

I'm going to state it outright: Paper Aeroplanes is a fantastic book. I loved it.

This title thrives on a strong ability to reflect the kind of messy relationships that girls have with their friends, family and boys during the sticky years of teenage-hood, and to be completely honest with you, it's been a good while since I've read anything that has felt so breathtakingly real. I'm sure that you can tell, I just can't stop gushing!

Click here to read the full review!



Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Star Rating: * * * * *





 Mini Review


Another Young Adult title that I simply adored, Fangirl has left me with a case of the post-book-blues (I miss my fictional crush Levi)! As a first year student at university myself, it seems that this title has come into my life at just the right moment, and I really couldn't appreciate it more.

Cath is a college freshman, a talented fan fiction writer and an identical twin, who has been hurt by her sister's decision forge her own path at college and share a dorm room with a stranger. Despite facing some inevitable struggles, Cath eventually succeeds in expanding her world out from her sister and the Simon Snow fandom that she holds so close to her heart, gaining the independence that university is all about. The themes in this story are a wonderful blend of family, fandom and first love, with an insight into just exactly what it's like to be taking your first steps into a new life away from home.

Rainbow has firmly become one of my favourite Young Adult authors. She writes vivid characters that come alive right off of the page, and whose lives I miss dearly after I've finished reading. Fangirl is a gem, and an absolute must-read for fans of the genre. A mini-review just doesn't do this book justice.




Title: The Chrysalids
Author: John Wyndham
Publisher: Penguin






First Thoughts


The Chrysalids is to be my first read by John Wyndham, and through what I've heard so far, it sounds pretty good! This book is a dystopian story set in a post-nuclear world, and features a society where the persecution of mutants has forced them to conceal themselves in their own community. I'm hoping that this title will be a great introduction to Wyndham's writing, and at only 200 pages in length, it should be a pretty quick read as well!

Title: Goose (Paper Aeroplanes #2)
Author: Dawn O'Porter
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Star Rating: * * * *





Mini Review


The very fact that I own this book is evidence of my complete lack of self control when it comes to book buying! I picked up my copy of Goose shortly after devouring Paper Aeroplanes, and it proved to be a great continuation in the series.

Set a year and a half on from the previous book, Goose catches up with the lives of Renee and Flo, whose friendship continues to flourish as they sit their A Level exams at the local Grammar school. This final year at school is eventful for the girls, and the strength of their friendship is well and truly tested. Renee and Flo have reached that crucial age where they need to start making decisions independently from each other, a pill that is difficult for Flo to swallow. We already know that their two personalities contrast greatly, and learn early on that the pair probably won't leave Guernsey together...

Does growing up mean growing apart? For these two, maybe, in terms of gaining their own independence and establishing themselves in the world as individuals. Despite this, I don't believe for a second that their bond will weaken, and I eagerly await Paper Aeroplanes #3!

Book Review: Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter

Name: Paper Aeroplanes

Author: Dawn O'Porter

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Star Rating: * * * * *

I'm going to state it outright: Paper Aeroplanes is a fantastic book. I loved it.

This title thrives on a strong ability to reflect the kind of messy relationships that girls have with their friends, family and boys during the sticky years of teenage-hood, and to be completely honest with you, it's been a good while since I've read anything that has felt so breathtakingly real. I'm sure that you can tell, I just can't stop gushing!

The key theme that we're looking at here in Paper Aeroplanes is friendship. The bare bones of it, in all of its fragile, unromanticised, and beautiful imperfections. The sheer importance of friendship in our lives is something that I feel passionate about, and O'Porter has captured this concept wonderfully through the troubled voices of two teenage girls, Renée and Flo. Together they guide us though the hardships that they face, and identify some of the issues that teenagers grapple with year after year. The girls' contrasting personalities also manage to bring out happiness in one other, which I found beautiful to read. Interestingly, the book has been set in the mid-nineteen-nineties, so we experience this story without the complications that the internet has thrown at us ten years later. Facebook, I'm looking at you.

Friendship isn't just about how many snapchats you've sent each other in the past five minutes, it's so much more raw than that. True friendship is about being there when it counts, and Renée and Flo bond over life's hardships as well as it's simplest pleasures.

I was thrilled to discover that this story doesn't end after turning the last page, either. O'Porter has recently just finished up her UK tour in support of Goose, the sequel to Paper Aeroplanes, which hit bookshops on March the 27th of this year.With the promise of two additional titles to follow in the series, I'm ridiculously excited to watch how these girls develop, both in terms of their friendship, and in themselves. I really cannot describe how happy I am to hold on to the lives of Renée and Flo for a while longer yet.

If you're a fan of YA- read this. If you've ever been a teenage girl- read this. A well deserved five stars!

Book Review: No and Me by Delphine de Vigan

Name: No and Me

Author: Delphine de Vigan

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Star Rating: * *





I began with high hopes for this book, but it didn't really live up to my expectations.

Lou is a highly intelligent young teenager. She's two classes ahead at school, possesses a sky high IQ, and is clearly struggling in the wake of a terrible loss in her recent past. The passing of her baby sister Chloe, several years previous to the beginning of the book, left a gaping hole in her life, one that is finally filled when she meets the young homeless girl No. This story is about homelessness in a world where anything is possible, a family's diverse reactions to grief, and the pressures that a young girl must face while growing up.

My biggest problem with this read was that I didn't feel connected enough to the characters. This is a really important factor for me, and impacts how deeply I enjoy and engage with the story. I need to either passionately love (or passionately hate) at least some of the characters, in order to love the story. There were moments in the book that I really rooted for No, where I wanted her to break out of the tragic cycle of homelessness that she had fallen into, but these were rare in the entirety of the book. The relationships between the characters also didn't sit quite right with me. The friendships didn't seem real- even Lucas didn't seem to have much of a personality.

As this is the first translated novel that I've read, it was interesting to consider how it affected the flow of the story. No and Me did definitely feel different to read, especially as at times the language choice and sentence structures felt a bit repetitive. One thing that I did really enjoy was that this book didn't lose its distinctive 'Frenchness', despite being a translation. It was packed full of French language that represented the names of people, places and things that the characters encountered. I know that English language writers can, and do, write tales set all over the world, but this book felt genuinely French, which was pleasing.

Overall I was pretty disappointed with this book, and felt that it had a lot of unused potential. Homelessness is an incredibly prominent and often under addressed issue, but I just didn't feel engaged enough with the plot or, most importantly to me, the characters. It's a short read at only 258 pages in length, and I'd say to pick it up if you're feeling curious, but it is not a book that I would recommend. I've settled on awarding it only two stars.

Book Haul: January and February 2014

Yes, I may be living on a student's budget but it's clear that nothing can stop me from buying new books! Here are the titles that I purchased over January and February, and what I think of them so far. I don't need food anyway...

 
 Title: No and Me

 Author: Delphine de Vigan

 Publisher: Bloomsbury





 First Thoughts
Although I'm still waiting for this title to arrive, I'm really excited to start reading. The story follows Lou, a highly intelligent young teenager who meets No as a result of her school project about the homeless. No is also a teenager, but one who is currently living on the streets. Lou's family has been darkened by a terrible loss so I can imagine that No's eventual moving in will change everything for them. I don't believe that I've read any translated novels before, so the fact that this book was originally written in French really interests me. I'm wondering if there will be any unconventional phrases or expressions as a result of its translation, and this is something that I will be paying special attention to as I read. I've previously expressed my interest in Young Adult fiction so I have high hopes for this book and will be writing a review in the near future!
 


Title: Txtng The gr8 db8

Author: David Crystal

Publisher: Oxford University Press




  

First Thoughts

As a current student of English Language and Linguistics this book is right up my street. I actually purchased this title when Professor David Crystal gave a lecture to the students in the ELL society at my university, kindly signing my copy of Txtng, The gr8 db8. (I had a photo taken with him too, but shh!) Firstly, appreciate the title- a reflection of the subject matter that is discussed inside the cover. I'm currently halfway through and enjoying the book immensely. As a work of 'pop linguistics', it is easily accessible and, in my opinion, highly interesting. I particularly enjoy reading about the controversies that have been created through the introduction of texting and the use of 'text talk'. I really recommend this read to anyone with an interest in language, and how it is changing in modern society.You don't have to be studying linguistics in order to read it!




Title: The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion

Publisher: Penguin

Star Rating: * * * *


 

Review  
I made a good choice by picking up The Rosie Project a few weeks back, and here is the beginning of my review!

Introducing Don Tillman; a thirty nine year old geneticist whose scientific mind led to the formulation of The Wife Project, in order to help him find a compatible partner. To be fair it's pretty easy to become a candidate. All you have to do is complete the answers to fifty nine make or break questions in Don's carefully designed questionnaire. Answer them correctly, and you've found yourself a date- just make sure that you're not imaginary first! Rosie would definitely fail the test, of that Don's sure. She's completely incompatible....

Click here to read the full review

Book Review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

 

Title: The Rosie Project 

Author: Graeme Simsion

Publisher: Penguin

Star Rating: * * * *

Introducing Don Tillman; a thirty nine year old geneticist whose scientific mind led to the formulation of The Wife Project, in order to help him find a compatible partner. To be fair it's pretty easy to become a candidate. All you have to do is complete the answers to fifty nine make or break questions in Don's carefully designed questionnaire. Answer them correctly, and you've found yourself a date- just make sure that you're not imaginary first! Rosie would definitely fail the test, of that Don's sure. She's completely incompatible.
 
I'd seen this book dotted around bookshops for weeks before I was able to pick up a copy for myself, and I'm really pleased that I did.

A rather socially challenged individual, I found that Don's quirky personality was reminiscent of The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper. As a character I found him easy to love and his peculiar habits made me snigger endearingly throughout the novel. There has definitely been a dark past to Don's life, but that is uncovered more as the story progresses. Don also struggles greatly with understanding the emotions of others, acknowledging the technicalities behind how people work but never really knowing how to interact with them as his peers would. As I read on, it was wonderful to watch Don open up and loose some of the rigidity that had ruled lived his life for so long.

Don's new found love is not only heartwarming but also conveys a crucial life message that I wish more people could hear. It is important to realise that other people should love you for who you truly are, and that no-one should ever be expected to change in order to fit the expectations of others. This point was reinforced through Don and Rosie's romance, two characters who have learned to compliment, but not force change, upon one another.

Quite the unconventional love story, The Rosie Project is a highly entertaining, often hilarious read that offers something a little different than the standard Romance novel. Four stars.

Book Review: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

 Title: How I Live Now

 Author: Meg Rosoff

 Publisher: Penguin

 Star Rating: * * *





Young Adult Dystopian Fiction is one of my all time favourite genres, so when I came across this title in a YouTube video by booksandquills I was eager to get my hands on a copy. I'm going to say upfront that some elements of this book can be very controversial, and I will be discussing themes such as anorexia and incest in the course of my review.

How I Live Now features Daisy, a troubled fifteen year old whose father sends her away from America to live with her cousins in England. These are relatives who she's never actually met, and provide a link to her mother who passed away long before Daisy can remember. Shortly after her arrival in England war a breaks out and, with the absence of her aunt, the group must fight in order to stay together and to stay alive.

The  story itself is written through Daisy's perspective, and told through her own thoughts as she was thinking them. Naturally this has resulted in some very long, rambling sentences of teenage thought that help us to more deeply understand her character. It is through this in particular that we become acquainted with Daisy's battle with anorexia, the reason it began, and how she finally overcame her addiction, as well as many more of her innermost thoughts.

I really enjoyed being able to watch the war unfold through the eyes of the children who lived together in the house. At the beginning of the book the group seemed very detached from the events that were unfolding in England, and at first the outbreak of war allowed them to expand on the unusual amount of freedom they were already accustomed to. For a while it was almost like reading a novel set in Britain during one of the previous World Wars, a bit strange for a title set in the present day! Because of the way the book is written, we as readers come to understand the seriousness of the situation at the same time as Daisy, so it is not until further on in the story that I began to understand the full extent of the war and the terrible consequences that it brought with it.

One of the most controversial elements of this book is of course the inclusion of incest between Daisy and her cousin Edmond. I'm always a sucker for a good love story but I don't really understand why the romance between these characters was a necessity. Alas, this is something that I became less shocked about as the story progressed, and the controversy of the relationship was adequately addressed in Daisy's thoughts. Still, I remain a bit uneasy about the issue.

This title was definitely an interesting read, and I settled on a three out of five star rating for the book overall. I want to recommend it to any pre-existing fans of Young Adult Dystopian fiction as it certainly has a variety of strong points and, at almost two hundred pages in length, isn't very time consuming to read.