Book Review: Circe by Madeline Miller

I loved this. Magic, mythology, love, grief, madness and the pride of Gods. All wrapped up in adventure in the wonderful setting of a Greek island. It’s the perfect story for the summer months. Madeline Miller weaves a story steeped in lush island life, described so vividly, and inhabits it with characters so wonderfully colourful that I could truly imagine myself walking alongside Circe.

Circe is a Goddess ahead of her times. She’s shunned from childhood as the lesser God, the most unruly and weak compared to her brothers and sister. She has none of the grace or slyness of Pasiphae, or skills of Perse. She’s meek and unsure of herself, desperate only for any affection she can find. And she finds it in the unlikely source of mortals. Youthful jealousy sees Circe banished from her fathers hall, but this only works to allow Circe to flourish and reach a potential she never knew she had. We see her flirt with Gods and men, always there in the shadows of great adventures and stories, offering guidance and support. All the heroes of the Golden age of men end up on her shores, and she’s there to listen and help - surrounded by her animals and magic.

The island of Aiaiai serves as a base throughout all this, both to Circe’s fragile nature and her need for reassurance and solitude, and later her need to nurture and heal her wounded heroes. This allows the story to spread out like tendrils from the island, taking us to Crete and other islands, before returning to the safe haven of home. It’s grounding influence soon begins to mirror Circe herself, and is a reflection of her personality and nature. Changing with the seasons but always there, bound and unwavering.

The depictions of the Gods we see are also well done. Hermes, trickster and messenger, is always there to manipulate and tease Circe. I could image him with a rakish smile, standing by her door night after night. Athena, logical and cruel, unable to comprehend being told ‘no’. And Apollo, beautiful and lyrical, master to prophecies yet unemotional. Their presence is felt throughout, but rarely seen, making their appearances as they should be - short yet with devastating consequences.

This has been my favourite read of the year so far, no question. I fell completely in love with the story telling, the settings and the characters. Wonderful.

 - 5 stars

Book Review: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

3.5 stars. I haven’t seen any of the ‘I Am Legend’ films out there, so had nothing to compare this to.

It’s a classic of the science fiction genre, and at just shy of 200 pages I knew it would be a quick read. It was. And it was enjoyable for the most part. We have the lonely ‘last man on earth’, desperate for companionship, a purpose to continue and justify his existence. We have the now typical apocalyptic landscape and vampire enemy. Enigmatic and ruthless, just as easily turning on each other as they are on our narrator. It had scenes of tension, heartache and bitter uneasiness. You feel at any moment that Neville could either end it all, or finally be taken by his neighbour or another vampire.

Neville is a strong protagonist. You feel his emotions in waves of despair. His background is touched upon sparingly, hinting at awful post apocalyptic traumas, but enough is left to the readers imagination to see how he’s got to where he is at the start of of novel. His life is filled with endless monotony, leading to madness and melancholy. It’s rather artfully done for such s shout novel, and I can understand how this is such a pioneer for the genre.

But. Something just wasn’t there for me. I don’t know if it was the rather enigmatic approach to the vampires and their disease (we never really know for sure what is at the root of the problem other than it being a germ), or if it’s because this is such a singular journey. We follow Neville and that’s it. There’s no expansion of the plot away from Neville, and for most of the novel there’s no interaction with anything or anyone. It’s all Neville’s thoughts.

I just felt that something was lacking. Some deeper look st this world perhaps. But I did enjoy it.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Lullaby by Leila Slimani

This was an easy, quick read that I picked up from my local library without any real preconceptions about what it was about, other than a small amount of buzz around it on Goodreads. I liked the cover and title and the blurb intrigued me. Louise is a nanny who’s killed two children. We learn that in the opening paragraph. What follows is a character breakdown of what led Louise to do what she did, and why.

I’ll start by saying that all of the characters in this are awful. The father is mean, self important and narcissistic. The mother is simpering, eager to please with no backbone. The children are bratty and wild. It all adds up to a less than perfect family, and I struggled to really get to grips with any of them, as they had no redeeming features. They all got under my skin - and not in a good way. The way this is told also seems quite cold in its observations. We’re told the story as if from the view point of an emotional less narrator, and I’m not sure if it was the translation or not, but it left a lot to be desired. It’s more a character assessment on the roles of nannies in France and their personal lives rather than a proper plot.

The plot itself is also odd, in that it starts at the end and backtracks to the previous months leading up to the murders. We see Louise entering the household to care for Mila and Andrew, and slowly see her unravel. Odd behaviours and thoughts begin to manifest and build. Wedged in between these chapters are small paragraphs told from other view points from after the murders - which I found jarring and confusing, as the police try to piece together what happened.

A quick read, but I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. I’ve read better.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Wood Angel by Erin Bow

At some point I put this book down and didn’t pick it back up for weeks - and I think the main reason behind it was that the tone of the novel changed significantly half way through. How this is called ‘Wood Angel’ in the UK I will never know, because there’s nothing angelic about it. It’s full of grief and suffering, and talk of death and the dead and the horrible mentality and ignorance of people. In some respects it reminded me of the game <i>The Witcher</i> in that it uses the same tone to expose the prejudices of the population by openly showing you how mean they can be in the face of the unknown. It’s a dark story.

Kate is a wood carver, trained by her father, until he dies and she’s forced from her home. Lonely and afraid, she strikes up a trade with a witch that gives her with the most wonderful gift - a companion, but in return she must give up her shadow for a fate worse than death. In her journey to reclaim it, she joins a band of roamers and learns about their history, and the ultimate price she must pay in order to complete her journey.

The best character throughout this is Taggle, the talking cat. Any story that has a talking cat is a winner for me and Taggle is as narcissistic and preening as any talking cat should be. He’s also the anchor that holds Kate to her mission. In her darkest moments, he’s there to remind her of what she had to loose and what she could do is she took the easy way out. He’s also brave, tackling many a man in order to save Kate, and kind.

Kate is a little more temperamental in character. She’s often comes across as quite abrasive and unlikeable as she shies away from people in fear of rejection (or worse). She is, however, rather stoic too. She’s very set in her ways, and has a resilience for life and a yearning to live and do the right thing that jumps off the page. I enjoyed her relationship with Taggle, but also with Drina, as you could see it’s a relationship she craves in order to feel as though she belongs.

The final third of the book is perhaps the darkest, as were introduced to the rasalka and Linay’s ultimate plan. It takes a rather sudden turn into the deepest and darkest places of witchcraft and what it means to grieve for those we feel have been wronged. It’s a rather intense look at how different people deal with death and what’s right and wrong. It certainly wasn’t how I expected the tone of the story to go, but on reading the afterthoughts from the author and understanding that this book took 6 years to write, and included her sister’s death in the meantime, I can see perhaps her thought process behind it.

An interesting story, but one I wasn’t necessarily expecting.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

3.5 stars.

I enjoyed the subject matter for this, and thought the overall idea was really interesting and unique. Certain people have a condition that results in them ageing incredibly slowly, with a lifetime sometimes in excess of 900. Known as ‘Albas’, we follow one Alba - Tom Hazard as he recounts his life over the previous centuries, and the people he’s met along the way, all the while he’s searching for his missing daughter.

Tom narrates the story almost like a ghost of himself. He seems to have developed over time the ability to detach himself from really feeling anything (and even at one point admits that he’s avoided love and it’s emotional connotations on purpose to prevent further heartache). This makes him come across as quite cold at times, and I struggled to really know him as an individual, even though we were exploring his personal history. The people who seem to wander into his life seem to be brief and unsubstantial too - much like the ‘mayflies’ they’re derogatorily called by Alba leader Heinrich.

This seemed to skim the surface of its potential, with many things eluded to more than seen - such as Heinrich’s neurotic paranoid personality and his possessiveness over this ‘gift’ they all share. I would have liked to have seen a broader understanding of his background, instead of it being very narrowed in on Tom. There’s also no real plot. It’s almost a memoir of Tom’s life, with the occasional jaunt into the present day, but nothing of any real note happens. There’s no build up to anything, no mystery.

A quick read, but I found myself really questioning what the point was.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry

This was the perfect book to read over a very sunny and hot Bank Holiday.

Covering the dawn of the Gods, through the golden and silver ages, this discusses a wide range of stories told in the usual Fry wit. It’s incredibly informative and well planned out, told in a more structured chronological order than I’m normally use to with these stories. And I’ve read a lot of these stories. There’s nothing new here if you’ve delved into Greek mythology, but I enjoyed Fry's take on them - and I really liked the little addendums of information littered throughout that enhanced my knowledge of the Greeks and their language and lore.

My favourite stories have always been those about hubris, or pride, and here we get a whole chapter dedicated to the various ways the Gods have punished those mere mortals who dare to challenge them, such as Arachne the great weaver and Marsyas the ill fated satyr. The stories are told in such a laid back way, that it’s easy for those familiar, and those who are new to the stories, to equally enjoy them. The Gods are described in such a colourful, fun way, that their distinct personalities leap from the pages and allowed me to fall in love with them all over again.

If anything, this lacked the luscious tales of the later period dedicated to the great heroes of Odysseus, Perseus, Jason etc. I hope that Fry writes another volume to include these at some point because they for me really embody the overall epic feel of the Greek stories. However, this certainly has its place amongst other retellings.

 - 4 stars

Book Review: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

The third instalment in The Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan sees our heroes face the final Roman emperor in the Triumvirate, as well as meeting a large number of dryads in a very hot and desert like California. We’re also joined by Piper and Jason, demigod heroes last seen in The Heroes of Olympus series - and let’s just say they’re on rather fractious terms...

This picks up the action straight away, as we see Apollo, Meg and Grover running for their lives in the Labyrinth while pursed by blood thirsty owls. As usual, there’s a big dollop of humour, mythology and action here - but I also found this a bit darker than the previous instalments. In suddenly feels as though the gang are really at risk of loosing everything, without any help from former allies or Godly powers to save them this time. There’s an overall feeling of anticipation and dread that runs throughout, which I actually found more exciting.

As usual, there’s an eclectic mix of supporting characters. I was particularly drawn to the various desert dryads, such as Prickly Pear and Aloe Vera who seemed to perfectly incorporate their plants nature into their personality. I also liked seeing the development in Apollo, embracing his human nature more (whether he wants to or not) and accepting responsibility for his actions. However, I do miss a little of the old Apollo arrogance and swagger. I hope that hadn’t been lost forever.

The antagonist here is also a lot more intimidating compared to Commodus and Nero. When we finally meet him, he seems to exude an aura of menace and madness that’s unhinged and unpredictable. I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings in the next instalment.

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My only let down was Jason’s death. It felt rather flippant and gratuitous rather than furthering the plot in anyway. I was actually more upset by Money Maker’s death, which managed to be both horrific and touching. I’m hoping that by returning his body to Camp Jupiter, his death will be more fulfilling in the next book, as he’s given a proper Roman burial and his friends will have a chance to grieve.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

I think I need to approach this for what it is, and not what I wanted it to be. It’s a novella. It’s a bridge between books, offering a simple look into the lives of the inner circle, and a return to normalcy, after [book:A Court of Wings and Ruin|23766634]. I know all this...but... aside from the last third, I just found this rather lacklustre.

Nothing happens. There’s no development. There’s no substance. I get that it’s a shameless money spinner (and it shows) but it’s essentially just cringy sex scenes (I don’t think I’m ever going to like the type of sex scenes Sarah J. Maas writes), some shopping and getting to reminisce with some old friends. And it’s set around a celebration that’s distinctly wintery and I’m reading it on the hottest day of the year. I guess I wanted it to centre around the wider inner circle instead of mainly Rhys and Feyre. Their story is pretty much done for me. It’s neat and tied up. I want to see more of the complex relationships we’re given glimpses of here.

I think that’s why I enjoyed the last third so much more than the rest. And the ‘sneak peak’, I loved. It’s an expansion on these complicated secondary characters, and has the potential to really explore emotions and the consequences of war that I haven’t read since [book:A Court of Mist and Fury|17927395]. It got me excited for what’s to come, especially for Tamlin and Nesta - a character I have grown to absolutely love over the course of these books.

I just wish it could have delivered more of what I wanted, instead of pussyfooting around the elephants in the room.

 - 3 stars

Book Review: Lady Mary by Lucy Worsley

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Mary follows the story of Mary Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VIII, during her tumultuous teenage years as she falls from grace during the breakdown of her parent’s marriage and beyond.

I would definitely describe this as younger adult. We follow Mary from the age of 11 until 21, yet her tone and behaviour never seem to mature beyond that of a child. She’s petulant and naive, prone to fainting and just generally acting like a girl, not the dominant princess she’s raised to be. The writing is also sometimes overly simplistic in its presentation too, and lacked any real emotional complexity. Things are just described or explained ‘as is’ without any subtlety.

Secondary characters are also very black and white, almost cookie cutter images of their real historical counterparts. Anne is described as the ‘wicked lady’, forcing Mary into servitude and despair, while her mother is the proud Spanish queen. There’s no development of these characters beyond this, which I was disappointed by. Other characters are introduced before being suddenly removed from the plot incredibly quickly before we can get to know them, (namely Lady Shelton’s nephew) and felt almost like accessories to drive the plot or create some small amount of drama to make the many years of Mary’s confinement more interesting than it probably was originally.

I would have loved to see more of the relationship we see between Jane, Mary and Henry towards the end of the novel. The idea of some weird ‘family’ dynamic, having a queen so close in age to Mary and her struggles to accept and gain friendship from this woman who clearly just wanted to please the king and her new stepdaughter. Unfortunately these scenes were rather rushed after spending so many chapters seeing Mary locked away, which again I found disappointing. I also thought there was a missed opportunity to see a future Mary seize the throne after her brother’s death, which would have brought some much needed action and strength of character to Mary. Ending where it did was a little lacklustre.

Don’t get me wrong, I love this period of history, and because of that I did enjoy this. But I just found it lacking in quite a few key areas. If I was ten years younger, I probably would have lapped this up and I do think there’s a large gap in the market for historical YA of this era. It would a pleasant change of scene for me to read, it flowed well and was rather light and innocent in tone which I liked. There’s also so little written about Mary that isn’t negative that this felt very refreshing.

Perfect for younger teens interested in a queen often overshadowed by her father and younger sister.

 - 3 stars