Burqalicious by Becky Wicks

A quick rundown…The story of the expat lifestyle in Dubai if you’re young and single – all the glitter and all the dust.

Strengths: Lovely familiar writing style (just like one of your best mates is writing you an email)

Weaknesses: More about the social life than any in-depth cultural analysis (but that’s probably not why you’re reading this book)

Why I read it: Cheap, interesting-looking ebook.

Pages: 320

Published: 2011

Publisher: Harper Collins

Setting: Dubai (with a few international holidays)

Rating: 8 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Sophie Kinsella’s fiction, such as Twenties Girl.

 

I still haven’t been to Dubai. Reading this book, I’m not entirely sure about how much I want to go. The book describes incredible awe-inspiring feats of architecture, great shopping malls and fun parties but also gives the reader something to ponder about: expats get lonely.

Burqalicious is the true story of Becky who decides to try her luck in Dubai. It seems that she arrives at the heart of the boom (remember those days?) where mega skyscrapers are built overnight, parties are outlandish, all you can eat buffets last hours and there’s always something fun to do. Besides this luxurious life, where simply everyone has a maid (at least when they’re not living on a landing under a Twister towel), Becky tells of the never-ending heat, the sand, lack of public transport and shops that don’t seem to sell necessities such as tampons.

The book follows Becky through her love affair with Dubai that eventually comes to an end with the GFC and her rocky relationship with M&M (standing for ‘Married and Muslim’). The affair wasn’t the focus of the book, more of a sideline (with some great holidays thrown in). Becky also reveals that an expat’s life is full of ever-changing acquaintances as people fly in and fly out and that it can be lonely. There’s also some cultural differences (including what Becky can and can’t put on her gossip website).

I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read for my commute, plus Becky Wicks has a great ‘voice’ for her readers. I could easily relate her tale of fun, sand, heat and parties in Dubai to a friend chatting. She doesn’t sugar-coat things (we all learn early on in the piece that M&M is married and she doesn’t shy away from changing jobs). It was fun and interesting, like a big blog by a good friend – I’d happily read more of her works.

The Dancing Years (Morland Dynasty #33) by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

A quick rundown… The 33^rd book in the series takes in England post-WWI and into the 1920s, which were not as carefree initially as portrayed.

Strengths: Great characters and a few shocking twists in the tale of the Morlands.

Weaknesses: Covers more years than the previous books set in WWI.

Why I read it: I’ve been reading this series since 2006.

Pages: 512

Published: 2011

Publisher: Sphere

Setting: England, America, Europe

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: watching Downton Abbey or reading more books in the series.

 

Thirty three books into the series and the Morlands have just been through the War to End All Wars (soon to be followed by World War II). This is a saga, but one that is worth the time and effort (in my case, more effort was expended in obtaining the books than reading them! They are quite difficult to purchase in Australia). The Dancing Years covers a longer time period than the WWI books, covering from 1919 until 1925 (the war books covered one year each).

Returning to Morland Place is as much a welcome home for the reader as for the Morland family. We are reunited with favourite characters, such as Bertie and Jessie, Jack and Helen and of course Teddy. Polly, as she grows into a young lady, has a stronger storyline than previous books and Emma also plays a leading role. The book covers the years that I had always thought were happy – post-war, into the 1920s, glamour and fun with a more realistic note. It was an eye-opener to read about the state of the English economy and how so many soldiers were unemployed (Jack being one of them) and the unsettled feeling that remained. Of course, there is Emma’s set – the Bright Young Things who dance and dance, mainly to hide the lurking shadows of the war. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is more daring in this novel, with some very unexpected twists unfolding. Characters will face tragedy (not for the first time), happiness (but suspicion from the point of view of others) and finally, happiness. I am really interested to see what happens in #34 with the Depression approaching.

The question that I should probably answer to this book is ‘can you read this as a stand-alone or must it be read as part of a series?’ I’ve thought quite deeply about this. I think it will make a lot more sense if it is read as part of the series (starting from the WWI books at least) but you could read it as a stand-alone. The characters are warm and engaging and in these internet days, you could more than likely Google any missing strands.

Burley Cross Postbox Theft by Nicola Barker

A quick rundown… A novel about the residents of the small English village, Burley Cross told through letters stolen from the local postbox.

Strengths: Unique perspective telling the story through letters.

Weaknesses: Does anyone write letters anymore? Difficult to keep track of who’s who at times.

Why I read it: Liked the cover, sounded interesting.

Pages: 352

Published: 2010

Publisher: Harper Collins

Setting: England

Rating: 7 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Reading Middlemarch, another view on village life.

 

I’ve thought about this book for some time after I finished it but haven’t really come to any definite conclusion – do I like this book or do I not? Let me list the pros and cons of this book.

 

PROS

• It’s written all in letters. I like that. Brings me back to some of the books I read in high school.
• You can get a good perspective of the village of Burley Cross through all those letters.
• There are some truly funny moments, such as the ‘sex hex’.
• It’s original.
• The ending is truly innovative.

 

CONS

• All written in letters means sometimes not a lot of background detail is there.
• Sometimes some characters don’t really seem to fit in all that well into the overall narrative (such as the church play, who was the person writing the letter and what was their role?)
• People don’t really write letters that much nowadays due to email etc. and they don’t always go into extreme detail. (A fairly trivial point though).
• The neighbourly arguments can sometimes be a little too close to reality. (Not applicable if you live in Summer Bay or Neighbours).
• It gets a little boring in places, trying to work out where all these people fit!

 

There you go. After writing the list, I’ve tempted to lean towards the ‘I like’ list, but you probably won’t feel comfortable reading a book about village life (disputes, love, friendship, planning disputes etc.) if you’re having a neighbour war of your own. On the other hand, it is a witty look at petty politics and worth a laugh, particularly if you’ve ever had any voyeuristic thought about a post box. The characters are over the top (I still shudder thinking of Baxter and his appearance post-sex hex) and cleverly illustrated to display their flaws. There are loving moments and some just plain ridiculous moments (such as the phantom dog dropping bags tied to fences). Like real life, there are some moments that just seem not to do anything or be part of the bigger picture. In retrospect, I found that nice – too often now TV programmes and some books lack any deviation from the Major Plot Line.

 

This book is an eccentric departure from the linear plot and should be enjoyed as such. You’ll either like it (as I ended up doing after I penned my thoughts) or think it’s a load of junk mail.

 

 

 

 

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop February 18-22

What a lovely way to start the weekend with a giveaway. And thanks to the kind Leeswammes, who has organised the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, you can blog your way around some great book blogs with the opportunity to win some fantastic books.

My giveaway is a brand-new copy of Villain by Shuichi Yoshida. I thoroughly enjoyed this book (check out my review here) and wanted to share it with someone else. My giveaway is open worldwide, so anyone can enter! Enter by leaving a comment on this post and please include an email address so I can contact the winner. Following my blog is not mandatory; however, it will give me a ray of happiness. Entries close at 11:59pm GMT, February 22 2012 and the winner will be drawn and notified within 48 hours of the closing date.

Please enjoy hopping through the list below – happy reading!

Leeswammes Curiosity Killed The Bookworm Lit Endeavors (US) The Book Whisperer Rikki’s Teleidoscope 2606 Books and Counting The Parrish Lantern Sam Still Reading Bookworm with a view Breieninpeking (Dutch readers) Seaside Book Nook Elle Lit (US) Nishita’s Rants and Raves Tell Me A Story Living, Learning, and Loving Life (US) Book’d Out Uniflame Creates Tiny Library (UK) An Armchair by the Sea (UK) bibliosue Lena Sledge’s Blog (US) Roof Beam Reader Misprinted Pages Mevrouw Kinderboek (Dutch readers) Under My Apple Tree (US) Indie Reader Houston Book Clutter I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (US) Lizzy’s Literary Life Sweeping Me

Caribousmom (US) Minding Spot (US) Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea The Book Diva’s Reads The Blue Bookcase Thinking About Loud! write meg! (US) Devouring Texts Thirty Creative Studio (US) The Book Stop Dolce Bellezza (US) Simple Clockwork Chocolate and Croissants The Scarlet Letter (US) Reflections from the Hinterland (N. America) De Boekblogger (Europe, Dutch readers) Readerbuzz (US) Must Read Faster (N. America) Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry carolinareti MaeGal Ephemeral Digest Scattered Figments (UK) Bibliophile By the Sea The Blog of Litwits (US) Kate Austin Alice Anderson (US) Always Cooking up Something

The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes

A quick rundown… The companion guide to Series One and Two of the English drama, set in prior and during WWI.

Strengths: Beautiful photographs and a deep insight into the life and times of the Edwardian era.

Weaknesses: May give away a couple of plot points (e.g. a new character) – but spoilers are kept to a minimum

Why I read it: Loved the TV programme

Pages: 304

Published: 2011

Publisher: St Martin’s Press

Setting: Downton Abbey, England

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: watching the TV show!

 

The World of Downton Abbey is a relatively rare find in the plethora of books about television programmes. Not only does this book inform you about the characters from the show, it also gives an insight into life during pre and during World War I England.

Generally books like this are set into chapters about setting, characters, plot etc. Not so here. Jessica Fellowes has taken an innovative approach with the text and coupled it with beautifully detailed photographs from the world of Downton Abbey and the historical period. The forward is written by the show’s creator, Julian Fellowes (I believe Jessica is his niece, but there is definitely no nepotism at work – Jessica has created a wonderful book in her own right). Subsequent chapters then follow on family life, society, change (i.e. during the war), life in service, style, house and estate, romance, war and behind the scenes. Each chapter reveals to the reader what the topic would have been like during that period using both real life examples and Downton examples (e.g. a day in the life of Daisy, as well as real life anecdotes of life in service). Photographs used are relevant to the chapter and the book is beautifully styled.

I also liked that the book didn’t give away too many ‘spoilers’ for the second series, which hasn’t yet aired in Australia. I feel I can be pleasantly surprised by the events of season two – those that aren’t already shaped by history of course!

For those who enjoyed the factual and historical parts of the book, there is an extensive reading list at the back. Fans as well as more casual watchers of the show will enjoy this book, as it goes far beyond the usual ‘book to accompany the TV series’ to actively inform the reader.

Definitely worth the read!

Quick Update

Hi All,

Just to let you know that I’m in for a very busy couple of weeks so won’t be posting very much (and possibly not even a lot of time to read!) I will be thinking of you all, reading and blogging happily while I’m working and studying.

Coming up soon though I shall have reviews of:

as well as some Top Gear!

Have a lovely couple of weeks!

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

A quick rundown… A man crosses Europe and Asia by train in the 1970s.

Strengths: Looking back at the way travelling was then (no iAnything to entertain you)

Weaknesses: The author gets grumpy in places; more about the journey than the countries

Why I read it: Another Popular Penguin

Pages: 372

Published: 2011 (first published 1975)

Publisher: Penguin Australia

Setting: Europe and Asia

Rating: 7 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin

 

The Popular Penguin series means that I’m always finding a new genre or author to try. This book is no exception – a railway journey from London to Asia and back through the USSR in the 1970s appealed to my love of Michael Palin’s travel books. Unlike Palin though, Theroux has no camera crew, just him and leaves his family for a solo tour. He does fly some of the time when there’s no other option, but the majority of the travel is taken on a variety of railway cars – from the old and dilapidated to the new and spartan.

The book takes you back to a time when there was no such thing as a mobile phone, iPod or iPad. All Theroux has to entertain him are some books, a journal to write in and the passengers. He brings to life some of the more quirky passengers (from the passenger who says nothing but eats and eats to the passenger left forgotten at a station), but not so much the destinations. This book is about the journey – descriptions of the berths, compartments and carriages married with vignettes of the passengers making the journey. Plus the food! The food was very varied in both flavour and quality throughout the different railways.

If you’re hoping for in-depth discussion and description of the countries Theroux visits, you’ll be disappointed. Some places warrant more text (India for example) but there was very little on others. Singapore is described in not so hopeful terms and is ridiculed for the government’s wish to deliver information wirelessly to everyone, such as through a fax. Well, we have that now and I’ve used it in Singapore, and it’s really very good! As a modern reader, I laughed at this discarding of technology.

Theroux seems particularly grumpy on the return journey across the USSR and it shows in the narrative. It felt rushed and bleak, as does the ending.

This copy came with the first chapter of a new book the author has written, making the same journey in the 2000s. Will I read it? I skimmed the first chapter and decided I’d be better off watching Michael Palin or reading Bill Bryson. It’s good writing, but I catch trains regularly and know about carriages and engines. What I want to know is more about different countries – food, culture and people.

The Freudian Slip by Marion Von Adlerstein

A quick rundown… The advertising world in 1960′s Sydney, told from the views of three women

Strengths: 60′s nostalgia

Weaknesses: No real main character, ending is very open-ended for two of the major characters.

Why I read it: Billed as ‘Mad Men meets Paper Giants‘ (Australian miniseries on 1970s women’s magazine, Cleo)

Pages: 400

Published: 2011

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Setting: Sydney and Melbourne, Australia

Rating: 7 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Fortune Cookie by Bryce Courtenay, Mad Men (the TV show)

 

I was really looking forward to this book. I adore the TV programme Mad Men and thoroughly enjoyed Bryce Courtenay’s look at advertising in Australia and Singapore in Fortune Cookie. You know I’m a historical fiction fan, so you wouldn’t be surprised to read that I stalked the bookstores of Melbourne for days prior to the release of this book. (Hachette will be pleased to know that nobody broke embargo). I really wanted this book to read on the way home as I thought it would be all-engrossing. Sadly, it was not to be. Not to be as in – 1. I couldn’t read it on my return journey and 2. That the book was not of the type where the world stands still while you read.

I was disappointed!

Let me get this straight. This is not an in-depth social commentary of 1960s Australia – people of a certain era will smile at the heavy use of old, familiar brand names while those of a younger generation will marvel at two things: 1. That some brands are so old! 2. What life was like prior to seven day shopping (although this can be experienced in Perth in 2012), no fast food outlets or mobile phones/internet. It’s a great piece of nostalgia but sometimes the brand references seem to be more crammed in than a Costco trolley on the inaugural visit.

Which brings me to a second point that I found interesting- Australia looking still to the Motherland, England but having a sneaking glance at glamorous America. The advertising agency has weekly showings of American commercials and Stella, turns to American magazines for inspiration (and plagiarism).

But I digress. Let me return to the storyline. The novel looks at three women, all working at a Sydney advertising agency. There’s Stella, former secretary and new copywriter, wanting to get herself out of the suburbs and intro the middle class; Desi, the posh society girl and TV director and Bea, divorcee with a nose for creative. The book focuses on each of them, but it’s unclear if one is meant to be the main character or if this is an ensemble cast. Should we like or dislike Stella, who is desperately crying to move up the corporate ladder (not always in an orthodox fashion)? Should we support Desi’s affair while engaged and encourage her to break from society’s bonds? Why is Desi known as Dizzy sometimes by various people at only various times? Isn’t that an odd nickname for someone breaking new moral ground? What exactly is the role of Bea? Are we to focus on the husband she left in the UK or her Don Draper-esque eye for advertising?

Sometimes it seems if this book is too much in too short a space. It also deals with homosexuality, drag queens (this is one of the funnier moments of the book!), class, aging, sex and racism. Nothing is in great detail.

Perhaps I was expecting a little too much of this book. If you think of it as a light frolic down 1960′s Sydney memory lane with nostalgia aplenty, you’ll enjoy this book. And I did enjoy it on this level. Those expecting more though, may be disappointed.

The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook by Fred Bronson

A quick rundown… The story of filming The Sound of Music, from the point of view of the seven young actors.

Strengths: Great pictures, facsimiles of tickets, scripts, diaries and a DVD.

Weaknesses: Several typos – for example, ‘Julia’ Andrews.

Why I read it: I love The Sound of Music.

Pages: 96

Published: 2011

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: watching the movie!

 

Now you know my secret – I am a long time, hard core fan of The Sound of Music. I own the LP and CD; DVDs in three languages (do check out the Japanese version – ‘delicious noodles’ are one of the favourite things) and have seen several stage versions. Nothing can compare to the original movie though. Because it was filmed pre-DVD extras (goodness, even before DVD and video invention), there has not been that much ‘extra’ information out there, although the most recent DVD release is very, very good. That is why we need this book – written by the seven actors who played the von Trapp children. The book focuses on the children’s experience – so you will find little from Julie Andrews or Christophe Plummer.

The book contains many photographs that I’ve never seen before – behind the scenes shots and photos lovingly taken by the parents who accompanied them to Austria (except for Charmian Carr, who played Liesl – she was 21 at the time). Considering this was pre-digital cameras and pre-mobile phone cameras, there’s a lot of material. Each of the ‘children’ (naturally all adults now, doing a range of things – not all involving acting) has a section of their own, explaining their lives pre and post The Sound of Music. It’s fascinating to think that little Kym Karath (Gretl) is now all grown up and that Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) now calls Australia home! There are also sections on how certain scenes were filmed (e.g. The ‘Do-Re-Mi’ montage) and the premiere. Did you know Charmian Carr got to travel the world for 2 years promoting the movie? Now I know definitely that I would like to be Liesl!

But wait – there’s even more for fans. There are several sections containing facsimiles of items to do with the movie – from Angela Cartwright (Brigitta) and Heather Menzies’ (Louisa) secret club rulebook, Nicholas Hammond’s (partial) script and premiere tickets. There’s also a DVD of home movies taken in Austria and beyond – but please remember that camcorder technology wasn’t as developed in the 1960s. While interesting, there’s a buzzing sound which is kind of annoying (I suggest you turn the sound down) and some blurred footage. It’s still a lot of fun though, from the beautiful landscapes to the gorgeous 60′s wardrobes.

There are several typos in the book – the last page has a caption for ‘Julia’ Andrews for example and there’s a few full stops missing. That shouldn’t detract you away from this gorgeous book though. It’s definitely something to treasure for fans.

I Came to Say Goodbye by Caroline Overington

A quick rundown… A baby is taken from a maternity ward. The story is the one that leads to this happening, then the aftermath.

Strengths: Easy to read, dialogue has a distinctly Australian feel.

Weaknesses: The backwards storytelling really doesn’t make sense until about 50 pages before the end.

Why I read it: Part of the 2011 Get Reading! Programme.

Pages: 295

Published: 2010

Publisher: Random House Australia

Setting: New South Wales, Australia

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: a better executed psychological thriller, such as Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster.

 

I Came to Say Goodbye was another book that I read for Australian Literature Month, hosted by Reading Matters. This was the first book that I had read by Caroline Overington (although I do have a free ebook of Ghost Child, which wins the award of Worst Ebook Cover Ever- it’s a black screen – but I digress). I was surprised at how light and easy this was to read – I finished it in two days (again, I must admit that I didn’t have a functioning leg at the time which curtailed my ability to hop away from the couch). Once again, the cover doesn’t really seem to link to the book, no matter how hard I tried to do so.

This book is somewhat unusual in which it opens with almost the end of the story – a baby being stolen from a Sydney hospital by a woman. It then travels forward in time and we meet Med Atley (short for Meredith, but Med is a typical salt of the earth Aussie bloke) who needs to prepare a statement for an upcoming court case. He can’t bring himself to talk about it, so he writes it all down. It starts with his childhood in Forster, New South Wales, a pretty coastal town, goes through his marriage and sudden departure of his wife, Pat. Med is left to bring up his three children – Kat, Blue and Fat (Donna-Faye) as best he knows how. Kat goes to high school and university in Sydney before departing for New York; while Blue goes opal hunting in Lightning Ridge. Fat falls in with the wrong man and that’s where things go downhill, with the involvement of child safety services, police and mental health services. Exactly what happened to Fat’s first child Seth and why was he removed from their care? What is the trigger for Fat’s breakdown? Finally, who is the woman who stole the baby and what did she do with it?

It’s easy to get lost in the story, but there are a couple of sticking points for me. Why did the Atleys not think to ask if they could see Seth after his accident – or even check if he was still alive? How does a baby get stolen from a hospital after hours? (All the hospitals I know have one entrance open after the end of visiting hours – the emergency entrance). Why does the hospital in Newcastle (a city) have only a registrar doctor for paediatrics? It seems Overington didn’t really know a lot about the ‘levels’ of doctors. I know that part of the point of this story is to demonstrate the differences between bureaucracy and real life, but sometimes a seemed a little too hung up on the ‘Aussie battler = good’ side of things. The voice of Kat also came across as somewhat false at times – like she is restraining herself, distancing herself from the family issues but all the same being a big part of them! The ending was also a bit strange, catching everything and tying up all the ends.

In summary, it’s an okay read, suitable for being caught short in an airport but for me there were several holes in the narrative that needed some more thought put into it.