Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

A quick rundown…What do you do when a parent is so badly injured that they won’t recover? Let them go or give them time?

Strengths: Picoult takes a topical situation and explores the potential options.

Weaknesses: Characters can be a little wooden at times.

Why I read it: ARC kindly sent by Allen and Unwin – thank you!

Pages: 421 (ARC)

Published: 2012

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Setting: New Hampshire, USA

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

I would say that I’ve read most of Jodi Picoult’s books (like many, I started with the incredibly moving My Sister’s Keeper). If you’re not aware of her books, she generally takes a hot topic (organ donation from a prisoner, school shootings, teen suicide) and makes a novel exploring all the options. If you’ve ever flicked through one of her books, all the different fonts are not a mistake. Her books are written in the first person of several of the main characters, so you get an idea of each character’s feelings, emotions and thoughts. It’s certainly a great way to look at a topical issue.

Her latest book, Lone Wolf, doesn’t disappoint. The issue is between two estranged siblings, Cara and Edward, fighting after an accident that has left their father, Luke, brain dead. Cara, who has been living with her father for years, wants to give her father every opportunity to make it through. She’s been Googling people who were declared brain dead and then spontaneously recovering. Edward, who left for Thailand six years ago after an argument with his dad, wants to turn off Luke’s life support. Who is right? Who has the power to make these decisions?

The course of the decision making doesn’t run smooth. Cara ‘dobs in’ Edward for unplugging Luke’s ventilator and the whole thing goes to court. Add in their mother’s new husband, representing Edward versus Cara (is this ethical?) and there’s plenty of opportunity for conflict.

You might have noticed that I haven’t yet mentioned wolves. Luke, before his accident, was something of a wolf Steve Irwin. He left his family to spend nearly two years immersed in a wolf pack in Canada and now runs a park with wolves (and mechanical dinosaurs). Was he a good father, leaving his family, or did his time away give him greater appreciation for the importance of family?

This novel has multiple levels of conflict – from simple brother and sister arguments to court room drama; Picoult handles it all with a caring touch and balances the views of the characters nicely. There is also quite a bit of information on the behaviour of wolves – some might find it interesting, others not so. However, it is the comparison between the wolf pack and the human family that gives a human side to Luke and makes the reader care all the more about what happens.

My only critique would be that the secret that Cara is hiding throughout the novel isn’t that big a deal. It didn’t seem to cause her much anguish, despite what she claims is severe guilt later on. Is it a reflection on the teenage psyche (out of sight, out of mind) or just something added in for extra drama? In comparison, I loved the character of Joe Ng and would love to try some of his Sunday morning Cambodian recipes!

A fast read, best read in greedy chunks. An enjoyable read.

(Kudos must also go to Allen & Unwin for the publicity for this book – love seeing books promoted so well! Have seen ads for this book everywhere – buses, train stations, displays instore. A great encouragement to read!)

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

A quick rundown…The story of Harry Clifton and his entanglement with the Barrington family. Part One of a trilogy.

Strengths: Fantastic action and plot.

Weaknesses: Hearing the same event from another character’s point of view gets a bit boring.

Why I read it: Enjoy historical fiction family sagas.

Pages: 343 (ebook)

Published: 2011

Publisher: Macmillan

Setting: England (primarily Bristol), the high seas

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

For some inexplicable reason, this series is linked in my mind with Ken Follett’s Fall of Giants. Is it that they both deal with families and war? Or that they will both be a trilogy? While Jeffrey Archer’s prose may not be quite as eloquent and detailed as Ken Follett’s, he does have several benefits:

1. He can write a page turner that will keep you up late at night. You can’t just stop reading this, there’s always a twist that will make you think, ‘just one more chapter’.
   
2. The books are easier to lift than Mr Follett’s chunksters. Still better if you’re reading the ebook!
   
3. The sequel, Sins of the Father is already out in hardcover and ebook in Australia. (The sequel to Fall of Giants will be released in September 2012 in the UK and USA. Not release date for Australia as yet).
   

Archer’s book deals with Harry Clifton, who never knew his father after he disappeared, presumed dead. The book deals with Harry’s life from birth to university days. We hear about Harry’s life from various points of view – from Harry himself, his mother, his friends, mentors and lovers. This is useful because you can get different points of view on one particular event, but sometimes hearing each person’s version of events can be tedious. You know what’s going to happen and you’re looking out for the titbit that adds another dimension to the mystery of the death of Harry’s father. This improves later on in the book as Harry goes to secondary school and then on to university. The subplot about how Maisie, Harry’s mother, tries to raise the fees for Harry’s private school, is also interesting with lots of unexpected events! This book is certainly never dull.

The last few chapters of the book are a real twist in events and the action steps up a lot of notches. Don’t expect a resolution at the end either – this is only the first book in the trilogy and there’s a lot more to come! If you have peeked at the jacket of the sequel, things will make much more sense after reading the closing chapters.

If you haven’t read this book and enjoy plot driven family saga style historical fiction, I’d recommend you read it, as you can read the sequel straight after! It’s not deep, but a lot of fun. Book 3 of the series will be called Best Kept Secret.

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.

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.

April Fool’s Day by Bryce Courtenay

A quick rundown… The true story of Bryce’s son, Damon who contracts HIV through a blood transfusion.

Strengths: Very emotional and brutally honest.

Weaknesses: Very sad.

Why I read it: Present from my mother.

Pages: 648

Published: 1994

Publisher: Penguin Australia

Setting: Australia

Rating: 9 out of 10.

If you liked this, try: Holding the Man by Timothy Conigrave, which also deals with HIV and AIDS.

April Fool’s Day was a book I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read initially for several reasons – I don’t read as much non-fiction as fiction, surely Bryce Courtenay’s talent lay in fiction and it was probably out of print. Enter a Popular Penguin edition and an edict from my mother that I must read this book and she knew I would enjoy it immensely. I started reading this on my daily commute but soon I was hooked. Such a powerful story – all completely true, you can’t make up this sort of thing and an incredibly emotional, harrowing journey for the Courtenay family.

I always respected Courtenay as a writer before this, but after reading this book, I have the utmost respect for him overall. The story of his son Damon, born a haemophiliac who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion and later died of AIDS related complications is compelling for so many reasons. Damon was a brave battler and his strength while living through chronic pain, bleeding and countless infections is to be commended. The rallying of the Courtenay family and Damon’s partner Celeste around him is a testimony to the strength of the loving family (from going along with Damon’s delusions to taking him to the hospital on many occasions). This book is a celebration of life and love – the good, the bad and the ugly.

From a medical point of view, this book is also exceptionally interesting for several reasons. One, to read about diseases, hospitals, doctors and treatments from the patient and family point of view was an eye opener. The way Damon was treated on occasions by medical ‘professionals’ was awful. Secondly, to read about the medication side effects from the actual effect on the patient – also interesting. What may be classed as minor to those not taking the drug can have a huge effect on the quality of life on the person (such as Damon and diarrhoea with AZT). Finally, it was amazing to see the comparison between HIV and AIDS treatment today and in the late 80s / early 90s when Damon was being treated. So much progress has been made and I felt so sad that if this had happened 20 years later, it may be Damon telling his whole story, rather than his father.

It was also interesting to see how attitudes to the gay community have changed and how more widely educated the public is about HIV and AIDS. (Damon was mistreated by nurses who mistakenly thought that AIDS equals gay. Thank goodness we have moved on from that.)

Bryce Courtenay is brutally honest in this retrospective of his son’s life. He laments of the lack of time spent with his kids in the early years (due to a job in advertising that really does sound a little Mad Men-esque) and losing his temper when perhaps he shouldn’t. These made me as the reader warm to him more – it’s not a rose coloured view. I hope it was cathartic for him to write this.

The ending was a tear jerker. Despite you knew it was coming, it didn’t make it any easier. It was lovely to read the postscript from Celeste and her life post-Damon.

In short, April Fool’s Day has it all – the happy times, the funny times, the awful times and the sad times. What a lovely thing for a father to create for his son.

Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

A quick rundown… The story of a woman, her two sons and the everlasting ties between them.

Strengths: A different way of approaching a story with three sequential protagonists; Paul is an amiable character.

Weaknesses: Dragged for me in places.

Why I read it: Have never read D.H. Lawrence before.

Pages: 544

Published: 1913

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Setting: England

Rating: 7 out of 10.

If you liked this, try: Brooklyn by Colm Toibin deals with similar family issues.

This was the first D.H. Lawrence book I’ve read and I’m still undecided whether it will be the last. If I had to sum it up in one word, the word would be ‘okay’. Not brilliant, not awful – just tolerable really.

The story is simple enough – the story of Mrs Morel, who seems to have married the wrong man (a miner who drinks a lot) and puts her effort into her firstborn son, Arthur. Arthur is given every opportunity, sometimes at the expense of his sister Annie and younger brother Paul. When Arthur returns home engaged, Mrs Morel finds it hard to deal with and picks fault with his fiancé. Arthur then dies and Mrs Morel sets her sights on Paul. She controls nearly every aspect of Paul’s life and is a continual source of friction between him and his first girlfriend, Miriam. It seems no one is good enough for Paul and Mrs Morel will be the only woman in his life.

Lawrence is excellent at being able to convey thoughts and feelings of his characters within a few words. The portrayal of the different relationships – Paul and his mother, Paul and Miriam is excellent. Mrs Morel and Paul both love and hate each other, yet they can’t break or change the bond between them. Paul knows his mother is interfering with his relationships, yet he still goes back for more. You would expect Mrs Morel to appear overbearing, but she doesn’t – it is clearly written that she wants the absolute best for Paul and will do her damnedest to get it for him. Like most mothers!

Very well written but not my favourite 20^th century classic (that is reserved for Richard Yates). Somewhat dull and bleak in places, but the strength is in the relationships between the characters.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

A quick rundown… A young girl’s statement changes things for the rest of her family forever. How can she atone for her sin?

Strengths: The different types of writing in each part, the raw desolation of the war.

Weaknesses: The ending makes you want to immediately flip back to the front and start again.

Why I read it: It’s a movie and the book won lots of prizes.

Pages: 351

Published: 2003

Publisher: Anchor

Setting: England, France.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

If you liked this, try: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

It’s difficult to know where to start in this review of Atonement – many people are familiar with the book and many more have seen the film with Keira Knightley (I haven’t; I thought Keira played Briony, not Cecelia). It seems from a small amount of research I’ve done (i.e. asking friends) that opinion of Atonement is divided – you either love it or hate it. I’m one of the former, so you’ll need to excuse me for my gushings.

Briony is a young girl, determined to put on a play with her cousins for her brother’s homecoming. But over the course of one day, everything changes and Briony tells a lie, which affects the rest of her family. Both she and her older sister separate from the family as they grow older, but the events of that day are never forgotten.

This is the first McEwan book I’ve read and I was told by others to be patient, that his books grow on you. While lyrically beautiful, it did take some time to get used to the style of this first section, which is quite floaty and dreamlike (and I’m told, in the style of Virginia Woolf). It also reminded me of how a hot summer day feels – kind of endless and somewhat detached. I enjoyed this, but didn’t rave about it. The second part, which describes WWII in detail, was sharply focused and graphic in comparison to the first section. I really also enjoyed Briony’s trials as a nurse – it was unsympathetically confronting. This was where I was hooked, with the shocking turn of events. And the ending…well, I felt like flipping back to the front and starting the book all over again. It made me question everything I’d read previously in the book – which of the characters were not to be trusted? Were there any holes in the story? McEwan leaves the reader to try to figure this out rather than join the dots. It’s a little frustrating, but it certainly ensures the reader will be thinking about the book long after it’s finished.

There are some light moments in this book – the khaki green Amo chocolate bar for the soldiers for instance, but most of it is about one events and how everything after is distorted – possibly forever. It is painfully slow in some places, but picks up in others. Well worth the rewards if you persevere.

All Together Now by Monica McInerney

A quick rundown… A collection of short stories and novella, Odd One Out.

Strengths: Good to see the works collected together.

Weaknesses: I’m still not a fan of short stories. I prefer novels.

Why I read it: It was the only Monica McInerney book I hadn’t read at the time.

Pages: 288

Published: 2008

Publisher: Penguin

Setting: Australia

Rating: 8 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Any Monica McInerney novel such as At Home With the Templetons.

All Together Now was the only Monica McInerney book I hadn’t read (excepting 2011′s new release, Lola’s Secret). I had purposefully left it until last because I’m not really that big a fan of short stories (exception: Haruki Murakami). But as short stories go, this is a fairly good collection. McInerney’s sparkle and wit shine through even in a short period. A lot of the stories (some only several pages) got me engrossed and then suddenly finished, which was disappointing. But you can’t win them all.

The majority of the book is taken up by the novella, Odd One Out, which was previously released as a giveaway with the Books Alive programme. Strangely, I didn’t read it back then. The novella is about Sylvie, who is a bit lost and is asked by an old aunt to be her companion at an inopportune moment at a wedding. Sylvie is wrested from this fate by her brother, who sets her up in Melbourne on a treasure hunt to find new things and empower herself. There are some unexpected twists and turns but the ending is fairly predictable, and a little up in the air. I’d like to see this fleshed out more as a novel – the mystery of Sylvie’s dad is solved in a couple of paragraphs and then barely mentioned. The treasure hunt was a very good idea.

Lola (the grandmother from The Alphabet Sisters and now star of Lola’s Secret) makes an appearance as a fairy godmother doing good in another short story. It was nice to see familiar characters from McInerney’s novels return and a plus for those who have read her other works.

This would be a good point for those at the midway point or the end of McInerney’s work. A lot of the stories in this book have appeared elsewhere, so it would be advisable to have a quick skim before you purchase. It’s ideal for a quick read.

Finding Mr Flood by Ciara Geraghty

In a nutshell… Dara’s father walked out long ago. Now Dara’s sister needs a kidney, Dara’s going to find him.

Strengths: Some interesting characters, a different idea for a chick lit book.

Weaknesses: Some characters are a bit clichéd, alternately serious and comical.

Why I read it: Enjoyed the author’s other books.

Pages: 480

Published: 2011

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Setting: Ireland

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Saving Grace by Ciara Geraghty

I’ve enjoyed previous books by Ciara Geraghty (Saving Grace and Becoming Scarlett) – they are chick lit books, but so much more – clever characterisation, innovative twists and heart-wrenching crises. So you could say that I was really, really looking forward to this book. I eagerly pounced on this book as soon as I saw it in store and began to read shortly after.

Like the author’s other books, it focuses on a young Irish single girl with a quirky family. Meet Dara, she works at a dog shelter, cares little for fashion beyond tracksuits and has an occasional ‘understanding’ with the married Ian. Behind Dara, lies her family – the quirky Mrs Flood (yes, she’s nearly always referred to as Mrs Flood) and her sister Angel. Angel has end stage renal disease and requires a kidney transplant. Dara and Mrs Flood don’t match – but could Mr Flood, who disappeared down the street shortly before Dara was born never to be seen again, be a match? Throw in a private detective with a family full of policemen, even quirkier friends and a range of coincidences and you’ve got a rollicking ride.

You could say that this sounds a little more sombre that Geraghty’s previous novels and in a way you’d be right, as Angel’s plight is always in the background and a focus for a lot of the book – finding Mr Flood. However, it is dealt with sensitivity and humour in just the right places. Geraghty also gets the renal stuff correct too – she’s obviously done her research (I hate medical inaccuracies in books). It is interesting and the ending is both sad and happy. The book takes a while to get going (there’s far too much about dogs in this book for my taste) but the last half is much faster paced.

The characters, while quirky and endearing, might be starting to come off as somewhat clichéd in comparison to her other books – Mrs Flood for example is a caricature for most of the book, while Angel is somewhat of a ghost (but perhaps this is meant to be so?). Tintin is endearing as the crazy male friend, but is in danger of becoming a parody of himself. Ian Harte, is well written, as is Mr Flood’s relatives.

In short, I enjoyed this book but not quite as much as Becoming Scarlett. It is though, a great light read and I do recommend it!

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

In a nutshell… Bea’s sister is missing and Bea sets out to find the truth.

Strengths: very emotive, tense and gripping.

Weaknesses: Possibly too much of an emotional rollercoaster at times.

Why I read it: Cheap on Amazon.co.uk

Pages: 358

Published: 2010

Publisher: Piatkus Books

Setting: London, England

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult; Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

Sister is one of those books that deserves to be read in big, greedy gulps. It takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotions – from worry to shock to horror and back again. Although I found this a harrowing and moving read, the emotion was beautifully raw and honest. This is a great book and an excellent debut from Rosamund Lupton. A little bit Gothic and a little bit thriller, this was a page turner for me.

Sister is the story of Beatrice (Bee), who returns home to London from New York when her sister, Tess goes missing. Tess is about to give birth, so where could she be? Exactly what was going on in Tess’ life before her disappearance? Who is the boy following her around college? What is the nature of the relationship with her teacher? When Tess is later found dead in a lonely ablutions block, Bee wants these questions and more answered. The police don’t seem to be terribly interested and Bee herself is getting into more and more trouble. But Tess is her sister and she’ll do anything to protect her…

The story is told in the first person from Bee’s point of view as a letter to her sister, moving back in time to when Tess disappeared and then forward to Bee giving her statement. This is an interesting plot device, as you know that something will be resolved by the end of the block. The real twist however, is how the past joins up with the present – certainly original and something I did not expect in the slightest. Very well done. The only confusion I had with the jumping back and forth in time was that it was occasionally difficult to put the scene into context – possibly another font could have been used for the present, but I think this may have detracted away from the Gothic eeriness that envelopes Sister. Some of the medicine used is too futuristic for today, but thankfully this is explained in the author’s notes at the end.

The love between the two sisters is clearly evident in this book. Bee does everything out of love for Tess, even when she knows she is dead. The feelings are portrayed beautifully and I admire Bee’s fierce determination to seek the truth about Tess’ death through her grief, even if nobody believes her. You may think I’m giving too much away about the plot, but I’m not. This book is more about the search for justice for Tess’ death and how it came about rather than if she is murdered or missing. The characterisation is also very well done – Bee is certainly not without her faults (although her clear love for Tess redeems her somewhat) and the supporting characters are alternately charming or the right side of nasty.

A great book and gripping read. Can’t wait to read Afterwards (the author’s new book).