The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

A quick rundown… Tony receives some money and a diary from his first girlfriend’s mother on her death. This prompts reminiscence through his youth and trying to understand his friend’s death years ago.

Strengths: Barnes is an excellent writer and the voice of Tony is particularly authentic.

Weaknesses: Tony sometimes just ‘doesn’t get it’, which is frustrating.

Why I read it: Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize and I was looking for a quick read

Pages: 150

Published: 2011

Publisher: Vintage

Setting: England

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Starter for Ten by David Nicholls (if you enjoyed Tony’s uni days)

I only became aware of the hype for this book when it became short listed and then the winner of last year’s Man Booker Prize. When I saw it in real life, I was somewhat shocked that such a slim book had so many people raving. But don’t judge a book by its size, it’s the words that make it matter.

The premise of the book is simple – the gift of money and a friend’s diary from an ex-girlfriend’s mother gets Tony reminiscing. And thinking. And wondering. And debating (mainly with his ex-wife) whether he is/was in love with the ex-girlfriend, Veronica. So he decides to catch up with Veronica, but Tony’s a bit slow on the uptake and still doesn’t understand what happened or what Veronica is trying to tell him.

Sometimes I didn’t understand exactly what it was Tony was misunderstanding. The ending certainly is in that field and it made me wonder if we’re all just as blind as Tony is at times. Misunderstanding or ‘just not getting it’ seemed to be a theme of the novel. The characters seemed to be reluctant to spell things out for Tony at times (Margaret, his ex-wife, is more tolerant than Veronica who gets frustrated). I suppose it wouldn’t be as much of a novel if everything was spelled out.

The passing of time and the effect it has on distant memories is another theme- is Tony remembering things correctly or with selective changes? We see that his memory cannot always be relied upon; he states he was accepting of Veronica entering a relationship with old school friend Adrian, but later a vitriolic letter appears from Tony to Adrian. What else is he missing in the narrative?

The prose of course is beautiful and it’s a testament to Barnes that we continue to feel for Tony even through his foibles. We’re just as eager to find out the truth as he is.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

A quick rundown… Katey Kontent is trying to make her way slowly upward in 1938 New York. A chance meeting with Tinker Grey causes her star to rise as the year goes on – but how much of this is real?

Strengths: Love the opening, the atmosphere created in the book is fantastic.

Weaknesses: Occasionally lost track of who some people were, otherwise none.

Why I read it: On my wish list and bought on my recent holiday to Singapore

Pages: 352

Published: 2011

Publisher: Penguin US

Setting: New York City

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I’ve struggled for several days to write this opening paragraph. Why? It’s because Rules of Civility is a fantastic book and I want to do it justice in my review. Picked up on my recent holiday to Singapore, I feel bad for passing this by in the bookstore at home. It’s a book that completely engulfs you – you are immersed in the setting with the characters.

The book starts at the end – Katey and her husband are attending the opening of a show of clandestine pictures taken in the subway in the 1930s. (Note that this really did happen, and there are pictures throughout the book from the exhibition by Walker Evans – worth a look). There she sees an old friend not once, but twice – Tinker Grey. In one picture, he looks dapper and well-fed. In the other, malnourished and grimy. So what caused this change?

We then move back in time to 1938 New York City, which tells the story of how Katey met Tinker Grey and how their lives became entwined. Katey moves from one social circle to another – from grimy jazz bars to sprawling mansions. Tinker fades in and out and Katey gradually begins to realise that all is not what it seems. She struggles with the sense of right and wrong – who is she to judge? But shouldn’t we be honest to those we love and ourselves?

I read this book in two days. The book brings New York to life – the reader can clearly see the buildings, hear the noise and smell the city. Towles’ ability to do this is masterful – exceptional for a first novel! The characters are also well drawn, especially Katey. We can almost feel her brain ticking over as she tries to figure out who is – and isn’t – telling the truth. Some of the minor characters – particularly the social climbers merge into one though. While being a historical novel, the narrative also has a contemporary feel to it. I don’t mean that the setting is taken out of context, but that the book speaks to you like you are living side by side with Katy. It also captures the air of desolation around the Great Depression.

You might be wondering where the title comes from. It’s from a list that George Washington (yes, that one) made as a youngster. Tinker believes it to be his rules for living successfully in society.

It’s interesting to note that the book cover above – the American edition – has the same cover picture as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in Australia! Although the picture would do both books justice (but I can’t imagine Katey lounging around like that – Eve, perhaps).

See? It’s interesting that two books that are quite alike in my head should even look similar.

I loved this book and can’t wait to see what Amor Towles comes up with next. I love that the subway pictures were used as a contrast to the themes of the book – while waiting for our train ride to end, we show our truthful selves. But in the street, we look and act how others want to see us.

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!)

The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro

A quick rundown… Two stories running together: the story of Cate in the present, cataloguing the items of a deceased estate, and the Blythe sisters in the 1930s. Can Cate solve the mystery of the missing sister?

Strengths: Interesting idea for a story, some interesting glimpses into fashion history.

Weaknesses: Dreary, conjures up bleak images and not as well executed as it could have been.

Why I read it: On my wish list and saw it at the $5 bookstore

Pages: 384

Published: 2010

Publisher: Harper

Setting: England

Rating: 6 out of 10

If you liked this, try: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield or any Kate Morton novel

This was another $5 bookshop buy. Would it be too harsh to say I’m glad I only spent $5 on it?

This book seemed like it had so much going for it. The plot, while not 100% original, could be so good! Let me just summarise it quickly for you: Cate, troubled by the ending of a previous romance, goes to work for her aunt’s auction business. There, she meets Jack, who is moody with secrets of his own. As they catalogue Endsleigh, the estate of one of the famed Blythe sisters, sexual tension flares. Cate becomes caught up in the mystery of what happened to the younger Blythe sister. Will she realise Jack’s interest and solve the mystery? There are many books that follow this kind of plot – Kate Morton has written some very good (okay, and one not so good) books about the modern and historic, involving big houses and decades old mysteries. Unfortunately, this one is not so good.

Why do I think this? The prose is dreary. I had to force myself to continue to read this, setting myself a page target each day (all for the benefit of you, dear reader – your life is too short for bad books!) The tension between Cate and Jack felt forced and clichéd – like the characters themselves were begrudgingly acting out the part for the sake of the reader. The prose really didn’t evoke an atmosphere either – it felt stilted and restrained. Cate’s love affair lacked love, regret and the anger of betrayal – it really felt like she was just going through the motions. No passion at all!

The mystery was quite interesting though and although the ‘discovery’ is somewhat clichéd (I won’t spoil it for you if you intend to read the book), at least it is solved. The way that Cate got interested in Baby Blythe’s disappearance through a hidden shoebox of memorabilia was unique and one of the more interesting parts of the book to me. The way the ‘historic’ side of the plot was revealed through letters mainly between the Blythe sisters was interesting too, but at times it left more questions than answers for me.

I cared about this book enough to finish, but I’m sorry, not enough to recommend it. It may be an okay beach or plane read at a pinch.

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 Beautiful and Damned by F Scott Fitzgerald

A quick rundown…The story of Anthony and Gloria, from their wild times to downfall and back again.

Strengths: It grows on you; the ending is just perfect.

Weaknesses: Start is rambly and confusing at times.

Why I read it: Enjoyed The Great Gatsby; another of the Popular Penguins series.

Pages: 364

Published: 2010 (original 1920)

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Setting: USA, primarily New York

Rating: 8 out of 10

If you liked this, try: A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh

Yet another Popular Penguin read. You should know by now that I can’t resist: 1. a bargain of the bookish sort and 2. a book series. One thing I like about the Popular Penguin series is that it’s allowed me to buy multiple books by classic authors cheaply – namely Evelyn Waugh and F. Scott Fitzgerald. As I normally pass on my books to family, friends or the library, the cover art (or lack of it) doesn’t worry me. (But who could resist though retro orange covers?)

The introduction to this book warned me that the first 100 pages would be somewhat shaky and then the story would come into its own. A great statement (which I promptly forgot) which summed up my feelings as I read those first 100 pages. Anthony, the protagonist, seems to be at a loose end, not doing very much but the same shallow things. Then he meets Gloria, and things perk up a bit at her somewhat outlandish ways for the time. They marry and things again become confused – how can you afford the high life (partying, drinking, motoring, holidaying) on a budget after the capital is diminished? This is where the story becomes stronger and more focused, as Gloria and Anthony need to break out of their lazy dream world and face reality. Up until this point, they had been hoping that Anthony’s grandfather would leave his considerable fortune to him. This belief is shattered when Mr Patch inadvertently disturbs a party at the ‘grey house’ (Anthony and Gloria’s summer rental outside of New York City) and sees all the things he disapproves of – smoking, drinking and dancing.

There is an increasing sense of pathos as Anthony and Gloria run out of money. Out of desperation, Anthony tries to join the army as an officer but is turned down due to flat feet. Ironically, he is later conscripted as a private. While physically apart, Gloria and Anthony seem to drift apart emotionally. Anthony has an affair with a girl that just won’t let go, while Gloria is focussing on recovering the Patch fortune. Even that fails to hold her interest for long and her letters to Anthony become shorter and fewer.

The climax of the book is bittersweet; as Anthony and Gloria are both somewhat unlikeable characters and I couldn’t decide whether I wished them well or not. It does hold true to the old adage of ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it’.

The bleak aspect on life in this book – what’s after the party? – reminds me of the Evelyn Waugh book, A Handful of Dust. The latter is a stronger book; however, if you can make your way through the bumpy first half of this book, you will be rewarded with a stellar second half. It’s not light and it’s not happy, but you’ll leave the book happy that you’re not Anthony or Gloria.

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

A quick rundown… Yes, you can tell a story that uses SMS/texts as a major form of communication. Chick lit with a punch, Kinsella’s really improving.

Strengths: Ability to turn something odd (finding a mobile phone in the bin) into a major plot and make it unputdown-able.

Weaknesses: It has the ending you expected.

Why I read it: Enjoy Kinsella’s books as something light.

Pages: 387

Published: 2012

Publisher: Random House

Setting: London

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Twenties Girl by the same author

I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Sophie Kinsella’s novels for several reasons. One, they’re light, fun and easy with a happy ending; and two, I once won a competition from reading her Shopaholic series. Of late, I’ve been enjoying especially the stand-alone books she writes – Twenties Girl reduced me to tears, so I was pleased to see she had another book out.

Initially, I was a bit dubious about the plot – girl finds mobile phone in bin, starts up texting relationship with owner of phone. It actually works very, very well and Kinsella should be proud of integrating technology into fiction books so well. The texts between Poppy (our protagonist, a physiotherapist who will marry the very clever Dr Magnus Tavish within weeks) and Sam Roxton (his former PA ditched the phone so now he has no-one to organise his life) add a lot to the novel. Granted, there is some use of text speak (mainly Poppy’s J and xxxxxxx’s) but the texts reveal their growing relationship (as well as awarding Poppy victory in a Scrabble match with the future in-laws).

Poppy is fairly clever in relation to some of Kinsella’s other characters, but she has a huge inferiority complex when presented with Magnus and his family, who are all scholars. One of the ways Poppy tries to cope with this is by mockingly using footnotes as she tells her story. Sometimes these work, sometimes they don’t. It is different though to the standard chick lit fare and well done to Kinsella for integrating this too. It’s an interesting choice having a physiotherapist as a main character- definitely not something I’ve seen before, but it works. Poppy’s workmates are both evil and hilarious. Sam is a well-rounded character; while Magnus is painted as the weird and wonderful lecturer with Issues. As for Magnus’ mother, well! She is one unique lady, at least to Poppy’s eyes.

As for the ending, you’ve probably guessed it already but it’s fun making the journey there. This is chick lit with depth and feeling. There are a lot of twists and turns along the way (several quite unexpected), making the book a fun journey. I’ve already passed this one on, with the suggestion to read this book soon!

 

The Red Thread by Dawn Farnham

A quick rundown… A tale of love in 1830s Singapore between a Chinese man and Scottish woman.

Strengths: Tells the history of Singapore in a generally entertaining fashion.

Weaknesses: Sometimes the history is a bit dry.

Why I read it: Like to pick up a local book to read when I’m on holidays.

Pages: 328

Published: 2007

Publisher: Monsoon Books

Setting: Singapore

Rating: 8 out of 10

If you liked this, try: The Song of Silver Frond by Catherine Lim for another look at Singaporean history.

 

When I’m away from home, I like to browse bookshops. I like to look at the different covers of books released overseas and I also like to discover new, local authors that I wouldn’t be exposed to at home. The Red Thread is the result of one of these browsings at Kinokuniya Ngee Ann City, Singapore. (If this bookstore was a man, I’d marry it. It is fantastic, crammed with all sorts of subjects and section on local authors. But I digress).

 

Dawn Farnham was born in England but grew up locally in Perth, Western Australia. She has lived in many places throughout Europe and Asia, before settling half in Perth, half in Singapore. (Source: author’s website) She is passionate about learning history, and the intensity of her research shines through in The Red Thread. (I’m interested too to see what she comes up with about Perth). The research for this book is first class; so much so, that I was about to take a modern day map of Singapore and trace where the characters were walking. I learned quite a bit about Singapore in the 1800s just from reading this book. It was also more interesting than reading plain history.

 

This book is more than just history. It also contains an incredibly passionate love story between Charlotte (a Scottish lass whose brother is chief of police) and Zhen, a Chinese man who has come to Singapore to work. Their eyes meet across the harbour and Zhen seeks Charlotte out. Despite the language barrier, love blossoms. Zhen is engaged to be married – what will happen to the couple?

 

In terms of characterisation, both real historical characters and fictional characters exist side by side. George Coleman, an Irish architect who built many of Singapore’s early buildings and designed roads, plays a large role in the story.

 

This book is the first book in a planned quartet – it will be interesting to see where Farnham takes the characters in the next book as they seemed to be in a bit of a corner at the end!

 

A quick read, and very interesting to those who either know Singapore well, or would like to get to know it better.

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

A quick rundown… A semi-autobiographical novel about an adopted girl growing up in a religious family with a few issues – including a demon in an orange.

Strengths: Easy read, interesting and witty in parts.

Weaknesses: A lot of religion; the tangents into fairy tales some may find odd.

Why I read it: Vintage 21 edition – it was bright orange (including the page edges) and a nice price.

Pages: 178

Published: 2011 (originally 1985)

Publisher: Vintage

Setting: England

Rating: 8 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

 

I originally added this book to my to-read list after reading Novel Insights‘ review. It sounded like a strong book, covering interesting themes and having a strong writing style. Imagine my delight when I saw this pretty Vintage 21 edition – even the edges of the pages are oranges.

Several people commented on the title of this book (does anyone else have strangers commenting on commute reading material?), saying how strange it was. Obviously, oranges are not the only fruit in the whole universe but the title will make sense to you once you’ve read the book. Promise.

I’m not sure how much of this book is an autobiography and how much is fiction, so I won’t speculate. It is billed as a novel though on Goodreads. Jeanette has been adopted with the purpose of her mother bringing her up to become a missionary. Her mother is a devout religious lady, to the point where Jeanette doesn’t even attend school initially, spending all her time within the church community. As Jeanette grows up, she begins to explore her feelings of homosexuality, to the horror of her mother and the church. Initially, she and the other girl are separated; the second time, a form of exorcism is performed. Eventually Jeanette questions the wisdom of the church and wonders what life is like outside its confines.

As asides, there are fairy-tale type stories, which appear to link to the story’s morals. I lost interest in trying to figure these out, and simply either enjoyed the story at surface level or skimmed over them. These might put some readers off, but ignoring them doesn’t change the overall story.

There are strong religious overtones to this book (although which religion it is is not explained), so some may not enjoy this book. The storyline of growing up different is told in a funny and sad way- Jeanette wondering about her ‘demons’ (in fact, does she have any at all?) and the pain that she feels at the end of her relationship with Melanie.

Interesting and different. Worth a read.

Scandalous by Tilly Bagshawe

A quick rundown… A scandal with her professor causes Sasha to desert the physics world and seek revenge.

Strengths: Makes science sexy, interesting characters and a fast paced plot.

Weaknesses: The thought of physics might put some off. There’s very little science, I promise.

Why I read it: Tilly’s books are always entertaining.

Pages: 406

Published: 2010

Publisher: Harper Collins

Setting: England (Cambridge), Los Angeles, New York

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Adored by the same author

 

When I know I have a heavy workload coming up, I tend to read ‘lighter’ books (in terms of content, not weight). The only thing is, I still want them to be interesting, not boring. This book certainly fits the bill – the plot and characters are easy to follow, but still interesting. I’d describe this as chick lit with a bit of meat/grunt to it.

The book centres on Sasha, who adores physics with a passion. Her aim is to get into Cambridge and continue learning, which she does. However, she becomes entangled with her lecturer, Theo, who then steals her thesis and becomes a TV star. Sasha appeals but fails, leaving Cambridge. Theo’s star becomes brighter and brighter, while his faithful wife, Theresa, follows him to L.A. As Theo begins an affair with the hottest actress in town, Sasha plots her revenge carefully. She changes fields, doing commerce at Harvard, but all with the aim of taking Theo down. Eventually, the time has come – can Sasha convince Theresa to help her destroy Theo?

While the central plot line focuses on revenge, there are many subplots, usually involving relationships – a love/hate relationship for Sasha, Theo’s philandering and even Theresa’s quest for a baby. There’s quite a bit of glamour and glitz as the action moves from Cambridge to New York, Los Angeles and Europe.

Some may be put off by the mere mention of science, but Bagshawe makes both science and academia sexy. Sexier than in real life, perhaps. I promise you that you won’t need to wade through theorems and proofs; this science is about revenge, glamour and money. Even Sasha, a self-confessed science geek, is well rounded and knows her labels. Theo, a physics PhD, is ‘sexy with brains’ (although some characters may disagree with the latter part of that statement). Even Theresa, the scatty lecturer stereotype, has a warmth and uniqueness that turns her into a real person rather than a caricature.

I enjoyed this more than Flawless; I found it easier to relate to and the revenge plot more believable. It’s a good read, one that can be read at any time (but probably best enjoyed while you have time to read and read).