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.

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.

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!

 

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 Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

A quick rundown… The story of Madeline, an English major in college and the two men in her life – Leonard and Mitchell.

Strengths: Eugenides writes excellent prose with a strong attention to detail.

Weaknesses: I don’t care for semiotics, and I’m still not sure what the point of this book was.

Why I read it: Loved Middlesex.

Pages: 440

Published: 2011

Publisher: Harper Collins

Setting: America

Rating: 7 out of 10

If you liked this, try: I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe is a more well-rounded account of college life. Alternately, there’s always Sweet Valley University.

I’ve thought about this book for some time now after finishing the last page, but I still can’t answer the question: what exactly is the point of this book? Reading the blurb on the back, I thought it would be a funny take on Jane Austen-style romance, but it’s not. It’s full on semiotics, mental health and finding yourself post-university.

Let me try to summarise what this book is actually about. We meet Madeline as she is about to graduate from college. An English major, she secretly revels in books of the Regency and Victorian era, but felt out of touch with her classmates. She takes a class in semiotics (the book goes into great detail about this, but it wasn’t especially interesting for me) and meets Leonard. Leonard becomes her boyfriend, but they break up just before graduation. Madeline gets it on with some random guy the night before graduation, but later gets a phone call to say that Leonard is in the hospital as he stopped taking his lithium. He has bipolar affective disorder, and he and Madeline reunite.

Mitchell has always held a candle for Madeline. A religious studies major, he decides to do a gap year post-college, travelling around the world. Madeline kisses him impulsively before he leaves and he often thinks of her throughout the trip. Meanwhile, Madeline and Leonard are trying to work through various issues with varying degrees of success- will they make it? Will Madeline work out what she wants to do with her life? Will Mitchell ever win Madeline’s heart?

I don’t think this was a version of anything Jane Austen like. There is simply not enough connection between Mitchell and Madeline that you want them to get together; while Leonard and Madeline obviously have barriers to a long term relationship. Is the marriage in the book an ironic look at the happy ever after of Regency and Victorian novels? Again, I don’t think so. Maybe there is something in there related to semiotics, but I don’t get it.

The book is well written and the characters are fleshed out well. It’s hard to be sympathetic with Madeline though – she’s a bit of a drip. Even in the 1980s, to put everything aside for a man is a bit stupid and again not like a Jane Austen heroine. Mitchell was my favourite character – he has his flaws, but works through them to become a better person for it.

To be honest, I was expecting a lot more from this book after thoroughly enjoying Middlesex. It’s an okay read, but nothing stellar.

The Easter Parade by Richard Yates

A quick rundown… The story of two sisters over their lives, from childhood to the end. The different paths – with very divergent results – make for interesting reading.

Strengths: Yates writes beautifully, communicating emotion in few words.

Weaknesses: Not always happy, but true to life.

Why I read it: I’ve really enjoyed his other works (so much so that I’ve searched bookshops around the world for a complete set).

Pages: 240

Published: 1976

Publisher: Vintage Classics

Setting: America

Rating: 9 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Other Richard Yates books, such as Revolutionary Road.

I always enjoy Richard Yates’ books and know that I can be guaranteed a well-written, sensitive narrative that doesn’t shy away from the uglier side of life. The Easter Parade certainly delivers on all those fronts. Deceptively slim at a mere 240 pages, Yates chronicles the life of two sisters, Sarah and Emily, from 1940s to 1970s New York. There aren’t any ‘big’ blockbuster type dramas in this book, rather it’s two lives lived somewhat differently with the benefits and drawbacks of both. To put it simply, it’s just life. Yes, there aren’t events that happen to everyone but I bet they will have happened to someone you know (even if you aren’t aware of it). This is a story that everyone can relate to.

Through elegant prose, Yates leads us through the young lives of Sarah and Emily and what it means to have divorced parents in that era. Emily is somewhat unsure of her role in the family – is it to be the sensible side of Pookie (her alcoholic, whimsical mother) or is it to emulate the glamourous Sarah, who once had a photo in the newspaper from the Easter parade? Or it is to make her own way?

Sarah chooses the conventional side of life and marries Tony, settling down in Long Island on his parents’ estate. Emily, in comparison, chooses college, mundane jobs and dead end relationships. It would seem that Sarah has the better end of the deal – or does she? The story is bittersweet as we learn that life in the suburbs hides unhappiness, abuse and alcoholism. Each sister has a sense of unfulfilment which she is trying to solve. Yates doesn’t offer any definite answers or sense of relief. This is life with its ups and downs – take it or leave it.

You might be wondering why I rated this so highly if this book is so damn depressing. It’s Yates’ skill to make sadness and emptiness readable so that hopefully, we recognise the good things. I think this is something he has in common with Truman Capote (such as in Summer Crossing). Both write detailed stories that detail everyday life, warts and all, capturing emotion so well. I can’t wait to read more of Yates’ work, paradoxical as that may seem!

Highly recommended.

The Group by Mary McCarthy

A quick rundown… Billed as the forerunner to Sex and the City, this book follows a group of girls post-college in the 1930s and looks at the different lifestyle choices they make.

Strengths: Very interesting seeing what each girl is doing with her life.

Weaknesses: There are a lot of girls, and it’s difficult at times to keep up with who’s who.

Why I read it: Saw it in a bookshop and realised that I’d read a great review of this book.

Pages: 448

Published: 1963

Publisher: Virago Modern Classics

Setting: America (predominantly New York)

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: watch Sex and the City for a more modern take on women’s lives.

I can’t remember where I first heard about The Group. It was one of those things that I thought I’d remember to look for and then promptly forgot all about it. It wasn’t until I was exploring a bookshop on holidays that I saw this book, saw the ‘introduced by Candace Bushnell’ and remembered that I was told that this was a book I simply had to read. Because face it, after the mess that was Sex and the City 2, every woman of a certain age is looking for a replacement SATC, aren’t they?

It is somewhat ironic that Bushnell herself introduces this book, as there are a lot of similarities between The Group and Sex and the City (group of female friends mainly in New York City, going through relationship problems, fertility issues, weddings and funerals while trying to get what they deserve in life). I’m not bagging out Bushnell – maybe if she hadn’t read the book, the idea wouldn’t have formed. Plus, there are many differences too. The Group is about a larger, well, group of girls, bonded by being graduates of Vassar College, somewhat unusual in 1930s New York when the Depression was starting to bite.

The Group reflects on life – we start with a wedding and end with a funeral, somewhat life what life was like for the average woman of the 1930s – get married, have kids, die. The Group is trying to rebel against that. Kay doesn’t even invite her parents to her wedding, while Dottie decides to get fitted for a diaphragm for sex with the exotic Dick (no pun intended). Libby tries desperately to get a job in publishing, while Priss tries an unheard of thing, breastfeeding. Polly has a love affair with Libby’s boss, then has to deal with her father moving into her apartment and Lakey brings home a new friend from Europe.

All of the above are somewhat shocking for the time period and demonstrate the Group trying to break away from the shackles of convention and try tasting freedom. It’s not that they don’t respect the old boundaries; it’s that their education and youth have led them to expect more from life. Yes, this could read as a summary of Sex and the City, but it’s the same idea, written brilliantly wickedly in book format. It just goes to show you that every generation attempts to reinvent the wheel, when really all we do is change the appearance somewhat.

This book was written in 1963 and would have still been shocking for some of its content. Even some issues, such as open relationships, lesbianism and mental health are somewhat limited in frank discussion nearly 50 years later. It’s a testament to Mary McCarthy that she has written a novel about the issues facing women which is timeless. Well worth reading.

Flawless by Tilly Bagshawe

A quick rundown… A fun chick-lit set in the diamond dealing business. Sex, romance, intrigue, goodies and baddies all in one.

Strengths: Light and easy, a bit of conscience thrown in.

Weaknesses: Some scenes are a little clichéd.

Why I read it: I like chick lit by Ms Bagshawe.

Pages: 400

Published: 2009

Publisher: Orion

Setting: United Kingdom, Africa, Russia, USA

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: Adored by Tilly Bagshawe

Flawless is a perfect book for the times when you need to escape the daily grind but don’t want to bog yourself down in a serious, convoluted book. This book is exaggerated fun – the hunks are hunky, the women beautiful, the baddies bad and the plot interesting but easy enough to be remembered. While not as much fun for me as Adored (which was perfect escapist fare), this book is still a very good beach read.

Flawless centres around the diamond industry – the heroine, Scarlett Drummond Murray designs jewellery; the Meyer twins (Jake and Danny) are diamond dealers and the baddie, Brogan, owns diamond mines. This is how all the characters link up initially, at diamond dinners and trading stones. Scarlett sticks out somewhat in the diamond business, as she runs a campaign for Trade Fair diamonds (diamonds that are not the product of war, where workers are fairly treated). This gets her into a lot of trouble with a number of people, mainly Brogan. Then strange things start to happen – her tyres are slashed and her shop burns down. Scarlett then moves to L.A. to work with Jake Meyer, but their relationship is topsy turvy…

I’m sure you can guess what happens from there, but that doesn’t make the journey of the book any less fun. While not as good as some of her other books, Flawless (also known as Perfect in some areas) is above the standard for chick lit. Bagshawe puts in the ethical message about Trade Fair diamonds as well as having several plot threads running. Flawless doesn’t quite hit the wild peaks and troughs of this kind of genre, but it’s still solid, containing passion, intrigue and fiery arguments. The characters are likeable and flawed enough to make things more memorable. Some of the turns of phrase are clichéd (in particular, the sex scenes) but you do notice this less as the book continues.

A light story, good for escapism.

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.