I would have preferred Clemantine to read the audiobook herself. She speaks at the end of it, and it transforms the text. Robin Miles is an eloquent sI would have preferred Clemantine to read the audiobook herself. She speaks at the end of it, and it transforms the text. Robin Miles is an eloquent speaker, but this book didn't need to be read in such a clean manner....more
When Mary Jekyll's mother dies, she discovers a secret bank account used to make payments in connection with Mr Hyde. Mary cannot fathom why and facedWhen Mary Jekyll's mother dies, she discovers a secret bank account used to make payments in connection with Mr Hyde. Mary cannot fathom why and faced with an uncertain financial future, she seeks out Sherlock Holmes to find out if there's still a reward for the capture of Mr Hyde. Their investigation leads them to meet many other young ladies who have been wronged by a mysterious society of alchemists.
The Strange case of the Alchemist's Daughter is the first book in Theodora Goss's Athena Club series, which follows family members from classic genre fiction. Whilst Mary is obviously Mr Jekyll's daughter, when her father was Mr Hyde, he had another daughter. There are also characters from Frankenstein, The Island of Doctor Moreau and Dracula.
Beatrice Rappaccini is a character from a short story (by Nathaniel Hawthorne) that I had to look up, but like the others she is given life beyond that short fiction. Some of the characters have had to lead lives as sideshow freaks in order to make a living, until Mary takes them in. I liked how it explored what happens outside those stories, that there are innocent people left behind.
I listened to this on audio and the characters interrupting the narrative all the time was a bit pointless and distracting. I don't know if this works better in print at all. Catherine is the one supposedly writing the story and they other characters keep chiming in to correct her or agree.
This first story also borrows from the Whitehall Murders attributed to Jack the Ripper and, like many writers before have done, an alternate narrative is given with a supernatural angle.
It was a little slow in places, spending a lot of time on each woman's backstory as well as the character comments. I think now that I'm familiar with all the characters I would consider reading more. It was simple, escapist fun set in a mock Victorian era, where attitudes to women and science are just starting to turn....more
First up, if you're interested in reading Sadie, do check out the audiobook version, it is so well done. Sadie has a stutter and Rebecca Soler reads iFirst up, if you're interested in reading Sadie, do check out the audiobook version, it is so well done. Sadie has a stutter and Rebecca Soler reads it in a way that conveys Sadie's frustration at not getting the words out. It's full cast, so no dodgy fake accents for dialogue but also the podcast sections are totally believable as a podcast. There's even subtle background noise that you would expect if you were recording an interview out and about.
It alternates between "The Girls" podcast and Sadie's narrative, the investigation following Sadie's trail. It shows how difficult a missing persons case can be, they find loads of clues to Sadie's whereabouts, but each time she's moved on. People don't always come forward with the information they know, and not always for nefarious purposes. Sometimes they just don't know something's important.
Sadie had a tough life. Her addict mother had a string of boyfriends, and it doesn't take long to come to the conclusion of what was going on. She did her best to look after her sister, right up until the night she was killed. They live in a trailer and money is tight. However it acknowledges that her mother was a human being too, with faults and a huge amount of guilt at not being able to protect her girls.
Sadie's got a tough exterior, but her facade cracks under stress. She is really a lost young women who has had her world ripped apart. She feels adrift, and the only thing left is revenge, or justice. Full of tough subject matter, it's full of emotion. Although not one for people who like neat endings. ...more
Still so relevant. I don't think I would have appreciated it the same had I read it when I was younger though.Still so relevant. I don't think I would have appreciated it the same had I read it when I was younger though....more
Louisa Hall has chosen to create a portrait of Oppenheimer through the narratives of seven characters whose lives touched his at some point. These chaLouisa Hall has chosen to create a portrait of Oppenheimer through the narratives of seven characters whose lives touched his at some point. These characters are fictional but weave together facts from the era to give a sense of who Oppenheimer was, as well as the sense of the time.
I thought this was an unusual approach which worked to varying degrees. There's the FBI agent assigned to watch him, a WAF (Women in the Air Force) at the base in Alamo, a student who attends one of his lectures, acquaintances from his time on St Johns... It shows a man conflicted by pride in his scientific achievement, yet faced with the guilt of the destruction wrought on Japan. A man who was not always faithful, who was held practically hostage by his government, threatened with his links to communists.
I did zone out over the reporter's account of her marriage. I wasn't quite sure what this had to to with Oppenheimer, other than when she started the interview he reminded her of her husband. Maybe it was meant to represent Kitty or some other element of his life, I'm not sure. She talks of her husband's betrayal like Oppenheimer's betrayal by allowing the bomb to be used, which was a bit extreme. This meant it ended on a down note.
I would say if you specifically wanted to learn more about the project or Oppenheimer, you'd be better off reading a biography. Trinity was interesting to read though, and if you like interconnected short stories, this might be your thing. ...more
I so wanted to love this book, there's so much nuclear nerdery in it. I won't say as much as the official blurb does because it mentions an event thatI so wanted to love this book, there's so much nuclear nerdery in it. I won't say as much as the official blurb does because it mentions an event that takes place nearly at the end of the book. So I was reading expecting something to happen and then the big event was so rushed. Seriously publishers, if an event doesn't happen in the first 100 pages, don't put it on the cover.
Laura wins a radio contest to star in the film, and much of it is about the anticipation of Hollywood coming to town. The narrative is interspersed with news articles and FEMA instructions (in case of nuclear detonation). There were great historical details, like people painting their houses white because they thought it would deflect the radiation. I also know that America had many close calls and it is not absurd to imagine them nuking themselves.
I'm really not sure what was going on with the side story of Laura's family. Her mother had an affair with black man, who she then married, so Lauren's step-brother is black, something she points out a lot. Maybe the author wanted to highlight the racism of the time, his presence is an inconvenience to the film-makers because now they have to justify a black person in the film. It just all feels a bit awkwardly inserted.
After the big event happens, it came across as a bit flippant. I dunno, was she trying to make light of a horrible thing? Why did no one notice it was happening? I'm not sure given the circumstances what happened afterwards was very accurate, biologically. And in the follow-up bit, there was no mention of any ongoing effects....more