Happy Birthday: Susanna Mary Clarke (born 1 November 1959) is an English author best known for her debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2004), a Hugo Award-winning alternative history. Clarke began Jonathan Strange in 1993 and worked on it during her spare time. For the next decade, she published short stories from the Strange universe, but it was not until 2003 that Bloomsbury bought her manuscript and began work on its publication. The novel became a best-seller.

Two years later, she published a collection of her short stories, The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories (2006). Both Clarke's debut novel and her short stories are set in a magical England and written in a pastiche of the styles of 19th-century writers such as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. While Strange focuses on the relationship of two men, Jonathan Strange and Gilbert Norrell, the stories in Ladies focus on the power women gain through magic.

Clarke's second novel, Piranesi, was published in September 2020, winning the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction.

In January 2024, she stated that she was currently working on a novel set in Bradford, England.

Just Finished Reading: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (FP: 1908) [312pp] 

It was a summer friendship that changed his life. On a whim, Mole had left his newly painted burrow to explore and had bumped into Rat who invited him in for tea. Days later, after boating on the river, picnics and small adventures Mole wondered where the time had gone. The weeks flew by without a thought of home and before he knew it winter had arrived. Off to explore as Rat snoozed in front of the fire, he found himself alone and frightened in the Wild Wood. Strange noises surrounded him and he shivered from more than the cold. Even when Rat arrived to bring him back the adventure was far from over. Only Badger could help, if they could find his burrow in all the snow around them. Then there was Toad (of Toad Hall no less). A friend that could not be ignored, a friend very much in need – of guidance, of help and of a tap on the head to knock some sense into him. 

As I’ve mentioned several times, I hardly read a thing as a child so missed out on many (actually pretty much all) of the standard Children’s Classics. So, I decided some years back – as I was reading multiple Classics anyway – that I’d add a few of the missed early reads into my rotation. These often go for very reasonable prices so the ‘risk’ of disappointment is minimal. What I have found, much to my surprise, is that many of the children's Classics are very readable indeed even to this cynical reasonably well-read late adult. This book was no exception. 

I had at least some idea of what I was letting myself in for here. I knew this was about animals and was, probably, aimed at a rather younger readership. What I did find was that not only is this a well written book (indeed I was impressed at the suspected reading age of the text which contained some words many would need to look up – fortunately I’ve read many books of the era so was largely covered!) I found it both sweet and often quite funny. The theme throughout was the power of friendship and the moral/ethical obligations that friends have to each other. The teaching, clear as it was, never really hit you over the head but I can imagine especially the younger readers taking a lot from this book at a subconscious level. There are many teachable moments throughout the book – and not just about Toad’s outrageous behaviour – and I can see how the incidents portrayed would spark conversations during bedtime reading or throughout the following days. 

The only ‘problem’ I had with the book – maybe because of too much imagination or too little – was when humans and animals interacted. In particular when Toad dressed as a washerwoman and people/humans around him took him as such. So, was Toad (and by extension the other animals) Human sized at all times? That did seem like taking imagination just too far for me – or am I just overthinking things? Probably... Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable, sweet, relaxing read. I’m not sure how it would ‘go down’ with a modern child but it might be a fun bedtime read to someone 8 or under (maybe). Recommended if you missed it the first time!  

Happy Birthday: Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman CBE FRSL (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. His books include the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials and The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, a fictionalised biography of Jesus. In 2008, The Times named Pullman one of the "50 greatest British writers since 1945". In a 2004 BBC poll, he was named the eleventh most influential person in British culture. He was knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to literature.

Northern Lights, the first volume in His Dark Materials, won the 1995 Carnegie Medal of the Library Association as the year's outstanding English-language children's book. For the Carnegie's 70th anniversary, it was named in the top ten by a panel tasked with compiling a shortlist for a public vote for an all-time favourite. It won that public vote and was named all-time "Carnegie of Carnegies" in June 2007. It was filmed under the book's US title, The Golden Compass. In 2003, His Dark Materials trilogy ranked third in the BBC's The Big Read, a poll of 200 top novels voted by the British public.

[I LOVED Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy and devoured them on my first reading. I've read them all twice again since then. I enjoyed the movie version - especially after picturing Nicole Kidman as Mrs Coulter whilst reading the first book and being delighted when she was picked for the role - but struggled with the BBC adaptation. I might read the trilogy again at some point in the future.]  

Just Finished Reading: Peter Pan by J M Barrie (FP: 1911) [207pp] 

It was a story, or was it? When Peter arrived that night when their parents were at a nearby neighbour's house the children could hardly believe it. But belief took a back seat when Peter flew across the room and promised to teach them all to do likewise. Wendy, the more grown up and more sceptical one, took her time about it but was soon floating across the beds like a gas-filled balloon. The boys, John and Michael, soon joined in the fun and almost before they knew it, they had flown out of the open window. Where next, they asked? Peter smiled and said: Neverland. So, they flew throughout the night to the legendary isle of fun and adventure, an island of deadly Pirates and sly Indians, the place where the Lost Boys lived, and the dread Captain Hook plotted the demise of Peter Pan. It was going to be quite the adventure as long as they remembered the way home... 

This was probably the most childish of the children's books I’ve read to date (not having read very much as a child, nor – as far as I can remember – having much read to me). Naturally throughout I was picturing scenes from the 1953 Disney classic and was a little surprised that much I thought of as probable Disneyesque additions were actually in the original text – like the children's ‘nurse’ ‘Nana’ being a large Newfoundland dog (a St Bernard in the movie I think) and the crocodile nemesis of Captain Hook ticking from a swallowed clock. I think what surprised me most was that the supposed ‘hero’ Peter really wasn’t a very pleasant character. Not only was he completely self-obsessed, rude and aggressive he actually spent a great deal of effort manipulating the Lost Boys by disparaging their families – and MOST especially Mothers – in order to keep them in Neverland and under his power. I think part of it was the Peter, being eternally young, couldn’t focus on or remember much about the past (actively avoiding such memories when they did pop up) and because of that simply didn’t (and couldn’t) care about anyone else but himself – because he couldn’t remember any relationship he was part of. Children, and even adults, remember HIM for years or decades after they encountered him, but Peter would forget THEM almost as soon as they were out of his sight. I’m sure that a full psychological profile of Peter Pan would bring up a whole host of syndromes all going back to a DEEP childhood trauma. Not doubt more than a few essays and dissertations have been produced on just such a theme! 

Overall, this was a worthwhile read. There is the usual unthinking racism of the age – involving the ‘red’ Indians – and it was surprisingly violent in places (and rather callously so) but I’m going to put that down to the Imperial age it was written in and the target audience of middle-class children it was aimed at. Only Wendy and Peter were the only even partially developed characters with most of the others (although a few did have their moments) and it would’ve been nice to understand more of the Hook/Pan dynamic – over and above the fact that the hook that gave Hook his name was the result of Peter cutting off his hand during a fight. At least two more children’s classics to come later this year.  

Just Finished Reading: Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (FP: 1999) [296pp] 

Barcelona, 1980. Even holding it in his hand 15-year-old Oscar Drai could hardly believe that he had stolen the heavy gold watch. Slowly, over the next few days, the guilt overwhelmed the fear and he decided to take it back, no matter the consequences. Returning to the grand but dilapidated house he was surprised to see a girl of around his own age waiting for him. Her name, she said, was Marina and she was the daughter of the old man who’s watch Oscar had taken. Oscar thought that this was the bravest thing he had ever done but had no idea that this was only the start of an adventure that would echo down the years ahead of him. Over the following weeks Marina and Oscar would explore the city together exchanging discoveries and hidden curiosities. One such was the strange, shrouded woman who, once a month, left a single red rose on an abandoned grave with an odd butterfly motif. It seemed almost natural that they should follow her to uncover the secret behind her strange behaviour. What they couldn’t possibly know was where such curiosity would lead – to the dark heart of a family tragedy, to the hidden darkest corners of the city few have seen and to the horrors of death avoided at any cost. Both Oscar and Marina are about to learn the true meaning of bravery and the cost of seeking answers to questions that are best forgotten. 

After really enjoying, and being more than a little surprised by, my previous read ‘The Watcher in the Shadows’ I was really looking forward to reading this – and I was far from disappointed. As much as I liked ‘Shadow’ I enjoyed this novel even more. As a keen lover of characterisation, I was most impressed by everyone portrayed here and especially the representation of the two main protagonists Marina and Oscar. Oscar in particular was a very believable ‘teen’ full of self-doubt, angst and the great capacity for both heroism and heartbreaking emotion. I really liked Oscar. Marina was a great ‘love interest’ - mysterious, beautiful, almost ethereal and enticingly tragic in her own right. I could see why Oscar fell so hard for her. The other, hardly secondary, characters were equally brilliantly drawn with believable backstories and motivations. All were (often very) flawed in one way or another, but all were human in that sense and even the ‘baddie’ elicited a degree of sympathy for his actions. The city of Barcelona was, in a real way, a character in itself although a rather insubstantial ‘magical-realist’ one at times. It was almost as if a more Fantastic city had been overlayed onto the real bricks and mortar which only needed a sideways glance and a few softly spoken words to reveal a hidden doorway to another world a short step away from this one. 

Surprisingly for an apparently YA novel this was DARK. This was truly a GOTHIC novel, complete with ‘mad’ scientists, monsters, trips to the sewers, death and dismemberment, creepy smells and noises in the night and a whole host of things to make you shiver as you turn the page. As with my last Zafon read, this was a highlight of the year for me. It’s not for a faint of heart though! There’s quite a bit that would creep out anyone so keep that in mind if you’re easily frightened or grossed out by things. It does get HEAVY from time to time! Oh, and one other thing... If you get as emotionally involved with characters the way I do, I have to recommend that you keep a box of tissues ready as you approach the final chapters. This IS a Gothic tragedy after all... Very highly recommended. 

Translated from the Spanish by Lucia Graves   

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Just Finished Reading: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (FP: 2021) [386pp] 

As a princess of Crete young Ariadne knew her place, not that she liked it much. Her role was to marry someone important, someone wealthy and someone who could help her father, King Minos, consolidate his power. Minos held Crete in his grip in part by fear, fear of his wrath, fear of his palace guard but mostly through fear of the monster he controlled – the Minotaur. Ariadne knew it, him, by another name – Asterion – her brother. Trapped on Crete, just like the greatest engineer of the age, Daedalus, she was suddenly presented with an alternative, a chance to change her Fate. Each year the recently defeated city of Athens sent a number of its youth to serve as tribute and as meat to feed the Minotaur. This year amongst them was Theseus, prince of Athens. Ariadne had never seen anyone quite like him. He was quite simply a Hero who had walked out of the songs being sung in the great halls. Here was hope personified, here was her way out of her island prison and a way to rid the world of a monster. 

I can see why the retellings of Greek myths have become so popular. Most people, I think, have at least a nodding experience with these stories if only from Hollywood movies and stories from childhood. What’s different in the present retellings, apart from the language modernisation, is that the focus has generally shifted from the male heroes to the female characters often either ignored or sidelined previously. The other difference I think is that despite the existence of gods and other fantastical creatures, these stories are told very much from the human level – rather than exclusively from the viewpoint or sorely focused on gods and heroes. This particular tale is definitely one of two halves. The first 130 pages covers the well-known story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Despite the different Ariadne viewpoint, I did find this a little bit dull because it was so well known. The second part of the novel was split into two points of view – Ariadne herself and her younger sister Phaedra who becomes Queen of Athens. Although somewhat long and at times rather drawn out – especially with Ariadne’s relationship with the god Dionysus – I did find this more interesting than the first half because this part of the story/myth was unknown to me. The ending, in typical Greek tragedy fashion all rather grim and bloody, was I thought well done and did surprise me a few times with its very dark path. Much like the plays of Shakespeare there more than enough misunderstanding, grief and death to go around. 

Although this could’ve been at least 50 pages shorter without losing any of its style and impact I still liked this retelling quite a bit. I couldn’t help but think that the author essentially tacked two stories together (possibly after finding the first tale wasn’t quite long enough for the full novel treatment) but I might be being a bit harsh there! The two connected stories worked well together, and it was interesting (for me at least) to find out about what happened after the Minotaur incident. Despite a few minor quibbles this was an impressive first novel and I’m looking forward to the authors future works and I have her next book already. Recommended for all lovers of Greek myths.     

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Just Finished Reading: Circe by Madeline Miller (FP: 2018) [333pp] 

Maybe it was her youth, but Circe seemed to be the only one with a heart, the only one who saw Prometeus in pain and who wanted to do something about it. The other Titans looked on with a mixture of boredom and disdain. It was, after all, his own fault. Giving mortals the ‘gift of fire’ wasn’t in the plan envisioned by Zeus for mankind. But it was too late now. But that act of disobedience wasn’t the thing that caused her exile, THAT was much worse. The problem with Circe was that she had power, the power to change things, the power to heal and the power to kill. Circe, just like her siblings was a witch – the first in the world and even the gods themselves feared that kind of power in the hands of an Immortal. Trapped, isolated and alone Circe did the only thing she could, she perfected her art and found that she was actually quite good at it once she stopped trying too hard and felt her way by instinct towards the results she wanted. Her isolation, however, was never total – despite the agreement between her father and Zeus. Hermes, messenger of the Gods, visited to gently torture her whilst passing along morsels of information of the outside would. There were other visitors too, some welcome, most not. Although the unwelcome visitors regretted their arrival, at least briefly, before they died – or worse. Then there was Odysseus...   

I enjoyed the author’s previous book ‘The Song of Achilles’ very much so had high hopes for this one. I was definitely not disappointed. Impressively I thought this was even better than her first work and am looking forward already to her future output. Many things impressed me about the book. One of the things that really stuck out for me was the fact that, seemingly like most celebrities from any age, Circe seemed to have more than a nodding relationship to almost every famous (or infamous) hero/ine of the Ages and not just that most central hero Odysseus. Oh no, she had dealings with Daedalus (father of Icarus), was a friend of Ariadnne (of Minitour fame), sister to the Minitour’s mother Pasiphaë, Medea the lover and later wife of Jason (of the Argonauts fame) was her niece, she was the creator of the sea monster Scylla and much else besides. She had one HECK of a life, which isn’t all that surprising considering just how long she lived! Certainly, if you have only a passing knowledge of Greek Myth and, like me, gleaned a goodly chunk of that knowledge from children's books and Hollywood movies you’ll have a much deeper and wider knowledge of the subject after reading this wonderful novel. I did almost at times think it was bordering on too much information coming my way, but the writing was so masterful as well as more than occasionally either laugh out loud funny or poetically beautiful that I couldn’t help but forgive the authors exuberance and love of the subject. If you’ve ever wondered about the Greek Mythical world but couldn’t face a potentially dry tome listing gods and heroes and their deeds or misdeeds, then this is most definitely the book for you. But be warned, this just might make you into an avid fan of Mythology and those heavy tomes you’ll end up buying aren't cheap! Highly recommended. 

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Just Finished Reading: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (FP: 2020) [288pp] 

Nora Seed has had enough. Enough of the regret and disappointments of life, enough of the ‘what ifs’ and missed opportunities, enough of the worry – just enough. With the loss of her (admittedly dead end) job and the recent death of her beloved cat she has decided to end it all, tonight and so she does – or doesn’t, it’s not exactly clear. She awakes outside a large building and, having nowhere else to go, she enters to look around. Finding herself in an enormous library she reaches out for a curiously coloured book – all in various shades of green covering – only to be stopped by the librarian. Nora can’t decide which is more surprising, the library itself or the fact that the librarian is the same woman employed by her school decades earlier. She is, assures the kindly librarian, not dead at least not yet. She has time to browse the shelves and pick a life she might have had, a life where different choices were made and different life paths followed. This is her opportunity to erase her book or regrets and live a life she’d always wanted. Will she pick a life where she stayed in her brother's band and became an international success? Or a life studying glaciers in the far north or Norway? A life as a Philosophy lecturer in Oxford or managing a home for abandoned dogs? So many choices, so many paths. As long, that is, she knows what to choose and what will make her happy – and as long as she has the time. 

I’d read some of the author’s non-fiction before and was intrigued by his fictional works. This was, despite what I’d heard recently, a delight although rather tinged with darkness. Nora is being treated for depression so there’s aspects of mental health that won’t be to everyone’s taste. Plus, there’s the initial heavy suicide motif and (if that wasn’t enough) feline mortality issues. So, be warned... If you’re made of sterner stuff and can read beyond this the rest of the book is intriguing indeed. I’m sure we’ve all thought of opportunities missed, offers turned down, paths not followed and wondered if we’d be happier, more fulfilled, more at peace if we’d had the courage or the luck to make different decisions. So, the gift of trying on these other lives like taking a suit out of a half familiar wardrobe is going to be hard to turn down. It’d definitely be an interesting way to spend your time in the afterlife's waiting room/library. Told, I think, with a great deal of sensitivity (the author himself suffers from and writes about mental health issues) and a lot of humour this is a thought provoking read par excellence. I found myself having to put the book down more than once to think about the questions raised and the implications of the ideas being discussed between Nora, the librarian and other people in her various ‘lives’ she followed through books off the shelves. Only really two things (slightly) bugged me: why were the book covers various shades of green and why were the books of varying thickness (I presume this denoted the length of lives lived but it could’ve been for other more obscure reasons). The only thing I really struggled with was how to classify this book to know which labels to apply to it. There was some discussion of the Multiple Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics which would (at least potentially) fit it into the Science-Fiction category but I’m more inclined to err on the side of Fantasy with a slight SF tinge around the edges. If you’re interested in a thought provoking read with a healthy dose of philosophical ideas to mull over this is definitely the book for you. Recommended and more from this author to follow.   

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Just Finished Reading: Mary Poppins by P L Travers (FP: 1934) [161pp] 

The East Wind it seems is a lucky wind. With the children’s nanny leaving without giving notice life at No 17, Cherry Tree Lane was going to get a lot more difficult. Until, that is, there was a knock at the door. The children had seen her arrive although they still couldn’t believe their eyes. The woman, who they were about to find out was their new nanny, had floated to earth held up by an umbrella. Refusing to take a No for an answer and refusing to offer any references, Mary Poppins installed herself at No 17 and would stay, she said, until the wind changed direction. The children, and indeed the rest of the household, had no idea what was going to happen next. For the children it could be summed up in a single word: adventure. 

Along, no doubt with the rest of the world, I was delighted as a child by the 1964 Disney adaptation of this book starring the delightful Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke (complete with very questionable Cockney accent). So, it was both interesting and confusing to note the vast differences – from memory – between book and movie. One thing that struck me straightaway was that, in the book(s), Mary Poppins seemed to be a lot darker as well as far less sociable. What also struck me, or at least made me ponder, is the probability that Mary wasn’t exactly human. Her use of magic on a regular basis, I thought, as well as other magic users reactions to her and especially her encounters with magical/intelligent animals put her somewhat beyond the simple ‘human using magic’ narrative. It seemed that Mary had been around for a VERY long time and that she was held in HIGH regard by other magic users who often seemed something more than human themselves. The character of Mary seemed to be either an Elemental or, possibly, a Fae – at least that’s my THEORY. 

This short book (the first of four I think) was essentially a series of a single self-contained story per chapter presumably as a format for bedtime reading. Each has a kind of moral teaching to the young without being too heavy about it. Being now almost 100 years old there are some rather quaint moments and the British class system is very much front and centre. I’m not sure if children, even young children, would find it particularly readable but it does have a generally pleasant ‘tone’ to it which I liked. Strange, amusing and often bizarre – especially when compared to the Disney version – this was quite an interesting read and is one more of the previously unread Children’s Classics off my list! 

Just Finished Reading: God’s Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips (FP: 2007) [277pp] 

The End of the World began with a chance encounter, on London’s Hampsted Heath, with a tree called Kate. Of course, Kate hadn’t always been a tree. She used to work in PR until she too had a chance encounter with Apollo and refused his offer of sex. Artemis wasn’t mostly annoyed about the tree thing or, to be frank, the offer and rejection of sex thing, it was the waste. After so long out of the limelight, so to speak, none of the Gods had that much energy they could waste on petty tree making. What they really needed right now was a cleaner. The house they all lived in was a wreck and it hadn’t had a proper cleaning for far too long – centuries maybe. But Zeus was dead set against having any mortals in the house. Then, as luck would have it, Alice arrived. Alice already knew Apollo, unfortunately, but she had no idea that a trick had been played on her by Aphrodite. What Aphrodite didn’t realise was that her trick had already gone wrong. Apollo was in love with Alice but Alice was already falling in love with Neil who worked in the same building she had previously been contracted to clean. As both Neil’s and Alice’s lives become more entangled with the ex-Gods of Mount Olympus, they slowly begin to realise that such encounters do not generally end well for the mortals in the mix. 

As usual, I picked this up in a bookshop offer because it looked different and interesting. It was certainly both. Because the premise is a little on the strange side (or ‘delightfully original’ as one comment puts it) it did take a little getting into. It reminded me at times of Douglas Adams in its humour and I smiled quite a lot throughout the first third or so. At this point I began thinking of this short novel as a bit of entertaining fluff. What I didn’t realise was just how good it was going to get and, looking back, how good this actually was from the beginning. Not only was it an interesting ‘take’ on the Greek Gods – that oh, so, dysfunctional family – but it was an equally interesting musing on the question of what happens to Gods when people stop believing in them? Another aspect of the novel I really liked was the unlikely relationship between Alice and Neil. Not only was it very well told (and at times painfully sweet) it also had a great binding effect on the overall story and helped to drive the story forward. Both Alice and Neil were honestly great characters and I really felt for their predicament. I was on the edge of my seat a few times when things got a bit rough and cheered Neil on as he struggled to become a hero. The Gods themselves were an interesting bunch. I’m not 100% familiar with all of the Greek myths but it's clear that, generally, the Greek Gods are not nice ‘people’ - except Artemis who I liked quite a lot and Athena who I could sympathise with at times. The only, small, warning is that there is a bit of moderately explicit sex (or sexual conversations) from time to time around Aphrodite, naturally, but that can be easily skimmed over. The book actually gets better as the story progresses and I thought the descriptions of the Underworld were quite fascinating. All in all, this was a read unlike any other in my experience and I can honestly say that I really, really liked it. Highly recommended for all Fantasy, Greek myth and/or offbeat humour fans.   

Just Finished Reading: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M Harris (FP: 2014) [296pp] 

He certainly had hopes when Odin pulled him from the void that was Chaos. Loki saw becoming corporeal, real, with its pains (that he would’ve liked to do without) as well as its pleasures (which he rather enjoyed) as an opportunity. He was also promised something he had never had and, because of that, wondered if he was missing out – family, well kind of family if you could call a dysfunctional bunch of wannabee gods family. But, he thought, there’s no harm in giving it a ‘go’ for a while, a few centuries maybe, just to see. Leaving Chaos without permission (not something Chaos really considered much) he had burnt his boats anyway. Binding himself by oath to Odin didn’t seem so bad, at least at first. But he felt it as soon as he arrived in the fabled (and surprisingly run down) Asgard - the suspicion, the sideways glances, the mistrust. He would, Loki realised, never be ‘one of them’. He would always be an outsider, an ‘other’. But he could live with that. What he couldn’t live with was being blamed for everything that went wrong. OK, he was responsible for *some* of it but that wasn’t really his fault. But it wasn’t long before Loki decided that he had had enough of the ‘gods’ and their petty ways. It was time to teach them a thing or two, to bring them down a peg, to make them, in the end, ask for his help to save them. Then he could look them in the eye, smile sadly, and say: No. He would be there to watch Asgard fall. Luckily, there was a prophesy for that.... OK. Work to do.... 

I’ve been a fan of the Norse myths for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest heroes was Thor (WAY before Hollywood got hold of him) and one of my long-time heroes is Odin (ditto). So naturally, on seeing this in my local franchise shop, I snapped it up. Essentially this is a modern retelling (complete with numerous modern anachronisms in speech/comments which Loki knowingly scatters throughout the narrative – very ‘meta’) of the Norse myths but from the point of view of Loki. He is the narrator throughout and it’s no real surprise that I ‘heard’ the voice of Tom Hiddleston (who plays Loki in the Marvel series of movies and TV shows) in my head the whole time I was reading this. Likewise, I ‘saw’ the other gods played by their movie counterparts – I really couldn't help it. Rather dark in places – as you might imagine from Norse culture – these are stories full of intrigue, lying, sex (how Sleipnir, Odin’s 6-legged horse, came into existence is HILARIOUS), violence and death (not always permanent). There is a rather convoluted plot – based around the prophesy of Ragnarök - which binds the whole thing together which is interesting to see play out. The ‘feel’ is very cinematic and there’s plenty of laugh-out-loud moments (of course!) including the teenage werewolf Fenris hanging out with his pack looking tough! Needless to say, I thought this was a delight from beginning to end. It’s prompted me to read up more about the actual myths/stories themselves and I have a few (rather old) tomes I can dive into when I can slot them in. So, if you’re a fan of Norse myths, Loki or Tom then this will be the book for you. Definitely recommended – although I do feel it might annoy Norse purists a bit! [..and I’ve just discovered there’s a sequel! Yeah!]  

Interesting...!

Just Finished Reading: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (FP: 2011) [352pp]

He is anything but a hero in the Age of Heroes. Indeed, especially to his father, he is nothing short of an embarrassment. But an opportunity arose to get rid of that particular torn when, completely by accident, the young Patroclus kills a high-ranking guest. Now his father, the King, has two choices. He can kill his son to supplicate the offended family or he can exile his son forever. Being a practical man the King chooses exile. After all paying the child’s weight in gold to King Peleus – well known for taking in waifs and strays – is far cheaper than an elaborate funeral required for the death of a prince. So Patroclus begins his journey into Myth and Legend for King Peleus has a son too, although one who is the very antithesis of Patroclus – Achilles. Already spoken about in whispers despite his youth, Achilles is a golden child whose mother Thetis is a cruel sea goddess. Being half man and half god great things are expected of Achilles and anyone in his orbit is assured a place in perpetuity merely for handing him a cup or for holding his spear. Competition to be his companion is fierce and everyone is surprised when he chooses the newcomer Patroclus. Now tied together by Fate despite everything Thetis can do to keep them apart Achilles is persuaded against his better judgement to accompany the Greeks to the gates of Troy to take part in the greatest battle in history. Achilles is already aware that he will not be returning to Greece but knows he cannot die until the greatest amongst them falls. As Hero after Hero is incapacitated and the war starts to go badly for the Greeks Achilles begins to wonder, if the greatest has yet to fall are the Gods content to let mere mortals battle forever for their entertainment or, as is often the case, is the awful truth being hidden from them. Only time and blood will tell….

It’s interesting how, sometimes, coincidence throws up a set of books on a similar subject. That being the case here, where The Trojan Wars have now popped up in my reading three times in the past three months. Interestingly the two modern fiction adaptations look at the conflict through the very different eyes of Odysseus and, in this case, Patroclus. I haven’t read the original yet (in translation of course!) but I’m even more intrigued to compare these modern versions to the original. I decided fairly early on to classify this book as Fantasy rather than Historical (knowing that the original tale is most probably not completely based on historical fact) because of the presence of Gods and other fantastical creatures. The previous book, Odysseus – The Oath by Valerio Massimo Manfredi, certainly referenced the Gods but, as far as I can remember, none actual appeared. Here in this work the Gods (particularly the mother of Achilles) are meddling all of the time. Also in the Manfredi book even Achilles was more human than divine – if a particularly impressive version of humanity – whereas here Achilles is most definitely part supernatural in his abilities even, on one occasion, engaging a full god in personal combat and not being immediately bested and destroyed. Quite beautifully told from beginning to end this was essentially a love story between Patroclus and Achilles – usually shied away from in more modern adaptations (I’m looking at you Wolfgang Peterson) – against the backdrop of the Trojan War. But saying that there’s plenty of room not only for the battles, siege and internal Greek politics but also for a fascinating look at an ancient world both mysterious and familiar. Definitely worthy of its accolades and awards and definitely recommended if you have any interest in the legends of Achilles and Troy.

Awards

2012 Orange Prize (Winner)

2012 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction (Winner)

Just Finished Reading: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (FP: 2004) [518pp]

It was easy to be sceptical, at least at first. After all, no reasonable person could have believed him. When a clearly naked man, hiding in the undergrowth, asks you for some clothing and tells you he’s a time traveller how are you supposed to react? But she was polite and offered him a towel. Keeping her distance they exchanged pleasantries and then, with little warning, he vanished with a small ‘pop’. Now she simply questioned her sanity but she had made a promise and she’d keep it. She didn’t tell her family what had happened (who would believe her anyway?) and she put some of her father’s old clothes in a box in the bushes for when (or if?) he came back. Which he did – often. Despite the fact that the time traveller wouldn’t tell her much about the future (too dangerous he said) or about himself (ditto) she did pick up a few things along the way – like the fact that, in the future, they were married. More than a decade later Claire popped into a library to get some books for her thesis and there he was in the flesh (although fully clothed this time). Henry looked at her in bemusement. Whilst she had known him, seemingly, all of her life it was Henry’s first meeting in ‘real time’. Dating a time traveller wasn’t going to be easy, marrying and living with one was going to be more of an adventure than most people can handle but having a child with one was going to be hell – and that was only the start of it.

Looking back on it I think this was a quick impulse buy. I hadn’t seen the movie (still haven’t) so the only thing I can think of is that it looked ‘different’ and that I really liked time travel stories – which I do. So when I started it I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The blurb led me to expect something ‘original’ (which is good) and that it was an ‘old-fashioned love story’ which I’d probably disagree with – there was nothing ‘old-fashioned’ about this book. The main premise is, to say the least, odd. Henry is an involuntary time traveller. It’s a genetic defect that, under times of stress, result in him popping back (although sometimes, rarely, forward) in time. Sometimes it’s for minutes, other times for hours and occasionally for days at a time. Mostly he ends up in the same place but at different times, sometimes he goes somewhere completely new. Mostly when he comes back he’s just cold and hungry, other times he’s bloody and beaten from his encounters. But when he arrives at his destination he’s always naked. Nothing outside or alien to the body goes with him – even his teeth fillings (if he was stupid enough to have any) stay behind. Needless to say to survive such a lifestyle you need a particular mind-set and a particular skillset – from breaking and entering to mugging to being able to run (fast)!

I think the thing that most surprised me about this book was that, practically from the first page, it completely drags you into the narrative. The suspension of disbelief is totally complete. Although the idea of genetic defect time travel is, at least to me, nonsensical I just accepted it as part of the story and moved on. It’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to classify the book here as Fantasy rather than Sci-Fi (the blub just classifies it as ‘Fiction’) because the ‘science’ neither makes sense nor is particularly important. What is important is the story and the two main and several of the subsidiary characters. The main characters – Claire and Henry (the traveller) – are brilliantly drawn and I loved them both. They are complex, living breathing people who would be fascinating to know. I was deeply impressed with how they progressed through the novel, how they interacted with each other (it may not be an old-fashioned love story but it is a marvellous one) and how they coped (just in some cases) with the trials and tribulations of a very unusual relationship. Those of you prone to tears will need to keep a box of hankies nearby. This was one of those books that is literally difficult to put down but, at the same time, something you are desperate NOT to end. It was, in a word, brilliant and more than deserving for all the praise it received at the time. Most definitely one of the best books of the year and, therefore, mostly highly recommended. Apart from the inevitable emotionality contained within please note there is some sex (not particularly graphic), violence (ditto), drug use and swearing. There might also be the occasional glass of wine drunk and cigarette smoked – so be warned! Overall this will warm your heart (once the tears stop) and leave you a little misty-eyed and wistful for days afterwards.

New High Score (since records began 22nd October 2020)

Page count: 518pp [+48pp]   

Awards:

Sainsbury's Popular Fiction Award Best Novel

Arthur C. Clarke Award Best Book (nominee)

John W Campbell Memorial Award Best Novel (nominee)

The Richard and Judy Best Read of the Year Best Book (nominee)   

Just Finished Reading: Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (FP: 2018) [442pp]

Thirteen years ago, that summer 1977, the Blyton Summer Detective Club hit their high point with the capture and arrest of the Sleepy Lake ‘Monster’ – actually a low-life fortune hunter who had been terrorising the local area. But that was then, this is now – 1990. What the papers didn’t report (after all why would they?) were the local animal mutilations as well as what they didn’t know so couldn’t report. For thirteen years the surviving members of the Detective Club had kept a secret - the pretend ‘monster’ they captured that night wasn’t the only beast prowling the dark. That night they had encountered something real, something both ancient and malevolent. For thirteen years they had all been having nightmares about the night they stayed in the spooky house on the lake, trapped in the basement while real monsters tried their best to get inside. For thirteen years they had been hiding, each in their own way. But Andy (don’t call her Andrea!) has had enough of this shit. Just out of prison (not exactly with permission) she has decided to get the band back together again and go back to Sleepy Lake. The plan is a simple one. She’ll pick up genius biologist Kerri (hiding as a waitress with a drinking habit), Tim the grandson of their trusty Weimaraner from that summer and Nate the horror nerd presently in a mental institution. Luckily Nate is still in touch with Peter, the jock and ex-movie star. Unfortunately he can’t really tell anyone that fact as Peter has been dead for years. Once everyone is together they’re going to find the REAL monster of Sleepy Lake and kick its knobbly ass all the way back to whatever realm is came from. Or die trying – so probably that.

OK, as a fan of the original Scooby-Do cartoon (don’t even get me STARTED on the Scrappy-Do abomination!) this just jumped out at me. Just imagine, a homage to said classic cartoon but written for adults (and don’t get me STARTED on the 2002/2004 movies!) by someone who obviously loved the series as much as I did. Despite its repetitive format the thing I really liked/loved about Scooby-Do – OK, apart from Scooby himself whom I loved dearly! – was the fact that EVERY WEEK these meddling kids both outwitted adult bad guys and at the same time proved EVERY WEEK that there was a rational explanation to all of the supposed ‘spooky’ events going on that regularly fooled the adults around them. Every week rationality won over superstition. That message really got pounded into my young brain (along with my hero of the day Spock on Star Trek:OS). So here we have something different. The Scooby-Do motif has been updated and up-adulted. The team are now in their mid-20’s and have all been scarred by a brush with the REAL supernatural, so much so that they are either in heavy denial, in a mental hospital or dead (suicide is suspected). But starting from that admittedly low base they – prompted or honestly pushed by Andy – decide to do something about it and face the monster that comes into their dreams more often than not every night. It’s a nice format – you get to see what happened to the gang years after the original cartoon ended (did you ever wonder about that?) and you get to see them kick real ass in the more modern/adult style complete with shotguns, axes and a fair amount of ectoplasmic gore (which naturally evaporates in contact with oxygen!). As a fan of the carton I can honestly say that I had a LOT of fun reading this. I laughed out loud more than once, there was a cosy sense of nostalgia and more than enough dramatic and creepy moments to keep me glued to the pages. The only slight criticism I did have was that the end ‘boss fight’ went on just a bit too long but I understand why he did it. Definitely recommended to Scooby fans. Oh, and the dog was GREAT. He was almost my favourite character and was ‘drawn’ by someone who obvious knows the canine mind! Oh, and Andy is gay… probably…. Or maybe just for Kerri, it’s complicated…… [lol]   

Just Finished Reading: The English Monster or The Melancholy Transactions of William Ablass by Lloyd Shepherd (FP: 2012) [398pp]

Plymouth, England 1564. Young Billy Ablass is starting to make his way in the world. Sent with a letter of introduction from his Father-in-law he is set on voyaging with Captain John Hawkins to make his fortune – enough to start a pig farm in his home village and settle down with his new wife. Sailing from England Billy sees this is a temporary adventure, a temporary break in a life already planned far into the future, a future of marriage, children and happiness. But life at sea is not at all what Billy expected it to be, it is brutal, vile and dangerous not only to the body and the mind but also to the very soul.

Wapping, London 1811. Thames police officer Charles Horton is alerted to a disturbance on the notorious Ratcliffe Highway. An argument had been heard by passers-by and then, suddenly, nothing. Just inside the open door he sees the first body, horribly murdered. On the stairs he finds the shop owners wife, dead and in the basement, most horribly of all a baby, killed in its crib. Days later a nearby tavern is the scene of a second slaughter with the owner, his wife and others killed most brutally. But who is responsible for this reign of terror. Horton is determined to find out using new techniques of detection and a precise logical mind. What he helps to uncover will call into question the deeply held beliefs of law officers throughout the area and even task the Royal Society to explain the inexplicable.

This is honestly a very strange book. It is as if the author had two interesting ideas that individually could not be made into a viable novel – so decided to stitch them both together. The strange thing is – it worked. It worked very well indeed. Essentially the story flips between the ‘transactions’ of Billy Ablass which has a decided fantasy element and the investigations of Charles Horton which is pretty much a standard (and very good) historical crime story. As both stories progress we start to suspect, and then finally learn, how they are linked which is when things start to get rather strange! Half of the interest to me, to be honest, was watching how the author so skilfully stitched this Frankenstein monster of a book together like a first class surgeon. Not only were both elements of the story – which were very different in tone for the most part – handled really well but the characters throughout had been designed in such a way that you just HAD to know what became of them. Even the minor characters were more than adequately filled out with backstories and believable motivations. Likewise the ending did not disappoint and even more than adequately set up the sequel which I shall be tracking down next year. Overall this was a rather odd but highly entertaining fantasy historical crime novel. Definitely recommended if you fancy something out of the ordinary.       

Just Finished Reading: The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School by Kim Newman (FP: 2015)

She took her mother’s warning very seriously. How indeed could anyone even think of marriage to someone like her? She would just have to try harder, try to be more normal. But it was so hard. She tried carrying stones in her pockets and thinking heavy thoughts but still, if she lost control for a moment….. The final straw was that morning, that embarrassing morning when her mother came to wake her. It wasn’t her fault really. After all there’s little you can do when you’re fast asleep. But it was the look, a mixed look of horror and disappointment, which said it all. But there’s not much you can say to someone when you’re floating inches from your bedroom ceiling. At her wits end there was only one thing that her mother could realistically do. She recognised that now but the new boarding school, miles from anywhere and filled with the strangest girls, was quite a shock to the system. To be dropped in, mid-term, in the third year was enough to force her feet to remain solidly on the ground. But her new friends and roommates helped. One was a beautiful and exotic Indian princess, another was the daughter of stage magicians (presently incarcerated) and the third was a member of the British aristocracy. Settling in was taking a while. New school, new rules. New names for things, people to avoid, and lots to learn. But there were also the oddities and the downright strangeness of the place. There were rumours of ghosts and rules about going near the cliff edge or into the woods. But when one of her new friends vanished in mysterious circumstances and few seemed to be disturbed by the event there was only one thing to do – to band together with her roommates and use their combined skills to solve the mystery and save her friend from what would no doubt be a very sticky end.

I’m read a few of this author’s works and have always been impressed by his inventive reimaging of various fantasy and classic crime tropes. This work was the result of lots of research and deep mining into the literature and culture of British school tales – most particularly designed for girls between the World Wars – with a decided Newmanian twist. Imagine a mix of Harry Potter/Hogwarts, Professor Xavier’s School for the Gifted and St Trinian’s School for Wayward Girls and you’ll get an idea of what the author was going for. The school – a far from ordinary establishment – is home to daughters of master criminals, outlaw scientists and magicians. But even stranger are the small number of ‘Unusuals’ who have special gifts that few others possess and many fear – like main protagonist 13 year old Amy Thomsett who can float at will and who is learning to float other things too. But she is far from the strangest among them. Others can see the future or into other, darker, realms and some can travel to places not on any map and bring back things that have never existed on this Earth. This was honestly a delight to read. Part homage to a lost style of storytelling from the 1920’s and 1930’s, part (at times fairly dark) fantasy, part coming of age saga this story mostly followed Amy as she adapted to the new school life, learnt to embrace (rather than supress) her natural powers and become an active agent in the world rather than simply a child who existed at the behest of others. Although not, I believe, a children’s novel per se this did manage to tread the fine line between being too ‘adult’ and too childish. There was peril here but a good deal of that took place ‘off stage’ and what violence there is here is pretty minimised. The ‘other realm’ was suitably creepy (especially if you’re not fond of insects or the colour Purple) but not really nightmare inducing. Over all the feel was classic children’s adventure written by someone who obviously understood the genre and used that knowledge with real skill. As I said this was a true delight to read and I enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed even more finding out that it has a sequel which I shall be buying and consuming at my earliest opportunity. Highly recommended – especially if you enjoyed Potter or X-Men!     

Just Finished Reading: Shambleau by C L Moore (FP: 1953)

This is rather a strange one. This short book (a mere 173 pages – no wonder I could read 100 books a year back when this was a standard length for a SF/Fantasy novel) consisted of 6 short stories, 2 of which were directly linked with the rest having the same main character: Northwest Smith.

The two linked stories Black God’s Kiss and Black God’s Shadow were the best of the bunch and revolved around the main character Jirel, a defeated female warrior, who escapes her own dungeon to make her way to a pretty disturbing version of Hell to retrieve a weapon to dispose of her captor which, after much adventure she does. The second part of the tale revolved around her visiting a slightly different Hell to release the soul of her adversary through guilt. Both tales were very well described – hauntingly so – but neither of them had a strong enough narrative to make them anything more than interesting.

The other four stories starring Northwest Smith – including Shambleau – followed essentially the same narrative path. Smith would arrive in town. For various reasons he would become involved with a beautiful and mysterious woman. The woman would then (for a host of different reasons depending on the story) lead him into danger and would either introduce him to the main baddie or be that baddie herself. Some sort of fight would occur and Smith, given his natural talents, would resolve the issue usually by pulling and firing his laser gun and the appropriate moment. That’s pretty much it – all four times.

As you might expect I was less than impressed by this ‘classic’ of Horror-Fantasy. I really could fault the imagery throughout – the whole book was nicely ‘visual’ – but the plots left a great deal to be desired. Definitely not recommended. (R)

Just Finished Reading: The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (FP: 1995)

Even tragedy fades – at least the Sauvelle family told themselves. When their beloved father died suddenly their world changed. With debts to be paid their fine clothes and their large house had to be given up to creditors. Without any income their mother had to look for work. For almost a year the family lived from day to day dependent on the charity of others. Until one day their luck changed for the better. Their mother had been offered a job in the country as a housekeeper for the legendary but reclusive toymaker Lazarus Jann. They had to leave their beloved Paris and travel to a small coastal town in Normandy but it was a small price to pay for the hope of getting their lives back on track, and what a place to do it. Their new home Seaview overlooked the wild Normandy coastline whilst behind it was the Cravenmoore estate, home to the enigmatic if charming Jann and his even more mysterious wife. Surrounded by an extensive forest it was the perfect place to recharge the soul and allow the children – young Dorian and his older sister Irene – to fill their young lungs with fresh air. It was perfect….. until Dorian noticed that Lazarus Jann failed to cast a shadow.

I didn’t know this at the time but this was one of the author’s earlier works and was aimed at a child readership – of around 12 to 13. Initially a little irritated by the fact I thought I’d give it a try and thought that worst case at least it would be a quick and easy read. I was wrong. Although I fairly breezed through the 246 pages in around 4 days it was far from an easy read – it was damned scary! I couldn’t help thinking that the author’s experience of early teenage literary courage was far greater than mine. At several points in the book I did think that if I had been reading this in bed at age 12 I would’ve peed my PJs! Parts of the book – no spoilers here but there’s a ‘monster’ involved – are REALLY creepy with an oppressive atmosphere that anyone with half an imagination could run with. Some parts are definitely the stuff of teenage nightmares despite the heroic nature of other parts of the narrative. Heroes abound in this book – not only Dorian who at one point threatens the ‘monster’ with a knife to protect his mother – but Irene and her recent 16 year old boyfriend Ismael as well as the children’s mother Simone who fought for her children using her heart and her head as much as her physical presence.

There’s a lot for a young teen to learn here – and not just about courage in the face of monsters. There’s love and loss, friendship and loneliness. There’s trust and keeping secrets, there’s letting go (of childhood and the past) and embracing wonder. Finally there’s that liminal space between the child and the adult and how you navigate – successfully or not – between the two. I did have a quibble or two – mostly towards the end where the ‘boss fight’ took a little too long and was a little too convoluted but such things pale beside the positive attributes of this book. For a children’s book this was very well, indeed beautifully, written. Reading the prose was like dinning on a perfectly made multi-layered richly decorated cake. All of the characters – even the minor ones – were fully fleshed out and believable. The dialogue from everyone was spot on – no rolling of eyes here. The range of atmosphere throughout flowed as if directed by the conductor of an emotional symphony orchestra. It was, in short, a delight from beginning to (mostly) the end. Being an early work – and being aimed at a younger readership – I am intrigued to read the more accomplished more adult works he has subsequently produced. He’s definitely on my follow up list. Highly recommended but you might have to read this in the daylight or be prepared to sleep with your lights on! 

Translated from the Spanish by Lucia Graves

Coming Next: 10 books of Historical Crime.

Just Finished Reading: Replay by Ken Grimwood (FP: 1986)

42-year old Jeff Winston is more than aware of his failures in life. So many missed opportunities, so many mistakes, and so many things that could have been different if only….. With a career going nowhere, a failing marriage and nothing to look forward to he is at a loss. What to do? Just what to do? Then it hits him, hard, in the chest. A searing pain like nothing he has felt before. So, this is how it ends…… The world goes black….. and he wakes in bed. In hospital? No. At home? No. But in his dorm room….. 25 years previously… but this time with his full adult memories. It’s 1963 and his full life is ahead of him. This time he knows winning horses, winning baseball teams and which technologies to buy into on the ground floor. This time his life will be a success and nothing can stop him. Thoughts of why this is happening fade under the glare of possibilities. Then it hits him. If this is real and his knowledge is accurate….. Maybe he can prevent the upcoming Kennedy assassination and put the world on the right track. If he can change his own life so dramatically why not the lives (and deaths) of others?

Obviously this is an intriguing idea. Who wouldn’t want to go back 25 years and replay their lives with a perfect knowledge of upcoming events? Just think of the mistakes that could be avoided and the missed opportunities that could be salvaged. Just think of the good you can do or the harm you (and others) could avoid. Naturally, being a work of fiction (indeed Fantasy in this case) nothing goes as planned. The variables are just too many and time or history wants to stubbornly revert to its original course. Of course too much of a good thing can become a nightmare – and this is where things get really interesting – so what happens when you get a third chance, and a fourth and a fifth resetting back to zero each time with nothing to show for it but knowledge, experience and emotional loss. How long would it be before you went mad, became a nihilist, played God, or became completely numb to the whole experience?

This was both a fun and fast read. I do miss this sort of thing that used to be my ‘go to’ novel. Well told, often fast paced, full of big ideas and emotional pathos this was the kind of book that leaves you thinking about things weeks after you turn the last page. Throughout you’re constantly asking yourself – what would I do in this situation? Of course you judge the main protagonist but the judgement is always tempered by the thought of how you, the reader, might have done better or, maybe, worse. It’s all very sobering at times. The fact that there are (not really giving much away here) multiple replays never gets boring. Each one is very different as Jeff tries to figure out what’s happening and reacts to the previous replays as much as the present one. It’s one hell of a ride. A definite must read for all SF/Fantasy fans and most especially those who remember life from the 1960’s onwards! HIGHLY recommended.