The Western Wind

The Western Wind by Samantha Harvey is a historical novel set in the middle ages. It is not written sequentially so jumps around timewise, although it is entirely written from one viewpoint. Historical novels seem to me often an excuse to show off how much the author knows about the period, with the story more of an aside. This book definitely does have more literary aspirations, and the characterisation is not bad but, in truth, not a lot really happens and it just goes round and round. 6/10.

Booker Blues

Everything Under by Daisy Johnson went over me. It was a very difficult book to read and follow. Maybe it was just me, but I didn't understand the plot at all. There weren't many characters but I found the different timelines and perspectives very confusing. Hats off to anyone who got anything out of this book. Typical Booker book lol. 1/10

Contender for my book of the year

At Hawthorn Time by Melissa Harrison was an excellent novel. It's a book that is stronger of characterisation than plot and there are some tremendous characters ranging from young to old, male to female, which is quite a feat. Pervading it all is a sadness at the loss of traditional ways and our disconnection with Nature. If you like Hardy's The Woodlanders then you'd like this.

900 page epic

Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman is by far the longest book yet on the library challenge weighing in at 900 pages, and this is only the prequel, lol. I didn't enjoy it that much, I have to admit. It had a massive cast list, I didn't know who I was reading about half the time, although there was a list of characters at the back but a lot of them had very similar Russian names and it was quite strangely ordered. Sections of it were good, if you like War and Peace you'll probably like this. I prefer books with a small cast list. 6/10

A guest post from GoodReads

The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first book was excellent, this concludes the story. It's essentially in three parts: finding a new home, the initial writing and success of The Salt Path, and then a second walk and more on a new walk and Moth's illness.

Hard to imagine what will come next, other than a long hiatus before the next update, or embarking on a new writing project altogether.

An amazing rags to (relative) riches story anyway!

View all my reviews

Bitter Orange

 Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller is quite an original book. It's a historical novel set in the 60s centred upon a group of "lost" people in a country house engaged in various restoration projects. All of them have issues in their pasts and are struggling in different ways to deal with them. They are flung together and strange things start to happen. It's not exactly a page-turner but because it doesn't neatly fit into an established format or genre you really have no idea what's going to happen. 7/10

 

London Lies Beneath

London Lies Beneath by Stella Duffy is a historical novel based loosely on an actual event in London just before WW1. It centres on a shipping accident which befell a group of scouts. It's written from the perspective of three boys who are friends, and their six parents. The book came to life in the last few chapters, finally justifying the long character list. 7/10.