Book Review: Dolly by Susan Hill

The remoter parts of the English Fens are forlorn, lost and damp even in the height of summer. At Iyot Lock, a large decaying house, two young cousins, Leonora and Edward are parked for the summer with their ageing spinster aunt and her cruel housekeeper. At first the unpleasantness and petty meannesses appear simply spiteful, calculated to destroy Edward's equanimity. But when spoilt Leonora is not given the birthday present of a specific dolly that she wants, affairs inexorably take a much darker turn with terrifying, life destroying, consequences for everyone.
[The above is from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069121-dolly]

I found this to be much scarier than 'The small hand' but not entirely sure I fully understood it. I won't spoil the ending but I came away thinking that what happens to the male character isn't necessary and quite unfair. I think I needed further explanation and I felt that it ended quite abruptly leaving a lot unanswered.

As with all her books Susan Hill has got the atmosphere perfect and I could picture myself in the house, on the fens, in the church yard but always with that sense of unease. I particularly hated Leonara but couldn't help feel sorry for her at the end of the book.

An enjoyable spooky story that will while away a few hours.
 

Susan Hill's ghostly novella is set in the damp and desolate landscape of the English Fens. Young orphan Edward Caley is sent to spend the summer holidays with his Aunt Kestrel at Iyot House. There he gets to know his spoilt cousin Leonora. What happens that summer has lasting consequences... - See more at: http://www.susanhill.org.uk/dolly#sthash.YJidM1HK.dpuf

Susan Hill's ghostly novella is set in the damp and desolate landscape of the English Fens. Young orphan Edward Caley is sent to spend the summer holidays with his Aunt Kestrel at Iyot House. There he gets to know his spoilt cousin Leonora. What happens that summer has lasting consequences... - See more at: http://www.susanhill.org.uk/dolly#sthash.YJidM1HK.dpuf

Susan Hill's ghostly novella is set in the damp and desolate landscape of the English Fens. Young orphan Edward Caley is sent to spend the summer holidays with his Aunt Kestrel at Iyot House. There he gets to know his spoilt cousin Leonora. What happens that summer has lasting consequences... - See more at: http://www.susanhill.org.uk/dolly#sthash.YJidM1HK.dpuf

Susan Hill's ghostly novella is set in the damp and desolate landscape of the English Fens. Young orphan Edward Caley is sent to spend the summer holidays with his Aunt Kestrel at Iyot House. There he gets to know his spoilt cousin Leonora. What happens that summer has lasting consequences... - See more at: http://www.susanhill.org.uk/dolly#sthash.YJidM1HK.dpuf

Susan Hill's ghostly novella is set in the damp and desolate landscape of the English Fens. Young orphan Edward Caley is sent to spend the summer holidays with his Aunt Kestrel at Iyot House. There he gets to know his spoilt cousin Leonora. What happens that summer has lasting consequences... - See more at: http://www.susanhill.org.uk/dolly#sthash.YJidM1HK.dpuf

Susan Hill's ghostly novella is set in the damp and desolate landscape of the English Fens. Young orphan Edward Caley is sent to spend the summer holidays with his Aunt Kestrel at Iyot House. There he gets to know his spoilt cousin Leonora. What happens that summer has lasting consequences... - See more at: http://www.susanhill.org.uk/dolly#sthash.YJidM1HK.dpuf

One week left...

...and I still have much to do!

What I have done is listened to 'Gone Girl' (review below) and read 'Dolly' but haven't reviewed it yet.  It's been a very busy month with lots of travel for work (poor excuse I know) but I have managed one Yoga session which is better than none Yoga session.

Last night I started watching the Great British Sewing Bee, I knows 'citing innit, which has made me want to sew something again...so lets add 'sew a something' to the list.  I have several ideas in the mill, 1. Using material from an old tshirt sew a baby hat (as per a pattern I have somewhere) 2. Sew some fabric boxes using fat quarters to keep my make-up and 'stuff' in 3. Sew a drawstring laundry bag for the nursery.  

I've also bought myself a ticket for Wonderwool for the Sunday (can't go the whole weekend because of a friends wedding) which has given me the inspiration I need to knit something but also I refuse to meet up with my knitty friends and when quizzed upon what I have made with last years purchases I'll have to dive and hide in the nearest yarn pile.  So before April I have to knit something from last years Wonderwool buys.  Ideally a pair of pink fingerless mitts the pattern for which a friend gave me and reassures me it couldn't be easier.

This to do list is getting even bigger, time to actually 'to do' I feel!

Book Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick Dunne’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick Dunne isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but hearing from Amy through flashbacks in her diary reveal the perky perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister Margo at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was left in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? 

[The above is from http://gillian-flynn.com/gone-girl/]

I don't normally but I thought it worth saying that sensitive readers should proceed with caution. The book does contain coarse language as well as some violence and sexual content.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I have to say now I listened to it as an audiobook rather than read it but thought it worked very well as an audio book.  I thought it was a fantastic thriller, with good pace and well drawn characters.  Their are lots of twists and turns but one major twist is really the main crutch of the story which I wont reveal here as it would be a major spoiler but I will say it is a big twist you really don't see coming.

 

Towards the end I felt I was trying to second guess the main characters, I felt I was getting to know them so well that by the end I was trying to guess what they would do next but the actions of the main characters at the end surprised me.  However when I thought about it more I did think that it was in keeping with the personality of the character and just added to my love of them.

 

I hated, hated, Nick for the first half of the book then I hated, hated, Amy.  I knew at the start I was being set up for something but never guessed what and honestly couldn't see a way past my hatred on Nick until the end of the story when I didn't so much as hate him but disliked him...a lot.  Lot of reviewers have said they hated Nick and Amy moaning about their financial hardship but I thought that added to just how self obsessed and socio/psychopathic the characters are.  Another problem other reviewers had was that towards the end the characters became inconsistent, again I think the point is that at the beginning you're not getting the true them and as the book goes on you're getting more and more into their psyche.  By the end you realise just how screwed up the two of them are.

My favourite scene wasn't actually a scene but the description of the house they had in Brooklyn.  The way Amy describes it in particular makes it sound luxurious and I could picture the skyline as they sat by the fire.

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook, I would recommend to fans of thrillers.

January progress and February plans

Well let's have a wee recap shall we, my January plans were:

• Knit a square for the knitted blanket - I actually knitted two, finishing with a cabled square which I thoroughly enjoyed knitting, which makes me half way through the blanket.  Just need to finish off some embellishments, block the squares then sew them together and we have the first half of the blanket done.
• Give away or knit an item from my stash - I gave odd balls and freebies from magazines to the charity shop knowing that I was never really going to use them.  I haven't knitted anything from my stash this month but I did get rid of a bag full of oddments so it's a start.
• Paint a watercolour for January - done and blogged about
• Sew some napkins - again I've blogged already about this, I bought some cheapies from Tesco and was going to sew some embellishments (haven't got around to that yet)
• Read Stephen Kings' 11.22.63; Listen to Kate Atkinson Life After Life - I haven't started11.22.63 yet but I did listen to Life After Life and have blogged my review. I also read our book groups read and blogged about that too so I'm still on my reading track.
• Write book reviews for the above - Kind of done, just need to read Stephen King and review then we're all set.
• Do 4 Yoga sessions, 4 swimming sessions and get out walking (1 walk and 1 swim done) - Well now...

...this involves a whole explanation. You see I couldn't say, but now I can, and that at time of writing this I am 17 weeks pregnant with our first child. We are super excited and already life style changes are taking place! I was going. Swimming every Friday but the past month have been struggling with pelvic girdle pain and Dr Google advised against any activities which opened up my hips more than necessary, this means things like swimming and Yoga. Never minding some days I can barely walk the length of myself. But a few changes has meant things are better but i do need a regular exercise regime and cleaner diet.  

So based on this exciting news, February plans are:

Knit a baby hat. Possibly this could be my learn to knit in the round opportunity!?

Knit item from my stash, keen to knit some hearts (pattern in a mag somewhere) using the undyed yarn I have. These could decorate baby's room :)

Listen to Gone Girl for the book group 

Read Dolly, it's a short book like 'The Small Hand' so won't take too long

Write reviews for above

and Tuesday Yoga, Thursday Davina DVD 

I realise I'm writing this a week in and I haven't done any of the above, apart from start on Dolly, and can see some of these carrying over into March!

Oh and I know I still have some bits and pieces to finish from January (the blanket, the napkins yet another book) but I think I'll leave them to later months.

Until then...:)