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.

Book Review: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English banker and his wife. Sadly, she dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in any number of ways. Clearly history (and Kate Atkinson) have plans for her: In Ursula rests nothing less than the fate of civilization. [from Goodreads]

I think reading this rather than listening to an audio book would have been better, especially towards the end when everything gets a lot more mixed up and difficult to keep track of however I still enjoyed the book and was able to keep track (I think) of what was going on.

I really enjoyed the pace of this book, it seemed to begin on a fast changing roll of events then builds slowly throughout ending with a fast paced turn of events towards the end.  Some of the scenarios played out really made it feel like you were getting several novels in one.  I took to the main character Ursula throughout her scenarios and the different ages, she was a strong enough character to hold the entire novel together.

Overall an enjoyable listen.

I also found an excellent review on the Guardian site, check it out here.

Book Review: The Small Hand by Susan Hill

In this short book written by Susan Hill of 'Woman in Black' fame we are told the story of Adam Snow, an antiquarian book dealer, who happens upon an old house and that's when strange ghostly events begin to happen.  Adam is haunted by the ghost of a child and although it begins quite benevolent terrifying events begin to occur.  This book is only 167 pages long so its difficult to give a detailed synopsis without giving too much away.

Even though it was short I thoroughly enjoyed it as a proper spooky ghost story which suited the wintry, stormy weather we've been having recently.  The story although not exactly gripping in my opinion set the scene and atmosphere perfectly and you could quite easily put yourself in Adams' shoes...not that you would want to!  I found it hard to date and it wasn't until towards the end that I mention of the internet helped me place the story in recent times, afterwards I discovered it was published in 2010 but honestly it could have taken place any time between 1850 onwards.  Everything had that feel of dark and enclosed, almost claustrophobic feel, until the very end when doors are open wide and bright lamps are put on.

I found all the characters intriguing in their own way and although we followed the story of Adam I thought that each character played their part well and was believable.

If I had to select a favourite scene it would have to be anywhere at 'White House' where the author goes into great and glorious detail about the state of the house and gardens.  I feel it sets the background for a proper haunting very well without being overly hacked.

Although I enjoyed that the story was short and character backgrounds were kept to a minimum I felt that I came away with a lot of questions that should have been answered, but then a good ghost story should let you make up your own mind I suppose.

Physically I thought the book had a wonderfully ornate cover (shown above), I had the hardback version, and I liked the feel of the paper and the look of the font used throughout.  I liked that the initial in each new chapter was made to reflect the growing of the garden which was at the heart of the story.

If you are looking for a good proper spooky ghost story then this should be your first choice...then read the Woman in Black.

Happy 2014!

Hello and welcome to my first post of 2014.  We're now two days in to the new year and I have been thinking about what I would like to accomplish this year. So here goes:

Knitting

• Finish the knitted squares/blanket from 'Art of Knitting' magazine.  This blanket has been around 6 years in the making and I would love to get it finished this year.  From what I can remember I am half way there and on the learning how to do cables so its quite an exciting project made up of lots of quick, fun knits.
• Stash busting - either sell (eek), give away (bigger eek) or actually use the yarns in my stash.  I'm thinking each month I will make something or give away/sell something that should cut it down by quite a bit.
• Learn to knit in the round.  I realised making the Robin decoration in December I hate making up so think knitting in the round will suit me nicely.
• Knit a pair of socks.  I would love to learn to do this and would really love to start with a book I have called two at a time knitting.  

Watercolour

• Paint a picture representing that month/moment.  Each month aim to paint a picture using my watercolours that represents what is happening that month, any moments or just for fun.
• I'm very much the beginner so anything I do with watercolours is completely new and exciting and I know I have so many techniques to learn.

Sewing

• I want to have a go at making some items I can wear.  I can't help think I'm struggling to find nice pyjamas so might give that a go.  I have a giant white cotton bed sheet we never use so might use that to have a practice
• I also need some napkins for the dining table, not sure what colour or how yet but thats another idea.

Books

• The plan is to go swimming every Friday and I have a waterproof MP3 player that I am hoping I can add an audio book to so I can listen to an audio book each month.
• Each month I attend the Builth Wells Reading Group so have a monthly read from them an often find it difficult to make it through any more books but I do have a wishlist on Amazon the length of..well...the Amazon and a whole bunch of unread books on the bookshelf and on my kindle so it would be nice to make a dent in them this year.

Creative writing

•  I haven't done any since that course last September and it would be nice to try writing something each month but think I may have given myself enough tasks!  Although I hope to use what I learned to write a good book review each month if nothing else.

Exercise

• Keep up the weekly Yoga sessions although this time at home and not at a class.
• Start weekly swimming sessions, Friday nights will probably work best as Mr C is often out with friends so I get a bit of time to myself.
•  In general I'd like to up the amount of walking I do, both throughout the week and a big weekend walk with Mr C.

I think that's quite enough for one year!  So my aim for January is to:

• Knit a square for the knitted blanket
• Give away or knit an item from my stash
• Paint a watercolour for January
• Sew some napkins
• Read Stephen Kings' 11.22.63; Listen to Kate Atkinson Life After Life
• Write book reviews for the above
• Do 4 Yoga sessions, 4 swimming sessions and get out walking

By the way my official new years' resolution is this, to be more optimistic and a friendlier person.  I wasn't sure exactly how to word that and then I seen the new years' message from the Dalai Lama and it clicked.  So my new years' resolution is this...

Book Review: Resistance by Owen Sheers

Last week I attended a creative writing taster session.  Never having done creative writing in my puff I didn't have high expectations for the night but have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.   So as this is a crafty blog and writing is a craft (of sorts) I thought I would publish some of my writing here.  As you can expect with me I don't have much time to knit or sew so the chances of the worlds greatest novel being published here anytime soon is a long shot but hey ho you never know.

I thought I would start gently by posting a book review.  This is something I have wanted to hone my skills on, as I run the Builth Wells Reading Group blog over here, so below is my review of Resistance by Owen Sheers...

Resistance is set in an alternative universe where the Germans are winning World War II and are invading Britain.
Set in a Welsh valley between Hay on Wye and Hereford where a small community of farmers have disappeared in the middle of the night leaving behind the women.
We are led to believe they have gone off to join the 'Resistance' and we are left to explore the unfolding lives of the women left to work on the farms, in a harsh winter, with a German patrol living nearby.
My feelings towards this German patrol were tested throughout the novel.  Initially I began by feeling unsure and a little scared then as the story progressed I found my opinion changing and I became quite fond of them all, especially Albrecht.
My changing feelings were particularly highlighted when in one particular scene a character mistakes the German patrol for the valley farmers and you see the German patrol through those eyes, as though they were the farmers and see no difference between them.
I found I cared for all the characters in the valley and enjoyed the authors descriptions of the area and working farm life.  The audio book in particular was beautifully narrated and although I read some chapters too I wasn't overly keen on the format/look of the print.  I loved the front cover and thought it captured the story well.
The cover is black and white with a lone woman, could be our main character, standing atop a black mountain.  Comforting herself from the elements she seems to be searching for someone, her body language echos both loss and hope.
However I didn't like how the story jumped viewpoints and found it quite disorientating when listening to the audiobook.
Although the was is the backdrop to the novel I didn't feel it was prominent and it was more about working through hardship, community spirit and looking beyond what at first may appear to be a threat which could also be a lifeline.
I liked the valley characters.  The women for their hard work and determination against the Germans, the war and an altered way of life.  I loved how the women didn't give up when the men left, they took on more work and tried their hardest to keep on going.  I also liked the German patrol as although you start believing they are Nazi monsters it goes to show just because you put a uniform on someone and a gun in their hand it doesn't make them a soldier.  And that their true means of survival in the war wasn't to fight.  So you had the women fighting and the men trying hard to abstain, they were a perfect mirror image of each other in a mirrored universe.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction but especially those living or have an interest in the Welsh valleys.

You can find out more about Owen Sheers and Resistance on the Owen Sheers website.

Incidentally I am now reading 'A casual vacancy' by J.K. rowling as part of the book group read this month, feel free to join in and post comments on our blog :)