Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

This has to be one of the biggest books I have ever read - not by page count mind you, but sheer physical size. And who says reading isn't exercise? I got all sorts of -cepts reading this one!

This is a winding and detailed tale of two magicians in England around the time of the war against Bonaparte. Their goal is to return magic to England. Norrell is a reclusive, secretive scholar who discredits the magic of the old Raven King, Strange is a more daring, practical magician, tutored by Norrell, but who disagrees with Norrell's principles. Two talented and clever men... no, nothing is going to go wrong at all.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is not for the faint hearted. Besides the daunting size of this monstrous tome, the pace of the novel is also rather slow. In fact, part 1 of the novel seems irrelevant until part 3. Impatient readers, such as the one who gave the copy I bought to the second hand book shop only after having read 30 pages, might not appreciate that. A lot seems superfluous. But, there is another way of viewing this very detailed tale. This is a book one lives in. It is filled with characters of interest, and I enjoyed how characters that I initially thought were unnecessary, decorative dressing turned out to be relevant and interesting. The plot was very finely constructed, with the detail and precision of the Harry Potter series (a comparison I couldn't help making as there were names in common in the books, and of course the whole 'magic in England' thing).

But. As much as I enjoyed the story, and even though I am glad that I read it, I do feel that it was a bit too drawn out for my liking. I have never considered myself an impatient reader, but there were parts in this one where I did skim some sections so that I could get on with the story.

I would recommend this one to adult readers (because of the pace, not because of adult scenes) who enjoy very loose historical fiction and fantasy. This is not high fantasy though.

I gave this one 4 stars on Goodreads.

It is the 64th book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.

Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman

Shocking, touching and so real.

I saw an interview between Neil Gaiman and Art Spiegelman once, where Art spoke of Maus. Ever since then, I have kept an eye open for it. I planned on reading these two books over two months. I ended up reading them in a single morning.

This is the true story of Art Spiegelman's father as a Jewish person in Poland, and eventually in Auschwitz, during World War II.

Even though Art Spiegelman chose to illustrate this graphic novel with animals instead of people, I did not feel distanced from the characters at all. In fact, because of their innocent appearance, I felt even closer. I also preferred the cruder art style in hindsight, as it did not 'beautify' the times. It was disturbing without being horrifying. I think the use of black and white also worked in its favour as it left the 'colour' up to the reader's imagination.

I also liked how Art Spiegelman told this story - multiple interviews between him and his father in the 'present' day. It added so much more humanity to the tale as they all became very real. There was no point in this where I felt that I was reading fiction. I also appreciated how Art struggled to portray his father, and how he wrestled with being honest and portraying him as he was, the negatively stereotypical Jewish man, Even though his father was clearly a flawed man, I could still admire him. It was also interesting seeing the creator in a book. Usually the artist is hiding. It was an unusual but fascinating perspective.

I would love to get this for the school library. I think the way WW2 was covered really brings so much more home than purely reading 'what happened'. This broke my heart.

I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads (another example of enjoyment not being an adequate criteria to judge anything.)

These were the 62nd and 63rd books I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.

Vivian Versus the Apocalypse by Katie Coyle

So, all that heavy reading put me in the mood for something light. I decided that it was therefore the perfect time to pick up a YA apocalyptic novel (yes, I suppose that is a rather ironic statement) that I had heard about in an apocalyptic/dystopian book recommendation video between Jen Campbell and Sanne from BooksandQuills.

Vivian Apple's parents are members of the new religion sweeping through America. They believe that the end of the world is near (original thought there), and that all true believers will go to Heaven when the Rapture happens. Vivian returns from a party on rapture night, to find her parents missing and two holes in the roof where they left. Dum dum duuuum.

This was was very up and down for me. I was expecting something a bit different, perhaps a bit more advanced because of who had recommended it, but then, that wouldn't really have qualified it for YA. I think I constantly forgot that this was a YA novel while reading it, which probably also led to a few disappointments. At one point I was convinced I was going to get some pleasant blasphemous satire, but it didn't pan out that way. On the other hand, what this did give me was two awesome, strong female characters. There are so many things I could say in admiration of Vivian's character, but I won't spoil you. I also enjoyed the friendship between Vivian and her friend, Harp. Although it seems rocky in places, they are a good match for each other.

There were some interesting comment on religion and women being subservient to men in it. Although this was definitely not excessively blatant, I picked it up and I am sure any female worth her salt would. I am glad that thought is being questioned. Women have got the bad end of the stick in multiple religions and I do think that it does deserve some attention.

Once again, I did guess everything in this book. No surprises. I think it is because I have read so many books that I can spot the subtle, 'you're not supposed to pick it up' clues.

I gave this one 4 stars, although I did sit indecisively for a while on that. The end pushed it up eventually.

It is the 61st book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.

Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey

I picked this one up because I had heard that it had an unreliable narrator. I think I had heard about it on Jen Campbell's booktube channel. I might be wrong, but I can't think of anyone else who might have spoken about it.

Maud is in her eighties. She is suffering from Alzheimer's. Her friend Elizabeth is missing though, and she is determined to find out where she is.

This one had an interesting plot, but I can't say that there was anything that happened that I didn't see coming. Maybe it was because the focus of the story was more on the narrator, perhaps it is because I have read crime books since I could read, or perhaps it actually was very predictable, but I figured everything out very early into the book. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to say which of the three it was.

So you know how people say that books should change how you think? I can't say that this one necessarily did that, but, if you want a very personal response on this book, carry on reading. If you would like to continue seeing me in a more positive light, perhaps you should stop here.

Maud provided an interesting perspective to read from. You are welcome to send the hate here, but I find old people nothing but difficult in real life, because that is my real life (when I am not at work). My grandmother is 93 and suffering from dementia and all sorts of frailties. My heart bled for Maud's daughter in this story because, even though she did not come across as the kindest of people, I KNOW that that poor women is giving everything she has. Dealing with this is not easy.

Perhaps I should have considered my own situation before picking up this book. It really gave me some contradictory feelings. For instance, I enjoyed Maud. I enjoyed her plight, and I loved her memories of the past. She was an interesting character and a really interesting narrator, because you could tell that huge chunks were missing where she had forgotten things. But... I couldn't like her. Although her point of view was 'beautified' because you could see the reasoning behind her actions, I could not get past everyone else in her life.  Maud's daughter came across as unsympathetic and mean, and I felt that was unfair. Granted, if you read between the lines you could see that Maud was not easy to live with, but at the same time, it was only by reading between the lines that you could see what the daughter gave up and put up with, looking after her mother. That is how I see my life and my mom's life. It is only when you look at things closely that it becomes evident what sacrifices we both make for my grandmother. Everything revolves around her: diet, meal times, bed times, appointments, you name it. I could carry on, but this review is about Elizabeth is Missing and not the trials and tribulations of my life.

Perhaps this book has given me more understanding of my grandmother. Perhaps it has just added to the guilt I feel because at some point, one has to actually draw the line and say 'no'. One way or another, this book has given me a lot to think about.

This book earned 4 generous stars from me. It was better than 3, but I am not sure if it was completely worth 4.

It is also the 60th book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.

Fortunately, the Milk . . . by Neil Gaiman

It is no secret here that I love Neil Gaiman. I put this one on my wish list, without really intending to buy it, because of that thing called target market and my being no where near it. I was curious though, (which is why it was there) especially since Neil Gaiman had said somewhere that the best children's book were entertaining for adults to read to. I can understand that. But I wanted to see if he did that.  The result? I read this in one standing and one perch. (I started by just wanting to read the first page or two, and after a few minutes, I ended up perching at the foot of my bed until I finished it.)

Dad goes out to buy milk. He takes much longer than expected. What happened? If you want to know, and you happen to like dinosaurs, pirates, aliens, human sacrificing tribal folks and more, then this is the book for you!

“No milk," I said.

"No milk," said my sister.

I watched my dad think about this. He looked like he was going to suggest that we have something for breakfast that you do not need milk for, like sausages, but then he looked like he remembered that, without milk, he couldn't have his tea. He had his "no tea" face.

"You poor children," he said. "I will walk down to the shop on the corner. I will get milk.”

― Neil Gaiman, Fortunately, the Milk

This was a delightful read, both for the story and for the pictures. I have never considered myself much of a picture book person, but these added to the story, and I can see how they would completely add to the entertainment value for a child.

There is not much to say about this really. After all, it isn't as though there are in depth themes that can be uncovered (unless we go for the good old-fashioned one of good vs evil). The characters are fun, and I loved how the title of the books works into the tale so nicely. I also enjoyed how Neil Gaiman's advice was evident here - not word was there just because. They were all of value.

I gave this one 5 stars, because I thought it was a brilliant kids book. If a had a child, and if I were reading to it, this would be one I would not object to reading a few times.

This was the 59th book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

One thing about leaving reviews until later is the growing fogginess. Yes, if you told me that I had read this book at the beginning of the year, I might actually believe you. It wasn't just two and a bit weeks ago, surely?

So with my fogginess in mind, here is my rather limited review:

The world as we know it has come to an end. But how? Join Snowman as he reveals the events that led up to this. Who is Snowman, you might ask? He is the last remaining human on earth... maybe. The more interesting question though, is who or what are Oryx and Crake?

I went into this book expecting something completely different. I don't know what I was expecting, mind you, it just was not what I got. That was brilliant! I loved the complete surprise!

I enjoyed how the past was revealed while following Snowman in the present. While the story in the present was not interesting in comparison, initially, by the end of the book, I was devouring both with equal enjoyment. I found the science in this book fascinating and disturbing - because it was similar to some events I had written in my NaNoWriMo novel last year. Silly me for thinking I had hit on something original! But it is brilliant seeing what Atwood did with it. She used the similar idea and turned it into a masterpiece. Yeah... let me mention here that two of the themes is definitely the folly of 'man' and playing god. In fact, if I was less concerned about dropping spoilers, I would be very tempted to go into a detailed account of my thoughts on a certain experiment and the justification for it, because, there are some very valid points behind it. (Apparently writing this is jogging my memory!)

In fact, if we are talking about a quote that I could write an essay about, try the one below! Brilliant!

“Nature is to zoos as God is to churches.”

― Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake

Snowman is an interesting character choice, because, of all the characters in the book, he is probably the least impressive. But he is a word guy, so maybe he works well for that reason. His perspective is that of an outsider, so to speak, so it allows the reader to form a lot of opinions - and boy are there a lot of opinions that can be formed here! Imagine a world where there is no art! I don't know about you, but I can't!

I really did enjoy reading this. I now have the 2nd and 3rd books so that I can complete the series.

While I completely enjoyed this one, I can say that it might not be for everyone. With my quest to read more books by female authors, I have found myself deep in the literary fiction world, and although Oryx and Crake is definitely a distopian novel, it is also literary fiction. Although I don't think you need a lit degree to understand it, it isn't fast paced. The language and themes are more impressive than plot - because if you are after a clear plot, then this one is not the book for you.

I gave this one 5 stars on Goodreads. It is also the 58th book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.

A quick message from the real world!

Hi there!

I have not dropped off the face of the world; not completely at least. It is exam time at school (which for me is work, and not for my educational benefit [and just in case you read that with a touch of ambiguity, I mean I am a teacher, not a student]), and I am currently up to my elbows marking.

When I eventually drag my exhausted body and heavy heart (no seriously, how can they not know that after 5 years!!) back home, I vegetate in front of Booktube and then crawl into bed and read - with wine.

The good news is that when I have the time and mental energy to post again, I will have quite a few reviews (at least 4). I might also have bought a few more books - retail therapy. It does help. Life would be so much better if ordinary grocery shopping could give one the same buzz.

Oh dear! I had better run! I can hear the warning system in my head humming as my last functioning brain cells are being shut down for the night!

In the words of a futuristic robotic thing, "I will return".

August Wrap Up

Looking back at the books I need to talk about in this wrap up, I find I am quite surprised. August must have been a long month because, really, did I read that this month! Surely I read that ages ago!

August was also a pretty good reading month. I read 11 books and I managed to stick to my plan of reading only female authors. I have reduced the difference between the gender divide in my reading quite a lot. (Hey, that almost looks like the South Korea flag!) On top of all of that, I stumbled upon some great books too!

Well, let's get on with the wrap up!

First up was How to be Both by Ali Smith. This was the first Ali Smith book I have read, and I did enjoy it. It does take a bit of effort to get into, especially if you start with the older story first. I find that even a month later (has it really only been a month?) I still think about certain bits of this. I reckon that is a mark of a good book.

Next was The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I absolutely adored this one. This is a book for book lovers and lovers of book shops. This one really touched me. I adored Fikry and I loved seeing his character grow throughout the story. I also enjoyed how books could be seen bringing a town (well, almost) together, in a way that the writers couldn't. Interesting thought that.

Third for the month was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This was a beautifully written book. I did find parts a bit long winded, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the non-chronological timeline worked very well in this, and I loved seeing how everything worked together at the end. (I am a little disappointed that I have this cover and not the black and white one with te circus on the front, but as this one was R100 cheaper, I am not too disappointed.)

A Pair of Silk Stockings, a short story collection by Kate Chopin, was next. This is one of the Penguin black classics. These were brilliant stories and I appreciated just how progressive Chopin was in her thinking. These stories covered important themes of racism and feminism. As the entire book is less than 100 pages, it is quick reading, but good reading.

The fifth book for the month was The Secret History by Donna Tartt. This was a gripping read, although, as I said in my review, in hindsight not a lot really happened. I loved Tartt's use of language. I really enjoyed the characters. They were so distinctive. I also enjoyed how this book played with my feelings. I drove me from horrified to protective, wanting to kill and to appreciate. Yeah, this one was a ride. Perhaps not for everyone as there are some scathing reviews on Goodreads, but if you happen to enjoy academia, then there is a good chance you will enjoy this one too.


I am relieved to have read The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan. I am currently teaching a film study on Empire of the Sun (the book by J.G. Ballard) to my Grade 11s. The Bonesetter's Daughter has given a little more insight into what happened in China during World War 2, which is something that I have only ever heard about at school in a paragraph, if that. (We always focus solely on Europe with a dash of America.) This was not, however, my favourite book of the month. I loved the mother's story in China, but I plodded through the daughter's in the US. I would recommend this for the part in set in China, although, I do have to commend Tan for creating such real characters. I enjoyed their voices in this.

Because I needed some light reading by that point, I picked up The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. This was OK. I can see why people would enjoy it - I will stock it in the school library next year if we raise enough money in next year's readathon. But after all the books I had been reading, I found the writing less appealing in this one. The plot, however, is fast paced, and the story itself definitely kept me curious. But overall, I didn't think it was anything special.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson was a strange book that I bought because it was a Persephone book (gullible much?). This was a pleasant story that had me questioning what the point of it was even when I was near the end. Although there were a couple of comments that had the warning bells in my head ring a bit, overall it was a pleasant story. There were some interesting messages in the book too, but a part of me is still wondering if they were all flattering to women or not. (Most were.)

 I actually read Beauty Queens by Libba Bray while reading the next book, because I really needed something light. This one was a delightfully fun satire looking at how women (or girls) behave in an environment with and without men and societal expectations. The storyline is absurd on its own, but as a vessel for the satire, it is brilliant. I actually gave this 5 stars! I love Libba Bray's writing (well, in The Diviners and Beauty Queens. I still need to read other books by her.)

I am tempted to say that We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver is likely to be the stand out book for the month, but that is a little unfair as it is a book I finished near the end of the month so it is freshest in my mind. This is a disturbing, haunting story, written as an epistolary novel - a collection of letters from a mother to the father. Their son, Kevin, committed mass murder by killing a bunch of kids at school. Not an easy read, but a brilliantly written book. I don't think this is one you would forget quickly.


The last completed book for the month was Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger. This was a so-so story for me. Maybe the books I had read all month just made it obvious that the writing was mediocre, but as a whole, I just didn't really get into this one. The story was OK, but that is about as generous as I can get. Perhaps I would have seen satire where I just saw poor humour had I not read Beauty Queens earlier, but I didn't. Although I was disappointed, it did do what I wanted it to do, cheer me up after We Need to Talk about Kevin.

That was pretty good going if I do say myself. I read over 4000 pages (OK, so I can read a lot more than that when I am on holiday, but let's be realistic now, I did that while working!)

I am so close to finishing Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Had I not had the work day from hell yesterday, I would have finished it and notched up 12 books for my wrap up. Alas, I will finish it tonight, and then sit here in a month feeling slightly shocked that it was only a month since I read it.

I still have quite a few books by female authors next to my bed, so, although I am not limiting myself this month in what I read, I think I might just end up reading those first. We will see. If I do put together a reading challenge for myself, it might be to not read anything by authors from the US. Not because I have anything against US writers. It is because 57% of the books I have read this year have been by US authors and I would like to see the other numbers rise a little. One thing I did see from the female only challenge though, was that it takes a lot to drop levels! I will see. There are three books I am particularly dying to read, and I don't care where the authors came from to be honest. (Apparently I am really invested in getting the other countries up.)