Riggs is the author of two great books about Peculiar Children: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Hollow City. The third instalment in the series will be published soon.
The amazing thing about these books is that they are based on real photographs found by Riggs and friends in Op Shops, car boot sales and anywhere else where people dump old photographs.
The photos are unusual in that they portray children and adults in bizarre ways. It's based on old dark room tricks when printing the photos, which are included in the text of each story.
In this book, Riggs has published a collection of his own photographs and tells a bit of a story about them. He began collecting a s a young boy and continues today. He only collects photos that have writing or captions on them. It is a truly astonishing and moving book. Each photo tells a story and each caption is a slice of life. Well worth getting hold of this book.
Much enjoyed.
Monday, September 22, 2014
The Sun is God | Adrian mcKinty
This writer is from Northern Ireland and this is the first of his novels that I have read. I'm not altogether convinced by this novel but he does write well so I may go on to read some of his other books.
This is the story of what happened on an island in the South Pacific, where a group of cocovores resides. They are a cult looking for eternal life based on their beliefs on the worship of the sun, extended use of heroin and eating only coconuts and bananas. Nearby in German New Guinea Will Prior is asked by the German authorities to help investigate the death of one of the cult members.
Prior and two others go to the remote island of Kabakon and spend a few days interviewing the remaining cult members.
From then on it reads like a gentle whodunnit, and a study on a social experiment which went badly wrong. In the afterword we discover that this is in fact a true story, which McKinty has adapted and retold. I wish I had known that at the begging, it would have made more sense.
Although I enjoyed the style, I didn't fully engage with the story. I thought it was a bit overwrought. But based on the writing I will read more by this author.
This is the story of what happened on an island in the South Pacific, where a group of cocovores resides. They are a cult looking for eternal life based on their beliefs on the worship of the sun, extended use of heroin and eating only coconuts and bananas. Nearby in German New Guinea Will Prior is asked by the German authorities to help investigate the death of one of the cult members.
Prior and two others go to the remote island of Kabakon and spend a few days interviewing the remaining cult members.
From then on it reads like a gentle whodunnit, and a study on a social experiment which went badly wrong. In the afterword we discover that this is in fact a true story, which McKinty has adapted and retold. I wish I had known that at the begging, it would have made more sense.
Although I enjoyed the style, I didn't fully engage with the story. I thought it was a bit overwrought. But based on the writing I will read more by this author.
Traces of Red | Paddy Richardson
Richardson is one of my favourite authors of crime fiction as her stories are believable and engaging.
This one centres around a t.v. journalist, Rebecca Thorn, whose career is waining, possibly about to be ended by the network. She has been working hard on investigating a triple-murder case, and believes Connor Bligh has been wrongly accused.
Mixed in with the investigation is her affair with Jo, a barrister, who also believes Bligh is innocent but suddenly casts off the case and Rebecca.
This psychological thriller is well written and is wroth reading as are all of Richardson's novels.
A great crime writer from New Zealand.
This one centres around a t.v. journalist, Rebecca Thorn, whose career is waining, possibly about to be ended by the network. She has been working hard on investigating a triple-murder case, and believes Connor Bligh has been wrongly accused.
Mixed in with the investigation is her affair with Jo, a barrister, who also believes Bligh is innocent but suddenly casts off the case and Rebecca.
This psychological thriller is well written and is wroth reading as are all of Richardson's novels.
A great crime writer from New Zealand.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion
When science meets...Rosie. What a lovely story this is. I shy away from 'romantic' fiction but this is quirky and lovely, not the usual take on love and life.
The main character, Don Tillman, has an ordered scientific mind and once he sets his sights on finding a life partner, he approaches the task in a very scientific way. Each candidate is given a long survey to fill out, the results analysed for suitability and then Don tried to get a second date.
This approach is not getting the results he wants, women seem to be a bit put off...
Rosie shows up, she's a powerhouse, random and vivacious woman who captivates Don with the sheer energy she has for life and spontaneity. She is looking for her biological father, a task Don helps her with. As they undergo the 'Father Project' they both discover that fate and love can be stronger than science and order.
A lovely read, gentle and funny.
The main character, Don Tillman, has an ordered scientific mind and once he sets his sights on finding a life partner, he approaches the task in a very scientific way. Each candidate is given a long survey to fill out, the results analysed for suitability and then Don tried to get a second date.
This approach is not getting the results he wants, women seem to be a bit put off...
Rosie shows up, she's a powerhouse, random and vivacious woman who captivates Don with the sheer energy she has for life and spontaneity. She is looking for her biological father, a task Don helps her with. As they undergo the 'Father Project' they both discover that fate and love can be stronger than science and order.
A lovely read, gentle and funny.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Orpheus Lost | Janette Turner Hospital
Yet another fantastic novel by Turner Hospital. Based on how much I enjoyed The Claimant, I read this book. She sure can tell a good story!
Orpheus Lost is a melting pot where music, maths, modern day terrorism, identity and love all melt into one wonderful narrative. It centres around Mishka and Leela, who find each other in New York and who are torn apart by music, math and their identities. Leela is from the Deep South of America, brought up on a strange mix of fervent Christian beliefs which centred around finding meaning and guidance in Biblical numerology. Her mother dies young, and her father clings to religious fervour so as not to lose his way.
Leela rebells agains all that and moves away to the Yankee North and is seen as a traitor to her family heritage. Her passion is numbers and especially the math of music. She is in postgrad work and loves the calmness she attains by enveloping herself in these two areas.
Mishka is a lost soul. He grew up in Australia, brought up by loving grandparents and a solo mum. Not much is known about his father, who was Lebanese. He is immersed into the Jewish traditions his family clings to so as to make sense of the devastation they suffered in the Holocaust. Mishka's mother is a botanical illustrator who came back to the Northern Queensland landscape to have Mishkah and live in the treetop house her parents built.
In New York, Mishka discovers his Lebanese self through the study of the oud. As he composes for the violin and oud, both parts of his heritage come together and recreate a sense of who he is. Then he is drawn into a group who meets at the local mosque...
Things start to unravel for all the characters. The narrative is gripping and draws the reader into the inevitable chaos and conclusion of the story.
Extremely well told, well crafter. I will seek out more of Turner Hospital's novels.
Orpheus Lost is a melting pot where music, maths, modern day terrorism, identity and love all melt into one wonderful narrative. It centres around Mishka and Leela, who find each other in New York and who are torn apart by music, math and their identities. Leela is from the Deep South of America, brought up on a strange mix of fervent Christian beliefs which centred around finding meaning and guidance in Biblical numerology. Her mother dies young, and her father clings to religious fervour so as not to lose his way.
Leela rebells agains all that and moves away to the Yankee North and is seen as a traitor to her family heritage. Her passion is numbers and especially the math of music. She is in postgrad work and loves the calmness she attains by enveloping herself in these two areas.
Mishka is a lost soul. He grew up in Australia, brought up by loving grandparents and a solo mum. Not much is known about his father, who was Lebanese. He is immersed into the Jewish traditions his family clings to so as to make sense of the devastation they suffered in the Holocaust. Mishka's mother is a botanical illustrator who came back to the Northern Queensland landscape to have Mishkah and live in the treetop house her parents built.
In New York, Mishka discovers his Lebanese self through the study of the oud. As he composes for the violin and oud, both parts of his heritage come together and recreate a sense of who he is. Then he is drawn into a group who meets at the local mosque...
Things start to unravel for all the characters. The narrative is gripping and draws the reader into the inevitable chaos and conclusion of the story.
Extremely well told, well crafter. I will seek out more of Turner Hospital's novels.
Monday, September 15, 2014
The Valley of Amazement | Amy Tan
Amy Tan is an all time favourite author of mine. This story does not disappoint. It touches on the lives of three women who are connected by two continents, China and America and it spans about fifty years.
Violet is a celebrated Shanghai courtesan who is half American and half Chinese. Although famous as a courtesan, underneath all the fame and glamour she struggles with her identity and her abandonment by her mother Lucia.
Lucia is a wild American woman who falls in love with a Chinese painter in San Francisco and follows him to Shanghai. There she gives up her daughter and struggles with that for the rest of her life. Eventually she searches for Violet's daughter Flora, and through her tries to gain healing and redemption.
Tan is masterful at exploring the relationship between mothers and daughters. She also touches on the mysteries of love and family secrets and how they can shape many generations.
Violet is a celebrated Shanghai courtesan who is half American and half Chinese. Although famous as a courtesan, underneath all the fame and glamour she struggles with her identity and her abandonment by her mother Lucia.
Lucia is a wild American woman who falls in love with a Chinese painter in San Francisco and follows him to Shanghai. There she gives up her daughter and struggles with that for the rest of her life. Eventually she searches for Violet's daughter Flora, and through her tries to gain healing and redemption.
Tan is masterful at exploring the relationship between mothers and daughters. She also touches on the mysteries of love and family secrets and how they can shape many generations.
Can it, bottle it, smoke it | Karen Solomon
Anyone who is interested in a bit of fun in the kitchen would do well to own this book. Full of great ideas and recipes to do with preserving bountiful seasonal ingredients to be enjoyed in leaner seasons.
It is comprehensive and very useful, nothing too complicated. Inspired me to get into the kitchen and be more involved in preserving what is available each season.
It is comprehensive and very useful, nothing too complicated. Inspired me to get into the kitchen and be more involved in preserving what is available each season.
Lost, Stolen or Shredded | Rick Gerkoski
The subtitle is "stories of missing works of Art and Literature".
This is a wonderful little book full of amazing and interesting stories about what has happened to major works of art and literature throughout the centuries. The Mona Lisa went missing for a few years, a book of incredible value was sent to America on the Titanic, because it was deemed the safest option for such a treasure.
Gerkoski maintains that art and literature reflect the society that creates them and by implication, the culture that destroys them. He has a lot of fun as amateur detective in searching out some of the myths regarding some works and where no evidence is forthcoming he has some great opinions and speculations as to what may have happened.
A very entertaining read.
This is a wonderful little book full of amazing and interesting stories about what has happened to major works of art and literature throughout the centuries. The Mona Lisa went missing for a few years, a book of incredible value was sent to America on the Titanic, because it was deemed the safest option for such a treasure.
Gerkoski maintains that art and literature reflect the society that creates them and by implication, the culture that destroys them. He has a lot of fun as amateur detective in searching out some of the myths regarding some works and where no evidence is forthcoming he has some great opinions and speculations as to what may have happened.
A very entertaining read.
The Goldfinch | Donna Tartt
A great brick of a book, so make time to read! I really enjoyed this story, it is well written and comes from a seasoned author.
This is the story of Theo Decker, who tells us his story looking back on his life. The story starts with scenes of Theo and his mother visiting a museum where an explosion rips through the gallery they are in. His mum is killed but he escapes through the rubble, clutching the picture of The Goldfinch which he rescues more out of impulse than anything else.
He has an unusual life and journeys through the USA living with his father and various people, always overshadowed by the painting and what happened in the gallery.
Well worth making the effort to read even though it is a hefty volume.
This is the story of Theo Decker, who tells us his story looking back on his life. The story starts with scenes of Theo and his mother visiting a museum where an explosion rips through the gallery they are in. His mum is killed but he escapes through the rubble, clutching the picture of The Goldfinch which he rescues more out of impulse than anything else.
He has an unusual life and journeys through the USA living with his father and various people, always overshadowed by the painting and what happened in the gallery.
Well worth making the effort to read even though it is a hefty volume.
The Luminaries | Eleanor Catton
A lot has been said about this Man Booker Prizewinning book by New Zealand author Eleanor Catton.
The story centres on Walter Moody who is travelling to the goldfields of Hokitika, in the South Island of New Zealand. There he meets with 12 men who are somehow entwined in the mystery surrounding a series of unsolved crimes. Each man is represented by a celestial symbol, which is drawn at the beginning of each chapter. Other characters also have associations to celestial bodies. The interaction of the characters with each other makes up the bulk of the narrative. I really loved reading this story, which has been written as a circle rather than a straight line.
Every element of an adventure story is included, gold-rush fever, romance, deceit, murder and a historical context.
There are a few technical things that Catton has deliberately included in the book. For instance, each chapter is half the size of the previous chapter, a challenge Catton set herself. It is well worth looking out for interviews with her and reading of other challenges she set herself.
I found this book well worth reading but I know some readers find it difficult to get into. I think it is well worth persevering with it as it's so well written.
The story centres on Walter Moody who is travelling to the goldfields of Hokitika, in the South Island of New Zealand. There he meets with 12 men who are somehow entwined in the mystery surrounding a series of unsolved crimes. Each man is represented by a celestial symbol, which is drawn at the beginning of each chapter. Other characters also have associations to celestial bodies. The interaction of the characters with each other makes up the bulk of the narrative. I really loved reading this story, which has been written as a circle rather than a straight line.
Every element of an adventure story is included, gold-rush fever, romance, deceit, murder and a historical context.
There are a few technical things that Catton has deliberately included in the book. For instance, each chapter is half the size of the previous chapter, a challenge Catton set herself. It is well worth looking out for interviews with her and reading of other challenges she set herself.
I found this book well worth reading but I know some readers find it difficult to get into. I think it is well worth persevering with it as it's so well written.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Carthage | Joyce Carol Oates
I have not read this author before, but based on the strength of this book, I will definitively read more of her work.
This is a story that took me by surprise because it tackles a girl's disappearance in a way I have not read about elsewhere. We are introduced to a seemingly 'normal 'family, in the town of Carthage. It comprises of two daughters and two parents. the older daughter is thought of as the nice, clever one, beautiful one and the younger daughter, as special and plain. As a reader I thought she has autistic traits or is on the spectrum at least. She is a gifted artist but her view of and interpretation of the world around her is somewhat off.
The older daughter is engaged to a soldier, who upon returning from Iraq, is damaged physically and emotionally. He is deeply changed and rejects the unconditional love shown him.
The family breaks apart when the younger daughter disappears. There is no trace of her after she is seen leave a local bar and the main suspect is the young soldier. So far, so much like any other novel. Read on. I won't tell you what happens next, but it is a novel full of surprises.
The author very skilfully explores issues of identity, family, veterans returning who are damaged in many ways, and whether it is possible to fully love and fully forgive. I highly recommend this novel and will seek out more by this talented author.
This is a story that took me by surprise because it tackles a girl's disappearance in a way I have not read about elsewhere. We are introduced to a seemingly 'normal 'family, in the town of Carthage. It comprises of two daughters and two parents. the older daughter is thought of as the nice, clever one, beautiful one and the younger daughter, as special and plain. As a reader I thought she has autistic traits or is on the spectrum at least. She is a gifted artist but her view of and interpretation of the world around her is somewhat off.
The older daughter is engaged to a soldier, who upon returning from Iraq, is damaged physically and emotionally. He is deeply changed and rejects the unconditional love shown him.
The family breaks apart when the younger daughter disappears. There is no trace of her after she is seen leave a local bar and the main suspect is the young soldier. So far, so much like any other novel. Read on. I won't tell you what happens next, but it is a novel full of surprises.
The author very skilfully explores issues of identity, family, veterans returning who are damaged in many ways, and whether it is possible to fully love and fully forgive. I highly recommend this novel and will seek out more by this talented author.
Daddy was a Rock Star | Adam Sharp
Most of us have fairly conventional childhoods. The way we know this is by reading books like this one, which describe what certainly was a very unconventional start to life. Sharp has tried to capture the essence of his childhood, how it shapes him and informs who he is today.
I suspect Sharp is new to writing, as the voice of the narrator is quite immature and the writing suffers because of this. Repetition is overused and the style is not all that engaging to read. I had a lot of empathy for Sharp as a child growing up with a mother who was a drug addict and a father who was, loosely speaking, a rock star. But somehow the book as a whole felt it needed a stronger editorial hand.
I hope Sharp continues to write. This book is not one I would recommend, but in a couple of years I will see if he has written more, I suspect his narrative voice will mature and become quite engaging.
I suspect Sharp is new to writing, as the voice of the narrator is quite immature and the writing suffers because of this. Repetition is overused and the style is not all that engaging to read. I had a lot of empathy for Sharp as a child growing up with a mother who was a drug addict and a father who was, loosely speaking, a rock star. But somehow the book as a whole felt it needed a stronger editorial hand.
I hope Sharp continues to write. This book is not one I would recommend, but in a couple of years I will see if he has written more, I suspect his narrative voice will mature and become quite engaging.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Hollow City | Ransom Riggs
This is the sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It is fantastic. I love them both and I'm excited that the third instalment is in the making.
What I like the most is the way the book has emerged from authentic, vintage found photographs. Riggs has woven stories threading the oddities in the photographs into a fantastical world full of...peculiar children.
In Hollow City we pick up the story where Miss Peregrine broke off. The children are abandoning the island, trying to row to the safety of the mainland. They are being hunted by the hollows and must reach London while dodging their enemies.
As they adventure on, more of the background to their loops and history of the Peculiar is revealed. It well written and well put together, a great read. Although marketed a Young Adult fiction, this can be enjoyed by all.
What I like the most is the way the book has emerged from authentic, vintage found photographs. Riggs has woven stories threading the oddities in the photographs into a fantastical world full of...peculiar children.
In Hollow City we pick up the story where Miss Peregrine broke off. The children are abandoning the island, trying to row to the safety of the mainland. They are being hunted by the hollows and must reach London while dodging their enemies.
As they adventure on, more of the background to their loops and history of the Peculiar is revealed. It well written and well put together, a great read. Although marketed a Young Adult fiction, this can be enjoyed by all.
We are completely beside ourselves | Karen Joy Fowler
It's a bit hard to review this book without giving away any of the twists and turns. BUT I can highly recommend it! It is well written, inventive and intriguing. Not your usual run of the mill story.
We have a young woman narrator who says she is starting the story in the middle. This informs the structure of the book, we jump to different parts of the story as she narrates. It is not a chronological story, but it makes sense as she tells it.
She is telling us about her family, how it was a happy one, with her sister and brother. Then, something happens and they become dysfunctional and broken. She tells us she has lost her sister and her brother has disappeared. There is a central mystery, which she tries to uncover and understand as she makes sense of her childhood.
Enough said! Well worth reading. Well written, well told.
We have a young woman narrator who says she is starting the story in the middle. This informs the structure of the book, we jump to different parts of the story as she narrates. It is not a chronological story, but it makes sense as she tells it.
She is telling us about her family, how it was a happy one, with her sister and brother. Then, something happens and they become dysfunctional and broken. She tells us she has lost her sister and her brother has disappeared. There is a central mystery, which she tries to uncover and understand as she makes sense of her childhood.
Enough said! Well worth reading. Well written, well told.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)