Which Agatha Christie detective is your favourite?

A lot of the comments you left in response to my review of A Body in the Library yesterday were in relation which Agatha Christie detective was your favourite - so today's post as part of the Agatha Christie Week here at Page Turners asks you this -

which Agatha Christie detective is your favourite?

Tommy and Tuppence

My first encounter with Tommy and Tuppence was in The Secret Adversary, purportedly a political thriller type mystery, which in fact was their first introduction to the world. Following a chance meeting between Tommy and Tuppence in a restaurant after Tommy is released after completing his WWI service, they form the "Young Adventurers Ltd" and set out to solve mysteries on behalf of their clients.

Neither Tommy or Tuppence are described as being particularly attractive, but they are absolutely lovely people. They are enthusiastic about life and their lives and set out with the best of intentions to help others, in their own individual way.

Tommy and Tuppence appeared in subsequent books together after falling in love and deciding to live their lives together. When you read a Tommy and Tuppence book not only do you get some interesting puzzles to solve, but you get to see lovable characters grow old together.

Ariadne Oliver

Cards on the Table is one of my favourite Agatha Christie novels and it was my first introduction to Ariadne Oliver. Like Agatha Christie herself, Ariadne Oliver is an author of detective fiction who becomes embroiled in real life murders, usually as Hercule Poirot's assistance but also as a friend of Parker Pyne. In The Pale Horse and a collection of short stories, Ariadne is also a detective in her own right.

I love Ariadne Oliver. She is big, bustling, outgoing, messy and above all an outrageous feminist who champions women's rights and believes the world would be a better place if women were in charge - a woman after my own heart!

Hercule Poirot

My all-time favourite - a very particular Belgian with an egg-shaped head who exercises his little grey cells to solve his mysteries. Christie's most popular detective, he was introduced to the world in The Mysterious Affair at Styles, her very first novel and another one of my favourites.

Poirot is perhaps the most distinctive of her characters. He is a perfectionist, an egotist and an eccentric. He is my favourite because I find his mysteries some of the more interesting. There is excitement, action and always an unexpected ending.

Hastings

Where would Hercule Poirot be without his trusted Hastings. Like Poirot, his first appearance was in Agatha Christie's first novel A Mysterious Affair at Styles, and he appeared in many of Poirot's subsequent cases, largely chronicling Poirot's adventures but also playing an important role in discovering some of the murderers.

Miss Marple

Miss Marple is another one of Agatha Christie's most famous detectives, and another of my favourites. She is a beautiful old lady with a kind, if not very trusting, nature. My review of A Body in the Library yesterday was a very enjoyable Miss Marple mystery.

Miss Marple solves her mysteries by drawing comparisons between the mystery before and happenings in her local village. Her theories of human nature are so universally accurate that her methods of analogy never fail to give her conclusions. I remember reading The Tuesday Night Clubas a child and being enamoured with Miss Marple, no matter what little mysteries were thrown her way she was able to solve them all.

Harley Quin and Mr Satterthwaite

Harley Quin is perhaps not one of the most well-known of Christie's detectives and he largely appears in short stories that star him as the sole detective. Agatha Christie spoke of Harley Quin as her favourite character, and he is described at agathachristie.com as follows: "Harley Quin is a mystery. He appears and disappears unexpectedly and by strange tricks of lights and reflections; making his clothes seem brightly multicoloured like the theatrical harlequin."

My only experience with Harley Quin is in Three Act Tragedy, a great book with a surprising ending. However, for me, it was Mr Satterthwaite that stood out for me in this story, another of Agatha Christie's detectives. Mr Satterthwaite is a character who works alongside Harley Quin. He is a passionate old man who provides a nice contrast to Harley Quin's mystery.

Parker Pyne

Parker Pyne is the only Agatha Christie detective that I have no recollection of. I know that I have read Parker Pyne Investigates as a child, but I have no memory of its contents. He is not in many of Christie's novels, but he does appear alongside Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver.

So - who is your favourite Agatha Christie detective and why?

* The above information comes from my both my own knowledge and information gathered from agathachristie.com. Images from agathachristie.com

Originally posted 1 February 2011 Page Turners

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

A Body in the Library is one of the better Miss Marple Agatha Christie novels and one that I recommend everyone read.

The story goes something like this: something strange is happening when the Bantry's are awoken one morning with the surprise news that a dead body has been found in library. Neither Colonel nor Mrs Bantry know the young platinum blonde who was murdered, but suspicion naturally falls on Colonel Bantry for having an 'indiscretion'. Only Miss Marple can solve the mystery before anyone else suffers at the hands of the killer. She and Mrs Bantry go to stay at the Majestic Hotel, where the murdered girl has been working as a dancer and it is here that the scene is set for an exciting murder investigation.

The reason I prefer a Hercule Poirot mystery to a Miss Marple one, is that I feel like it is often easier to work out the solution to the mystery. Hercule uses is "little grey cells" and I too can use my little grey cells to put the clues together. Miss Marple on the other hand, draws comparisons with little events she witnesses about St Mary's Mead, and I find that not know the people who form part of her anecdotes means that I find it a lot harder to draw parallels between her stories at the murder mystery at hand.

With A Body in the Library, however, I was able to use her anecdotes in order to assist me to solve the mystery. Having said that, I didn't figure it out – but all the clues were there for me to do so.

The characters in A Body in the Library are so well drawn, especially Dolly Bantry who I just loved. She was such a lovely old country lady – sufficiently happy with her town gossip and her gardening but very excited to be given the opportunity to investigate a murder that took place in her own home. I would love to be like her one day, retired in the country and focusing on the smaller joys in life like time in the garden and lunch with friends.

I also loved that there were almost more police and other detectives (Miss Marple included) attempting to solve the crime. There were the amateurs (Miss Marple), retired detectives called in for a favour by the family and the actual police that were investigating the murder. So many people working to solve the mystery made for some fun times and some great variation in the different ideas about who the murderer could be.

Not to mention the fact that the title, A Body in the Library, reminds me so much of the game Cluedo – "It was Rev. Green, with the rope, in the library" – a genuine murder cliché!

But you know what the best thing about this book is – Agatha Christie mentions herself in it! One of the characters in this story is a young boy who is very excited to have been involved in a murder mystery. He tells everyone that he loves reading detective stories, and had the autographs of Dorothy Sayers, HC Bailey, John Dickinson Carr….. and Agatha Christie!

All in all, A Body in the Library is murder mystery that you shouldn't miss out on!

6.5 / 8

Really enjoyable and well written, couldn't put it down. Recommend that you buy it.

Originally posted 31 January 2011 Page Turners

Page Turners Agatha Christie Week!! from 31st Jan - 6th Feb

From the 31st of January 2011 it will be Agatha Christie week here at Page Turners – let me tell you all about it.

I love Agatha Christie novels. I can't remember when I read my first Christie novel, but I do know that I have never stopped reading them ever since.

So, at the end of 2010 I went on a little bit of an Agatha Christie spree. Her mysteries are perfect reading material for the end of the year. They are compulsive but quick reads for when you are holidays (easy to put in a suitcase/handbag) and aren't taxing on the "little grey cells" when you have the pressures of Christmas to deal with.

The result is that I have a little back log of Agatha Christie reviews that need to be posted.

Then, I was very shocked recently when two of my friends said that they have never read anything by Agatha Christie. I immediately purchased a couple of her books for one my friends (hope you enjoy them K!) and hope to lend some to my other friend very soon (that's you J!).

So, I thought – why not dedicate an entire week to Agatha Christie reviews?

Thus, Page Turners Agatha Christie Week was born!

What will you find at Page Turners during Agatha Christie, I hear you asking? There will be reviews, useful links, quotes and whatever else I feel like.

Feel free to join in – comment on the reviews, share links to your own Christie reviews or write your own Agatha Christie posts and share them around.

Any suggestions for what you might like to see during Agatha Christie Week, don't hesitate to send me an email at pageturnersbooks (at) gmail.com

* If anyone knows whether there should be an apostrophe somewhere in the phrase "Page Turners Agatha Christie Week" and where it should go, please tell me - I am hopeless when it comes to punctuation.

Originally posted 27 January 2011 Page Turners

Fugitive Pieces by Ann Michaels

Fugitive Pieces by Ann Michaels is a stunning piece of historical fiction that I both admired and was frustrated by.

It tells the story of people whose lives have been affected by the holocaust in some way. In fact, the book is told in two pieces; the first is narrated by a survivor of the holocaust, and the second by someone whose parents were affected by this historical disaster.

The first and main narrator is Jakob, a Jewish boy from Poland who finds himself hiding in the woods after his family and killed and taken to camps. He is rescued by a liberal minded Greek archaeologist Athos who hides Jakob throughout the war and raises his as his own son. The book follows Jakob as he reaches adulthood and he and Athos move to Canada and start a new life there.

The second narrator is a young man named Ben, who was born in Canada to parents who were themselves fugitives from the war torn Europe. Ben greatly admires Jakob's poetry and having met Jakob once, feels as though Jakob has had a significant impact upon his life.

There are definitely aspects of this book that I greatly admire; the most significant being the writing. The writing is vivid and flowing, it almost feels as though you are reading poetry rather than a novel. This style is perfectly suited to the task of exploring the effect of war on people who find themselves fugitives in some way or another from the disaster that it creates.

Having said that, this novel failed to win me over.

At times a little too much was left to the imagination. I felt as though there was very little story actually taking place. This in a way makes sense because you are primarily watching Jakob's life unfold - but the reality is just watching someone's life unfold in pretty uninteresting. That's why in fiction there is usually a plot to keep the story moving along. The book needed more story, it was just really slow at times.

Whilst I appreciated the idea behind having the two narrators, in the end I found it unsatisfactory and unnecessary. Jakob narrates almost the entirety of the book, and it is not until right at the end that the second narrator takes over. By that time, I had spent so much time reading about Jakob that I wasn't interested in what someone else had to say about him, especially someone seemingly so totally unconnected with him.

Fugitive Pieces won the Guardian Fiction Award in 1997 as well as the Orange Prize in 1997. It is undoubtedly a good book, with beautiful writing and important messages.

However, whilst I greatly admire the idea behind the story and Michaels's poetic writing, the story itself lacked enough content to thoroughly satisfy me.

5 / 8:
Good and worth reading if you have the opportunity, but there is no need to prioritise it.

I would be greatly interested to know if anyone else has read this book and felt as unsatisfied as I did, despite being able to acknowledge how wonderfully it is written?

Originally posted 19 January 2011 Page Turners

The results are in on labels in the sidebar

Well, it seems that the label widget in my sidebar is here to stay!

15 lovely people participated in the poll are the results were as follows:

• 5 people often use the widget to navigate other blogs
• 8 people rarely use the widget to navigate other blogs
• 2 people never use the widget to navigate other blogs

Given that is a total 13 people who use it to navigate other blogs at sometime or another, it seems as though it is a useful widget to have in the sidebar.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the discussion - overall I would say that most people agreed that the biggest use labels has was as a tool for organising and accessing their own posts.

The other most common theme in the discussion was that most people found the label widget useful when they discovered new blogs. They use it as a tool to determine what the blogger enjoys and commonly reads and whether or not they share the same literary tastes and interests.

I hope that this was useful to everyone, and it was certainly useful to. Another poll come your way soon.

Originally posted 19 January 2011 Page Turners

The Day We Had Hitler Home by Rodney Hall

The Day We Had Hitler Home by Rodney Hall is one of the strangest books that I have ever read, and although I enjoyed it, I am really not sure what to make of it. 

Hall sets his story during and post-WWI. As a result of a mistake, a young Hitler arrives in a country Australian town at the conclusion of WWI, unable to see and unwilling to communicate with those that can offer him assistance. He is taken in by an average Australian family, consisting of the story's heroine Audrey McNeill, her elder sister Sibyl, Sibyl's womanising husband Immanuel and their adopted son.

However implausibly, Audrey then convinces her family that they need to help him flee the country, and she uses this as her excuse to escape the doldrums of her daily existence and begin a cosmopolitan life in Europe.

Whilst in her care, Audrey develops a fascination with and an attraction of sorts to Hitler - forming a relationship with him in her own mind that she continues to explore in a way once she arrives in Europe and until the rise of Nazism has an irrevocable impact upon her life and that of her lover's daughter.

It is the implausibility of this story that makes it so bizarre. How could Hitler possibly have found himself blind in an Australian country town? It seems to have no other purpose than to give Audrey an excuse to begin a new life elsewhere.

Is Rodney Hall trying to convey a deeper message in The Day We Had Hitler Home or is this book simply a comedy with a more serious edge?

The book certainly lends itself to comedy. Audrey is completely naive and totally absorbed with herself and Hitler plays the role of a slapstick comic relief character most of the time, a role that seems unsuited to the man responsible for WWII and the Holocaust.

I enjoyed this book; there was certainly nothing wrong with it and it was an interesting read, if bizarre. But it did leave me wondering what the point of it was.

5.5 / 8

Enjoyable and well written. Worth reading if you have the opportunity.

If anyone else read this book and can shed some light on this issue I would love to hear from you.

Originally posted 18 January 2011 Page Turners

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic in the true sense of the word; with timeless themes and an important place in literary history.

The story beings in the northern ice caps with Robert Walton, a young man seeking adventure in the uncharted areas of the world. His trip is interrupted when the boat he sails on comes upon a strange man stranded all alone in the ice caps needing assistance.

This man is Doctor Viktor Frankenstein, who proceeds to tell Walton an almost incomprehensible story about his journey to recreate human life. The result of this journey is Frankenstein's monster.

The beauty of Frankenstein is just how human Frankenstein's monster really is. He is a man who desires love and companionship. In his early years of being he seeks friendship and family. He wants people's approval and notice in order that he can become the man that he feels that he is.

He is then deeply wounded by the sudden and cruel realisation that he is fated to a life of nameless isolation, where he will only ever be met with abhorrence and rejection. His grief and despair at this realisation force him to seek the assistance of the man that he himself despises, his creator, Viktor Frankenstein.

Sadly, when he finds that even this avenue cannot bring him relief from his pitiful situation, he dedicates his life to destroying his creator, hoping to find peace but only to discover that his destructive acts cannot satisfy his all too human desires.

Because of this, it is the nameless monster created by Frankenstein that holds our sympathy, despite his murderous acts. Frankenstein himself becomes a selfish figure that having achieved his desired outcome, refuses to take responsibility for the life that he has created. He suffers for this undoubtedly, but it is his creation that you cannot help but feel fascinated by and feel pity for.

It is incredible to think that at the age of 18 Shelley was able to write such a book; a book that so accurately captures the depths of human nature and feeling.

Not only this, but Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus played a significant role in the development of the horror genre, as well as having an important place in romantic and gothic literature, and to a lesser extent science fiction as well.

This is a classic in the true sense of the word, and a book that I recommend to everyone with a love of literature.

7 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down. Recommend that you buy it.

Have you read this book? How did you feel about Doctor Frankenstein himself? Did you think that he did the right thing is failing to assist his creation or did he fail to responsibility for his actions?

Originally posted 14 January 2011 Page Turners

Labels - use them or lose them?

Labels - use them or lose them?

It's that time of year again - the time of year where I think about what changes (if any) I will make to my blog. Already I have posted a poll about rating books, and you can see the discussion about this here and the results of the poll here.

Now I am wondering - does anyone use the label's widget to navigate around other people's blogs?

You know the one I mean. It's definitely a widget in blogger (although I am not sure about wordpress) and it often appears in people's sidebars. It essentially takes all the labels you apply to your posts and creates a pretty list of them in different sized fonts according to how many posts have with that same label.

I label my posts, and I have this widget in my side bar - but it occurred to me - I have almost never used this widget to navigate around other people's book blogs and I wonder how often people use it to navigate around my own.

So, my main question is this - do you ever use the 'label' widget to navigate around other people's blogs?

If the answer is NO, then my second question is this - why do you have a 'label' widget in your own sidebar?

If you don't have a label widget in your sidebar, then this question isn't for you as I am assuming your answer would be that you don't display the widget because you don't use it on other people's blogs, although if your explanation is different, please share it with everyone.

If the answer is NO, then my third question is this - why do we give our posts labels at all?

My answer to this would be that it helps me search for posts with more ease. For example, I want to write about a post about my top 5 Australian books read in 2010, all I need to do is click on the 'Australian' label in the edit posts tab in blogger, and I am given the list of all my Australian books to have a look through and pick the best 5. What do you think?

I am looking forward to your comments and the results of the poll.

Originally posted 12 January 2011 Page Turners

Results of the review rating poll

The results are in!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll and the to everyone who participated in the great discussion that followed my original post about rating books within your review.

Most people said that they rated their books mainly because it helped that gain some overall idea of how they enjoyed the books that they had read in the last year.

The results of the poll were that:

• 9 people said that they always look at the rating given by the reviewer,
• 6 people said that they sometimes look at the rating given by the reviewer, and
• 3 people said that they never look at the rating given by the reviewer.

Whilst I am one of those people who is only interested in the review and never looks at other people's ratings, I will continue rating books I read on my 1 - 8 scale as I always have. It seems that it assist them majority of people and it definitely has its place in the book blogging world.

Hope that has helped other bloggers out there who were having the same thoughts.

Originally posted 12 January 2011 Page Turners

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood is one of the best books I read in 2010 and one that I cannot recommend any higher to everyone. 

It is not very often that I fail to review a book, but this is a book that is so fabulous that no review I write could ever do it justice. Atwood has outdone herself and I think that this is now one of my most favourite Atwood novels, if not one of my favourite novels of all times. It is a novel that follows on from Oryx and Crake, which I was as equally blown away by when I read it.

The Year of the Flood surpasses its predecessor in so many ways that I couldn't even begin to attempt to articulate what I loved about it. Suffice it to say that this is a book that you should read, no matter who you are (although you probably read Oryx and Crake first).

In order to make up for the deficiency in this review here is the link to The Year of the Flood's website.

There have been many posts out there recently about The Year of the Flood and dystopian fiction. If you have read this book and reviewed it, please feel free to leave a link to your review. Is there is anyone else out there that was as impressed with this book as I was?

8 / 8:

One of the best books I have ever read. Everyone should read it - it is totally amazing. I am in love.

 

Originally posted 11 January 2011 Page Turners

The White Earth by Andrew McGahan

Andrew McGahan's The White Earth is an ambitious novel set in contemporary rural Australia with a significant political message.

The story begins with the death of young William's father in sudden and tragic circumstances, leaving he and his mother facing financial destitution. His uncle, John McIvor, offers them a place to live in his property Kurran Downs, but it soon becomes apparent that this offer is not without strings.

John McIvor hopes that William will prove himself capable of becoming John's heir and the next owner of Kurran Downs, and John is willing to go to any lengths to make William prove himself with this goal in mind. Before it can happen, John needs William to understand the significance of the relationship between Kurran Downs and the land on which it sits.

I call The White Earth an ambitious novel because in it McGahan raises many important political issues. Native title and the Mabo decision play an important role to the story, as does the discontentedness (is that a word?) of the rural Australian population with the Keating government. More broadly the issue of identity and how identity is connected to the land from which you come is an important theme in the story. McGahan also explores racism and the complexities of human feeling that motivate it.

The story itself switches between William and John McIvor's perspective and it is through this narrative technique that not only the characters, but the history of the land is revealed.

I admire McGahan for the ideas behind The White Earth and for tackling such controversial issues - I found this book immensely thought provoking because of it.

Having said that, I expected more from The White Earth after having read so many magnificent reviews of it. I think at times the political discussion dominated the story, to the story's detriment. I also thought that the story suffered for its sentimentality. The book felt very cliched at times, particularly the image of William arriving for the first time at Kurran Downs. It felt almost as though the book was written for a movie rather than for a story alone.

It was a book with good ideas and intentions, that just fell a little flat for me.

5.5 / 8

Enjoyable and worth reading if you have the opportunity.

Have you read this book? I would like to know if anyone else found it overly sentimental and/or cliched at times?

Originally posted 8 January 2011 Page Turners

Ruth Park 1917 - 2010 and a new Australian book blog

I was very sad to read yesterday that Australian author Ruth Park passed away in mid December 2010.

From SMH

I have always loved her fiction, particularly The Harp in the South trilogy, and it is sad to see such an important Australian literary figure pass away.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with her work, I have included below a link to a Sydney Morning Herald article about her life and work.

Nothing muddleheaded about author who bought slums to life

For those of you who are interested in Australian literature there are many blogs out there who try to review as much Australian literature as they can.

I recently have started a new project called The Books of Australia - a blog solely dedicated to Australian literature. The great thing about The Books of Australia is that anyone who has read and reviewed an Australian book can contribute - you just need to email your review to thebooksofaustralia@gmail.com and I will post it on the blog and add a link to your blog. The design is still changing around a bit, and it is just starting off, but with your help authors like Ruth Park will have another place on the blogosphere where people can read about their work.

Originally posted 6 January 2011 Page Turners

A poll on 'review rating systems'

From The Value Engineers website

I have been having some long and serious thought (well, some thought at least) about rating the books that I review.

As you may (or may not as the case may be) have noticed, I developed my own personal system of rating books out of a possible 8 stars. Rather unconventional but it worked for me. A lot of people seem to go for the more traditional route and rate their books out of 5.

What I have begun to wonder about lately, however, is how much attention people actually pay to these ratings as it were.

Do people really care whether someone rated a book a 3 / 5 rather than a 4 / 5 or are they just interested in reading the review and having some discussion.

What motivated my consideration was how much of our blogging is for us and how much for our readers?

When I started Page Turners (or Becky's Book Reviews as it was known initially... yes, I know you are astounded by my creativity) I started it as a reading diary. I then discovered the book blogging world and it became what it is today.

I undoubtedly write for an audience as well as myself - but what is a good balance?

My original goal was to write about the books that I read as a method of exploring the themes and issues and really thinking about what I had read. A rating system doesn't help me achieve this.

What I want to know is, does it achieve it anything for my readers? Are you really interested in what I rate a book, or do you stop reading at the end of the review?

So - now is your chance to have your chance. Please contribute to my poll by clicking on one of the three options I have provided.

I would also like to know what your view on rating systems is. Do you have one? Do you find it useful? Do you find other people's rating systems useful or not?

Originally posted 4 January 2011 Page Turners

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

Eclipse, the third instalment in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, is just as good and just as bad as the two preceding novels; and I love them all.

It took me a long time to read the third novel in this series, and I am not sure why. There is so much that is bad about these books - the writing being the biggest problem (I try to deny my book snob side but sometimes it can't be suppressed). And yet there is also so much that's enjoyable. There are so many detailed book reviews out there about this series that I won't bother you by writing another full one. Following are just some thoughts and feelings about my Eclipse reading experience.

The content of the Twilight series can be summarised like this: Bella does nothing but whinge, Jacob does nothing but whinge, Edward does nothing by smile patronisingly at everything Bella says and does (heaven knows how she can stand it).

And yet... they are just so compulsive.

In this novel Bella is still being chased by the evil vampire Victoria, who has created an evil army of newborn vampires to go after her. As usual, the Cullen family has to chip in to save her life. In the meantime, her friendship with her werewolf friend Jacob has gone from bad to worse because of her relationship with Edward - but Bella is determined to maintain her relationships with both of them.

This is the perfect blend of teen angst and supernatural action. Although there could be a little less talk and a little more action.

I couldn't put it down and I can't wait to read the final instalment.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
Quick, easy and compulsive. A page turner.

Do I recommend that you read this book?
Yes, if you can go into with an open mind and suspend the book snob within you. Then it is a really fun book.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
Yes, it will be just as good upon re-reading.

Star Rating

7 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down. Recommend that you buy it.

Are you able to suspend your book snob self and enjoy these books despite their flaws?

What do you think of the 'no-sex' issue between Edward and Bella? I have heard it described as a Christian message about celibacy/chastity or whatever the right word is. Do you think that Meyer intended this aspect of the book to have broader message, or it simply that Edward is a vampire and there is no deeper message?

Originally posted 4 January 2011 Page Turners

The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham

The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham is another science fiction classic that gets under your skin and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

The Kraken Wakes is an apocalyptic story from 1953 in which Wyndham tells of the demise of the world as we know it at the hands of mysterious sea monsters that have seemingly arrived in our waters from another planet.

It is not clear whether they are malicious creatures who have planned their attack on the earth's population, or whether they are simply reacting to the way in which they are treated by the human inhabitants of the planet. In any event, they wreak havoc upon the earth from the Deeps of the ocean, attacking mankind using guerrilla tactics.

The story is told from the perspective of Mike Watson and his wife Phyllis, both of whom are recording the strange events for the people of the future. It is told is three phases, the arrival of the fireballs that bring the creatures to the Deeps, the beginning of the antagonistic relationship between the creatures of the deep and mankind and the creatures final attempt to change the world.

Wyndham very slowly builds up the climax so that when it arrives it unexpected but thoroughly realistic in the way it is portrayed.

What amazed me most about this book was not only how accurately Wyndham portrayed the tension between the East and the West in the Cold War era and how this effected the world's reaction to the crisis it faced, but also how accurately he seems to have foreseen the future.

Climate change and associated rising water levels play an important role in this book - and contain an important environmental message for those us in the more modern world who are faced with these very real environmental issues.

For those of you who may find The Kraken Wakes a little off putting because it it's 'sea creatures from outer space' storyline should not worry at this at all. The story is so realistically portrayed that it so easy to imagine something like this happening even today.

The Kraken Wakes is an accurate portrayal of how mankind might face a world crisis as one - this book comes highly recommended from me.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
It is a small book but takes longer to read than you expect. it is also scary, a real page turner.

Do I recommend this book?
Absolutely, even if you don't enjoy science fiction normally. There is more to this book than meets the eye.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
No, borrowing it or reading as an eBook would be fine.

Star Rating

6 / 8

Really enjoyable and well written. I would recommend it. 

Have you read this book or any of Wyndham's other novels? I would love to hear what you think.

Originally posted 1 January 2011 Page Turners

My favourite reads of 2010 and a big thank you to everyone!

2010 has been a fabulous reading year for me. 

I have read more books in one year than I have ever read before, and I have found some fabulous new authors that I can't wait to read more of. I have learnt a lot about my reading preferences and habits. Most of all, Page Turners has allowed me to really think about what I have been reading and learn more about literature than I ever knew before.

I just wanted to share my favourite reads of this year with you.

I know that many bloggers will be having the same 'favourite reads of 2010' posts, so I promise that I will keep mine short. 

To help you decide which reviews you might find most interesting, I have provided a little summary of what I liked about each book. 

My favourite reads of 2010

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - this is by far the best book I read in 2010. It is a unique piece of historical fiction by an Australian author that is one of the most moving stories I have ever read. If there is one book that I think that everyone should read from my 2010 list, it's this one.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - I have never had such a strong emotionally physical response to a book in my entire life; in fact, I spent a solid 10 minutes crying hysterically on the lounge when I finished it.  This book is dark and deals with difficult themes, but it is well worth reading.

The Passage by Justin Cronin - I know this was the most hyped book of 2010, but I am telling you, it was well worth the hype. Every genre you can imagine is combined in this thriller that has you wrapped you around it's pinkie from beginning to end.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood - I haven't reviewed this one yet, by Atwood has outdone herself again.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - I haven't reviewed this one yet either, but it makes the list just for introducing me to the hilarious literary comic genius of Jasper Fforde in the Thursday Next series.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver - Barbara Kingsolver has created another wonderfully colourful story in The Lacuna. It was the first book I read in 2010 and still is one of the best.

A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif - this makes the list for combining laugh out loud comedy with serious political messages. It sounds strange but I guarantee that it is worth reading.

By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolano - the best literary read of 2010. Bolano's literary talent is astounding.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - probably the scariest ghost story you will ever read.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy by Stieg Larsson - it may not be the best writing that you will ever read, but this trilogy was one of the most thrilling I read all year.

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham - one of the best science fiction books that I have ever read and reminded me that this is a greatly under rated genre that I think people should read more of.

I have a new job starting on the 17th of January that will mean that I will not be able to do as much reading next year as I was able to this year. I am pleased that I read so many great books this year and I can't wait for more to come.

Thanks for being such wonderful followers of Page Turners in 2010. I hope to see even more of you in 2011!

Originally posted 29 December 2010 page Turners

The Collector by John Fowles

John Fowles' The Collector is a dark and disturbing book, with some of the best characterisation I have ever read.

The Collector is the story of Frederick Clegg, a lonely man who is socially and emotionally challenged. He is unable to form relationships with other people, and incapable of participating in life. Instead, he collects things, mainly butterflies, and enjoys photography - pursuing hobbies and interests in which he can admire the world that he seems incapable of understanding. He observes life, people and beauty from a distance, longing to reach out but not knowing how.

He becomes fixated on Miranda, a young art student whom he has lived near for some time. He follows her and learns about her life, obsessing about where she goes, who she sees and what she wears.

Unsatisfied by admiring her beauty from afar and unable to form normal human relationships - he does the only thing he knows how to - he collects her.

After a lot of planning Frederick eventually captures and imprisons Miranda in an elaborate set up in his home's basement. She becomes the pride of his collection, and he is deluded enough to believe that she will eventually come to love him in the way that he loves her.

Miranda is almost as complex as Frederick himself. She is a passionate person, pursuing her life and her art with all of her enthusiasm. Miranda eventually comes to see that Frederick, or Caliban as she calls him, will not grant her freedom and she begins on a course of action designed to break free of her cage.

Miranda is not a particularly likable character. She is posh and self-obsessed, feeling herself to be entirely superior to Frederick. She appeared to be somewhat of a spoiled brat, someone too pleased with themselves and their abilities to be very sympathetic. And yet, I felt for Miranda. I was constantly hoping for her freedom and feeling sickened by the cruelty displayed by Frederick.

 
The mood of The Collector is dark and creepy, perhaps one of the creepiest books I have ever read. Fowles brings the characters, particularly Frederick Clegg, to life and it is at times extremely disturbing. I found myself feeling as though I was in the rooms with the characters watching the events unfold. It was almost as if Fowles was possessed by them as he wrote the book, particularly the character of Frederick Clegg.

The way in which Fowles wrote The Collector is perhaps responsible for the level of realism that he was able to create.  The first half of the book is told from Frederick Clegg's perspective, and the second from Miranda's perspective. Fowles creates two entirely distinct voices, and by exploring the same events from the differing perspectives we are given a deep look into the dark world that Frederick has created for himself and his captive.

Just as Fowles has written the book from two perspectives, The Collector is a book of duals, of opposites. Frederick is enamoured by the beauty he sees in the world, yet he is a cruel and ugly person. He desperately wants love and companionship and yet he full of hate. In The Collector we see the clash of the upper and lower classes. Master and slave. Warden and captive.

The Collector is a wonderful piece of literature that is sure to draw you deeply into the creepy and disturbing mind of Frederick Clegg.
  
 Summary

What kind of read is this?
It is a small book and a quick read, but emotionally challenging.

Do I recommend that you read this book?
Yes, it is worth every minute.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
I am pleased that I own it, although I am not sure that it is one that I will re-read frequently.

Star Rating

6.5 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down. I would recommend it. 

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Originally posted 26 December 2010 Page Turners

The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler

Raymond Chandler is regarded as one of the best crime writers of all time, and his book The Long Goodbye is the perfect example of why he deserves these accolades.

Not only is Chandler a great crime writer, but his books are also excellent example of literary fiction. He hasn't had as much recognition for his skills as a writer of literary fiction because of the way in which crime fiction is viewed, but this is a big mistake.

In The Long Goodbye, PI Phillip Marlowe meets and forms a friendship with Terry Lennox, who draws him into a web of deception and murder. The book is set in the fabulously decadent Los Angeles of the 1950's. The characters are larger than life and often stereotypical; there is the alcoholic and introspective writer, the quack doctors, the alluring and beautiful women and the powerful and controlling capitalist.

Yet Chandler still gives his characters in The Long Goodbye a level of complexity that belies their stereotypical exteriors.

Phillip Marlowe is a particularly complex character. He comes across as a tough guy, someone willing to stand up for right and wrong and take on the big issues. Despite being a PI, or perhaps because of it, he is cynical of the criminal justice system. He is moralistic and frustrated about the corruption he sees in the world around him.

Towards the beginning of the book, Marlowe finds himself incarcerated because he refuses to disclose any information about the whereabouts of Terry Lennox to police. The solicitor who has been sent by a mysterious benefactor to assist him apply for bail says this him:

"You had to play the big scene, 'he said coldly. 'Stand on your rights, talk about the law. How ingenuous can a man get, Marlowe? A man like you who is supposed to know his way around. The law isn't justice. It's a very imperfect mechanism. If you press exactly the right buttons and are also lucky, justice may show up in the answer. A mechanism is all the law ever was ever intended to be. I guess you're not in any mood to be helped. So I'll take myself off. You can reach me if you change your mind."

I liked this for two reasons. The first is that as a criminal solicitor myself, I understand what the solicitor who is speaking his trying to get at. People expect justice from the law; but justice is above and beyond what the law can offer. The law is comprised of man-made rules that regulate our behaviour - nothing that could ever really be expected to give true justice for all the wrongs committed by people who do the wrong thing. I also like it because of what it demonstrates about Marlowe - he is moralistic and does believe in justice and fighting for what he thinks is right. In Marlowe you can't help but perceive a greater sense of frustration at life underlying his behaviour.

Yet, underneath of this Chandler gives us glimpses of a sentimental man, a romantic. He is suspicious of people, but his friendship with Terry Lennox and his romance at the conclusion of the book show that Marlowe's inner self can be touched by others. He can be annoyed and frustrated at the position he finds himself in, and yet he is willing to light a cigarette and pour a cup of coffee on behalf of his absent friend at this request.

In The Long Goodbye it is not just the complexity of the characters which Chandler is able to craft to perfection. The plot itself is full of twists and turns. Chandler is able to build up many different and seemingly unconnected narrative threads and draw them all together in the end so neatly that you can't quite help but be astounded at how you got there.

The most outstanding and famous element of The Long Goodbye is of course Chandler's writing. Inspired by Carroll Daly and Dashiell Hammett, this book is a quintessential example of hardboiled crime fiction. 

Until I read The Long Goodbye, I didn't realise just how influential Chandler's writing and characterisation has been. Now I see his influence everywhere and most recently in the writing of Peter Temple, an Australian crime writer whose work can also be considered literary fiction.

Chandler's writing is edgy and raw. The sentences are short and sharp. The dialogue is snappy. He is perfectly able to create a sense of place and character with his straightforward prose. Chandler's use of simile to describe events is integral to his style. The simile's themselves are unique and often surprising but extremely effective.

I say all the above with my objective hat on. Personally, I did find the hardboiled style a little challenging. The writing is so pared down that I found it required an extra level of concentration to follow what was happening. This was particularly the case with the dialogue, which was often so minimal I had to read the meaning into the words rather than find it there. I was distracted by a little niggling voice at the back of my head that kept saying to me, "People don't really talk like this is real life." I also found the pace of the book a lot slower than I would have liked, which meant that some of the time I felt as though I had to push my way through the story, rather than being carried along by it. I really expected something thrilling and exciting that kept me on the edge of my seat - something very plot driven. Instead, I got something slow that meandered about - more character driven than anything.

Having said that, I can absolutely see how Chandler has deservedly become a literary icon. The Long Goodbye is his most well-known and longest book and is, despite my personal reaction, something I recognise as an example of the some of the best literature of the 20th century.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
A very intense read that will challenge you as a reader.

Do I recommend this book?
Yes, especially to anyone with a genuine interest in literature.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
Not unless you are already a big Chandler fan. Borrowing it from the library would be fine.

Star Rating

6 / 8

Really enjoyable and well written. I recommend it. 

Originally posted 20 December 2010 Page Turners

The art of reading

"... the art of reading is slowly dying, that it's an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day."

~ Carlos Ruiz Zafon, from Shadow of the Wind

I read this quote on someone else's blog and it fascinated me.

I think that he captures what reading means to me perfectly when he states, "that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind". I think that what he is trying to say is that we immerse our mind and our emotions in the books that we read - and that is something that I identify with (mostly anyway, let's face it, I am not too invested in Dan Brown or John Grisham, no matter how much I may be enjoying it). I cry when I am moved by a book, I put it down when I feel that it is becoming too tense. I think about the characters while I am reading, and even while I am not. I often lose my sense of time and place when I read, becoming wholly engrossed in the world created by the author.
I think that I read with all of my heart and mind.

I also love the way Ruiz Zafon refers to reading as an "intimate ritual". That phrase is so suggestive and sensual and doesn't reflect any way in which I had previously considered the act of reading. 

It made me wonder though - is reading a ritual for me? I looked up ritual in the dictionary and found that most definitions or ritual have some reference to religious practices. The broadest definition said, "any practice or pattern of behaviour regularly performed in a set manner." In light of this, I couldn't honestly say that reading was a ritual. Although I read regularly, it is not in any set manner.  I do mainly read on the train to and from work - but I don't have to. Sometimes I prefer just to stare out the window and allow my thoughts to wander. I don't hold my book in any particular way or turn my pages in any particular way. I just pull out a book and read whenever it suits me.

What about intimate? Intimate suggests private, closely personal, deep. I certainly lose myself in books and that is a very personal experience in the sense that you disappear within yourself completely and enter into a new world or reality, albeit briefly. But is that an intimate act in accordance with the definition? I think not. Reading isn't quite private enough to be considered intimate, at least for. When I think of intimacy, I think of telling my friends my inner most thoughts or lying naked with my partner in bed. Not reading. The act of reading itself can be a personal experience, but I like to share my reading with others. I talk about the books that I have read, debate their strengths and weakness and discuss what books I would like to read in the future. Those are all part of what reading means to me - and it takes away some of the intimacy of the actual act.

And yet... I can't help but love the phrase "intimate ritual". It makes reading sound so soft and pleasurable. Although in a practical sense I don't think that it accurately describes what reading is to me - it does capture that pleasurable feeling I experience when I read.

Is a book a mirror that only offers us what we already carry inside us? This really fascinates and puzzles me at the same time. I am not really sure was Ruiz Zafon means by this. Is he trying to say that those books we identify with most reflect our own experiences and beliefs? Is he trying to say that we will only get from a book what we can put into it? I have heard a lot of people say similar things about books and have always been equally puzzled by it. Perhaps it is because it doesn't reflect my experience of reading - there are so many different books on so many different issues that I have been moved by, I wouldn't know where to begin any attempt to analyse how they might all reflect what is inside of me.

What does all of this amount to?

Is the art of reading slowly dying? Are great readers becoming more scarce? Can reading even be considered an art? I can't answer these questions - I am not sure that anyone can - but I would love to know what other people think.  

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters: a ghost story

Sarah Water's The Little Stranger is a modern-day ghost story, and a great read for those of you who like something a bit spooky.

The Little Stranger is a modern-day ghost story set in post WWII at Hundreds Hall, an old English mansion that has fallen into disrepair. It is owned and inhabited by the Ayres family, a mother and her daughter and son. Doctor Faraday, the local doctor, becomes involved with the family when he is called out to see one of the Hall's servants when she falls ill. Gradually though, strange happenings begin to occur around the house that slowly send the family spiralling out of control.

The story is told through the eyes of Doctor Faraday, who plays the role of the non-believer that is essential in every ghost story. He is a rational man with a scientific mind, who tries throughout the novel to make rational sense of the strange ghostly occurrences at Hundreds Hall.

Initially, we are made to think that Doctor Faraday is an objective observer, but it slowly becomes clear that perhaps he is not as objective as we might think. We begin to get a sense the Doctor Faraday has a growing obsession with Hundreds Hall; he thinks about it all the time and makes every effort to ingratiate himself with the family as often as he can. I couldn't help but wonder whether he had designs on the property and how this effected his ability to analyse what was occurring within the house.

Waters did an excellent job of combining a spooky ghost story with social commentary. The darkness of the ghost story fit in very well with the dark and sombre mood of England post WWII.

Hundreds Hall imposes itself upon the story so well that it almost becomes a character in its own right. The large rambling mansion is falling into disrepair because its owners are unable to afford the upkeep. The garden is taking over the house, the steps are crumbling to pieces and inside the wallpaper is peeling from the walls. In a way, Hundreds Hall is used a metaphor for the country itself.

Much like James' The Turn of the Screw, the reader is left wondering at the end about what, if any, the ghostly presence was. I know this allows for additional mystery - but I would have preferred a more conclusive outcome after investing so much time in the story. Waters makes a bold attempt to create a spooky atmosphere with the mystery - but it fell a little short of the mark for me. I often felt that the story was moving just a little too slowly and was a little too focussed on Doctor Faraday and not enough on the ghostly elements of the story. Although I enjoyed it, it definitely wasn't in the same league as the Turn of the Screw for fear and tension.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
It is an easy read, but the book is rather thick, and it takes longer to read than you might expect.

Do I recommend this book?
I recommend it to people who enjoy ghost stories, but it won't be the best ghost story that they read.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
No, borrow it.

Star Rating

5 / 8

Good and worth reading if you have the opportunity, but there's no need to prioritise it.

Are you a fan of ghost stories? I would love to know what you think of this book if you have read it or any of Sarah Waters other books?

Originally posted 13 December 2010 Page Turners

The Big Four by Agatha Christie

The Big Four is the most exciting Agatha Christie novel I can remember reading.

Hercule Poirot is up against the four biggest and brightest criminals in the world - and has to stop them before their plan to take over the world succeeds.

I love the way that Agatha Christie has set up this story. Poirot is faced with many seemingly unrelated troubling little mysteries for him to resolve, only to find that they are in fact related to the big four themselves. Poirot breaks out the disguises and uses a little subterfuge of his own to catch the criminals.

He and Hastings find their lives threatened on many different occasions and in many different ways - but they always manage to escape. The action in this book is completely non-stop and 'edge-of-your-seat' exciting.

The only weakness of this book, if you could call it that, is that it is extremely unbelievable. In fact, the end reminded me very much of a certain James Bond movie that was made fun of in Austin Powers.

Having said that, I was perfectly able to suspend belief and go along with Poirot and Hastings on this dangerous adventure to save the world. It is by far the most exciting Christie novel I have read to date.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
Quick and easy, but a nail-biter.

Do I recommend that you read it?
Yes, to everyone.

Do I recommend that you buy it?
Yes. Absolutely.

Star Rating

7 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down. Recommend that you buy it.

Originally posted 8 December 2010 Page Turners

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs is an exciting tale full of love and adventure, a book for all the ages.

Not only had I never read Tarzan of the Apes, but I had also never seen a movie adaptation of it, so I came to this story as a complete novice. This review won't do the book justice, so I hope that you make time to read the book yourself.

In this book, Edgar Rice Burroughs tells the story of John Clayton, born to Lord and Lady Greystoke who were marooned on a jungle island in Africa after the crew on their boat mutinied. Following his parents' death while he is a child, John Clayton is taken in by Kala, one of the great Apes that inhabits the island. He is raised an Ape but begins to explore his true heritage in his parents' hut. His curiosity is piqued when an African tribe moves onto the island - but his journey of self-discovery reaches a head when an English family are marooned on the island and Tarzan finds himself attracted to the beautiful woman with them.

I loved this story, it had everything you could want from a classic adventure novel. There were pirates, mutiny's, fights to the death, hunting and cannibalism... as well as a little romance.

Strangely, I found the earlier chapters when Tarzan was alone to the island and living with his Ape family the most interesting. Edgar Rice Burroughs did a wonderful job creating a very complete and realistic character in Tarzan - I felt that I was there with him during his adventures and really wanted him to be happy.

When the English and French visitors landed on the island (I won't spoil the story by saying who they are), I began to lose interest. Too much time was spent on what they were thinking and doing, and by then I was very attached to Tarzan and just wanted to spend my reading time with him.

All in all, a really exciting book. The story was so compelling I could barely put it down and I raced through it all the way to the end. If I could re-write it though, I would re-write it with a happy ending.

Summary

What kind of read is this?
Extremely compelling, I couldn't put it down.

Do I recommend that you read this book?
Absolutely.

Do I recommend that you buy this book?
I read it as a free eBook and that was fine. Probably borrowing it would be sufficient.

Star Rating

6.5 / 8

Brilliant, couldn't put it down.

Have you ever read Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs? What did you think of it?

Originally posted 6 December 2010 Page Turners