Reads #3: The Review…
Thanks to my skiing holiday and lots of time spent on trains, planes and automobiles I managed to finish my current book early - “Lord of The Flies” by William Golding - recommended to me by Gwilym Owen.
Despite finishing the book early I must apologise for this late review, time just seems to have flown by recently.
Gwilym Says…
“The Lord of the Flies for me was one of those truly watershed moments in my life and a realisation of just how powerful the written word can be. It represents a coming of age and an end of innocence, both for me personally and metaphorically from the point of view of the characters in the book. As a ten year old my imagination was literally shaken awake and captured for the first time because the boys of the book were of a similar age to me and I could really relate to them. In a way it felt like I grew with them through their experiences as the book progressed, from their initial stranding on a remote island during a war and the prospect of adventure and freedom from adults, to the more sinister turns that the story takes later.”
“At the end of reading the book, I had grown up an awful lot and was older, wiser, more understanding of the world around me and what people can be capable of. In many ways I had left the first chapter of my childhood behind forever…”
I Say…
“Lord of The Flies” has been at the back of my mind for many many years. It’s a book that most people have heard of and a great many have read and I’m glad to say I’m finally one of them.
I’ve been hooked on “Lord of The Flies” since I saw the film many, many years ago and it’s a book that has divided a lot of my friends. Some seem engrossed in a story of survival, childhood and the loss of innocence while others see it as a savage and horrific tale.
Personally I loved this book and every page, every turn, every word had me gripped. I’m so glad I got to enjoy this book while on holiday as having the time to give it my full attention really helped.
It’s a story of childhood, survival, savagery and desperation and despite having some horrific scenes is a thrill ride from start to finish and to date is my favourite recommendation - thank you Gwilym!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone… whether or not you like the story it’s one you’ll find hard to forget.
Reads #2: The Review…
I’ve just finished my second book of 2012 “To Kill A Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee - recommended to me by Dave Sowerby.
Dave Says…
“To kill a mockingbird is without question my favourite book - which is saying something given how many I’ve read in my life! I think I read it when I was about 11 and I’ve loved it ever since - reading it many many times…. The primary plot of the book surrounds the trial of a black man, falsely accused of rape - he is the mockingbird of this tale - a figure of innocence.”
“The story tells not only of racism, but deeper bigotry. So, what touches me most about this book is that it is told from the view point of a child - another example of innocence lost, who questions all that she sees in what is a clearly a very prejudiced world. This view is what I try to cling on to still, we live in a world of presumptions and of closed-mindedness and I try, where ever I can to question what I see and do, not from where society has left me, but from this position of innocence and ignorance, only there can a fair judgement be reached - this is why I still adore this book”
I Say…
While I agree with Dave that this is a story of innocence in a world of hatred, racism and bigotry I’m afraid I don’t share his obvious passion and connection with the book.
At times I found “To Kill A Mocking Bird” hard to read due to the use of racist language, which I’m glad to say I’m unaccustomed to. I also found the flow of the pages difficult and it took me some time to get used to Harper Lee’s writing style.
Although the moral of the story is good I can’t say I enjoyed the subject matter and throughout the book I had a disjointed understanding of the characters and their adventures. The tree and the hidden objects, Boo Radley, Dill, the court case, always felt disconnected and I was never sure the direction the book would take.
I don’t necessarily believe this is a failing of the book or the author, more a consequence of my process as I deliberately make sure I have as little prior knowledge of the book as possible… Perhaps if I knew this story was a tale of a young girls view of the world and her journey from innocence to maturity I would of made the connection with the disjoint characters - who knows.
Despite my lack of connection with the book I’m glad I’ve had the opprotunity to read it and I did enjoy the book for the most part - I’m just not sure I’ll be reading it again and again like Dave.
Shoots #53: Avenue Q
Off to see Avenue Q tonight - super excited!
I will update this post later with my verdict…
Update
Avenue Q was absolutely awesome! The performers deserve a standing ovation. Funniest show I’ve ever seen!
Reads #1: The Review…
My first book of 2012 was “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón recommended to me by Nick Frampton.
Nick Says…
“I first read this book when I was traveling in 2009 and was totally engrossed in it from start to finish. It’s an epic story full of gothic drama and rich, engaging characters - but at the heart of the novel is an author who is in love with writing and literature, who understands the power and importance of his craft and draws you in to this world. He writes about the city of Barcelona so vividly that it is as much a character in the story as the human counterparts and it’s impossible not to get swept along with his passion.”
I Say…
Although I really enjoyed this book and thought the last 1/3 was a roller coaster ride of twists and turns it took me a while to piece together the numerous characters and locations. I agree with Nick that “The Shadow of the Wind” is a book full of “gothic drama and rich, engaging characters” but for me it was difficult to keep track of who was who.
I accept that this might be down to my limited range of reading and the fact that I’m coming to this challenge having not read (other than work reference material) in a long time. The varied use of characters is in no way a criticism of the author, his character development or the book overall but personally I struggled at times.
Despite being unable to keep track of some of the characters I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The author has a talent for descriptive writing and you feel like you’re in the pages, experiencing the moments as they happen - by the end of the book you feel like you’ve known Barcelona all your life.
The author uses subtle hints at how our main characters’ (Julian Carax and Daniel Sempere) lives interact along the way which he only reveals at the very end - making you realise you were entwined in both their lives and experiences from the very beginning.
This is a dark and sometimes harrowing tale of a lost soul and a young boy’s borderline obsession to discover the truth. The villain of the piece (Francisco Javier Fumero) is pure evil and the way he’s portrayed makes you worry for the safety of the other characters. It twists, turns and constantly surprises.
The author has a wonderful way with words and the book flows well keeping you intrigued in what’s around the corner. I thoroughly enjoyed this book despite getting lost on occasion and would definitely recommend it!
Reads #1: Finally Finished….
Today at 12:57pm I finally finished my first ‘Reads’ challenge, “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.
I realise that finishing my book on the last day of the month is cutting it fine and I was really close to failing my challenge before it had even started. Lessons to take away from my first book:
- Read everyday, even a few pages.
- Don’t leave the book at a friends house.
- Work out how many pages I need to read per week and stick to it.
- Ask friends to choose a book around 500 pages - my reading pace won’t cope with anything longer.
Despite cutting it fine I’m glad I finished my first book of 2012 in time. I’ll be writing the review in the next couple of days so watch this space…
As promised I’m sticking to my method for choosing books…
The last letter, of the last word, on the last page, of “The Shadow of the Wind” is D
Time to choose a friend to recommend my next book.
