Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Books read

The Children's Book - A S Byatt
A sprawling family saga with a bit too much historical detail (it felt like a history lesson at times as opposed to a novel) but enjoyable none the less.

PopCo - Scarlett Thomas
All I wrote in my journal about this one was "a good, easy read". Not sure if that's damning it with faint praise...

Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde
The new one (and a new series) from one of my favourite authors. Doesn't quite reach the heights of his Thursday Next series but contains the usual Fforde wit and pop cultural references. I do look forward to the next in the series.

Smile When You're Lying - Confessions of a Rogue Travel Write - Chuck Thompson
A book about what the official guide books leave out. Thompson pours witty vitriol on the travel writing industry. Lots of fun and highly recommended.

Revolutionary Road - Richard Ford
A book group book. It felt a bit more like a play than a novel in tone. The characters felt a bit one dimensional and the dialogue like a script.

The Three Musketeers - Alexander Dumas
I was inspired to read this after reading The Dumas Club. Surprisingly engaging - a real page turner. The writing was a bit simplistic but that may have been the translation.

The Northern Clemency - Phillip Hensher
A doorstop of a book at 730 pages but it was so damn good I finished it in five days! The story of two families from Sheffield that follows them over 20 years - sounds simple but the writing is so carefully considered it was a joy to read.

The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry
An interesting novel about memory with two unreliable narrators. Not sure about the ending though.

So there you go - 15 books in 3 months - not bad going! My current read is Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel that I picked up at KL airport.

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