Helen Oyeyemi is a bit of a British literary indie sensation with awards left, right and centre and an ability to interview as beautifully as she writes. Just Google her and you will see what I mean. Suffice to say, I had to read one of her books to see what all the fuss was […]
Author Archives: Ms A
March
28
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
posted by Ms A
Apologies in advance to all the Margaret Atwood fans out there and to the beautiful friend who gave me a copy of her latest book. This review isn’t pretty. After just finishing The Heart Goes Last (a massive personal achievement that cannot be understated) I am getting off the Atwood express and calling for a worldwide derailment. […]
March
03
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
posted by Ms A
Who’d have thought Barak Obama’s favourite book of 2015 would start with a sex scene? I’m talking about a green bikini, sand dunes and a couple of newlyweds – literally first page. Beyond the beach, Fates and Furies is contemporary literature at its best with language that is original, multi-layered and downright clever. Add characters that are strong, […]
February
23
Never Mind by Edward St Aubyn
posted by Ms A
I’m suspicious of the word “masterpiece” on the cover of a book. Just like the word miracle on a moisturiser, I should know better by now. In this case I was persuaded by a trusted and highly enthusiastic assistant at one of my favourite bookshops. I don’t want to name names but I am pretty sure […]
February
01
One Life (My Mother’s Story) by Kate Grenville
posted by Ms A
This is the story of Nance Russell – Kate Grenville’s much adored mother who died in 2002. Grenville wrote this memoir of Nance’s life based on notes, diary entries and letters she found years after her death. She writes “My mother wasn’t the sort of person biographies are usually written about….Just the same, I think […]
January
22
The Dust that Falls from Dreams by Louis de Bernieres
posted by Ms A
I still remember reading Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and the way it swept my young and sentimental heart away. Poor Louis de Bernieres must feel under so much pressure to match it and people like me are probably not helping. Lucky for him, he is a beautiful storyteller, detailed researcher and a lot of people will adore this book. The […]
December
27
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
posted by Ms A
This is the first book I have ever read with its own Instagram account. I stumbled on it after I’d finished all 800 pages and got a glimpse into the cult status the novel now has, particularly in the USA. A Little Life is bleak, emotionally demanding fiction but it is also a page turning […]
July
19
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
posted by Ms A
Lila, Gigliona, Alfonso, Nino, Pasquale, Rino, Carmela and Ada are just some of the children of various ages featured in this book. Throw in their parents; Fernando, Nunzia, Alfredo, Giuseppina, Melina, Donato, Silvio, Manuela, Nicola, Assunta and the evil Don Achille and you pretty much have the village. These are the names of the friends and […]
June
16
The Wonder Lover by Malcolm Knox
posted by Ms A
This is a man’s book. Actually it is a multi – functional man’s book. First you can read it and marvel at what it tells you about male behaviour; then you can thump the nearest guy across the head with it. Written by Australian author Malcolm Knox (otherwise known for Jamaica, The Life and Summerland), this is a fictional equivalent […]
May
12
A Little Princess – Guest Review by Miss Ellie (aged 11)
posted by Ms A
“In the early morning smog I had him. But in the lovely lunch of my birthday I lost him.” A Little Princess is written by Frances Hodgson Burnett who also wrote The Secret Garden. Frances weaves a story about a rich girl with perfect manners and an extreme love of books. Frances tells this story […]
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