Yes, it is yet another Simon Kernick review, and so soon after the previous review. This time, however, it is his 2007 release, Severed.
Before going into the book/review I'll give a little background on why I read this. As you'll notice, I've been reading a few 19th Century novels for my uni course. After finishing Silas Marner I decided that before I go into next semester's reads, I'd devour something simple yet worthy of a long sit down. And so I chose Severed, a book I've read once a few years ago, but knew was good.
I always find that SK's books are simple to read, yet filled with fast-paced action, and not lacking a large amount of death, fear (in the characters) and general carnage. A good head-clearer, if you will. I also wouldn't need to focus on or think about theories (i.e. Psychoanalysis, post-modernism, imagery, characterisation amongst others), I can just sit down and read, which I did with this.
Moving on, Severed is the story of a successful car salesman who wakes up next to his girlfriend. But there's a problem: she's dead. And not peacefully either. She's been brutally murdered and now the protagonist, Tyler, must find out who killed her and seek his revenge.
The next 24 hours are the most telling as he is sent on a wild goose chase around the grim streets of East London. Inevitably he hits many a brick wall yet somehow recovers. I'll stop the spoilers there.
Fast-paced and action-filled, this is definitely one of Simon Kernick's best books. Much like Siege, I managed it in just two sittings (with the odd 20 min break here and there), finding it incredibly hard to put down due to the numerous cliffhangers which leave the reader desperate to know what happens next.
As some people may know, I am a cynical person at times, however, I can find nothing negative to say about the book. The characters are just right, events are described perfectly and the storyline/plot is constantly pushed forward with the skill of Kernick's writing. Or maybe I'm just being biased. You decide.
For anyone who hasn't read Severed and likes their crime fiction, grab this book today. If you haven't read Simon Kernick in the past, also pick up this book. I'm sure you'll become an instant fan. I've probably said that about his other books, but a writer loves their praise (trust me, I know).
This one gets a nice big 5/5 from me.
Monday, 2 July 2012
Sunday, 1 July 2012
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Another book set for my exam tomorrow, Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe is a story similar to Wuthering Heights in that it features a number of things included in the latter story: death, trust, betrayal, family issues/troubles and personal and physical growth.
Silas Marner is a weaver from the small town/village of Raveloe who, one night, comes home to find that the large amount of gold he has earned through weaving has been stolen. Without his gold, a wife or any family, Master Marner is a lost and emotionally unstable man. That is until he comes into the posession of a 2 year old girl whose mother has died in the snow of an extremely cold winter.
This child becomes his daughter, and over the years he raises and nurtures her (bit of nature vs nurture there) into the most beautiful girl the village has seen.
This novel is filled with optimism, pessimism, happiness, sadness and awkwardness. Much like Wuthering Heights, it has a number of stories within a story, but they are very interesting stories and events.
I didn't really expect much from this book when I first opened it. I mean, a man who spends his days weaving. What's interesting about that? But as I read on, I found it to be gripping and very interesting. No, it isn't a crime novel, but it was a very good read, in my opinion. It had scenes which made me feel a bit 'meh' and others which made me feel a bit more upbeat.
Additionally it had some surprises thrown in and an uplifting final quote (readers who don't want it spoiled, scroll to the end, those who don't mind, read on): "O father, what a pretty home ours is! I think nobody could be happer than we are."
Sometimes a bit tedious, but nonetheless, a good read, George Eliot's Silas Marner is a read for anybody who likes 19th Century literature.
This receives a nice 4.5/5 from me.
Silas Marner is a weaver from the small town/village of Raveloe who, one night, comes home to find that the large amount of gold he has earned through weaving has been stolen. Without his gold, a wife or any family, Master Marner is a lost and emotionally unstable man. That is until he comes into the posession of a 2 year old girl whose mother has died in the snow of an extremely cold winter.
This child becomes his daughter, and over the years he raises and nurtures her (bit of nature vs nurture there) into the most beautiful girl the village has seen.
This novel is filled with optimism, pessimism, happiness, sadness and awkwardness. Much like Wuthering Heights, it has a number of stories within a story, but they are very interesting stories and events.
I didn't really expect much from this book when I first opened it. I mean, a man who spends his days weaving. What's interesting about that? But as I read on, I found it to be gripping and very interesting. No, it isn't a crime novel, but it was a very good read, in my opinion. It had scenes which made me feel a bit 'meh' and others which made me feel a bit more upbeat.
Additionally it had some surprises thrown in and an uplifting final quote (readers who don't want it spoiled, scroll to the end, those who don't mind, read on): "O father, what a pretty home ours is! I think nobody could be happer than we are."
Sometimes a bit tedious, but nonetheless, a good read, George Eliot's Silas Marner is a read for anybody who likes 19th Century literature.
This receives a nice 4.5/5 from me.
Friday, 22 June 2012
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
After a month or so of not reading, I was almost required to pick up and read this book as part of my degree due to failing a previous exam on it. However, I can't really complain as, despite a slow start, Emily Brontë's only novel, was a pretty decent read.
Set in the deep hills of Yorkshire, W.H. follows the lives of the Heathcliff, Earnshaw an Linton families along with Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Dean.
Slightly gothic and dark-spirited in nature, W.H. is an insight into how people lived in the early 19th century as well as an exploration into death, illness, family matters and borderline incest.
When I first picked this book up I didn't expect much, but as I delved deeper in, I found that it included a number of subjects which I often search for when reading (death, darkness, controversy) which, in turn, satisfied my needs/requirements.
Much like a realistic version of Frankenstein, this is a book which I now feel any person interested in classic or gothic literature should have a go at reading. I can't guarantee that I'll be re-reading this in the near future, but I may do so in a few years. We'll see.
In the meantime I think I'll rate this one at 3.5/5.
Set in the deep hills of Yorkshire, W.H. follows the lives of the Heathcliff, Earnshaw an Linton families along with Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Dean.
Slightly gothic and dark-spirited in nature, W.H. is an insight into how people lived in the early 19th century as well as an exploration into death, illness, family matters and borderline incest.
When I first picked this book up I didn't expect much, but as I delved deeper in, I found that it included a number of subjects which I often search for when reading (death, darkness, controversy) which, in turn, satisfied my needs/requirements.
Much like a realistic version of Frankenstein, this is a book which I now feel any person interested in classic or gothic literature should have a go at reading. I can't guarantee that I'll be re-reading this in the near future, but I may do so in a few years. We'll see.
In the meantime I think I'll rate this one at 3.5/5.
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Join Me by Danny Wallace
This review would have been of The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, but after that damn essay, literature was not something I wanted to read, and so, after some thought, I picked up an easy book. That easy book was another Danny Wallace experiment.
In the past I've read 'Yes Man' and 'Awkward Situations for Men' so I knew and expected something good. However, I didn't expect something this good and funny.
'Join Me' is the tale of a 25 year old Danny Wallace who, bored one day decides to put an ad in a local paper saying the simple words 'Join me'. What for, he didn't know, but soon after posting the ad, people of all ages were joining him. Wanting to be like his recently-deceased great uncle, Danny soon decided to try and collect ('not a cult, a collective') 1000 Joinees as it was something his great uncle had attempted but failed to achieve.
Soon, Danny was travelling over Europe to meet and collect joinees, and it was good.
That is all I can really say without giving too much away, but what I can say is that this was another excellent read from Danny Wallace. It was funny, fast-paced and hard to put down, managed in 2 days, if that. It was also easy and a good head-clearer after all the work I've had recently (when people tell you 2nd year is a pisstake, believe them).
Will I become a joinee myself? I don't know, probably not, but only time can tell. In the meantime, it probably can't hurt to try and be a bit like the joinees and perform some random acts of kindness, can it?
Overall a good read, but a bit 'holiday-read'-like. Overall rating: 4/5
Monday, 2 April 2012
Essex Boys (So This is Ecstasy?) by Bernard O'Mahoney
As readers, new and old, may be able to tell, I take a slighty unhealthy interest in gang activity and murders - from the Manson Family to the Rettendon Murders, the latter of which this book is related to.
In 1995, three prominent Essex drug dealers and gang members were found brutally murdered in a Range Rover parked near the end of a small country lane in Rettendon, Esssex. This book tells the story from O'Mahoney's point of view. It gives the reader an insight into how the firm worked, the drug dealing and related violence, the death of Leah Betts and how, after falling into the world of firms and drugs, deaths were inevitable.
Rather than being written by an outsider, this book was written by a man who has experienced it all, making it interesting, disturbing and leaving the reader wanting to know more. It tells from the day he was released from prison (imprisoned for 6 months on wounding with intent), how doorman in Essex would handle certain hecklers or drunkards and of reform after the firm became too much.
When reading O'Mahoney's tales, for use of a better word, I found myself wondering how the hell he managed to avoid hefty jail sentences and instead simply going home and returning to his job the day after driving a lorryload of stolen coffee beans. Or how he got away with beating certain rivals up. I also found myself sympathising with certain people in the book.
Rather than skip anything, Bernard, or Bernie to his friends, gives all the gory details, sparing none. When I picked this book up I wasn't sure what to expect seeing as this had been written by a former hardman, however, I found myself reading it almost whenever possible and into the early hours. What also made it a good read is that much like the film of the same name (but telling a completely different story, fictional) I recognised some of the described areas, including Chelmsford, the town of my birth, Basildon, my nan's home town and Southend, where my dad and stepmum currently reside.
Certain parts were a little tedious, but the whole things gets a 4/5 from me.
In 1995, three prominent Essex drug dealers and gang members were found brutally murdered in a Range Rover parked near the end of a small country lane in Rettendon, Esssex. This book tells the story from O'Mahoney's point of view. It gives the reader an insight into how the firm worked, the drug dealing and related violence, the death of Leah Betts and how, after falling into the world of firms and drugs, deaths were inevitable.
Rather than being written by an outsider, this book was written by a man who has experienced it all, making it interesting, disturbing and leaving the reader wanting to know more. It tells from the day he was released from prison (imprisoned for 6 months on wounding with intent), how doorman in Essex would handle certain hecklers or drunkards and of reform after the firm became too much.
When reading O'Mahoney's tales, for use of a better word, I found myself wondering how the hell he managed to avoid hefty jail sentences and instead simply going home and returning to his job the day after driving a lorryload of stolen coffee beans. Or how he got away with beating certain rivals up. I also found myself sympathising with certain people in the book.
Rather than skip anything, Bernard, or Bernie to his friends, gives all the gory details, sparing none. When I picked this book up I wasn't sure what to expect seeing as this had been written by a former hardman, however, I found myself reading it almost whenever possible and into the early hours. What also made it a good read is that much like the film of the same name (but telling a completely different story, fictional) I recognised some of the described areas, including Chelmsford, the town of my birth, Basildon, my nan's home town and Southend, where my dad and stepmum currently reside.
Certain parts were a little tedious, but the whole things gets a 4/5 from me.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Siege by Simon Kernick
Yes, he's back, and this time with what is possibly his best and fastest-paced book to date.
Readers and friends will undoubtedly be aware that I am a huge fan of Simon Kernick meaning this review was, inevitably, going to be bubbling with positivity and optimism, but nevertheless, I'll write it anyway.
Siege is the story of a group of Arabic terrorists who, angry with Britain and its government for taking part in the war on terror, decide to hijack a prestigious hotel, take a large number of hostages and hold a Seige until their demands are met. However, as this is a crime and SK novel, things don't go as planned and people are hurt. Additionally, to add to the pace and (as Simon himself admitted) stop the book from being boring, there is a subplot which involves the return of one of my all-time favourite characters, Tina Boyd.
Inspired by the Mumbai hostage situation of 2008, Siege is also disturbing, exciting and sometimes confusing due to the large amount of characters who come in and out of the book. However, as one reads on, he (or she) can't help but mentally cheer the characters on or try and tell them not to do do that or go there.
Like all of his other novels, this one shows that Kernick researches everything thoroughly and likes to get every detail right before putting pen to paper, making this yet another realistic novel. Despite this, there is the odd cheesy moment in there and I noticed a small number of repititions, the latter being something I'm guilty of doing myself. Still, c'est la vie.
Managed in just 3 reading sessions, this is the fastest I've read in a long time and a book I had trouble putting down with each chapter finishing on a juicy cliffhanger. And to quote a recent Facebook status of mine: "Time flies when you've got no money and a good book".
Overall rating: 5/5
Readers and friends will undoubtedly be aware that I am a huge fan of Simon Kernick meaning this review was, inevitably, going to be bubbling with positivity and optimism, but nevertheless, I'll write it anyway.
Siege is the story of a group of Arabic terrorists who, angry with Britain and its government for taking part in the war on terror, decide to hijack a prestigious hotel, take a large number of hostages and hold a Seige until their demands are met. However, as this is a crime and SK novel, things don't go as planned and people are hurt. Additionally, to add to the pace and (as Simon himself admitted) stop the book from being boring, there is a subplot which involves the return of one of my all-time favourite characters, Tina Boyd.
Inspired by the Mumbai hostage situation of 2008, Siege is also disturbing, exciting and sometimes confusing due to the large amount of characters who come in and out of the book. However, as one reads on, he (or she) can't help but mentally cheer the characters on or try and tell them not to do do that or go there.
Like all of his other novels, this one shows that Kernick researches everything thoroughly and likes to get every detail right before putting pen to paper, making this yet another realistic novel. Despite this, there is the odd cheesy moment in there and I noticed a small number of repititions, the latter being something I'm guilty of doing myself. Still, c'est la vie.
Managed in just 3 reading sessions, this is the fastest I've read in a long time and a book I had trouble putting down with each chapter finishing on a juicy cliffhanger. And to quote a recent Facebook status of mine: "Time flies when you've got no money and a good book".
Overall rating: 5/5
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
So, after two months of lazing around, not bothering to pick up a book (minus 80 pages of George Gissing's Nether World), I finally finished a book, albeit a short one at 130 pages.
The Island of Dr. M was set as an optional read out of many for an essay due in 6 weeks, but as I'm a fan of the great War of the Worlds (novel and musical), I soon set to reading this. And a good job I did, otherwise this blog would end up just rotting away.
The Island tells the story of Edward Prendick who, after surviving a shipwreck, is saved by some sailors and brought back to good health on their mysterious home island. However, this isn't just any island. Inhabited by strange-looking mix-breeds, the island is a nightmare unimaginable to any man.
Over time, Prendick has to defend himself, kill to survive and find a way of escape. But will he? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Well-paced and rarely a dull moment The Island of Dr. Moreau is a read made for any fan of weird creatures and lone survival.
Although this was an enjoyable read it did have some slow bits resulting in small daydreams but mostly gripping, it was definitely one of the better books I've read as part of my degree. If War of the Worlds looks a bit long for your liking, this would be a good introductory read to the world of H.G. Wells. It is also a book that could easily be finished in one or two sittings (I managed it in five due to various conflicts).
Overall rating: 4 out of 5
The Island of Dr. M was set as an optional read out of many for an essay due in 6 weeks, but as I'm a fan of the great War of the Worlds (novel and musical), I soon set to reading this. And a good job I did, otherwise this blog would end up just rotting away.
The Island tells the story of Edward Prendick who, after surviving a shipwreck, is saved by some sailors and brought back to good health on their mysterious home island. However, this isn't just any island. Inhabited by strange-looking mix-breeds, the island is a nightmare unimaginable to any man.
Over time, Prendick has to defend himself, kill to survive and find a way of escape. But will he? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Well-paced and rarely a dull moment The Island of Dr. Moreau is a read made for any fan of weird creatures and lone survival.
Although this was an enjoyable read it did have some slow bits resulting in small daydreams but mostly gripping, it was definitely one of the better books I've read as part of my degree. If War of the Worlds looks a bit long for your liking, this would be a good introductory read to the world of H.G. Wells. It is also a book that could easily be finished in one or two sittings (I managed it in five due to various conflicts).
Overall rating: 4 out of 5
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)