June 30, 2013

Review :: A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to KashgarA Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Disclaimer : Copy received via Goodreads First Reads

It is 1923 and Evangeline English, keen lady cyclist, arrives with her sister Lizzie and their zealous leader Millicent at the ancient city of Kashgar to establish a mission. As they encounter resistance and calamity, Eva commences work on her book "A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar..."

First problem, Evangeline doesn't own a bike, nor has she ridden one, until she embarks on the mission.
Second problem, Millicent isn't so much a zealot as an annoying, faux religious, maybe lesbian. The character is so under developed you barely notice her when she's not being nasty.
Third problem, Eva doesn't really write a book about cycling as she only rides the bike once and the rest of the time she pushes it, loaded up with items or its in the back of a cart.

In present-day London another story is beginning. Frieda, a young woman adrift in her own life, opens her frond door one night to find a man sleeping on the landing. In the morning is is gone, leaving on the wall an exquisite drawing of a long tailed bird and a line of Arabic script. As their worlds collide, the two wanderers begin an unlikely friendship and they embark on a journey that is great, and as unexpected as Eva's.
I did not get the impression, at any point that Frieda was "adrift". She had a life that was similar to many women I know. Work, boyfriend, travel etc. The bird and the Arabic do not maintain the importance given in the blurb and if what happens between them is "world's colliding", I guess I need to be very cautious in my own.  As for "great journey", going to Surrey, Hastings and Victoria Station hardly qualify.

This book had so much potential! What has happened is three completely separate, and truly interesting stories have been squashed together in 370 pages with no chance for any of them to show their true potential. The connections between the stories are all there but have been left distinctly under developed. Even a little historical context would have been better than nothing. It seems the author assumes readers will have the same level of knowledge of the period as she has.

I have come away from this book frustrated at how much could have been done with this story. I wanted to feel more connected with the experiences of all the characters. Irene Guy's connection should have been made specific far sooner so that the reader, having worked it out early on, isn't left suspended and waiting. There are so many ways that this book could have been developed differently that would have resulted in a more fulfilling experience.

This has left me hugely disappointed and it is disheartening to be left with yet another 3 star review from a book I was lucky enough to win.


June 18, 2013

Book Review : The Marlowe Papers by Ros Barber


The Marlowe Papers: A Novel in VerseThe Marlowe Papers: A Novel in Verse by Ros Barber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What a bore. Yet another scholar trying to convince an audience, by bashing them around the head, that Shakespeare was a creation of Marlowe. Books on this "conspiracy" will now be filed with romance novels and chick lit, the "won't read even if prodded by a ten foot barge pole". Honestly, there are so many books out there, spend your time reading the good stuff.




Croeso i Gaerdydd!

Cardiff Council Hall
© Glaciations of the World

Millenium Statium
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Mot and Bailey within Cardiff Castle
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Propaganda in the bunker built into the wall.
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Cardiff Castle from the wall.
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Hello Me
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All the landmarks from the wall
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This chap was preening at the peahen. The peahen was taking no notice.
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Stained glass of English royalty inside the castle.
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The Islamic Room - amazing! and by far my favourite room.
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The floor of the Islamic Room
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Everywhere you look, monkeys getting into mischief. The monkey's alone could make an entire blog post.
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Roof of the banqueting hall.
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The five languages high on the wall in the library.
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I loved the library.  One day, I will have a space like this.
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The wall of animals.
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Graffiti up one of the lane ways.
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© Glaciations of the World