Book Review :: The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

Ordinarily, I do not read anything that can be called “chick lit”. It just isn’t to my interest. It was, then, a surprise to read The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain and discover that not only was it a mystery but “chick lit”.

Chamberlain’s prose is smooth and gripping and by the time I realised what was happening, I was too engaged with the story to stop reading. The story flowed seamlessly from start to finish without any glaring problems that kick you abruptly out of the story. I found myself imagining the characters and the houses and the multitude of scenes as clearly as though I were watching a movie. This is always part of my reading experience but how clear my image is, is directly influenced by the writing.

The characters are strong and believable. I feel Riley is the most developed character but as the narrator, she would need to be. Danny was an enigma that I always wanted to know more about and it is interesting to see in Chamberlain’s note at the end, she thanks a friend(?) for her help in bringing Danny forward. I found Jeannie and Christine to be exactly what you would expect from the circumstances and I was left feeling I didn’t know enough about Lisa. I can’t discuss Lisa here because of the dreaded spoiler but it will be interesting to see what other readers make of her.

I’ve given this 3.5 stars because it doesn’t really sit well for me in the 3 or 4 star ratings I’ve given this year.

This is a great story if you’re on the beach or going on a flight of a few hours. It does have a couple of moment where I felt it was a little over wrought, with too much angst but for the most part, these passages can be overlooked.

I did think at the end that I wouldn’t go back and read any more by Chamberlain because I didn’t want to tarnish this story, so it was another surprise to see I’ve got three other titles marked as to read. This is the power of books. You never know where they’ll take you, where you’ll be delivered, or what they will open up for you.

Thank you Diane and NetGalley for the ARC copy.

Book Review :: Death Can't Take A Joke by Anya Lipska

4.5 out of 5 stars

Death can’t take a joke, published by The Friday Project/Harper Collins, the second novel by Anya Lipska, continues following two lead characters, Natalie Kershaw – a tough “girl-policeman” and Janusz Kiszka – a Polish private eye; plus an assortment of characters supporting the duo throughout. Detective Sergeant "Streaky" Bacon, Oskar, Ben and of course, the bad guys, are fantastic creations and drive a highly realistic and accurate plot.

When Jim Fulford misses a pint in the pub with Kiszka, a chain of events is begun that leads the reader around Walthamstow, Canary Wharf and into the world of organised crime, illegal imports and prostitution.

Lipska writes believable characters, characters who leap off the page and would not be out of place in London and the world. Kershaw is a strong female character. She is more than happy to look after herself, she stands up for her principles and has unwavering convictions and morals. Kershaw is a refreshing character in literature and she is also unique. I can think of few other examples, from my personal reading list, of who she could compare with.

Janusz Kiszka is similar. He is depicted as a gentleman. A man who seeks to protect women from abusers, a man who cooks, a man who has the best interests of his family and friends at heart but isn’t so passive he has lost his ability to drink, carouse and get himself into the odd scrape.

I wish I could phrase my praise in a better way. All I can say is thank you Anya and that I’m waiting with great anticipation for the next adventure with two of my favourite literature mates.

2013 Book Round Up

Review :: A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar

A 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.

Book Review : A Treacherous Likeness by Lynn Shepherd

5/5 Stars

A Treacherous Likeness tells the story of the long-dead poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, his wife Mary, his first wife, Harriet, his friendships, and his writing all while interwoven with mystery, deceit and murder. For this reader, welcoming back a grown, more self-assured Charles Maddox was a great pleasure and I must admit, I found him more realistic and tangible, yes tangible this time.

Maddox is drawn into a scheme of blackmail at the instigation of Jane Shelley, the wife of Percy Shelley, the only living child of Bysshe and Mary. What develops from this meeting held my interest in its vice like grasp until the very last page. Initially, I was a little uncertain about reading A Treacherous Likeness as Shepherd is a twitter “friend”. What if I didn’t like the book. What if I were only able to give a low star rating. What if I gave and wrote a poor review and got a nasty email asking me whom I was to criticise when my own work has yet to be published. Why were these even considerations you ask? Because that is what happened with another twitter “friend” whose book really was only worth the 1 star I gave it. I decided after 6 pages none of these things mattered. The review was my own and I realised I am entitled to read and like or dislike a book as I please.

A Treacherous Likeness, however, was impossible to not like. I truly loved it.

What is obvious from the first paragraph is the relationship Shepherd has with her characters. Reading the first few chapters it is abundantly clear she knows them inside and out; even knows specifically what they look like.

It is also obvious that Shepherd has done her homework. The research that comprises this book is amazing. All the elements were perfectly placed and I found myself just reading the book for what was going to happen – there was no concern that the information was incorrect or flawed or misleading. I realise, though, there are other readers who have taken issue with Shepherd’s portrayal of the Shelley family and the world they created for themselves and I can see the crooked finger of accusation being levelled at me, because I am guilty of wanting my history and my fiction to be pure. What one learns, over time, is that history is never pure and the tarnish of the past will always appear on the fiction.

I cannot speak highly enough of this book. As I tweeted Lynn “this book has melted my brain.” Please read it. You won’t regret it and if you do, don’t tell me cause I am still savouring the way this book made my imagination feel.

Book Review : The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook

DISCLAIMER : I received a proof copy of this book through goodreads and Julia Murday at Penguin UK.


3/5 Stars

Colonel Lewis Morgan is tasked with aiding the rebuilding of Hamburg. He takes ups residence in a requisitioned house, refuses to evict the German tenants, an architect and his daughter; and waits for the arrival of his wife, Rachel and his son, Edmund.

Having never read Rhidian Brook’s work, I had nothing to compare it to, so I relied on the praise of others who had read his work ahead of me. It is plainly evident why Brook is so popular. His style is fluid and logical, allowing the book to be simply readable.

This, however, is the downfall for me. The Aftermath is simple.

I wanted so much more from this book and the possibilities and opportunities were there. The characters, though believable, felt under developed. After 300 plus pages, I do not feel I knew any of them terribly well. I knew I was supposed to like Lewis, Rachel, Edmund and Lubert. I knew whom I was supposed to dislike. I knew who was supposed to be the antagonist but I never knew what the characters were truly capable of. In the end, I did not really like any of them.

Perhaps I am reading or wanting too much from this book; looking for something that is not supposed to be a consideration. For me, this book only brushed the surface of what it could have been. I would not have minded this book being twice its actual size if I could have had more depth, more detail, and more explanation.

It is difficult to write a logical and coherent review of this book as I am not completely convinced of its character. For me, the book was good. It did not open up a new world for me. It did not increase my interest in this period of history.

I am left to wonder if Brook knows the potential greatness of this work. It feels, for me, as though he has given his baby to the world prematurely.

Congratulations, also, should be given for The Aftermath being optioned by Ridley Scott. However, given Scott’s body of work, I cannot quite comprehend the outcome.

It has been a challenge to write even this short review. I feel I am working with smoke and kittens; easily blown away and skittish about direction. In short, I did enjoy this book, I just wish there had been more of it.