The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

** No Spoiler Included **

It is likely that most people now know what this book is about, due to the film released in 2008.  Even if you haven’t seen the film, you’re likely to have come across the trailers.  Initially, they wanted you to start reading the book without knowing the subject matter (the original synopsis of John Boyne’s book was:

"The story of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the cover, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. We hope you never have to cross such a fence.") 

However, this has now been taken away due to the prevalence of the film.  Therefore, the newest edition of the book features a slightly more detailed synopsis.  However, I am not going to go into detail about the plot of this book.

John Boyne is an Irish author, and although this is his fifth novel, it is his first book written for children.  My initial reaction to this was that given the subject matter, I didn’t think it was particularly appropriate for children.  However, given that the back of the original book states “this isn’t a book for nine-year olds”, I take some comfort from it being written for slightly older children.  Indeed, when I think back to my school days, we were taught about the Holocaust from a relatively young age in secondary school.  John Boyne himself addresses this concern by saying that ‘I do feel that young readers can approach serious subjects like this if the stories are told in the right way and I tried to tell it in the right way’ .  I do agree with this, the story is told from Bruno’s point of view, who at nine years old, is relatively naïve and innocent.  Therefore, although the story is tragic, it is not told in a particularly graphic way that would scar you for life.

It is certainly accessible to younger readers, but because the story is told by a child who doesn’t understand the full extent (if at all) of what is happening around him, I think a prior knowledge of the Holocaust would be needed to really appreciate this book.  Therefore, I’m not entirely convinced that the premise of this book being for younger readers isn’t flawed.  For example, Bruno mistakes Auschwitz for “Out-With” and refers to Hitler as “The Fury”, instead of the Führer.  None of these mistakes are explicitly corrected in the book, and the reader is presumed to be able to work it out themselves.

The book is 216 pages long, and printed in large text.  For me, it was easily readable in one sitting.  It certainly is young-person-friendly.  The narrative is certainly in keeping with being written from a nine year olds perspective, but at points I did find it slightly forced.  In particular, the repetition; I understand this is meant to add to the believability of the story being told by a chid but for me it felt a bit like the author had sat down and thought “now, how do I think like a nine year old”.  I wanted it to flow a little more.

I haven’t seen the film, but did see the trailers which certainly made me realise the film (and book) would be a heart-breaking story.  However, I am disappointed to say that the book didn’t quite live up to expectations for me.  Perhaps because I expected to be a bit more in depth and harrowing, and actually in comparison to these expectations, the book was quite light reading until the last few pages.  (Saying that, I am certainly not making light of the subject).  In my opinion, nothing much really happens throughout the majority of the story (although it wasn’t boring), until the last two chapters – which delivers a pretty strongly impacting twist which did make me gasp! 

However, the book isn’t realistic.  It is totally unfeasible that the son of the Commandant at Auschwitz, having lived at Auschwitz for a year, would never have heard the word Jew.  Bruno doesn’t grasp what is happening in the concentration camp at all, despite his bedroom window overlooking the camp.  Certainly, in reality, a boy of his age growing up in Germany in 1943 would know something about these things; he would certainly be taught to worship Hitler and to have strong negative feelings about Jews.

It certainly isn’t realistic, it has some quite major flaws and it isn’t historically accurate, and therefore if this sort of thing offends you then it’s probably best you give it a miss.  But if you can take it for what it is (and you've avoided the spoilers), it is worth a read if you have a spare couple of hours (even if for those last two chapters alone).  I presume the film is set heavily on the book, and so if you’ve seen the film, I imagine the book doesn’t really add anything!!

A fabulous second novel by Rosamund Lupton!

I managed to get through 2010 missing Rosamund Lupton’s highly acclaimed debut novel ‘Sister’.  However, when Postie bought me her second novel ‘Afterwards’, courtesy of Best Magazine to review (I signed up to Best Book Club through their facebook page), I took to Google to learn more about her.  I soon discovered how successful her first novel had been, selling nearly 200,000 copies in just ten weeks and spending 14 weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. Impressed, I settled down on the sun lounger in my back garden to see what all the fuss was about....!

Having not read ‘Sister’, I can only imagine how the success of this second novel will compare. However, I have to say it is a fantastic read! It is an absolutey fantastic page-turner; it only took a few lines for me to be totally engrossed.  Rosamund Lupton draws you in very quickly, and I felt an instant connection with the characters. 

I found this book to be an absolutely incredible portrayal of the lengths family will go to for one another; and communicated from a very interesting and different perspective – It is told by the mother of the family from the point of view of an out of body experience whilst her physical body is in the hospital in a coma.  An extremely moving story, but with enough twists and turns along the way to keep you guessing. 

If you’ve read and liked ‘If I stay’ by Gayle Forman (reviewed below), you’ll absolutely love this!  I will absolutely be investing in a copy of ‘Sister’ and will definitely be keeping my eye out for Rosamund Lupton's future works!

** Rosamund's second novel, Afterwards, is published on June 9th 2011 **

New Reading Challenge!

In addition to my 2011 Reading challenge....I am signing up to Book Chick City's Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011 to read at least 12 mystery and suspense novels!!

I have a few already waiting on my bookshelf to be read....so even though it's already June, I think I should be able to get through 12 by 31st December!

I'll keep you updated....!





  

The Villa Girls

I was sent "The Villa Girls by Nicky Pellegrino" by Waterstones to review (Available here: The Villa Girls at Waterstones)

The chapters in this book alternate between “Rosie” (A recently orphaned girl who is understandably a bit lost in the world) and “The Olive Estate” (where we meet Enzo and his traditional Italian family).  I found this a little frustrating at first, as although it allows the author to build the story of both characters gradually, I often found myself having to switch my attention from one character to another just as I’d begun to really get into reading about one of their lives.  However, after a while, it begins to flow better and it does keep the pages turning. By half way through the book, I quite enjoyed the switching and as the two characters lives collide, it brings a deeper insight to each person's views.

At the end of each of Rosie’s chapters, there is a short addition from Addolorata’s (a friend of Rosie) perspective (either in the form of a journal entry or ‘what she said’) – I liked this, and thought it added something different.

Italy features heavily in both Rosie and Enzo’s chapters.  Firstly the Olive Estate is in Southern Italy and secondly, Addolorata  is part of an Italian family who run an Italian restaurant in London.  As Rosie and Addolorata’s friendship grows, Rosie soon becomes part of Addolorata's family and it is heart-warming to read. The book explores both Italian family life and the vibrant flavours of Italian food extremely well.

The book is a good illustration that so many of us have the lives we actually lead and those we dream of leading.  It’s based heavily around family, friendship and real life, and this overpowers the romance element.  As expected, it is a fairly predictable story, so don’t expect twists and turns throughout that will keep you guessing.  The book has a fairly leisurely pace, although some parts of the story are dealt with in just a few pages which at times seems a little strange.  However, if you like leisurely reads, you’ll get along with this book just fine.  Ideal for light reading whilst on holiday! 

Love Reading? You'll love www.lovereading.co.uk

I recently won a £50 voucher from Lovereading’s Facebook page of which they have a couple depending on what type of books you are into:

• Literary/Contemporary 
• Crime/Thriller
• Romantic Fiction
• Biography/Autobiography
• Relationship Tales

This £50 book voucher was to be used on their website: http://www.lovereading.co.uk/. It took me several weeks to browse through their website, which I highly recommend – there is a fabulous mix of authors and categories to chose from. 

Finally I chose a lovely set of 9 books:

So if you love books, I highly recommend a visit to Lovereading's website!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I have been meaning to read this series for years, and have a number of friends who keep recommending it and constantly reminding me! I suffered several unsuccessful trips to my local library; apparently being an International Bestseller means the book is always out of stock with a number of reservations in line waiting to read it.  However, as you will see in my next blog, I was lucky enough to win a £50 book voucher which I used to purchase a number of books including The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.

So what did I think.....? In my opinion, it is an exceptionally well written crime novel.   You would never know it was originally written in Swedish and is in fact extremely well -constructed. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows three central characters who ultimately all come together in an attempt to solve a family secret which has remained just that for a number of decades.  The head of the Vanger Corporation is tormented by the disappearance of a young family member decades earlier, and is convinced that a member of his family murdered her.  A recently disgraced journalist and an anti-social investigator are subsequently hired to unravel the yarns of mystery that exist and arrive at a very surprising outcome.

The prologue was enough for me to be drawn in, and intrigued as to what could possibly have happened to this young girl.  I wouldn’t say the novel is particularly fast-paced but slowly builds the complex story, including the extended family history, and then picks up pace about half way through. It is gripping enough to keep you turning pages.  The main characters are very easy to warm to and the plot is interesting and not too predictable.  Within each chapter, Larsson jumps around quite a lot between characters but actually it is generally very easy to follow.

I found it extremely interesting to discover the background to the author, who witnessed a gang rape of a young girl when he was 15, and how this impacted on his career.  His books focus both on a central character called Lisbeth (also the name of the rape victim) and a theme of sexual violence against women.  The novel is particularly graphic in places, but I think it is a sign of how well-written it is, that these parts of the book work and it all blends together very well.  Other themes running throughout the book are journalism, the lack of morality in the corporate world, and Swedish society. 

It is a shame that Larsson is no longer with us and a outstanding crime-writing career was cut short, as his works would surely have developed into even more exceptional novels.  This trilogy will definitely go down in history.

Palmer's Coconut Body Butter

Palmer’s recently sent me a full sized 170g pot of Palmer’s Coconut Milk Formula Body Butter to test out and see what I thought of it.  The pot states that the body butter is luxuriously creamy and is made with natural coconut milk and also contains vitamin E.  From the product description, and reading the ingredients, I noticed it also contains Mango, Macadamia, Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe and Cocoa. 

On first opening the pot, I was hit by the relatively strong coconut smell which no doubt will make everyone think of suntan lotion! However, once I’d put a bit on my legs, I could really smell the cocoa as well. 

The body butter itself is quite firm and certainly does feel luxuriously creamy as you apply it to your body.  It does not stay wet or tacky for ages, which means you don’t have to wander around the house half naked for hours whilst you wait for it to dry.  I found it was quickly absorbed into the skin and instantly my skin felt softer.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find that that softness lasted for hours, and in fact whenever I turned over in the middle of the night, I actually noticed how soft my legs felt (not something I would usually notice in the middle of the night!)

My only negative point about this product would be that if you put clothes on over your newly moisturised body, the smell really does soak into the clothes and lasts until washed.  So even if you haven’t used the body butter that day you might find a rather strong coconut smell following you round the house as you lounge around in those tracksuit bottoms you shoved on after moisturising your legs a couple of days ago!!! I guess the same applies if you use the body butter in the morning, you may smell of coconut all day – so perhaps ideal for putting on just before bed!

Having checked online, I found that the body butter costs £4.99 at Boots and £6.12 at Superdrug – so definitely worth keeping an eye out for the best offer.  It is also available at Asda/Tesco etc. although I am unsure of the prices.  In my opinion, definitely a worthwhile buy – the pot is actually full when new, unlike some body butters I have used where the pot is nowhere near full.  The only reason to avoid this product would be if you hate the smell of coconut!!

Can view product here: Palmers Coconut Milk Formula Body Butter

If I stay by Gayle Forman

** WHAT IT IS ABOUT **

The last thing Mia remembers is the music. After the accident, she can still hear it. And she can see her damaged body being taken from the wreck of her parents' car - even though she can't feel a thing. All she can do is watch as doctors rush to save her life, as her friends and

relatives gather outside her room, as the boy she loves struggles to be near her. As the next twenty-four hours unfold, Mia must come to terms with what came before the crash - and what could come after. And she knows she must make the most difficult choice of all.

** WHAT I THOUGHT **

This is only a short book but is gripping and will really touch you. I read a lot of books, but this is the most memorable book I have ever read. In fact, it is extrememly hard to describe just how good this book is. It's a simply beautiful book filled with incredible relationships and heartbreaking moments.

Gayle Forman has a lovely style of writing and although there are not that many characters involved in this book (the main people you meet are Mia, her parents and her brother, her grandparents, her boyfriend (Adam) and her best friend (Kim)) you come to love them all and so you are totally gripped by the decision she has to make.

The connection between Mia and her boyfriend is depicted incredibly and as you are reading the book, you can really feel the love. The rivalry between Mia's boyfriend and her best friend is a common tale that I imagine most people will be able to relate to (whether from personal experience or witnessing it amongst their friends), but is very cleverly twisted into something deeper as they come to realise what Mia meant to them both.

The book switches between the present (mostly set in the hospital) and her memories in which you gain a true understanding of her life and relationships with those she loves. The most moving scene for me was when her grandparents visit her in the hospital - even thinking about it now gives me goosebumps and in fact brings tears to my eyes. Her grandfather is generally a strong and silent man, but in just a few lines, he will make your heart melt and have tears streaming down your face.

I also think the main thread of the book - that Mia ultimately is in control of whether she dies or not - is very throught-provoking in itself. Most of us probably tend to avoid thinking about this subject, but it certainly is a different way of thinking about it and is brought to life really well throughout the book. All in all, it was a very thought-provoking book, and certainly makes you realise that life can change in an instant and makes you appreciate what you have!! Once you have turned the last page, you'll be left wondering - Would you stay?

I had never read any of Gayle Forman's books before - but will certainly keep an eye out in the future!!

A graphic tale of a very dark history catching up with the present!

APARTMENT 16 - ADAM NEVILL

** WHAT IS IT ABOUT **

Some doors are better left closed . . .

In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And it's been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever.

A young American woman, Apryl, arrives at Barrington House. She's been left an apartment by her mysterious Great Aunt Lillian who died in strange circumstances. Rumours claim Lillian was mad. But her diary suggests she was implicated in a horrific and inexplicable event decades ago.

Determined to learn something of this eccentric woman, Apryl begins to unravel the hidden story of Barrington House. She discovers that a transforming, evil force still inhabits the building. And the doorway to Apartment 16 is a gateway to something altogether more terrifying . . .

** WHAT I THOUGHT OF IT **

I won this in a competition and when it dropped through my letterbox, my first impression was that it sounded intriguing and gripping - a standard ghost story.

Having read the first paragraph, I was convinced this was going to scare the hell out of me but I am not one to put a book down once I've started as I always NEED to know what happens so I persevered. As I got further into the book I realised that it was not what I had expected, and actually was a story of some extremely dark forces which had destroyed people's lives and had every intention of destroying more.

It is extremely well written and the author easily makes you like certain characters, feel sorry for others, and be repulsed by Felix Hessen. It is very deep in places, and I often had to go back and re-read sentences or paragraphs. Nevill really makes you feel that Felix Hessen is an actual figure in the past, and you feel the need to know what happened to him. Nevill creates the atmosphere well throughout, which I must say is sometimes quite horrific. There are some hints throughout the book which keep you guessing and also a twist towards the end! The chapters jump back and forth from Seth to Apryl's points of view so depending on which character you relate to best can mean you look forward to some chapters more than others.

It's quite a graphic book, and certainly not for the faint hearted or those prone to nightmares (I could only read this during daylight hours for fear of having nightmares!!)

However, ultimately for me, no matter how good the prose throughout the book had been I felt the storyline was building and building, but then was really quite disappointed with the ending (I won't say anymore). But for a debut novel, a good read if you're into supernatural/horror/ghost stories!

Ghost Town - Book 9 of the Morganville Series by Rachel Caine

** WHAT IT'S ABOUT **

While developing a new system to maintain Morganville's defenses, student Claire Danvers discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers. Through this, she's able to re-establish the field around this vampire-infested Texas college town that protects it from outsiders.

But the new upgrades have an unexpected consequence: people inside the town begin to slowly forget who they are-even the vampires. Soon, the town's little memory problem has turned into a full-on epidemic. Now Claire needs to figure out a way to pull the plug on her experiment- before she forgets how to save Morganville...

** WHAT I THOUGHT **

My first book review and since Vampire books are one of the, if not the, most popular books around, I thought this would be a great place to start!

I was sent this book by WHSmith to review and having seen the Twilight films and read a couple of the J.R.Ward Vampire series, I was very interested to read it! However, the cover said “Book Nine” and after a little google-ing, I discovered this was indeed the ninth book in a very interesting looking series.  I’d not heard of the Morganville Series before and not read any of the previous eight books, so was a little sceptical over whether I would be able to get into it and really enjoy it without knowing any of the previous storylines.  However, after only a few pages of reading those concerns were put to bed.  The book can certainly stand alone, although there are moments where it is clear you would understand more if you’d read the previous books but I certainly don’t feel this takes anything away from reading the book out of order.

SFX Magazine claims ‘Dump Meyer’s Twilight books and replace them with the Morganvilles’. Having not read the Twilight books, and only seen the films I cannot really comment on this claim.  However, I imagine that this series would certainly appeal to Twilight fans and since Vampire books are popping up all over the place now – I think this series is absolutely one to get your hands on!

I warmed very quickly to the main character, Claire, and this strengthens and develops as you get further into the book.  Rachel Caine has a wonderful way of making you feel the emotions of the characters – I went from loving to hating Myrnin many times throughout the book.  Shane is certainly a character for the girls, and if made into a film, I am sure that a suitably attractive actor would be enrolled!

I don’t want to give too much away storyline-wise, so all I will say is imagine a town full of both vampires and humans is hit by mass amnesia – carnage ensues and it is up to Claire to save Morganville!  The storyline is gripping and certainly kept me turning pages! In fact once I’d got to Chapter 7 I didn’t put the book down until it got to 2am and I had turned the last page. 

The part of the book in which Shane succumbs to the amnesia brings both heartbreaking and uplifting moments.  For any romance-lover, it is beautiful to see Claire and Shane fall in love again!  The interaction between Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire is wonderful.  All-in-all I really loved Rachel Caine’ portrayal of their friendship and alliance to one another.  Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!