Jen's Book Blog

2021 Book #56 – Shadowplay

Medium – Audiobook

About the Book – In the Lyceum Theatre, three extraordinary people begin their working lives together – Henry Irving, the key leading man and theatre impresario; Ellen Terry, the most desired actress of her generation; and Bram Stoker, the unremarkable theatre manager and eventual writer of ‘Dracula’. The story follows Bram through the streets of London, which are stalked by the Ripper and full of the secrets of Bram’s one-time friend, Oscar Wilde. He builds the inspiration for his later master work, but Henry Irving is determined that nothing will distract his theatre manager from his important work. And both men are entranced by the beautiful Ellen Terry.

My Rating – 1/5

My Thoughts – This was a book I tried so hard to listen to and like. I got over half-way through, but it just wasn’t for me. One of the main problems in my view was that the story seemed a little contrived – I know that the three main characters did all meet and work together as occurs in the book, but they all just seemed quite artificial to my view. The characters were generally quite forgettable, although I did like Bram’s wife, although for the life of me I can’t remember what her name is now! She was quite likable though, and to be honest I would have preferred a book based around her life, rather than her rather dull husband’s.

The narration was also part of the reason that I didn’t enjoy the book. In my opinion, the narrator just sounded a little under enthused by the whole story, which did permeate through to me as the reader. The wonderful Anna Chancellor did read parts of the book, which were narrated by Ellen Terry – these were more memorable and more gripping. Though, to be completely honest, I had to look up the Goodreads listing to tell you what happened in the book, as I could not remember the storyline! Not a book I enjoyed, but I’m sure one that others might.

2021 Book #55 – Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World

Medium – Book

About the Book – Mark Aldridge takes us through the appearances of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, from his genesis in 1920 to the latest Poirot film, ‘Death on the Nile’ released in 2021. For each appearance of Poirot, he discusses the ways in which the character is presented – from his evolution through Christie’s writing, and then his later appearances in films, TV, radio, video games and spin-off books. He talks through Christie’s own feelings about the character and then the way that her legacy has been continued through Agatha Christie Ltd., run by (among others) her daughter, then grandson and now great-grandson.

My Rating – 5/5

My Thoughts – Agatha Christie has always been one of my favourite authors, and for a long time growing up, the Poirot adaptations with David Suchet were my favourite TV shows – I still make sure to have them on if I need something comforting (despite the murders!) This fantastic book is perfect for a Christie fan – fond, without being too sycophantic and a brilliant overview of the character, with humour along the way. I loved it. The author starts in 1920, and then goes through each appearance of Poirot in turn, from the first book all the way through to the latest film. He never gives us spoilers (although some are included in the end notes, if you want to read them) and instead encourages us to read (or watch, listen, play) each ourselves.

Up to 1975 (when the last book was produced), Aldridge talks through the books, the contemporary attitudes towards them and their strengths and weaknesses. For each adaptation of Poirot, he does the same, often throwing in reflections from those closest to Christie herself. One thing I learned through reading it was how much Christie tried to put off a television adaptation of Poirot – she was quite happy for him to be portrayed on the radio, but more reluctant on film and certainly in terms of television, which I found really interesting, especially in the light of how quickly successful books are optioned nowadays. This book was full of really interesting bits of information, and I would definitely recommend a read if you are a Poirot fan – or even if you aren’t, to be honest – there’s enough history and film criticism to keep you entertained! Be warned – you will probably want to read or re-watch stories after reading, which isn’t great if you have a massive TBR pile…

2021 Book #54 – Scythe

Medium – Audiobook

About the Book – Set hundreds of years in the future, the world has evolved to the point where there is no death, no hunger, no war and no poverty. The world is ruled by ‘The Thunderhead’, the evolved form of ‘The Cloud’, which takes care of the world and the people in it. The fact that there is no death is slightly problematic, as it means the world could become overpopulated, and so the Scythes exist. These specially chosen people work as assassins, ‘gleaning’ (permanently killing) chosen humans. Citra and Rowan are two apprentice scythes, neither of whom wish to do the job. However, they are soon pushed into a terrible competition which means that one of them will get the position of scythe and the other will be gleaned.

My Rating – 3.5/5

My Thoughts – Firstly, this audiobook had a fantastic narrator. I don’t think I would have read the book as avidly if I had to read it in paperform myself. The narrator was able to really skillfully perform as all of the characters, all with different voices, but it didn’t feel forced (or indeed, disrespectful to any race or gender). The book is an interesting premise, and although it sounds quite morbid, it actually included some really interesting thinking points about the way we treat our world, immortality and the value of life. The plot is quite twisty all the way through and I couldn’t have guessed the ending – which is always a good indicator of a book where the author has thought really hard about how the plotline will play out.

The characters are interesting, but in some ways I think the two main characters may be the weakest part of this book. They are OK, but I can’t say I really warmed to either of them – they just seemed whiny to start with and just never seemed particularly likable. The supporting characters were much more interesting, and I especially liked Scythes Curie and Faraday. They were Citra and Rowan’s mentors and were just a lot more accessible and interesting than the main characters. I have purchased the second audiobook in the series ‘Thunderhead’ so will have a listen and see how it continues. It already looks to have some elements in it that I would find more interesting, so will have a go (although not yet!)

2021 Book #53 – The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Medium – Book

About the Book – Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia live in a version of 19th century Britain which never existed, which is full of wild wolves that rule the countryside and hunt people. Bonnie’s kind parents, Sir Willoughby and Lady Green leave to go on a sea voyage to improve Lady Green’s health and leave Bonnie and Sylvia in the care of their distant relation, the villainous Miss Slighcarp. Soon, the Greens’ faithful servants are dismissed and Sylvia and Bonnie are sent away to a terrible school, where they are forced to do endless drudgery and worked almost to death. They manage to flee with the help of their friend Simon and his herd of geese, but will they be able to reclaim Willoughby Chase?

My Rating – 4.5/5

My Thoughts – I was encouraged to read ‘The Wolves of Willoughby Chase’ after a slight disagreement with my husband about whether wolves should be encouraged back into the wilds in the UK. I was for – my husband, having read this book as a child, was against. The book uses the conceit of the alternate version of our world in 1832 really well – it is enough like our world to be believable and familiar but then has the overarching threat of the wild wolves – although these are not as scary as the cruel Miss Slighcarp! The plot moved quickly and whilst it was reminiscent of other ‘classic’ books (i.e., the school is very much like Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickleby), it was generally very original.

The characters were great – I especially liked Bonnie, who is a crack shot, likes wearing boys clothes and is generally happiest outdoors. Her cousin, Sylvia definitely has a spark to her, although it is not as recognisable at first as Bonnie’s is. The character of Simon is excellent – he is a staunch ally to the girls without being patronising or over-bearing – he accepts them both (especially Bonnie) as they are and helps them, rather than taking over. The ending is lovely, and without giving too much away, wraps up the story well – which is perfect for a story which is aimed at upper primary school children (9-11, I’d say!) There are more books in the series, although I am a bit sad that they don’t include Bonnie and Sylvia!

2021 Book #52 – Ghost Wood Song

Medium – Book

About the Book – Shady Grove is a fiddle player who has, with the help of her father’s fiddle, inherited his gift to call ghosts from their rests. Playing the fiddle is dangerous though, and she is hunted by the ‘Shadow Man’ who hunts her in her nightmares and starts to haunt her in the daytime as well. However, when her brother is arrested for murder, Shady must use the fiddle to summon the ghost of the only man who can tell her what really happened – the murder victim. However, it soon becomes clear that there are more mysteries than just the one that Shady thought she was solving, and that she is in danger of losing her soul.

My Rating – 5/5

My Thoughts – This has to be one of the best debut novels I have ever read. It was given as part of the Book Box Club and whilst sometimes the books they give can be a bit hit and miss, this one really was a hit. My husband (who is a fiddle player) actually read this one before me and waxed lyrical about it, so I was keen to see what it was about – and was not disappointed. The plot is excellent, and moves quickly – I read this book in about three days, and it completely gripped me. I really liked that there were multiple layers to the mystery – although one of the mysteries was quite straightforward to ‘solve’, there were other intertwined mysteries around Shady’s family which I was no where near close to guessing. The setting of a Deep South, Florida swamp area was not one I had read many books set in before, but I quickly fell in love (despite the rattlesnakes!)

Shady is a brilliant main character – she is likeable, funny and you really do care about her and what she is doing. She has a couple of love interests, and there is a good bit of LGBTQ+ representation in the book. Of the other characters, I really liked Cedar, who was one of Shady’s love interests, her best friend Orlando and her Aunt Ena. Whilst most of the characters were well-rounded and developed, I thought these three stood out – especially Cedar, who I have a bit of a soft spot for. This book is sort-of a horror book, sort of a murder mystery and sort-of a YA romance, but the mix of genres gives it real depth. Highly recommended!

2021 Book #51 – The Volunteer

Medium – Book

About the Book – Witold Pilecki is an underground operative working in Poland during the Nazi Occupation in 1940. During this time, to live in Poland was terrible, with those who were seen as intellectuals, as well as priests, homosexuals, the disabled and Jews, taken to concentration camps – of which one of the first in Poland is Auschwitz. Despite Witold’s young family and his fears of torture and death, he volunteers to be captured and enter Auschwitz, in order to set up an underground network within the camps. The book then follows his time in camp, where he was often on a knife edge between life and death, his efforts to get word to the West about the atrocities occurring in the camps, his arrest after the Warsaw Uprising and his tragic execution at the hands of the occupying Soviets after the war.

My Rating – 5/5

My Thoughts – This book would not be for everyone. I completely recognise that some people aren’t able to think about the terrible events in Auschwitz and the other concentration camps in WW2 because they are just too horrific. But, if you do feel able to read and learn about Auschwitz, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. Witold Pilecki is one of the bravest, most interesting and most selfless men I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. His mission in the camp – to both start underground networks for sabotage and possible escape, but also to encourage captives to be kind to each other and protect the weak – was carried out wholeheartedly. The main thing that held him back from succeeding in his plans was the reticence of the West, and it is terrible to think that the genocide going on in the camps may have been stopped/curtailed by more significant intervention earlier in the war.

The book is written excellently. There is plenty of detail without the book being ‘gory’ and seeming too graphic or like it is revelling in the misfortune of the captives. There are extensive character histories in the back of the book, which was really helpful as it meant I could have a flick back to them and work out who they were. The author also presents the dilemma of the Ethnic Polish workers at the camp – they were not on the same ‘kill lists’ as the Jews and other groups, but they had to work within the camp, often with moral dilemmas surfacing. The work of the Prisoner-Doctors/Nurses was particularly difficult, and Fairweather presents the decisions that they had to make fairly, considering their position within the camp (both of privilege, but also the certain knowledge that they could be murdered at any time).

I would massively recommend a read of this book. It isn’t a ‘nice’ subject, but it is one of the best, most well-researched, and most uplifting books I have read so far this year!

2021 Book #50 – A Very English Scandal

Medium – Audiobook

About the book – This book tells the story of Jeremy Thorpe and Norman Scott. Thorpe was the leader of the Liberal Democrat party during the sixties and seventies, but was caught up in a scandal around his previous romantic relationship with Norman Josieffe (Scott), a male model. The book is described as a non-fiction true crime novel, and it moves through the events of the story quickly and effectively. The basic premise of the story is that after Jeremy and Norman’s affair, Thorpe tries his best to cover it up (homosexuality being illegal at this point). Norman naively asks for help, which ends in the belief that he is blackmailing Thorpe. Desperately, Thorpe then is said to have ordered Norman’s assassination. He is arrested and tried for this, alongside the men who were his accomplices.

My Rating – 4/5

My Thoughts – This book was one that I got on an Audible offer, around the time that the BBC adaptation of the book, starring Hugh Grant, was produced. I haven’t yet had a chance to watch the adaptation yet, but after reading the book, I am definitely looking forward to! I really liked this book. It’s quite different to ones I have read before (although I like true crime, I prefer TV series to books), but I really enjoyed the true crime and biographical aspects of this book, together with the British Politics. It was super interesting but did make me think about our own political leaders and what might be going on behind closed doors! It’s also not an era of history I generally look at (you may have guessed that I am more into the war!), so it was nice to investigate a different era.

The book is written really intriguingly. The ‘accepted’ version of the story is that Thorpe did not order the death of Scott, and may not have even had an affair with him. This book takes the line that the events that Thorpe was found not guilty of at trial (i.e., incitement and plotting to murder) did in fact happen, as did the affair. From the book, Thorpe does not, it has to be said, emerge particularly favourably. Scott is a much more sympathetic character, as is the MP Peter Bessell, who was Thorpe’s ‘yes-man’ for a number of years, and who paved the way for some of Thorpe’s more shady dealings. The book uses a novel-like tone, making it far more interesting than the usual slightly dry memoirs! The narrator for this book was excellent, and I would recommend it! I will give a caveat that there is implied rape/sexual assault in the book, so if this is a trigger for you, you may want to skip the first hour or so.

2021 Book #49 – A Study in Emerald

Medium – Book (Graphic Novel)

About the Book – Set in a cross-over world of Sherlock Holmes and the Lovecraftian Cthulhu Mythos, we meet the detective and his staunch companion, a wounded soldier. They are called to the murder of a member of the royal family, a creature with tentacles, green blood and a ‘face in the wrong place’. The detective and his companion work to solve the mystery as they realise that their adversaries are likely those who would like to overthrow the ruling Great Old Ones and set up human leaders in their place. I can’t say too much more as it is a short book and would give away too much of the story!!!

My Rating – 4.5/5

My Thoughts – Ever since reading ‘Nimona’ earlier in the year, I have been really keen to read more graphic novels. When I saw that there was one based on Sherlock Holmes, I had to have a read! This story is one I have read before, although not in its illustrated form. The basic premise is that this is an alternate world, where the Great Old Ones of the Cthulhu Mythos have taken over the world and the people of the world bow before them and are subject to them. The Kings and Queens of the world (such as Victoria) are all tentacled, terrifically old alien beings, who alternately look after humans but also rule tyrannically and drive humans into madness. The story is one that sort of twists and turns, and whilst I think it works slightly better in terms of the twist at the end as a purely narrative story, I did enjoy the graphic elements of the story.

This is going to be a shorter review as I don’t want to give too much away. If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I think you would enjoy this! Another positive is that it is by Neil Gaiman, who is not only a fantastic writer but also has a great way of setting out stories to give the most surprises. Read and enjoy!

2021 Book #48 – Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder

Medium – Book

About the Book – Marion Lane is an Apprentice Investigator at Miss Brickett’s Investigations and Inquiries, a detective agency which is located in a huge underground complex located under the City of London. One night, a murder is committed inside the complex, meaning that one of Marion’s co-workers must be a murderer. To her dismay, her mentor and father-figure, Frank Stone, is arrested and threatened with being placed in ‘The Holding Cells’ for the rest of his life (a fate worse than death). Marion determines to find the real murderer and clear Frank’s name, alongside her best friend Bill and a dashing American detective. Danger is all around Marion, and she must be careful to avoid her own death…

My Rating – 2.5/5

My Thoughts – This was another book that I have got as part of the Book Box Club, and another where I feel just a bit let down. The book reminds me of Harry Potter and Hogwarts, with the same world building of a world that is within our own, which is a mystery to the people outside of it. It is a more grown-up version of Hogwarts, with a bar, adult protagonists and some rather gory murders. I enjoyed the memories of reading Harry Potter, especially in terms of the new world that the author had created. I also really enjoyed the steampunk elements of the story, with the amazing inventions that were created by Professor Bal, the ‘Q’ of this world. It also had a really diverse range of characters, with people from a range of races represented within the agency.

I found the main character more difficult to enjoy, which is a shame seeing as the story is based around her. Sometimes through the story I just wanted to shout at her to do something (or not do something). She was a bit annoying, and generally seemed to struggle with a sense of humour. I know that we want realistic characters in books (i.e., not all powerful people who never make mistakes), but it almost seemed as though the author was trying so desperately hard not to follow this trope, that it sucked all the life and personality out of the character.

2021 Book #47 – The Austen Girls

Medium – Book

About the Book – The Austen Girls tells the stories of two of Jane Austen’s nieces – Fanny, the daughter of her rich brother, and Anna, the daughter of one of her poorer brothers. The two girls are thrown into the marriage market and must make their way through it, trying to find a husband who would suit them and bring money and security. Fanny meets and becomes attached to her father’s curate, who finds himself arrested and under the threat of transportation to Australia. Fanny and Aunt Jane turn detective to try and clear his name, whilst Fanny learns more about her mysteriously wealthy aunt and discovers that marriage doesn’t have to be her next step.

My Rating – 3/5

My Thoughts – Firstly, let’s talk the positives about this book. Prime among these is the fact that the book is written by Lucy Worsley, who I have a massive girl crush on. She is amazing and I love her writing, so was really excited when I heard that she had written some historical, girl-focused, YA novels. Her writing style is lovely, and she produces just the right amount of action and description to really build the world. I really enjoyed the characters of Fanny and Aunt Jane, both of whom had their own voices and were constructed into fascinating characters. The story followed the historical narrative of the times and not too many liberties were taken with the plot.

So on to the not-so-positives. I thought the plot was a little lacking and sometimes there were times that I just wanted something to happen – it was, at times, a little staid. The character of Anna (who is meant to be Fanny’s opposite) wasn’t particularly likable and she seemed to be just there as a counterpoint to Fanny and Jane. There was a bit of a subplot with a ‘Mr Darcy-esque’ character, which didn’t really come to anything. I couldn’t tell whether he was in the book to emphasise the fact that Jane had written ‘Pride and Prejudice’ or just to act as a extra love interest for the two main girls. In general, it was a book that I read quickly, but not one that I took much in of!

Episode 6 – fantasy and murder, the end of the reading challenge – Jen's Book Blog